Best New Year Gifts

    As the new year approaches, you would be looking for original ideas about New Year gifts to exchange them with your family and friends. Charm the New Year party by showering presents to your near and dear ones and turn the celebrations more meaningful.

   The ideas for gifts usually depend on the age, occasion, your relation to the recipient as well as on his/her taste. When you know his/her preferences, it will be easier for you to select a perfect gift. To make the right choice you can purchase gifts online or visit special New Year stores.

   Flowers, cakes and cards are one of the most popular Christmas and New Year gifts over the past years, but try to think about something extraordinary to astound your loved ones or colleagues this year. When doing so the event will turn out to be a memorable one. 

Personalized New Year Gifts:

Make it a Hand Made New Year and add a personal touch to the presents for the special people in your lives. Plan ahead and take the time to create something very special for your family and friends. Some of the ideas are New Year’s knits, handmade New Year cards, New Year wreath, New Year decorations for a tree or home.

Personalized Coasters and Coffee Mugs:
A personalized mug filled with coffee or tea will remind your darling of you. Walk into your darling’s heart by getting your best photos printed on coffee coasters and mugs.

Personalized Wine and Champagne Bottles:
For a memorable or romantic gift order a champagne or wine bottle and add your personalized note, logo, artwork or message on it. This unforgettable gift will be transformed into an elegant product to share with your loved ones.

New Year Planner or Diary:

Make every day of your darling special by gifting a diary for the New Year. Your husband or boyfriend would surely love this present. This gift will help him to plan his schedules better and you always will be in his mind.

Cosmetics or Perfume:

For your girlfriend or wife, get hold of some cosmetics or nice smelling perfume of her favorite brand. This gift for sure will give her a beautiful smile.

New Year Calendar:

Collect the most beautiful photos you took last year and get a nice calendar printed this year with a picture for every month of the year. This collection of sweet memories will undoubtedly steal anyone’s heart.

Chinese New Year Gifts:

Chinese New Year Gifts:

If you have friends in China and you want to surprise them this New Year, the best idea would be sending them Chinese New Year gifts. Chinese New Year is the longest (fifteen days) and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. Here are some of the very popular New Year Chinese Presents:

• Chinese coin money tree
• A nicely wrapped box of tea
• Silver fortune cookie box engraved with the New Year message
• Wooden chopsticks set in presentation box
• Chinese New Year treat bag
• Good fortune charm bracelet
• Red Chinese lantern
• Personalized Chinese symbol Wooden picture album

Gift Ideas for personal and family purposes:
Here are very useful gifts that you can present to your relatives.

• Window dressings - Drapers, tassels and Curtains
• Bedspreads - Pillows, cushion covers, bed sheets
• Dinner ware - Cutleries, dishes, bowls and platters
• Wine glasses - Set of six goblets

Hope you enjoy the celebrations and pick the best New Year gifts for all your family members, friends and colleagues.

                                            Happy New Year 2015!!!                                            

Black Friday 2014: Fun Facts and Stats to Know

After stuffing themselves at Thanksgiving Dinner and sitting cooped up indoors with their television sets, it's customary for Americans to rush out with their shopping bags the next day early in the morning and fill them with countless products bought on Black Friday. But it is worth mentioning that this tradition of weekend shopping began in the USA only about two decades back and the term "Black Friday"was not even used until the middle of 1960s. Read further to find out some of the most interesting facts and stats about the shopping weekend.

• "Black Friday" was first used without any shopping connotation by police in Philadelphia to speak of the congested streets, clogged with motorists and pedestrians.
• Before 2001, Black Friday was not considered the biggest day of shopping as this title was held by the day before Christmas.
• In 2014 approximately 140 million unique shoppers are expected to shop during the Thanksgiving weekend, according to NRF's survey.
• The most popular product in the shopping carts on Black Friday is Clothing, with 64 per cent of interviewed revealing they shopped in this category. It is followed by electronic products at 47 per cent and Food Stuff/Beverage and Entertainment at 46 per cent each.
• Most shoppers, in order to avoid crowds and the cold and to save time have recourse to shopping online. On Black Friday 2013, 86 per cent of Home Goods purchases, 85 per cent of kid's toys and games, and 47 per cent of Entertainment purchases were made online.
• Two women have been camping outside Best Buy in Beaumont, California since 5 November, 22 days ahead of Black Friday 2014, according to Banning-Beaumont Patch.
• Recovering from the credit crisis that began in 2009, the auto industry will be seeing huge sales on Thanksgiving weekend of 2014, as many are expected to ditch malls for car dealers, reports Fortune.
• Best Buy has introduced a "Code Adam" for helping lost children in department stores which usually happens every year, according to Washington Post.
• Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for plumbers, who are left to clean up after guests "overwhelm the system", reports CNN.

HOW TO WORK WITH INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS

Are you planning to expand your business to another country? But before going international consider the following fact: your usual American approach to professional interactions with overseas customers and suppliers may estrange important clients. The main tip would be – take account of the potential differences in how you do business and view the world.

Here are some helpful tips for strengthening and forging international partnerships:

1. Research the culture

Information about culture and economics in your target partner’s country can be helpful to strengthen and cultivate work relationships. Study up on cultural norms, names of top leaders, large-scale political events or your direct competitors.

2. Understand gender roles.

 Understand that perceptions of women at work vary widely all over the world. Whether you’re male or female, before going global, decide whether you are ready to collaborate with a client whose organizational culture and personal values may differ in great measure from yours. Sometimes female entrepreneurs may have to make adjustments to their standard practices, such as sending a male colleague to meet with a customer.

3. Speak to someone with experience.

 Someone in your professional network may be an export in international business — and perhaps has even done business in your target customer’s country. Ask for some advice and to share his/her experience with you. If you don’t know anybody, contact your local chamber of commerce or industry trade group. You will be referred to someone who can give you insight into that overseas market.

4. Find a local contact. 

American expats are found practically in every country of the world, and many of them are entrepreneurs. It is a good idea finding one who can give you a bi- cultural perspective on the target country. You should also consider hiring workers who are from that country. This will give you specialized insight and knowledge to make sure that things go as planned.

5. Check the time.

 It sounds obvious, but it is easy to forget: Not everyone lives and works in the same time zone. If you are in Los Angeles at 5 p.m. and call your client in Mumbai, they probably will not be happy that your call woke them up at 2:30 a.m.

6. Know the holidays.

Calling overseas customers on one of their country’s national holidays could be regarded as offensive. It could also be a disaster for your business if you fail to plan important deadlines around when they’re out of the office. For example, if you work with a Chinese manufacturer, you should know that during Chinese New Year (late January or early February), nearly all manufacturing and shipping shuts down for at least one week and often longer.

7. Use Skype

International calling can be expensive that is why many businesses prefer to use Skype or a similar service for communications. If you don’t already have an account, get one and learn how to use it before contacting foreign clients.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING TRICKS EVERY COMPANY MUST KNOW

Presently international shipping represents a key process in many businesses’ structure. Shipping your products overseas is often a simple process, especially if you engage the services of a reputable shipper. However there are important factors which companies should bear in mind the next time they make a dispatch. Every nation has its own customs, and this can in some cases affect the smooth passage of a consignment from one country to the next.

Usually each country has a list of proscribed materials which will be confiscated if they are discovered. These regulations may vary from nation to nation. In all cases, it’s best to make a few inquiries before importing into a country if you are not absolutely sure about the safety of your consignment.

Australia

Exporting packages to Australia, for instance, can sometime prove complex. The country is known for its fragile eco-system, consequently there are strict regulations covering the import of everything from soil and plants to pesticides and wildlife. The Australian officials are presumably to refuse entry to parcels which they suspect contain any prohibited items, so make certain you always check before shipping.

Japan

If your company is going to trade with Japan, the value should to be declared in advance. If consignment equates to more than 300,000 yen (approximately $28400) , it will be not possible to ship it straight to the recipient’s address. When the consignment enters the country, will be contacted by the Japanese authorities, and he or she will then be expected to collect it from the local delivery office. For time-sensitive products, it must be borne in mind.

United States

Day-to-day, thousands and thousands of packages are delivered from different countries to the United States. However many senders don’t realize how many potential restrictions may be involved in the shipping process. The usual list of suspects may come as no great surprise and sending fresh fruits and vegetables can be complex operations.

China

Packages that contain products meant for for political promotion are probably to be impounded in China. The same rule applies, incredibly, to many items with the label ‘Made in China’. The country protects its trading operations at every opportunity, so be careful what you send. American beef products and various medications are all on the Chinese prohibited list.

Mexico

There are major restrictions which need to be remembered when exporting to Mexico. Restrictions on imports include alcohol, tobacco and medications, but there are also issues facing the movement of pencils, bicycles and compact discs. By using international parcel specialists, you can be sure of having expert help along the way.

Italy

Italy imposes restrictions on the import of certain food items that include milk for infants, while in France there are limitations on the movement of a range of different products, including artificial-fibre pyjamas and pencil erasers which look like food. Extra-strength alcohol and potatoes are just some of the items that you cannot import into Norway. In New Zealand, it is prohibited to import car tyres, chewing tobacco and anything trout-related.

Sending certain sensitive items overseas is perhaps not as simple as you thought. Each country appears to have particular quirks, and falling foul of these restrictions can be a frustrating, time-consuming and ultimately costly experience. Make sure you find out the facts before waving goodbye to your parcels.

How to Get Paid When Your Customer Is in Another Country

Getting a recalcitrant customer to pay upis always tough, especially when s/he is in another country. Butthis doesn't mean that you will be not paid. In this case you just need to put a little extra effort in it in order to be well-prepared before you ship your products.

Laurel Delaney, a successful entrepreneur, author, speaker, educator and blogger has prepared a list of very important tips for importers and exporters. In her book "Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably" we can find a number of strategies to help make sure we get paid. Let's have a look at some of them.

Paypal

Many entrepreneurs have recourse to Paypal when it comes to international transactions using it even for amounts up to $10,000. But there is an important point you should know about before shipping: Paypal charges 2.9 percent for domestic transactions and 3.9 percent for international ones.

"As you grow, that 2.9 or 3.9 percent is going to look more and more onerous, and is going to cut into your profit margins. "You don't want to be paying those fees just for collecting money," Delaney says.

Cash in Advance

It's very hard to get your payment in advance, says Delaney. On the other hand, "You won't get what you don't ask for. There is a remote chance it can happen. The hungrier they are for your product or service, the more likely it is that they're going to do it."

There is a decent alternative that is to ask the customer to pay in installments. One common arrangement is for the customer to pay a third up front, a third while you're doing the manufacturing, and a third when you release the goods and they receive the products.

Sight Draft

Sight drafts are used with both air shipments and ocean shipments for financing transactions of goods in international trade. "It is the most common financing tool used by small- and medium-sized businesses that are doing business overseas", says Delaney. "You'll need some help from your bank and your shipping company or freight forwarder to set it up."

Importantly, a sight draft allows you to draw a check on your buyer's bank account. With a site draft, your international client will not be able to take possession of the shipment until they sign a document saying the shipment has been made. When they do, their bank will pay you.

Letter of Credit

A Letter of Credit is mostly used for long-distance and international transactions since they ensure that payment will be received. Using documentary letters of credit allows the seller to significantly reduce the risk of non-payment for the shipment by replacing the risk of the buyer with that of the banks.In effect, a letter of credit substitutes the creditworthiness of your customer's bank for that of your customer itself.

A letter of credit will be paid in conformity with the conditions in the letter of credit itself, which often include an inspection of the shipment itself.

In general, a letter of credit will cost you about 1/8 of one percent of the value of the shipment, says Delaney. "It brings you peace of mind," says Delaney, "It's worth the price, and it's worth your time."

If You Didn't Prepare in Advance…

If your customer has already received your goods, and you have done nothing to be sure you get paid, all is not lost. But you have got a lot of legwork to do. "It's almost as if you're treating the customer as if they're local," says Delaney.

For a small dollar amount, start with a simple email, says Delaney. Ask: "Is there something we failed to do? Perhaps we do not understand the timeline for payment?" Mention that you will send someone to their office to discuss it in person.

If that doesn't work, send a more insistent email, and say that really, you would hate to have to ask the U.S. Embassy for help, because you wouldn't want to do anything to tarnish this most valued customer's reputation. If the customer still refuses to pay, you absolutely can go to the U.S. Embassy in the customer's country and ask for their help. Often, just the threat of this will get people to pay up.

There are other ways to find government officials who can help you in this situation. At www.export.gov, pull down the tab for the market your delinquent customer is located in. There, you'll find a list of specialists categorized by industry or product. Find the specialist in your product and country, explain them in detail what is going on, and ask them for help.

"Almost nobody will do this," says Delaney. That makes your odds all the better when you do.

TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE PENS IN THE WORLD

1). Aurora Diamante fountain pen
Price : $1,470,600

The Aurora Diamante – this jewel is more than a pen. It is definitely classy. This pen is so exclusive that only one is produced per year. The pen is covered with over 30 carats of De Beers diamonds on a solid platinum barrel. Priced at over €1 million, the Aurora Diamante is one of the most expensive ones ever.

2). Caran d’Ache Gothica Pen

Price :$ 2,013

Caran d’Ache Gotica Pen was launched in China in 2006. This luxury writing instrument is one of the most expensive pens in the world. This limited edition from Caran d’Ache (there are only 1022 pens available in the world), is a miniaturized tribute to gothic art and architecture.The body cap and pen are sparkling and all sides display a gothic window of rosette in luminous colors. All sides of the Caran d’Ache pen are with coated rhodium sterling silver.

3). CREW 60TH White Gold – Tibaldi fountain pens
Price : $43,000

CREW 60TH White Gold – Tibaldi fountain pen is a landmark in pen making history with Bentley. The automobile giant created its own pen sets in collaboration with the world’s best Italian luxury designer, Tibaldi. These expensive Tibaldi for Bentley pens contain two tone 18 carat yellow gold and nib covered of rhodium and ruthenium. The level of ink can be seen through the transparent window of the Tibaldi for Bentley pens. This luxury pen collection is a limited edition of 40 solid white gold fountain pens.

4). La Modernista Diamonds – Caran d’Ache
Price : $265,000

La Modernista Diamonds – Caran d’Ache was manufactured by the Swiss company Caran d’Ache in homage to Antonio Gaudi, the most famous of Modernist architects. In 2001 the pen was sold in London for $265,000, becoming the most expensive pen in Guiness World Records that year. This amazing diamond pen contains 18 carat rhodium coated gold nib and 30 carats diamonds on all over the pen body. La Modernista Diamonds was hand-made by master jeweler Robert Perron. It took him six months to complete this true masterpiece.

5). MARTE – Omas Fountain Pen
Price : $43,000

Omas Fountain Pen is 18 carat rose gold fountain pen. The cap is encrusted with 2 carat small diamonds at polar of the cap and as well as bottom of the pen body.Examining this luxury pen, you will discover the artistic representation in rose gold of the surface of Mars, the faithful map of the red planet, its dusty deserts and its mountains.

6). Mont Blanc Prince Rainier III Limited Edition
Price : $ 260,200

Mont Blanc Prince Rainier III Limited Edition was created in honor of the sovereign of Monaco. The pen’s frame is studded with lozenge-shaped diamonds and rubies representing the shield of the Grimaldi coat of arms. There are only 81 pieces of the Prince Rainier III Limited edition available.

7). Mystery Masterpiece – Mont Blanc and Van Cleef & Arpels Limited Edition
Price : $730,000

The Mystery Masterpiece Mont Blanc and Van Cleef & Arpels is the 4^th most expensive pen in the world. The pen is studded with 840 diamonds. The Mystery Masterpiece belongs to two luxury stationary brands Mont Blanc and Van Cleef & Arpels.

8). Visconti – Alchemy H.R.H. Fountain Pens
Price : $57,000

Alchemy H.R.H. Fountain Pens was manufacturing by Visconti in 2003 and it is known as one of the most expensive pens in the world. Visconti Alchemy H.R.H. contains 18 carats white, yellow gold and 18 carats medium two tone rhodium plated gold nibs. There are only 83 pieces of this masterpiece worldwide.

9). Visconti – Ripple H.R.H. Fountain Pen
Price : $57,000

With only 39 pieces produced, Visconti’s remarkable Ripple HRH fountain pen features a 23KT palladium dream touch nib and a double reservoir power filler. Its gold resin black shaft sparkles with the 650 white diamonds that adorn it. The perfect gift for the man who has everything.

10). Visconti – The Forbidden City H.R.H. Fountain Pen
Price : $50,500

The Forbidden City H.R.H. Fountain Pen was manufacturered by the Italian company Visconti in 2004 with 38 pieces produced. 18KT white gold and black resin shaft is perfectly complemented by the 23KT palladium dreamtouch nib.

HOW TO SELL ONLINE: THE SINGLE BEST PIECES OF ADVICE FROM 10 SUCCESSFUL ECOMMERCE ENTREPRENEURS

Are you launching a new store or trying to take your business to the next level? It’s always a good idea to learn from experts in your field.The article features a roundup of 20 of successful entrepreneurs, and the single best piece of advice they offer to new business starters. These businesses sell everything from apparel to furniture. They are based in nearly a dozen countries around the world and they have all found terrific success selling online. Here’s what 10 successful store owners have to say.

                       America Party Gear (American Flag Clothing, Sunglasses and Accessories)

      “Get your site fundamentals down first. Make sure you get SEO right, have a site optimized for all screens, and make sure your design is top notch.”

 

                                Fit Little Bride (Social Media Marketing and Brand Marketing Success)

           “Define your desired customers by what their interests are, what motivates them to purchase, what they like and who they want to be. If you design your storefront and products to meet all of their needs and stay true to that brand, your company will be the first thing they think of when they are ready to make a purchase.“

                                  Raw Generation  (If at first you do not succeed, change!)

     “When you are starting out in business, resources are often very limited. This is precisely why it is that much more imperative that you create a goal with a deadline and focus every waking moment on achieving that goal.“

 

                                          Hickies (Leaving a mark of affection on the show world)

      “As a general rule, we only work with nice people. We try to treat our customers the way we want to be treated and make every interaction a positive one.“

                                        Slyde Handboards (It all started with a tray)

   “It’s not an essential key to a successful business but it does help that you are immersed in the lifestyle of it especially something like the surf industry.“

 

                                                  Lookmatic (Eyeware eveolved)

 “Find a way to be genuine. There is so much noise out there and consumers are savvier than ever – you have to really believe in your product and have an honest commitment to your customers to find a message that resonates.“

 

                             Laura Davidson Direct (an online store for uniquely designed furniture)

 “It’s important not to let the bad days get you down, and realize that there’s an abundant supply of customers and opportunity around the next bend.“

                          Greats Sneakers (A sneaker business with a disruptive business)

“There are always challenges but if you have a clear idea of what the store should look like it will help define the flow of the site and all the other logistical stuff that is critical for a successful online store.“

                                           Audicus (We are bringing hearing back)

     “Do as much research as possible, but prepare to be unprepared.”

 

                             Vertty (Designer beach towels sold exclusively online)

 “People hate to wait for their purchases and they want to know where their items are, all the time. Pay a little more for a good shipping partner, because it will pay off in the future.“