At Shopping-Bargains® we try to do more than simply publish coupons and deals. Instead, we also seek to build relationships with retailers and our customers who shop with them.

Chief Marketing Officer Gwynne Gorr

One of the exciting things for me is the chance to meet many of the people behind the websites — the people who make online shopping possible for millions of shoppers around the world. In light of this, I recently had a chance to interview Gwynne Gorr, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of The Franklin Mint. She was kind enough to answer several of my questions about The Franklin Mint and their history. What follows is a transcript of our interview.

Mike Allen: “Thank you for sharing your time and insights with our shoppers today. I read that The Franklin Mint was founded in 1964. Can you explain where the name came from and how The Franklin Mint got started?”

Gwynne Gorr: “When the company was founded, it was an actual Mint….a company that manufactured coins and medallions. It was one of the highest quality minting operations in the world and produced currency for countries across the globe. The idea of the founders was to introduce to a broad audience the concept of coin collecting with the introduction of continuity programs that provided the customer the opportunity to acquire a new piece for their collection on a regular basis with the benefit of The Franklin Mint’s recommendation of that product. The continuity concept was such a success that it was expanded into other collectible product forms such as sculpture, dolls, and precision models.”

MA: “With your extensive collection of die-cast models, heirloom dolls, memorabilia and so much more, is there one area or product that has consistently been the most popular with Franklin Mint fans?”

GG: “As in all things, collecting behavior follows trends. For example, when metals markets are rising, there is usually a jump in coin collecting. Throughout our history, coins have been of the most popular collectibles, followed by die cast precision models. However, dolls and sculpture have also had a strong presence.”

MA: “Which Franklin Mint collectible has proven to be the best investment for your customers so far?”

GG: “The Franklin Mint does not create or market products with an eye toward investment value. The true value in our products is in the pleasure it give the collector. Secondary market value is controlled by factors no one can predict, so we never focus on investment value as a reason to acquire our products.”

MA: “Over the years The Franklin Mint has received a number of awards and accolades. What are some that you are proudest for The Franklin Mint to have earned?”

GG: “Very recently, The Franklin Mint received the Corporate Yellow Ribbon of Honor Award at the Tony Orlando Salute to Veterans event in Branson Missouri, recognizing our efforts in supporting American Veteran’s. Knowing that the products we create not only give pleasure to the people who purchase them, but also help support our brave and selfless service men and women is something I have always been proud of. To see that effort recognized on a larger scale is truly amazing.”

MA: “With so many Franklin Mint collectibles to choose from, do you have a personal favorite?”

GG: “While I have collected many of our products, from coins to model cars, my personal favorite has always been our dolls. Our Kate Middleton Royal Wedding Portrait Doll is my latest acquisition and she is truly a beautiful addition to my collection.”

MA: “I was told you have an interesting family history in automotive racing that propelled you to join Franklin Mint. Can you tell me more?”

GG: “Ray Harroon, winner of the first Indianapolis 500 (and creator of the rear view mirror) is a great, great, great uncle of mine. My family has had a passion for the magic of the automobile since its inception that has continued across every generation since.”

I enjoyed the chance to learn more from Chief Marketing Officer Gorr. I thank her for her time and her personal insight she shared about the interesting story behind The Franklin Mint.

We have listed The Franklin Mint on Shopping-Bargains® since 2004 and appreciate the chance to share The Franklin Mint coupon codes and deals with our shoppers. Please tell us about your favorite Franklin Mint collectibles in the comments section below.

Over the past few days we have received many requests from Jo-Ann shoppers asking if we had instructions for making the colorful chain-link purse or clutch referenced in a recent Jo-Ann sales flyer.  This clutch, made with Duck® brand duct tape, is mentioned in Jo-Ann’s July 11, 2010 edition under the Just Ask Jo-Ann Ideas section and is pictured on the left.

I verified that this article pointed readers to a link at Joann.com/jul10 that, as many of our readers noted, is not functioning properly. Since we had so many requests for instructions to make this duct tape chain-link purse, I did some research and ended up contacting Joann.com’s Customer Service Department on Thursday (7/15). This afternoon I received a helpful reply from Frances who also sent me the following instructions for making Joann.com’s duct tape chain-link clutch (click link to view and print or download this 1.37 MB 2-page PDF file).

I hope you enjoy these free directions to making your own duct tape clutch from Jo-Ann. Feel free to share this page with your friends and offer your own tips in our comments section below. I appreciate Joann.com making this file available to me and invite you to shop our coupon site for the latest in coupon codes and bargains. Be sure to check out our Joann.com coupons and deals page too!

I was recently asked to share some ideas for finding inexpensive beauty products online to use as stocking stuffers for women. Thankfully, there are many such options, especially if one plans ahead to take advantage of coupon codes and sales.

Here are three tips for finding fun stocking stuffers using inexpensive beauty products.

1. Free beauty product samples of beauty products make great stocking stuffers.

Many beauty retailers regularly provide free samples with every online order.  Some even provide multiple samples. Online retailers like ULTA, Biotherm, L’Occitane, Makeup.com, Yves Rocher, Benefit, JUARA, SkinStore, Perfumania, Pur Minerals, and Haircare Discounters, for example, generally provide free samples with every online order.

Please note that sometimes free beauty samples are automatically added to your order. Other times you will need to enter a special coupon code to activate the free sample or samples. One advanced strategy in preparing for Christmas stocking stuffers is to save these samples from multiple orders placed throughout the year until you have enough.

2. Use free shipping coupons and promotions and buy clearance beauty items, trial sizes, and sale products.

Many beauty retailers frequently offer free shipping coupons and sales promotions that have no minimum order size. These are golden opportunities for stocking stuffers! Such promotions are usually short-term and often found around holidays and other seasonal events like Valentine’s Day or Mothers Day. Even major brands like AVON, philosophy, Clarins, Sephora, Clinique, and Elizabeth Arden periodically offer such limited promotions.

Such free shipping promotions with no minimum order size provide excellent opportunities to scoop up some fun deals on nail polish, lipstick, skincare products, and much more. Trial size products are often discounted as well and can make good stocking stuffers so don’t forget them.

3. Shop online discount retailers.

There are some truly discount beauty retailers that specialize in inexpensive beauty products. While their products may not be branded (or could be self-branded), they can make for some fun and very low-cost beauty stocking stuffers. One leading example is e.l.f. Cosmetics which specializes in providing a huge selection of $1 beauty products. Another discount retailer to check out is Overstock Drugstore which offers discounts on a variety of everyday brand name products.

Likewise, occasionally you can hit a home run on beauty products with general discount and closeout retailers like Overstock.com and even SmartBargains, for example. But in all your efforts to save, don’t forget about the big departments stores. Many including JCPenney, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Target offer seasonal, clearance, and other beauty specials that can sometimes be significant. Many department stores also have free shipping and other coupon code specials at strategic times of the year so be sure to enjoy them.

In conclusion, there are many incredible beauty buys online if one has a few minutes to hunt for them. Browsing our Beauty & Skincare and our Fragrances sections can be great starting places. The bottom line, though, is there are a lot of fun beauty products to use as stocking stuffers without spending a lot of money.

Many people are successfully skipping certain version upgrades for office software, games, and even some utilities. For example, many people did not rush out and upgrade to Microsoft Office 2007 when it was released because their older Microsoft Office software did everything they needed.

Sometimes we can save money by not upgrading our software to the latest versions. This is especially true when the existing version does everything we need and we won’t be using any of the new software version’s features. Please be aware, though, that skipping versions may not be wise for security software and other mission-critical applications. Also, one should continually update software installations with the latest security patches and bug fixes.

Using the Microsoft Office 2007 example, a delayed upgrade strategy may serve us perfectly well until someone sends us an Office 2007 file. We then find that, to our dismay, our older Microsoft Office version won’t open it. This dilemma can cause some people to panic and rush out for an upgrade. But is there another less expensive solution?

This week I received such a question from one of our readers asking how to open up a Microsoft Word 2007 document in an older version of Word: “Is there a way to make an older Microsoft Office version read Office 2007 files?” Fortunately, the answer is yes for most Microsoft Office XP and post-2000 versions; therefore, let me tell you how to update your older Microsoft Word versions.

How to Open Microsoft Office 2007 Files on Older Office Versions

First, you should ensure that your computer is fully updated by installing all of Microsoft’s High-Priority/Required updates. Use the Microsoft Update tool to check and update your system. Please note that Microsoft Update must be accessed via the Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser.

Second, go to the online document entitled “Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats.” Microsoft’s brief description for this document lets us know that it addresses how to “Open, edit, and save documents, workbooks, and presentations in the file formats new to Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007.” Download the Compatibility Pack referenced at the top of this document and save it to your hard drive.

Third, double-click the downloaded program file, named FileFormatConverters.exe, to install and setup the Compatibility Pack program. Follow all on-screen instructions to complete this setup process.

Fourth, after completing the Compatibility Pack installation you should be able to open, edit, and save files using Microsoft’s newer file formats for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007.

Please note that this Compatibility Pack may periodically require an update. Microsoft frequently issues what they call Service Packs for their products so be sure to regularly check for and install all Microsoft High-Priority/Required updates. Also, if you are using Microsoft Word 2000 or Microsoft Word 2002 and need to access documents containing complex scripts there may be an additional step which can be referenced on the Microsoft document linked above.

Enjoy your savings by extending the life of your software and buying your Microsoft Office upgrades when you choose. That gives you more time to shop a Microsoft sale or wait for a bargain. I invite you to browse and compare prices for Microsoft Office using our product comparison tool.

I’ve been told there has been a big shortage of ammunition this year and many stores have sold out. With hunting season almost upon us, many are asking if they can buy ammunition online since their local retailers are out of stock. The answer: Yes, for most Americans over the age of 21, you can buy ammunition online (see restrictions below).

Some of our most popular retailers selling ammunition online are Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, and The Sportsman’s Guide. Each of these companies offer a large selection of rifle, shotgun, and pistol/handgun ammunition from many brand name manufacturers. Some brands are even sold at a considerable discount when purchased in bulk. These bulk ammo deals can also be found on domestic ammunition from Remington and from imported ammo manufacturers like Wolf, Silver Bear, and Brown Bear to name a few. Reloading supplies, reloaded bullets, specialty, and competitive grade ammunition can be purchased online as well.

I’ve linked some search results pages using our product comparison tool [temporarily offline] for some popular shotgun, pistol and rifle ammunition options (sorted by caliber). Please note that at this time Cabela’s and The Sportsman’s Guide are not included in our product database and so their ammo results will not appear below. You can visit their pages on our site, though, for the latest Cabela’s coupon codes and Sportsman’s Guide coupon codes and then shop their extensive ammo selections directly.

Shotgun Shells

• 12 gauge
• 20 gauge
• 28 gauge
• 410 gauge

Rifle Ammunition

• .22 ammo
• .223 ammo (5.56)
• .243 ammo
• .270 ammo
• .30-06 ammo
• .30-30 ammo
• 7.62×39 ammo

Pistol/Handgun Ammunition

• .25 ammo
• .357 ammo
• .38 ammo
• .40 S&W ammo
• .44 ammo
• .45 ammo
• 9mm ammo

Other retailers selling ammunition online and not mentioned above include the following:

• Able Ammo
• AIM Surplus
• Cheaper Than Dirt!
• East Coast Gun Sales
• Gun Supply Online
• Lucky Gunner Ammo
• MidwayUSA
• The Ammo Bank
• Wrigley Ammo Sales

Ammunition Restrictions: Be sure to check with your state laws and local ordinances before ordering ammunition online since some prohibit the shipment of ammunition into their boundaries. Federal law requires that ammunition buyers be at least 18 years old to buy shotgun ammunition and 21 years old to buy handgun and rifle ammunition. There is no need to have a Federal Firearms License (FFL) to purchase ammunition online.

On a personal note, I also recommend that when you order ammunition online you make sure someone responsible is available when it is delivered to ensure that the ammunition is properly secured and does not end up in the wrong hands. For added safety, I also recommend storage in a gun safe (see my post on buying a gun safe online).

While we have assembled a comprehensive directory of more than 1,500 online stores and a product database with more than 30 million items, I’m still amazed at how difficult some products are to find online. For example, I still receive “where can I buy?” shopping questions that initially stump me and require some research. Here is a question I’ve received numerous times over the years that I felt it was worthy of a detailed answer. I’ve summarized the question below:

Question: “Where can I buy a quality American-made gun safe that can be shipped to my home and won’t cost a fortune?”

My Answer: This question essentially has a three part answer dealing with shipping, price, and the country of origin (since my research suggests that an American-made gun safe indicates a higher level of quality). Let’s look at these three gun safe factors in more detail.

Gun Safe Shipping.

I expected shipping to be a problem for quality gun safes with high fire ratings because they frequently weigh more than 700 pounds; however, virtually all online retailers carrying gun safes will freight ship them to your door with a minimum of hassle and cost. The bottom line, shipping gun safes does not appear to be a problem. In fact, many times the cost of shipping the gun safe is built into the price so the retailer advertises them as “free shipping gun safes.” Some retailers also offer premium services for unloading and setting up the gun safe in your home.

In conclusion, it seems that shipping will not be a serious issue in deciding where to buy your gun safe. I would recommend making sure you are home when the gun safe arrives so you can direct the shipping crew where to unload and install your new gun safe. Given the enormous weight, you most likely will not want to move the gun safe once it is installed.

Gun Safe Prices

The price of gun safes vary from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on your choice of features. The wide variety of options includes custom pin-striping, gold plated handles and hinges, built-in dehumidifiers, electronic locks, thicker metal, deluxe interior upholstery and many other features that will significantly change the price of your gun safe. Price seems to be directly related to the gun safe’s quality — including the thickness of the metal walls, the type and placement of defensive bolts, the fire protection materials and rating and so forth. Price also includes cosmetic features such as the exterior finish, decorative hardware used, interior shelving and gun configuration options.

It seems the old adage of “you get what you pay for” definitely applies to gun safes and should be considered before making a purchase. Therefore, I recommend paying special attention to fire protection ratings including the tested BTUs, the type and amount of fireboard (or ceramic or glass wool) within the safe’s walls and the length of time the gun safe can withstand a fire of at least 1200°F. Other factors to consider when comparing gun safes are locking mechanism designs (including electronic vs. mechanical dials), placement of drill-proof armor plates, hinge placement (a thief should not be able to gain access to your gun safe by cutting off the hinges), use of pry-proof doors, placement of locks and locking bolts, and the type of heat-expanding or other seals used on the doors. Remember that weight generally increases as protection increases (heavier gun safes generally means more protective steel and heat shielding were used) so be sure to balance this with your needs.

One other thing I read about that relates to gun safe weight and fire protection is where you intend to place the safe. Careful attention should be made regarding gun safe placement. If upstairs, the weight can be a problem for some floors. Likewise, in the event of a fire, the safe is likely to come crashing down through a burning floor which could severely damage the contents and the safe’s ability to protect them from further damage. Similarly, a non-water-proof gun safe placed in the basement could get water in it from firefighters responding to a house fire (or to flooding). [Please note that waterproof gun safes are rare.] Under this scenario, burning debris would also fall on the safe and may block quick access. With water inside the gun safe, the guns would likely rust before recovery efforts could be made after the fire (or flood).

Gun Safe Country of Origin (American-Made vs. Imported)

Regarding the country in which the gun safe is made, I did not find any widely-sold imported gun safes that would be considered anything other than budget or entry-level. On the flip side, I also did not find any American-made gun safes that would not be considered on the higher side of quality. In general, it would be easy to argue that higher prices equate to higher quality which was generally reserved to American craftsmanship.

So, with the above factors considered, where does one buy a quality American-made gun safe at a good price? Here are some options I found in my research.

1. First, I searched our compare products tool for the term “gun safe” which delivered more than 500 matches from more than a dozen stores. These results can be further refined by price, store, brand and other options. While the pricing information, descriptions and images are very helpful, unfortunately, there is no way to narrow the results down by country of origin. That means you have to read individual gun safe descriptions in the hope that the retailer lists if it is made in USA or imported.

One shortcoming of our product comparison tool is that we’re at the mercy of the retailer’s database. If they don’t list the country of origin then we can’t share that detail. Likewise we can’t show products from retailers for which we don’t have access to their product catalogs. In this analysis, I noticed a few retailers absent that I expected to see — namely Cabela’s and The Sportsman’s Guide, both of whom sell gun safes.

2. I still wasn’t satisfied that I had found all American-made gun safes available online so I did some additional research and discovered a few other sources with additional details. The following companies manufacture and/or sell American-made gun safes (be sure to read individual descriptions to make sure a particular model is actually American-made since some have multiple lines that include cheaper imports and quality American-made gun safes). Many of the links below are manufacturer web sites which offer detailed product information and even videos on their gun safe features, options and technical specifications. Others are sellers with additional information, photos and brand comparisons.

• Browning (gun safe manufacturer — not all American-made)
• Fort Knox (gun safe manufacturer)
• GunSafes.com (sells many American-made gun safe brands)
• Heritage Safe Company (gun safe manufacturer)
• Homeland Safes (gun safe manufacturer)
• Invincible Gunsafes (gun safe manufacturer)
• Liberty Safe (gun safe manufacturer)
• Patriot Safe (gun safe seller & manufacturer — all but the tactical box is American-made)
• Rhino Metals (gun safe manufacturer)
• Sportsman Steel Safe Company (gun safe seller & manufacturer)
• Sturdy Gun Safe Manufacturing (gun safe manufacturer; especially thick steel walls & innovative heat shielding)
• Zanotti Armor (gun safe seller & manufacturer with innovative interlocking designs for maximum mobility)

3. My conclusion is to do your homework and choose a gun safe that is best for your specific application. Once you have found the gun safe manufacturer you like and the model you want to buy, shop around for the best price. Don’t forget to factor delivery costs into the equation for the best gun safe deal you can find.

Please note that this article may be updated as new information becomes available. Disclosure: some of the links in this post are affiliate links (including the banner above).