>In the vase of the consumer who DOES NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS, the various
> comments about the need for a small, convenient device, are right on. For this market,
> Tom has patented a terminal originally named the Paymaster, and more recently
>referred to as the EZYShopper. This device, which will be used for EZTShop public
>locations, can also be used for shopping or bill paying in the home of someone who does
>not have a PC; or, someone who has a PC, but is not prepared to venture out onto the
>big, bad Internet.
Excellent for public useage. However, I certianly hope that Tom isn't planning on CHARGING for this device in home use scenarios.
>Tom and I have a broad philosophical difference of opinion over how large this market
>is(i.e., the market consisting of people who want to shop or pay bills electronically, but
>don't have Internet access). I will leave it to others to debate that.
I'll start the debate. I think the market is SMALL SMALL SMALL. Those people are barely brave enough to use PayByPhone banking. Too complicated. People who are to afraid of computers are certianly NOT going to hook some device to their telephone and slide their ATM card into it. Now, if you can integrate the system into Microsoft Web TV (possible co-op opportunity????), you may have something.
>The SLICK is a low-cost card reader and PIN pad, which attaches to the PC.
ok. IMHO...SLICK is NOT a good name. Bad, negative connotations. Gonna be VERY hard to market. Call it EZYpayThingy :>)
>The SLICK also has a modem and, as someone explained, it uses a second phone line to
>dial direct to the bank, or a processor acting on behalf of a bank.
Uses an additonal line in addition to the line your computer is already using for the modem? What about cable modem/dsl users? Where on the PC does it attach? Com Port? What about Macs? USB or Serial connection? Damn hardware :>)
>The other approach is to use a device similar to the SLICK, but to go ahead and pass the >data over the Internet, rather than use a second phone line. Removing the need for a
>modem built into "the device", and removing the need for a second phone line...
so..we're still talking a hardwired device that attaches to a port of some kind on a computer. at least you don't need another phone line....hhmmm..
>It appears that eConnect will try to implement all three approaches. For Internet ("same->as-cash") transactions, the simpler device that does not require a second line, will be
>implemented first.
probably smart. That in conjunction with the kiosk should generate revenue.
>For now, there is no way around needing a hardware device attached to the consumers
> PC. Regulations imposed by the ATM networks, require that your secret 4-digit code
>(your >"PIN" number) be encrypted in "secure hardware". They are NOT prepared to
>accept encryption done "in software", i.e. by a program provided by eConnect, and loaded >into the consumer's PC.
wow. Sounds to me like the ATM networks need to talk to the VISA folks and find out how THEY worked around it. Seems like if it's secure enough for VISA, should be secure enough for an ATM network. Hell of an issue.
>For consumers without Internet access, EZYShopper could be deployed to their homes
>today. However, eConnect marketing resources will focus on the EZYShop/Public Location
>business opportunity first, and then go back and look at how to develop the home
>market.
confused....if we're not going into the home market, how are those of us at home and online supposed to use eSportsbet.com?? Maybe I misunderstood and have been led to believe something that's not quite right. I thought that eSportsbet was one of our main focuses. Go online, call up the website, bet on a football game, print a reciept, click a button and be done. Wager placed.
>Regarding Marketing: There is a lot more to the business strategy than this, but it get
>to be too much for a simple email. Suffice it to say that eConnect does have solid
>marketing ideas for making these things happen.
My wife has been a professional marketing consultant for the design and construction industry for 10 years. I'd love to know the details. Is the marketing plan available for shareholder consumption?
my brain hurts. OTOH, this beats the hell out of stressing about a .02 drop in the stock price with 600,000 shares being traded :>)
dave g |
