9 Tips Guaranteed to Make You Want to Shop Online!

Shopping online can be very enjoyable but one must exercise common sense and some good tricks to get out ahead. Shopping on the internet should start here. This guideline is created to help you enjoy the experience of shopping online - you may even make some cash and pick up some savings tips too:

1. Use Contact Us Button - ALWAYS!
If you are interested in purchasing a product or service online - first contact the site using their "contact us" button. If you do not get a response with 24 - 48 business hours - be very wary about doing business with that site. Even for well known sites - you still need to see what their customer service is like so don't bypass this step. Being big does not necessarily mean good customer service. The response should not be an automated one advising you to check site's FAQ for your answer. The trick is to make your query one that will have to be answered by a REAL person. I have developed the mindset that " if they don't respond to my query within 24 - 48 hours" - I won't buy!

2. Join Their Affiliate Program
If you have a website - and wish to purchase anything online first check to see if the site you plan to purchase from offers an affiliate program. If they do, this provides the perfect opportunity for you to see how they will treat you and anyone that you refer down the road. Joining the affiliate program provides a threefold opportunity:

First: Testing Customer Service PRE-SALE. This is another way of testing customer service by applying for the affiliate program. If you get a friendly response within 24 - 48 business hours and you get a comfortable feel about the site, proceed to join their affiliate program. Next purchase the item you set out to purchase in the first place BUT from YOUR link on YOUR site.

Second: You get paid for purchasing and that is just a sweet bonus! You will usually get back either a percentage of your own purchase or a set $ amount. Check to see how long your cookies take to expire. The longer of course is the better - the best are cookies that never expire. If you have a busy site you may be able to market the product and make great commission before your cookie expires.

Third: Testing Customer Service POST-SALE. You are now in the position of a customer of this site as well as an affiliate. As a customer you can evaluate - was the service and item as advertised? Was service friendly? Did the product arrive timely? Was the quality as advertised? Was there a thank you email for the purchase? Did you receive an electronic receipt? Was there follow up contact to enquire about delivery etc. As an affiliate - Was your affiliate account credited with the commission within the time set out in their affiliate contract? If you get all the right answers you can now proceed to confidently market that product on your site because you are now your own living , breathing credible testimonial.

3. CHARGE IT WITH CONFIDENCE
Many first time online shoppers are wary about flashing out their credit card to charge it and they have many reasons to be. Countless stories about online credit card fraud abound. Be careful, exercise common sense. The credit card companies are also very vigilant and pro-active in protecting their customers but that should not preclude you from indulging in your own due diligence. Follow these tips and you will minimize your risk.

a. First get a credit card that you use exclusively for online shopping.
b. Keep the limit $500 or below.
c. Only purchase at sites that looks like a real person(s) is/are behind it - i.e misspellings, out of date content -example advertising a salon trade show for 2006 in 2008 are dead give ways of unmanned sites.
d. Beware of squatter sites - sites that are not really involving in retail but host a lot of retail links.
e. Your first line of defence if you are not sure, is to use the - "contact us link" if there is none - leave right away.

4. ORGANIZE ORGANIZE ORGANIZE
When shopping online you will undoubtedly get a lot of email contact from the sites that you do business with. In no time your email inbox will be cluttered with these emails. These are important emails please do not delete them. Here is what I recommend - create a folder in your email program for EVERY company that you do business with and SAVE all their contact with you in their respective folder. This way anything you receive such as guarantee of service, warranty, commission promised, receipts, contract terms , etc you can access easily and quickly should a dispute arise later.

This trick is especially good if you are given passwords and username to log into a site a while ago and now need it. Yes - most, if not, all sites have a password/username retrieval process but why wait on their reply if all you need to do is to check your own folder? This tip is also good for correspondences from lawyers, school teacher etc. If it is important file it.

This tip helped me recently when I had to retrieve information from an electronic receipt I received from David Notestine of http://www.cyber-robotics.com last April. I was able to locate the receipt and contacted the company to take advantage of the service I purchased back then. This is also a company I contacted pre sale got a personal reply within 24 hours. I purchased and also joined their affiliate program. See I do practice what I preach!

5. DON'T GIVE TOO MUCH
There are many legitimate sites in cyberspace that are very honourable and would never attempt to swindle you therefore an article like this they would welcome. They may even post on their sites for their customers. However there are so many many sites that are set up just to do the very opposite. These are the ones that this tip is intended to warn you of. If you are asked to provide your Social Security Number (USA) or your Social Insurance Number (Canada) you might want to reconsider doing so. I have had the experience of signing up for work-from-home programs promising great wealth working from home completing surveys, some clerical stuff etc etc but you have to provide the Social Security info for your self and your family members etc to be paid. I did! Luckily nothing happened to my identify to my knowledge unless there is a Desemal Thomas in the USA that is not YET affecting my identify here in Canada. This took place in my newbie days on the internet when I trusted everybody. Unless you want a clone of yourself - Rule of thumb - LESS is MORE. No social security numbers, no full date of birth, bank account information, give only what make sense. Less information = more protection.

6. THERE IS NO GET RICH FORMULA!
Stay away from the temptation - (speaking from experience). Temptation can that burn a LARGE hole in your credit card. If these folks touting the rich life on the waterfront properties, the yacht, the 5 star vacations did have the get rich-overnight-formula why would they want to share it with you a total stranger? It would be so guarded by these people - you would have a better chance of getting some of the royal jewels from Fort Knox than them sharing it with you. Don't fall for the manufactured testimonials - do you know any of these people featured there? Do you know anyone who knows anyone featured there? What proof do you have that it is real? Follow your Gut instinct? Beware!

7. LET EQUIFAX/ TRANS UNION BE YOUR FRIENDS!
If you have heeded all the tips provided above and still have that feeling that something is just not right after you have made a purchase.

a. Contact your credit card provider IMMEDIATELY - request that they not accept the payment and you MUST not accept the good or service. You cannot have it both ways.
b. Check your credit report for any unusual activities and file a dispute of any item on your credit report that you did not authorize.
c. Make checking your credit report a consistent habit - some credit card companies offer credit monitoring service.

8. You CAN Make MONEY while SHOPPING ONLINE
In spite of the tip in #6 you CAN make money online. I am not selling you any program - NO! This is how it works.

The premise is - if you have purchased products and service online and you are pleased with it you may want to share it to others. Why not make some money doing so. There are folks who do make a tidy sum of money online doing just that. Selling as a middleman/women! That is what affiliate/reseller programs are about. You are marketing someone else's products or services. Instead of the vacuum salesman going door-to-door in the old days - the vacuum salesman now simply sets up a site and calls himself a "RESELLER" and get to work getting traffic to his site to purchase the vacuums from him.

Or Mr. Vacuum Salesman puts a banner on his site from the manufacturer of the vacuums and gets paid REFERRING clients to buy the vacuums directly from the manufacturer. Find a decent set of affiliate programs from sites such as Commission Junction, Share a Sale, Clickbank among others.

They key is that you have to generate TRAFFIC to sell to! That is it straight and simple. If your website is not even ranked on Google chances of a customer finding you online via search engine is very very slim. Most people start out with a regular site with one central product or service and once they build credibility and a decent size customer base they introduce these add -on services and products. It will take time but if you remain consistent you can make money online and elevate your enjoyment of the internet.

9. DON'T BE AFRAID
Don't be afraid to purchase on the internet - it is a fun place. Do your research, compare, read un-solicited customer feedback then buy. Some sites have customer feedback that you know is real because it is so raw in its content and both good and bad reviews are posted. Believe me, you will know if it rings true. Exercise common sense and happy shopping - it can be fun.

P.S.

The Benefits Of Christmas Shopping Online

I recently did a radio interview with a station based out of Arkansas and we were discussing the differences between doing your Christmas shopping at the local mall versus shopping online. I made the point that many consumers still like to go the mall to get some of that Holiday vibe and the sense of giving that is such a large part of the Christmas spirit. The DJ that was interviewing me then pointed out that you lose a lot of that warm and fuzzy feeling when you have to fight the crowded parking lot and the rush of finding gifts when you only have a limited amount of time to spend at the mall.

Don't Fight Those Crowds

In this case, the DJ was a big proponent of online shopping and online coupons, hence this is the reason I was on his show, but he brings up some good points. People are starting to use online shopping as a strong alternative to fighting the crowds at local stores and malls. This is evident by the fact that online shopping in 2006 has really gone through the roof and is up 23% over 2005 numbers as consumers are starting to catch on to the convenience and great deals that can be found online.

Information At Your Fingertips

As I pointed out in the interview, the main benefits of doing your Christmas shopping online are two-fold. First, the amount of information and research at your disposal on the Internet is quite impressive. This includes buying guides, user reviews of products, and price comparisons at different online stores. All of these are not going to be readily available to you when you walk into a brick and mortar store to do some shopping. Secondly, many online retailers offer coupon codes that can get you things like free shipping, or 10%, 15% , or sometimes 20% off your purchase. These coupon codes are typically only for online usage. Free shipping coupons in particular are very popular around the Holidays, as many consumers are afraid to shop online thinking the shipping charges will outweigh any benefits.

Keep Your Sanity

So this Holiday shopping season I would urge you to try shopping online and to keep a running total of the savings you received when using online coupons. For me personally, the time wasted in busy parking lots and long lines in stores also has a value, but it is hard to put a dollar figure on time wasted. Nonetheless, I found the holiday season to be much more enjoyable and peaceful when I avoided busy malls and shopped exclusively online. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you and your family!

© 2007, Kyle James

Want a Free Simple Home Business Plan? Know How to Start Business Online?

Running a home based free business opportunity may be a good option for people with a disability, homemakers and anyone creative who love to work from home. It is time that those who have a negative idea about this profession change their mind. To start a free simple home business does not cost you much (or none, sometimes) and if run with the right strategies may prove to be a cumulative source of money.

Types

This is probably the most elaborating topics ever! Because when it comes about an online home based business (HBB), there are a lot of types possible. First of all one should decide whether an online or an offline business is right for him or her. Since this article is focused on the former, we will look at that only. Then there are thousands of types of home business plans out there. If you search on the Google, you will find many websites providing the business plans for free.

Categories

There are, as said already, innumerable types of free home business categories while it comes to making money online by running an online home business; some of them are free to begin and some cost money.

Not all plans of the same category will cost money or not...it simply depends on the business plan. Some of the popular categories are: affiliated marketing program (you get paid if any sale is done through your link), free surveys (survey other websites), referral programs (get paid when someone gets registered through your link), data entry and list building jobs etc.

The main different sectors are: Airlines & Aviation, Beauty Salon & Day Spa, Computer Consulting, Consulting, IT sector, Software, Real Estate, Retail & Online Store, Recycling & Waste Management, Wholesale & Distributor and Wedding & Event Management.

The Right Strategies

The first right thing that you can do while starting a free simple home business plan, it is to do it through a website or program that is safe and real. The next would be finding a sector or category that interests you or you are experienced in. the thing that you should consider after that whether you have planned well or not. If you think of your free home based business in long terms, you should plan well. Good marketing and outsourcing will be excellent strategies if your kind of business supports these ideas. Online entrepreneurship can be a turning point in your business career but surely the starting is no time to think about it!

There are both pros and cons for a free simple home business plans. Sometimes the sites are dishonest and may run away with your money (paid program) or simply not pay you at last (free plans). But the advantages outweigh the risks as free simple home business makes a person confident, strong and provides a financial ground in case s/he had none.

I Want to Know How to Play Better Golf

Sure you do. Anyone who plays golf is working to find ways to shave strokes off their game. Maybe they are beginners frustrated with their lack of improvement. Maybe they are club players who can't seem to play well enough to win the club championship. Or maybe they are just the typical weekend hacker who wants to finally beat the other three golfers in their Sunday foursome. No matter who the golfer is, they want to know how to play better golf.

So which are you? Professional golfers work harder than anyone to make sure that their game is at its best when the big tournaments come around. What are you trying to peak for?

Whatever it is, you have to make sure that you practice as much as possible. The importance of this activity cannot be overstated. Practice may not make perfect, but it will make you better. Getting out to the range and just working your swing so that you can repeat it over and over can be the key shaving off strokes when the club championship comes around every year.

Or, if you are one of those just trying to beat your playing partners, a quick session at the range before you tee off could be just what the (swing) doctor called for. Any improvement can be the key to squeaking out that long sought after victory.

If you can't seem to find a way to improve on your own, it might just be time to call up the local club teaching professional and schedule a lesson. You know you've thought about it many times. It can be a tough pill to swallow when it comes time to scratch out a check, but the money is well spent if it means less strokes on Sundays.

Lastly, what is the state of your equipment? Are you using balls that you fished out of a pond? Are you swinging clubs that would have been high tech in your grandfather's day? If so, it's time you upgraded. Want to know why your playing partners call you "Shorty?" It's not because of your height. It's because they out drive you on every hole. If that sounds familiar, maybe you need to check out the latest technology in golf clubs. Think it won't make a difference?

You should get on the internet and read up on the latest and greatest in scientific breakthroughs on the links. You might be surprised. Find a chat room that is devoted to golf. There you will find golfers of all different handicaps talking about what piece of equipment is the most important thing in their bag. I promise you, ever player has a favorite club that they would never tee off without.

There are a lot of things you can do to improve your game and now that you know how to play better golf, you'll have no trouble improving. Just take this advice and then smile at the looks of surprise on your playing partners' faces.

Shopping Online for Gifts

Shopping online has made purchasing gifts for people much easier these days. It seems like every time you turn around it is time to buy a gift for someone. Birthday gifts, anniversary gifts, shower gifts, wedding gifts, Christmas gifts; it never seems to end. For people who lead very busy lives and can't spend all of their time running to stores to buy gifts, the Internet provides a very convenient alternative.

One of the great things about Internet shopping is the variety of stores you can visit without ever leaving your home. Also, you can visit a lot of specialty stores, which aren't always easy to find in your area. For example, if you need to buy a wedding gift, you can do a

Search online and find Internet stores that specialize in selling wedding gifts. The same thing goes for anniversary gifts or Valentines Day gifts. Shopping online means the specialty stores come to you! For busy people, this can be a wonderful benefit.

Most of the time, when you buy a gift for someone online, you can have the gift sent directly to the person's home - many times even wrapped, and with a personalized card attached. Online stores do their best to cater to consumers, and this shows in the excellent personalized customer service that you can receive. Even if your life isn't too busy, it's still a good idea to consider shopping online for that perfect gift - you're always going to find an excellent selection.

Information Marketing Secrets - How To Mine The Riches In Information Marketing

Information marketing is effective offline. But it's potent online. It has created dozens of 'job quitters' who have from nowhere manifested a full-time income online. So here's how you can mine the riches in information marketing the easy way:

1) Find A Super Hot Niche Market

This has to be a market that spends truckloads of money. The self-improvement and health markets are hot these days, and I myself am planning to enter these markets and attempt to create a 4-figure income from it.

2) Create An Irresistible Product

Go and create that product that solves the deepest problems of your target market and you will never run short of cash. How do you find out the problems of your target market? Survey your subscribers list (if you have one) or the easier way: go to niche forums and simply ask questions and ask them to complete a survey. You can offer your completed product as the prize for completing your survey.

3) Persistent Marketing

You have to market your information product consistently to create a sizable income from your business. Aim to generate at least 100 to 200 visitors a day to your website. That number is certainly doable. If you have a conversion rate of 2% (that's the industry average), you will make 2 to 4 sales a day. For a $20 product, that is $40 a day to $80 a day. Then just scale your traffic generation to increase your traffic. Spend more money on marketing and you will increase your visitor rate and hence your sales and your profits.

7 Tips For Successful Home Forex Trading

Trading forex has become much easier over the past years with the boom in on-line brokers and the rise of cheaper broadband. But there are certain things you can do to make your home forex trading more successful. Below we have listed seven tips for better success with forex.

1. Treat your forex trading as you would any other business. Trading is big business and you should treat your trading as such. If you look at it as a hobby or something you are doing on the side then you won't fully commit and you will never reap the big rewards that are possible.

2. Be prepared for losses. Like any other business, yours will have ups and downs. There will be days when you make losses and you have to accept this and move on. Don't throw the towel in when you have a bad day, these things happen. Brush yourself off, learn from your mistakes, tomorrow is another day.

3. Keep an eye on your books. Or in most cases, start keeping books! Remember that this is a business and you must keep track of your profits, losses and expenditure. You will need to pay tax on your profits and you will need to keep auditable books just in case.

4. Keep your eye on the goal. The aim of your forex trading is to make money, make a living. Most people look at trading as gambling, this is not the case. Your trades don't need to be a gamble. Do your research and take as much risk out of your trading as humanly possible, you will see better results if you have background news and info about the countries you are trading.

5. Learn from the Pro's. The pro's are just that, professionals at what they do. They don't just throw money here and there and hope for the best. Read as much as you can, you may be surprised at just what lengths you need to go to and what you need to do to become a pro trader.

6. Get a reliable net connection. This may sound like an obvious point but a free broadband connection is not likely to be a very reliable connection. Your net connection is your connection to the trading world and you don't want it dropping off just as the trends begin to turn away from your favor. You need reliability.

7. Don't work to hard. Although it does become somewhat of an obsession you do need to stick to set working hours if possible. You can work to hard you know!

Home forex trading can be a rewarding and extremely lucrative career but you do need to know what you are doing or you can literally lose the shirt off your back!

Agra an Emerging Business Hub in Utter Pradesh India

Agra is the third largest city in the state of Utter Pradesh and a well known tourist spot in the world because of its symbol of love The Taj Mahal Agra. Agra receives millions of tourists every year making it the best suited place for travel and tourism industry. Most of the businesses in Agra are some how related to travel and tourism. Agra has some of the finest hotel chains of the world that includes Taj Group of Hotels and Oberoi Group of Hotels. Apart from tourism Agra is also well known for leather goods and automobile parts manufacturing industries. What are the factors that make Agra an emerging business hub in India, let's see one by one.

Infrastructure:
Agra has all the infrastructure facilities that are required to start and run any kind of business successfully. Whether it is office space, office equipments, production equipments and suppliers, Agra has every thing that a business need. Agra does have very good facilities to set up all required IT infrastructure. Water and electricity supply is also excellent in Agra as it is located on the banks of river Yamuna. The Government of Utter Pradesh is also very supporting and running several schemes to promote Agra as a business center.

Manpower:
Agra has always been a center of education in northern India as it has few world class universities, top notch collages and professional education institutes. So there is no shortage of educated and trained manpower in Agra. DayalBagh Educational Institute, Hindustan Collage of Engineering and Central Footwear Training Institute are some of finest professional institutions in Agra being known for their excellence in education.

Transportation:
Agra also tops in terms of transportation facilities as it is situated on National Highway No. 2 that connects New Delhi and Kolkata both are metro cities. Agra is also situated on New Delhi Chennai main railway line so there is no problem in goods transportation. Agra also takes advantages of Indira Gandhi International Airport as the distance between New Delhi and Agra is only of 4 hours.

Best Suited Business:
Because of very high volume of tourists in the city, it is best suited for travel related business. Hotels, Resorts and Travel Agencies are the prime business in Agra. Agra has been a major supplier of leather goods to the world and leather goods manufacturing unites are also prime businesses in Agra. The city also invites automobile parts manufacturing and trading companies.

Agra also has very good advertising and marketing services to market your business and relatively increase your sales. Agra Business Directory is one of such source and there are many online business directories where your can get your business listed and attract buyer from all across the globe.