Do you shop Amazon.com?  Those of you who read my blog consistently know that I am an internet shopper.  I almost never shop at a mall unless I'm forced to because of time.  One of the first places I check to shop online?  Amazon.  Why?  Price.  One of the important things for me when I'm shopping online?  Free shipping.  Can I get that at Amazon?  Almost always.  Do they have everything I want?  Of course not.  But I check there first.  And, I can instant reviews from other consumers right at my fingertips right on the site for almost every product.

I love Amazon.com

While other retailers, etc. had a drop in sales this year, "Amazon says 2008 holiday season was 'best ever."

"Online retailer Amazon.com Inc. called this holiday season its "best ever," saying Friday that it saw a 17 percent increase in orders on its busiest day -- a rare piece of good news in a season that has been far from merry for most retailers, including online businesses.

Amazon customers ordered more than 6.3 million items on Dec. 15, compared with roughly 5.4 million on its peak day last year, the company said. It shipped more than 5.6 million products on its best day, a 44 percent rise over 2007, when it shipped about 3.9 million on its busiest day.

The company did not provide dollar figures and wouldn't say whether the average value of orders had changed, and the jumps it reported Friday are in line with increases Amazon has seen since it started releasing the figures in 2002."

Click to Continue

Right?

Someone who needs nothing.

Someone who says they need nothing.

Now there is the perfect gift for them...

"What better present for the person who has everything than a poignant reminder that they want for nothing? This lovingly crafted vial of emptiness is filled to the brim with unfettered nothingness. Free from the burden of possessions, the weight of responsibility, Nothing is as idiotic as it is brilliant."

Click HERE

(Shhh!  I'm one of those people who said I want nothing)

Too busy to blog today and even more busy tomorrow...

Hey, why are you reading?  

Don't you have a tree to decorate?  Shopping to do?  A relative to visit? A Christmas or holiday party to get ready for or to go to?

What about those Christmas cookies?  Finished yet?


Msnbc has a couple last minute gifts for you for under $50 .  If you can see through their banner and stand Ann Curry (it's from a couple days ago so you've got less days until Christmas).

I like the bath foam for kids. 


Gifts for Under $50




I'll be back Monday.  Have a good weekend!

Don't you just love peeking into your Christmas stocking?  Can't you just imagine what might be waiting for you in there? 

Okay...The economy is taking a downward turn.  People will be thrifty in their Christmas purchases.  They will be more thoughtful.  You may have been warned about Gift Cards...be careful of where you purchase them.  A business may go "out of business."  If you want to get someone a Gift Certificate for that stocking, perhaps you want it to be useful, something very practical. 

Indiana is a down-to-earth thinking kind of state; wouldn't you say?  Planned Parenthood in Indiana has come up with the perfect solution for that hard to buy for person on your list.  How about a Gift Certificate?  Oh, they say it can be used for any service, and by males or females.  That's comforting to know.  But just so Indiana residents know, yes, it will be able to be used on abortions, too. 

The gift that does not keep on giving. 

From Indiana Planned Parenthood.

"Some Hoosiers 24-Hour News 8 talked to asked if the gift certificates could be used toward abortions. The answer is yes. But, Planned Parenthood said that's not the purpose of the gift certificates.

Struben-Hall said, "They really are intended for preventative healthcare. We decided not to put restrictions on the gift certificates so it's for whatever people feel they need the services for most."


Read the entire article HERE

H/T  Pensamientos

Have you seen those people on the sides of the streets wearing the sandwich board signs that are four feet tall for going out of business sales?  We’ve seen them in past years when stores have gone under.  Currently I’ve seen them near Southridge mall.  Those are liquidator signs. 

Those signs make everything sound really cheap.  Well, beware when you actually go in and look over the product.  Some of that merchandise may actually have been marked up by the liquidator.

"Contrary to popular belief, liquidation sales aren't a great deal for the consumer," said retail industry analyst Stephen Baker of the NPD Group. "The liquidator is there to make money."

[…]

Despite what the public might think, Baker said liquidators rarely sell merchandise at a loss, even near the end of the sale. He said there are other ways to sell it off, like to overseas markets hungry for merchandise. So rather than trying to empty a store to the bare walls, Baker explained that going-out-of-business sales are more of a play upon human psychology.

Continue article HERE

 

 

"Retail is all about excitement, to get people into a store and get them into a mood to spend "

 

Finally marketing firms are realizing that when we watch television and we watch a commercial, they really need to focus on the item that they are selling.  I mean really, how many times have you watched a commercial and when it was over, you can't remember what the hell the item was that was being promoted?  That's usually when the commercial was too good.  It was a funny or entertaining commercial. 

Let's get real, unless it's the Super Bowl, we really could care less about commercials.  That's why with DVR's, etc we are breezing right through them.

So marketing has figured out that they need to just flash that brand so our eyes pick it up.

"With such a short exposure, and the sound disabled, the fast-forwarded ads that work best are those that contain little information and are simply intended to reinforce awareness of a brand, says Dr Brasel. The strength of such split-second ads was evaluated by inserting ads for two different brands of British chocolate bars, Aero and Flake, which are not sold in America and should therefore not have been familiar to the viewers. By a factor of two to one, those who were exposed to a brand image promoted in the centre of the screen during fast-forwarding ended up choosing that brand. So when you start to see TV ads in which the brand image takes centre stage, you will know why."


Read the entire article from the Economist HERE 

But, you know, years ago, they really knew how to do commercials.  They alway focused on the brand.  And that's illustrated in one of my favorite T.V. shows by one of my favorite comedians...Lucille Ball....



Who wouldn't want to buy  Vitameatavagamin !

Vermont Beef Jerky Company

I went to the factory...I tested...I tasted....

It's very good.


Original, Teriyaki, Maple & Spice, and Hickory Smoked.

Teriyaki used to be my favorite...but now I'm a fan of Maple...it's very subtle, just a hint to add sweetness.





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Vermont Teddy Bear Factory

What can I say...they're cute...

They're very well made.  They have a lifetime warranty. 

They come in outfits ( I once had surgery and was on crutches and mine came with it's leg wrapped in gauze, in a hospital gown, with a crutch  : )

Okay...they're expensive...I admit it.  But so are cookie grams and bouquets of flowers...but they don't last.

   Click on the Bear to go to the website.



P.S.

Don't forget Vermont Maple Syrup from a past shopping trip way down at the end of this post.  All three of these items are from the area I visited on my trip to Vermont last week.

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Previous Shopping Trips:



It's the grown-up's version of the old Sears Wish Book...

The  Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. 

Make sure to check out the WOW! Gifts.  I can think of lots I "wish" I had from this Christmas Book.



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LCI Papers has everything needed for homemade invitations, including kits.  And they have specialty papers, envelopes, and blank cards for everyday and other occasions, along with scrap booking papers, too.  Great customer service!



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The Popcorn Factory has gift tins, baskets and popcorn for every season and holiday.





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 prAna. 

While they have active wear…they have quality, stylish everyday clothing, too.  It’s a great apparel store.








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Ballard Designs collection is created to give a feeling of a European open-air market. 

You can find everything from candle wall sconces to dining room tables to hand made rugs and luxurious fabrics…everything you need to decorate with style.

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Have you ever checked out the Bose site? 

If you want quality sound it's definitely the place to go....the prices aren't for the faint of heart; but you get what you pay for.  They have everything from headphones and iPod setups, to full entertainment systems.   




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Napa Style has items for the kitchen, yard and garden, and of course, food and wine items.  There are cooking items and recipes from Michael Chiarello, who has the show Easy Entertaining on the Food Network.  Great, unusual stuff here.




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Wireless catalog offers casual apparel, unique gifts, fashion accessories, jewelry, collectibles, framed prints, home and garden decorative accents and more. .


WIRELESS

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Wind and Weather has weather, home and garden products for students, gardeners, bird watchers, sports enthusiasts, pilots, hobbyists, and pros.

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Lee Valley sells gardening, woodworking, tools, home supplies and gifts. 




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Get the same hair products you buy at the hair salon for a fraction of the cost.  They have men's products too.

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Sur la Table is one of the best places for a great cook to shop. 

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Cherchies Specialty Foods has a complete line of gourmet food items and gift assortments.  They have peppers, preserves, soups, seasonings, and sauces, including champagne mustard.



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L.L. Bean, out of Freeport, Maine has been around since 1912.  L.L. Bean can still be trusted for quality.  They have everything from kayaks, fishing equipment, shoes and boots, and clothes.





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Oxo is a great brand of Kitchen tools in the store.  But you can't always find the item you want.  So why not check out all the products available right from the source, online? 

OXO Good Grips

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Neato.com is a trusted place to shop online for deals on computer related media...DVDs, CDs, cases, labels, photo paper, all kinds of stuff.  I know you can get this stuff at the store... but if you want to shop online, this is the place to go. 

 

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You can't get more beautiful bouquets than from Martha Stewart Flowers.  They are simply gorgeous, top quality flowers.  You can't keep your eyes off of them when they are in a room.  Unless you are looking at that special somebody!  They are delivered straight to you door in a flower box.  


 

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Moonstruck Chocolate Company is out of Portland, Oregon. 

You've got to see their chocolates to believe them!  But tasting them is even better.  Their truffles are outrageous!





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Starwest Botanicals is out of Sacramento, CA.  They offer bulk organics, herbs, spices & teas, essential oils, aromatherapy, extracts, and many other products. 




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          WEST ELM  in California, is a great store for quality household items from furniture to towels. 



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           Peeperspecs

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Red Envelope  unique gifts for everyone in the family, including home decor, gourmet food, and flowers.  They have specialty gifts for current holidays, too.


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ALTERRA


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  Koeze Company   features cashews, mixed nuts, chocolate confections, and natural peanut butter.



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 Z Gallerie   Eclectic gifts with something for everyone and beautiful artwork, too!

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Hale Groves

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Couture's Maple Syrup Shop




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.

Gifts for the intelligent person on your list, or for the person who is just "way out there."  


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 Mrs. Hanes Hand-Made Moravian Cookies

 

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 ZABAR'S

 Jewish deli out of New York with Smoked Fish, Deli Meats, Cheeses, Coffee, even Babka almost as good as my homemade recipe  :)

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All types of crafts and supplies in one place, online.

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Beautiful, unique and quality greeting cards. 
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Harbor Sweets

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Hilltop Restaurant

GIGANTIC SWEET ROLLS.

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Barbara Ford Doyle Calendars  





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Zingerman's

Fresh Jewish rye bread and other breads and fresh finds.