Shopping Centre Leasing and Management – How to Lease Your Vacancies Faster

When leasing a shopping centre it is fundamentally important to do so with due regard to the tenancy mix plans and strategy that have been set for the property. It is the tenancy mix that supports property function, customer interest and tenant interaction.

When you look at a single lease negotiation in a retail property the main points of interest to both parties are generally:

Lease term in years and months as the case may be

Starting rent both in amount and type (gross and net)

Lease option terms, duration, and method of exercising them

Outgoings recoveries by type and method of recover

Rent review profiles and frequency to be applied during the term of occupancy

Make good strategies to be undertaken by the tenant at the end of the lease.

With a focus on retail property there are some more things to consider making the leasing of the property successful. Consider some of these:

Permitted use of the premises

Turnover rent or turnover strategies for getting more rent as the property and tenant business starts to grow.

Tracking of turnover figures so the shopping centre success can be gauged and rated for performance against industry averages in the area

Renovation and relocation provisions for the premises so that the presentation of the property can be maintained at a high level for customers

After-hours access of the premises for tenants that need to stock up the products and services that they sell

Extended security for the special nature of the shopping centre

Marketing of the tenants business

Marketing of the shopping centre

Customer service and quality provided by the tenant

Hours of trade that satisfy customer demand

Placement of the specialty tenants with due regard to support and give interaction with the anchor tenants.

Quality of shop presentation for encouraging trade and image

So the list can go on subject to the particular property you may manage or lease. In saying that though, the retail property is a vibrant property investment that is designed and leased with one main thing in mind; to create sales and business.

A good retail property manager should understand the landlord’s plans for the property, the needs of the local community, the requirements of the tenants to trade, and the changing elements of the local demographics. This is a fine balance that will help produce a successful property for everyone. Retail shopping centre management is perhaps the most specialised part of the industry.…

How To Save Money And Get Your Dream Wedding Dress For Less

Picture yourself walking down the aisle with the most beautiful wedding dress ever. Everyone is looking at you with their mouths hanging open. Then you notice it is not because your dress is so lovely, but because you have a ball and chain peeking out from under your dress – announcing to the whole world that you put yourself in debt to buy this dress. This is not the image you dreamt about. So to keep that from happening, there are a few tricks of the trade to get a beautiful wedding dress for less.

Every bride’s budget is different and unique to their financial situation; some brides won’t even think twice about how much the dress costs, as they have unlimited funds. Most likely that is not you or you wouldn’t be reading an article on how to get a wedding dress for less. Before you go dress shopping you need to speak with whoever is financing the wedding what the budget is for the dress. Know before you go shopping that if you spend more than you have budgeted for the dress it means less of something else.

It is crucial to have a number in writing before you go shopping so you will not be tempted to go above that price. Expect the employees at the dress shops to try and push your budget up, as this usually means their commission goes up too. So if you notice them being pushy, stand firm or find another shop.

The best time to shop for a wedding dress is in the fall. A majority of the weddings take place in spring and summer leaving the wedding dress shops feeling the pinch come fall so they will be offering great sales and be more willing to negotiate when it comes to final numbers. If they are not willing to come down in price ask if they can offer other deals; perhaps free altering, a headpiece and veil at a discounted rate, or some accessories to go along with your dress. Don’t be embarrassed to ask what the bottom dollar is, as most places inflate their prices just so they can look good when they give you a “deal”.

Purchasing a dress online is a great way to save money. Just remember to always try the dress on before you buy it. If this means driving a few hours to a shop that has it in stock, you still could be saving money even after gas, because you can save hundreds of dollars when you shop online. However, you need to be sure you like the dress, which is why it is crucial to try it on before you buy.…

The Shopping Cart, a Health Hazard

The shopping cart must be one of the inventions of the Dirty Thirties we least think about nowadays. Still, back then, it immensely changed the way people shopped. They no longer had to hand carry around all the things they were buying, but could put everything conveniently in the new favorite shopping aid: the shopping cart. Next time you’re standing with a full shopping cart in line at the cash register, just imagine how you would have been able to carry all that stuff without the cart.

But there is one huge problem with shopping carts we think maybe even think less about; it is a great recipient for all kinds of germs and bacteria. It actually constitutes a real danger to our health, especially in these days of new flues and possible epidemics.

It is not just the handle of the shopping cart that is a major risk. Granted, the handles are held by so many people day in, day out. You can be sure that some of them carry some pretty hazardous germs on their sometimes unwashed hands. People also cough and sneeze on them. And how about the shoppers that handle raw chicken, meat and fish? Do you think they are going to wash their hands before getting back at the handle of their shopping cart? All of this makes the handle of a shopping cart a number one risk for virus or germ transmission to your hands. You might think that, all in all, it is not too risky since you can always wash your hands after you shop. But remember that with those hands you will be picking fruit and vegetables, handling your wallet or purse, and maybe touching your steering wheel and parts of your car.

Far worse and more dangerous however is the fold out child seat. People put their infants in there, some wearing diapers and some of those diapers might hold a present. Woman also use it to carry their purses that have may have been put on the floor for example. And how about older children? Lots of them stand on the seat before actually sitting down in it. The horrors they might have stepped in before entering the supermarket…

Yet, most of us also use that same seat to carry our vegetables and especially our fruits, so they don’t get bruised. Lots of vegetables and fruits are eaten uncooked and just maybe even unwashed (try convincing your teenager he always has to wash the fruit he’s going to eat…)

The inside of the cart is no stranger to germs and virus either. Kinds sit and stand in them, sometimes packages of chicken or meat drip juice, you name it. The risk of contamination here are way lower though.

The University of Arizona conducted a four-year study on shopping carts and found them to be full of human saliva, mucus, urine, fecal matter and blood and juices from raw fish, chicken and meat. Closer examination of the handles and the child seats showed some harbored E-coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Influenza and many others. They actually ranked third on the list of worst public things to touch, just below playground toys and the armrests of public transportation. Shopping carts are far worse than public bathrooms; at least those get cleaned way more often.

So what can you do to protect yourself? If the supermarket offer sanitation wipes, use them diligently on handle and seat. Clean at least the bottom of the cart. If the supermarket doesn’t supply any wipes, use commercially available ones, like Clorox brand or simply use hand sanitizing gel with alcohol on handle and seat.…

Raising a Green Family – 25 Easy Ways to Conserve Our Planet and Save Yourself Money in the Process

So you want to “go green,” huh? I’ll tell you how!

Sell your minivan or SUV and buy a hybrid. And while you’re at it, have solar panels installed on your roof for an alternate energy source. Make your own clothing out of hemp grown in your own backyard, hydrated by water you’ve been collecting in rain barrels. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Let me know when you’re done.

What’s that? You don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on new cars and total home remodels?

Okay, neither do I.

What we need are feasible and realistic ideas to help us leave a smaller carbon footprint, reduce the consumption of resources, teach our kids how to be ecologically responsible, and how to save some money in the process! We all know how to throw things in the recycle bin, but there are other easy things we can do every day.

Re-use shopping bags. You can buy cloth shopping bags at almost any store these days. They are inexpensive and sturdy, and are usually very roomy. If you don’t want to invest in shopping bags, ask for paper bags. We don’t need more plastic polluting our oceans.

Replace the light bulbs in your home with fluorescent bulbs, and turn off lights when not in use. You’d be surprised how much power it takes to illuminate a standard incandescent bulb. Fluorescent bulbs are 4 to 6 times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs.

Try not to buy bottled water. Are we really willing to pay a buck or more, for water? If you don’t like the taste of tap water, an inexpensive water filtration system on your kitchen faucet will produce better tasting water. Buy yourself a groovy water bottle to refill and keep with you. You will save yourself a lot of money!

Become a bento family. You don’t need plastic baggies and disposable containers to pack these eco-friendly lunches, and the very design encourages people to pack healthier, less processed foods. Which leads me to my next tip…

Stop buying processed foods. I know we’re all busy, but setting aside some time to make freezer meals or prepare snacks yourself is much better than buying sodium and high fructose corn syrup laden foods.

Buy from local farmers. There are so many benefits, I don’t know where to start. Local produce is fresh, often organic, and always more delicious. Local farmers and business owners are supported, and large gas-guzzling trucks have not had to crate the produce to stores.

Carpool. Carpool with co-workers, other parents, friends. You’ll all save money on gas, and fewer carbon emissions are always a good thing.

Walk or ride bikes. Obviously, the added bonus here is the physical exercise for your family.

Participate in or organize clothing swaps. We all know how fast our kids outgrow their clothes, and we spend a lot of money on new clothes for them. Some PTO parents and churches have been known to organize clothing swaps. Meaning, people bring clothes to donate, and they take what they need. This is an excellent way to reduce consumption of resources, and save us a TON of money!

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

Turn off computers when not is use or at night. Don’t just sleep or hibernate them.

Reuse gift bags and gift wrap. A friend of mine and I made an agreement years ago that we would not write on the tags on gift bags when we gave each other gifts, that way we can reuse the perfectly pristine gift bags.

Turn down the thermostat, especially at night. Just turning it down a degree or two will show savings on your heating bill.

Install weather stripping around doors and windows.

Hang clothing to dry, or remove clothes from the dryer before they are completely dry. A clothes dryer is typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, costing about $85 to operate annually. That’s why you won’t see an Energy Star sticker on a clothes dryer anytime soon.

Don’t rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Scrape them, but let your dishwasher do the work.

Take showers, not baths. Believe it or not, you save a lot of water. If you can stand turning off the water while you soap up and scrub, even better.

Don’t use spray air fresheners. Use natural things to freshen your home.

Visit the local library instead of buying books. Unless your child has a favorite book he or she will read again and again, just borrowing books from the library actually promotes reading because there are new and exciting books to read on a regular basis. Added bonus, it’s free!

Buy rechargeable batteries. …

Super South Beach Shopping – Outdoor Antique and Collectibles Market

South Beach shopping is not usually a morning activity for those visitors of beachside Miami. These early bird excursions are mostly unheard of for locals, who eat late, stay up until the wee hours and generally rise just shy of noon. Savvy shoppers make an exception, however, for the Outdoor Antique & Collectible Market on famed Lincoln Road.

From October until May, two or three Sundays a month, the pedestrian-only Lincoln Road Mall changes its look from chic urban shopping Mecca to funky urban treasure hunt. And explorers come out in droves, from interior designers to deejays to lovers of Lucite. Over 100 dealers display furnishings, jewelry, collectibles and an amazing assortment of goodies from the 1900s to 1960s.

Because this is Miami we’re speaking of, there’s always a heavy emphasis on the iconic Mid-Century Modern pieces most widely associated with the city. Mid-century style describes an architectural, interior, and product design movement that rose to prominence from 1933-1965. Furnishings had clean lines and were beautiful yet always functional. Scandinavian designers played a big part in the movement and the look still resonates today, in homes of all styles. Products most often associated with Mid-Century Modern include lighting, glassware, tableware, ceramics and furniture.

Famed designers of the era include Alvar Aalto, Charles and Ray Eames, Max Gottschalk, Finn Johl and Donald Wexler. While you may not score an Eames chair at the market, you will, no doubt, have as much fun people watching as you do shopping. And of course, you’ll find all sorts of things beyond the “modern” scope as well. Fuel up with some coffee, then go on the ultimate scavenger hunt.

It’s said that a design-centric shopper can furnish an entire apartment at South Beach’s Outdoor Antique Market, with a little budget and a good eye. Guests of Solara Surfside won’t have to undertake such a daunting prospect, but can still opt to ship home anything special, no matter its market’s inaugural 2010 date is October 10, and various Sundays through May 8 will see happy, colorful crowds jostling for a better look at a boggling array of cool Miami objects d’art and vintage clothing. Kicking off at the almost-unheard-of-in-Miami eight a.m. hour, the market lasts all day, but shoppers who visit too close to the 5:00 cutoff risk missing out on much of the wonder.

Vendors are set up between the 800 and 1000 blocks of Lincoln Road Mall, and on Lenox and Michigan Avenues, in South Beach. A bevy of cafes and coffee houses offer brunch, lunch and a variety of beverage options. Shop ’til you drop, on Lincoln Road, South Beach, where shopping can’t be beat!…

Dollar Value of Your Time

Is it not amazing that we spend so much time watching what we spend by way of money, yet we expend our time without care or concern? This may well be an age old conundrum, yet it applies critically to the on-line generation. Starting with a Google search we sit at our computer clicking an ever endless sequence of links. Invariably, just clicking through to where we have been before.

Return on Investment

Our lifespan is usually measured in years, yet it is also marked off in minutes and seconds as they tick away. This raises a very pertinent challenge to how we value our existence. For example, suppose we are shopping on-line, looking to save on purchases by finding the ever elusive cheaper, or even free option. From the point of view of a business you would not want to spend more money on the search than you are saving from the exercise of the search. However, you are in a business, the business of living, with a limited amount of time at your disposal. It is time to consider just how much of your lifetime you will give up to save a dollar or two. Yes, we should be prudent, but my experience is that the time expended is frequently excessive for the savings achieved.

Our True Self Worth

It is interesting to watch people, including ourselves, as we move through life, to see where we place our values. At the end of each day we may feel that life was full and meaningful, or we may feel somewhat frustrated at how little we achieved. This invariably is because our life is out of balance. There needs to be balance and measure in our existence, and this will not be achieved by a person devoted to their computer. How stupid would that be? I devoted my life to my computer. What about the other facets of living well, including preparing meals, caring for our property, caring for our physical wellbeing and caring for others. If any one of these and the various other activities we undertake is seen to be a drudgery, just reflect on the good fortune we have to be able to mow the lawns, tend the gardens and attend to all the other aspects of living. When this capacity is taken from us, we will suddenly see the treasure of all the demands on our being.

On-line Wisdom

Computer users are at great risk of imbalance in their lives. Computers are wonderful tools and they can relieve us of loads of work giving us easy access to volumes of information. But computers must be managed since you are the master or mistress while the computer is the slave. Remember the value of your time, versus the monetary benefit from time expended. If you spend an extra dollar you can always get another dollar to replace it. If you spend an extra minute that minute will not be replaced in this lifetime. We should keep it all in perspective discriminating between what is good value and what is waste or loss. Live well, enjoy life and keep the computer in its appropriate role as slave to suit our purpose.…

Broome Shopping

So how is it possible to get presents, clothes and pearls in Broome? Further down is a helpful guide for Broome shopping and for yourself to take home from your vacation.

THE HIDDEN VALLEY

In case you are attempting to hunt for great scents and oil, then here is the location for you. The soaps in this shop are all handmade from the workers of Broome. The closes at 4:30pm but nevertheless a visit in this particular shop will probably be great. At the Sunday morning markets, the store sells its soaps. You’re also able to order by mail order if you’d like. They have soaps like Full Moon Rising and even sell pearls and oils. The retail price is dependent upon the item and the size and style of what you will be buying. The retail price ranges from $3.50 upwards.

SIMPLY BROOME

The store recently opened in the community. It displays different artwork among the indigenous people, books, handmade soaps, as well as other local products that is certainly very well liked. You are going to like the store when you walk right through mainly because of the great scents surrounding the shop.

A SHOP JIMMY CHI ARCADE

Jimmy Chi arcade is a comfy and easy to take a hike from Carnarvon Street to Dampier Street. Two shops are situated in the community where they provided local clothes available for purchase. A Cafe is as there for you to relax and take a stop in case you cannot put up with the heat in the area. In front of the arcade is a bus stop which is going to Cable Beach.

COURTHOUSE MARKETS

This shop contains locally made arts and crafts, candles and incense, hip gears and hemp clothes. The Courthouse Markets are thought to be the biggest art and crafts markets based in the Kimberleys. You can even eat and relax together with the music and foods they serve. This will surely be described as a great experience.

KAILIS PEARLS

If you love pearls, Broome has two of the finest producers of quality pearls and by far the most awesome set ups. Kaillis pearls is the pioneers in pearl farm which is situated in the Roebuck Bay. They cook creative and classy designs.

PASPALEY PEARLS

Aside for Kaillis Pearls, there is one other popular name in the pearl business, Paspaley Pearls. Paspaley Pearls, like Kaillis, stands out as the pioneering of cultured pearl far which started out in the 50’s. Their farm is found 420km northern Broome called Kuri Bay. They’ve made lavishing types since then.

KIMBERLEY BOOKSHOP

There is also various choices of newly published books. This bookshop includes greater than 8000 books as well as other books that are well designed for book also stock numerous books about Broome, Kimberley, local arts and more.

MAGABALA BOOKS

The shop stands out as the only indigenous publishing house that is operated independently. It’s objective will be to attain commercial publishing plus more. They have a range of Indigenous novel collections, poetry, social background and biographies and literature.

Go on a spree in Broome using these recommendations, read some reviews, find some tips for shopping the area.…

Why People Live Online

I was watching one video recently that discussed why people buy. A very straight forward thing probably. We buy because we need goods or services to sustain our lives.

In a busy world with an overload of information and ear blocking advertising that we need to buy this, buy that, go there, do this, it becomes a real hassle to actually even go shopping. There is so much on the shelves that at the end of the day you can simply get lost and not buy anything at all.

Quite some time ago I have chosen online shopping as an ultimate way of buying! Why? I can do shopping in my own time without having to worry about open-close times of the shop. I can look at an item for as long as I like and compare the prices for the same item on a few different websites to compare the prices. If I shop for clothes, I can always try them on at home in front of my own mirror without having to wait in a fitting room queue. If I don’t like the item, I can always send it back and get my money back very quickly.

All in all, online shopping saves us time and nerves and gives us a wider spectrum of choice in – again – shorter period of time.

I love having time doing what I really enjoy doing. Life shouldn’t be just about worrying and regretting. I don’t yet have kids, but I can’t even imagine what it could be like. I don’t have much time for myself and my family now spending 2 – 2.5 hours a day traveling to and from work, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, washing, watching a movie and going to bed. What will it be like when I have kids?

This made me thinking I would not only like to shop online, but to also work online! I have become a member of Six Figure Mentors community of online marketers to be able to live life and stop worrying about not having time to enjoy it properly. I am not lazy and work is an essential part of everyone’s lives; work is what has turned us into intelligent beings – be it physical or mental work. But, when I retire I want to have things to reminiscent about with a smile on my face or a tear in my eyes. I don’t want to only wake up from night mares about how hard it was to wake up at 6am, how morally unrewarding it was to spend more than 60 hours a week in the office and how many places I haven’t visited and how many hours I have not spend with my lovely family.

Shopping and working online is a real break through, a get away! A get away from very early mornings, from a train full of gloomy faces, a get away from moody bosses and short lunches where you can’t even enjoy the food you eat due to lack of time.

Six Figure Mentors have laid a foundation for me to become my own boss, has given me a great hope that if I do my homework and work on my skills, it will pay 100 fold by giving me a better income and more time to spend with my loved ones and actually start seeing sun more often than just during random weekends.…

How to Make Sure Your Online Shopping and Selling Arrives on Time

Many people now buy a lot of products online, whether is a music CD or a DVD or even clothing and our weekly food shopping, there are many items available to buy online and quite a lot of the time it can be cheaper as well as more convenient. A growing number of people are indulging their entrepreneurial spirit and actually selling items online, whether this is unwanted possessions on eBay or actually starting home businesses where you can sell your own products online.

A large part of making sure that any buying or selling online goes smoothly is that the product gets sent via a reliable delivery service to ensure that it arrives quickly to prevent buyers getting angry or frustrated that their order has been delayed. Many people will buy items online that are gifts for friends and family, many eBay buyers may claim this when they find their parcel has been delivered later than expected and whilst it could be a rather flimsy argument, the idea behind it that by sending something late you could have let your customer down is something a lot of home businesses and individuals that don’t have huge customer service departments like major companies should be concerned about.

Sending your parcels by a courier instead can instil some confidence in the buyer so that they are assured that by ordering from you they are going to get the best deal and a quick delivery that many people will be looking specifically for. Couriers used to be the kind of option only large businesses or people looking to ship large quantities would use but these days as the rise of home based businesses and similar ventures they have made their prices much more affordable to even regular individuals only needing to send one parcel securely.

With couriers you can get the benefits of a much less cluttered mail system so your parcel won’t be sat under a pile of other mail items but also they typically offer a much more detailed tracking system so you can keep a close eye on exactly where your parcel is and when you can expect to see it arrive. Couriers will also make extra attempts to deliver items such as leaving a card for rearranging a delivery or informing you that the parcel has been left with a neighbour or stored in the garage or any other secure area.

When it’s your bunnies and reputation on the line you should make sure that when you send a parcel, you send it securely with the help of an experienced parcel courier.…

How to Choose Flowers for a New Born Baby

The gift of flowers is seen as a sign of love and affection, not just romantically but as a way of celebrating a special occasion, such as a birthday, wedding, graduation, mother’s day or father’s day. Many people choose to send a gift of flowers to congratulate new parents on the arrival of their baby boy or girl.

A gift of flowers for a new born and their family is a beautiful and personal present. There are many gorgeous flowers available in the UK with special meanings dating back to Victorian times. For example you could choose gardenia to symbolise joy, or orange blossom to celebrate fertility. Other options include celebrating the child’s birth month such as; carnations in January, daisies in April or roses in June. Many people choose to opt for the traditional colours of blue for a boy and pink for a girl.

There are lots of options available when choosing what type of flowers to send. A traditional bouquet offers flexibility on price and can be easily purchased on the internet or from a local flower shop. Advice is on hand to help you choose what flowers to include, and which colours will look great together. You may however wish to add a more personal touch by putting together your own arrangement. Why not choose some flowers from a local florist and combine with gifts for the baby such as, soft toys or rattles. The flowers do not have to be just hand tied, why not create a display in a keep sake box for the baby.

There are lots of companies available offering unique flower gifts. For example, you could choose a hand tied arrangement of baby’s bibs and bonnets, delicately folded to resemble roses.

Bright colours are known to aid a baby’s development such as; yellow, red, green and orange. These colours look stunning and brighten up a child’s nursery. Flowers not only stimulate a baby’s development through sight but also smell. Studies have shown that a baby’s sense of smell is very strong when it is new-born. A baby just a few days old is able to recognise the smell of its mother’s milk. This means strong fragrant, bright flowers are a lovely way to help settle a baby when it is first brought home from the hospital.

There are many possible gifts to send a new-born baby, however parents, friends and family have usually chosen the most obvious gifts such as toys and baby furniture. A gift of flowers has stood the test of time; why not keep a tradition alive. There is a high chance that when the baby’s parents, grandparents and great grandparents were born they were all sent flowers. A floral arrangement for a new born is not only a perfect gift for the parents to enjoy in hospital and at home but also for the baby.…

What Can Small Business Offer You?

As I sit in our local mall watching mobs of people hastily trot from one advertised great deal to another I start to question how a small business in today’s society can not only compete with the savvy consumer but what can a small business offer that the large stores can not.

These businesses can offer a personal shopping experience for the consumer that is not all about the bottom line but about the ending satisfaction that one has at the end of a transaction. They care if their customers are happy with the entire transaction from selection of product to the customer service received by the customer.

Being able to understand and relate to the customer can build a mutual satisfaction in the first meeting and build a bridge to a long term relationship were the customer knows that the small business is interested in maintaining their business.

Lets face it pricing is also a factor that every consumer is interested in. Small companies can usually compete very well in that area. There isn’t as much overhead to absorb so the price breaks can be passed on to the customer.

Now if fancy packaging, glamorous and glitz is important to your shopping satisfaction then maybe small businesses are not for you. But if you are looking for a great way to support your local community, have a stress free shopping experience were you are treated with respect and would enjoy interacting with a person instead of a corporation then small businesses have a lot to offer you.…

Boost Brand Recognition With Printed Koozies At The Beach

Are you looking for a new way to promote your business that is inexpensive and cost-effective? With the summer time coming, have you considered giving away printed koozies at your local beach, amusement park or other outdoor venue?

Koozies are foam insulators that are slid upon the can of beer, soda, or other beverage. They are also available for bottles and other container types. They have been manufactured out of foam or neoprene which allows for the gadget to maintain the temperature of the drink for up to one hour.

The koozies shape allows for embossing or screen printing to be added to both the front and rear sides of the actual product. Most marketing agencies will make use of both and implement company name, address, phone as well as logo and website hyper-link. This will allow for maximum exposure to your brand and company.

When you think about it for the one low cost, your brand is being used over and over again, and will help create brand recognition. People want to keep their drinks cool, especially at the local beach or lake, while they are lounging on the sand in the hot summer heat. Having a way to keep their drink cool will allow them to stroll along the boardwalk while holding their can and sipping the cool beverage.

Printed koozies can be obtained by ordering online, most vendors will offer a large selection of styles and colors. Larger vendors will also offer clipart that the purchaser can use on their product, as well as offering the ability to submit artwork and have it added to the koozies. Dependent upon your advertising budget you can also add more than one color of ink, or order other styles such as the foldable or collapsible koozies.

Due to the lightweight design these items are extremely portable, making them the perfect item for the user to carry around in their purse, car, picnic basket etc. Each time the customer places their beverage into their koozies, not only are they being exposed to your business, but anyone near them will be as well.…

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle in the Real World

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Many are familiar with what this catchy little phrase means but how many people are actually incorporating this mantra into their lives? As times change people are always on the go or not truly thinking about their actions when it comes to sustaining our planet. There is a big movement in purchasing eco-friendly and organic products but there are some other things to do to show just how eco-friendly you truly are. Here are 5 ways to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle and to contribute to the overall health of our planet.

#1 Turn off the faucet: This has been a message since our childhood but not many people follow this simple rule. In order to save water turn the faucet off when brushing your teeth or washing your face. There really is no need for the water to be running and if we all turned off the faucet we each could save over a thousand gallons of water.

#2 Reuse plastic sandwich bags: This is something not many people think about but if done can save a lot of money and reduce the amount of plastic bags pilling up in landfills. Think about it, why throw away a perfectly good sandwich bag when it could be used again. If it gets a bit messy inside it can simply be rinsed out with water, but not too much water!

#3 Aluminum water bottles vs. plastic water bottles: If you have not already noticed, many people are sporting the new water bottle around town. Instead of the old plastic water bottles people are now really digging the aluminum bottles. Why you ask. Well not only are they attractive and convenient, they are also eco-friendly. Having just one aluminum water bottle significantly reduces the amount of plastic water bottles an individual purchases annually. These aluminum water bottles come in many different styles and there are even some made just for kids. If you don’t have your own aluminum water bottle be sure to purchase one soon!

#4 Unplug unused appliances: Not many people think to do this on a regular basis but take a look, is your cell phone charger still plugged in even though your phone isn’t being charged? Most likely it is! This is one thing that people don’t think to do even though it still uses so much energy just being plugged into the wall. So, if you aren’t using your cell phone charger, your toaster, blender, hair appliance, or even your TV unplug it!

#5 Change your light bulb: Many people are still using traditional light bulbs to light their homes and offices but there are better ones out there. Compact fluorescent light bulbs or energy efficient light bulbs are the new buzz. The reason behind this is because of how much less energy is used when using these light bulbs. Not only do they use less energy they also last longer than traditional light bulbs. They are generally more expensive than traditional ones but can you really put a price on saving your earth?

These are five simple ways we can actually Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle in our fast pace world. It doesn’t take much effort to make these simple changes and with these changes we can improve our health and the health of our earth. Being eco-friendly has never been so easy!…

Cheap Online Shopping: The Top 10 Sites for Finding Discounts Online

Shopping online can be significantly cheaper than heading downtown towards your local mall, outlet, Best Buy, Walmart and so forth. The overabundance of competition at the entire world’s fingertips forces suppliers to break down and get rid of their items for a bargain that bests its competitors’ prices. Shopping on the web may also be tax free for a variety of online shops. Thanks to the likes of eBay, many retailers may even specialize in refurbishing products and selling them for far below the out-of-box price. However, surfing the web simply to find which store can sell an LED Television for $20 less can be time consuming. Customers also tend to worry about having their credit card information stolen. Therefore, I have compiled a list of the top 10 places to buy cheap electronics online. The websites making this list are based on reputation, security, inventory, shipping speed, and of course price.

1. eBay – eBay is the mecca of purchasing cheap electronics online. Customers can find literally anything here, be it new, refurbished, used, broken, etc. Thanks to the Buy It Now feature users no longer need to consume their time getting into bidding wars. eBay’s partnership with PayPal allows customers to shop with confidence. Despite its reputation eBay cannot control how long their suppliers take to ship items, whether the items are in the condition described, or if the seller is an outright scam artist. PayPal does a great job protecting consumers from these types of incidents; however they can still cause headaches, and potentially a loss of funds.

2. Cheap Electronics Depot – features the lowest prices online by a landslide. Their product selection may be low (less than 100 items) however the items sold are in very high demand. iPod’s, HDTV’s, MacBooks, Video Games consoles, and more are all sold for up to 99% off retail. Bargain hunters looking to go the extra mile for an incredible deal enjoy shopping at Cheap Electronics Depot. The catch here is all items are sold via a “bidding fee auction.” Meaning users must pay a small fee (usually 60 cents) each time they place a bid. The price increases by 1 penny with each bid. Most items tend to sell for about $50. Therefore placing 100 bids on a one thousand dollar HDTV is equivalent to purchasing it for $90. Cons are, the site design leaves something to be desired, and you may end up paying for bids without winning the product.

3. Ioffer – Ioffer is a clever site that is a slight variation on eBay. Rather than the seller setting a price, the customer makes an offer to the seller. The seller may accept, decline, or make a counter offer. I have realized that if you search around enough and make enough offers, you can get some amazing deals on here. A lot of sellers may be eager to get rid of their product; therefore they are quick to accept a low offer. However, the site can become frustrating when sellers decline very reasonable offers. The product selection is very vast, and users should be able to find any electronics they like on here.

4. Best Buy – Before you jump all over me for putting a retail chain on here as an online store, please hear me out. offers products online from their Outlet Center that cannot be purchased in the store. Don’t think the 7th Generation iPod is much different from the 6th generation? Head on over to Best Buy online store and check to see if they have any refurbished 6th generation iPods at the outlet center. The price is much cheaper, and since you are dealing with such a refutable seller, you can shop with confidence. The shipping costs are high, taxes must be paid, and the outlet center may not always have what you need. This is still a very worth place to find cheap electronics online.

5. NewEgg – I don’t know how they do it, but NewEgg features some very solid deals on High Def televisions, digital cameras, and most of all computer parts. Tech savvy bargain hunters could practically put together an entire desktop from parts they purchased for NewEgg. All for less than $300. Less technologically inclined users may not be able to find such deals, however the prices on electronics here are definitely not something to snub one’s nose at.

6. Wal-Mart – … Not much to say here. While not everyone may agree with their labor policies, or corporate practices, there is no denying the Wal-Mart continues to find ways to push out products for prices few can match.

7. Craigslist – Without a doubt, Craigslist features some of the best prices on electronics. Plus …

The Secrets of Style – It’s Not As Tough As You Think

Oscar Wilde used to say that fashion was something so hideous that it had to be changed once every three months. His acerbic wit aside, it’s true that fashion, not style, is what’s constantly changing. While some people run around chasing the latest trends and attempting to rock a season’s popular look that just might not work for them, the real stars of the fashion world know to focus on something much more elusive: style. Because it’s timeless style that makes icons, not grasping at trends. Having a solid understanding of what isn’t fleeting and what is makes a huge difference between having a look that lasts and needing a new wardrobe every year.

And truth be told, most women don’t have the income to buy a complete new wardrobe every year. So learning to be stylish is about more than just learning to dress well and in a way that makes you feel comfortable and sexy. No, this is also about learning to dress well in a way that won’t break the bank and have you throwing out your capris and your tankinis season after season, wondering why you didn’t choose a look that would last. Instead of chasing the trends, learning to shop for pieces of clothing that will last you years, not seasons, is the best step possible in becoming stylish.

One of the most important things you can do for yourself as a woman is stop focusing on the fact that you might not think fashion is fair. Yes, it’s tough to live in a world where anyone over a size six is considered plus size, but that’s not going to get a cuter pair of jeans on you any faster. A whole lot of beautiful women who weigh more than 100 pounds manage to find ways to dress well, not just get by. Don’t let the sizes psych you out of being stylish, and don’t get discouraged about shopping to find something right for you. It can be done, and you will do it.

One of the easiest ways to feel beautiful and sexy is to never let yourself under dress. Even if you’re just going to be hanging out at home, you don’t need to put on a cocktail dress, but please at least brush your teeth and find a clean pair of pants to wear that you actually feel not just good, but cute, in. Putting thought into what you wear each day not only makes you look good, it makes you feel good, too. Don’t let yourself go for no apparent reason, and not because of a pressure to be perfect, but rather, as a service to yourself.

It’s not actually that hard to dress well, it just requires knowing what to buy. And really, all you need to buy are a few things. It will take less than five hangers in your closet to have the cornerstones of a great wardrobe. One for a snappy dress shirt, one for a cardigan, preferably cashmere, one for a stylish and timeless pair of black pants, and one for the quintessential little black dress. These are the articles of clothing by which all other articles of clothing are measured, and putting in a little bit of an investment on them all will give you limitless returns. It’s also much easier to build and mix and match outfits based on some seriously solid base items.

Aside from basic items, the most important choice you have to make is shoes. Shoes are the wild card to an outfit, the piece that can make you feel sexy and incredible or, if chosen poorly, allow you to fade into the background. Never underestimate a great pair of shoes. It is best to have a couple of reliable pairs, depending on the level of formal for your outfit. You’ll be strutting your stuff with an even bigger smile on your face if the right pair of shoes are on your feet.

More than anything else, take this advice and figure out how to apply it to yourself and your own fashion. While reading tips in a magazine or getting advice from a trusted friend is great, the most important voice you have when it comes to your own look is yourself. Only you know what’s right, or what’s going to make you feel confident and powerful. Even with basic elements of style, what really brings someone’s aesthetic all together is their own sense of self, so don’t get rid of yourself when looking for a good outfit or look. It’s important to find a way to be stylish while still being yourself, as the people who turn the most heads manage to stay unique.

Whether you’re a …

Wrist Watch Shopping In 4 Easy Steps

The first step in choosing the perfect wrist watch is identifying what type of wrist watch that you actually require and what kind of image you want to project. Do you need a wrist watch that pulsates a fashion statement or is the need more business related? Once you are able to determine the type of watch that you need, you can move onto the next step.

Once you have recognized the type of wrist watch you want, you must set a budget that you would be willing to spend. It must be remembered that a compromise between luxury and cost must be made when deciding on your purchase. Extra features may be tempting when making your purchase but your budget needs to be kept in mind. By setting an appropriate budget you ensure that you keep a balance between what you need and what you desire.

The third step is crucial as it involves deciding on a brand and doing some research. It pays to review the watch that you wish to purchase to make sure that it is reliable and according to your needs. You don’t want to spend a whole lot of money and then find out that the wrist watch that you purchased was all hype and no performance.

Finding a reliable vendor to make your purchase is the last and most challenging step. It requires you to find a vendor that sells the watch you want at a reasonable rate that fits your budget. You must make sure that the vendor that you choose offers some sort of incentive that makes purchasing your watch from them unique and worthwhile. This could be in the form of after sale services or extended warranties.

Regardless of the type of wrist watch, your budget or where you purchase it from, the task of buying the perfect wrist watch is no longer troublesome nor complicated so long as you follow these four easy steps.…

Online Women’s Clothing

Clothes and jewelry are two things which are quite close to a woman’s heart and they love shopping especially when it comes to designer clothing. Most women love shopping just for fun and not for fulfilling any specific need. The right way to shop designer clothes is online shopping. There are several online and offline stores available which provide designer clothes at very affordable prices. Also some people shop online in off season because prices are much low as compared to peak season. Discount codes and coupons are a perfect way to get heavy discounts on clothes or other apparels.

Online stores not only provide good choice and variety but they also offer different types of discounts to the interested people. Women have lot more to do via online shopping such as they can get valuable tips on garment care, hot trends, washing tips and fashion horoscopes. All these things make shopping experience really amazing especially for women. Some women are just addicted to shopping; here they can get some valuable information on women clothing. One can browse online anything from casual wear, night wear, formal wears to handbags, cosmetics, sunglasses, belts, gloves, hats and many other accessories which most women love to carry. Explore different dressing styles and acquire an improved image makeover by opting for shopping via online stores.

Internet has changed the lives of people and it makes living so easy that one can shop online without going outside the house. There are several online stores available which provide the extensive range of clothing and jewelry especially for women who have good appetite for shopping. These online stores facilitate heavy discounts and one can browse different kinds of dresses to attain brand new image. One would be startled to know that thousands of styles and designs are available at these online stores and one can browse through them. The interesting thing about these online stores is that all the stuff available there can be purchased at very affordable price. One can also use discount coupons which are also easily available from newspapers or magazines. The discount coupons have specific code in it which one needs to enter while shopping online. One should always confirm the validity of discount coupon in order to avoid any inconvenience.

There is no need to worry for plus size women as they can shop from huge range of clothes and dresses at numerous online stores. They can select any dress according to the size and fitting of the dress and moreover there are different kinds of accessories available which most women are very fond of. Accessories are a part of women clothing and should be matched with complete attire to acquire a crown of complete woman.

It is true that it is quite difficult to find such a huge range of clothes and apparels at any retail outlet. Also one has to select in hurry but not in case of online shopping; just relax and sit on a bean chair and search for your favorite color and design. So, online stores are an ideal platform for women and surely they can find a perfect dress for themselves.…

Grabbing One’s Dream Shoes at Heavy Discounts

Feeling low? Just dab your favorite perfume put on your favorite casual dress and get ready for shopping; it’s really a great mood enhancer.

Everybody likes shopping but it becomes little tougher when one has to shop for others. It’s really a painstaking task. We feel free when we go for shopping for ourselves but for others, we have to be very specific and conscious.

If you have to do shopping for foot wear, there are so many things to keep in mind. Number of varieties are available in market. First of all it should be kept in mind that shoes can either of black or brown in color, for formal shoes there shouldn’t be broad fancy prickles on them. One should be aware about shoe size of person for whom shopping is being done. Sport shoes can also be gifted to someone according to his/her taste. Shopping of shoes is really an interesting as well as a tough job. Its quite important that they must be comfortable and good looking also. Reebok, Adidas, Liberty are few well-known brands if foot wears which make one feels comfortable for shopping. “If thing is better then cost doesn’t matter”. High heels are better for short persons whereas flat ones are good of course for tall persons but they can also wear heeled ones.

If you’re looking for great shopping combo deals at huge discounts at designer and branded quality footwear, you may opt for online shopping from websites like which provide free and quick delivery plus a lot of variety!…

Let’s Review Some of the Major Shopping Carts Available in the Market Today

The center of an e-Commerce online store lies in the existence of multiple shopping cart options to select from. Picking for the best and most secured shopping carts with its incorporated options is essential for any online business because it deals with the most valuable information of your customers’ such as the credit card details and social security numbers and many other personal data. In order for any online business to be successful and remain successful, it is extremely crucial for the business owner to be able to earn great trust from their customers so that they will have a successful long term business relationship.

There are multiple types of e-commerce online shopping carts which are available in the market, each comes with their own strength and weakness. Consumers need to be very cautious when it comes to picking the right type of shopping option with its incorporate features for their online business.

– Java shopping cart:

Advantage: Being content rich and usually are available with attractive interfaces.

Disadvantage: They are hard to be customized for individual used.

– ASP shopping cart:

ASP ( application service provider) shopping carts are remotely hosted by some kind of shopping cart software program which enable the user to create, maintain and update the web store in the centralized web-based data location.

Advantage: It is a robust e-Commerce platform which is durable and realible. The setup cost is low and does not required any investment in infrastructure.

– CGI shopping cart:

Advantage: They are supported by all major browsers

Disadvantage: They may be very hard to be setup and maintain

– Hosted shopping cart:

Advantage: a great business solution for small scale business, it is equipped with a simple interface provided by a web host or a third party source that uses HTML code for the related functionalities and buttons on the cart. The required software and applications will come all in one solution.

Disadvantage: It is highly expensive and not as flexible as own hosted store.

– Fully integrated shopping cart:

Advantage: The most popular type of all options due to its multiple features which are user-friendly and easily being utilized for customization to fulfill different business needs such as the ability to calculate the expected shipping cost for a delivery to a specific destination, customer review forum, product show-case and exhibition for new customers etc.

– PHP shopping cart:

Advantage: This is now available with a licensed version of their software when you sign up for their service, which is useful for developers who wish to integrate this high quality shopping software into their existing website on their own servers. There are a lot of powerful features available through the PHP shopping options such as real-time inventory tracking, the ability to hide related pricing from unregistered customers, calculation of real-time shipping quotes, Automated tax calculations by different countries and many many more options.

– Merchant service shopping cart:

Advantage: setup is simple and easy as no programming is required

Disadvantage: Transaction fees is higher, the business or company name associated with the items sold will be the merchant service and not yours, the customers may get confused and expect this to be a dispute as the merchant service name is unrecognizable to them.…

Five Back to School Saving Tips

Back to school shopping can be a bit of a problem. After all, it can really add up! It doesn’t matter if you’re a single mom or wealthy, everyone is looking to save money when it comes to back to school shopping. So, here are a few tips that’ll keep your checking account almost intact.

1. Thrift Stores

Now, this may seem quite tacky, but in fact, thrift stores have quite a nice selection of pretty blouses and shirts and pants and jeans. Don’t think that just because they’ve been donated, that they aren’t in good shape! You also have the potential to find binders and trapper-keepers (if those are permitted at your child’s school) and even a few folders. Now, if there are a few that are a little banged up, you can either overlook them or do a quick patch job. It’s completely up to you!

2. Buy Using Christmas Gift Cards or Certificates

If you happen to get a Christmas gift card, save it! True, you could get all sorts of nice stuff, but using it towards your child’s supplies will save you all quite a bit more money than it would. Or perhaps just save a few dollars.

3. Check Dollar Stores

You never know what you might find at the Dollar Store or Dollar General. You don’t need brand name paper and other supplies to get your through the day. You can find a large portion of the supplies that you are looking for at the Dollar Stores and won’t even have to frequent a more expensive store. Not to mention, you can find cute pencils and erasers for much, much less, if that’s what your kid is really aching for.

4. Back to School Sales

When one hits, you need to hit the shops. Try and check beforehand to see what kind of sales might be available. If possible, head out at about eleven o clock the night before the sale starts. Browse, get your items ready, but don’t check out until the sale officially starts. Also, take this opportunity, especially if you have high school or middle school students, to grab an extra book bag. You never know if it might snap with all of the books that they’re carrying around and having a snapped strap can put a lot of strain and pressure on your kid’s back.

5. Coupons

Make sure that you have any coupons you can find clipped and ready to go. You can’t just leave them behind! These little slips of papers can be a lifesaver when it comes to trying to save your money.

With these tips, you’ll find it more than easy to save your money! It doesn’t matter if you only use one method or if you use several. It’s up to you and what you find available around where you live.…

Finding Affordable Designer Clothing

Is it possible to buy designer clothing that’s not massively expensive? One of the problems with this type of clothing is that it tends to be highly desirable, meaning that many stores can justify buying high prices.

The way in which we, as customers, approach this problem is quite interesting. Some people take the route of avoiding these fashionable items altogether. They reason that it’s simply not worth spending the money – they’d rather use it on other items and instead opt to buy cheaper clothes.

But are they getting clothes that are of a worse quality? It’s certainly the case that most designers and many fashion experts would argue that garments with extremely low price tags are unlikely to offer any real quality.

For those who do want to buy designer clothing there seems to be a clear choice. It can either be bought in traditional stores and retail outlets, or it can be bought online. The question that many would ask is which route offers the cheaper option?

It seems logical that internet retailers should be able to offer the best prices. They’re able to benefit from lower overheads, meaning that these can be passed on to customers in the form of lower prices. Is this the only advantage of shopping for such items online?

Another positive in this approach is the ease with which we can compare prices. It means that we can quickly find out if we’re being offered a good deal. It also means that we have access to information on many more products than would be the case in most high street stores.

Make use of independent reviews too – these can soon help you to see whether a particular retailer or designer has a real reputation for quality. It’s not just about the quality and price of clothing on offer – it’s also about the standard of service that you can expect.

The best way to find affordable clothing is clearly to spend time doing your research online. By doing so, you’ll be able to identify some excellent outlets that sell designer fashion at extremely low prices.…

Ingredients Every Home Cook Needs in the Pantry – The Ten Most Important

If you don’t like to cook, you probably don’t like to go grocery shopping. One of the ways to make your grocery shopping trips shorter is to stock your pantry with staples. These non-perishable items have a long shelf life and are the base of a meal. Keep a running list of these items and replace them as they get low. If you buy them when they’re on sale, you’ll also save money. If you keep your pantry stocked with the following items, you’ll only have to go to the store for the fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products you’ll need for the week.

Apple cider vinegar is perfect to cook with and to use in salad dressings. It’s not as sharp as white vinegar and not as strong-tasting as red wine vinegar; it gives acidity without an overwhelming taste. You can use it in any recipe that calls for vinegar.

Make a habit of using chicken broth in place of water when you cook rice, stews or vegetable dishes. For a few extra pennies, you’ll take your food from bland to delicious. You can also use chicken broth for beef and pork recipes. There’s no need to stock both types. Buy the chicken broth that has no salt added or that is low salt.

Buy Grey Poupon Dijon mustard made with white wine. Don’t buy a store brand; the taste difference is that significant. Dijon mustard is essential in making salad dressings and for imparting flavor to sauces and stews.

For cooking, extra virgin olive oil is the best fat to use. It has no trans fats, it’s not a saturated fat, you can heat it to high temperatures and it won’t burn, and it tastes great. A good quality olive oil can be expensive, but it’s worth it. Buy small quantities of a few different brands and taste them right out of the bottle. Buy the one that tastes the best to you. Extra virgin olive oil is perfect for salad dressings too.

The best mayonnaise to use changes its name depending on which part of the country you live in. East of the Rockies it’s called Hellmann’sA�; west of the Rockies it’s called Best FoodsA�. Mayonnaise is essential as a base for sauces and dressings. Don’t buy Miracle Whip. It’s made with sugar and tastes too sweet.

If you always have pasta in your pantry, you can always throw together a fast meal. Buy whatever brand, shape, and length of pasta your family prefers. For an easy meal cut any vegetable into small pieces. Heat olive oil and add the vegetable and salt. Cook the pasta and add the cooked pasta to the cooked vegetable. This one dish meal is simple, easy, surprisingly delicious and good for you. With pasta in your pantry, you can always fix a quick meal.

Salt makes other flavors pop. Herbs and spices become more intense when you add a bit of salt. When you add salt to vegetables they cook quicker. No kitchen, or cook, should be without it.

Buy both diced and crushed canned tomatoes. Diced tomatoes have larger tomato pieces and crushed tomatoes have thicker juice. Find a brand of canned tomatoes that you like and stick with it for consistent results. Canned tomatoes have a richer flavor than fresh tomatoes.

Even if you don’t bake, you’ll need white flour to thicken sauces.

Enriched long grain white rice makes an easy side dish. Just add butter and salt to the cooked rice. Always have it in your pantry. Brown rice is better for you, but it takes longer to cook.…

Some Important Information Regarding Shopping Malls

This concept has been around since Ancient Roman times. Basically, it is nothing more than a collection of shopping centers that are in the same building. Back in Roman times, these were simply outdoor business venues. Their design has greatly improved and drastically changed over the years. The development of strip malls took place in the nineteen twenties. They started out as large box like designs, but now enjoy huge and sleek designs. They are designed to catch the attention of shoppers from a distance and up close. There are many impressive designs throughout the world that host millions of shoppers every year.

Some of the Most Popular Malls in the World

There are many popular malls located throughout the world. The most visited mall in the world is the Mall of America. It is located in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Mall of American has five hundred twenty stores. There are fifty different restaurants to choose from. This mall even offers an indoor amusement park and other exciting entertainment options. The King of Prussia Mall is another top shopping mall. It is located in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. It has four hundred shops to choose from.

Extravagant Malls Located in the United States

Saw Grass Mills is a unique mall that has both indoor and outdoor shopping venues. It is located in Sunrise, Florida. Both high end fashion items and bargain deals can all be found under one roof. The Galleria in Houston, Texas is another popular mall that experiences frequent visitors. This mall contains atriums made of glass and an ice skating rink. The Grove is a Los Angeles shopping avenue that contains stores like Sprinkles Cupcakes, Madewell, and Johnny Was.

Chic Malls throughout the Country

Tyson’s Corner is a fabulous mall located in Virginia. The children’s play area in the mall is sponsored by National Geographic. The area is nothing short of exquisite. The South Coast Plaza is located in Costa Mesa, California. It contains roughly two hundred eighty boutiques for shoppers to take advantage of. It even has thirty restaurants. It is located in Orange County. Short Hills Mall is located in Short Hills, New Jersey. This one contains a wide selection of stores. This store is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Manhattan.

The History of Malls

There are malls located in France and in the United Kingdom that have been present for centuries and are still in operation today. The need for the shopping mall is expected to increase in coming years. One of the first malls in the United States opened in Minnesota in 1916. Presently, the largest mall in operation all across the world is located in China. The second largest mall is also located in China and the third largest mall in the world is located in the Philippines.…

Shopping Carts That Help Your Customers in a Bad Economy

Allowing your shopping cart to offer a payment plan can mean providing the much needed relief that some of your customers or clients need. This could mean the difference between getting a sale and not getting a sale from those not able to afford right now what you have to offer. A high-end cart takes care of recurring billing for you every month until the balance is paid, without you having to lift a finger or worrying about staying on top of it.

Every month a notice goes out a week ahead of the time a customer’s credit card is due to be charged as a reminder. On the designated date the cart automatically processes payment. This prevents you from having to hope payments are made on time. The shopping cart automatically charges their account and keeps you in control.

You also control how you set up your terms for a payment plan. For example, you offer your customer or client the choice of paying $600 in full, or 2 payments of $325 each, or 3 payments of $225. Now rather than a $600 decision your customer or client is only making a $225 decision. And when a person wants or needs a product or service and can’t afford the full price incurring an extra $75 charge can be worth it. It also, clearly, means more money in your pocket.

Offering a payment plan can make good business sense, but trying to extend terms without having it automated in some way can quickly become regrettable. It makes far more sense to utilize this function integrated into a sophisticated shopping cart.…

What Demographics Are Shopping Online for Clothes?

The boom of online shopping has erupted in the past few years and and is only going to increase in the future. E-commerce is becoming a vital tool for businesses to attract shoppers in store and also to the actual purchasing of products online. Online shopping isn’t just restricted to the young population but to the broader demographic. Everyone from students to parents and grandparents are purchasing online.

In a survey in 2000, 22% of Americans said they had purchased online and by 2007 this figure had increased to 49%. This goes to show the rapid improvement and popularity of online sales.

In terms of percentage of users of the internet, the following are figures if the demographic that use the internet for online shopping. 38% of 12-17 years olds have used the internet as a tool of purchasing, 71% of 18-32 year olds have purchased online, 80% of 33-44 year olds have purchased online, 68% of 46-54 year olds practice online shopping, 72% of 55-63 year olds shop online, 56% of 64-72 year olds purchase products online and 47% of over 73 year olds use the internet for online shopping.

When these statistics are examined it goes to show a whopping percentage of internet users shop online. This may only be a segment of the worlds population but these figures just go to show the wave of people beginning to shop online.

And would you blame them? No, is the quick answer. If you were to, lets say search online to purchase a suit for a business man online you would find thousands and thousands of products online of the same suit and massive variations on it. You could be searching for days on the different types of products out there that would would like to wear. There are so many sites that can give you advice and tips on what to purchase, what not to purchase and what accessories to enhance your look. You can find videos online that advice you on what to wear for certain events and this allows for the peace of mind of shoppers in knowing that they have selected the right product for themselves.

With the improvement in online security and privacy in recent years due to court proceedings and legislation, shoppers can go online with a sense of security and purchase whatever they like knowing their private details are as safe as they would be in your local retail shop in town.…

Promoting Colorful Holiday Shopping

Here’s the new retail riddle: What is Black, Green, Brown and Cyber all over?

Color coded holiday shopping days.

Everyone knows Black Friday, the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season. Cyber Monday is the Monday immediately following Black Friday and was created in 2005 by the National Retail Federation to increase online sales. Supposedly we would eat our turkey on Thursday, go shopping Friday and then shop online Monday while at work or relaxing at home.

Green and Brown Monday are probably less familiar. Green Monday refers to the first Monday in December, typically the busiest online shopping day of the year. Brown Monday is the following week and refers to when retailers start dramatic markdowns to push holiday merchandise out the doors.

The titles are colorful but how accurate are they?

Black Friday has become an event in itself and its start time keeps getting earlier and earlier. But surprisingly it usually is not the busiest shopping day in terms of customer traffic and retail sales. The Saturday before Christmas, known as The Saturday before Christmas, typically ranks first while Black Friday is usually the fifth to tenth busiest day.

Online sales do increase on Cyber Monday but the biggest online shopping day is actually December 14th-the shipping deadline to receive gifts by the 25th-which also happens to be Brown Monday this year.

Now that you are either frustrated or confused, here’s the relevance from a marketing standpoint:

The National Retail Federation identified a creative selling opportunity via online sales the Monday after Thanksgiving. They wisely defined their target market as potential shoppers who could shop online from work or at home that day. They developed a simple, yet memorable message (Shop Online on Cyber Monday!) and utilized a coordinated mix of PR, advertising, promotional discounts, online marketing and word of mouth to effectively communicate that message again and again.

Now Cyber Monday is part of our vernacular and online sales have continued to grow that day each year. While it might not be the biggest online shopping day just yet, Cyber Monday could very well reach that goal in the future.

Then what?…

The Growing Trend Of Buying Pet Meds Online

Today, the growing trend in online shopping has allowed consumers to buy meds online for their pets as well. However the consumers are often warned by the FDA about purchasing prescription meds online. Fortunately you can still buy pet meds online in a safe manner. Making an online purchase has become a growing trend and pet meds are no different as you can find almost every possible medication and care products for your little family pet. When buying pet meds online you can ensure to get the same quality products from a renowned manufacturer as you would from the vet’s office. So, you can rest assured as you will get the right medication for your pet as long as you order the right dosage depending on your pet.

Why Purchase Pet Meds Online

There are several benefits to support the growing trend on buying pet meds online. Most of the pet owners consider their pets as a little family member and so you might not want to take your little family member to a room full of sick pets. The waiting rooms at the vet’s office are usually filled with nervous and sick animals. The environment can often cause your pet unnecessary anxiety and stress. Therefore you can just stay in the comforts of your home with your pet and order the necessary pet meds online.

There are some pet owners who lead a busy life and it often becomes troublesome to make repeated trips to the vet’s office just to fill the prescriptions. Luckily, ordering online can eliminate this hassle and you might even save money and time. Purchasing pet meds online is convenient as it can be done from your home, you can avail low cost deals on pet meds, some online dealers offer automatic refills and even save money on medicines that you purchase frequently. You just need to ensure the online pet medicine providers are authorized and reliable providers.

Find Out Best Dealer:

There are a number of online pet med dealers and so it is necessary you deal with a trustworthy dealer to get the best and reliable medication for you pet. Try and perform a brief research online so that you can find the best deal and high quality medication for you pets. When you shop online you can ensure to avail fast services and affordable prices too. You should look for the Internet Pharmacy Practice Site seal which is the best method to find out whether the online dealers are reliable and trustworthy. You can even research some online pet pharmacies recommended by your veterinarians. Buying your pet meds online is an effective way to care your loving pet and a perfect way to become a responsible pet owner. Just ensure that you double check everything including the online pharmacies, their drugs, delivery methods and the prices to get the best deal.…

Top 10 Online Sales Tips For Your Business

Though there are many details you could optimize on your business website in order to make sales as high as possible there are ten things you cannot ignore. These are things I have found over the years that help tremendously.

Top 10 Things to Help Your Online Business Sales:

1. Multiple Payment Options – sure, you probably only pay using one payment method -always the same thing. Once you figure out what you like to use to pay online you are likely to always use the same option. Others are just like you, but they might not use the same payment method as you. The three payment methods I always offer are: PayPal; Google Checkout; W. Union or a bank check. This way you hit just about everyone.

2. Optimize Checkout Process – minimize the number of pages a customer must winde their way through in order to buy something on your site. Make the process ultra-clear to customers so they never feel lost. For guidance look at or other major online shopping site.

3. Shopping Cart – if customers can purchase more than one item at a time, do not make them buy one at a time. PayPal and Google Checkout both have very easy shopping cart options you can integrate with your website. Use them.

4. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee – use this, or a variation in the number of days you offer a refund, to get customers to buy that would not buy otherwise. Being able to get a refund makes ordering your product or service 100% safe. Believe it or not, it even makes sense to offer a refund in the case of people that buy ebooks or other digital product that can not logically be returned. Refund processing for ebooks of any worth are very low and you will sell more to have a refund policy in place for these types of products also. Be sure to cover in detail how customers can file for a refund.

5. Bonuses – throw in some bonus items to help close the deal. Everyone loves to get more than they are buying for free.

6. Call to Action – place regular “calls to action” on the page you want customers to buy something. A call to action is a statement like, “Buy Here -” or “Click here now to order.” Make it very obvious what a buyer needs to do to order.

7. Easy to Find Contact Information – use a contact page with multiple ways to reach you for any questions a buyer has. Some prefer phone, some email, some chat. Offer as many ways as possible to reach someone to help before they purchase your products.

8. Fast Response to Email – I noticed that when I respond quickly to questions I get from potential customers that they nearly always buy. The comfort of knowing there is a human behind the website builds trust that closes the deal.

9. Offer a Free Sample – in the case of ebooks or some training program, and many other products and services you can offer a free sample to help the buyer decide if it is something they would enjoy buying. This works exceptionally well when you have a good product and use a high quality sample.

10. Show Real Testimonials – showcase others that have purchased the same product, and how well it worked for them. Collect as many as you can – these are like pure gold for helping your sales.

Of course there are many other ways to help your business sell more online. Use these ten suggestions and you will have a solid base to build on.…

How to Find Wholesale Custom Shopping Bags

Custom shopping bags, especially the ones that are bought on wholesale, are becoming popular because they can be put to multiple uses such as storing food items and other household things. Businesses have also found a lot of benefits in using wholesale custom shopping bags for their business because not only are they useful in distributing to clients, but also because they are a good way of promoting your business to others as well.

Businesses can use these custom shopping bags to their advantage by either having their business name, logo or motto printed on them. By printing your contact information on them, potential customers can often contact the business when they need to inquire about their products or services too. Many businesses make use of these wholesale custom shopping bags at special events where they giveaway items or are launching new products. When they need these sorts of custom shopping bags, the businesses buy them in bulk from wholesalers who make the bags according to their specifications.

When businesses are planning on placing an order for wholesale custom shopping bags, some things need to be decided in advance; such as shape and size of the bag, the design, the color, the material used in making the bag etc. these can be altered according to your liking, and you might want to see a sample or two before you finalize the order for these custom shopping bags. You will also have to decide what information you will want to have printed on the bags, so that you are ready to give out the specifications when you’re placing the order. Think about the mottos and logos carefully; you’re going to want to make an impression on your potential customers, even if it’s just through a bag.

You will need to look for companies that will manufacture these bags and sell them to you at wholesale rates. Although you will be able to find these companies quite easily in local markets and through other business contacts, you might want to explore the options that are open to you online as well. This will take some time because you will need to do your research before you decide to settle down with one company and book your order with them. Then, looking for a reliable company is another uphill task because you can’t just trust any company blindly.

Giving the instructions to the wholesale will be the next most important task. You need to be clear with the instructions and you need to make sure that you’ve communicated them well so that the end result is the kind of bags that you wanted in the first place. Any mix up in the instructions and you’ll end up with bags that you wouldn’t prefer to use for your business.

It is suggested that you read client testimonials about wholesalers and manufacturers about these bags so that you know how well these companies work and whether they are reliable. Keep an eye out for special discounts and deals so that you can save additional money when you place your order.…

Online Clothes Shopping

A new season means a whole new collection of clothes and a completely transformed wardrobe. While nothing in the world can match “that” feeling of trying out the new apparel before buying them, hunting for the apt pair of shoes and the crispness of the packets, there is a new and comfortable way of shopping for clothes- online clothes shopping.

Online clothes shopping can save a lot of your time and cash. Plus it has many more advantages than you have ever thought of. Check them out!

1 24/7 service

The 24 our service of the online stores is the best part of it. You knock on their door by clicking via your mouse and you will never find “Sorry, we are closed”. So if you have all day classes at the university, or have bundles of files at your office desk or are engaged in other petty errand online clothes shopping is all you need. You can shop at any odd time of the day, either at 4 am in the morning or 10pm in the evening.

2 More choice

Another advantage of online clothes shopping is diversity. For instance if you are hunting for a particular color dress and the outlet near your house is offering a different color! The catch? Shopping in the cyber market allows you to have a look at all available color and all available sizes.

3 Very convenient

Shopping at the odd hours of the day is not the only advantage of online clothes shopping. In addition it is highly convenient. You can shop from anywhere in the world, while taking your dog on a walk, chit-chatting with your friends in a kitty-party, simply anywhere. All you need to do is visit an online store, make your choice, click the mouse for a couple of time and take “that” amazing feeling of shopping.

4. Reviews can be a lot of help

Don’t you think it is a good idea to check what other people have to say about the product you are willing to purchase? Well, it is a great idea as it can help you in making or breaking your decision. These valuable reviews won’t be provided by any of your friends and relatives and not even by the shop assistants.

5. Price

Online clothes shopping helps you to compare the prices offered by different stores and then make the best purchase. Also, many online firms in a process to attract the customers, offer great discount coupons at some special occasions like Christmas Day, new Year etc. You can avail these offers from their websites and get excellent stuff at rock-bottom prices.

6. Other advantages

Many of the online stores, if not all, let you buy stuff with free shipping costs and also at cash on delivery. So it saves the transportation costs and minimizes the chances of fraud.

Therefore, no need to traipse from one store to the other in the scorching heat while shopping! All you need to do is open your computer and purchase your favorite stuff with only a few comfortable clicks of the mouse.…

Financial History of eBay

An online auction company that started by first facilitating a broken laser printer and thereafter travel tickets on a plane gradually turned into a phenomenon all over the web world. More and more people started taking to eBay, the new sensation in the online shopping market. A look at the history of eBay will reveal the amazing story of a small online auction platform flowering into the largest platform for such online auction.

Financial evolution of eBay took a jump start when it received $6.7 million in terms of funding in from one of the venture capital firm named the Benchmark Capital. In 1998 the company had only 30 employees when Meg Whitman was hired as its President and CEO. Yet by that time the Company already had half a million users and earning revenues to the extent of $4.7 million already in United States alone.

The online shopping company went public on September 21st, 1998. Instantly the company turned into billion dollar enterprise instead of the earlier million dollar base. An amazing feat achieved by the Company as seen from the history of eBay is that the initial price of $18 per share was ignored as the price went up to $53.50 on the very first day the platform started its business enterprise.

Gradually the arena covered by the company expanded beyond the initial collectibles. It now covered any salable item. IBazar was purchased by eBay in 2002. The purchased one was also an auction web site that was founded way back in 1995. As the business of the company expanded further, they also bought the money transfer company; Pay Pal.

An important part of the history of eBay is also that the business of the company expanded worldwide by 2008. Its financial business now counted over hundred millions or registered users. Not only this, the company by now had over 15,000 employees. Revenue earnings had reached a staggering $7.7 billion by that time. The same year, its most successful CEO, Whitman stepped down and John Donahoe was the new President and CEO, though Whitman continued in the Board of Directors till the end of 2009.

Continuing the process the online shopping company also sold out the Skype at the price of $2.75 billion. It still retained 30% equity in the Company.

Financial history of eBay in recent years has not been all smooth. In July 2010, XPRT Ventures sued eBay for $3.8 billion accusing it of stealing the information that was shared by XPRT with its patents. They accused eBay of incorporating their patented system into the PayPal Buyer credit system.

Despite such occasional jolts, history of eBay has been that of one of the most successful online shopping sites that exists in the market today.…

Ruby – The Color Of Blood

A ruby is conjointly known as the ‘King Of Gemstones’ as it is correlated to love, vivacity, passion and power. We all know that the color ‘Red’ disseminates a warm feeling and strong sense of vitality. The bright color of this gemstone makes it precious and an undisputed ruler in the kingdom of gems.

The magnificent color and outstanding brilliance of this jewelstone makes it rare. In Sanskrit it is termed as ‘Ratnaraj’ reflecting the emotions of a true ruler. The inner intensity of the gemstone reflects the fierce color which resembles the fiery effect denoting love and passion as its symbol.

A ruby belongs to the corundum family which defines the hardness of the gemstone in its positive aspects. A ruby also symbolizes everlasting love and is preferred as an anniversary gift to retain the love forever after. In term of hardness it measures 9 in the Mohs Scale, a ruby stands just next to Diamond. Representing one of the ‘Nine Planetary or Navgraha stones’ this gemstone also represents the most powerful body of the planet ‘Sun’ which again is related to the soul.

A ruby is said to enhance the fate of the wearer and hence bestow him with fame, vigor, fame and virtue. This Pigeon’s Blood Ruby helps in eliminating depression thus making you feel bold and courageous. The outstanding striking color of the gemstone is most preferred in deep blood red with a slightly bluish hue. It comes with a chemical composition of aluminum oxide (Al,, O,?). The specific gravity of a ruby is 3.99 to 4.00 and refractive index range is 1.760-1.768 to 1.770-1.779.

A ruby also known as ‘Ruber’ in Latin cures peptic ulcer, fever, rheumatism, and gout. This gemstone helps in alleviating heart diseases. We all know that weak and unfavorable sun leads to several physical problems and the one with good effects of sun will definitely have an optimistic view of life both in thoughts and action. The gemstone of the sun helps in creating confidence and encouraging the wearer to face any challenges.

A ruby is strongly recommended for people having star signs Scorpio and Cancer. People with star sign Aries and Leo can wear it only under advisable specification. However, beauty should always be appreciated and if it is something like a ruby, how can you overlook it.…

Two Don’t Dos of Web Design

When it comes to web design services, it’s all too easy to get confused by the vast number of self-appointed gurus telling your business what is – and what is not – going to work in terms of making an impact in the online market and running a profitable, successful web-based enterprise.

Sometimes – and without trying to be negative about it – it is easier to focus on what not to do with your web page design. There are some things which, no matter what sized business you are, what industry you’re in and what audience you’re trying to target, are simply not going to do anything positive for your website or online store.

This article introduces two and explains how and why they can damage your site’s or store’s traffic, conversion rates – and consequently your business’s bottom line.

First up is pop-up windows. No matter how effective or useful you think surprising your website visitors with surprise content in a new browser window might be, think again. When have you ever know anyone – consumer, blogger, online shopper, casual browser – to remark even remotely positively about having to deal with pop-up windows on a website? Exactly.

If you have information of value that you really want your visitors to pay attention to, a pop-up window is the absolute last place it should be. You shouldn’t have to surprise people to make them pay attention – if your product and site are up to scratch, they’ll be interested anyway.

Next is ads. If you’re getting paid to advertise someone else’s product or service on your site, that’s one thing. But using banners to promote products or services of your own is another – and it can prove a waste of time.

With so many banner ads out there on the web, people are quick to develop something called “banner blindness”. It’s a lot like pop-ups. We’re so used to being forced to look at information we don’t want to look at that we disregard pop-ups and banner ads without paying any attention to their content.

Basically, what it comes down to is respecting your user’s desire to have a positive, uninterrupted and unimpeded browsing or online shopping experience. If they visit your site or online store, they’re unlikely to have done so hoping to have to look at banner ads and be visually assaulted by pop-up windows they’ll likely close before the content has even rendered.…

Shopping Online – Even Guys Can Shop Now

In my experience and through what I gather through the media, family and friends, shopping has been the domain of the female gender.

Guys had always endured shopping either through necessity or to please their partner. The thought of having to go somewhere, possibly well out of your way, and putting up with crowds of people to find that elusive item you saw advertised, then if you are lucky enough to find it, having to wait in a line to get out of the particular store never excited me and I’m sure was a turn off for most guys.

I have always played with a computer since my first commodore 64 back in the 80’s. I loved to leave all that real world stuff outside and lose myself on it.

Then came the internet explosion. And gradually it’s changed all that so now I can still enjoy spending time on my computer, BUT, the real world now comes to me WITHOUT having to go outside.

In relation to shopping, that’s been a godsend for guys. We no longer need to take that daunting and dreaded trip to the store for specific items. No more getting lost wandering around trying to find things while fighting through big crowds. No more standing in queues to get out if we find what we are looking for.

Yep, now we can do a search for something online and when we find it, we can also find a site where we can even buy it and get it delivered. No crowds, no wandering around, no queues. How good is that?

I’ve enjoyed this revolution so much, I’ve even decided to help the transformation for others. My site includes links devoted to this “search, find, click, buy” kind of shopping. Now your closest shopping center is only a click away.

Of course, with this new method of shopping, comes new methods of operation. The major area to consider is security.

You are not dealing face to face so before you invest in purchases online, consider a) the vendor/store and b) the method of payment.

The great thing about shopping on the net, is that because the net is foremost an information highway, you can check on anything and everything you visit. Simple searches of an online store name or site will provide a treasure chest of information regarding that store/site. Be it feedback, warnings, ratings, overviews etc. If you are about to deal with something or someone “shady” you can be forewarned.

And this is important also as you are not only parting with money, you are also parting with personal details, credit card details, addresses,… valuable information in the wrong hands.

So, provided you take these precautions, shopping is now everyone’s domain.

There you go. Shopping is no longer a chore. Even us guys can now enjoy it.…

Helpful Selection Tips for Buying Pork

What is the best type of pork to buy? It depends on how exactly you wish to cook it. You will find that small and lean pork cuts such as pork chops and loins will cook fast, but they do not have as much flavor as a Boston butt or tasty spareribs. Generally, the large, primal named cuts tell you where the meat came from on the pig, such as shoulder, the loin, leg and side. The retail names tell you the name of the small cut that came from the larger primal cut, such as rib chops, picnic roasts, and sirloin roasts. Remember when you buy your pork that it is not graded as beef is. The only types of pork are known as ‘acceptable’ and ‘utility’. If it is not of acceptable quality it will not be in the supermarket. You want to buy pork that has a little bit of fat on the exterior, a fairly firm texture and color that is pink and grey. This will give you the best flavor.

When you buy your pork, remember that you can store it in your fridge for up to four days. If you are not going to use it in that time, you should wrap it and put it in your freezer for as long as 6 months. If you buy ground pork, you can keep it for two days in your fridge. You can keep it for three months in the freezer. Do not put your ham in the freezer because it will lose both its flavor and its texture there. Also, you not let your pork sit out of the fridge for more than two hours. Bacteria can grow; it may even smell fine but it can still make you sick if you eat it.

When you buy ham, you will notice that it is usually pink, and not white. The advertising campaigns say ham is a ‘white meat,’ but in reality, the USDA does say that pork is red meat. Ham tends to lose some of its color when you cook it, but the pink usually comes from the smoking and curing techniques that make ham taste so good. You can buy ham that is dry cured, or wet cured. This cut comes from the rear leg of the animal, so it is a fairly lean piece of meat.

Pork chops come from the loin of the animal. They are called loin, sirloin, top loin or blade pork chops, depending on which section of the animal they came from. You can buy them boneless or with the bone in. The thickness is usually from.5 to 2 inches. Pork chops are a lean cut of pork, so you may like them better when they have been brined to give them more moisture and tenderness. You should cook your pork chops based upon how thick they are. Chops are really good when they are grilled, braised, boiled or sauted.

Another really great cut of pork is spareribs. These come from the belly of the animal and they have a very strong and tasty pork flavor. This is because they have a higher content of fat. They do not have as much meat as the back chops, which are a bit leaner. Either of these cuts is very good when roasted or even grilled. In the revolutionary days, it was said that the wealthy could live ‘high on the hog,’ because they were able to buy the leaner cuts of pork with more meat, including the back ribs, and the poorer people had to by the lower parts of the animal.…

Common Problems For Wearing The Wrong Bra Size

It doesn’t matter if you are small busted or large busted, it is very important for you to choose a bra that fits you well. After all, it’s not only about looking good, finding a bra that fits you properly is also about feeling good. It may also have a lot to do with your health, as the discomfort may actually cause lasting problems in some instances. Of course, each of us is going to be different because we are all individuals, so here are some things that you can do in order to make sure that you are wearing the right bra for each occasion.

First of all, it’s a good idea for you to run down through a checklist of problems that could occur if you are wearing the wrong bra size. Some of these are specific for smaller sizes, such as a 32a or any a bra that you may need. For example, if the straps continued to slide off your shoulders, that is a sign that it is not fitting properly. Many people tend to say that this is a problem with their shoulders and the fact that they are not very broad. Although that may be the case, it really is a problem with the bra and the fact that the straps are too loose fitting.

Other problems which could signal the fact that you are wearing the wrong size included if your breasts look as if they are out of shape or if they are drooping. Instead of being in a central position, they may tend to fall forward and it may also hold your shoulders forward as well. This can put a strain on your back as well is your neck which will cause you to have quite a bit of discomfort. Another issue that can be seen visibly is if you have a noticeable red ring where the strap is when you take the bra off. That means that it is too tight, which should never be the case.

If you are having difficulty finding a bra that fit you properly, it would be a good idea for you to choose one from a specialty company that tends to help individuals who are your size. If they are in your local area, you can go in for a fitting and have a professional assist you through the process. You may also need to do some very careful measurements and use an online guide that will help to guide you through the process. In either case, once you are able to find a bra that fits you well, make sure that you continue to purchase that size and style regularly.

Finally, remember that the type of clothing that you wear will also dictate the type of bra that is necessary. Although you may have the perfect fit and style for you, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is going to look perfect in every type of clothing. Keep that in mind and make sure that you have the options that are necessary for the style of clothes that you tend to wear.…

Why an Office Chair is the Perfect Gift For the Holidays

With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, it is almost time to whip out your credit card and get going on your holiday shopping. While most, like myself, procrastinate until the last minute to get their holiday presents, it is never too early to begin thinking about the perfect gift to get someone. There are always the standard presents such as jewelry and clothes to buy for someone, but why not think a little out of the box this holiday season? Instead of going for cliche presents, try a present that will last for years on end, that someone can use everyday, and can help them be more comfortable throughout the day. Try buying an office chair this holiday season for your friends, co-worker, loved ones, or even yourself.

Quality office chairs, that are not purchased at your nearest office supply store, can last up to 10 years if taken care of properly and maintained. A ten year life span for an office chair is comparable to a car’s life span, and a good one can be purchased at 1/20th the price. Chairs that are a little more expensive than your average office supply store chair are built to withstand the test of time and are extremely durable. They are also built to provide back support for sitting hours on end with ergonomics in mind. Most presents purchased for the holiday season have less than half that life span and tend to be forgotten about a few months after purchasing. An office chair will stay top of mind even years after purchasing.

The average office worker spends 8 hours of their day sitting in on a chair, meaning that they spend half of their entire day in a chair. In a lifetime that means an average office worker will spend 70,000 hours sitting in an office chair being on the conservative end of the spectrum. With spending such an extraordinary amount of time sitting on an office chair it is a worth investing in purchasing a superior chair for the holiday season. If worrying about whether a chair that is purchased will work and fit someone you are buying the present for, all ergonomic chairs are made with that consideration in mind. Ergonomic chairs are built with adjustability in mind, meaning a person can adjust and tailor a chair to fit themselves exactly the way they want it to. For people of larger statute or people who are petite, some retailers offer special chairs just to meet the needs of these kind of people.

With family, friends, and even yourself working long hours everyday it is a priority to work these hours comfortably. While work is pretty much inevitable, being relaxed and healthy does not have to be. A present that would provide that comfort would be viewed as a valuable amenity to have. Many quality office chairs offer memory foam options, as well as options to increase the seat thickness to add extra comfort. Ergonomic office chairs also are built to provide comfort and decrease the risk of back pain and stress injuries that can occur in the future from bad posture or a bad office chair.

This holiday season when shopping for others or even yourself, keep the gift of an office chair in mind. It will be a gift that will be remembered for a lifetime and everyday when your recipient is sitting on it they will be reminded of you. Even if you are on a budget during these hard economic times, there are plenty of options that will provide all the factors aforementioned at an affordable price. Happy Holiday shopping!…

Hong Kong’s Best Shopping Guide – Costumes and Fancy Dress

So where CAN you get a Batman outfit in Hong Kong? You would be surprised at how many people actually look for fancy dress outfits and costumes for the various theme parties that we have in Hong Kong.

Well if you do, you have come to the right guide!  We have had Movie Stars, Pirates, Cavemen, DC Villains, Gangsters and Pimps, Hawaiian and Arabian night parties. Some of these parties have been on junk boat trips and some of them in normal bars and clubs. And the great thing about Hong Kong is that you can have these parties anywhere. The Local crowd loves to see people dress up, and do not be surprised if you spend a lot of your night taking photos with random people. Now besides organising these theme parties, people also need to find the right outfits and costumes. Now where can you do this? Here is our list of must visit places. 

You have two options: You can rent your outfits:

– House of Siren

Easily the best costumier in town, House of Siren rents handmade stock costumes and will also tailor them to your size.

– The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

HKAPA lends out costumes previously used in productions.

– Makswell Costume

Located in Chai Wan, Makswell#8217s has literally hundreds of costumes to choose from, and deliver for $50 to Hong Kong or Kowloon ($200 to New Territories), plus rental price. They also sell props and accessories.

If you want to buy outfits, you can check the following shops:

– Partyland Market

This shop is located on the corner of Wellington Street and Pottinger Street in Central. You can find a lot of costume shops on Pottinger street as well. Make sure to check them all out. They have a lot of choice and cheap outfits.

– Tai Yun Street Market

A Street Market in Wan Chai, where a bit of hunting can get you some cheap outfits as well.

– Ladies Market

This well know market in Mong Kok has some outfits as well, though to tend to be more on the “naughty” side.

– Night Market – Temple Street

This street market is located between jordan and Yau Ma Tei, has similar items to the Ladies Market

– Matteo Party

A shop located on Jaffe Road, Causeway bay

– Fortune Costume

A costume shop on Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

A visit to a couple of these places will get you almost everything you need to look cool and awesome on any theme party you organise!

provides you with Hong Kong’s best Shopping guides out there!…

Christmas Countdown

For the most passionate Christmas fans, the countdown to Christmas begins on December 26th.  Not everyone is that intense about Christmas, but you can borrow a few lessons from Christmas enthusiasts as you countdown to Christmas.  This article will help you prepare for the Christmas season as you carefully keep track of how many days are left until Christmas.

Most people begin thinking about Christmas shopping around November 1st, the day after Halloween.  It can be difficult to start thinking about the winter holidays so early, but as is said, “The early bird catches the worm.”  In this case, the worm is sanity (because you’re prepared) and great deals on all the Christmas gifts you’ll have to purchase anyway.

If you start thinking about Christmas around November 1st, you’ll have some obvious advantages:

You’ll be able to buy excess Halloween candy at extremely reduced prices to use as stocking stuffers.

You’ll be able to participate in Black Friday sales, both online and offline.  Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and is the busiest retail day of the year in the United States.  Black Friday sales abound.

You’ll have more time to shop around for cheap Christmas gifts, using comparison shopping to your advantage and using discount shopping options (like searching for discount online retailers and searching for promotional codes).

Continuing the Christmas countdown:

Since you’ll have started thinking about buying Christmas gifts in November, you’ll have more time to focus on other Christmas priorities as the holiday nears.  Things to think about doing early, so you’re not caught in a pinch include:

Buying and hanging Christmas lights

Preparing and sending your Christmas cards

Selecting Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas dinner recipes

It’s quite obvious that preparing for Christmas requires a lot of hard work – and please don’t underestimate that.  But if you countdown to Christmas and have your priorities in order, you can complete your Christmas shopping and other preparations early, so you’re not stressing when Santa comes to town.  And don’t forget: The Christmas season is supposed to be a merry time of year!…

Where to Eat Out in Davao

As the second largest city in the Philippines, with a population about to reach over 1.5 million people, Davao is a centre for many cultures and this is reflected in the foods. It’s possible to find food from many different parts of the world and once you start eating, it’s like being in the country itself the flavours are so authentic.

No area is this more true than Rizal Street where visitors can hop from continent to continent trying different delicacies just by walking from one side of the road to the other. Rizal Street is about half a mile long and is located in Metro Davao where food and drinks are available at almost any time of day. Some of the key restaurants on this stretch are Merco which has an excellent bakery with an assortment of pastries but these are better saved for dessert as you’ll want to have room for the Filipino dishes that taste just like great home cooking. Directly opposite the Mandarin Tea Garden provides tasty dim sum and original rice dishes along with congee and so many other choices it takes a while to get through the menu.

Anyone with a really big appetite should try the Iron Horse Buffet which lets you select how you want your Davao dishes cooked either baked, fried or grilled and at roughly 130 Pesos the price isn’t steep either. Another buffet, all you can manage kind of place and perfect for seafood lovers, is Apung Kula Seafood Grill. It also has a set price and the prawns, crab or the speciality catch of the day always keeps this place busy with large groups of people.

It may not be fine dining but TAPS is a chain with an outlet along the street where Filipino food can be bought cheaply and it’s reputation is why its grown from a small family start-up to multiple eateries around the city. Ox feet may not be for everyone but it’s worth trying and their tapa and chicken adobo, which is a stew cooked in vinegar, are some of the dishes that truly represent the Philippines.

Continuing on the theme of authentic Filipino meals, Lechon is a distinct favourite and it’s impossible not to go to any sort of music or religious festival without seeing a pig being slowly roasted. If you’re not in town over one of the big occasions then Mr Whaw Litson Biik Grill is an absolute must if you want to try this home-grown specialty.

Away from Rizal Street, the Harana restaurant has a couple of locations on Torres Street and in Matina by the McArthur Highway and is a great choice for families with children. The atmosphere is always welcoming and house specialities include the spare ribs or fried rice known as sinangag which is still cooked to the original owner’s recipe.

Not far away from the Harana on Torres Street is Tiny Kitchen at the corner of Mabini Street. The restaurant is a mixture of Filipino and Spanish food and their dried fish called tuyo is regarded as being so good people from Manila even ask friends to bring some back when visiting the capital. The Calderata Espanol is also highly rated and consists of a beef stew with olives, potatoes and carrots covered in a deliciously thick sauce.

For a coffee after dinner or a quick caffeine boost during the day, the final suggestion for the best place to visit is the Coffee Mood Coffee Shop. Found within the Davao hotel Las Casitas de Angela, the coffee here is always good and they do a few cakes just in case there’s any chance you could still be hungry.…

Tips to Help You Save While Grocery Shopping

With just about everyone struggling in today’s economy. The challenge to save money is the number one concern for many Americans. It is easy to stop buying something or to give up on your luxuries, but when it comes to putting gas in your car, paying the light bill or even buying groceries you find yourself letting go of that hard earned cash.

If you shop wisely you will find that it is not necessary to give up the foods you love in order to save money. I have compiled a list of ideas to help you spend less while possibly buying more. These ideas are ways my family and myself have adapted in our life to save money and I know that they will help you to. You can follow this article word for word or just pick out the ideas that will fit your lifestyle. I feel confident there is a tip or two for everyone.

First thing you need to know is that all grocery stores are designed and setup in such a way that they will entice you to spend your money on things you really do not need. You want to make sure that you never go shopping on an empty stomach. Studies show that if you go in to the store hungry you will spend much more than necessary. Next you want to map out the stores that you plan on shopping at. Spend a few days learning what stores have the best price on meats, produce, bakery, deli etc. You will find that while one store has bargain prices on meats, they will be over priced on your other items. While you shop the first month you will want to pay close attention to when you store runs sales. Every grocery store runs specials during certain times of the month. They will usually do this during their slow periods. It is advantageous to you to find out when they run these special. The next thing you want to do is visit an online coupon website and pick the coupons of foods you already buy. Do not use coupons for things you think you want, otherwise you are defeating the purpose of the coupons. You can then use the coupons during the days your store runs their specials. Also check with the store manager and see if they run a double or even triple coupon day. This is another tactic grocery stores do to boost sales during the slow times of the week. If it is possible, time your coupon use along with a double coupon day that is also running a sale, you will be amazed at the savings. It is very likely that you will experience a forty to sixty percent saving during that week. Another tip is to never buy items from the middle of the shelves. This is because all the high priced items are place at eye level.

Remember at the beginning of the article I said the store is designed to take your money. They spend a lot of time figuring out where to put things and the lay out is one of the way to make money for the grocery stores. Always try to buy the items from the top or bottom shelving. You will want to buy items like ketchup, mustard, cereal and most other items that you consume a lot of in bulk. There is much to save by simply buying in bulk once a month and then repackage the items for daily or weekly use. Finally, make sure you comparison shop, especially when you are using coupons. Sometimes you may think your getting a great deal, but if you compare a store brand item with the brand item, you may find that the store brand is still cheaper than the brand even with the use of the coupon. Make sure you figure the price out by the ounce, lbs. or units. Sometimes you will find that the packaging can be deceiving. By breaking the pricing down this way the cheaper costing items is not always what it appears to be.

Here is a recap for you to follow and develop you new found shopping skills.

1. Find out what store has the best priced meats, produce and dairy.

2. Find out when they run specials and also offer double or triple coupon days.

3. Go to coupon websites and print the coupons you need.

4. Find a store to buy your bulk items once a month.

5. Only shop on a full stomach.

6. Look up or down and never in the center when buying your items.

7. Only buy what you need, when you need it.

After a couple of months you will start to …

Online Shopping Tips Designed to Get You Through Your Next Surfing Excursion

Online shopping has become common place to many Internet subscribers. Now people from all over the world are taking advantage of all online shopping has to offer. In fact, there are a good number of virtual shopping malls popping up that are taking the Internet community by storm. Below are online shopping tips designed to see you through your next shopping excursion.

Shop at secure websites. Any time you will share your personal information such as credit card numbers or checking account information, it is crucial this information be kept private. Shopping from secure websites will insure your information will remain safe. You may also choose not to save this information, opting instead to re-enter it every time you shop. This is also advisable. Between the two, you are increasing your chances of having a safe and secure shopping experience.

Research the website before you order from it. Obtaining knowledge about the company is a good idea because it will give you an idea of their history, how they operate and the service you are likely to receive.

Read the privacy and security settings of the websites before making a purchase. This will be important information and may contain content you will need to know.

Never give out your social security number. This is a rule of thumb for a lot of situations, but there should be no reason why this information would be necessary in any online shopping context.

Disclose only the barest of facts when ordering from any website. It is important to include only the information that is needed for your purchase. Sharing too much information if not necessary and could meet with negative results.

Keep all passwords private. This is advisable in any situation, but you really don’t want anyone to find the password you have created for a specific shopping site, especially if your credit or debit card information is stored there. Even if this isn’t the case, your password should remain secret at all times.

Always print a copy of every order. This serves as a receipt and may be necessary if some information gets lost. You may also need to refer back to it at a later date should you need to make an exchange or if a question arises you cannot answer without the information. While you will probably receive an E-Mail confirmation, keeping a printed copy is a great idea in case the message is accidentally lost or deleted.…

Features to Consider For an E-Commerce Website Builder – A Web Store

If you’re considering starting a web-based business or would like to establish an online presence for your existing brick-and-mortar store, then there are some vital components that should be a part of your e-commerce website builder.

#1 Design Options:

Designing your web store should allow your creative desires to be fulfilled. The look, flow and functionality of your store will be an important component of your website. A store that’s visually pleasing will make a great first impression to potential buyers. Your website builder software should allow you to make modifications to the HTML and CSS template (programming languages used to customize your site). However, it should also provide an easy to use interface to make aesthetic changes without needing to know any programming languages.

#2 Product Variations:

You’ll want to know if your website builder software allows flexibility when creating product variations. For instance, if you’re selling t-shirts it’s important that your website is able to display the product variations such as size, color and style. Some website builders don’t allow for product variations and others only allow it when you sign up for the more expensive plans. This feature should be available regardless of what pricing plan you select.

#3 Inventory Control:

Selling any type of product always means having an efficient inventory system in place to monitor stock levels. Low stock warnings and expected in-stock date notices to customers keeps them informed on your offerings and helps you to see what products need to be restocked. If you sell hundreds or even thousands of products, manually monitoring stock levels would be next to impossible. Make sure your website builder software provides this time-saving option for inventory purposes.

#4 Payment Processing Options:

Having products to sell is one ingredient that you need for your web store. The other is payment processing when somebody decides to buy your products. Your website building platform should allow you to choose from a wide range of credit card processing systems (merchant processing systems). These systems make it possible to process a customer’s credit card information and make sure you are paid for those sales. You’ll have to sign up for a merchant account with one of these companies if you decide to go this route.

The other option that doesn’t require any monthly merchant fees is to utilize PayPal as your payment processing system. PayPal is an eBay owned company and is widely used by eBay buyers and sellers. It’s also widely used on independent web stores in large numbers. It’s an attractive option, especially for new start-up web stores because there are no equipment fees or monthly merchant fees. You just pay a small percentage of each sale. If this sounds appealing to you, make sure your website builder software allows for PayPal processing.

#5 SEO (Search Engine Optimization):

SEO is a term that describes good practices you should employ when creating the content of your website to make sure that the search engines, such as Google, can easily find your website. The more relative your products and descriptions are to somebody doing a Google search, the better chance they have of finding your website and products. SEO is a topic that you can fill several weeks and months worth of studying on, however, the very basic SEO principles as it relates to website design and structure should be provided by your website builder software. Make sure whatever software platform you choose has developed their platform to be search engine optimized.

#6 Coupon and Promotional Codes:

Nothing creates more interest in your product then a good sale or promotion. You’ve probably even used promotional codes and online coupons when shopping on various online retail sites. Your customers will also be interested in your site and products if you have the option to create and accept promotional codes and coupons. As with the product variations option above, many website building platforms will only offer the option to create online coupons and promotions if you subscribe to a more expensive monthly hosting plan. You can find a few platforms out there that offers this option on all of their plans. We recommend one below.

#7 Product Return Processing:

So you’re making sales on your new website. That’s great, but with sales will come product returns. Not having an efficient return policy or procedure will become evident at the wrong time, when your customers are requesting a return. Having a built-in product return request option right on your website will give your customers an easy way to fill out a return request and an easy way for you to handle those requests. Don’t make good customer service an after thought. Keep these things in mind as you design your store and it …

5 Tips for Shopping Online for Rugs

While there is the perk of being able to take a rug home with you when you buy it from a local store, there are many advantages to shopping for your new rug online. You might think that shopping for a rug online would be a hassle but this is far from true. There are many advantages to online rug shopping. When you are considering a new rug for your home, consider these advantages.

More choices: Even the big box stores have limited stock. They also have the problem of some rugs being sold out. When you shop online for a rug, this is not a problem because they will clearly state when a rug is out of stock, or you might not even been shown it. Online stores are not limited by space issues so they normally have a much larger variety of rugs available to choose from. They can deal in hundreds of rug choices where an actual store can’t.

No salespeople to deal with: Shopping online eliminates the pushy salesman from the equation. You don’t have to worry about how much time you are taking to make your decision. You can look at as many rugs as you want and take as much time as you need to decide without someone hanging over you. If you need more information on a particular material or style of rug, most reputable online rug stores have help sections to assist you. You never have to be concerned with a salesperson working on commission trying to get you to buy a rug you don’t really want or one that is just not right for your needs.

No limitations: When you shop online for your new rug, you can shop from any city or even any country for your rug. This greatly enhances your choices. You are never limited by what is available in your town.

Cost: Believe it or not, buying a rug online can actually be less expensive than buying it from a local store. Stores need to add on their shipping costs, their store overhead and the costs of having employees. Buying online and paying the shipping will eliminate the middle man and will usually get you a better deal than you can find in a store. Plus you can compare prices easily between websites so you know you are getting the best deal possible.

Convenience: When you shop online, you can do it when it is convenient for you. You are not limited by store hours. You can shop in your pajamas with your cup of coffee by your side. You don’t have to corral the kids or drag your husband along with you. You can buy your rug in the middle of the night if you want to. You don’t have to expend gasoline to drive from store to store.

When you want a new area rug, shopping for it online may be just the thing for you. There are many advantages and very few disadvantages to it. As long as you shop intelligently, you will find just the right rug and for just the right price online.…