Forum Archive Index - May 2000

["David Reid" <aspex@ix.net.nz>]

Here is part of the problem:

From The Register 18/11/1999

This bring us to Boo.com, the extravagently funded Web sportswear retailer, which opened six months late, but in time for Christmas.

On launch day a couple of weeks back, an FT article revealed Boo.com's decision not to sell clothes at a discount. We use the word decision lightly -- Boo.com had to agree to sell clothes at list price, or else it wouldn't get manufacturer franchises. This sucks. That ain't Rip-Off Britain - that's Rip-Off World.

Boo says it will distinguish itself by the quality of its service. Will that be enough? We don't think so. Imagine how far Amazon would have got if it sold all its books at list price. Does anyone think Amazon is downmarket because you can get a bargain or two there. Boo will find the going much tougher because of its falling into line behind rip-off manufacturers.

 

And a comment from a Uk bulletin board:

 1) It opened 6 months late
  2) It ramped up staffing before ramping up the business
  3) It blew it's VC funding on *crap* TV adverts
  4) The sportswear manufacturers refused to supply boo.com unless the goods were sold at full list price.Not much point in being a .com then, might as well open a shop you can still do mail order and you don't need 10mill GBP to set up the hardware to handle the website.