The Next Run Of The MineThatData Elite Program!!

Every four months, we celebrate a new run of The MineThatData Elite Program! It's time to do that again.

The #subscription based program continues to evolve. With this run, I am going to shift focus just a bit.

Here's what you will get:

• Your standard comp segment analysis.
• Your standard comp new + reactivated analysis.
• A continuation of a handful of rolling twelve month metrics.
• Your annual repurchase and file composition table.

Here's two new things added for this run:

• A "grid" that illustrates where changes in your customer file generate the most "leverage" ... similar to stuff we've been talking about over the past two weeks.
• Rolling Price Point Information ... one of the biggest problems I've observed in 2017 projects is that changes in price point strategy (i.e. making items more / less expensive) is generally hurting businesses. We'll explore how price point changes are impacting your business.

Cost?

• First-Time Participants = $1,800.
• Existing Participants = $1,000.

Contact me right now (kevinh@minethatdata.com) to join the program and for file requirements.

Key Dates:

• Payment is due by October 10, 2017.
• Data is due by October 15, 2017.
• Analysis will be received by October 31, 2017.

P.S.: Ok, it's time for what is becoming a tradition ... the links at the end of the blog post. Have you read this interpretation of the new iPhone (click here)? There's a quote that all catalogers should read ... so I'll print the quote here ... we begin with the introduction of the iPhone a decade ago.

• The iPhone represented a fresh start for the company — and Steve Jobs, had learned his lessons well. Don’t depend on a third party to be enabler of your key innovations and capabilities. I have written about the critical need for vertical integration for today’s giants in the past.
  Just imagine Apple having to depend on Qualcomm to supply its chips — it will be tied into Qualcomm’s ability to come up with new technology — and thus will be working on a timeline defined by the San Diego chip giant. Mind you, this doesn’t factor the harsh reality of paying Qualcomm premiums and having to worry about losing chip supplies to someone with bigger orders and desire to work on razor thin margins.

This brings us to the catalog industry. Let's replace the second paragraph, removing "Apple" and plugging in "Catalogers" ... then removing "Qualcomm" and plugging in "Co-Ops" ... and removing "chips" and replacing it with "customers" ... now we have the following:

• "Just imagine Catalogers having to depend on Co-Ops to supply its customers - it will be tied into the Co-Ops ability to come up with new technology - and thus will be working on a timeline defined by the Co-Ops. Mind you, this doesn't factor the harsh reality of paying the Co-Ops premiums ..."

Sobering, quite honestly.