Monthly Archives: August 2012

Should Free Shipping be Standard in Retail?

Posted on by
Reply

The direct marketing industry has been scrambling for information since L.L. Bean began offering free shipping to the United States and Canada on March 25, 2011. How will this affect retailers? Should they all offer free shipping to compete?

Most companies are asking themselves not “should” they offer free shipping, but “if” they will be able to. Shipping is a big expense for companies and eliminating shipping fees could turn them from profiting to losing. Wilson and Ellis Consulting President, Debra Ellis, says that most companies offering free shipping will essentially have to reduce services visit http://freeshippingworldwide.org/dinodirect/.

“Merchants are already reticent to invest in improving customer service because operations are considered an expense,” she says. She predicts a reduction in services, “because shipping income and costs are typically allocated to the operational budget. In the past, an efficient operation could be a profit center, but not anymore.”

Bill Kuipers, President of Operations Consultancy at Spaide, Kuipers and Company, points out that “shipping is the second largest cost center for most direct merchants, with labor being number one,” according to an article on the Multi Channel Merchant web site. In the same article, Kuipers adds that “if a merchant has a handle on its shipping contracts, it can make such free shipping offers work. There’s a balancing act involved as companies look to eliminate or reduce shipping costs. If they can manage their carriers tighter and make some other budgetary sacrifices, they can offer free shipping without a lot of internal damage.”

Kuipers believes that retail giants like L.L. Bean will be more likely to be successful managing shipping accounts to recoup the costs of this venture than other retail companies. Luke Knowles of the Free Shipping web site says that companies offering free shipping will be able to make up the costs by saving on marketing, because free shipping is a draw by itself. They should also be able to “expect sales volume to go up because of less abandoned shopping carts,” Knowles says. ”We’ve already seen a lot of great publicity for L.L. Bean because of this move to free shipping all the time.”

L.L. Bean spokesperson Carolyn Beem says that when they test marketed their free shipping policy, they saw that most people were willing to upgrade their free shipping to the two-to-five day shipping option anyway, costing the company nothing. However, Knowles points out that this testmarketing was conducted during the holiday season when people are concerned about receiving their items in time for Christmas, and they “probably won’t see those types of results earlier in the year.”

Your Next Holiday Destination: Broadbeach on the Gold Coast

Posted on by
Reply

Holidays are very important especially to working individuals. It’s their chance to elope from their busy schedules and sit down with their loved ones and relax. The Gold Coast is now becoming a hot spot for vacationers, attracting thousands of tourists and fun seekers from all over the world, all looking for a great time and escape.

The Gold Coast has always been recognised as a great tourist destination. The area has great beaches, perfect waters and comes with an amazing variety of accommodations. One destination you can visit on your next vacation is Broadbeach, located within the Gold Coast.

In general, the destinations in Gold Coast can be classified in two: the well-developed ones including the famous Surfers Paradise, and the pristine and undeveloped spots. However, not all destinations fall in either category, just like broadbeach holiday apartments. It is well a developed area but is still a place wherein you can relax and get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city. Though very popular, it is not as crowded as other tourist havens. Furthermore, finding Broadbeach accommodations is relatively easy.

Broadbeach has been gaining a lot of attention from local and international tourists alike. It is slowly carving its name as the next Surfers Paradise. Surfers Paradise has been known as the city’s centre for night life and is home to night clubs and bars, making it highly popular with both locals and visitors. Broadbeach however, takes a different approach by combining natural wonders with all the modern conveniences we can’t do without.

First on the list is the largest destination for shopping in all of Queensland, Pacific Fair. More than two hundred stores are operating in this destination including restaurants, kids’ play areas and even cinemas. The best part? It’s open daily.

Second is Conrad Jupiters Casino, referred to as a major tourist hub not only because of the casinos but also because of the numerous restaurants, bars and clubs within its premise.

Indeed, Broadbeach is a place where you can get the best of both worlds. If you’re looking to spend a vacation having everything you need without compromising your relaxation, Broadbeach is definitely for you.

Authentic Turkish cuisine is healthy

Posted on by
Reply

When one thinks of Turkish food, some might recall last week’s drinking session finishing off with a late night greasy Kebab. That late night stop is nothing like the culinary delights that one will experience when visiting Turkey. In fact the Ottoman Empire passed laws mandating that food should be served fresh and this has been followed through to now.

The Mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the healthiest in the world. Ingredients that are used in Turkey are fresh daily with a range of seasonal offerings as the climate is accommodating to a variety of supplies. Turkish staples include vegetables, fish and lamb with generous amounts of olive oil. The diverse climate allows Turkey to grow and produce fresh tomatoes, olives, melons, peppers, wheat, tea, etc. The surrounding seas are abundant in fish - as any boat excursion will testify. The grouper fish makes an excellent dish with a mild but distinct flavour – cross between a halibut and sea bass.

Turkish dishes include selection of mezze platters; these are quite like Spanish Tapas - including a range of hot and cold starters, either served on one or several plates. These include Spicy tomato salsa (Ezme), Carrot with Mint and garlic, yogurt, cucumber and mint (Haydari), stuffed vegetables (Dolma), Calamari, Halumi, Tahin. And of course the pita bread does justice to hummus, and the many colourful pastes of chilli and Tapenade. Turkish mezze starters are light enough to carry the flavours through and allow room for a main dish and possibly a dessert of baklava.

Having such a rich olive oil influence on the diet, it is no wonder that Turkish natives have a low heart attack rate and that their skin is soft and supple. The freshness of the food ensures that the body is always well nourished with vitamins. Dishes served near or on the coast line, such as Kalkan or Oludeniz are primarily based on seafood; this has been well established by scientists as the healthier choice of food.

Turkey’s surrounding crystal clear ocean water and its’ beneficial lifestyle is becoming more acknowledged – resulting in a sharp increase of the demand for Turkish property for sale. Westerners are beginning to recognise Turkey as an up and coming preference of residence. Advancement in hospitality, sided with a healthy lifestyle and the affordability of property for sale in towns such as Kalkan are making Turkey the choice of both holiday and retirement destinations. The coastal towns sport amazing views over the oceans and combined with the gourmet on offer, it’s an easy choice - both for holiday and long time retirement.

Online Shopping For Appliances

Posted on by
Reply

The Internet is an excellent option for consumers who are looking to purchase appliances. From small appliances like toasters to large appliances like refrigerators shoppers can find a variety of options available to them from online retailers. This article will discuss some aspects of shopping for appliances online including popular online retailers of appliances, tips for comparison shopping for appliances online and special considerations when shopping for appliances online.

Popular Online Retailers of Appliances

There are many retailers of appliances who sell appliances online. The majority of these retailers also have stores located in a variety of locations. However, the appliances are also offered online which makes shopping for these appliances even more convenient for the consumer. Some of the popular retailers of appliances include The Home Depot, Best Buy and Lowe’s. Although all of these retailers have traditional stores where consumers can purchase appliances, the stores also offer a variety of appliances for sale online as well. Appliances for all parts of the home including refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers,washers, dryers, air conditions and heating systems can all be found on these and other websites. Consumers who opt to purchase an appliance online may have a number of choices available to them including having the product delivered or picking up the product from a store.

Comparison Shopping for Appliances Online

Consumers can use websites provided by online retailers for comparison shopping purposes even if they intend to make their purchase from a traditional store. Traditional stores which also have an online store typically offer the same products in their online store which are available in the traditional store. As a result consumers can visit the online retailers for several different stores to browse the inventory available. Consumers can then print out information about the products available including the features and prices of the appliances and use these print outs to make comparisons of products. The alternative to this method of comparison shopping would be for the consumer to visit all of the local stores offering appliances and compile the information. The information obtained will likely be exactly the same but the consumer will spend considerably more time comparison shopping at traditional stores than they would online. This is especially true if the stores are spread out and the consumer has to travel a considerable distance to compile the information necessary for comparison shopping.

Special Considerations when Shopping for Appliances Online

There are some special considerations for consumers who wish to shop for appliances online. Typically one of the major advantages of online shop website is the ability to shop at retailers located around the world. However, when purchasing large appliances there may be considerable shipping or delivery charges applicable to the purchase.

Another factor to carefully consider when purchasing appliances online is the measurements of the appliance. Most online retailers provide all of the necessary measurements in the product description. However, if all of these measurements are not provided the consumer should contact customer service for the additional information. This will help to ensure the appliance fits properly in the available space. It will also help to prevent the consumer from having to return the appliance. This can be a costly mistake because there will likely be a fee involved with either having the appliance picked up or shipping the appliance back to the online retailers.

Do Vehicle Insurance plan Firms Still Insure Higher Chance Individuals?

Posted on by
Reply

If vehicle Insurance experienced their alternative they would only make certain little previous girls from Pasadena and not significantly else but because the question is about vehicle insurance coverage businesses liking to make sure higher chance drivers we will discuss that phenomenon. Car insurance coverage underwriters would fairly insure the population of US individuals that have the lowest-chance-aspects related with their driving experiences. The truth of the matter is that some drivers have a far worsedriving record than other people yet each and every state calls for a minimal obligatory liability and property damage coverage selection so these drivers should get insurance coverage from someplace.

Youthful High risk Individuals

We can’t, with out a doubt, say that all vehicle insurance coverage firms arehead over heels about insuring younger high-risk motorists. We know from knowledge as both under writers and claim adjusters and agents providingautomobile insurance coverage policies for the fantastic folks of America that the necessity for insuring youthful individuals exist throughout the car insurance coverage business. A excellent way to look at many of the firms who insure what we refer to as large danger motorists is to please log on to our internet site and get a several quote index.

Higher Danger Higher Reward?

We could not resist but had to utter that previous stating since it appears like ti would match right here in this publish, but we are incorrect. The insurance coverage companies that make sure these risky younger individuals obtain very small reward, that is, until the year is reduced for smash-up driving! The very best way to locate a plethora of car insurance quotes is to log onto the World wide web, like you are correct now, and let us support you with insuring that youthful and high-risk driver.