Add You - Business

Retail Store U-Scan Machines: Self-Serve or Voluntary Part Time Job?
Do many of us realize that we are working an unpaid part time job for the grocery stores and some home appliance stores? We are ringing up our own goods, are not getting any price discount for doing so and are saving these retailers money.Each self-serve lane contains two to three self-serve scanners. Retailers have an average of two to four self-serve lanes. Retailers are saving each store an average of four to eight cashiers’ salaries per store. One attendant is assigned to these self-service machines. Hypothetically, if stores are paying full time cashiers $7 per hour, they are now saving $14,000 annually in wage expenses for each cashier that they do not have to hire. Multiplied by four to eight cashiers, each store saves $56,000 to $112,000 per year on wage expenses. This simple calculation does not even count other benefits that companies pay to their cashiers, such as healthcare, vacation pay, sick pay, 401(k), pension benefits and tuition assistance.Are these savings passed on to the consumer? Nope!Why should we work an unpaid part time job for the grocery industry?1. Self-serve scanning machines are not always user-friendlyWhen grocery bags get filled up and you have nowhere else to put your groceries, the machine will say something like “Please place your item back in bag” and not even let you know what the problem is. The machine treats you like you’re an imbecile. The machine is wasting your time while an attendant has to correct the problem.2. Self-serve scanning machines do not always scan every bar code.Some o

ost increases significantly as the weight increases and you can pass this saving on to your buyer.

Shipping Parcel Post takes a few days longer so make sure your buyer is willing to accept the delay. However, keep in mind that there are specific guidelines when shipping packages via Parcel Post. Notice 123 and the USPS web site lists all the required criteria.

Another shipping option offered by the USPS is Priority Mail Flat Rate. You can ship to any US destination regardless of weight for a specific cost. The post office offers free flat rate boxes in two sizes as well as a flat rate envelope.

If you buy your own shipping boxes the size of the box may exceed the USPS shipping limits and you may have to pay additional shipping. The combined length and girth of a piece (the length of its longest side plus the distance around its thickest part) may not exceed 108 inches.

However, to be safe in most cases the combined length and girth should not exceed 84 inches. The formula is simple. It is 2x the height + 2x the width + the length. For example, a box measuring 24” L x 12” H x 16” W is 80

19 Things To Know About Buying a Business
1.) Most Small Business owners have considered, or will consider, selling their business.2.) Most prospective buyers do not follow through on the urge to buy a business because they find the prospect of buying a business too complicated.3.) Although it would be impossible to point out every single item necessary when buying a business, the major requirements are: Deciding on the type(s) of business to buy, Finding the right business to buy, Determining the condition of the business that is being considered for purchase, Valuing and properly pricing the business, Financing the transaction.4.) Occasionally, a business that is unique and very simple almost manages itself. But if the business is in a competitive field, management ability is probably the most important requirement for success.5.) A business owner will need to have (or develop) the following important skills: Effectiveness with people, Business and financial management abilities, Experience in the industry.6.) Buyers are usually tempted to consider value as a fair price for tangible items such as equipment and inventory. These factors are important, but they have value only to the extent that they contribute to future profits. So the true measure of a business’ value is its ability to produce profit.7.) Before buying a small business, the prospective owner should ask the following questions: i) What am I buying (or selling)? Is it a business or a building full of equipment and inventory? ii) What return would I get if I invested my money elsewhere–in stocks, bonds, or other busine

PRICING ITEMS:

How much profit you want to make is entirely up to you. Depending on what you sell, if your products are priced too low you’ll be working for peanuts, price it too high and you won’t be selling any.

You need to factor in all the individual line item costs before you set your retail price. eBay takes a percentage of the final sale price (final value fee). If you use Paypal to accept payments electronically they'll take a percentage as well, plus a small transaction fee. eBay does not include shipping costs when they calculate their final value fee while Paypal does.

Other eBay fees include auction, buy it now, store inventory and those for additional pictures as well as any optional listing features.

However, you can save on the eBay insertion fees by pricing items just at or under the break range. For instance, if you want to sell an item for $50.00 then price it at $49.99 (instead of $50.00) and you'll save 50% on the insertion fee. (eBay Basic Fees)

You must also consider the cost of your shipping material. At the Laundry Bag Store Online we know the exact weight of each item down to the printed invoice. By knowing the exact weight of each item including the shipping material, you can tell if a buyer is being truthful if they claim that an item was not included with their order since the shipping weight is printed on the postal receipt.

Some sellers set up their listing to use the shipping calculators while others use the flat rate option. It may boil down to a matter of choice, but on some items one be better to use than the other and sometimes the calculator is unavailable which can result in a lost sale. Stores with a large volume of products should use the calculator.

Keep in mind that savvy buyers know if they are being overcharged for shipping. Don’t risk losing a repeat customer by overcharging for shipping. A small handling charge is an acceptable industry standard.

GUARANTEE:

Just what is your guarantee? Your guarantee and any store policies should be clear and well defined. Wishy-washy policies are sure to confuse your buyers. Work with your buyers. Consider bending the rules for a valued customer or a large order if it will mean future business.

FEEDBACK:

Open any business and you automatically have a reputation. It is within your power to create a good reputation or a bad one. For eBay sellers and buyers your feedback page is your reputation and is one of the most widely viewed pages.

Trying to keep a 100% positive feedback is the ultimate goal. However, there are some things that may be beyond your control, for instance, a buyer may have had a bad day and decided to take their frustration out on you.

Still certain buyers may have their email accounts set up to block spam, AOL and hotmail accounts are notorious for this. Avoid including any links, pictures, attachments and/or HTML code in any emails sent to these accounts.

If you need to contact a buyer with an AOL or hotmail email address, first send a basic text only email to let them know you are contacting them and then follow it up with an email that contains HTML.

Lapse a store policy if it could mean the difference between getting positive feedback and negative feedback.

If an item is out of stock, email the buyer as soon as possible. Include an estimated shipping date.

SHIPPING:

Some sellers use UPS while others use the USPS. The Laundry Bag Store Online uses the USPS so these tips are based on shipping with the USPS. Some of the information you may already be aware of.

The USPS offers several types of free shipping boxes, mailers and envelopes. However, some of these can add extra weight and thus add extra cost to your shipping. Aside from using postal rate calculators you can print or ask your local post office for Notice 123, rate fold. The notice includes all the current postal rates. You will also need a postal zone chart.

13.1 oz. is where First Class postal rates ends and Priority Mail or Parcel Post rates begin up to 70 lbs. The cost of shipping most items Priority Mail vs. Parcel Post is small and can be the difference between getting positive feedback or negative feedback, a satisfied customer or a dissatisfied customer.

Depending on the weight and size, some items may be best shipped via Parcel Post instead of Priority Mail. The saving amount between Priority Mail and Parcel Post increases significantly as the weight increases and you can pass this saving on to your buyer.

Gift Cards - Is It Time to Use Them for My Business?
You're probably thinking, here we go again somebody is trying to sell me something that I really don't need. I'm sure it will benefit them, but will it benefit me? Firstly let me say that my company, Solutions Ink does sell gift and loyalty cards. The market out there while huge is certainly not for anyone. Who then are these cards good for?These cards are great for chain stores with multiple locations and for stores with very loyal repeat customers. Why are these stores prime candidates? First let's examine the large chain stores. Today more than ever people's disposable time is very limited. Buying a gift for someone takes time and effort in researching a product the person might enjoy , and then finding the right size and color. Today everybody is looking for convenience. It takes 2 minutes at a cash register to get a gift card. Firstly the price you want to pay is exactly the amount on the card. If the recipient wants something more expensive, they can simply add onto it. The recepient can spend his time finding the right size and color and shop when he or she wants the item.As far as the store goes, they know that once they've sold you the gift card, the sale is coming. Their cash flow is improved because the cash sits in their bank account t'ill you use it. More importantly a growing percent of people who receive these cards never use them. Lastly, most people end up spending more then thier gift card in the store. The question really isn't why should I invest in gift cards but rather why I am I not running out to purchase them?Another great reason is dut

weight of each item down to the printed invoice. By knowing the exact weight of each item including the shipping material, you can tell if a buyer is being truthful if they claim that an item was not included with their order since the shipping weight is printed on the postal receipt.

GUARANTEE:

FEEDBACK:

Lapse a store policy if it could mean the difference between getting positive feedback and negative feedback.

If an item is out of stock, email the buyer as soon as possible. Include an estimated shipping date.

SHIPPING:

Some sellers use UPS while others use the USPS. The Laundry Bag Store Online uses the USPS so these tips are based on shipping with the USPS. Some of the information you may already be aware of.

Four Keys For Successful Foundation and Corporate Fundraising
Earlier in my career, I worked for a training and technical assistance service provider with significant revenue from foundations and corporations. What was the key to success? It was targeted fundraising based on the needs of the donors.Unfortunately, many organizations take another approach. They send a shower of requests hoping one might land in the right spot. As a board member of a grantmaking organization with no paid staff, I review requests that are based on this "shower" approach. They have little chance of being funded. Why? In most cases, the requests either do not relate to our grantmaking initiatives or the amount of money requested is well above our capabilities.In the current fundraising environment of fewer dollars and more nonprofits, you can't afford to waste your time and resources. There are four keys to more successful fundraising.Be clear about who you areYou must be clear about:The community need you are addressingHow your mission addresses that needThe precise activities or services for which you are seeking supportWho will benefit from these activities or servicesYour expected outcomesYour measures of successThe type and amount of resources you need to achieve your desired resultsInvest in prospect researchOnce you are clear about your needs, shift your focus to the needs of your potential donors. Learn their history and their unique interests. Learn their guidelines, policies and grantmaking procedures. Learn their funding patterns, including the specific types of gra

ill mean future business.

FEEDBACK:

Lapse a store policy if it could mean the difference between getting positive feedback and negative feedback.

If an item is out of stock, email the buyer as soon as possible. Include an estimated shipping date.

SHIPPING:

Some sellers use UPS while others use the USPS. The Laundry Bag Store Online uses the USPS so these tips are based on shipping with the USPS. Some of the information you may already be aware of.

Ten Commitments to Ethics and Personal Conduct For Business Coaches
Business coaching remains a rapidly growing profession and one of the impacts of this rapid growth is more scrutiny of the profession. There have been some predictions that business coaching and other forms of coaching will experience increased criticism. This criticism may come in many different forms and today’s professional business coach needs to be able to recognize the criticism and the opportunity or opportunities that result from that criticism. One of the areas of criticism revolves around ethics and personal conduct and it is essential that these two items receive the highest priority in the business coach’s practice.I believe there is an opportunity that exists right now to turn criticism of business coaching into compliments for business coaching. Having identified the opportunity and the importance of ethics and the highest levels of personal conduct to business coaching, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following Ten Commitments to Ethics and Personal Conduct to help turn the criticism into compliments.Commitment #1: Commit to maintaining the highest ethical standards with your clients.Commitment #2: Commit to maintain the highest level of honesty & integrity with your clients.Commitment #3: Commit to being responsible and to do no harm to your clients.Commitment #4: Commit to always putting the interests of your client first.Commitment #5: Commit to maintaining the strictest levels of confidentiality with your clients and their information.Commitment #6: Commit to avoiding conflicts of interes

on as possible. Include an estimated shipping date.

SHIPPING:

Some sellers use UPS while others use the USPS. The Laundry Bag Store Online uses the USPS so these tips are based on shipping with the USPS. Some of the information you may already be aware of.

Telling Your Customers What They Want to Hear
How often do you use stories to color your sales presentations?Answer: Not enough!I guarantee you would use them more if you knew how powerful they are in determining the outcome of the sale!Telling stories is an effective and exciting way to deliver valuable information about your product or service. It also makes your prospect feel at ease with you, which means that they will not only enjoy speaking with you, but also enjoy buying from you.The Makings of a Great StoryYour customer should be the focus of your story. Obviously the specific customer you’re speaking with won’t be a part of the story, but you should never forget they are the purpose for your story.Your customers want to hear stories that speak to them. Tell them stories that they will be able to relate to personally; stories that address their concerns about buying from you. This means your story must favorably answer the essential questions customers ask themselves before making the purchase:Do I like this salesperson?The impression you leave on your prospect plays a key role in how that person views your product and company. When a customer feels connected with you, they will also feel connected with your product. Effective storytelling is personal, real, and makes the customer feel as relaxed as they would be speaking with an old friend. There is NO other way to match the type of connection a great story can create.Do I trust this salesperson?Customers don’t want to hear how great you think your product is. Of course y

ost increases significantly as the weight increases and you can pass this saving on to your buyer.

Self adhesive poly bags come in various sizes and are extremely durable. These may provide an inexpensive way of shipping certain items and may even save your some money on shipping if you are including it in the sale price.

If you print your own shipping labels on an ink jet printer, tape over the entire label covering the ship to and return address. The ink will run if it comes in contact with any water making the label illegible.

INSURANCE AND CONFIRMATION:

Depending on the retail cost of your products, insuring shipments is always a wise choice. If you ship via UPS then your packages up to $100 in value are insured for free. USPS insurance is extra. For USPS online and APC you can insure packages up to $500, over $500 requires a trip to the post office.

The USPS refers to tracking as delivery confirmation. There is standard confirmation and signature confirmation. You should use signature confirmation for shipping expensive purchases and standard for the others. Insured shipments over $50.00 require a signature anyway so signature confirmation may be redundant. When you do ship with confirmation or insurance the counter person will give you a green receipt for confirmation and a blue receipt for insurance. On each is a section to write the name of the buyer.

APC MACHINES:

In the lobby of certain post offices is an automatic postal machine. These can speed up shipping significantly. The machine is easy to use and walks you through the shipping process. However the system and the current version of the software have a few drawbacks. Sometimes the package drum is full. Make sure you can open the drum before you start shipping. Don’t ship any fragile items or they could get damaged when other packages are inserted on top of them.

The machine is capable of confirmation or insurance but not both. You can ship a flat rate envelope but not a flat rate box. You can’t ship to an APO.

It can print two sizes of labels, a large and a small. If you plan on using the large label make sure you leave enough room on your package for it. Use this label if you plan on adding insurance or confirmation.

Since you have to type in the destination zip code make sure you double check it before printing the label.

You can pay with a debit or credit card but not cash. When you use a debit card it requires you to make separate payments for each package, thus separate receipts. Credit card transactions are printed on one receipt. When you add confirmation to a package the tracking number is printed on the receipt as well as destination zip code.

eBay TOOLS:

Thee are many free and fee based seller tools available from eBay. Some of the more common ones include Selling Manager, Turbo Lister, Andale Counters, Picture Manager and Sales Reports Plus.

However, another great tool is Omniture’s Site Catalyst. It provides detailed reports on your site’s traffic. Some of the stats include: the most often viewed pages and listing, the web sites and search term keywords that generated the most visitors and the path reports will show you exactly how they navigated to and through your store.

PROMOTING YOUR STORE:

There are several things you can do to promote your site. However, your site must be pleasing in design. You store listings should be consistent. Choose the same font size, and colors for each listing. Avoid the cute graphics and the rainbow text. This is one of the benefits of using Turbo Lister.

Utilize your storefront’s real estate to offer sale items, special offers, your guarantee, and even shipping information. Put items in both auctions and buy it now. Use the subtitle to mention your store or key features about your product. Add a link in your listings to your store or other products. By reviewing the stats recorded by Omniture’s Site Catalyst, you’ll know exactly which items and pages are generating results.

That being said, getting a steady flow of visitors to your store is really the hard part. If you sell a hot item you’ll get plenty of traffic but also have fierce competition and if you sell a niche market item you’ll have to go out and get your traffic.

You may have read our guide on RSS FEEDS (available on our eBay about me page), if not, you should check it out. RSS feeds provide an easy way of getting your products listed throughout the Internet.

Another way of getting

HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
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If you have a restaurant business or are planning on starting a restaurant business then there are several things you will need to do. Find the right products and supplies to start your organization. hiring the right staff, having a menu that is attractive to local consumers and above all having the right location with the right atmosphere. Some good principles to follow when doing this is

How you can apply the T.E.A.M Profit concept to accelerate your business growth:

Outsourcing the work by an accounting firm enables the accounting firm to save money and valuable time. The accounting firm is able to cut down on their capital expenditure and invest that money to improvise the efficiency of other areas of their business. This allows them to pay attention to other fields of their business and reap huge profits.

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