And although some of the categories on the site — cars for sale, computers for sale, boys seeking girls, boys seeking boys, for instance — are identical to those on Craigslist, there are many particularly Cuban exchanges.
Mastrov claims he is fixing the problem by improving its point-of- sale computers at every club, which help keep very close tabs on dues collection.
In terms of what's on sale, computers are discounted on average 11.2 percent, TVs 15.1percentt and toys 11.4percentt.
Not exactly an enticing offer -- and hardly one you would expect from a man who was the Russell Stover Candy salesman of the year in 1981 and, four years later, the designer of a ticket-sale computer system that led to the formation of Ticketmaster.
Thanks to its heavy investment in point-of-sale computer technology, H&M can key production to daily sales.
Last week, Dell, the world's No. 1 direct-sale computer vendor, reported a rise in earnings, thanks to industry record shipments of 9.1 million systems.
Not included, among other items: equipment (with sales tax, shipping and installation to an approved Butterfly vendor); a point-of-sale computer system and accounting software; advertising expenses; land lease and improvements (to a landlord); and miscellaneous "non-fitness" equipment.
Dell, the world's largest direct-sale computer vendor, said Thursday that first-quarter earnings rose 28% from a year ago on strong international sales, and forecast higher revenue growth in the second quarter.
Doers and doings in business, entertainment and technology: Mean machine: The world's largest direct-sale computer vendor, Dell, has been toasting a 28% increase in first-quarter earnings and ramping up revenue expectations for the second quarter.
Dell, which lost its position as the world's largest direct-sale computer vendor to Hewlett-Packard last year, has begun to diversify its strategy by linking up with some of the world's leading retailers.
Dell, the world's largest direct-sale computer vendor, said first-quarter sales outside the U.S. increased 21% from a year ago and grew to 42% of the company's total revenue.
