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When do you send a present and what kind of gifts do you send?

 Birthdays

First of all, birthdays are never complete until you've sent happy birthday wishes. There are many websites where you can send a digital Ecard or a real postcard (like http://www.greetz.com/).

Today you can even personalize your card with your own text or photo and most of these websites even have a calandar so you can create a postcard in advance and make sure it arrives on the day of the birthday.  This can be convenient when you want to make sure you don't want to forget a birthday, you can simply send carts to every member of your family by creating them all in january for every birthday coming up that year.

Sending a gift for children, it depends on the age and gender. Parents often have a wish list, ask for a few items on that list and make sure you let the parents know which item you will buy to make sure they do not recieve an item twice. Remember to include batteries if your gift requires them, children always want to try their gift as soon as they open the box.

For children aged 1-3 clothes or (unbreakable) children tableware are always safe to give.

For adults, finding the right birthday gift can be difficult. Think of hobbies and interests of that person. If you are not convinced about what to purchase, you could request to the person you're buying for (or a close relative) to put together a wish list of birthday present ideas. Request to them to put many things on it, and then it will at the same time be a bit of a surprise. Of course, they may have been hinting at what they want for months and you missed it!

Clothes are at all times troublesome to buy in case they don't fit but they can also be excellent birthday present ideas for the fashion conscious. 

 

Christmas

Off course you can purchase the same kind of gift as you would buy for someone's birthday, however at Christmas you can also send special Christmas holiday gifts such as cookies and chocolate or gift baskets of local specialty foods. Most exclusive Christmas Hamper's can be found at Harrods , they vary in price from $20 to over $20.000 but many other online stores sell nice gift baskets during this season with a variety of (local) products.

One of the oldest traditions of Christmas is sending cards. They are a great way of giving a little Christmas cheer to far-away relatives. Like birthday cards you can send them by email or send a post card.  Season greetings by post are much more appreciated, especially by family members. Send them out by the end of the first week in December or the beginning of the second week.

 

Easter

Easter is a special occasion for sending chocolate gifts, especially chocolate Easter Eggs. Every online department store will have special offers during the Easter season.  Remember Easter is not a moment for cards and gifts like Christmas.

 

Weddings

When you receive an invitation for a wedding, most couples want you to select a wedding gift from their wedding registry list, either in a store or on the web.  

Unlike years past, today's couples want modern twists on the traditional wedding gifts, even though some of the most coveted gifts still hail from the kitchen, dinning, bedding, and bath departments. For deluxe bedding and bath, give them gifts that'll create a spa-like, hotel environment every morning when they wake up. Think about buying them a trio of gifts to create a theme: What about a set of super-soft pillows, a thick down blanket, and a pair of high thread-count hotel towels?

Many couples also use their wedding as an excuse to upgrade their kitchen with top-notch appliances. Give state-of-the-art kitchen gear, gadgets, and cookware that look as good on the counter as they do when in use.

 

Wedding Anniversary

Depending on the anniversary (5th, 10th, 50th) you can shop for a traditional gift, see for advice at http://www.anniversary.us.com/ or ask close relatives if the couple has any special wishes. Flowers, champagne  or a gift basket are always nice gifts for these occasions. 

House warming

People fresh off the move are still in shock as to how saddled down they are by their possessions, so this is not the time to give something large or furniture-like, which will only cause the recipient to imagine having to someday repack said item and lug it down several flights of stairs. Off course it depends whether newly weds, college freshmen or a retired couple just moved to a new place. Also remember that artwork is always kind of personal and tableware has to match with the items they already have. Most peope like plants and if they moved to a house with a garden you can choose between a houseplant or one for outdoors. Popular House warming gifts these days are (wine)glasses, (personalized) doormats and cutting boards.

Mother's day

Kitchen appliances and cleaning implements are not recommended; neither are fluffy slippers unless she's indicated she'd really like a pair. Flowers and candy are always popular for Mother's day, do not forget to add a card with a personal message! Something personal like a book, DVD or CD is always appreciated, just as a small piece of jewellery.

 
 

Father's day

What not to buy: Funny underwear, T-shirt, or tie or an expensive tech gadget which he will never use. A leather wallet, a nice shirt of some tools are a nice gift for this special day. A bottle of wine or Scotch is also appreciated (if he likes this off course).       

Graduations

Some people take these types of events more personally than others, you know who they are, so weigh your choices carefully; especially if you’re family. It may be worth it to send a gift, no matter what the rules are, to keep things kosher. Always send a card if you receive a graduation announcement or invitation.

 

There is a difference between a High School Graduation and a College Graduation. Money is always a practical gift idea for any graduate. For those going off to college there are living expenses, supplies, books and tuition that need paid. Gadgets, an engraved pen or a briefcase are also popular presents for these occasions.    

Valentine's day

To some people, Valentine's Day is the day you're supposed to buy flowers or candy for your loved one. But to others, Valentine's Day is about expressing your innermost feelings about that special someone. If you don’t quite know your date inside and out yet, flowers or candy are very popular but when you want to show your love you really should 'personalize' your gift. Jewellery is also a very popular gift on Valentines day, for someone you know just a few months and for couples who have a relationship for many years.

 

 

Last but not least, it's important to know when all these special days are. Here's a link with all Religious and Civil holidays around the world. For Family Birthdays and (your own) Wedding Anniversaries we recommend a calendar. If you forgot a special day, just visit our website for a special gift!

 

 

Last modified on Thursday, 02 March 2017 19:48
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Shop for clothes online: Get the right size!

 

 

Shopping for clothes online can get you great style at bargain prices and save lots of time. Unfortunately it also comes with the worry that because you are buying a clothing item sight-unseen, it just won't fit and you've wasted your money. Here's how to make sure that never happens.

Shopping online does come with the stress of possibly having to return whatever you buy because it doesn't fit. You can't eliminate you ever having to deal with returns (and the costs of it) or exchanges, but with a little planning and some smart shopping, you can make sure it's rare.

 

 Get some accurate measurements for your body, and keep them up to date!

The first, and perhaps most important thing you can do before you really start to purchase clothes online is to get proper measurements of yourself. Once you have an idea of your size, beyond "large," "size 10," or "42 waist," you'll be able shop without fear. Remember, one company's size 10 is another company's size 8. Labels and designers purposefully use "vanity sizes" to confuse customers, and even though the whole point of sizes and inches is to give consumers standards, one company's 42 inch slacks will fit drastically differently than another's. The best way to fight back is to make sure you have your own measurements. Here's how.

Get a professional to take them for you.

Obviously, the best way to get the most accurate measurements possible is to have someone else take them while you're standing normally. If you can, head to a clothing store (I know, the whole point here is to shop online and avoid clothing stores, but just this once) and have your measurements properly taken by someone who does it all the time and knows what they're doing. Once you have them, you'll be ready to shop.

 

 

Take them yourself (or have a friend help you out. The alternative to having a pro do it, of course, is to do it yourself. You have to be careful taking your own measurements—don't suck in your gut, or try to stand up straighter than you normally do—trying to "optimize" your posture or size will just lead to uncomfortable clothing in the end. Similarly, if you must take your own measurements, get a friend or family member to help out with the hard to accurately reach places, like the inseam for gents, or the bust for ladies.

 

Once you have your measurements, size charts will be your best friend. You won't ever need to trust that a "large" is indeed "large enough" to fit you—you can just look at the sizing chart on the website of the online shop, find yourself on it, and go from there. If you've been shopping for clothes online for a while, you may already know this, but it's even more important when you're shopping online, especially from retailers that carry different labels, designers, and clothing manufacturers.

 

If you're shopping from a custom clothier where everything you buy is made or tailored to order, or from a clothing store that promises consistent measurements across all of their products, you'll only need to review the sizing chart once to get a feel for what will fit you and what won't.

Make notes on brands, retailers, and designers you've bought before

Grab a notebook or use your favorite note-taking app to jot down the name of the retailer you shopped with, what you bought (especially if it's from a specific designer or has a specific cut or style), its size, and how well it fits.

Keeping notes like this for clothes may sound silly, but it's really important. When you hit on a brand, a cut, or a style that really works for you, you'll be able to find it again easily. You'll also always know that a specific brand is cut a certain way and fits you well.

 Youth Sizing Charts

Women's Sizing Charts

Men's Sizing Charts

 

Last modified on Monday, 14 August 2017 09:19
Thursday, 15 January 2015 00:00

Youth Sizing Charts

Written by

Taking Measurments

  • Take measurement up under the arms and around chest.
  • Measure from the base of the neck, across shoulder, down arm to slightly bent elbow and up to wrist.
  • Measure circumference at the narrowest part.
  • Measure at the fullest point, standing with feet together.
  • Measure around the largest part of the head.
  • For youth gloves and mitts, the hand circumference in inches equals glove size. Measure around a flat hand at the knuckles, but do not include thumb.

Youth Sizes:

  S
6-7
M
8-10
L
12-14
XL
16-18
Chest 25-27" 28-30" 31-33" 34-36"
Waist 22-23.5" 24-25.5" 26-27.5" 28-29.5"
Sleeve 21-23" 25-27" 28-30" 31-32"
Inseam 25-26" 27-29" 31-32" 30-32"
Height 44-48" 49-54" 55-60" 61-66"
Wt. (lbs.) 45-54 55-73 74-100 101-120



Glove and Mitt Sizes:

 

XS
(4/5)

S
(6/7)

M
(8/10)

L
(12/14)

XL
(16/18)

Knuckle Circ.

5 1/2"

6"

6 1/2"

7"

7 1/2"

Hand Length

5 1/2"

6"

6 1/2""

7"

7 1/2"



Youth Footwear Sizes:

US

10c

11c

12c

13c

1

2

3

4

5

6

U.K.

9c

10c

11c

12c

13c

1

2

3

4

5

Euro

27.5

29

30

31

32.5

34

35

36

37.5

38.5

Japan

16.5

17.5

18

18.5

19

20

21

22

23

24

Foot Length

7"

7 1/8"

7 1/2"

7 3/4"

8 1/8"

8 3/8"

8 3/4"

9"

9 1/4"

9 3/4"

Age Range

2-4

2-4

2-4

2-4

4-8

4-8

4-8

4-8

4-8

4-8

 

 

Monday, 11 August 2014 00:00

Women's Sizing Charts

Written by

Women's Sizing Charts

Taking Measurements:

  • Chest: Measure at the fullest part of the bust.
  • Sleeves: Measure from the base of the neck, across shoulder, down arm to slightly bent elbow and up to wrist. 
  • Waist: Measure circumference at the narrowest part.
  • Hips: Measure at the fullest point, standing with feet together. 
  • Hats: Measure around the largest part of the head. 
  • Gloves and mitts: On adult gloves and mitts, your hand circumference in inches equals glove size. Measure around a flat hand at the knuckles; do not include thumb. 


Women's Sizes:

Women’s

XS

S

S/M

M

M

Sizes

4

6

8

10

12

Bust

33 1/2"

34 1/2"

35 1/2"

36 1/2"

38"

Waist

25"

26"

27"

28"

29 1/2"

Hips

35 1/2"

36 1/2"

37 1/2"

38 1/2"

40"

Thigh

21 1/4"

22 1/4"

22 1/4"

23 1/2"

23 1/2"

Neck

13 1/2"

14 1/2"

14 1/2"

15"

15"

Sleeve

29"

29 1/2"

30"

30 1/2"

31"

Inseam

29 1/2"

30"

30 1/2"

31"

31 1/2"

 

Women`s

L

L

XL

XL

Sizes

14

16

18

20

Bust

39 1/2"

41 1/2"

43 1/2"

45 1/2"

Waist

31"

33"

35"

361/2"

Hips

41 1/2"

43 1/2"

45 1/2"

47 1/2"

Thigh

25"

25"

26 1/2"

26 1/2"

Neck

15 3/4"

15 3/4"

16 1/2"

16 1/2"

Sleeve

31 1/2"

32"

32 1/2"

33 1/2"

Inseam

31 1/2"

32"

32"

33"


Unisex Sizes:

 

XS

S

M

L

XL

XXL

Chest

33-35"

35-37"

38-40"

41-43"

45-47"

50-52"

Waist

24-26"

27-29"

30-32"

33-35"

37-39"

44-46"

Hips

34 1/2 - 36 1/2"

36 1/2 - 38 1/2"

39 - 41"

42 1/2 - 44 1/2"

45 - 47"

48 - 50"

Thigh

21"

22"

22"

23"

24"

25"

Sleeve

31"

32 1/2"

34"

35"

35 1/2"

37"

Neck

14 1/2"

15"

15 1/2"

16 1/2"

17 1/2"

18 1/2"

Inseam

30"

31"

32"

33"

33"

35"


Hat Sizes:

S

M

L

XL

(6 7/8 - 7)

(7 1/8 - 7 1/4)

(7 3/8 -7 1/2)

(7 5/8 -7 3/4)

21 1/2" - 22"

22" - 22 3/4"

22 3/4" - 23 1/2"

23 1/2" - 24 1/4"


Glove and Mitt Sizes:

 

XS

S

M

L

XL

Knuckle Circumference

6 1/2"

7 1/2"

8 1/2"

9 1/2"

10 1/2"

Hand Length

6 1/2"

7 1/2"

8 1/2"

9 1/2"

10 1/2"


European Shoe Sizes to Women`s US Sizes:

Metric

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

US Size

5

5 - 5 1/2

6 1/2 - 7

7 1/2 - 8

8 - 8 1/2

9

9 1/2 - 10


Sock Sizes

Sock Sizes

S

M

L

Women`s Shoe Sizes

4 - 6

6 1/2 - 10

10 1/2 - 12

Womens Footwear Sizes:

US

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

10.5

11

11.5

12

U.K.

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

9

10

Euro

34

34.5

35

35.5

36

37

37.5

38

38.5

39

40

41

41.5

42

42.5

43

44

Japan

20

20.5

21

21.5

22

22.5

23

23.5

24

24.5

25

25.5

26

27

28

   

 

 

Thursday, 15 January 2015 00:00

Men's Sizing Charts

Written by

Men's Sizing Charts

 

Taking Measurements: 

  • Chest: Take measurement up under the arms and around chest.
  • Sleeves: Measure from the base of the neck, across shoulder, down arm to slightly bent elbow and up to wrist. 
  • Waist: Measure circumference at the narrowest part. 
  • Hips: Measure at the fullest point, standing with feet together. 
  • Hats: Measure around the largest part of the head. 
  • Gloves and mitts: On adult gloves and mitts, your hand circumference in inches equals glove size. Measure around a flat hand at the knuckles; do not include thumb. 


Men's Sizes:

 

S

M

L

XL

XXL

Chest

35"-37"

38"-40"

41"-43"

45"-47"

49"-51"

Waist

28"-30"

31"-33"

34"-36"

38"-40"

42"-44"

Hips

35"-37"

38"-40"

41"-43"

44"-46"

47"-49"

Thigh

21"

22"

23"

24"

25"

Neck

14 1/2"

15 1/2"

16 1/2"

17 1/2"

18 1/2"

Sleeve

33"

34"

35"

36"

37"

Inseam

31 1/2"

32"

32 1/2"

33"

33 1/2"


Hat Sizes:

S

M

L

XL

(6 7/8 - 7)

(7 1/8 - 7 1/4)

(7 3/8 - 7 1/2)

(7 5/8 - 7 3/4)

21 1/2" - 22"

22" - 22 3/4"

22 3/4" - 23 1/2"

23 1/2" - 24 1/4"


Glove and Mitt Sizes:

 

XS

S

M

L

XL

Knuckle Circumference

6 1/2 - 7"

7 1/2 - 8"

8 1/2 - 9"

9 1/2 - 10"

10 1/2 - 11"


Mens Footwear Sizes:

US

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

10.5

11

11.5

12

13

14

U.K.

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

8

8.5

9

9.5

10

10.5

11

12

13

Euro

37

37.5

38

38.5

39

40

41

41.5

42

42.5

43

44

45

45.5

46

47

48

Japan

23

23.5

24

24.5

25

25.5

26

26.5

27

27.5

28

28.5

29

29.5

30

31

32

 

 

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Tips for Safe Online Shopping

It's important to take steps to protect yourself when shopping online.

Online shopping is convenient, easy, and quick. But before you start adding items to your cart, make sure you are up-to-date and have the latest security software, web browsers and operating system. Keeping a clean machine is the best defense against viruses, malware, and other online threats.

Unlike Offline Stores it is quite easy to create a web-shop that looks like any other online store but is just created to receive your payment. Some online stores are complete copies of legitimate websites but do have a different address (like .net instead of .com). Dissimilar a ' Real' store where you can talk to staff members it is all virtual, instead of exchanging goods for cash you pay in advance and you expect your purchase will arrive soon.

Creating this website we visited 100's of online store websites to make sure they are safe and we found out there are a lot of (temporarily) online stores that look like legitimate websites with official company brands and payment Safeguard logo's but never deliver any item. When the Customer Service has a free email service address like gmail or hotmail or the website has a One Day offer that is still there the next day, think twice before you order.

Here are some other ways to protect yourself when shopping online:

Protect your personal information: When making a purchase online, be alert to the kinds of information being collected to complete the transaction. Make sure you think it is necessary for the vendor to request that information. Remember, you only need to fill out required fields on a vendors checkout form. Before providing personal or financial information, check the website's privacy policy. Make sure you understand how your information will be stored and used.

Use safe payment options: Credit cards are generally the safest option because they allow buyers to seek a credit from the issuer if the product isn’t delivered or isn’t what was ordered. Also, unlike debit cards, credit cards may have a limit on the monetary amount you will be responsible for paying if your information is stolen and used by someone else. Never send cash through the mail or use a money-wiring service because you’ll have no recourse if something goes wrong. Don’t forget to review return policies. You want a no-hassle ability to return items.

Keep a paper trail: Print and save records of your online transactions, including the product description, price, online receipt, terms of the sale, and copies of any email exchange with the seller. Read your credit card statements as soon as you get them to make sure there aren’t any unauthorized charges. If there is a discrepancy, call your bank and report it immediately.

Turn your computer off when you’re finished shopping: Many people leave their computers running and connected to the Internet all day and night. This gives scammers 24/7 access to your computer to install malware and commit cyber crimes. To be safe, turn off your computer when it's not in use.

Be wary of emails requesting information: Attackers may attempt to gather information by sending emails requesting that you confirm purchase or account information. Legitimate businesses will not solicit this type of information through email. Contact the merchant directly if you are alerted to a problem. Use contact information found on your account statement, not in the email.

Protect Yourself with these STOP. THINK. CONNECT. Tips:

· Keep a clean machine: Having the latest security software, web browser and operating system are the best defenses against viruses, malware and other online threats.

· Make passwords long and strong: Combine capital and lowercase letters with numbers and symbols to create a more secure password.

· Unique account, unique password: Separate passwords for every account helps thwart cybercriminals.

· When in doubt, throw it out: Links in email, tweets, posts, and online advertising are often the way cybercriminals compromise your computer. If it looks suspicious, even if you know the source, it’s best to delete or if appropriate, mark as junk email

· Get savvy about Wi-Fi hotspots: Limit the type of business you conduct and adjust the security settings on your device to limit who can access your machine.

· Protect your $$: When banking and shopping, check to be sure the sites is security enabled. Look for web addresses with “https://” or “shttp://”, which means the site takes extra measures to help secure your information. “Http://” is not secure.

· Think before you act:Be wary of communications that implores you to act immediately, offers something that sounds too good to be true, or asks for personal information

· Help the authorities fight cybercrime: Report stolen finances or identities and other cybercrime to your local law enforcement or state attorney general as appropriate.

 

Safe Shopping on Your Smartphone.

Don't buy anything while connected to public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi networks aren't encrypted, which means anyone can eavesdrop on what you send. Anyone! All a black hat hacker needs is a free packet-sniffer which captures packets of data across unsecured networks. So really, avoid looking at anything on your mobile device that you wouldn't want the guy next to you in the coffee shop to see.

Use discretion when downloading payment apps. There's a dizzying variety of mobile payment apps out there, but before you download any, be sure to check out the ratings, read the reviews, and search online for any claims of being scammed. When in doubt, use apps provided directly by your bank, credit card company, or retailer (such as Amazon). Most mobile malware comes from downloading legitimate looking apps from third-party app stores.

  (source http://www.staysafeonline.org/)

 

How to Protect Your Kids Online

 How to Protect Your Kids Online

 As a parent, you want to both empower your kid and protect them from the worst of the internet, which requires a flexible approach that evolves over time. With a toddler, for example, you’re thrilled she can navigate and use her tablet and that Elmo is teaching her to count, but you don’t want her surfing YouTube and scaring herself with spider videos.

An older child, meanwhile, is smart enough to focus on the content that is interesting to them and reach out to others with similar interests, but may not realize when they’re browsing sites that contain malware or are being targeted by cybercriminals or cyberbullies looking for a target. What parents aim to protect their children from really depends on the child, their maturity level and the parent’s personal beliefs.

Read the full article from Caroline Chambers at https://www.cloudwards.net/how-to-protect-your-kids-online/

 

Last modified on Tuesday, 23 January 2018 18:05
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Import Advice

 

When you buy an item on the internet from a country other than where you live, the item must be "imported" to you from that country. When the price includes shipping and handling, remember that they are paying to package and send you the item from their country to your address. But when the item arrives in your country the customs service, a government agency of your country, may charge you a customs fee on the item, depending on the amount of import duties and VAT and the amount of the item(s). If shipping is free, you better order twice the product to avoid a customs fee.

Most countries will levy import tax on purchases, but not all purchases will be eligible for import duty.

For instance, customs duty is not payable on goods that are bought between EU countries.

 

 

 

Import and VAT duties vary greatly, you can expect to pay on value about:

Country

Allowance

Exemptions

Sales Tax

Import Duty

NZ

$60

Gifts ($110)

15%

0-10%

Australia

$1000

 

10%

5%

USA

$200

Gifts ($100)

   

Israel

$325

 

18%

0%-278%

UAE

AED500

   

5%

India

INR5000

Gifts

 

0-27%

China

RBM50

 

17%

 

Canada

CAN$20

Gifts ($60)

5%

6%

UK

£135

Gifts (£630)

20%

0-20%

Jordan

   

13%

0-23%

 

A full list of rates per country can be found here: www.dutycalculator.com/new-import-duty-and-tax-calculation

These fees will have to be paid when the item is delivered or received at the post office. The seller has no control over this so remember it is up to you to anticipate these charges. We make sure you purchase your online item from a buyer with a good reputation for international shipping, and that they will provide you with a tracking number that you can use to track the progress of your item. This is done to ensure that your country receives money for taxation. Most countries have a minimum limit whereby items with a value under that limit are are not taxed. Then custom duties are based on the items category and wether or not your country produces the same products.

 

Under international postal agreements the sender must complete a customs declaration which in most cases should be affixed to the package. The declaration includes a description of the goods, the value and whether they are gifts or commercial items. Any Post Office abroad should be able to give advice to the sender.

Most goods arriving in the EU from outside the EU are liable to any or all of the following taxes:

* customs duty

* excise duty

* import VAT

and must be paid whether:

* you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift;

* the goods are new or used (including antiques)

* the goods are for your private use or for sale

Goods sent as a gift are not free of import duties and import VAT. However, customs duty will not be collected always, depending on the amount of import duties and VAT and the amount of the gift.

 

Fast Parcel Operators may charge you for processing your package through Customs. These charges are normally collected together with any duty/taxes on delivery but they are not Customs duties. If you need to know the exact cost of these extra charges in advance, you should contact the seller and ask which carrier they will be using to send your goods. You can then contact the carrier and ask what their charges will be.

 

Note: When you buy an item online as a gift and you send it to an adress in the same country you purchased it, no extra import duties and taxes will be charged other than the VAT of the country you buy the item (included within the total amount of the purchase).

Last modified on Monday, 14 August 2017 08:51
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How to buy Safe Toys?

Don't grant your kids' wishes for the newest, coolest toys until you know they're safe. With new product recalls almost daily, choosing safe and healthy toys can be a daunting task. Before you buy, double check that the toy you're considering meets our safe shopping guidelines.

Is the toy age-appropriate?

It's essential to adhere to the age guidelines indicated on toy packaging—because even a toy for a 3-year-old could have parts too small for a 2-year-old to handle properly.

Are there any small, loose parts that your child can swallow?

If you're not sure, consider the toilet paper tube test—anything that can pass through the tube is too small to be given to a child under 3 years old. Marbles, coins and balls are common culprits. Also, make sure that any buttons, eyes and noses are tightly secured.

Could any part of the toy be bitten off and swallowed?

Little kids love to chew their toys, so avoid any toys that have small pieces that can be easily gnawed off.

Does the toy have a string, ribbon, straps or cord longer than 7 inches?

For young children, avoid these toys or remove the strings to prevent strangulation.

Is your toy non-toxic?

Check to make sure the toy has a non-toxic, durable finish.

Could any part cut small hands or fingers?

Look for points, edges or breakable parts that could be sharp and avoid those toys for kids under eight. If you're considering a ride-on, is it sturdy and stable, and does the recipient have all the proper safety equipment (helmet, kneepads, etc.) required to use it?

Does the toy include magnets?

Building sets, action figures, puzzles or dolls containing small, powerful magnets can be fatal if they are swallowed by children.

Could the toy be a fire hazard?

Fabric toys should be labeled as flame retardant or flame resistant. And electrical toys with batteries or electric plugs pose a burn hazard so they should be avoided for kids under eight.

If you're considering a ride-on, is it sturdy and stable?

Does the recipient have all the proper safety equipment (helmet, kneepads, etc.) required to use it?

Does the toy include any throwing or shooting projectiles?

It's best to avoid these toys because they can cause injuries, especially to the eyes.

 

Last modified on Monday, 14 August 2017 08:33
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Guideline for online shopping

 

Security (see also tips for Safe Online Shopping)

When shopping online, plastic is the preferred method of payment. However, you must remember that your credit card number is static. It doesn't change unless you close and reopen an account, and once your credit card information is online, it can be compromised if it falls into the wrong hands.

There are some measures online shoppers can take to minimize their risk. First and foremost is ensuring that all online shopping is carried out only on secure sites. To be certain the page you're on is secure, look for a tiny padlock icon, usually found in the top right corner of your browser's URL bar. You can also tell if the site is secure by looking for an "s" in the URL address. While non secure sites and pages begin with http://, secure sites begin with https://.

Never send your account numbers or any other personal information via e-mail, which isn't secure. For this same reason, you should never access a Web site to shop through an e-mail link.

Payment

Shopping online is easiest with plastic, but some plastic is better than others. It's advisable only to ­use credit cards, rather than debit cards, for online shopping. Credit cards represent an extension of credit, while debit cards draw directly from your bank account. Once in possession of your banking information, hackers can do much more damage to your finances than with your credit card number.

Under the Fair Credit Billing Act (USA only but similar in other countries), consumers are protected in the event of identity theft or fraud -- if they use a credit card. This law protects account holders by limiting their fraud liability. Payments for unauthorized charges to a credit card can also be put on hold and investigated. Even better, most credit card companies offer more protection, sometimes limiting consumer liability for fraud to zero. Using a debit card affords you some federal protection as well. If you notify your bank of a fraudulent debit card purchase within two days your liability is limited. Ask your bank about the conditions.

Most credit card companies now offer single-use credit card numbers for online shopping. These expire after one purchase and only your credit card company knows which account it's linked to.

Using only one credit card for online shopping is another great way to head off potential online shopping headaches. If you have one credit card number sent via cyberspace, the potential for fraud is limited to that one account. Should a hacker come by your account information, you'll have only that credit card company to contend with.

When shopping online it's always better to use a credit card over a debit card. To refund your online purchase when you have used a debit card takes a lot of time!

Beware the Restocking Fee

Online shopping could eventually mean the death of the physical retail store, but even if that happens, one thing will be constant: the warehouse. There will always be a need to store vast number of items and to employ people to stock these warehouses.

Until robots take their jobs, warehouse employees will require salaries for the work they perform. Paying a person for retrieving, packaging and shipping an item that you've purchased online is already built into a retailer's costs. But if you return the item, it still has to be repackaged and replaced, although the company hasn't made any money from the return. As a result, online retailers have begun to charge restocking fees on returned items.

It's a reasonable requirement, but some restocking fees are easier to swallow than others. While some retailers charge up to 25 percent or more, a fee of 15 percent of the price you paid for the returned item has become customary for intensively packaged products, like electronics. Before proceeding to checkout, familiarize yourself with the retailer's return policies, which should be explicitly stated somewhere on its Web site.

Simply packaged items like books and unopened DVDs shouldn't cost you any money to return. Likewise, if you're returning the product because it's defective, you shouldn't be expected to pay any return fee. If you've damaged the product's UPC code or serial number, however, don't bother trying to return it -- you've pretty much taken the item permanently out of circulation. You can try to recoup some of what you paid by listing the item on websites such as Amazon or eBay.

Bargain Hunting

Online shopping presents consumers with a wonderful new advantage -- the ease of barg­ain hunting. Prior to shopping via the Internet, finding the lowest price for an item meant perusing catalogs and circulars, traveling from store to store or hitting the yellow pages for phone numbers and addresses.

Tabbed browsing has even further paved the way for finding deals online. When checking out, don't pass by the online coupon code bar. Open another tab or window and do a quick search for coupons for the retailer available on other sites, like FatWallet.com and CurrentCodes.com. You may come up with a coupon you didn't know existed just by taking a few extra seconds for a quick search. Many stores will happily provide you with their own promotional codes if you sign up for their email newsletters. Enter the code before you check out to reap the savings. Keep in mind that this is only a tiny sample of bargain-hunting sites on the Web. You may have your favorites, but no one would blame you for keeping your shopping secrets to yourself.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are the most days for shopping, most retailers have special promotions and discount codes on these days!

Use the 'Chat now' button if available and ask for Discount or Promo Codes directly. Say hello and ask if they have any promo codes they can share. If you would like to purchase that special item, ask if that item will be on sale for the next couple of weeks. You can also send an email or call their customer service. If you are looking for a phone number, try Get Human first.

If you would like to know when your favorite item is on sale, use the 'Like it' button! You will receive updates on your favorites and save money! This works great on websites like Shopbop and Revolve.

 

Plan Your Purchase

If there's one big drawback to online shopping, it's the agony of waiting for your order to be shipped. The earlier you make your purchases, the greater chance they'll ­arrive on time. Under federal laws, retailers must ship items within the dates specified (for example, three to five days for standard shipping), or within 30 days if no shipping date is specified in the transaction.

To cut down on shipping fees, try to order many items at once from a single retailer. Your purchases should be lumped together into one large package with one shipping fee attached. By registering with an online retail site, the cookies uploaded to your computer will retain any items in your online shopping cart until you either delete or purchase them, allowing you to ship everything at once -- and at one price. Many online retailers offer free shipping on purchases over a certain amount, and online coupon sites regularly offer free shipping coupon codes.

If you can't catch a break on shipping, ordering early enough will allow you to opt for standard shipping. It's almost always the slowest, but if you order early, you've got time on your side. Give yourself a little more time if you're ordering from a third-party vendor through a big online retailer. The retail site's delivery date is an estimate, one the vendor doesn't always meet. Be aware of the fact that, in accordance with the requirements of Universal Postal Union, International Civil Aviation Organization and International Air Transport Association, all dangerous articles such as perfumery products are not admissible for posting by air mail (including Speedpost).

 

 

 

Last modified on Wednesday, 28 February 2018 09:17