Author Archives: David Ponce

Wal-Mart vs Amazon: Shipping is the New Battleground

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One of the greatest advantages of online shopping is free delivery. A 2016 Future of Retail study shows that 9 out of 10 consumers admit that free shipping motivates them to purchase more online.

Some smaller retailers choose not to provide free delivery, since it causes additional business expenses. However huge shipping costs will soon vanish into oblivion thanks to retail giants like Wal-Mart or Amazon and their subscription services. Such programs allow members to pay a fixed annual fee to guarantee free shipping on all qualified goods.

Amazon was the first grand retailer that came up with such an idea and offered a subscription service called Amazon Prime. The program offers free two-day shipping for an annual fee. Membership package also includes additional perks such as Sunday delivery, connection to the company’s streaming video and music platforms, early access to the most appealing deals and even unlimited photo storage. All these benefits cost only $99 per year or $10.99. The offer was super successful from day one; now over 65 million people in the U.S. are Prime users.

As a response Wal-Mart launched ShippingPass – their own paid subscription. For $49 a year members have received free two-day shipping on any purchase from their webstore and free returns, both online and in-store. The deal seemed cheaper than Prime at first glance, but Amazon has included so many bonuses in their program that providing a simple free shipping option was not enough to win the customers.

Earlier this year Wall-Mart dropped the membership program putting an end to the competition for paid subscribers. Does it mean that the retailer admitted that the ShippingPass can’t compete with Prime and gave up? Of course not, the company is simply changing the winning strategy. ShippingPass is now replaced with free two-day shipping for consumers spending $35 or more.

The new plan of Wall-Mart business team looks pretty clear: they are aiming to attract non-Prime shoppers who purchase on Amazon and a share of Prime-subscribers who use membership mostly because of free shipping and don’t care about the other bonuses.

Comparing Amazon and Wal-Mart shipping policies
Of course, Wal-Mart gained extra points in the customers’ eyes by cancelling membership fee while Prime costs $99, defining which program is the best for consumers is not so easy.

The major difference is in the amount of eligible products. According to the companies’ websites, Prime includes more than 50 million items while Wal-Mart’s two-day shipping covers only about 2 million goods. Also Amazon offers perks.

On the other hand, Wal-Mart’s new program is customer-oriented and focused on the items people buy the most such as beauty products, baby necessities, food, cleaning supplies and pet products as well as top notch gadgets and toys. So basically the retailer makes a step towards the consumers and provides the best possible deals on the highly demanded items.

The minimum spending requirements motivate customers to build bigger baskets, so the acceleration of Wal-Mart’s online sales was even bigger than expected after the launch of two-day shipping.

In the end of the day Wal-Mart has good chances to achieve the goal and attract customers who don’t buy online too often as well as consumers who joined Prime because of free shipping and don’t use the other benefits.

Amazon or Wal-Mart: Who Will Dominate the Market?
With the new two-day shipping policy the physical seller starts a new battle with Amazon and slows the growth of Prime. Wal-Mart is also serious about becoming a bigger online player, while Amazon strives to enhance physical presence and grow the number of brick-and-mortar stores. The million-dollar question is: will Amazon be able to create a massive distribution network offline earlier Wal-Mart would add more digital capabilities? This is yet to be seen.

How the retail giants influence e-commerce?
The main goal for all e-commerce retailers – no matter how big or small they are – is providing seamless shopping experience. Big market players have already conditioned customers to expect inexpensive and speedy delivery; it becomes a new norm in the e-commerce world.

Online merchants should view fast and convenient delivery as a competitive differentiator. Now is the time to review your shipping policy to see which extra benefits can be offered. A lot of smaller sellers are also investing in the newest technologies, such as drones, which would take the very idea of delivery to a new level.

Modern e-commerce is all about minimizing the time between an online order and the product at the customer’s doorstep. There are plenty of shipping tactics and logistic tricks aimed to speed up the delivery. Whatever shipping policy you choose, make sure it’s convenient for consumers and absolutely reliable. Remember that meeting customers’ expectations means winning their love!

Deal Of The Day: 50% Off On Aluminum Fidget Spinner

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Look, for some reason fidget spinners are having their moment. It’ll be done in a few weeks, but until then, maybe you want to save some money while getting yours. This Aluminum Fidget Spinner is seeing a 50% rebate.

Can’t seem to sit still or focus on the task at hand? Keep your over-active hands or mind occupied with the aluminum fidget spinner, ideal for those who need a little extra help sticking to the grind. Hold it in one hand and use the other to spin, and watch and feel the stress spin away.

Normally $25.99, it’s $12.99 with today’s deal.

[ Get the Aluminum Fidget Spinner ]

These Chanel Tennis Balls Cost $450

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First of all, why is Chanel even making, or rather, selling tennis balls? And ok, let’s just overlook that for a minute. What about the fact that they’re selling these for an eye watering, mind-melting, sanity-defying $450? That’s for 4 of them. They come in a leather bag, because of course how else will anyone know you’re a rich idiot unless you carry your tennis balls in a leather bag?

It turns out that if you want to compound the idiocy, you can buy an $1,800 Chanel tennis racket to go along with your ridiculous balls. It isn’t particularly a great racket, at least that’s not why it’s that expensive, but rather it’s just that it bears the name Chanel. Isn’t the world grand?

[ Luxury Launches

Deal Of The Day: 33% Off On ExoMount CD Car Mount

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Look, you’re going to need a car mount. It’s been long enough that the laws banning cellphone use while driving have been passed and it’s pretty clear that you need a mount. The ExoMount CD Car Mount is as good as they get, and today there’s a good deal on it.

More and more states are passing laws prohibiting holding phones while driving, making car mounts all the more necessary. Your GPS just isn’t something you’re all that likely to give up, and sometimes you really do have to make calls while driving. Solution: The ExoMount hooks easily into your car’s CD player giving you a central, visible location for your phone while you’re driving, without having to occupy your hands. Plus, its 360° rotation lets you orient it any way that works for you.

Runner-up in The Wirecutter’s Best Smartphone Car Mounts

– Hooks up through your car’s CD player for a central view
– Installs easily w/ simple one touch mounting technology
– Rotates 360° to let you set the orientation that works best for you
– Compatible w/ all phones measuring 3.5″ – 5.8″, which includes all iPhones, Samsung phones, & most others

Normally $29.95, with today’s deal you’ll only pay $19.99.

[ Get The ExoMount CD Car Mount ]

Got Some Mixed Tapes Still Lying Around? The Elbow Player Can Squeeze The Music Out

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Many of you reading this have never used a cassette tape. You might’ve heard of them, sure, but likely you’ve never seen on in real life, and the Elbow will just seems a curiosity. But for those of us born in the early 80’s, there’s a chance we still have a little collection covered in dust somewhere, rich in nostalgia. Maybe it’s that mix tape you made in high school. Maybe it’s an Aerosmith album or something. The Elbow Player is a tiny conceptual device meant to play cassette tapes, and give back access to sounds otherwise lost forever. One section of the player grabs the spool and spins it, while the reader picks up the music. The image above is pretty self-explanatory

Sadly, it’s a concept project that doesn’t seem to be turning into a Kickstarter or anything. Which is a shame, because we bet there’d be a market for this.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ DudeIWantThat ]

Deal Of The Day: 91% Off On VPNSecure, Lifetime Subscription

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Without a doubt, the VPNSecure: Lifetime Subscription is one of the most popular VPN options out there. And today you can get a Lifetime Subscription for around $40. Why is it so popular?

Internet threats are a real thing – and surfing the Web on a public connection can result in your personal data falling into the wrong hands. This deal offers you a lifetime of protection so you can explore the Internet worry-free. With the Smart DNS component, you can even bypass those annoying geographical restrictions that block Hulu, and more abroad. Plus, unlike other VPN services that claim to not log your activity, VPNSecure proudly assures that ZERO logs are recorded. Get VPNSecure, and you’ll get a cross-platform VPN service you can trust.

– Allows you to bypass geolocation blocks on your favorite streaming networks
– Encrypts your traffic so hackers can’t access your data
– Hides your location & IP address
– Supports torrents
– Allows you to connect five devices simultaneously
– Grants you the ability to choose Data Cipher
– Uses Stealth VPN to render your VPN traffic unrecognizable
– Delivers unlimited bandwidth
– Does not keep any logs of your activity
– Includes servers in 46+ countries & counting
– Protects against DNS leak fixes, kill switches & more

1,800+ Five Star reviews can’t all be wrong. It’s going to cost you $39 to be protected and anonymous for life. That’s a deal.

[ Get The VPNSecure, Lifetime Subscription ]

This Kit Could Help You Survive The First 24h After Society Collapses

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Look, we’re going to try to avoid making any sort of political commentary, but it’s also naive to ignore the reality that a huge number of people genuinely believe that a certain elected official in the USA could very well trigger the end of times. Somehow. And while it’s unlikely, if it does happen, you might want to try and be prepared. The First 24 Kit from Taurus International packs a bunch of essential tools that would give you an edge over less prepared neighbours. It contains the following:

– Revolver Taurus Judge (2-4410039T) Customized by Aim Pro Tactical® 1
– Knife Columbia River Knife & Tool Sting® Survival Knife 1
– Flashlight Brite Strike EPLI Flashlight (220 Lumens) 1
– Emergency Signal Brite Strike APALS (White, Green and Red) 3
– Fire Starter Kit Zippo Outdoors Emergency Fire Starter Kit (Orange) 1
– Battery Caddy Power Pax Slim Line Caddie (fits 6 AA Batteries ) 1
– Batteries Energizer E92 AA Batteries 6
– Compass 20 mm Spherical Survival Compass 1
– Paracord 550 Survival Paracord Bundle 1
– Case SKB Waterproof/Drop-Proof Survival Case (1209-4 Tan) 1

Of course, the company is hoping their product will never be put through its intended use, considering they’re charging $1,500 for the thing. What’s the point of money when society breaks down?

[ Product Page ]

Deal Of The Day: 6% Off On G-DROP Submersible Bluetooth Speaker

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Look, we’re ready to acknowledge that that’s a pretty ridiculously small rebate on today’s deal, but at the same time, it’s better than no deal at all, amirite? The G-DROP Submersible Bluetooth Speaker is perfect for those of you who’re looking forward to summer, and let’s face it, who isn’t?

No matter where you want to enjoy your music – be it the pool, beach, trail, or living room – the G-DROP is built to pack an aural punch wherever you are. With an IPX7 waterproof rating and ultra-durable construction, you can float it in a pool, rest it in the snow, or set it up by your campfire easily. Delivering sound through a 2.5″ speaker driver, passive bass radiator, and MAXX Audio™, you’ll be able to bring the party with you anywhere.

2015 iLounge Best Budget Speaker Winner
‘Once again, G-Project simply blows my mind with what it offers per dollar – it’s simply uncontested in this market,’ Android Police
Named a Top 10 Best Outdoor & Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker by Heavy

– Play & skip tracks wirelessly w/ buttons right on the speaker
– Microphone lets you take calls wirelessly so your phone is kept out of harm’s way
– Fully submersible for up to 30 minutes under up to 3′ of water
– Built-in metal loop lets you hang it from a tree branch, backpack, or roof rack
– Line-in to connect any device w/ a headphone jack w/ an audio cable
– Easily chargeable w/ a standard USB port or phone charger

Normally $50, it’s $46.99 with today’s deal. Yeah, you save about a Starbucks’ coffee’s worth, but it’s still one coffee.

[ Get The G-DROP Submersible Bluetooth Speaker ]

The Empire’s Best Product Is This Star Wars TIE Fighter Gas Grill

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Much as we try to avoid it, we just can’t get enough Star Wars merchandise. It’s hard not to, when you see products like this TIE Fighter Gas Grill from StarFire Direct. Featuring a very decent 220 sq.in. of cooking space, this grill accepts standard 1lb. bottles of propane. The wings are actually functional, folding out to give you food prep space. Featuring an awesome custom TIE Fighter analog thermometer, this cast-aluminum creation will output up to 10,000 BTUs, happily searing the Star Wars logos onto your steaks. It’s all of $400.

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Top 6 Qualities To Look For In A New TV

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Selecting a brand new TV to purchase is no easy task. Not only are there are many different models available on the market for you to consider, the TV is often the focal point of a living or family room and therefore needs to meet the expectations that you set for it.

However, knowing how to buy a TV often comes down to knowing which specific features and qualities you need to look for. We’ll go over six of those qualities here:

1. The Screen Size

Probably the one factor you’re thinking about the most with a TV is the screen size. After all, this is the first thing anyone notices when they first see a TV in a room. While the size of TV you want is completely up to you, if it’s going to be in the living or family room, a size of at least fifty five inches will be preferable.

2. Choose Between HD or Ultra HD

After the screen size, the next factor you’ll likely be paying the most attention to is the resolution of the TV. Your two primary options here are a regular HD TV or an Ultra HD (also known as a 4K) TV. Between the two, the Ultra HD definitely has an enhanced resolution, but it will also cost you several hundred dollars more on average.

3. Go With A Smart TV

For every five TV’s sold these days, three are Smart TVs. The explanation for their popularity is because they can access online streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime, as well as a whole host of different apps and sometimes even full web browsers. It won’t be long before all TVs become Smart TVs, so you’d be better off buying one now rather than later to keep yourself up-to-date with modern technology.

4. At Least Four HDMI Ports

As a general rule of thumb, never buy a TV that has less than four HDMI ports. You need those ports for connecting things such as your sound system, Blu-Ray/DVD players, laptop, or gaming consoles.

5. Don’t Worry About Sound Quality

Contrary to what many people think, sound quality is not something you need to be overly concerned about when selecting a TV. The reason why is because you’ll be better off purchasing a surround sound or a sound bar system, both of which offer far better sound than any model of TV currently available.

6. Affordable Price

Finally, it’s important to set a budget for yourself before you go TV shopping. While it can be tempting to buying the absolute nicest TV on display, you also don’t want to spend money that you can afford. Therefore, head in with the mindset that rather than buying the nicest TV available, you’ll buy the nicest one within your price range.

Choosing The Right TV For You

Hopefully this article has helped you understand exactly what you need to look for in a new TV and will enable you to more easily narrow your options. The next thing for you to do is to keep these qualities in mind when you go to actually view the TVs for sale in your area.