THE PROBLEM: O.K., part of the excitement of holiday shopping is fighting bad weather, sneaking into that last parking spot, feeling like a sardine as you are pancaked in the mall, not finding those perfect gifts and settling for an almost perfect gift, rude sales clerks, $5 for cold chop suey, or was it a taco, or maybe some weird health food dish mistakenly purchased in the wrong line ... - well perhaps excitement is not the right word for it. There may be a solution that would avoid all of the above!
THE SOLUTION: What about a mall that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week; no crowds, no lines, no waiting; virtually unlimited selection; salesclerks can always find your requests (that are not rude); the ability to find auto accessories, baby gifts. computers, personalized gifts, home improvement items, coffee, cool food items, toys, video games, sporting goods, jewelry, --- all from the same comfy computer chair. Most traditional retail stores understand the power and future of the internet and have made their products available online. Some even have web-only specials.
THE PLAYERS: Companies such as Wal*Mart, Service Merchandise, Starbucks, Office Max, Blockbuster, eBay, Hickory Farms, Bits and Pieces, My Twinn, Omaha Steaks, NBA Store, Shutterfly, Lenox, Franklin Mint, Rubbermaid, Bombay Company, Bass Pro Shops, Pet Care Central, Amazon, All Posters, Charles Tyrwhitt, Jos. A Bank, Florsheim, Dunham's Sports, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Radisson Hotels, The Shopping Channel, Dickie's, Columbia house, Road Runner Sports, Dell Systems, CHEFS, NetFlix, Diamonds International, Disney Movie Club, Christianbook, and many others have very aggressive internet marketing departments. All of this without ever having to spend a penny on gas!
THE DELIVERY: With the improvement of shipping efficiency by companies such as UPS, FedEx and DHL, even regular shipping for items are normally 2-3 days. Since most last-minute shopping is caused by not being able to find the time to get to the mall, receiving the items in time from an online purchase should be a piece of cake. Another idea could be to have the item directly shipped to Uncle Bob and Aunt Jane to avoid the additional headache of getting to the post office and paying additional much needed funds to get the present there on time.
THE SECURITY SOLUTION: There has certainly been a great deal of publicity about security issues for internet shoppers. A few small but important considerations should reduce many security/privacy concerns: making sure the actual purchasing site (where your credit card information is requested) shows up as https, making sure the company is registered with a security company such as VeriSign or Thawte, and dealing with reputable retailers. Most online sites accept all major credit cards. Some accept PayPal, Google Checkout, and online checks. All of these options are designed to improve your online shopping experience.
THE REWARD: So during this holiday season, remember the real reason for the season: celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and spend more time with your family (and save money on gas and gifts by onlining your shopping experience!).
Find hundreds of gifts ideas from the above online merchants and many more (new companies added weekly) at http://www.virtualmallcity.com.
http://www.MarshfieldMoInfo.com is a portal site that contains a number of different websites on a variety of subjects: Virtual Mall, Web Site Design and Hosting, Wedding Gown Preservation, Bridal Veils, and Unique Baby Items.
About the Author
www.MarshfieldMoInfo.com is a portal site that contains a number of different websites on a variety of subjects: Virtual Mall, Web Site Design and Hosting, Wedding Gown Preservation, Bridal Veils, and Unique Baby Items.
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