Shopping Tips Online

Hello everyone! I’m your new blog writer here at shoppingtipsonline.net. I’m excited about being here and can’t wait to get started with good, quality posts full of information on how to find deals, find bargains and save money. I spend a lot of time on the internet looking wares for my family (which has three very active, very funny children in it), for my business and for my home. I get chills when I can save money.

I’d love to hear from you all if you have great shopping tips as well. Little known sites and blogs where we can find deals will make us all happy. So here’s to great shopping!

I am very fortunate to be one of those people who never really has a lot of trouble sleeping. For whatever reason, I lay down, turn off the light and zzzz, I’m out. But, according to a National Sleep Foundation’s 2007 Sleep in America poll, over two-thirds of women frequently have sleeping problems.

As a response to this fact,
Simmons Beautyrest® has a couple of brochures designed to help women shop for and select the right mattress for them. They are available at their website as two downloadable PDFs. One is called “A Girl’s Guide to Mattress Shopping,” and the other is “A Woman’s Guide to Mattress Shopping.” The “Girl’s Guide” is intended for the first time mattress shopper, while the “Woman’s Guide” is more in-depth, and is for women who have experience shopping for sleep sets. I checked them both out, and I recommend the Woman’s Guide because it contains essentially the same information as the Girl’s Guide, but has a few extra tidbits of information that I think could help anyone. Both brochures have some generalized advice about getting a better night’s sleep, and suggestions and tips for shopping for mattresses.

Regardless of whether you do experience sleep problems, I think these two guides have some good advice for when it’s time to replace the old mattress and box springs, regardless of the brand name.

Mattress Shopping, Simmons, Beautyrest, Sleep Sets, Sleep Studies

Our poor Gap. They have really been through the wringer the past few months. After a long stretch of falling sales there were loads of changes at the executive level, and even rumours of selling the failing brand, and tons and tons of speculation and opinion about what Gap should do to recover. Mainly most of us just thought Gap had lost sight of who their real customers are, and changed their product line to appeal to…well, who? We certainly weren’t sure.

Now Gap has announced a new television spot set to air March 8 through April 4. The ad features Claire Danes and Patrick Wilson in a little dance number to the song “Anything you can do I can do better.” It’s described as a cute little “dance off” wherein Danes literally dances the khakis off of Wilson. Cute, right?

Here’s my take on this.

I have not seen the spot, but my first thought is FINALLY. Remember the heyday of Gap commercials? When relevant celebrites wore the iconic clothing and you thought – hell yes, I want to look like that. The clothing was classic, almost nostalgic, and very, very cool. Using these two celebs may be helping to redefine Gap’s true demographic – Danes is 28, and Wilson is 34. They are a little quirky, but have a sophistication that goes beyond the typical trashy celebrity.

It looks to me as if someone at Gap has been listening when we’ve all been screaming, “get back to what you’re good at and get rid of the weird stuff!”

I am pleased, and surprised. I’m anxious to see the spot to see if it lives up to my expectations. Meanwhile I’m going on over to Gap to check out these new “boyfriend” khakis everyone’s talking about!

Gap, Gap Commercials, Claire Danes, Patrick Wilson

I spend a lot of time browsing for products online, and sometimes wish the experience were more like shopping in a real department store, where I could take a left at the lingere and end up in the housewares department. That’s the idea behind MYBIGSTORES.COM.

Described as an “online catalog” MYBIGSTORES.COM has gathered and grouped a collection of over 250 online retailers into quite a variety of common “departments” or categories. Those categories, similar to a department store, include apparel and accessories, beauty and health, computers, electronics, toys and kids, flowers and gifts, video games and more. These aren’t little unknown retailers, either, they are the big names like Macy’s, Wal-Mart, Nordstom, Target and lots more.

Here’s my take on this.

I did a little clicking around MYBIGSTORES.COM and found it to be easy to use. The subcategories have retailers in alphabetical order, with current sales and promotions listed so you can quickly scan for the stores and/or deals you are interested in. One thing I appreciated was that, although I am familiar with lots of these retailers, there were a few stores that caught my eye that I hadn’t heard of before. I may have run across them accidentally, but this was a way for me to be introduced to something new without spending a ton of time searching. Overall I think this is a good idea. It’s not revolutionary – I have run across similar sites before. But it is clean, simple to use, up to date, and a timesaver for people like me who spend a lot of time browsing the Internet. Check it out.

Online Shopping, Department Store, MYBIGSTORES.COM, Sales, Promotions, Coupon Codes

The “M by Madonna” line is set to hit H&M stores this month. The company’s head designer, Margareta van den Bosch, worked with the material girl to design a new line of apparel and accessories. Apparently Madonna did much more than just lend her name to the line, the company reports that she was involved in the entire process, down to the small details.

‘M by Madonna’ is primarily in neutral palettes including white, black, khaki and grey. Fabrics vary from silk, wool, viscose jersey and body-sculpting lycra. The entire line is embellished with a small ‘M’ logo on linings, zippers and buttons. In addition the ‘M by Madonna’ look includes a complete line of accessories from sunglasses, party bags and clutches and even skinny leather belts.

Here’s my take on this.

I have never been hell bent on dressing like Madonna, but I could pretty easily see myself wearing these clothes. From what I have seen of the line, it does have a very sleek, sophisticated vibe that has a certain appeal for me. I like that the palette is simple – for me that means it will be more versatile with things I already own.

H&M styles are generally designed for people a lot younger than me, so I am not sure how this will fly with the typical H&M shopper. But, H&M made a smart move by choosing a style icon to back the line instead of using a Big Designer name. Even if the styles seem a bit more mature, the younger group may be drawn to it simply because it is “M by Madonna.”

Madonna, H&M, M by Madonna

Online shopping has always meant using a credit card – until now. Retail Expansion Network, an e-commerce solution provider, has launched PaidByCash, a nationwide network that allows shoppers to pay in “cash” for Internet transactions. It can be used with any online retailer that currently accepts Debit MasterCard®.

The way it works is very simple. Go to the PaidByCash website and enter your zip code. This generates a list of locations in your area where you can go to get your PaidByCash card. The retailer loads a card with the amount you choose, from $10 to $350. The store charges a fee of $4.95 for this service. To activate your card, you go back to the PaidByCash site. Once the card is activated, you simply go shopping online, and you use the card just like a credit card.

For people who either don’t have a credit card, or don’t want to use one for online shopping, this is an excellent alternative. For retailers, it’s a great way to capitalize on a previously untapped market.

Cash Transactions, Debit MasterCard, Online Shopping

Gap, Inc. announced yesterday that they are closing all 19 Forth & Towne stores in 10 markets by the end of June. The closing will affect 550 employees, but the company says they will try to “redeploy” these people to Gap or Old Navy stores. They intend to focus all their efforts on turning around the Gap brand.

They launched Forth & Towne, targeted toward the 35-55 age group, just 18 months ago. The New York Times suggests that Gap Inc. and other companies jumped into the over-30 market because they do spend money on apparel, $42.7 billion last year, compared to their 20-something counterparts who spent only $20 billion. Despite that attractive number, many of these companies are getting out. Janeville, a brand launched by Gymboree Corp. has also closed down.

It appears as if women in the target age range are finding what they want at stores like Ann Taylor, Talbots and Chicos, along with traditional department stores like Macys.

Here’s my take on this.

I am the demographic and I’ll be honest, I’m torn.

I really resent being pigeonholed. I’m “older” but not “old.” I don’t want to look like “mutton dressed as lamb” but I am not about to give up and start dressing like a grandmother. I am never going to be Talbots head-to-toe, no matter what my age is. I can occasionally find something there that I can incorporate with my more youthful pieces, but that’s it.

However, I could see from the Forth & Towne web site (there are no stores in my market), that many of the items were age-appropriate, but not stodgy. That’s right up my alley. So, it makes me a little sad to see that a viable alternative for women like me is now gone by the wayside, in favor of ramping up brands that appeal only to women half my age.

Forth & Towne, Gap Inc.

Ninety-nine percent of the time I have to try clothes on. Tops I can usually guess a size, but skirts and pants are almost definitely going to fit different. The number is apparently meaningless – the same size in two department stores will have totally different fits. I have dreamed of a world wherein I could walk into a store on my lunch hour, grab a new pair of pants and KNOW they would fit.

With a new, universal sizing system, that dream could come true. Called Fitlogic, this system starts with three basic body types – women whose weight is around their middle, women whose weight is in their mid hips, and women (like me) whose weight is below the hips, in their upper thighs. So, using their example, Jennifer Lopez wears a size 4, so her “Fitlogic” size would be a 4.3, because her weight is carried on her hips and thighs.

According to the company’s website, Fitlogicâ„¢ is already available in career pants for women over thirty, but will soon be available in pants, tops, jackets and dresses for women of all ages. They partnered with some well-respected companies to develop and test the fit: including Nautica, Garfield Marks, Nordstrom, Jones New York Collection, Macy’s, Jones Elements, and QVC.

If you join their “movement” you are basically casting your vote for fit standardization, a tool Fitlogic could use to encourage more clothing manufacturers to use this system. Also, they are soliciting real women aged 30 to 55 to become “fit models.” You provide some basic information, and they either call you directly or let you know when there is a “mass fitting session” in your area. If you are chosen, they will pay you for your contribution.

I think this is a great concept for women like me who are sick and tired of the endless search for clothes that fit. Take a look.

Fitlogic, Sizing System, Clothing Sizes

JCPenney has announced a new company positioning statement – “Every Day Matters” – which is intended to be a broad overlay of their company’s initiatives from now through 2011.

“The past few years have been increasingly successful for JCPenney and we are once again one of the top retailers in the country. Now is the ideal time to build on what we have achieved and accelerate our growth,” said Myron E. (Mike) Ullman, III, chairman and chief executive officer of JCPenney. “To do this, we are capitalizing on our greatest strength and competitive advantage: the spirit and talent of our 151,000 Associates. Through their daily actions, our Associates will bring ‘Every Day Matters’ to life by assisting customers in celebrating and appreciating the every day moments in their lives.”

They are launching a whole new campaign starting this Sunday during the Academy Awards, including new television spots, one introducing the new positioning, and the other to announce their new lingerie brand, Ambrielle. Then they will also release a new spot targeted toward their Hispanic consumers. All, of course, touting “Every Day Matters.” The company is also investing in improving their store environments, and training for their 151,000 employees.

So what the heck is a positioning statement?
According to MarketingProfs.com, a positioning statement is “the heartbeat of an effective communications plan.” It tells the reader who the company is, what business its in and who it serves, positions the company against its competition, and describes the company’s unique selling proposition. Basically, it differentiates a company from every other company. This statement drives all the company’s communications.

Does JCPenney’s positioning statement do the job?
Undoubtedly, JCPenney spent loads of money on this positioning statement, and probably did lots of consumer research to support it. Does “Every Day Matters” tell me who JCPenney is? Well, it tells me that they are going for the emotions, and trying to create an experience, which may set them apart from their competition. Does it tell me what they do? Yes, “matter” is a noun referring to objects that have mass and occupy space, so JCPenney is in the “matters” business. But, come on. “Every Day Matters” could be the positioning statement for a hospice care service or a beauty salon. It doesn’t tell me that they are a department store.

Does “Every Day Matters” really matter to me as a consumer?
I understand where they are going with this. They want to express a feeling of care and concern for their customers. They want to say what matters to me matters to them. Their CEO says that they are striving to be more relevant to consumers by providing us with better products and a better shopping experience. But, even if that’s true, can JCPenney help me make every day matter more to me? My sarcastic side says no. To me, it means “Every day you shop at JCPenney matters to us.”

I will shop at JCPenney. There are good values, and good products to be found there. But I will probably not shop there MORE because they are now telling me that “Every Day Matters.” I knew that before.

JCPenney, Positioning Statement, Shopping Experience

If you like to just browse through products online, but hate the wrist-numbing clicking, clicking, clicking, you have to check this out. It’s an entirely new shopping interface created by a company called Dotted Pair.

Browse Goods allows you to scan hundreds of products at once, search by feature or category (search by price is coming soon), and you zoom in and out on items of interest. When you find items you like, you can save them for closer inspection or side-by-side comparison. When you click “buy” Browse Goods opens the retailer’s window and you purchase the item as usual.

Browse Goods is not a retailer, rather they bring multiple online retailers together to allow the shopper to easily scan and browse products. This saves time, but it also allows us to browse almost like we would at a brick and mortar department store – just randomly looking around, then zeroing in when something catches our eye. The new shopping interface is in the Beta version right now. It currently only features shoes, watches, toys and sports products from Amazon. I expect other retailers will jump on this bandwagon soon.

I tried Browse Goods myself and I really enjoyed the experience. It took me a minute or two to get oriented, but then I was happily zooming and saving and, well, browsing, to my heart’s content. It was a new, fun and functional way for me to see hundreds of pairs of shoes (or watches) without having to click my way from one end of the Internet to the other.

Experts say that online shopping is due to level out, so retailers are looking for the next big thing to keep us online and shopping. This could be it. I encourage you to try this out and let me know what you think!

Browse Goods, Online Shopping, New Shopping Interface, Amazon

The US Mint has introduced the shiny new George Washington dollar coin into circulation. Three hundred million of the gold colored coins were minted in Philadelphia and Denver. One side of the coin features an engraving of George Washington and the other side the Statue of Liberty. Around the edge, you will see an inscription of the year of minting or issuance, the mint mark and the words “E Pluribus Unum,â€? and “In God We Trust.”

Collectors can order uncirculated coins directly from the US Mint in either 25-coin rolls or 250-coin bags. Of course you can also buy the bags or rolls and just use the coins like you would a dollar bill. The new coin is larger and thicker than the quarter, to make it easier and quicker to identify it in your purse or pocket.

With the exception of collectors, there is little or no excitement about this new coin. We’ve been there, done that, and pretty much unanimously said “no thanks” to a dollar coin. In 1979 we had the Susan B. Anthony dollar; in 2000, the Sacagawea dollar. In both cases, the much-hailed dollar coins were failures. Why? Most experts agree that while we still have the paper dollar, we’re just not going to make the switch to a coin.

Here are three reasons why the dollar coin won’t work for me.

1. I can’t make an oragami crane with a dollar coin. (I have never made an oragami crane with a dollar bill either, but that’s not the point.)
2. Part of the pleasure of using a vending machine is the way it teases me. I like the victorious feeling when I finally get it to take the bill. Dropping a coin into a slot just seems like giving up.
3.If I ever want to bribe a maître d’ for a good table, it will be a whole lot less subtle with ten clanking coins.

But, looking on the bright side…

The couch cushions could become a savings account.

US Mint, Dollar Coin

Remember when Tommy Hilfiger was 90s cool? When having a giant, very identifiable red, white and blue logo across your chest, and your belt under the leather tag on your jeans meant you were all-American prep with a bit of a wild side? As the years went on, Tommy clothing started showing up in discount stores and we were suddenly over it. Even in this article, Hilfiger himself admits it.

“It was a classic case of overexposure,� he conceded. His clothes, which were sold in almost 2,000 American department stores and discount outlets, got “lost in a sea of mark-downs and sales�.

Well, Tommy now wants to reverse that trend, and has begun by completely revising the collection to appeal to a more upscale audience. He’s moving out of the kids department and the department store, and into his own chic retail spaces, including one in London.

For Fall of 2007, Hilfiger appears all grown up. He calls the collection “Pop Elegance,” and describes it this way:

This season is a modern study in contrast, celebrating a luxurious spin on our classics. It is about American prep meeting European sophistication. The charm of the past meets the modern chic of tomorrow.

My favorite fabrics – tweed, herringbone, tartan, Prince of Wales, gray flannel and Donegal – done in unexpected shapes and pops of color. A sailor dress in wool glen plaid; a silk nylon dress under a man’s toggle coat. A woman’s black watch oil cloth cape with reflective lining paird with a pony hair pump.

My take on the collection was that it was a little stuffy, a bit like raiding one’s grandfather’s closet. Yes, there are items I would wear, but it would need to be tempered a bit, mixed in with more modern things to keep from looking too much like a costume. You can go to the Hilfiger website to see the whole collection.

As for the brand itself, here are my questions:

• Can a “Tommy” suddenly become a “Thomas?”

• Can a brand be reinvented by glen plaid alone?

• Will the “right” demographic be able to get past the fact that the Hilfiger brand has been anything but upscale?

• Will the mid-scale consumer “get it” and aspire to the new upscale look?

• Does anyone care about this brand any more?

Our little Tommy is growing up. I hope he did his homework!

Tommy Hilfiger, Fall 2007

On February 18th, 2007, the Chinese calendar will change from the Year of the Dog to the Year of the Pig. People everywhere are gearing up for a big Chinese New Year celebration, so sales of pig-related merchandise is on the increase.

Here are some things I found that are fun, and will break the piggy bank.

From Pearl River, these ceramic piggy banks are fun, and run from $4.50 for a 6″ bank to $21.50 for a 12″.

Then, decorate your digs with a strand of embroidered pigs, also from Pearl River, for $19.50.

Make a pig of yourself with some cute pig chocolates. Available from Chocolate Fantasies, the pig lollies are just $2.50 each and come wrapped in a cellophane bag.

I am a cocktail napkin fanatic (seriously, it’s almost an obsession), so I may have to snag these myself. They’re from Party America, and they’re just $1.99 for a package of 16. While you’re there, be sure to check out their other Chinese New Year party supplies.

Celebrate the Year of the Pig with cute, cheap pig products!

Year of the Pig, Piggy Bank, Pig Chocolates, Pearl River

Right now on Amazon you can preorder “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” for $18.89, saving $16 off the list price. Preoders are through the roof on the last installment in the series about the boy wizard. Amazon reported their preorders, which started on Friday, were more than five times those of the last book. At Barnes and Noble, the book is on sale for $18.89 for members only, $20.99 for non-members.

The book is due out July 21st, and there is lots of debate and speculation about which characters J.K. Rowling has decided to kill off. Die-hard Potter fans believe that Rowling may have left a clue as to the identity of one of the characters who will meet their ultimate demise when she signed a statue in her high-dollar hotel room after she finished writing the novel. For more news about all things Harry, check out Hogwarts Herald, another great blog in the 451 Press network.

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Preorder, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

In January, Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation formed a new group called Global Brand Concepts (GBC), commissioned with developing new brands for specialty and department stores. A month later, they have announced a new deal with JCPenney to launch a new Ralph Lauren brand called American Living. The exclusive line will consist of clothing for women, men and kids, intimate apparel, accessories and housewares. American Living is set to launch Spring of 2008.

Everyone at JCPenney seems pumped about the deal, including Myron E. Ullman, III, chairman and CEO, who said “American Living will be an exciting new lifestyle brand for JCPenney, offering America’s families inspiring style and great quality at smart prices.” They did their homework, too. Ullman also said, “Our customer research clearly tells us that substantial opportunity exists within the traditional and classic lifestyle category. Bringing brands like American Living into our merchandise assortment is a key part of JCPenney’s strategy to accelerate our growth, and we are looking forward to introducing it to our customers.”

Ralph Lauren said, “There’s a strong need in the marketplace for individuality to drive traffic into stores. We will meet that need by partnering throughout the process on quality design, operations, marketing, merchandising, and advertising.”

All sounds great, right?

Here’s my take on the deal.

To start with, “American Living” sounds like a lifestyle publication for seniors. There is no life to it, no excitement, no punch. It also seems a bit condescending. I don’t need Ralph Lauren to tell me what “American Living” is.

The bad brand name notwithstanding, for JCPenney, this probably makes sense. They are a middle of the road department store, and they are looking for a way to keep up with the competition. Kohl’s, one of their main rivals, already sells a Ralph Lauren line, Chaps.

For Polo Ralph Lauren, I see this as further weakening their overall image. If you can buy Ralph Lauren at Kohl’s and JCPenney, the name has a heck of a lot less caché. They have a ton of brand names already, including “Polo by Ralph Laurenâ€?, “Ralph Lauren Purple Labelâ€?, “Ralph Laurenâ€?, “Black Labelâ€?, “Blue Labelâ€?, “Lauren by Ralph Laurenâ€?, “Polo Jeans Co.â€?, “RRLâ€?, “RLXâ€?, “Rugbyâ€?, “RL Childrenswearâ€?, “Chapsâ€?, and “Club Monaco.”

Will I buy American Living products? Possibly. But not because the products are connected with the Ralph Lauren name. I buy products that are unique, fit my lifestyle, and are priced right. If American Living lives up to those standards then I will consider it.

Gosh, I do wish they had asked me about the name.

Ralph Lauren, JCPenney, Polo, Kohl’s, American Living