Karin Hopkins

Are you familiar with E-commerce? That’s a short way of summing up lifestyle changes involving the Internet, smart phones and computers. And the E-commerce phenomenon is changing how we do business in Tuskegee. This subtle shift hit me a few days ago while I was at the Kellogg Hotel having lunch with my husband, Noah.  We expected to enjoy the menu since it was Seafood Friday.  But a couple of things happened that I did not expect. First, I was surprised to discover that neither Noah nor I had any cash for a tip.  Noah suggested that we cancel the original charge payment and run the card again, this time adding a tip to the transaction. We’ve done this before but it is no longer possible at the Kellogg Hotel. Tips must be paid with cash money or through Cash App, which requires both the customer and the waiter to each have a smart phone. The tip is then handled with a few finger taps. 22-year old software developers, Henry Moses and Malachi Ards invented the Connect: Just Go app. It allows users to glance at their smart phone and easily get to any building or facility at Tuskegee University. It also is used by event planners to let students know about programs and activities on campus. These technology entrepreneurs have built features into their algorithm that benefit local businesses. For a small fee, stores and restaurants can contract with Connect: Just Go to attract Tuskegee University students as customers. We also have property owners who have gotten into the E-commerce Bed and Breakfast business.  Visitors can rent a short-time stay in a house in the community by booking through a local real estate management company or they may go to the online originator of this concept, www.airbnb.com. Incidentally, the name is derived from the days when the founders literally placed an air mattress on the floor of their home in San Francisco. When visitors preferred their low-cost option to high-priced hotels, a billion-dollar empire was born. In Tuskegee, the air bnb model is attractive to hosts, who can earn money and to guests, who can sidestep the lack of hotel rooms while still managing to stay in town. As I write this article I wonder, is Uber next? In bigger cities, Uber is a convenience for many reasons, especially where parking is a hassle or people want a sober person behind the wheel. For drivers, Uber provides extra income. We have a friend in another city, who is pulling in about $700 per week as an Uber driver. Again, this is another example of E-commerce since smart phones or computers are how you book and pay for an Uber ride.  You can join or renew your Chamber membership using our Website and Pay Pal. With all of these experiences, no cash exchanges hands. It’s simply a few clicks that activate electrons to move money from your account to another person, business or organization.

Karin Hopkins is executive director of the Tuskegee Area Chamber of Commerce. Contact her at ourchamberworks@gmail.com