My Honda Odyssey did not show up at my door today at 10:00am.  I did get an email, however, at 10:09am from the Internet Sales Director of the local dealership that I was expecting to deliver the vehicle to my door.

Internet Sales Director's email:
Dear Bruce, 

That unit has already been sold. My sold units are not deleted by AutoNationDirect until the units are reported paid in full. All my Odyssey units are pre-sold with a current ETA of Sept for the model year 2001. They are also being sold for MSRP. Sorry for the confusion.
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After reading this email, I was thinking that it sure is good to see that the usual bricks-and-mortar car selling ploys are still alive and well in the online car buying experience thanks to AutonationDirect.com and their auto dealer partners.  Hear hear; after all, we do not want to be denied the associated pleasantries of the "old-school" car selling ways (e.g., some might consider what I experienced as price low balling, bait & switch, or fraud of some type -- I'm not necessarily saying that this was the case).  My initial impression about AutonationDirect.com is that they care much more about helping car dealers get leads (and potential customers into their Internet space dealerships -- which I was) and sell cars as opposed to helping consumers purchase automobiles in a convenient manner at a fair price and without the usual hassle associated with the car buying process.

It is interesting to note that the AutonationDirect.com website does not have a "contact us" section nor does it list an email address, postal address or telephone number for contacting them.  The Autonation website, however, does list a postal address for contacting them via the mail (not email) and a telephone number.  An email address for "Investor Relations" was listed (investors@autonation.com).  To me, this indicates a weak commitment to the consumer, little interest in being involved each step of the way and limited interest in making sure that the customer is treated well and is satisfied.

My reply to the Internet Sales Director's email:
Dear (Internet Sales Director's name withheld),

Thanks for the quick reply and explanation.  I forgot to mention before that I was especially impressed that you were able to reply to my first order request last evening within the four hour window.

I'm not sure I fully understand what you are saying about the units being available or sold.  The Honda Odyssey EX that I saw listed was a 2000 model year vehicle.

Your answers to the following questions would certainly help clarify things for me:

1) Are you saying that ALL of the 20+ 2000 model year Honda Odyssey vehicles that are listed on the AutoNationDirect.com website as available for sale at your dealership are actually not available for sale to me at this time? 

2) Are you saying that ALL of the 20+ 2000 model year Honda Odyssey vehicles that are listed on the AutoNationDirect.com website as available for sale at your dealership are both "pre-sold" and not yet "paid in full?"

3) Are you saying that some of the Honda Odyssey vehicles that are listed on the AutoNationDirect.com website as 2000 model year vehicles and as available for sale at your dealership are actually 2001 model year vehicles?

Many thanks,

Bruce

The Internet Sales Director's reply to my email:
Bruce, 

All of the Odysseys listed are pre-sold and not yet paid in full. As each unit enters my inventory it is automatically posted in the system irregardless of status. These units were ordered months ago and as soon as they are shipped the Vin #s  are automatically imputed into the system.  Although the 2001 model is not yet in production, we are taking orders for future delivery as the final 2000 model allocation has been sold out. I hope this somewhat clarifies the situation.

(Internet Sales Director's name withheld)

My reply to the Internet Sales Director's email:
Dear (Internet Sales Director's name withheld),

I believe that I now understand the situation.  Thanks a lot for your clarification.  From a consumer perspective, the AutoNationDirect.com system clearly has some details to work out.

If AutoNationDirect.com automatically places a pre-sold vehicle as available for sale, then they might want to rethink this marketing tactic.  If your dealership has the control to decide to list a pre-sold vehicle, then your dealership should think long and hard about maintaining this marketing tactic.

I wish you well and thanks again for your speedy replies.

Bruce
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After I placed my order for the 2000 model year Honda Odyssey EX with AutonationDirect, I received an email that communicates AutonationDirect.com's commitment to me as a consumer (see below).  To bad, their words ring hollow in my ears.

Email from AutonationDirect.com titled "Your AutonationDirect Inventory Search"
Thanks for using AutonationDirect to search for your 2000 HONDA ODYSSEY 

Whether you choose a ODYSSEY or one of the over 90,000 vehicles at AutoNationDirect, each car or truck comes with a guaranteed no haggle Internet price. 

And as a preferred Internet customer, you are in control. You can browse our latest updated inventory online, just click here for today's selections.

http://www.autonationdirect.com/

Or, let us do the work. Our dedicated Internet sales staff understands the special needs of the web customer and is eager to serve you. 

Ask for the Internet Sales Manager at the following store location:

(I have withheld the name of the location, for the moment)

Thanks again and welcome to AutoNationDirect.
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I wish I could say that AutonationDirect.com and the local auto dealership are no longer in my thoughts; they are still in my prayers.  I'm very concerned that other people might have had or will have an online car buying experience similar to the one that I have experienced over the last 16 hours.  This bothers me and I need to do what I can to reduce the likelihood of this.  I will share my thoughts and experiences with some legislators in the House and Senate in Washington D.C. and on Beacon Hill in Boston. (I only had dinner with President Clinton once, so I'm not sure I'll be able to get access to him on this one.)  I wonder if some of them will believe that fraud was committed?

The diapers arrive
On a more cheerful note, each order from  CVS.com and DrugEmporium.com arrived today in the same USPS delivery.  Maybe the boxes became best buds on their way over on the truck?  DE has done a fine job on fulfillment again; and I am very pleased with CVS.com's performance.  This was the first time that CVS has done an acceptable job in the area of fulfillment.  Could the tide be turning?  Go home all  you Internet naysayers who are jumping on the popular opinion pig pile that b2c ecommerce is dying and going nowhere.  The success of b2c and ecommerce is all crystal clear to me.  Folks, as someone famous once said, "you ain't seen nothing yet."

Survivor
My hat's off to Gervase and all the other Survivors as I do not believe that I could have eaten those creepy crawlys.  Yucko.  B.B., what can I say?  Your torch was extinguished, but your spirit will live on.  You and my MIL were in the same graduating high school class out in Hays, Kansas and now you live around the bend from her in Kansas City; she won't admit it, but I believe I saw her shed a tear for you.  Good luck my man.

Toysmart.com assets up for sale
This morning, I saw an advertisement in today's Boston Globe in the "Franchising & Business Opportunities" section that listed Toysmart.com as being "FOR SALE."  The ad stated the following:

          Toysmart.com
Toysmart.com, an Internet retailer of toys, is selling its state-of-the-art E-commerce assets.  Buyers may purchase all or part of the tangible or intangible assets located in Waltham, Worcester and North Andover, MA including:

- Toy inventory.......................- Internet infrastructure
- Distribution Center...............- Intangibles, i.e., URL name
- Office and Retail facility..........databases, customer lists,
- Store fixtures, office and.........marketing plans, website
..furniture and equipment...........content, software intellectual property

........® For additional information regarding the purchase of some
............or all of these assets, visit our website at:
............www.toysmart.com/toysmart/sale or
............contact Stephen Gray, The Recovery Group
...........(617) 482-4242; Fax: (617) 482-9804;
...........e-mail: ssg@trgusa.com
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I found this advertisement interesting for a number of reasons.  One aspect that especially caught my eye was that their "customer lists" were available for sale.  I have a funny feeling that customers who read Toysmart.com's privacy policy never anticipated that their names would be sold, ever.  Think again folks.  I'm not saying that this is a big deal; in a way, before the Web came along, we were already adjusted to our names being sold via mailing lists -- and I'm not saying that we liked that.  I've listed the entirety of Toysmart.com's Privacy Statement below.

The statement does say "Personal information voluntarily submitted by visitors to our site, such as name, address, billing information and shopping preferences, is never shared with a third party. All information obtained by toysmart.com is used only to personalize your experience online."  I am not sure of the legal definition of "third party" in this context.  It could be that this part of the privacy statement will not be violated as a result of Toysmart's assets being sold.  It could be that this privacy statement is in full force only when Toysmart remains in business.  I don't know.

Over the last few months, I have occasionally thought about the theoretical situation of a dotcom going out of business and the consequences for the customer databases and lists maintained "privately" by these firms.  My belief was that customers' information would no longer remain in private.  This is one of the reasons why I believe (and noted in my Internet Shopping 24/7 Project Report and some other published papers that I have written) that consumer advocates who work for and represent consumers will become prominent in the future.  Granted these advocacy groups could go out of business as well, but a hallmark of their incorporation could be that all customer private information assets would be destroyed in any situation which would result in the compromise of a privacy policy (e.g., a sale of the business to another party or bankruptcy).

It is interesting to note that Toysmart.com is a TRUSTe Licensee.  The TRUSTe symbol is perceived as a purveyor of total trust in the privacy policy of a firm.  As early as October of 1999, I had internally questioned the total worth of the TRUSTe symbol; the sale of Toysmart's assets makes me wonder further about the significance of being a TRUSTe licensee.  I recommend that people read closely and think critically about the TRUSTe policies for "How the TRUSTe Program Works" (http://www.truste.com/webpublishers/pub_how.html); and look closely to see if it is more about listing privacy policy statements (which in my interpretation of their program could be anything a firm desires) and compliance with certain policies as opposed to actually maintaining the total privacy of consumers.

By the way, I visited the site where the sale of assets is supposed to occur and saw the following message:
 

                                 Liquidation of toysmart.com

We will be updating this information shortly. Please check back again.

     Please e-mail any questions to bids@toysmart.com. Thank you
 

(Toysmart.com's Privacy Statement as it appeared at the website www.toysmart.com is listed below.  Please note that I have not retained the formatting in which this information was actually presented at the Toysmart.com site.)

Privacy Statement

toysmart.com is a TRUSTe Licensee 
 toysmart.com is a licensee of the TRUSTe Privacy Program. When you visit a website displaying the TRUSTe trustmark, you can expect to be notified of the website's privacy practices. With this statement, toysmart.com informs you of the following: 

What personally identifiable information of yours is collected 
What organization is collecting the information 
How the information is used 
With whom the information may be shared 
What choices are available to you regarding collection, use and distribution of the information 
What kind of security procedures are in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of information under the company's control 
How you can correct any inaccuracies in the information 
Our promise 

At toysmart.com, we take great pride in our relationships with our customers and pledge to maintain your privacy while visiting our site. Personal information voluntarily submitted by visitors to our site, such as name, address, billing information and shopping preferences, is never shared with a third party. All information obtained by toysmart.com is used only to personalize your experience online. This information is received via the following areas of our site: My toysmart and the Gift Center. When you place additional orders, our site will update your order history, which you can view in My toysmart. If you sign up for the gift registry, information you submit will be added to your personal profile. Other than these two instances, the information that you provide us is not supplemented in any way. 

Your option 

If you do not wish to receive emails containing promotional offers or contests from toysmart.com, please click the box located at the bottom of the "My toysmart" registration page. If you are already registered and would like to opt-out of such promotional offers, please go to "My toysmart," click on the "My Profile" icon, and unselect the email option located at the bottom of the page. When you register with toysmart.com, you can rest assured that your information will never be shared with a third party. 

Editing your personal information 

If you would like to edit your personal information, please click on the "My toysmart" button located on the top of our homepage. Then, simply click on the "My Profile" icon and update any of your information. 

Contests 

toysmart.com is committed to protecting the privacy of all children who enter contests on our site. We request only the child's first name and age be sent with the contest entry. We email every child's parent with notification that his or her child has entered the contest. Only winners' parents will be sent a release form, which requests a shipping address as well a permission request to post the winning entry on our site. No entries will be posted without a parent or guardian's permission, and no prizes will be sent without written consent from the parent or guardian. 

Your information is safe with us! 

All personal information is encrypted on a separate server. Also, we give you the option of further securing your information with the use of a password. To create a personal password, simply go to "My toysmart." Shopping with toysmart.com is guaranteed to be 100% safe. That means we will guarantee your protection against any liability if unauthorized charges are made to your card as a result of shopping at toysmart.com. Simply stated, you are guaranteed a safe and secure transaction every time you shop with us. Visit our "Security" (http://www.toysmart.com/toysmart/ts_cs_security.asp) section for more details. 

Questions regarding this statement should be directed to support@toysmart.com or call 1-800-699-1512 or 781-906-3777. If the website has not responded to your inquiry, or your inquiry has not been satisfactorily addressed, please contact TRUSTe: http://www.truste.org/users/users_watchdog.html.