ciscovid asked:

bit.ly Try on the latest innovations from Cisco, and see how the changing room is really changing.

adult shopping

John Stilos asked:


1. Shopping local creates jobs.

Shops in our town create local employment and self-employment. These people in turn spend in the local economy. It is a healthy cyclical movement that depends on where we make our purchases to stay healthy.

2. Local independent shops invest more in our communities.

Local businesses are usually more generous in their support of local charities, schools, and community events. So supporting local shops means a financial impact on our community.

3. Local shops sell a wide range of great products at affordable prices.

Many people get out of the habit of shopping locally and are then surprised by the range of products and services available. Don’t get brainwashed by the big-box advertising, not everything is cheaper at the chain stores, especially when you think of the down-stream affects of the purchase.

4. Shopping local supports entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship fuels our local economic innovation and prosperity, and serves as a key means for families to move out of low-wage jobs and into the middle class.

5. Shopping local retains our communities.

People don’t like losing shops and services in small towns but don’t equate this to how they spend their money. We have the power, every purchase is a vote for the company or companies that we want to have around tommorow.

6. Shopping Local retains our distinctiveness.

Independent shops create distinctive shopping experiences and stock different products. Local businesses respond more quickly to the needs of local customers, stocking products to meet the changing population needs.

7. Shopping local saves the environment.

Local shops often stock a high percentage of local sourced goods which do not require long truck journeys thus having a smaller carbon footprint. Many local shops have P2, recycling and product life-cycle programs in place. Ask about what your favorite local shop is doing to be green, and make sure and reinforce it with a thumbs up and a thank you!

8. Local shops are for everyone.

Most people can get to their local shops easily on foot, bike or bus and this is especially important for the elderly and young people and those without transportation.

9. Local shops value you more.

These businesses survive by their reputation and repeat business which means you get a higher standard of service. You can build a relationship at a local shop. Isn’t it nice to be greeted by name by the owner and be told, “oh, I just got something in that your spouse will just love, let me show it to you!”

10. Shopping local saves services.

Private and public services cluster around shops. As shops disappear so do hairdressers, cleaning services, and restaurants, etc. The very life-blood of our community is the network of local services that depend on our patronage to local shops for their survival.

Next shopping trip, remember a dollar spent locally has a return on investment to you and your children’s heritage many times what one Washington would do at a big-box store. Go local; Go sustainable!



shopping reviews

deepseaofblankets asked:


Are you a mid level web designer? I need a suggestion for an affordable and simple shopping cart. Easiest to use, install, maintain, etc. I’m a graphics person and know some HTML and JAVA script coding but not PHP. Used PayPal before, so need something a little more robust. Thanks for reading!

eastgate shopping center

Playboy Bunny asked:


I am 4 weeks and 6 days pregnant. I am so excited. When did you start shopping? When should I start shopping?

kids shopping

mecfc asked:

Tom Stade on shopping habits on the high streets

forum shopping center

masterlistbuilder felipe asked:


 

At a quick span of time, ecommerce boomed in the world of the internet conquering every mindset of online marketers. Everybody had been informed on to what is e-commerce and what can it do for them. This new breakthrough in the world of ecommerce is due to the existence of Shopping Carts or Shopping Cart Software.

 

Shopping Cart Software acts as a new gateway for success to everyone who wants to venture in the world of internet marketing. Once an internet guru said that if you have a website and if you want to design then it is a commandment to have a shopping cart, and of you go to success. Your online business will surely be a blast.

 

Online Shopping Cart Solution automates one’s business in a full package with maintenance and credibility to handle orders. You just need to check it for a while. Many Successful Internet Marketers owe their success to their shopping carts. You can be one of them too or even better than them.



Basic functioning of shopping carts

 

Web Hosting Shopping carts gives you your own merchant account that will serve as your keystone in handling your shopping cart. Merchant Account Services offers great opportunities to automate your business in a way you never did before. Having your own merchant account instead of just having an affiliate earning will probably make your way to success.

 

Ecommerce Software shopping carts are equipped with a database which stores all transaction related information like customer details, order details along with the product details. There is also a storefront facility available here with the functionality of storing visitor details. Besides, you can manage your stores using the administration panel that allows you to add new products, set up an account, to process orders and manage payments and include shipping options. Indeed, having a shopping cart is the internet marketing strategy of the new era.

Thus, when a customer requests for a specific web page, all the real time information about the item or a product is displayed by the shopping cart software. This is done by retrieving the required data from the database which is generated by the web server based on the customer’s request, with the updated information that is currently available. This process if what you called e-commerce web site hosting.

 

What all benefits can you reap through it?

We, all believe that there’ a lot of online business opportunity than in real world. Mainly because, you can connect to potential customers all across the globe and start carving a niche for your business without having personal contact with them. This would be the beginning of your online venture. With a Shopping cart software, you can probably sell your products/services to a person from the part of your nation or be it continent or any other part of the world - something you could have ever thought of. With strategic internet marketing, thing will go your way and probably make money fast.

Another instance that can be identified here is - if you already have an online presence through a website that you own, you can possibly extend the benefits of the same using shopping cart software. Ecommerce hosting solution in the internet is one of the cheapest platforms to advertise your products. And probably that could be the sole reason you might have started for your online venture - to advertise your products/services. That’s the role of e-marketing and shopping carts help this to be accomplished. Using the shopping cart software, you can easily advertise and sell your products/services all along.

That’s the power of the shopping cart software and the power of it to make your business more visible. The possibilities of extending the list of benefits of using shopping cart software effectively to promote your online business are unending.

Some of them can be listed as:

- Shopping cart software makes the online shopping a lot easier for your customers.

- Shopping cart software imparts a professional touch to your website, boosting your online presence.

- You can easily integrate your shopping cart with multiple payment processors, making a lot easier for your customers to choose the payment mode.

- There’s your own autoresponders in the shopping cart and a new way of handling your affiliates.

 

There’s more in store for you when you have a shopping cart system. You’ll probably be rolling with money because of your online business in quick time. Experience online shopping like you never did before. Experience shopping cart, the gateway for success.



usa shopping

Veysel asked:


INTRODUCTION

Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) is a comprehensive statistical method used in testing hypotheses about causal relationships among observed and unobserved (latent) variables and has proved useful in solving the problems in formulating theoretical constructions (Reisinger,1999). Its function have found to be better than other multivariate statistics techniques which including multiple regression, path analysis and factor analysis. Other statistics techniques could not take into consideration due to the interaction effects among depend and independent variables. Therefore, a method that can examine a series of dependence relationships simultaneously helps to address complicated managerial and behavioural issues. SEM also can expand the explanatory ability and statistical efficiency for model testing with a single comprehensive method (Pang, 1996).

Steenkamp and Baumgartner (2000) reflect on the role SEM in marketing modelling and managerial decision making. They discuss some benefits of it. They said that although SEM has potential for decision support modelling, it is probably most useful for theory testing, which is a key phase in developing marketing models [For SEM and LISREL see; Byrne (1998), Cheng (2001), Cudeck et al. (200), Hayduk (1987), Joreskog and Sorbom (2001)].

Applied to data on attitudes, perceptions, stated behavioural intentions, and actual behaviour, SEM can be used to specify and test alternative causal hypotheses. It has been found that, as might be expected, causality is often mutual. The assumption that behaviour is influenced by attitudes, perceptions, and behavioural intentions without feedbacks does not hold up when tested using SEM. These results challenge the assumption, held by some, that stated preference choices can be directly scaled into revealed-preference choice models. It was used path analysis to demonstrate empirical evidence that the causal link from choice behaviour to attitudes is stronger than the link from attitudes to choice behaviour. Subsequent studies using different forms of simultaneous equation modelling showed consistently that attitudes, especially perceptions, are conditioned by choices, while at the same time, attitudes affect choices (Golob, 2001b) . Gärling et al. (2001) explores decision making involving driving choices by using a SEM with latent variables to test links among attitude towards driving, frequency of choice of driving, and revealed presence of a certain type of decision process known as script-based. Golob (2001a) tested a series of joint models of attitude and behaviour to explain how both mode choice and attitudes. Applying Weighted Least Squares (WLS) estimation to a data set from San Diego California, the author demonstrates that choices appear to influence some opinions and perceptions, but other opinions and perceptions are independent of behaviour and dependent only upon exogenous personal and household variables. None of the models tested found any significant effects of attitudes on choice.

Most papers written have focused on the variables explaining the attraction of shopping center choice [ For exammple;Suarez et al.( 2004), Degeratu et al. (2000),Severin et al. (2001) ]. They have always used logit models and random effect model. Degeratu et al. (2000) focus specifically on assessing whether brand names and price have impact on choices online and traditional supermarkets. Severin et al. (2000) investigated use of relatively recent developments in random utility theory to assess the stability over time and space of the preferences underlying retail-shopping choice. They found that good quality, wide selection, good service, nice atmosphere and convenient location were significant choice of retail shopping center model. They noted that high and low prices and latest fashion were not consistently significant in the separate years models. They also showed that convenient location had the largest impact on the shopping center choices.

METHOD

The study has been designed to research factors which consumers consider while choosing shopping centers and to develop a suggestion model for shopping center choice. Beside demographic questions, effective factors determining peoples’ shopping center choice were asked and for 17 items, answers were taken with composed of five Likert-scale (5=very important and very unimportant ). These items are given in Table 1.

Reliability coefficient of questionnaire was calculated as Cronbach =0.79. When the items reduced alpha value were deleted reliability coefficient increased to 0.81. In this study, latent structure is composed of choosing shopping center (E) and explanatory structures are composed of features of materials sold (A), Attitude and behaviour of staff (B), Geographic location of shopping center (C), Easement of Price (D), Regularity at the shopping center (F). The structure, composed of relationship of assumed 5 independent latent variables (A,B,C,D and F) to one dependent latent variable (E) constitute the model to be tested. Hypothesis developed to test the relationship among the latent constructs are given below:

H1 ; There is a significant relationship between choosing shopping center and features of materials sold at the center.

H2 ; There is a significant relationship between choosing shopping center and attitude and behaviour of staff,

H3 ; There is a significant relationship between choosing shopping center and geographic location of the center.

H4 ; There is a significant relationship between choosing shopping center and easement of Price.

H5 ; There is a significant relationship between choosing shopping center and regularity at the shopping center.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

In this study, four models related to latent variables assumed affected to a choose shopping center have been tested by using LISREL computer program with SEM. At first, Model M1, in which all independent variables took place, has been analysed. Analysis results are given in Table 1. When the Table 1 analysis results for M1 are investigated, it is seen that A,B,D and F latent variables are not significant, goodness of fit index are close to acceptable limits and explanatory ability is 52%. Path diagram for M1 is given in Figure 1. Finally, when the M2 results, found by subtracting B, D an F from model, are observed it is seen that A and C parameter estimates are significant and fitness criteria are in the acceptable limits. R2 values of analysed models are calculated as 0.52 and 0.77 respectively. When the best proper model, M2, is observed, 77 % of the dependent latent variable that is choosing shopping center is explained with A and C independent latent constructs. H2, H4 and H5 assumptions for M2 have not been approved. Path diagram for M2 is given in Figure 2, parameter estimates of the model and t values are given in Table 2. Parameter estimates for A-E and C-E relationships in Table 2 and Fig.2 are 0.67 and 0.50, respectively. These coefficients are positive and statistically significant. Analysed models results show that closeness to the address, discount card application, market image and easement of access to the shopping center, respectively form the priority in preference of consumer choice of shopping center. Besides, advertisement of the shopping center and neighbor advice take important role in choice. Findings revealed that behaviour of sales staff at the shopping center and discount cards increase preferability; on the other hand, easement of access and closeness to their addresses take priority in choosing shopping center relative to easement of price.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, dependent latent variable that is choice of shopping center can be explained with a rate of 77% through independent latent variables i.e. features of materials sold and geographic location of the shopping center. The meaning of unexplained part with 23% is that the consumers choose shopping center considering other factors which are not taken into account in this study. The M2, found the best model in the study, is a suggestion model which depends upon a few amount of data set. It is possible to reach models having high rates by increasing data amount with alternative models.

Table 1- Items related to shopping center choice (Model 1 )

Estimation of parameter t-value

A- Features of materials sold (A)0.341.42

Brand name of materials sold (A1)0.31**3.99

Quality of materials sold (A2)0.46***7.80

Low Prices (A3)0.071.29

Wide selection (A4)0.27**5.09

B- Attitude and behaviour of staff (B)0.010.03

Behaviour of sales staff (B1)0.51***11.3

Geniality of staff (B2)0.53***11.6

C-Geographic location ( C)0.41**3.08

Closeness to the address (C1)0.67***8.64

Easement of access (C2)0.70***9.45

D- Easement of Price (D)0.26*2.06

Payment shape (D1)0.35**5.83

Promotion on selling (D2)0.58**7.30

Discount card (D3)0.69***9.22

F-Regularity (F)-0.06-0.3

Well-organized (F1)0.42***8.45

Moving at the shopping center

without difficulty (F2)0.43***8.36

E-Choosing shopping center (E )

Neighbor advice (E1)0.60

Advertisement (E2)0.59**6.42

Image (E3)0.61**6.55

*p0.05, **p0.01, ***p0.001

Fig.1. Path diagram for M1 Model

Goodness of Fit:NFI: 0.85, NNFI: 0.87, CFI: 0.90, GFI: 0.91, AGFI: 0.87, 2 /df= 2.21

Table 2- Items related to shopping center choice (Model 2)

Estimation of parameter t-value

A- Features of materials sold (A)0.67**4.76

Brand name of materials sold (A1)0.61**5.83

Quality of materials sold (A2)0.25**4.34

Wide selection (A4)0.17*2.79

C-Geographic location ( C)0.50**4.11

Closeness to the address (C1)0.66***7.81

Easement of access (C2)0.71***8.59

E-Choosing shopping center (E)

Neighbor advice (E1)0.53

Advertisement (E2)0.62**6.17

Image (E3)0.64**6.29

*p0.05, **p0.01, ***p0.001

Fig.2. Path diagram for M2 Model

Goodness of Fit:NFI: 0.80, NNFI: 0.79, CFI: 0.87, GFI: 0.94, AGFI: 0.88, 2 /df= 3.42

REFERENCES

Byrne, B.M. (1998). Structural Equation Modeling with LISREL, PRELIS, and SIMPLIS: Basıc concepts, Applications, and Programming, New Jersey : Lawrence Erbaum Associates Publisher.

Cheng, E.W.L. (2001). SEM Being more Effective than Multiple Regression in Parsimonious Model Testing for Management Devolopment Research. Journal of Management Development. 20 (7) , 650-667.

Cudeck, R., Toit, D.S. & Sörbom, D. (2000). Structural Equation Modeling: Present and Future, Scientific Software International Inc.

Degeratu, A.M. , Rangaswamy, A. & Wu, J. (2000). Consumer choice behavior in the online and traditional supermarkets: The effects of brand name, price and other search attributes. Intern. J. of Research in Marketing, 17, 55-78.

Hayduk L.A. (1987). Structural Equation Modeling with LISREL Essential and Advances. The John Hopkins University Press.

Gärling, T., S. Fujii & Boe, O. (2001). Empirical tests of a model of determinants of script-based driving choice. Transportation Research F. 4, 89-102

Golob, T.F., 2001(a). Joint models of attitudes and behavior in evaluation of the San Diego I-15 Congestion Pricing Project. Transportation Research A 35, 495-514.

Golob T.F.,2001(b). Structural Equation Modeling for Travel Behavior Research. UCI-ITS-WP-AS-01-2, Center for Activity Systems Analysis Institute of Transportation Studies University of California, Irvine; Irvine, CA 92697-3600, U.S.A., November 2001, Institute of Transportation Studies University of California.

Joreskog, K. & Sorbom, D. (2001). LISREL 8: User’s Reference Guide, Scientific Software International Inc.

Pang, N.S.K. (1996). School Values and Teachers’ Feelings: a LISREL model. Journal of Educational Administration. 34 (2), 64-83.

Reisinger, Y. & Turner, L. (1999). Structural Equation Modeling with LISREL: Aplication in Tourism., Tourism Management. .20, 71-88.

Suárez, A. , Rodríguez del Bosque, I. , Rodríguez-Poo, J.M. & Moral, I., (2004). Accounting for heterogeneity in shopping centre choice models. Intern. J. of Research in Marketing, 11, 119-129.

Severin V., Louviere, J.J & Finn, A.(2001). The stability of retail shopping choices over time and across countries. Journal of Retailing, 77, 185-202.

Steenkamp, B.E.M. & Baumgartner, H. (2000). On the use of structural equation models for marketing modeling. Intern. J. of Research in Marketing, 17, 195-202.



kids shopping

Kathy Jones asked:


Today, shopping has become a tedious experience to many. The meaning of the word “shopping” differs from one person to another. There is variety in preferences and taste, and the culture of each individual is also not the same. Nowadays, most people shop with low budget, hence, they prefer to get great shopping deals on their favorite items. Because there are several dealers out there in the market, you will find great shopping deals possible for almost everything from mobile phones to DVD players, from game boxes to video games and so on. There is fierce competition in the market, and everybody is aiming to get the best shopping deals on whatever they purchase.

Some wholesale companies sell all necessary articles and goods needed in daily life at deep discounts which allow you to get great shopping deals and also saves your pocket money to a great extent. To get great shopping deals, check out the dates on the websites of each shop and decide which shops and dates you want. Good relationship with the shop owner may also go long way to help you get great shopping deals. A good, regular customer may get huge discounts on purchase from local wholesalers. Shopping from your local stores is the best way to get huge discount on sales.

Another best way to find great shopping deals is to examine the store advertisements that come to you through mails and even the ones which come in the newspapers. Inside many store ads, you may also find coupons as well as traditional store sales. These coupons help you to get percentage off on certain items or on your entire order.

Get Best Shopping Deals Online

Online shopping has become highly popular these days. Over the past few years, people have started relying on the Internet technologies to buy their favorite items and products. If you want to beautify yourself with a fashionable cloth, you can browse through numerous websites to get the best one for you. Many online shopping websites offer great website shopping deals around. You can buy DVD players from online shops within $50. You can also get your favorite mobile phones and cell phones from online shops at just $10.

If you are bidding for any item, avoid bidding early. Always target those auctions that end late at night. This strategy will also help you to get great shopping deals if you are on low budget.

Online shopping directories help you in the search process and guide you to get the best product at a discounted rate. Whether you want to buy home decorating goods, or want to send gifts to your relatives, online shopping directories help you to do so at great deals. If you are looking for great shopping deals on your daily necessary goods and accessories, start searching for discount price at online shopping sites.



google shopping

mymofoafro asked:

Mentally ill woman triggers shopping spree at burlington coat factory in Ohio.Hundreds of people came to the store looking to get free merchandise from a woman who claimed she won the lottery.

shopping in dc

Kamyar Shah asked:


Secret shopping sounds mysterious and fun and well, shopping is great no matter what. Secret shopping in its basic form is shopping someone or someplace without the person or business knowing it. Shopping secretly seems to draw on this fantasy of part detective, part spy, and part shopaholic. In the best scenario you receive your “mission” and then go to the location and pretend to be a real customer all while noticing all the things going on around you. Some secret shopping companies will have the shopper actually purchase something so that the whole shopping encounter seems more realistic. If you search the words, “secret shopping” on the Internet you will get over 4 million hits on websites that have something to do with secret shopping.

There are all types of secret shopping businesses out there. There are businesses, corporations and large chains that have their own department or group of people that travel around and try to shop the stores. Sometimes this is part of the internal security team that helps reduce shrinkage or loss prevention specialists. Then there are the companies and stores that will choose to hire a secret shopping company who specializes in secret shopping that specific industry.

Some of the things that in person secret shops might uncover are:

How many customers in the store when entering?

Did anyone greet you when entering the store or how long did it take for someone to greet you after walking in the door?

Was the store neat and clean?

Did anyone offer to help you find an item or offer to help you?

Was the associate dressed appropriately?

Was the bathroom clean?

Was the associate using their time wisely?

Did an associate offer to get you a shopping bag, shopping cart, or basket or to start a dressing room for you?

Did the associate let you know of any specials or promotions going on in the store

Was it easy to navigate through the store?

How long did you have to wait to check out?

Was the cashier friendly?

Were your items rang in correctly?

Did the associate offer to open a store credit account?

Did the cashier thank you for coming in?

These are just a few questions that a secret shopper might have to fill out when doing a report on how the shop went. Of course depending on the company, different key areas would be listed and other items of interest that would be specific to that company. Besides a person going into a store and shopping them, some companies are having their shoppers wired for sound and or video. While a person can go to a place and shop and come up with their opinions, sound and video are hard to ignore. Often sound and video are used in extreme circumstances where sound and video would implicate a person or business of a wrongdoing.

There is a show on television right now that shows all kinds of hidden video of stealing, people acting stupid, intoxicated, fighting, driving recklessly, and more. It just goes to show you what people will watch on television. But is proves a powerful tool for incrimination or reprimanding employees.

What kind of business would use a secret shopping service? Lots of businesses use a secret shopping service whether it is an internal monitoring or hired out by a company that specializes in secret shopping. Corporate businesses would use a secret shopping service to make sure that the individual franchise or store is keeping up with the company’s rules and regulations. While some franchises are individually owned they still have to sign a contract with the home office that they will uphold the standards, appearances, and make sure that all the stores are virtually the same. Smaller businesses might use a secret shopping service for a number of things like monitoring, training, compliance, or incentive based information. Monitoring is just that, a basic service that gives the manager or owner a simple description of the secret shop. On going training is essential to any business so companies can use secret shopping to help with continued training. Compliance goes a little further with specific areas of sales, customer service, safety, and rules being covered. Incentive based secret shopping is when the person or business being shopped and that said person or business doing a great job would get a reward. The reward could be monetary, time off, bonus, lunch, or other items that the owner or manager will choose.

Some companies choose to do telephone secret shopping instead of or in addition to the in person secret shop. Telephone secret shopping uses the same principles as above except the whole interaction is done over the telephone. Modern software and telephone equipment have made this type of secret shopping easier and more secretive. But with technology comes the backlash of trying to be secretive, the arch nemesis of the telephone secret shopping world, caller id. There are ways around caller id and they will not be shared in this essay, but if you need to bypass a caller id there are systems that can do it, just check out the Internet. So the basic telephone secret shops goes like this:

Store-”Hi, thanks for calling XYZ business, this is Bob, how can I help you today?”

Shopper- “Hello Bob, I was wondering if you could give me some information about your….”

Store- “Sure, I can help you with that. You see here at XYZ business we have…”

You can see where this is going.

The telephone secret shop is typically recorded to an audio system or to the Internet where the call can be retrieved at a later date. Different software systems allow the secret shopping calls to be listened to online in real time or saved and sent via email when the audio format is in MP3. This software also allows its user to edit the call. Trimming the call in the beginning before the rings start and after both parties have hung up allow the call to remain in a manageable length. Some companies record the call and then send it to their clients on a CD. The CD allows the manager or owner to listen and share the call with the employee.

Are you looking for a secret shopping job? There are many established secret shopping companies out there that are looking for shoppers, but how do you know which ones to trust. First of all, like the old saying goes, “if it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is” so don’t fall for all the Internet hype about secret shopping. Could you in reality find a reputable secret shopping company and make some money, yes, if you do your homework. This is such a serious issue that the Federal Trade Commission has advice on how to avoid being scammed by fake secret shopping companies. Here is some advice on how to avoid bogus secret shopping companies:

Do your homework; check out the company BEFORE you give them any personal information

Beware of catchy banners and click me sites that offer to hire secret shoppers off of the Internet. This is a “sounds too good to be true” situation.

Check with the Better Business Bureau about background information on the company before you jump in with both feet.

Many fake secret shopping sites want you to complete “offers” before you are assigned any jobs. These offers are actually ways for that site to gather information about you like your name and email. Offers like; try these magazines or a free trial offer for who knows what, and all you have to give them is your information and sometimes a credit card number. These sites are known to sell or use your email to spam sites that will then riddle your inbox with tons of junk email.

If you know someone who is a secret shopper ask them how they got into the business and I bet they will have some advice of their own to share.

It’s not as easy as it seems, there is often some travel involved and reports have to be written in detail, called in, typed or emailed for you to be able to get paid per job.

So if you are looking for a secret shopping company or a secret shopping job, the bottom line is check the company out before doing business with them. Ask for business references (and call them, just giving a sheet a references won’t do you any good if you don’t call them), check with the better business bureau and ask around. The time you spend doing your homework before you hire or look for a secret shopping job will pay off in the end. There are some great secret shopping companies out there that offer secret shopping services and your business will prosper from the knowledge and training that a reputable secret shopping business can provide for you.



shopping sites