Donkey God

Watch out - if you do, you’re showing your “Internet Age!”

I am, of course, referring to the now infamous “Cookie Cutter” marketing program which was all over the internet when I first began exploring the online business world (circa mid-1999).

If you have no idea what I’m referring to, then you can consider yourself a relative newbie to the internet. I bring up Cookie Cutter as an example of how things can change so dramatically online in such a relatively short period of time.

No kidding - if you were at all involved in the business opportunity area of the internet at that time, you will definitely remember those “cc-pages” - they were EVERYWHERE!

What I remember most vividly about Cookie Cutter was the ubiquitous ad headline that invariably heralded an invitation to investigate this program.

“THIS DUMB LITTLE AD Can Put $200 in cash in your mailbox… EVERYDAY!”

It was followed by an ad that almost always read exactly the same way -

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This little cookie cutter spits out $20 checks…

It’s a 3-part automated system, consisting of a KILLER
classified ad, a powerful one page sales letter delivered
by autoresponder, and a QUALITY product, delivered to
your customer by the company.

You can set up today…and actually be getting checks
mailed to you tomorrow.

For complete details, send a blank email to:
mailto: xxx@someautoresponder.com or visit my web site:
http://www.cc-pages/vips/MembersName/index.htm

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The sales copy was misleading in the sense that what you learned only AFTER you sent in your $20 was that in order to implement the system you needed to purchase additional items.

Those who were fortunate enough to get in early no doubt made some money with the program - but no one made MORE money than its originator, Gary White.

When I decided to write this article, I did some research on Cookie Cutter, and what I discovered was intriguing.

For example, I did a Google search on the term “Cookie Cutter” and I had to go to Page 4 before I found any reference to it whatsoever. It was actually a link to a disclaimer put on the “Beginner’s Central” website that was used in Cookie Cutter’s Bootcamp product.

http://www.northernwebs.com/bc

Another search on “Gary White” found nothing to reference the once-famous originator of the Cookie Cutter program in the first ten pages. I chose not to go any further.

But then I did a search on “This Dumb Little Ad” - THAT got some results. Never underestimate the power of a unique headline.

Naturally that led me to many pages which were no longer active. This prompted me to do a WHOIS search on the domain name of the duplicated pages that were used in the program.

Many of you will be interested in learning that the domain name cc-pages.com expired on March 5 of 2003. Looks like Gary White is out of business. I do recall that he tried to parlay his success with Cookie Cutter into a similar program, but apparently he was unsuccessful.

By that time, most everyone had caught on.

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Online Shopping

As everyone knows, the Internet is a great place to find bargains and great deals on any product you can name. Want heated socks? You’ll find them online. Discount books? No problem. Any and everything can now be purchased online, and most Internet shoppers know that buying online is usually much cheaper than visiting a physical store. Online shopping has become very secure, and there’s no reason to be afraid to buy online. With many differed verified and secured systems, it’s okay to use your credit card for your Internet purchases. Online shopping is quick, easy, and cheap, and everyone is getting involved. Even people who never buy anything online are realizing that sometimes there is no choice. Even event tickets to concert and sporting events can be found online - often after those venues have already sold completely out of tickets. If you can get tickets to the big game online and no where else, why not use the Internet to your best advantage?

A World Connected

The Internet has brought the entire world together. From the safety and relative comfort of your own home, you can browse online encyclopedias, libraries, visit museums and zoos around the world. You can shop in Paris, read about art in Egypt, and research anything that you desire - if you know how to use the Internet. A man living in Idaho can chat with a woman living in Beijing. People from all walks of life can get together in a virtual room and play games, have heated discussions or even date. The Internet has connected the entire world, and we are the ones who benefit. We can learn about anything, buy anything, talk to almost anyone, and all we need is Internet access.

How Are Things Down Under, Mate?

Australia has taken part in the online shopping boom in a big way. Australian-based and Australian-themed web sites filled with every product imaginable will pop up in any Internet search. Many of these sites, while easy to navigate and attractively laid out, have so much stuff on them that it can get confusing. Australian-based online shopping sites have become increasingly popular recently. Is it possible that Aussies like to shop online as much as the rest of us do?

It’s true that most of the time; you don’t know that you’re visiting a site from another country unless there’s another language (that you can’t read) on the site. It’s easy to tell “oh, this site is Japanese” or “this site much be German” because the language is strange and unfamiliar. But sites based in English-speaking countries, like Canada, England, and Australia are harder to discern from the pack. If everything’s printed in English, how do you know if that site comes from California or the Australian Outback? Most Australian online shopping sites don’t have helpful pictures of kangaroos and wallabes to tell you “hey, we’re from Down Under!” So chances are that you’ve already been exposed to an Australian online shopping site and you didn’t even know it! Australian online shopping sites are all over the place. They pop up in searches and they’re being linked to all over the place. Unless something blatantly tells you “this is Australian,” chances are that you won’t even know the difference.

Shopping With the Aussies

A culture that has been immortalized in film, books, and restaurants, many countries are fascinated with Australia. A wild, rugged, and infinitely interesting land, Australia has a culture, a language, and a style all its own. The recent online shopping boom in Australia has brought more Aussie-made and Aussie-related products into America and other countries. But Australian online shopping isn’t all kangaroo figurines and boomerangs. Australian products are great, and that’s why they’re becoming so popular. Online shopping in Australia is huge right now, and sites for shopping abound.

When shopping for e-commerce hosting there are a lot of things you need to keep and mind. When you know what to look for it is a lot easier to ensure you get exactly what you need and not leave any important information out. Consider these 7 must haves before you start shopping for e-commerce hosting so you will be prepared.

1. Storefront

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3. Building

With your e-commerce host you want to be able to build your site easily and to your specifications. So, you certainly want to use software that is easy to understand and implement. In addition, it is helpful if wizards are available to help you throughout the building process as well.

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You want to make sure the host is integrated and works well with all of the other systems that you need for your site to be successful. If it is not integrated you should strongly consider other options.

5. Tools and Functions

This is important because you want as many functions available from multiple currencies to a log of purchases, so your e-commerce host will need to be able to provide you with the space and tools you need to keep up with all of this information.

6. Software

When it comes to e-commerce software you can either buy from a physical store, buy online from your host, or create your own. The best option is to find a host that offers software that is of high quality and will help you with e-commerce.

7. Ease of Navigation

Your e-commerce software as well as your host should allow you and customers to navigate easily through all of the pages and all of the links without getting confused or backtracking.

Shopping for e-commerce hosting requires you know what you are looking for as well as what you need. As long as you choose an experienced host who has verified experience, you’ll have a much better chance at making a wise decision.

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