Dropshipping Website - Make Money With Gift Ideas

Making money by operating a drop-shipping website can be rather easy. A drop-shipping website is a virtual storefront for wholesalers and dealers. Your job will consist of processing orders and handling the customer service end of the business. You will then transfer customer orders and shipment details to the wholesaler.


Making money by operating a drop-shipping website can be rather easy. A drop-shipping website is a virtual storefront for wholesalers and dealers. Your job will consist of processing orders and handling the customer service end of the business. You will then transfer customer orders and shipment details to the wholesaler. This wholesaler will in turn, ship the goods directly to the customer from their warehouse. As a drop-shipping website retailer, you will make money on the difference between the wholesale cost and the retail price. eBay is an example of how many people make money by operating a dropshipping website.
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Some retailers may keep drop shipping items on display in an actual brick and mortar store so that customers can physically see and touch an item for sale. Some may offer catalogs, while other retailers may operate solely through a website. This differs from normal retail, as an initial inventory is not purchased and maintained. It is similar to an affiliate program, where an affiliate or associate takes care of the front end marketing and customer relationships and is then paid once a sale is made. Many wholesalers prefer to work this way as it reduces costs to them by not having to employ support and sales staff. Drop-shipping website owners like this business arrangement because they do not have to purchase tens of thousands of dollars of inventory they may not sell.

You will want to start by selecting a reputable wholesaler. Some popular wholesalers include: Stealth Wholesale, Shopster, DropShip Direct and DHGate. Once you have established an account with this wholesaler, you will want to check out their inventory for items that you are interested in selling. You will often find that wholesalers supply product descriptions, specs and product images that you can use to advertise your items.

Advertise your items for sale on a website. You will want to set up a seller account on a site like eBay, Amazon or you can set up your own independent website. Many have a built-in shopping cart for the site or you can pay for an add-in module on your independent site. You will want to be sure to include payment methods, terms of sale and your returns policy. Once a sale has been completed, you can transfer the completed order to the wholesaler who will advise of back stock or shipment completion. You and the customer should be supplied a tracking number for the shipment.

Don't forget that customer service is a very important part of sales. Just because you got the money, don't assume that everything is great. By not following up with a customer, you may feel the repercussions of negative feedback. By providing great customer service in addition to a great sales price, you can almost guarantee you will make money with that customer again and again. Internet shopping is quite a popular trend in today's digital age. You can use this venue to make money for many years to come.

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Maritime Security for Ships Flying the Cyprus Flag

 Cyprus is the third biggest maritime fleet in the EU and the tenth biggest fleet in the world. Generally speaking, Cyprus is a strategic market leader for many reasons. Firstly, it is located at the crossroads of three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa. Secondly, Cyprus has double tax treaties with 45 countries and bilateral agreements of cooperation in merchant shipping with 23 countries. Thirdly, the low set up and operating costs for companies and liberal foreign direct investment regime. Finally, the VAT exemption for international transport services in case the effective use and enjoyment of the services take place outside the EU.

 Since Cyprus is a market leader in ship management, maritime security and safety is a highly important issue. This particular issue has been extensively addressed by the Protection of Cyprus Ships Against Acts of Piracy and Other Unlawful Acts Law 2012, published in the Official Gazette on 15th June 2012. The law denotes a new era in protection for ships flying the Cyprus flag against security threats. Furthermore, the law reinforces maritime security and is based on advice and proposals of the International Maritime Organization.

 The Department of Merchant Shipping (DMS) has issued detailed instructions concerning maritime security regarding ships flying the Cyprus flag.

 Piracy and Unlawful Acts

 The law covers a number of potential security issues such as piracy and "unlawful acts". The term "unlawful acts" is defined as "an act or suspicious act or circumstance which, by its nature or context, threatens the security of the ship or may cause damage to the ship or to the persons on board or the cargo".

 Examples of unlawful acts covered by the law:


 seizure of control of the ship (including acts of piracy)

 committing acts of violence against a person on board the ship or causing death or injury

 damage to or destruction of the ship or its cargo

 placement on board the ship of a device which may damage or destroy the ship, its cargo or bodily harm the persons onboard

 abduction, detention or hostage taking of one or more persons onboard

 theft or transportation out of the ship of certain items (portable equipment or outfitting, documents, supplies, tools or of parts of the ship or of personal property/money belonging to people onboard)

 exercise or threat of violence or commissioning of any of the above

 transmission of information that may assist in commissioning or attempted commissioning of anyone of the above acts.


 Maritime Security: Obligation and Rights

 The law articulates that ships flying the Cyprus flag are subjected to apply obligatory security measures when sailing through high-risk zones. These measures should be applied in addition to the provisions of SOLAS Chapter XI-2, ISPS Code and Regulation (EC) No. 725/2004, for establishing and preserving the security of the ship and averting "unlawful acts".

 The master and operator of the ship are obliged to take necessary measures for the safety of the ship and avert "unlawful acts". Moreover, they are obliged to implement the additional protective measures, when the ship faces a risk or is in a high-risk area.

 The operator of a ship flying the Cyprus flag must submit to the DMS an application requesting a certificate that will be issued to permit the boarding of private security personnel and the use by them of firearms or other equipment in high-risk zones.

 Necessary documentation:


 the name and full details of the ship, such as type, call sigh and ship's identification number

 full details of the private security company it wishes to engage

 a detailed risk assessment and description of security measures which will be carried out

 a description of firearms and the equipment required to be used

 places, port, port facilities, sea area and dates of embarkation and disembarkation of the security company

 places and dates of the loading and unloading of firearms and other equipment

 description of the itinerary of the ship

 a copy of the written private agreement with the ship security company which has been signed or the ship's operator has an intention to sign


 The permission will be granted under the conditions that the request is justified by reference to the security assessment, and the security personnel will be specially licensed by the government to provide this kind of services.

 Furthermore, the ship operator is obliged to ensure that the security company he engages has a valid license, adequate indemnity insurance and that all guards can communicate with the master and crew. In addition, the contents of the contracts signed by the operator of the ship and the private ship security company must include:

 a. details of all security guards

 b. details of authorized firearms or other special equipment to be used

 c. conditions allowing the use of firearms and special equipment.

 d. processes to be followed to amend any of the matters a-c.

 According to the law, the private ship security companies must submit an application to the DMS to obtain a license allowing them to provide services of unarmed or armed personnel to Cyprus ships.

 The application will be examined by the DMS. If the request is approved, then the relevant certificate will be issued. In other words, the company is permitted to provide security services in compliance with the governing regulations. The Courts of Cyprus will administer all actions of licensed private ship security company in Cyprus and the DMS must approve all persons employed by this kind of companies.

 The law provides a set of rights for the personnel on board, such as the right for self-defense, the right to arrest and detain an individual intending to commit or has committed an unlawful act, and the right to impound arms and equipment of individuals attempting to or have committed an unlawful act.

 Duty to report

 The master and the operator of the ship have the obligation to report immediately to the DMS any unlawful act or attempt to commit an unlawful act and provide relevantly and full information to the DMS in regards to that act. Additionally, the operator is directly obliged to inform and keep updated the relatives of hostages and those injured as a result of an unlawful act.

 Cyprus as a market leader:

 The Protection of Cyprus Ships Against Acts of Piracy and Other Unlawful Acts Law (77(I)/2012) establishes Cyprus as a market leader in ship management and maritime security by reinforcing regulation and management of safety and maritime security challenges faced by ships flying the Cyprus flag.

Small Online Merchants - Ten Steps to Avoid Credit Card Fraud

Small Online Merchants - Ten Steps to Avoid Credit Card Fraud

 I'm personally involved with the operation of four different web sites that sell to consumers and frankly I'm getting really angry about internet fraud because, as a small merchant I'm the one that it hurts. When credit cards are used fraudulently it's not the banks that are on the hook - although they'd happily let you believe that they are. And consumers are not on the hook. And the suppliers are not on the hook. It's us - the poor fools in the middle - the smallest fish in the food chain.

 In the last week, I had a $1000.00 fraudulent order was caught before it shipped, but missed a $250.00 order placed with a stolen card that was sadly made on a product with almost no margin in the first place - so I got to eat 90% of the cost as a raw number, never mind that the remaining 10% was supposed to go to overhead and marketing and all those other wonderful things, so all told that write off cost more than 100%. Sweet, eh?

 I'm angry that as far as I can see, these scum balls use stolen credit cards that are shipped to a real address - the consumer complains when they see the bill. The credit cards charge it back to the merchant and our payment processors slap on about a twenty five buck penalty, because I guess we haven't been worked over quite enough by then. And the people who perpetuated the fraud keep getting away with it. It seems that crime does pay after all, but then, I'll bet that most of the people reading this article have already reached the same sad conclusion.

 So what can a small merchant to do protect their business?

 The most important thing you can do is simple. Inspect every order. Here's what to look for:

 1. Compare the billing and the shipping address. Many people send out gifts to others through an online purchase so a lot of them will be legitimate, but this is still the first thing to check for.

 2. Always ask for phone numbers on your order forms and ignore the gurus who'll tell you that this will increase your shopping cart abandon rate. It will, but this is important information. Compare the number you are given with the address. There are some very easy to access online charts that will show what area codes go to which states. There's one for sure at Greatdata.com. If you have a billing address in Texas and the phone number in Nevada- your "someone's-trying-to-rip-me-off" radar should now be on high alert. Make the same check on the shipping address and phone number.

 3. Look for Hotmail or Gmail addresses on both the billing and shipping side.

 4. Look for unorthodox names. Believe it or not, that $1,000 order was being shipped to Ladysmith Moneybags. I'm not kidding, either. Talk about literally adding insult to injury.

 5. Look for an order with several of the same items.

 6. If you're not sure, don't ship it immediately.

 7. If the phone numbers don't match up, do a white pages search for another telephone number connected to the cardholder (their name and address might just be the only legitimate information you have) and phone them to verify the order.

 8. Look for orders shipping out of the country.

 9. Cultivate a good relationship with your suppliers. Most of them are smaller businesses with people who have seen a lot of rip offs before. Just be sure that they like you enough to be willing to help out, but don't count on them exclusively because if they ship - YOU PAY.

 10. If something looks really dicey, you can always ask for a certified check or a money order. But a wire transfer is NOT a safe alternative; lots of scams are built around fake wire transfers. And if you think for just one second that your own bank will back you up, forget it. When, you take a bad order, no one but you will be left holding the bag at the end of the day.

 The only good news is that if you do take a good look at your orders, you'll catch a lot of the bad orders, because most of them are really not all that difficult to spot.

 

Everything You Need to Know About Cruise Ships

Are you considering taking a fun-filled vacation on a cruise ship soon? Or have you already booked a stateroom on a luxury vessel and you want to get a better idea of what to expect so you can get the most out of your getaway? Either way, you can save time and avoid potential pitfalls if you know some details about the ship you will be enjoying. While every vessel is different, here are some basic pointers about cruise ships.

 Coming Aboard

 The boarding dock of a cruise ship is set up much like an airport terminal. You will have to check your luggage, pass through a security checkpoint, and allow your carry-on items to be scanned or inspected. Then you will walk along a gangplank which leads to the deck of the ship.You will need to present a picture ID at various stages during the boarding process.

 A driver's license is usually fine, but you should carry your passport with you if you plan on disembarking when the ship arrives at any foreign ports of call. During your cruise, when you leave and return to the ship you must get your ID scanned (like a boarding pass at an airport) so the ship's crew knows not to leave without you. (Some ships issue you a personal "ship card" expressly for this purpose.)

 Your Stateroom

 You will be given a map which will help direct you to your living quarters on the ship. Your luggage will be delivered directly to your stateroom. It may even be waiting for you when you get there! there are two basic types of staterooms: an inside room and an outside room. An outside room borders the perimeter of the ship and will usually have a balcony from which you can view the scenery during your voyage. An inside room sits in the interior of the ship and does not have a window or balcony, but usually costs less than an outside room. Each type of stateroom is cozy but efficient, with a queen bed (or two full-size beds), nightstands, TV, closet area and lavatory.

 Your Steward

 Shortly after you arrive at your stateroom, you will receive a visit from your personal steward. He or she is your point person for whatever services you will need while on the cruise. Stewards provide turndown service, bring you room-service meals, answer questions about on board activities, solve any problems you might have, and do much, much more. You do not have to tip your steward every time he or she comes to your room - but it is important to provide an appropriate gratuity to him or her when you receive your final bill at the end of the cruise.

 Food Service

 One of the main advantages of taking a cruise is enjoying a wide variety of cuisines, most of which is included in the price of your ticket. But it is important to note two things about cruise food service: not all of it is free, and most dining venues are only open during certain hours. It is a good idea to plan your meals according to the operating schedules of the dining venues you wish to frequent. These are listed in the materials in your stateroom. The ship usually has a few after-hours dining choices, so know where those are located if you think you might need them. Also, some cruise ships offer specialty restaurants which require either a flat "entry fee" or price their items.
 Pool Areas

 Most cruise advertisements portray lavish poolside scenes, so you'll probably want to check out these areas during your stay. The ship may provide outdoor or indoor pools, which may or may not have lifeguards. Some may have kid-appropriate pools nearby, while others may be close to hot tubs. But they will all have poolside chairs and towels available.Most of the time, pool areas will be staffed with attendants who will be happy to bring you a cool, refreshing beverage if you wish. But you should know ahead of time whether or not these drinks are included in the price of your stateroom. Also, many pool areas offer floats, toys, or other recreational items for their guests to use or rent.

 Entertainment, Activities and Amenities

 While it is not necessary (nor recommended) to precisely schedule every hour of your cruise vacation, it does help to have a general idea of what is going on at various times during the day and throughout your stay. You will be provided with a master schedule of all of the on board shows and activities, as well as the hours of operation of the on board amenities like the spa, salon, golf simulator, kids' clubs, game rooms, and nightclubs. You will also receive a daily schedule of activities every morning from your steward.

 A good strategy is to pick out a few things on the schedules that you definitely want to see or do and plan your stay around them. Some activities take place at the same time each day, while others are only offered once or a few times during each cruise. So you should make note of when your favorite choices are scheduled to make sure that they don't conflict with your planned meals, onshore excursions or other activities.Knowing what to expect from your ship before you climb aboard will help maximize your enjoyment of your entire cruise experience!



 

Gain an Opportunity With Free Business Cards

 You can always assure yourself of a good gain if you get some free business cards for yourself. It may not seem significant, but if you look closely, you can get a good number of benefits. For one you can save more on your expenses and keep it until the right occasion to use it comes. You can certainly get your customers lining up to you in no time.

 To start with you can draw attention by using free company flyers. These can get people interested and will certainly look for more information of the services you are rendering. This would just be the start as you can expect the line of potential customers be longer than you would normally anticipate. Free company flyers can do more things for your advantage.

 There is also free business card software for those who want to tinker a bit and try making their very own company card. This will get their imaginative juices running and give them room to put their personal touch on the cards they are trying to make. With the free personal card software they can be sure to be remembered by the people they want to catch the attention.

 Need to get up close with someone? You can start it with free personal cards and see you surrounded by opportunities. The ones who you get close with might just be the people who can give you a good boost to success. The more personal cards you hand out, the more chances of forming a formidable bond of allies you can get.

 If you have ordered cheap cards online but you are having trouble getting them to your place, worry no more, Vistaprints' is offering free business cards free shipping. You can now ease yourself from the bothersome thoughts of extra costs in shipping. Free company cards free shipping can help alleviate that burden.

 Some people want to have their own businesses promoted but are having second thoughts on how to do so. Luckily, there are free business card templates you can choose from. This will save you time and money from unnecessary consultations on what to do and where to get the sources. Free business card templates can do the job of endorsing your company without the extra costs.

 You need not worry too much on your company's ability to advertise yourself. As long as you can avail of free business cards, you can certainly reach the peak of success and make it to the top.

 

Free Business Cards and Free Shipping - Does it Exist?

Each and every day, thousands of people flock to the internet to order business cards.

 It wasn't always this way of course. In the "old days" people used to walk into their local print shop, look at some templates and card options, give the printer their contact details, and they'd walk out with a stack of new cards.

 The possibility of getting them for free couldn't really exist under those circumstances.

 It certainly can today. With printing becoming more affordable with volume, and many of the top websites being able to print volumes FAR exceeding (as in tens of thousands of times) the print volume of a local printer, online print houses began offering free or almost free business cards to lure customers in.

 Part of the reason they are able to do this, is quite simply, repeat business.

 After all, if you get one thing printed with them, chances are you'll return when you need postcards, or letterhead, or any of dozens of other personal or business products these online print houses are able to provide.

 And chances are you'll re-order cards in near future as well.

 You might even tell a few friends about the great deal you just got, and then they'll go and order.

 In essence, the complimentary business cards offer is really just a clever "loss leader" to help companies get their foot in the door. Once they do, they've earned a customer that may return to them for years and years and for more and more print services.

 Another reason many companies are able to offer free business cards is the ability to charge shipping and handling on these orders, which in many cases helps them recoup the cost of the printing. In some cases, they may even make money on the transaction! Imagine that... make money by giving something away!

 Other companies -- either unable or unwilling to give away cards for free -- decided instead to offer free shipping to win over customers. In order to compete, they may offer more in the way of quality, service, or option.

 So... if some companies offer the cards for free, and other companies offer free shipping... the question that naturally follows is, "can I get free business cards AND free shipping?"

 Actually, you can!

 Offering free business cards with free shipping has proven to be a great way for companies to get publicity, often in the form of press releases that circulate around the web through news sites, social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, and others.

 The problem is that these offers go fast. To limit their financial exposure, the companies only offer the deal to a limited number of customers. Get there first... and they're yours. There's an element of luck and timing in getting to these deals.

 A few companies, however, have found that giving away the cards and shipping them free is a powerful way to earn customer loyalty. On the plus side, they leave these offers on the table for longer periods of time. On the negative side, the quantity of cards they'll give away to each customer is generally pretty small.

 Deciding between free business cards with a nominal shipping charge, and one of these smaller, or rarer deals that offer both for free, all depends on what you need.

 The bottom line is that there sure are some great offers out there! So take advantage of them!

Free Shipping - Not Just for Holidays Anymore

During the holidays, the words "Free shipping!" seem to be everywhere. But I've noticed of late that I am receiving more and more requests from retailers to post Free Shipping offers. It has become so prevalent that I have even devoted a whole page to these offers.

 With fuel prices being what they are I've relied on free shipping for quite some time. Living in a fairly rural area, going into town to buy one item is not cost effective. Add to that the fact that I will usually wait until I have several items to buy --- usually at stores several miles apart, shopping becomes an all day event. Then there is the frustration of traffic, something that didn't bother me in my youth, but seems to aggravate me more as I get older. And of course there is the cost of at least one meal in town --- this can be nice if chosen correctly, unfortunately it usually winds up at the fast food located closest to the store I'm near. So with time, fuel and extras I've already spent more than if I paid for having the item shipped. Free shipping makes it a clear bargain.


 It may seem to the consumer that this comes into the category of "nothing is ever free" leaving us to wonder if we are truly getting a bargain. It may seem a heavy cost for the retailer, but in the long run it will pay for itself. Free shipping can lead to a significant improvement in customer loyalty. When online shopping the retailer does not have to pay the brick and mortar overhead and saves in employee costs of sales help.


 Since more and more retailers offer free shipping, this has become a definite area of competition. Where there is competition, the consumer usually wins out. However, not all free shipping offers are created equal.


 Restrictions on price, weight, preferred shipper, shipping time, and expiration of the offer all comes into play. Sites that offer no restrictions will usually receive my business repeatedly. The more time we have to spend figuring the rules, the less likely we are to go back to the site.


 So, when comparison shopping, these are the things to keep in mind: 

 Is there a price limit? Sometimes it makes sense to add an item to your cart to take advantage of the shipping. I look at this as a discount on my overall order.


 Is there a weight restriction? Adding that second item may actually take you out of free shipping so be careful to look at your shopping cart after adding the items.


 Does the site tell you if there are geographic restrictions for delivery? Take into account taxes for this. If you are purchasing the item from your home state, you may have to pay sales tax. I usually figure this into my shipping costs.


 Are some items available for free shipping, but others not? During the holidays I may find it better to purchase from two different stores in order to get free shipping on both.


 Is the offer for a limited time? If you are "thinking" of buying, you may wish to look elsewhere.


 Are there choices for shipping? If you have a preference of shippers, FedEx, USPS, etc this can figure significantly. Some retailers' will only offer free shipping if you ship via a specific vendor. 

 What does the site say about shipping insurance? For items with a significant value, I prefer to have insurance, whether through the shipper or the retailer.


 What is the delivery time? Generally most retailers offer next day shipping. If I have to wait for an item to be shipped, I may go with another retailer in order to receive the item in a timely manner.


 Can you send to another address? Especially during holidays, I need to have gifts shipped to a different address than my own. Most retailers allow this, but some don't, be sure to look.


 Don't be afraid to advance through the shopping cart. Some offers are not fully shown until you start the checkout process. If you find you are not getting the bargain you thought, cancel the order before you commit.


 So, when thinking of whether to run out to the store to buy that new blouse on sale, or school supplies for the kids, try going online to find the sales, and save some on your fuel costs

 Check Store-Finders Free Shipping link to see the stores that are currently offering Free Shipping [http://www.store-finders.com/freeship.html]