In several conversations about his company CompSource, and about online retailing in general, Dean Bellone has several observations about this emerging sector. Here’s a sampling.
- On Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos: “It’s amazing what he’s done; he’s created a brand recognition like Coca Cola’s in a couple of years.”
- On what he regards as his chief competitor, CompUSA: “I tell people to shop there and buy here.”
- On why CompSource avoids auctions, which are increasingly popular on the Web: “There’s always that possibility that you’ll sell it below cost. We’re already close enough as it is.”
- On the pressure for corporate purchasing people to become Web-literate: “I don’t want to say they’re being forced to, but I think they’re realizing there are some benefits. One is price.”
- On CompSource’s ultimately successful three-month lobbying campaign to get Amex to lower its rates from 3 to 2 percent of each transaction: “That was a grueling battle to get that down. We’ll try again (to get it lower still).”
