Coniston Lapis Towels from Designers Guild

Several weeks ago we ran a prize drawing sponsored by Designers Guild. This drawing was for a luxury set of Coniston Lapis Towels from Designers Guild. This set, made of 100% pure Egyptian cotton, costs $164 at Designers Guild. Qualified adults who liked our Facebook page and entered were eligible for this exclusive drawing.

Today I’m pleased to announce we have a winner! Congratulations goes to Deborah Vink of Henderson, NY. I contacted her via email a few days ago to notify her of her win and she was quite excited. The towels should arrive at her house in a few days.

Again I think Designers Guild for sponsoring this prize drawing. I encourage you to shop with them and check out our Designers Guild deals page for their latest special offers. Also, please be sure to subscribe to their newsletter for their latest discounts and seasonal promotions.

For the February 15, 2012 edition of WCBI’s MidMorning with Aundrea I had the privilege of meeting with Aundrea Self and discussing 5 free smartphone apps. At the end of this approximately 6-minute “Caught in the Web” segment we briefly discussed after-Valentine’s Day coupons and how shoppers can benefit from seasonal clearance opportunities.

In this interview, the following 5 free smartphone apps were discussed and recommended.

Bing Search

Free. The Bing Search app is available for iPhone/iPad, Windows Phone, Android, and Blackberry devices.

Every smartphone needs a good search engine and the Bing Search app addresses that requirement nicely. Bing Search is very easy to use and offers an elegant user interface with a colorful daily photo. The Bing Search app provides amazing voice and image search capabilities and has great maps — including walking directions. I find Bing Search useful for finding phone numbers and driving directions.

Kindle Reading

Free. The Kindle Reading app is available for iPhone/iPad, Windows Phone, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows & Mac computers.

Did you know you don’t have to own a Kindle Reader to download and read Kindle books? You can download a free Kindle Reader from Amazon and read Kindle books on your computer or smartphones. You can also use the new Kindle Cloud Reader and read Kindle books in your web browser. Many Kindle books are free and many free samples are available also. Kindle Reading apps lets you read anywhere, shop the Kindle store, and sync up with each other and/or your Kindle device to save your place.

KeyRing

Free. The KeyRing app is available for iPhone/iPad, Windows Phone, Android, and Blackberry devices.

Have you ever gotten to checkout and realized you forgot to bring your loyalty, club, or shopping membership reward card? Are you tired of carrying around a keychain or wallet full of cards from CVS, Kroger, Walgreens, and other stores? Well, you don’t have to do that anymore. You just scan these cards into the KeyRing app and then pull them up on your smartphone and it’s ready for scanning at checkout.

Dropbox

Free. Dropbox and the Dropbox app is available for iPhone/iPad, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows & Mac computers.

I consider Dropbox one of the most useful file storage and sharing solutions available today. With Dropbox you get 2GB of free online storage that you can access via your computer or through a web browser or smartphone. You can use this space to archive files as a backup, to sync files between your desktop and laptop or home and office computers, or to share files with others. Dropbox is very easy to use. You simply create a free online Dropbox account and download the apps you want to use. If you need more than 2GB of storage space, you can purchase more from Dropbox for a low monthly or annual fee.

Wunderlist

Free. Wunderlist and the Wunderlist app is available for iPhone/iPad, Android, and Windows & Mac computers.

If you need a simple to use and intuitive task management tool then Wunderlist might be just right for you. Wunderlist offers an elegant interface that syncs your to-do lists between your smartphone and any computers you choose. You can also access Wunderlist online via a web browser.  In addition to the great scheduling features of Wunderlist, you can opt to receive a daily email notifying you of each day’s tasks.

Following an earlier WCBI MidMorning with Aundrea interview about password safety, I discussed several ways you can protect yourself from identity theft. This interview aired on the January 18, 2012 edition of this same program.

Identity theft can occur when someone acts in your name as you by having access to your Social Security number and other personal data. With this critical information and access, they can spend your money and ruin your credit rating. You can view this segment below and learn some things you can do now to protect yourself.

 In summary, there are several things you can do to protect yourself from identity theft. Here are a few quick suggestions:

• Don’t mail important things from an unsecured mailbox (instead, drop them off at the post office or another secure location).
• Be careful at restaurants where you often hand over your credit card to the waiter.
• Verify the security of online shopping sites before checking out.
• Check out an online retailer’s reputation with the BBBonline and other third-party sources.
• Use a credit card instead of a debit card when buying online. This can provide additional protections to your checking account.
• Regularly check your credit report. Here’s a free way: Go to AnnualCreditReport.com each year and get your free credit file disclosure (credit report). In it you’ll receive information from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Do you have any other suggestions? Please share them in the comments box below.

Want to learn more about password safety and how to create good, strong passwords? Well, that was the topics of my January 4, 2012 interview on WCBI’s MidMorning with Aundrea program.

Learn more about password security with this almost 5 minute WCBI interview:

To summarize this interview, a secure password should have at least 8 characters (use the whole keyboard — uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation, and symbols) and be random. Your password should not be something personally identifiable to you (like your pet’s name or your favorite color). It should not even be a word in the dictionary in any language. Also, you should use different passwords for each account and, if you cannot remember them all, store them in a password safe like KeePass (it’s a free software application — you memorize the master password to it and it securely stores all your passwords within its encrypted and secure index).

Here are some tools and resources I recommend for creating secure passwords and/or testing the strength of your existing passwords:

• Free online secure password generator tool from PC Tools.
• Free tool to check your password — courtesy of the Microsoft Safety & Security Center.
• Examples of good passwords — article from MailerMailer.
• Article with 9 password safety tips — from the Shopping-Bargains Help Center.

Do you have any password safety tips to share with our readers? Please add them to the comments section below.

It’s December 14 and we still haven’t finished our Christmas shopping yet? Should we panic? No, there’s still time to buy most items online but you’ll have to hurry if you don’t want to pay for expedited shipping.

What about a creative gift for those people who seem to have everything? How about membership in a gift of the month club? That way they will receive something from you 12 times throughout the year! How exciting is that?

And then there’s gift cards. There are some creative ways to buy them and we share some tips on that and more in my latest interview on WCBI’s MidMorning with Aundrea.

You can learn more about finding Christmas deals and thrifty gifts online through our blog. Do you have a special tip? Please share it below.

Well Cyber Monday is upon us and that was the topic of my latest interview on WCBI’s MidMorning with Aundrea. In this segment we discussed the origins of Cyber Monday, how to find good Cyber Monday bargains, and strategies for making sure you are getting a great deal. We also talked briefly about using “ship to store” options to avoid the local crowds and snag items before they sell-out. I also identified several great deals to be on the lookout for today.

The Cyber Monday deals I mentioned today (listed below) are available on November 28, 2011 only.

• 40% off and Free Shipping at Tommy Hilfiger (no minimum order size; applies to Sale items also)
• Free shipping on any order size at The North Face
• 25% and Free Shipping at Vitamin World (no minimum order size)
• 35% off Hooked on Phonics coupon
• $25 off ClickN KIDS products

You can go to our big list of Cyber Monday Coupons & Deals for everything that is available today. We will be updating it continually and some promotions extend a few days beyond Cyber Monday so enjoy!

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.

We are excited to announce our newest prize giveaway opportunity. This one is available for our Facebook fans — those who “like” our Facebook page — and is sponsored by Designers Guild, a retailer of luxury European home fashions. Please like our Facebook page and enter for your chance to win a fabulous Conniston Lapis Towel Set worth $164.

Enter for your chance to win this Shopping-Bargains exclusive!

]]> http://blog.shopping-bargains.com/2011/11/21/luxury-prize-giveaway-sponsored-by-designers-guild/feed/ 1 http://blog.shopping-bargains.com/2011/11/17/secure-online-shopping-interview-on-wcbi/ http://blog.shopping-bargains.com/2011/11/17/secure-online-shopping-interview-on-wcbi/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:09:46 +0000 Mike Allen http://blog.shopping-bargains.com/?p=806

With some of the biggest online shopping days of the year right around the corner it is good to be reminded of safe online shopping practices. Not only are there things you can do to protect your digital identity but there are some easy ways to protect your web accounts through strong passwords.

In the approximately 5-minute video embedded below (aired yesterday on WCBI’s MidMorning with Aundrea) I discuss some practical ways you can protect yourself when you shop online. This “Caught in the Web” segment covers secure shopping strategies as well as ways to improve your online shopping experience.

For your reference I’ve referenced several of our related articles that provide greater details on these subjects.

• Two Steps to Improve Your Online Shopping Security
• 8 Tips to Maximize Your Online Shopping Experience
• Nine Password Safety Tips to Improve Your Online Security

Skip the crowds this year by shopping online

In addition to some traditional time off with family, the Thanksgiving shopping season generally offers the best sales and promotions of the year. Now with the ease of online shopping you have another reason to skip the crowds this year. Instead, you can shop conveniently from home this Thanksgiving holiday without missing the big sales!

Thanksgiving Day 2011 is November 24. The day marking the traditional beginning of the Christmas shopping season is Black Friday which is the day after Thanksgiving. It’s been called Black Friday for many years now and that’s because for some retailers it’s the first time of the year in which they are in the black — as in they are finally making a profit instead of being financially “in the red.” Black Friday is known for its big sales, huge discounts, and other promotions designed to lure customers into the store.

Interestingly, however, while Black Friday is usually one of the most crowded days of the year in terms of customers, it is not always the largest in terms of expenditures. That day is usually the Saturday before Christmas which is probably due to all those who procrastinate or finally just give up and settle for something instead of their ideal gift item.

About a decade or so ago the new wave of Internet shopping created another interesting consumer trend — kind of an “Internet Black Friday.” That day occurred when millions of weary shoppers return to work after the Thanksgiving holidays. Many had shopped themselves silly on Black Friday only to find the sale items out of stock or not what they really wanted. They arrived at work on Monday and had access to their office computers which, unlike many homes at the time, had high speed Internet connections. There they ordered many of the items they had hoped to buy on Black Friday. After analysts noticed this new trend they called it Cyber Monday. This shopping pattern became stronger as online retailers responded with even better coupon codes, free shipping discounts, and other online promotions.

Cyber Monday 2011 is November 28. Like Black Friday, Cyber Monday used to mark the official start of the online shopping season for Christmas gift buying. However, that trend has been pushed back as more and more homes were wired with high speed Internet access. Now millions of people actually begin their online shopping on Thanksgiving afternoon — either by finding great bargains while planning their Black Friday conquests or by taking advantage of the always-on Internet and now common Thanksgiving Day-only sales online.

So now that we’ve introduced you to the online world of Thanksgiving shopping, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday we hope you can relax more this year and enjoy this Thanksgiving season. We also hope you can save more on Thanksgiving. Please take advantage of the big sales and special coupon codes for this season. When you shop with us be sure to check out our Thanksgiving Deals and Black Friday & Cyber Monday Promotions pages for a list of seasonal coupons and offers that can save you greatly.