Al Keser wrote this article for us. He is a New York fashionista, intrigued by the on-goings in the urban fashion scene in the Big Apple. He is writing on behalf of R.A.G., the New York clothing store which specializes in urban wear such as graphic t-shirts, plaid shorts, and baby doll t-shirts. R.A.G. was established in 1959, has 5 locations in Manhattan, including one at Times Square.
Graphic t-shirts enter the world of haute couture
It was only 15 years ago when teenagers were still seen wearing Nirvana band t-shirts showing off their adoration for the grunge band lead by Kurt Cobain. These t-shirts were seen as un-stylish, over-sized, and definitely not acceptable in any New York nightclub (not that these kids were trying to get in). That was back then. Today, brands from Armani to American Eagle carry graphic t-shirts that are both stylish and are completely acceptable elements of fashionable clothing. This has happened for many reasons, mainly due to changes in t-shirt manufacturing, but also in the mindset that it is okay to pay over $10 for a tee.
Graphic t-shirts, in general, were part of the anti-establishment culture that reigned with the grunge movement and previously with 80’s hip-hop (anyone say Run DMC?). Then came West Coast gangster rap and its series of graphic tees that idolized stars such as Tupac. Interestingly enough, we also owe these two groups for the advent of plaid as being cool.
These days, vintage tees from the 80’s – especially Run DMC’s – are sold for astronomical amounts (up to $13 000) and major fashion houses such as Armani and Ralph Lauren have began to produce graphic t-shirts with new techniques that make them fashionable and hip. New weaving techniques have made it possible to make very fine cotton, while distressed finishes allow for vintage looks to be enhanced – as seen in many American Eagle t-shirts.
What has really made graphic tees a hot item are the many 2.0 websites that have popped up – such as Threadless.com – that feature very original designs, which was rare thing back in the day. Now that a t-shirt can be a work of art and not something mass-produced, its value rises and it becomes a cool t-shirt. These new arenas are giving way for more graphic t-shirt designers to show-off their talents. They are relying on the graphic design software that is readily available – also something absent a few years ago.
New York stores now readily carry graphic t-shirts that resemble the usual Gothic style as well as abstract designs. These tees have become part of the mainstream. The market for graphic t-shirts has grown in the meantime. People are not only okay to pay a lot of money for graphic tees, they are also okay with displaying messages besides a name brand or a band name on their clothing. Now every college student wants a t-shirt that sends a message about him or herself in an original way, and be able to go out in clubs without a problem.
In the streets of New York, you will not miss the number of ironic, funny, or offensive messages delivered via graphic tee. In clubs, worn under a dress jacket, graphic t-shirts are becoming a statement. They have become what’s hot. Meantime, those anti-establishment folks have turned elsewhere. The mainstream crowd should not be far behind.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
This is a very nice story from JewelryDays.com Blog. Thanks to Sheila Garcia for this!
MADISON, Wis. - A garbage truck operator is being hailed as a hero for finding $10,000 worth of diamonds that had accidentally been thrown away.
“We got a call from a customer that had some earrings in the garbage,” said front-load truck operator Ron Lund.
At Pellitteri Waste, where Mr. Lund works, those types of calls come in about once a month so he really wasn’t surprised, though these were no average earrings. They were $10,000 diamond earrings from a local jewelry store, WISC-TV reported.
What surprised him is he actually found them! “I’m thinking, ‘No way, I’ll never find them,’” said Lund. “I told them, ‘Good Luck,’” he laughed. On his route, Lund picks up garbage from more than 130 businesses, including the jeweler. “I was thinking, ‘Little diamonds versus 30,000 pounds of garbage,’” said Lund. “No way.”
But, those little diamonds got him looking.
“I kind of knew where the store was on the load,” said Lund. “So I drove forward to lay it out.” And the digging began. “I grabbed a bag and started looking in there and that’s where I found them,” said Lund. “I found one first then I thought the other’s got to be in the bag, and I found the other one.” It took him a total of eight minutes. “I was just surprised I found them,” said Lund. “I’m surprised anybody would find them.”
The business owner gave him an $80 reward.
Lund said that he decided to try his luck again. “I already spent it,” he said. “I went and bought Powerball tickets. I figure I found the earrings, I’ll buy the tickets and maybe I’ll get lucky.” Lund also admitted he once dumped all his keys into the garbage, and was lucky enough to find them, too.
Ana Davila (JewelryDays.com) commented this way:
What a very remarkable deed (..and luck!) done by Ron Lund! Who would have thought you could find something tiny and valuable in heaps of trash. What I did not like about the incident though, was that the company only gave kind, hardworking, and honest Mr. Lund only 80 bucks. I mean, for something worth $10,000? They could have at least given him a thousand, 500, or even just make it a hundred. I just think he deserves more than 80. Surprisingly, amidst all the surprises, Mr. Lund was happy about it and bought himself Powerball tickets. I commend Mr. Ron Lund for a job well done, not only being honest, but someone who does good without asking for anything in a return. Ron Lund, you are a true hero and a fine example for us all!
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
We asked Adrian King, the entrepreneur behind the popular online Aboriginal art gift shop, Australia Gift Shop, about the future of online shopping and online retailing. Australia Gift Shop is an online gift and souvenir shop based in Bundaberg in the state of Queensland in Australia. The online shop began operations as part of the Web Design firm, PlanetPilgrim.com, in August, 2000. It retails and wholesales gifts and souvenirs from Australia which mainly feature Australian icons or the traditional designs of the indigenous people of that continent, the Australian Aborigines. The product motifs have been drawn and painted by Aboriginal artists in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
Adrian answered to our question sending us a long interview made in the past. We quoted what we feel is the most interesting part of it.
The future of Online Shopping
Niche stores, such as ours, sell merchandise that is not available in local stores. In my opinion, online retail sales and markets will continue to consistently expand for these niche e-tailers who embrace their online marketing with national and global perspectives.
Another trend is the increasing importance of online marketing in generating offline sales, especially for national rather than cross-border transactions. We are experiencing this at the moment, with an exponential increase in sales transactions over the phone as a result of being found on the Net. These customers, whether making personal gift or (usually) larger corporate gift purchases, are often visiting our site as they speak to us on the phone. The Internet and telephones (whether VOIP or not) complement one another extremely well. In combination, they provide instant feedback, undistracted viewing of products and the personal touch, all at once.
Our site is rich in content about Australia, such as a quiz about Aussie landmarks, polls about Australian Aborigines, a blog about Aboriginal art, articles about Australia and even an interactive koala jigsaw for kids. This is what online shoppers are expecting more than ever before. It’s termed value-added shopping and provides lots of informative and detailed content with the added bonus of a rich, dynamic virtual experience. The provision of value-added shopping should be considered basic hospitality by all online retailers who appreciate the honour of receiving visitors to their site.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
Corrie Petersen is a WAHM wanna-be. She and her husband Kevin run a successful Christian jewelry business that can be found at http://heavenlycrosses.com. You can also check out Corrie’s other businesses at http://corriepetersen.com. Here’s Corrie article for us.
Has the internet changed your life?
The internet was an amazing technological breakthrough. We have had the internet for so long now that it makes a person wonder how they functioned without it.The internet has changed our lives in so many ways. We spend less money using the internet. We spend less money on postage, envelope, and paper when writing a friend or family member a letter. We can type a letter and hit the send button and they have it in a matter of minutes rather than days or weeks. Plus you don’t have to take the time to drive to the Post Office, stand in line, and spend money on stamps.
The internet has also shaped up real nice for selling items. From the small mom and pop type businesses to the big corporations, every business has a website now. With shopping carts by Paypal and others, the internet has made it so easy to shop online. No longer are the days where we would mail a payment and order form to a company and wait 6-8 weeks to get the items. The internet is the way to do it!
People can now work at home because of the internet. Company websites and software can now be accessed through terminal servers so more people are being given the ability to work from home. It’s a win-win for both the employee and the company. The employee saves money on clothes, gas, and food while the company saves money on rent, electricity, and other things. Because of the internet, people now have the ability to work from the comfort of their living room.
Whether you send a letter to a friend online, shop online, or work for corporate America or for yourself online, the internet has changed your life. I’m sure there are many more changes to come, so dig in and learn all you can.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
Judith Palfrey is a professional web site developer for 14 years and has developed some special websites to help small businesses advertise in their local community using the Internet. She is also the President of Shopping Portals, Inc. affiliated with Palfrey Associates. To learn more about her services visit: www.ShopGaithersburg.com, www.PalfreyAssoc.com, www.ShoppingPortals.us. This is an exclusive article Judith has written for our Weblog.
Some tips to think about when deciding to have a web site built
People are always asking me: what is the best way to advertise using the Internet.
Well it depends on your goals. Over the last six years I have seen Internet use increase as well as Internet advertising increase. In fact, all recent research shows that 2007 has been a banner year for Internet advertising. It makes since to advertise online when you realize that the time spent online was up, too, with consumers spending an average of 11 hours per week on the Web. That is up from nine hours in 2006 and eight in 2005. There are many ways now to advertise online most of them mean you need your own web site. Then once your web site is built you need to get it found in Search Results. There is the “sticking” point. This is not easy unless you have someone who knows Internet marketing and/or how to get you found in the Search Results; known as SEO.
Well I have a different take on how to get my clients found in Search Result. A few years ago I realized that Search Engines were going to get more granular with search results; meaning they were headed in the direction of wanting more searches to focus on a specific areas of the world, the US, a city/town/community. I started searching the Internet to see who was providing Community Websites with a focus on community services. The only sites I found were all in Europe. I decided then that I wanted to provide a way for local community businesses to use the Internet to advertise their products and services whether they had a web site or not. That is how www.ShopGaitherburg.com was born.
ShopGaithersburg.com represents a suburb of Washington, DC. Over the last 20 years this community has doubled in size as a community in Northern Montgomery County, Maryland. I realized that there where a lot of businesses that wanted to use the Internet to advertise, but either couldn’t afford developing a web site of their own, or they didn’t think the Internet would work for their type of business. I started by asking prospective clients, when was the last time you got a call from the phonebook. Many of us can remember when the phonebook was a “booster-chair” for our children. Well it isn’t any longer and more businesses are giving up their phonebook ads for the Internet, because people looking for services want more information than just a company name and phone number.
My theory was that a business didn’t need a website of their own to advertise to the local community on the Internet; they needed to be connected with a GOOD website and their single page would be their advertising. Well it works!!! Now I have 5 other community web sites open and 17 domains opening over the next two years.
Here’s what I have learned. SEO is not magic and I don’t wave a magic wand to get my clients found at the top of the Search Engine Results. They get there through hard work and my clear understanding of what it takes to get my clients ranked as high as possible. It’s not “rocket science”! It works because the Search Results are now focusing on local community areas. Here are three (3) points to consider when you want better Search Rankings:
1. Google gives HEAVY weight to the TITLE tag of your web site. Your Title tag can be read by you in the blue space at the very top of your screen. It can be found in the HEADER Code of the source code used to develop your web site. Your TITLE tag should NOT have the name of your company or the name of your web site. It should have a couple of short sentences using your keywords.
2. Make sure each page of your web site has a different Title tag. Your web site designer can do this for you. Each page should have good content and the Title tag should be relevant to content on the page.
3. Your content and code is the only thing Search Engines can read. Don’t put your most important content and links behind Flash. Ask your designer to put text links at the bottom of each page of your site if you are using Flash. This will help Google and all other Search Engines index your entire web site content.
All advertising online is increasing and there are projections that US online advertising could be more than double as a percentage of total media, rising from only a 6% share of total media in 2006, to slightly more than a 12% share by 2010. National advertisers are now placing more emphasis in online advertising then in radio. “Pay Per Click” as online advertising is growing as well. This type of advertising can be very expensive for small businesses since you will have to bid against bigger businesses for the same keywords. Small businesses need to determine what the ROI will be per prospect from the Internet to decide if this type of advertising is worth the money.
As I stated earlier consumers are now spending more time online, what this means to small businesses is that more consumers want to learn about products and services online. Research has also shown that a small business with a web presence is considered more professional then other businesses without a web presence.
If you’re looking for someone to build your web site here are a couple of things to consider:
• Make sure they know more then just how to use Dream Weaver to design.
• Ask how they prepare web sites for the Search Engines.
There are designers that will design a great looking picture on the Internet and expect you to market your web site. The problem with that; generally business owners don’t know anything about marketing their web site.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
Jeff Grant, Trio President, wrote this article for his website, but authorized us to include it also in NewOnlineShopping.NET. You’ll find it very interesting.
We Set Up a Website and Sales Increased 1,000%
In 2001, my firm, TRIO Display, was essentially a retail design group that produced stores for professional sports teams, museums, and a myriad of individual specialty retailers. Staff was steady at four to five designers and artists and we pulled in subcontractors as needed. Display sales and design fees ranged from $500,000 to $650,000 per year, which was enough for all of us to live comfortably.2001 was a wake-up year for me, as it was for many business owners. September 11 made me realize that if I got hit by a truck, my little business was gone and my family, while insured, would still suffer a diminution in lifestyle. I thought about expanding my business by growing the fixture end via a print catalog. I’d been in the mail order fixture business previously and knew that making a real dent required enough capital to send out at least 100,000 catalogs. Even then you were lucky if four percent of the people who received them actually opened them and that, in fact, it takes three to five mailings before customers take you seriously.
In 2002, the Web was moving forward, as was e-commerce, but the only way to reach the top of the search engines was through expensive search engine optimization (SEO, a method of manipulating website copy to push your website listing up in the natural listings) and that seemed like so much high-tech voodoo to me. Companies were spending lots of money to acquire catchy Web names and to promote them but these were no guarantee of success. In April of 2002, while using Yahoo (a portal site) for a search, I noticed some highlighted listings with a dollar amount placed after the entry. Something like this: www.dogleashes.com (.15¢). I was intrigued by the number, so I did a little research and it led me to a company called Overture.
I discovered that Overture had set up a keyword brokerage (a keyword is the search word someone puts into a search engine such as Google or Yahoo). Working with Overture a firm could bid on keywords that would allow placement at the top of a Yahoo Web search. At the time our website was a 4-page brochure detailing our design services. I took one look at Overture’s program and had an absolute epiphany. I remember calling one of my associates and telling him that I had just discovered the future of our business.
Within a week we had interviewed several Web designers and hired one on a full-time, interim basis. We started building the site focusing on retail design. The keywords were very inexpensive and we spent less then $500 per month but gained new clients within days. In fact we pulled in $10,000 in design fees within four weeks and that was followed by selling the store fixtures to the customers we had designed the stores for.
With a little excess cash we invested in the site partnering with vendors to show their product on our site while they drop-shipped orders for us. Within a year, Triodisplay.com went from four pages to several thousand. We also kept raising the ante with our Overture bids and in the second year joined with Google in an Adwords campaign that soon eclipsed what we were doing with Overture. Sales doubled the first year and we hired more salespeople, designers, and a full-time Web marketer with whom I attended various industry seminars.
Five years later it’s 2007 and we now have 22 employees and still hire subs as necessary. Business is ten times what it was in 2002, and we show a profit every year while still providing competitive salaries, medical care, and profit sharing.
You can read the rest of the article here.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
This is a nice personal story written by Elizabeth Burn, a kind entrepreneur in the vintage clothing industry.
Love for Vintage
My love for vintage began when I was a poor college student in NYC, basically out of necessity, it evolved from a hobby and passion into a business. At first my family was a little annoyed at the ‘clutter’ but after some years and much patience they are coming around, beginning to appreciate the history of a garment that has been around for many decades sometimes centuries. How important it is to care for, restore them, the quality of garments from the past and how we are keeping them from the landfills or from being exported to other countries.
When I travel I am always hunting for great finds, a vacation is never complete or satisfying unless I am rummaging through vintage & antique stores. One of my latest finds was a Victorian top, to be the proud owner of such workmanship… to be able to hold in my hands something a young woman wore in the 1800s is very exciting to me.
I have an amazing lace dress from the 30s that has to be one of the most beautiful and delicate things I have ever seen from that era. I could go on and on…
At the moment I am in the process of relocating, my store is down to the bare minimum as I’ve had not one moment’s chance to play with my dolls (mannequins) the past few weeks.
Once the dust settles next month I plan to add many wonderful things. I am really looking forward to finally featuring a fun 60’s psychedelic collection I have been hoarding for years and years, it will include a few great designers of the era. As a matter of fact, the house I am buying is a restored 60s house.
I am also in the process of opening up my own web store, you can take a peek at www. funkyvintage.com at the moment but it will be both www.figure8studio.com and www.funkyvintage.com once the ‘web doors’ are finally open.
I served on the board of directors of the Vintage Fashion Guild. I am a member of several vintage organizations including the http://evintagesociety.com we strive to sell only quality vintage and provide excellent customer service.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
Jeff Knowlton wrote this exclusive article for us. He is the National Account Manager of 66North.com.
66°NORTH Ltd. is among Iceland’s oldest manufacturing companies. It was established in the year 1926 and has throughout the decades been a leading producer and innovator in the making of working clothes used on sea and land, made for the toughest outdoor working conditions on the Planet. In the past decade, 66°North has leveraged its expertise into a wide selection of outdoor clothing for sports and leisure. It has received numerous awards for its designs and marketing campaigns.
There is not Bad Weather, Just the Wrong Clothing
Even though 66 North has been in business for over 80 years, we are relatively new to the United States. Our stylish and functionable brand is instantly recognizable and has been well received stateside. That being said, along with trying to expand our retail carriers, the internet ordering system has been a huge success. Whether it is a celebrity such as Quentin Tarantino wearing our product in an interview, or sponsoring the 2007 Syndicate CMJ Conflict of Interest party, 66 North has taken great steps in promotion and sponsorship programs. These avenues help with our brand recognition, and the reward has been an increase in web orders.
The online shopping phenomenon has moved from such a term to in actuality, a commonplace form of consumerism. Everything is readily available at an instant and customers have a myriad of products to choose from. Because of this, we see a shift in the industry in regards to how products are being marketed. Outerwear marketing is geared to a slightly younger demographic, with emphasis on creating a relationship via MySpace pages, posting pictures on company websites and essentially making their online experience a bit more interactive.
Currently, all internet orders go through our Iceland office, but in a few months they will all be handled here in our New York office. As our retail distribution grows, along with the viability of ordering online, it is my belief that 66 North will make great strides in becoming a premier outerwear brand in the United States.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
Julie Cameron (Urban Shop Guide owner) wrote this article exclusively for NewOnlineShopping.NET.
Urban Shop Guide is a Chicago-based privately held corporation founded by Julie Cameron, a 15-year retail industry veteran. Urban Shop Guide offers guided, customized shopping tours of Chicago’s trendy neighborhoods, providing visitors access to small boutiques and the essence of Chicago shopping.
Contact Julie, 312 533-1256, to have more info.
Savvy online shoppers generate new service providers
New Shopping Tour Service to bring out-of-towners and locals to the neighborhoods’ best kept shopping secrets
Because of the continuing explosion of online shopping, customers are getting more savvy then ever regarding unique designers, brands and fashions. In the past, stores dictated the trend and brands available based on their traditional distribution channels. Now shoppers drive trends, and put local stores and up and coming designers on the map through their global exposure to alternatives on the internet.
Urban Shop Guide, a Chicago shopping tour operator, helps small groups explore the blossoming fashion scene. The guided neighborhood tours feature luxury transportation, knowledgeable guides and customized itineraries, taking visitors to the smaller boutiques populating trendy areas such as Lincoln Park and Bucktown.
“While Michigan Avenue has incredible national retailers, Chicago’s best kept fashion secrets and up-and-coming designers are tucked away in its vibrant neighborhoods,” says Julie Cameron, Urban Shop Guide’s founder. An industry veteran and Chicago resident, Cameron is poised to show visitors and locals Chicago’s trend-setting alternative shopping venues and the customers, based on the demand driven from their internet shopping research, are ready to branch out.
New boutiques are opening up weekly, and now shoppers are as in tune with what boutiques and new designers are opening in London, Chicago and New York as they are in their own backyard. Sites like DailyCandy.com make it easy to quickly follow trends in a number of major cities.
Urban Shop Guide tours enable visitors to find the newest gems and enjoy a full day immersed in Chicago’s colorful neighborhoods. “We want each participant to feel like a local for the day, feeling the true character of the area,” says Cameron. “Itineraries also include a dose of history, food, drinks and art so that the customer has an authentic feel of the city.” Additionally, an element of customization will be added for each group so that fashion veterans from New York, L.A. or overseas will be just as engaged as a group from a smaller city.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
This is a short but very interesting interview to Derek Sivers, CDBaby.com president. CD Baby is a little online record store that sells albums by independent musicians. They only sell music that comes directly from the musicians. No distributors. Musicians send them their music. They digitize and warehouse, sell them to the customers, and pay the musicians directly.
Derek, considering your big expertise with Cdbaby.com, what do you think about online shopping? Pros and Cons?
Selection is the best. You know “it” (the web) has everything, and at the best price.
Only downside : can’t flirt with the cute employees.
10 years of online shopping, people say there have been diminishing margins and returns due to growing competition, and more investment in marketing than ever (Adwords, PriceGrabber), what do you think about this?
If you’re just trying to sell something that everyone else is selling, then of course customers will just look for the best price.
At CD Baby, we generally sell music you’re not going to find anywhere else. So nobody seems to care about the price much. The artist sets the price, anyway. It’s their creative choice, not ours.
What about fraud?, there has been growing credit card & shipping re-direction fraud, harder to fight back.
It’s no problem. We look at every order before shipping it, and if it looks too suspicious, we cancel it. Been doing it the same way since 1998 and it’s never been a problem.
Thank you for your answers. Now, about you, what are your projects for the future?
Just trying to make cdbaby.com a fun place to find new music. We’re open to any suggestions from music fans.
Advertising
| laptop rentals - (877) 266-7725 - CRE is the nationwide leader in laptop rentals, notebook rentals, and all your technology rental needs. Call us today. |
« Previous Entries