Filed under: Gift Buying
I have worked within wine retail since 1995 and during that time I have listened to all types of questions and answers from customers regarding wine. When it comes to buying I have no illusions on how difficult it can be. Im lucky, I study wine. I also know how tricky it is too. Its a very personal and subjective matter.
I do occasionally feel that people need to give some thought about what they want before walking into a store.
Heres what I mean -
How much would you like to spend?
Nothing too much, er, mid-range. Sorry chaps, one persons cheap is another persons expensive.
Do you know what youd like?
Something nice. I dont recall anyone asking me for a disgusting bottle of wine. Nice I thought was a foregone conclusion. Maybe Im wrong?
More recently I had this scenario thrust upon me. A customer walked into the store, first one of the day I might add. The gentleman asks –
Im looking for a wine for someones 40th, what can you recommend?
I go through my usual repertoire of questions –
How much would you like to spend?
Not sure.
Do they like Red or White?
I dont know.
Do you know if they have a particular style they like, grape variety, full, medium or light bodied wine?
Sorry, dont know…What would you buy?
Excuse me?
What would you buy for someones 40th?
Where do you go with that? As I mentioned to the customer, the art of gift buying is unique to the person they are buying for. I do not know this person so therefore I cannot offer up too much helpful advice. In the end I pointed out a selection of wines that I thought were good. He decided that he needed to consult his wife.
I do take into account that this was an extreme case. The chances are he had been sent out to get a last minute present.
Based on this I thought I would give some pointers in buying wine.
Have a fixed budget in your mind. To say something as non-specific like cheap, mid-range doesnt really help. When I go shopping I know roughly what I want to spend before Ive entered a store. As I stated at the top, one persons cheap is anothers expensive.
If you are buying for someone else, gifts, dinner parties, find out a bit about what they like. Do some research. I know as vendors we are here to help but we can only go so far with the information provided.
Price doesnt guarantee quality. Because a bottle maybe expensive it doesnt make it exceptional. Ive sampled cheaper wines which have tasted better than dearer wines. The cost of a bottle can be based on certain factors, for example regions and restrictions. Southern French table wines should be cheaper as they have fewer production restrictions. They can be mass produced, use multiple grape varieties. Appellation Controlee regions like Burgundy or Bordeaux have set guidelines. There are very tight controls on how much they can produce. This can, invariably, produce wines with a higher shelf price.
Dont gender specify wines. If a wines good, its good regardless of gender. Nothing worse when someone asks for a wine, saying its for a woman. All of our palates are different. We all taste different things. I dont see where gender comes into it.
If you see wine available to taste then taste it. They have been opened for a reason. You may not buy one there and then but you might like it, hopefully you will be back to buy a bottle in the future.
Do not be put off by the wine store itself. If you are greeted by a wall of wine then allow the sales person to do the work for you. If the sales person is any good and the right questions have been asked they will find a wine that should suit your needs.
Dont let the seller guide you to a point where they are trying to sell you something you dont want. A customer told me the other day that he went to a store and asked for Argentinian Malbec. The assistant commented on that French Malbec was the best and led him to France. He didnt want French. He subsequently left without buying anything. By all means, listen to recommendations if the store cant fit your needs but dont be led away from your request.
Finally dont be worried or embarrassed about asking silly questions. The vast majority of the wine drinking public know little about wine. Use the vendor. Let them be your guide. Hopefully you will learn too. Impress your friends with this new found information. Believe me, there is nothing more satisfying than holding a group of people in the palm of your hand by talking about wine.
I would be interested in hearing your wine buying nightmare stories.
Now go forth and purchase with a bit more confidence.
Keep up to date with global wine news on my blog www.magicsnewbiewines.com
May 16, 2012
Apple will report on its second quarter earnings tomorrow and analysts are expecting the company to sustain its profits. While Verizon has reported a drop in iPhone sales, industry analysts are reporting that iPhone sales overseas and sales for the new iPad will keep Apples revenues up. Zacks.com estimates that Apple’s revenues for the quarter will be around $36.56 billion for the quarter, which is up from $24.67 billion that the company earned in the same quarter last year.
The International Business Times has more: Analyst Peter Misek of Jefferies expects the company to report shipments of 4.7 million MacPros, 7.1 million iPods, 33.2 million iPhones and 12.4 million iPads all down significantly from the last quarter, which included holiday gift-buying.
Apple Insider has additional estimates: Chris Whitmore with Deutsche Bank also has high hopes ahead of Tuesdays earnings report, as he expects Apple to beat consensus revenue and earnings per share estimates of $35.9 billion and $9.78, respectively. He has modeled for Apple to report sales of 26 million iPhones, 10 million iPads and 4.5 million Macs, though he noted that the iPhone number is conservative.
May 8, 2012
Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) April 24, 2012
Offering something fun for everyone, well-known Canadian novelties retailer Danna Bananas (http://www.dannabananas.com) has added new and extremely unique merchandise to the virtual shelves of their popular online novelty gift shop. Like all the products that Danna Bananas carries, these fun new novelty items, including gag gifts, joke items, wacky games, toys and gadgets, have been selected because they are entertaining and unusual – products such as the Titanic Bathtub Plug. Just in time to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, the Titanic Bathtub Plug, a novelty bath plug in the shape of the ship, turns bath time into an epic adventure and is a low priced gift suitable for anyone on your list. This and the other new novelty products now available online are ideal for many of those hard-to-buy-for gift-giving occasions, like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and thank you gifts for educators on the last day of school.
Another remarkable product that has just arrived at Danna Bananas is the H2EAU Carafe and Glass, a novel new item that is both stylish and practical. It’s a combination bedside water glass and carafe that creates an optical illusion of a magician’s stack of plastic cups. Made from sparkling borosilicate glass, it would make a terrific hostess gift or Mother’s Day gift. Two other great Mother’s Day gifts are the God Save the Queen Tea Egg, a fun tea infuser in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee, and the Mini Disco Ball Speaker and Keychain, an incredible mini speaker for Mom’s MP3 player on a jazzy keychain.
For Father’s Day, Danna Bananas has included some truly wacky items, like the Winestein Beer amp; Wine Mug, a beer mug with a wineglass inside, and the BBQ Sword, a fun novelty barbeque tool, shaped like a sword, that comes with a bonus Musketeer mask. For the ultimate Father’s Day gag gift, the Bacon Tie, a necktie that appears to be made of bacon, would be a fabulous choice for the Dad who appreciates a good laugh. Other great Father’s Day gifts are the Alt. Golf Mug, the Rubik’s Cube Speaker, and the Duct Tape Coffee Mug.
Danna Banana’s has also included some great gift ideas for teachers’ gifts, as well as gifts for the crossing guard, the school bus driver, the teaching assistant, the school secretary, and the school principal too. The funky Retro Pencil Touch Screen Stylus is a fun gift that would be appreciated by anyone, as would the I Am Not A Paper Cup, a ceramic mug that looks just like a disposable paper coffee cup. The Robot Calculator, a really cute little gizmo is a working calculator, night light and paperclip holder, and who wouldn’t want to receive a Heart Shaped Tea Infuser, a thoughtful and practical present.
“Gift buying does not have to be a dreaded chore, if you shop online,” claims Danna Wilson, owner of Danna Banana’s. “Customers often tell me that until they started using my online store, they found shopping for those hard to buy for gifts, especially teacher’s gifts, an experience they could do without. For one thing, shopping at the mall is time consuming and most people don’t want to spend hours hunting down the perfect gift. It can also be expensive. Most parents need to buy several gifts for their children to hand out at the end of the year school. This is why we have included many gift items that are under $10,” says Wilson.
About Danna Bananas: A fun online novelty store that features the very latest and most unusual gifts for every occasion, Danna Bananas is “The wackiest little gift shop on the web.” Danna Bananas searches the world to bring to their online novelty store the most unusual children’s toys, gag and joke items, fun games, and the strangest kitsch to be found anywhere. For unique teacher’s gifts, Mother’s Day gifts, Father’s Day gifts, birthday gifts, and novelty items for any occasion, shop with confidence using Danna Bananas’ secure online ordering system. Danna Bananas’ offers excellent customer service, speedy delivery, and a100% customer satisfaction guarantee. With Danna Bananas, finding the perfect gift has never been so easy and so much fun. A visit to the website http://www.DannaBananas.com is sure to put a smile on your face.
Contact Information:
Danna Wilson
Danna Bananas
14B-1822 Whites Road Suite # 320
Pickering, OntarioL1V 0B1
1-866-580-9860
danna(at)dannabananas(dot)com
http://www.dannabananas.com
May 8, 2012
So in a nutshell of nutshells in the Florida shooting, according to the interpretation of that state?s law by shooter Zimmerman, his relatives, attorney, and criminal defense lawyer, this killing is justified on the basis of who was willing to kill first and claim self-defense after the fact.
The killer arrives at his ground to stand and kills after stalking the killed individual who dies on the same ground he rather freely travelled to ? his mistake being that he should have killed first.
In this bit of cultural extermination into what constitutes public safety, justice goes to the one that is inclined to shoot first and claim self defense later and just deserts goes to the dead.
To wit, peace and quiet comes first to those that at not willing to shoot first; this progressively leaves standing their ground those most readily inclined to shoot first. Caring about others becomes a very real and present impediment to keep standing at all, and those that care least keep improving things by killing off those that might hesitate just a bit.
But let?s get to the heart of it all, ?It?s the economy stupid.? Every gun sold has the potential of increasing employment in the funeral parlor business and the supply chain of caskets, flowers, tombstones and grave excavation, not to mention the annual carryover of the sale in box stores (for credit card debt) all of those plastic flowers and wreaths manufactured in low-standard-of-living countries and put on graves in our declining-standard-of-living country.
If ?stand your ground? could go national, it could create weekly a Mega Black Friday that puts to shame the one that now marks the begging of gift-buying at the start of the seasons of the birth of The Prince of Peace.
Just an entrepreneurial spin on this, but maybe guns shops should go one-stop service and get into the mortuary business ? maybe with a catchy promotional name: ?HOLD YOUR GROUND WITH ONE SHOT AND STOP? ? drive-by shootings available at discount.
Sam Osborne, West Branch
May 6, 2012
If youve been away from the online headdress symposium known as Team Fortress 2, now would be a good time to jump back in. Valve has added three very special lids to TF2 that are likely to spark a rash of gift buying and giving not seen since the Steam Holiday Sale.
Posting on the TF2 Blog, Valve announced that the Dueler, Philateler, and Gifting Man From Gifting Land will now be rewarded to individuals on a daily basis. These are one-of-a-kind hats that will change ownership each day based on prior day performance. Win the most duels and youll be wearing the Dueler for 24 hours. Things get more interesting, and more gifty, with the Philateler and Gifting Man From Gifting Land.
Buy the most Map Stamps at the Mann Co. Store, and youll sport the stamp-covered Philateler for a day. And if you give away the most gifts, well, that bow-topped beauty will be yours, signaling your love for gifting, and making you the most beloved man in TF2.
So before the novelty wears off, we suggest you jump back into Team Fortress 2, make some new friends, and accept any and all gifts players will be throwing at you. (And, you know, give back a bit, too. Scrooge.)
May 5, 2012
12: 30 pm Walk to the end of Bonngasse, turn right and keep walking until you reach Berthavon-Suttner-Platz/Beethovenhaus station. Jump on the 67 tram down to the district of Bad Godesberg and treat yourself to lunch in the ruins of a hilltop medieval fortress while enjoying unparalleled views over the River Rhine and Seven Mountains (godesburg-bonn.de).
2 pm After filling up on German fare, climb the tower of the 800-year-old castle, most of which was destroyed during a siege in 1583.
As you walk back down the hill towards the station, keep your eyes peeled for small memorial plaques set into the pavement. These mark the houses where Jews lived in the early 20th century before they were deported to concentration camps during the Nazi era.
3 pm Catch the 63, 67 or 16 tram from Bad Godesberg back towards Bonn Central Station. Hop off at Wurzerstrasse to pop into the Haribo factory shop for a spot of holiday gift-buying. The chewy sweets hail from Bonn, where Hans Riegel set up the confectionary firm in 1920. Haribo stands for Hans Riegel Bonn.
4 pm Get back on the tram and step off at Heussallee/Museumsmeile, where a range of museums caters to all tastes. Head to Haus der Geschichte (Museum of Contemporary History) if youre interested in postwar German history.
If art is more your thing, visit the Kunstmuseum (Art Museum), which houses the works of 20th century German artists like August Macke, who lived in Bonn. The adjacent Ausstellungshalle (Exhibition Hall), which houses temporary exhibitions, is also worth a visit.
Those with a zoological bent should make a beeline for Museum Alexander Koenig (Alexander Koenig Museum) to learn about biodiversity in environments ranging from rainforests and deserts to the Arctic.
Alternatively, if youre visiting between Easter and October, head down to the river and take a boat trip along the Rhine.
6 pm Work up an appetite for dinner by strolling along the riverside promenade toward the city centre.
6: 30 pm For dinner with a difference, try Ocean Paradise, a floating Chinese restaurant moored on the banks of the Rhine. Otherwise go to Zur Lese, a contemporary riverside restaurant that serves a good selection of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes. Sit in the covered terrace area and watch a constant stream of cargo boats loaded with colourful containers sail past.
8 pm If the Beethoven Orchestra is playing while youre in town, be sure to get tickets, as this is one of Germanys best orchestras. If not, take a stroll through the Hofgarten park in central Bonn and admire the citys elegant university, housed in a former palace. Then make your way to Alter Zoll, a beer garden on the site of an old customs house, and relax under the shade of chestnut trees as you watch the world go by.
May 5, 2012
One of the largest online retailers of leather accessories experiences sales increases despite the difficult economy and offers its customers a discount on purchases.
Island Lake, IL (PRWEB) April 02, 2012
Leather Tree, the online retailer of distressed leather products, announces major year-over-year sales increases. Sales are currently up 15% from the previous year, and there has been a big push toward products that are considered a useful graduation gift. While the demand for these high-end products suffered during the recession, the company sees this recent growth as a sign of brighter things to come in the future.
“Like most other business, the last few years have been a struggle,” said Jacqueline Berger, president of Leather Tree, Inc. “The economy has hit a lot of companies hard, but we’ve gotten off to a great start this year, and there has been a lot of early gift buying for the upcoming graduation season that has propelled us far past our previous year’s sales.”
Leather Tree specializes in personalized graduation gifts, such as leather briefcases and messenger bags, but it usually doesn’t see a large amount of graduation gift buying until the end of April when the impeding high school and college ceremonies are about to start. However, this year the company has seen a lot of gift buying throughout the month of March, with the total increase in graduation gift purchases up 500%.
The average price per sale on these gifts has also seen a major increase, rising from $150 per gift to $280. Leather backpacks, briefcases and other bags are very durable and can last for a very long time, which may make these items very appealing as gifts, whether the student is going on to higher education or out searching for a first job.
“We think this jump in sales is a result of customers starting to look for more upscale items once again,” Berger added. “A high quality briefcase or leather backpack is extremely useful as the graduate moves on to college or out into the job market, and people are looking for a memorable way to commemorate the occasion with a gift that will last for years.”
Currently, customers are also able to take advantage of an added discount on these leather products. Leather Tree is offering a 10% discount on the entire purchase when the customer types the word “GRAD” into the coupon code box at checkout.
About Leather Tree:
Since 1997, LeatherTree.com has dedicated themselves to providing the highest customer satisfaction in the leather goods industry. Their leather products make great birthday, holiday and graduation gifts. They have been rated 1A in customer service, ease of ordering, products, pricing and shipping.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebmessenger/bags/prweb9353112.htm
May 2, 2012
When I look over my monthly budget, there are almost no splurges. I buy groceries, I get gas, I make coffee at home, I rarely eat in restaurants, and I almost never shop for clothes. The one thing I do find myself spending indiscriminately on? Gifts.
#13;
I admit, it happens where I’m pressed for time and I just run out and grab something without worrying about the price.
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Sometimes I’m smart about gift-buying, and I’ll pick up something that I think a friend will love, months before her birthday, when it goes on sale. I’ll also comparison-shop, sometimes ordering online to get the best price. I even have a “present closet,” a concept I adopted from my mom, who always had adorable, generic gifts on hand for just-in-case occasions. And whenever I can, I make my own.
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The spring and summer gift-giving seasons are rapidly approaching – think Mother’s and Father’s days, high school and college graduations, baby and bridal showers. You’ve got some time, so make your own gifts for these special occasions. If you’re crafty, great! But even if you’re DIY-challenged, there are plenty of gifts out there you can make. Check out some easy, inspiring ideas from Pinterest:
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Sugar scrub – For mom! This is so simple; you will never buy the stuff again. Mix sugar, mineral or olive oil, and a flavored extract like vanilla, lemon or lavender. Package it in a little jar, make your own gift tag using paper scraps and tie with a ribbon. It’s non-toxic (you can actually eat it!), inexpensive and makes a wonderful gift to give and receive.
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Car wash kit – For dad! Pick up a couple sponges and a roll of paper towels at the dollar store. Make your own upholstery freshening spray and window cleaner, and splurge on a car-wash soap (don’t use dish soap!), a chamois and good wax. Dad would love this gift even more if it came with a few IOU car wash coupons.
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Journal in a Jar – For the grad! Pick up a cute journal with plenty of lined pages. (Be sure it’s appropriate, you don’t want to give 22-year-old Steve a journal with puppies and daisies on the cover.) Fill a Mason jar with these folded scraps of paper, each with a question or topic intended to prompt a journal entry. All the cutting and folding will take you a little time, but it’s worth it. What a great way for a recent grad to permanently record thoughts and memories!
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DIY baby gifts – For the new mom and baby! Make mom’s job recording baby’s first moments easy by giving her this adorable homemade baby book (with free printables!). Help new parents keep track of escaping pacifiers with a pacifier clip. Or get colorful with this sweet tie-dyed onesie.
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Bridal shower cake – For the bride! Grab some good-quality kitchen towels, a couple utensils and instruments off her registry and some scrapbooking embellishments for this adorable shower gift, sure to be a favorite! Don’t forget to check out Marshall’s, Ross and TJ Maxx for great deals on this cake’s “ingredients.”
May 1, 2012
In Space, players can fling the birds in zero gravity, or use the gravitational pull of nearby planets to set up special trick shots. There are 60 in-game levels to tackle, as well as hidden zones to discover not to mention regular free updates from Rovio.
The developer says gameplay has been optimised for all platforms, including full Retina display support on the new iPad. The boxed PC version also offers its own unique selling points, claims budget specialist Focus Multimedia.
The PC version removes the need for a costly mobile device and so allows for total mass-market penetration, adds Wild.
Angry Birds on PC opens up a world of gift buying, impulse purchase and attached sales opportunities that you can only truly get with a boxed product.
The brand strength brings longevity and the range continues to be popular on PC.
Bird bundle
The full range of boxed Angry Birds games from publisher Focus Multimedia includes the original game, as well as Angry Birds Rio, Angry Birds Seasons and now Space. Theyre pound;10.20 each.
Retail Space invaders
Angry Birds Space marks the first lsquo;integrated entertainment launch for Rovio, with all manner of new merchandise and books available at retail at the same time as the game. Retailers can stock soft toys and clothing.
Angry Birds Land
Rovio is planning to open Angry Birds areas in Finnish and British theme parks. These will feature rides and other games, including special zones where lsquo;outdoor activities and the gaming world meet.
Hitting the kids TV space
A short Angry Birds Space film aired on childrens TV channel Nickelodeon on Friday, March 23rd, to mark the games launch on digital platforms. It revealed six new characters and tells the story of how the Angry Birds end up in space.
April 30, 2012
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Just two years ago gift shopper still favored brick-and-mortar stores for their purchase, but a new report from Unity Marketing shows that online shopping venues are now consumers primary go-to destination for gift buying.
Not too long ago, the conventional wisdom held that consumers might do research online, but they preferred to make purchases in physical locations that would allow them to leave with gift in hand, says Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of the report. Today, the opposite is true. Gifting consumers are looking for the convenience of being able to research and make a purchase without interrupting their day with a shopping trip. Combined with the ability of online shopping destinations to offer unique or special products that might be costly to offer in a physical store, this is a powerful reason for marketers to invest in their online presence.
The report, based on a survey of 1,939 recent gift buyers, shows that 52% of consider online sites to be their regular go-to destination for gift purchases, replacing discount department stores like Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target. Thats up from 39% in 2010.
When asked about special store features that make a destination more attractive for gift shopping, the stand-out trend in 2012 is the importance of online access, Unity Marketing reported.
Gift shoppers biggest need in a shopping destination is an easy and convenient shopping experience, which gives online shopping an advantage.
One of the biggest movers in the survey results in terms of importance is that retailers offer internet access to the products and services it offers.
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April 29, 2012
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