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Great Ways to Save Online

markz — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 19:09:39 +0000

The National Retail Federation found respondents to its annual holiday spending survey plan to do over half (56 percent) of their shopping online.This represents a record high in the survey’s 13-year history, and likely sends shivers down the spines of brick-and-mortar retailers. Life O’ The Party does a fair amount of online sales with their eBay store (markz3130) and with their wholesale site www.260balloons.com.

Though the price war between online sites and traditional retailers seems like it would yield more options for finding bargains, there’s more going on behind the screen. According to Internet Retailer, 20-percent of prices change daily on competitive products sold online, with some of the most popular items fluctuating prices every few minutes. This practice is commonly referred to as “dynamic pricing,” and something consumers have had to deal with for quite some time. To ensure you don’t overpay online, follow these nine savvy shopping tips.

Track price drops effortlessly. Poach It is a free browser add-on that alerts you when prices on coveted goods go on sale, saving you both time and money. If you happen to get an alert about a price drop after you made a purchase, you may qualify for a price adjustment. Simply take a screenshot of the price drop and email the store’s customer service team with your information. Some sites may even honor price adjustments for reductions at a competitor.

Price-match for free shipping. Online retailers are often willing to match prices among their competition. This is especially helpful if the original site offering the better deal charges a delivery fee. In this case, find a retailer who offers free shipping both ways and ask if they can match the first price. If shopping online, open a live chat window and type your request to customer service; I used this method to score a big discount on a dress from Piperlime.

Don’t leave the coupon code box empty. If there’s a coupon code box, there’s likely a coupon out there somewhere. Run a quick search on Google with the retailer name and the term “coupon code,” or look for codes on your favorite deals site. For example, you can save an extra 10 percent on kids’ outerwear from Target with a code from CouponSherpa.com, while taking advantage of that new free shipping offer.

Register for the e-newsletter. The thought of another promotional email cluttering your inbox may not sound appealing, but by signing up you’ll likely receive a new customer coupon and get news on upcoming promotions. Set up a shopping account for these specific emails to avoid the promotional bombardment.

Never buy without comparing. Search engines like Pricegrabber and TheFind.com specialize in comparing prices on thousands of popular items across multiple online retailers. You can also download the Invisible Hand browser add-on, which pings you when an item you’re looking at costs less elsewhere. Finding the best price can be a time-consuming task without these helpful tools!

Call or chat with customer service. If you can’t find a coupon code or free shipping offer, give the online store a call. The customer service rep can often provide you with some type of savings like free shipping as a one-time courtesy. This strategy has worked for me multiple times: I scored free shipping on an order from Anthropologie by simply calling and asking for it, and InkGrabber provided a 20-percent discount upon chatting with their live service rep.

Abandon your online cart. This strategy doesn’t always work, but some retailers email you with a tempting coupon code if they notice you abandoned your online cart. Ballard Designs recently sent me a 15-percent off coupon “to help make [my] decision easier…” While this strategy is intended to help you complete an impulse buy, it can be helpful in scoring a discount on something you genuinely intend to purchase.

“Like” and follow. Many online sites offer exclusive promotions to their social media networks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I scored a 30-percent off coupon code for Heels.com on Twitter and received a 15-percent discount for a booking on Hotels.com for “liking” their page on Facebook. Ultimately, it pays to follow your favorite brands on social media as retailers find increasing value in engaging with their loyal customers.

Ship gifts directly. Shipping gifts you’ve purchased in-store through USPS, UPS or FedEx is an oft-overlooked expense that can put a strain on holiday budgets. It’s likely better to shop online and ship gifts directly to friends and family to avoid an extra delivery fee. Additionally, you can shop for gifts on Dec. 18, the date of this year’s Free Shipping Day, and have items sent directly to the recipient, avoiding holiday shipping costs altogether.

Feel free to share “Target’s Free Holiday Shipping & More Ways to Save Online” with your audience, giving proper attribution to the source.

By: Andrea Woroch is a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc., who helps consumers live on less without radically changing their lifestyles. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. She has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. You can follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.

The Art of the Handshake

markz — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:29:21 +0000

“Business has only two functions – marketing and innovation.” Body language, artistic handshakes, power negotiations and the value of silence all make for expert skills you need to succeed in business. Market your business and yourself better while learning innovative techniques to sell, sell, sell!

Got ISES? Now What?

markz — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:28:42 +0000

ISES – The International Special Event Society was founded decades ago on the principles of:

Collaborative networking
Education and professional development
Inspiration
Outward awareness and credibility

to ensure a thriving global creative events profession.

Learn how to best make use of your membership in this worldwide association that will help make your business grow. Mark is a former Chapter President and two-time award winner of the New York Metro Chapter of ISES.

Balloon Beginnings

markz — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:28:07 +0000

Let Mark take you through the first steps of balloon basics in ways you would never expect. This industry veteran learned many years ago how to do so much so fast to save not only time, but money as well. Come prepared with an open mind and a willingness to try his unique brand of balloon techniques to help your business grow. For seasoned veterans as well.

Phone Facts

markz — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:27:31 +0000

Where would any business be without the telephone? There is always so much to learn about phone carriers, systems and especially advertising. You’ll be guaranteed to save money the very first day you get home with the money saving tips you’ll acquire from this class.

From Decorator to Event Planner

markz — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:26:51 +0000

Balloons may be your life, but is there more? There is and it could and should be yours. Learn from one of the industry’s most experienced decorators how to increase your business by entering the realm of total event planning. Tips for organizing and selling entertainment, music, even flowers for a complete event will be discussed.

Your Pictures Are Worth Thousands of Dollars

markz — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:25:45 +0000

Cameras are everywhere today – in your pocket, in your phone, online, offline – it’s hard to keep up! But many of these choices are not always the best option for you to take truly great photographs of your work. Pictures really do speak volumes about your designs, so if your photos don’t look good YOU don’t look good. Let Mark help you raise the level of your design work simply by showing you how to take great photographs every time. Bring your camera and let’s learn to take great photographs together.

No Frou-Frou Without Due Due (Due Diligence that is!)

markz — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:23:28 +0000

Sure, you can make great balloons and build a pretty arch, but how do you sell these items over and over? How do you market your business in the 21^st Century? Is keeping your books current a problem? Do you really understand the power of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram? Do you have a Web site and really use it to its fullest potential? If any of this sounds confusing, let Mark help you sort it all out in this fast paced class of what you need to know to organize and energize the business side and online side of your company.

Foamboard FANTASTIC!

markz — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:22:13 +0000

Everything you ever wanted to know about foamboard but were afraid to ask. Let Mark show you how to make the best use of this versatile art product. You will learn cutting techniques, painting, glittering, stenciling, simple mitering techniques, scoring, what tools to buy and lots more. If you ever wanted to work with foamboard, this is your best chance to learn how.

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Bar and Bat Mitzvahs But Were Afraid To Ask

markz — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 19:12:11 +0000

Too often fear surrounds people who wish to sell more to this lucrative market. Lose the dread (and learn the easiest of tips and tricks instead) and you’ll be designing and successfully selling for these events in no time. Mark will review basic religious principles, glossary of terms, selling techniques and show lots of great designs he has created over many years of producing for Bar and Bat Mitzvah events. Learn to sell and create centerpieces, sign-in board and books, signage, props, escort cards and lots more.