Online Retailers: How Far will they Go?

First, analyze the documents provided by your teacher and report the answers they bring to the core
question. Next, structure your report as follows:

• Quick introduction to the topic and to the documents

• Which answers do they bring to the core question?
• Comment on these answers and complete them using your personal knowledge or experience of the subject
• What are the other pieces of information (that are not directly related to the question) that you found
interesting, why?

❖ Negotiations and logistics: vocabulary p2,3,4

❖ Negotiation Roleplay: background situation p5, Sportathlon’s position p10, Move&Volt position p12.
❖ Negotiation tips, p6
❖ Amazon Expands in the Transportation Industry, text p7, 8, vocabulary p9
❖ The Big Picture: Artificial Intelligence Reshapes China’s Workforce, p11

LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION

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NEGOTIATION SPORTATHLON
Adapted from Onestopenglish
SPORTSWEAR ET
BACKGROUND INFORMATION EQUIPEMENT

++/- MOVE&VOLT Inc. •

23 rue Montreal
8 Glasshouse Street 75001 PARIS
London WC1 Tel : 01 46 57 89 58
Tel: 0171 457 8354 Fax: 0171 457 7644 Fax : 01 46 57 86 67
sales@move&volt.com info@sportathlon.com

Move&Volt solar bags charge virtually all handheld electronics.

Powerful Solar Panels: Tough, lightweight, waterproof solar panels are

embedded in each bag. The panels use high-efficiency mono-crystalline
cells to charge devices fast. The Backpack produces 4 Watts, meaning 1
hour in the sun will power 3 hours of iPod play time or 1.5 hours of cell
phone talk time.

Battery Included: All Move&Volt bags come with a removable battery

pack which stores any surplus power generated, so you have power
whenever and wherever you need it - not just when the sun is up. The
battery can also be charged using the USB cable and the optional AC travel
or car charger.

Easy Connection to Devices: All bags include standard adapters for

common cell phones and other handheld devices.

Move&Volt bags use fabrics made from recycled PET i.e. soda bottles.
Recycled PET fabric is light weight, extremely durable, UV resistant and
water resistant. It even looks better than the nylon it replaced. Most
importantly, it uses significantly less energy to produce and creates
demand for recycled materials.
“Leading by example”

MOVE&VOLT INTRODUCES BUDGET RANGE

“Innovative use
of solar energy”

Move&Volt has announced plans to launch a low-priced range of

“Keeps portables
solar bags. Indeed, further automation in the production process
going & going” has allowed for significant economies. The bags should retail at
about $100, as opposed to $250 previously.
At the same time, Move&Volt continued their expansion into
“The latest bright idea”
Europe with the opening of offices in Paris.
Will Sportathlon go for this British-made innovative equipment?

AGENDA
1. Delivery time 6. Design and colours
time between receiving the order and despatch standard or custom
2. Place of delivery 7. Labelling
At Sportathlon stores (50 in France), at the central company names to appear on the bags
warehouse in Paris, or at warehouses in Paris, Lyon 8. Returns
and Marseille 1 —time: maximum after the order that returns may be made
3. Minimum delivery 2—condition of the goods at the time of return
4. Price 3—method of payment for refunds
5. Payment terms

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Negotiation Tips
Adapted from 10 easy tips to learn how to negotiate like a pro by Jessica Stuart, March 22, 2018, My Modern Met.

 Aim high 1  Think “We”, not “I” 6

It is best to put in a high bid at first knowing
that it will be negotiated down.
 Know your bottom line 2
Decide in advance on the minimum that you
are ready to accept
 Don’t panic 3
Put on your poker face, be prepared to provide
logical arguments to back up your bids
 Put yourself in a position of power 4
If possible, have the other party make the first
offer. That way, you can form an idea of how
much can be discussed and adapt your offers
and arguments.
 Find creative ways to close the deal 5
Besides numbers, a free delivery or some other
service will help the client feel that they are
getting something out of the negotiation
Make it feel like the other party and you are
part of a team, the other
 Sell the value 7
By providing explanations and facts, the other
party will be able to grasp the actual value of
your offers.
 Listen 8
It will show that you care about their position,
but it might be useful too. Indeed, your client
might give away subtle information about
things they appreciate, which you will be able
to incorporate into the deal to your advantage.
 Watch your body language 9
Lean in to show your engagement.
 Take your ego off the table 10
Focus on the results, it’s business, not personal!

Watch the 3 video clips and identify the techniques used in the negotiation scenes

Clip one: You are the Boss scene, Hidden Figures

https://pod.univ-lille.fr/video/20978-hidden-figures-you-are-the-boss-clip-hd-
20th-century-
foxmp4/4b26b953de74889fd788d29161841f78e06faca2b3c3104d9232e3403b
600f89/

Clip two: Court room, Hidden Figures

https://pod.univ-lille.fr/video/20979-hidden-figures-mary-jackson-only-
the-night-classes-court-room-
scenemp4/f4b6d688cd07dd740034a9e0dd8f609d900af9d70cc05bf61fb
820eddfa864b6/

Clip three: The Sword Bargain, The Big Bang Theory

https://pod.univ-lille.fr/video/20980-the-big-bang-theory-s05e05-the-
sword-
bargainmp4/5d0f74104903c869a78abbdc63f675ce0b25e099864f1fab1
4d0e1c998d435e3/

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Amazon Expands in the Transportation Industry
August 11, 2019
The new Amazon delivery drone was displayed during
the Amazon Re:MARS conference on robotics and
artificial intelligence in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 5,
2019.

Technology company Amazon is expanding its investments in transportation, a move that could bring it in
competition with some of its business partners.

Companies that could be affected include United Parcel Service and Uber Technologies. Amazon’s new
investments and alliances in the automotive supply chain are part of the reason. For example, Amazon could
both send products to customers and provide services to car drivers.

Businesses such as Amazon Web Services and Fulfillment by Amazon started as efforts to cut costs and
improve customer service. They later expanded to corporate customers. However, some experts say
companies working closely with Amazon risk losing business to the online seller as its transportation-related
business grows.

Amazon founder and chief executive officer Jeff Bezos has said little publicly about the company’s goals in
transportation-related industries. But the company appears to be using its strengths in logistics, cloud
computing and digital services to go into other fields. Reuters news agency spoke with more than 20 people
who have knowledge of Amazon’s plans. They said the company wants to use its strengths to get into areas
such as robotics and manufacturing.

John Ellis is a transportation business advisor formerly with Ford Motor Company. He said some corporate
customers of Amazon “should be very scared” of the company’s move to provide services linked to cars. He
thinks car buyers will be more interested in digital services used in cars and will not care whether they are
“in a Ford or a Chrysler or a Chevrolet or a BMW.”

Amazon also has sought to get legal rights to sales, or patents, for technology related to cars and
transportation.

Reuters studied more than 5,000 patents received by Amazon from December 2016 to May 2019 by the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office. The news service found that at least 210 of Amazon’s patents are for
transportation-related technologies such as drones and driverless ground vehicles.

Amazon’s push to own transportation-related patents has been much larger than efforts by competitors
Apple and Google, Reuters reports.

Amazon is also quickly expanding its business with car manufacturers. The company is working on two
projects using its cloud-computing abilities with carmakers Ford and Volkswagen.

Gavin Sherry is chief executive officer of Autonomic, a subsidiary of Ford that provides digital services. He
said Ford can learn a lot from Amazon, which is working with Autonomic and Ford to build a cloud-based
system.

“They have the relationships, credibility and know-how that we will need in order to fulfill our vision,” he
told Reuters.

Alexa, Amazon’s digital assistant service, is part of the company’s push to get inside cars. Amazon is
working with a number of automakers to put Alexa into vehicles. The company has made deals with General
Motors, Ford, Volvo and Honda to permit drivers to order products from their cars.
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Ned Curic used to work for Toyota but came to Amazon to oversee Alexa Auto in 2017. He said the
company wants Alexa in “as many vehicles as possible, either through direct integrations with automakers
or through automotive accessories with Alexa built in.”

Amazon has placed a lot of effort in another area too: cutting the cost of transporting packages. It has mainly
done this through the company’s Prime and Prime Air services.

Electric vehicles are another part of Amazon’s plans. Stephan Keese is with the international business
advisor Roland Berger. He said Amazon is supplying home electrical charging systems for the e-tron electric
sports utility vehicle by carmaker Audi. Kleese said the move could be a step toward doing more with
vehicles.

John Russell.

And Jonathan Evans.

Ben Klayman and Paul Lienert reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted this story for VOA.
Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.

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Amazon Expands in the Transportation Industry
BEFORE READING

KEY WORDS AND COLLOCATIONS

Fill out the blanks with the right words or collocations. You will be able to finetune your picks as you read the article.

DISPLAY(V) MOVE(N) AFFECT(V) FULFILLMENT(N) PATENT(N)

DRONE(N) OWN(V) COMPETITOR(N) SUBSIDIARY(N) KNOW-HOW(N)

1.When you have _____________ , you have practical knowledge or skill; expertise.

2. A _____________________ is an act that initiates or advances a process or plan..

3. A ________________ is a government authority or licence conferring a right or title for a set period, especially
the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention..

4. A _________________ is a company controlled by a holding company.

5. If you ______________ something, it means that you possess it.

6. A _____________________ is an organization or country engaged in commercial or economic competition with

others.

7. If you ___________________ data or an image, it means that you show them on a computer, television, or other
screen.

8. To ________________ something is to have an effect or impact on it.

9. ___________________ : The packing and dispatch of a customer's order by a retailer.

10. A remote-controlled pilotless aircraft or small flying device is called a ____________________ .

AFTER READING

SECONDARY COLLOCATIONS- Form the collocations present in the text by matching elements from both columns.

1. to expand a. partners
2. in competition b. costs
3. business c. service
4. automotive supply d. deals
5. to cut e. products
6. customer f. chain
7. corporate g. rights
8. legal h. its investments
9. to make i. customers
10. to order j. with

Gather key information from the document as well as some supporting details that can help clarify your
report of information.

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NEGOTIATION
SPORTATHLON’ S NEGOTIATION POSITION

CONDITIONS POINTS

Delivery time *More than 3 days…………………………..………………….. -3

*48-72 hours ………………………...…………………………. 2
*Less than 48 hours……………………………………………... 3

Place of delivery *Delivery to any of Sportathlon’s 50 stores in France free of

charge…………………………………………………………… 5
*Delivery to Sportathlon’s warehouses in Paris, Lyon and
Marseille free of charge. Other locations charged extra ……….. 2
*Delivery to Sportathlon’s warehouse in Paris free of charge.
Other locations charged extra …………………………………... 0

Minimum delivery 1 bag …………………………………………………………… 10

2 bags …..……………………………………………………… 5
Lose ½ point per bag above 2

Price $56.00 …………………………………………………………... 2

Lose 3 points per $ above $56.00
Score 1 point per $ below $56.00
Score 2 points per $ below $50.00

Payment terms *7 days after delivery …………………………………………. -5

*30 days after delivery …………………………………………. 1
*60 days after delivery ………………………………………... 5

Design and colours *Standard design and colours from the Move&Volt catalogue 0
*Sportathlon specifies design and colours at similar prices to the
catalogue. This does not affect the right to return unsold bags . 3

Labelling *Sportathlon labels only ………………………………………... 0

*Move&Volt label only ………………………………………... 2
*Sportathlon plus Move&Volt names …………………………. 5

Returns 1 *Returns on unsold bags within 3 months of the order date …... 1
• TIME *Returns on unsold bags within six months of the order date …. 3
*Returns on unsold bags up to one year after the order date .. 6

Returns 2 *Returns only accepted on bags in good condition ….…………. 0

• CONDITION
*Returns accepted on unsold bags irrespective of the condition
they are in………………………………………..…………….. 3

Returns 3 *No refunds—price to be credited to the customer’s account …. 0

• PAYMENT *Refunds by bank transfer within 30 days of return …………… 2

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The Big Picture: Artificial Intelligence Reshapes China’s Workforce
BEFORE WATCHING - SOME KEY WORDS
Fill out the blanks with the right words or collocations. You will be able to finetune your picks as you watch the video.
WAREHOUSE(N) SHELF(N) SORT(V) RELY ON(V) BOAST(V) COURIER(N) DELIVER(V) DISTRACTOR(N)
SHOWCASE(V) LOAD(V)

1. A ____________________________ is a flat length of wood or other rigid material, attached to a wall or forming
part of a piece of furniture, that provides a surface for the storage or display of objects..

2. To ________________ is to fill (a vehicle, ship, container, etc.) with a large amount of something.

3. When you _______________ _____ something, it means that you can count on it.

4. A company or employee of a company that transports commercial packages and documents is called a
__________________________.

5. A _________________ : A person or thing that takes one’s attention away from what is important .

6. When you __________________ something, you exhibit or display it.

7. A large building where raw materials or manufactured goods may be stored prior to their distribution for sale is a
__________________________________.

8. To _______________ something is to possess a feature that is a source of pride.

9. To __________________________ is to provide (something promised or expected).

10. When you ________________________ things, you arrange them systematically in groups; separate them
according to types.

WATCH THE VIDEO https://pod.univ-lille.fr/video/21416-the-

Gather key information from the
document as well as some supporting
details that can help clarify your
report of information.
big-picture-artificial-intelligence-reshapes-
chinas-
workforcemp4/477eb629587877ae85f1f15
acc35a0782073a0f5cfe60dba5406b50fae0
5509a/

AFTER WATCHING- VOCABULARY EXTENSION (And potential help for understanding)

SOME USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS/PHRASES Match the phrasal verbs on the left with their equivalent form on the right
1. to take care of a. to recruit
2. to catch on b. to become popular
3. to take on c. to undertake

COLLOCATIONS/DEFINITIONS- Form the collocations present in the video by matching elements from both columns.
1. a stock a. has changed
2. to beat b. sewing
3. the game c. lifting
4. retail d. the record
5. heavy e. picker
6. subtle f. class
7. training g. controllers
8. drone h. automatic
9. in i. operation
10. fully j. business

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NEGOTIATION
MOVE&VOLT’ S NEGOTIATION POSITION

CONDITIONS POINTS

Delivery time *Less than 24 hours after receiving the order………………….. -2

*24-72 hours after receiving the order…………………………. 2
*1-5 days after receiving the order……………………………... 3

Place of delivery *Delivery to any of Sportathlon’s 50 stores in France free of

charge…………………………………………………………… 0
*Delivery to Sportathlon’s warehouses in Paris, Lyon and
Marseille free of charge. Other locations charged extra ……….. 4
*Delivery to Sportathlon’s warehouse in Paris free of charge.
Other locations charged extra …………………………………... 5

Minimum delivery 5 bags 2

……………………………………………………………
score ½ point per bag above 5
Lose ½ point per bag below 5

Price $50.00 …………………………………………………………... 2

Lose 5 points per $ below $50.00
Score 1 point per $ above $50.00
Score 2 points per $ above $54.00

Payment terms *60 days after delivery …………………………………………. -2

*30 days after delivery …………………………………………. 2
*7 days after delivery …………………………………………... 3

Design and colours *Standard design and colours from the catalogue ……………… 3
*Sportathlon specifies design and colours at similar prices to the
catalogue. Note: Move&Volt has a company policy of no
returns on custom orders ……………………………………….. -3

Labelling *Sportathlon labels only ………………………………………... 0

*Move&Volt label only ………………………………………... 3
*Sportathlon plus Move&Volt names …………………………. 3

Returns 1 *Returns on unsold bags up to one year after the order date …... -5
• TIME *Returns on unsold bags within six months of the order date …. -2
*Returns on unsold bags within three months of the order date .. 0

Returns 2 *Returns accepted on unsold bags irrespective of the condition

• CONDITION they are in ………………………………………………………. -1
*Returns only accepted on bags in good condition …………….. 3

Returns 3 *Refunds by bank transfer within 30 days of return …………… 0

• PAYMENT *No refunds—price to be credited to the customer’s account …. 5

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