Marie Marra

http://www.toptenwholesale.com

Marie is experienced in Marketing Communications, PR and Search Advertising, plus varied Writing, Editorial, Content Development projects for Online and Offline Publishing. She has Corporate, Agency, Consultant experience with B2B, B2C and Non-Profit clients, including: Search Engine Marketing for SEMPO Institute (online training), Program Development Associates (disabilities training), ClickZ (online publishing portal), start-up Schedule-Online (work group software), and IT/Network Ops for government agencies (San Diego DPC). Marie took her first online marketing mission with GTE Cellular in 1995. But she has a deep pre-Internet background -- circa 2012 BC -- in Educational Book Publishing (Houghton Mifflin, Boston) and the Utility industry. She'll no longer sell you merits of nuclear generated electricity; but may "shanghai" you into sponsoring Children of Chernobyl, a worldwide humanitarian project. Marie also worked in Education at Sea World. Ask her about watching the birth of a 300-lb baby. (Orcinus orca)

Latest posts by Marie:

Hot Trends-Source Wholesale Women’s Apparel and This Season’s Hot Toy

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
October 26, 2009 · Posted in Wholesale Apparel · 3 Comments 


Where do you find the right wholesale product suppliers for the apparel and gifts your retail customers will demand this season?? Check out Top Ten Wholesale’s Hot Trends List . . . What’s Hot in Women’s Apparel? What is this year’s Hot Toy? And, where do savvy resellers and retailers get the goods?

1. Sparkle, Bling, Glitter, Embellishments Shine On in Women’s Apparel. We’ve featured the Glitterati Fashion Trend here at Top Ten Wholesale –

· Swarovsky crystals twinkling on First Lady Michelle Obama’s Inauguration coat dress last January;

· Our Back-To-School fashion item on Bling-I-Tude displayed in shiny threads, bejeweled, chained and rhinestoned jackets, sweats, designer shoes — even hoodies — last August.

· Here’s Vivienne Westwood’s Gold Trench Coat that closed out our Summer 2009 Fashion Trends Update last April.
Metallic Trench Coat

As apparel wholesalers and retailers ramp up for Holiday Shopping Season at the end of 2009, know this: Glittery embellished women’s clothing and party jewelry shines on.
.

.

.

.

.

2. Party and Cocktail Dresses


Hot Trend in Women’s Holiday Dresses (above) is to build in jewelry — rope chains, silvery embroidery, sequins and sewn-in necklaces.

The one-shoulder black shift, at bottom-right, features a removable shoulder pin that dangles long shiny swinging chains . . . converting to a little black shift for dialed-down dressy looks.

Check out the latest from designer and off-price sources of Women’s Evening Dresses at Off-Price Network and Top Ten Wholesale’s Women’s Apparel Wholesalers.

3. Year of the Fetish Shoe
Runway Shoe Trends

The chained, rhinestoned, metallic and double ankle-strapped shoes, above, walked down international fashion runways earlier this year. These shoes would never be confused with classic office attire!

But, it has been a surprise to see comments at women’s fashion blogs discussing how to wear them and how to walk in them for special dress-up evenings. Or, at parties for the approaching holidays. To Each, Her Own Bling.

Find Wholesale Designer Shoes here at Off-Price Network.

4. The Hot Toy This Year Is A Robot

Meet Zhu Zhu Pets – interactive, plush, artificially intelligent, battery-powered hamsters.. Zhu Zhu Pets squeak, chatter, scamper and have a repertoire of 40 different sound effects, which they use “intelligently” in different situations.
Zhu Zhu Pets

Targeted to children aged 3 years and up – and to parents who want to teach their kids to care for a pet but who don’t want to deal with an animal that messes in its environment – Zhu Zhu Pets come with their own habitats. Here’s a sample of Zhu Zhu habitats …

These non-messing cuddly pets also come with their own personalities and quirks. One Zhu Zhu hamster pack includes: Pipsqueak, Squiggles, Chunk and Num Nums.

Find the hottest games, toys and children’s gifts from Toy Wholesalers here at Top Ten Wholesale Remote Controlled Toys and Top Ten Wholesale Talking Toys .

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , , ,    |   Categories: Wholesale Apparel



Top Ten Wholesale Jeans and Women’s Apparel Trends

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
October 17, 2009 · Posted in Finding Wholesalers and Manufacturers, Wholesale Apparel · Comment 


Fashion trends emerged and grew over the past year to guide wholesalers in the fast-approaching Holiday 2009 buying season. With a special focus on wholesale jeans, sexy underwear and exercise apparel – drawn from fashion blogs, trade shows and other style watchers – here are wholesale buyer and seller tips from Top Ten Wholesale.

Soften Edges of Biker Babe Look
Rebellious styles are still in fashion with Fall/Winter demand for ripped jeans, bomber jackets and motorcycle boots.

See wholesale suppliers of leatherwear at Top Ten Wholesale Leather Clothing . Includes Western Express Western Express and other fine leather clothing suppliers..

It’s equally fashionable this year to

(1) Inexpensively update a look by adding to your wardrobe . . . using what you already own; and

(2) Softening up the “whole hog” motorcycle look by adding flouncy tops

Gauzy Blouse

Gauzy Blouse

or simple shift dresses.

Women softening the Biker Babe Look are also reducing the head-to-toe leather quotient with denim and jeans.

Denim_Jeans.
See wholesale jeans suppliers at Top Ten Wholesale Jeans .

Stock Fashionable Plus-Size Jeans
Great style this year comes in all sizes . . . especially when the fashion savvy pair dark jeans with a dark-colored top to create the chic illusion of a long slender silhouette.
.
.

So shows and tells Queen Latifah, with same-color, dark-hued plus-size jeans and embellished top.

Search for suppliers of wholesale plus-size women’s clothing at Off-Price Network .

Shapewear and Under Garments
Keep curvy, clingy holiday dresses line-free and bulge-free . . .

Help fashionistas hide some of those diet-buster holiday goodies . . .

Keep exercise mavens safe under the sweats . . .

Body Shapers – known generically and by brand names such as Spanks, Body Slimmers from Nancy Ganz and others, and Shaper Lingerie – body shapers help smooth bulges, bumps and panty or hosiery lines under those popular, glittery holiday dresses. Shapers also keep new-style “boxy” women’s dress pants bulge-free.

Some shapers come as low-cut torso trimmers . Some extend almost to the knee, as thigh shapers. And other body shaping lingerie covers trouble spots, such as stretchy slimming “girdles” or abdomen wraps.

See Top Ten Wholesale’s List of Sexy Plus-Size Lingerie Sources . See also suppliers of Wholesale Lingerie at Off-Price Network .

Sports Bras – Exercising and athletic women may spend less on their outerwear of sweats and sweatpants, in order to invest in a good sports bra that will protect them during jogs, runs, Pilates and exercise workouts.

Sport Bra Fashionista advice to women is to Never Wear Sports Lingerie Under Street or Party Clothes. (The athletic lingerie is for restriction and low-stress exercise; but it does not produce a flattering figure under a slinky party dress!)

Women’s apparel retailers should consider pairing lower cost, off-price sweats (like from manufacturer closeout specialists R. G. Riley . . . with higher-margin health and comfort sports bras. See wholesale suppliers of athletic clothing from Off-Price Network .

Oh, don’t forget the Boy Undies for Girls and Ladies. Boxer-style underwear from the men’s fashion racks are still selling brisky as casual and at-home underwear for young women. Don’t believe it? Check out fashion spreads in male-targeted publications like Maxim. You’ll see young women in trim and fitted, small-sized boxer shorts, including fun prints.

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , ,    |   Categories: Finding Wholesalers and Manufacturers, Wholesale Apparel



Defending Brand Names: Top Ten Wholesale and Top 10 Wholesale, Abercrombie and Beyonce

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
October 2, 2009 · Posted in B2B Marketing Tips · Comment 


What’s in a name?

Profits. Potential Customers. Web Traffic. Sales Revenue. Foot Traffic. Oh, and also Branding Value … an asset not as directly measurable as click-through customers, but an asset that still shows up on balance sheets when companies are bought and sold. (Quantified .as a neat projected spreadsheet number labeled Brand Value or Historic Market Asset Value.)

So, besides watching your CPA (Cost per Customer Acquisition) and CPC (Cost per Click-Through) direct online marketing results, you might want to keep one eye on your Brand Name Reputation.

Use Social Tools To Track Brand Health
By monitoring and searching social media sites — such as twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and online community sites that attract your customers, colleagues and even unhappy users -– you can detect and respond to any flames that may burn your company reputation.

Twitter Flaming

Twitter Flaming

> Rapid response and full disclosure are the best defenses for rumors about your products, misunderstandings with unhappy and very vocal former customers, and to limit the damage caused by a product recall or government regulatory action against your company.

> Think the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls of imported toys containing lead paint and other contaminants . . . often before major buyer holidays.

> Think also of Burlington Coat Factory who took a public hit and responsibility for one of its wholesale supplier’s who mislabeled “fake” designer men’s jackets.

Measure Brand Awareness
Online buying, selling and marketing was born from Direct Response Models -– Total Click-through Rates . . . Sales Revenue vs. Cost To Acquire a New Customer . . . Conversion Ratios (Click-throughs from pay-per-click advertising that convert to a sale, sign up, request for price quote, etc.)

Google Search

Google Search

> Only A 5% Solution? Listen to Gian Fulgoni at an Internet Marketing Conference last year -– (And Fulgoni is worth listening to as he is Top Banana at comScore online trend trackers.) -– and you can see the online marketing results glass as either 95 percent empty or almost one-half full. ??

Fulgoni’s presentation floated the heresy that fewer than 5 percent of all search ads on Google produced a customer click-thru. But, according to Fulgoni, that ignores the branding value of even unclicked search ads that flash your company name and product category.

The CEO of comScore suggested we online marketing types are obsessed with “The Last Click.” This Direct Response Deficit Disorder (so saith Fulgoni) makes us ignore the branding value of all advertising . . . even if it doesn’t show up as a measurable click or immediate sale.

> By the way, there are metrics and analytics programs that will track and report on all the usual direct-response click-stream results, as well as fuzzier values like Brand Awareness. It’s a bit more involved than a bullet-point in this piece. So, if you’d like to know more about these Online Brand Tracking programs, leave us a comment at this blog post.

Defending the Name in Court
Protecting a company’s brand from copycats and sound-alikes may mean speed dialing the lawyers.

Top Ten Wholesale.com Awarded Top 10 Wholesale Domain Name

TopTenWholesale

TopTenWholesale

JP Communications, Inc., publisher of a network of wholesale search, directory and advertising sites, including this Top Ten Wholesale Blog, recently won a National Arbitration Forum decision that re-assigned a copycat domain name from its registered owner to the established owner: You Are Here — Top Ten Wholesale.

JPC filed its brand defense complaint with an arbitration panel working under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. It made its case step-by-step:

1. Use of the site name Top Ten Wholesale.com -– before and after it was formally registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office — was proved before the other company registered a suspiciously similar domain name, Top 10 Wholesale;

2. Top Ten Wholesale made its case that the other company was using the Top 10 Wholesale site name in bad faith: It confused users seeking wholesale search, product sourcing and services with a copycat name. It directed viewers to a page of ads and web site links that were not related to wholesale topics . . . merely siphoning off commercial online searchers from JPC’s higher traffic site called Top Ten Wholesale;

3. The Domain Name Dispute Resolution arbitration panel also did not buy the superficial change in domain name -– Top Ten was changed to Top 10. The decision cited legal case precedents that found even changing the higher domain name (from dot-com to dot-net) was not enough to hold onto a domain name registration.

For more details on the UDRP decision re-assigning domain name rights on Top 10 Wholesale to the owner of Top Ten Wholesale, see the Press Center News Release — JP Communications Awarded “Top10 Wholesale” in Domain Name Dispute .

Abercrombie & Fitch Gets “Fierce” With Singer Beyonce

Abercrombie Store

Abercrombie Store


Abercrombie Flagship Store, London

As reported in Women’s Wear Daily in mid-September, clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch has filed a preemptive lawsuit against singer Beyonce to protect their branded fragrance Fierce.

Beyonce used the name of her alter ego, Sasha Fierce, to launch her new Beyonce fragrance. Abercrombie claims it has prior usage rights: It began selling Abercrombie fragrance Fierce back in 2002; and it formally trademarked the name in 2003.

Based on prior use in marketing (see Top Ten Wholesale and Top 10 Wholesale above), Abercrombie may have an easy time protecting its branded fragrance. Not in the singer’s favor — Rumor has it that Beyonce Knowles filed a letter of intent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office back in September 2008 for a “Sasha Fierce” trademarked fragrance. Abercrombie claims it sent a cease-and-desist letter a year ago based on her filing to USPTO.

Though this brand protection legal action “smells” open and shut, singer Beyonce’s lawyers may claim either (a) Fierce is too generic a name to be trademarked exclusively by one company; or (b) the name change to include Beyonce’s public alter ego -– Sasha Fierce -– may be different enough to avoid trademark infringement.

Beyonce might have an easier time if she put her alter ego Sasha Fierce on a line of surfer parkas or light-up footwear. Being in the same product category, doesn’t help her defense.

Check out Fragrance Wholesalers here at Top Ten Wholesale.

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , , , , ,    |   Categories: B2B Marketing Tips



Back to School Trends for Trade Show Buyers, Merchandise and Apparel Sellers

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...
August 12, 2009 · Posted in Finding Wholesalers and Manufacturers, New Product Trends, Sourcing Tips, Wholesale Apparel · 1 Comment 

When you scan trade show aisles or conduct searches for merchandise suppliers to meet Back to School buyer demands, keep this short list of trends and sales strategies at the ready.

1. “Bling-i-tude” Rules Among Teen-Tween Girls this Fall.
The economy has dialed down unlimited allowances and high-priced impulse purchases … like $120 brand name wrist bags and T-tops purchased by the dozen in every color. But teens and tweens still demand new back-to-class clothes. This season mixes new clothes with an ongoing trend to glitter…shine…a bit of flash. Also known as Bling-i-tude … BLING + Attitude.

Look for apparel that shows Blingitude.
· Silver, Gold or Bronze Detailing – buttons, appliqués, beadwork, jewelry findings sewn into blouses and sweaters, as well as jackets and jeans.

· Remember Ye Olde Hippie customized clothing following the Summer of Love (40 years ago). The show-stopping designs and patterns embroidered or screened on workhorse denim pants, skirts and jackets in 1969 … have gone brighter and blingy with metallic threads, shiny fabrics, new textile blends that shimmer or look 3-D with different hues from different angles. (Think hologram textiles with different naps. Or flip-action cards that tricked your eyes with motion.)

2. Hoodies and Graphic T’s On Display.
For Youth Apparel from high school classroom to college campus, see a search of wholesalers of Urban Wear Styles from Off Price Network. Hoodie pullovers, knit caps and heavy metal accessories still ride high. (Oooops, I mean still ride low at least on the waistband.)

Hot this Season: Graphic T-shirts screen printed with lifestyle and music designs, attitudes and slogans, brand names, elaborate “tattoo” patterns — without the skin ink – manga-style graphic cartoon characters and lots of Peace Symbols. (The Peace Symbol has a 50th birthday this year.) See also peace symbol jewelry and accessories from: wholesaler Cool Jewels Fashion Jewelry and Macy’s department store, which dedicates entire floors to displays of the Summer of Love .

3. Value-price Discount Buyers Find Closeout / Overstock / Below-Wholesale Deals at Trade Shows This Month.
Buyers stocking Back to School and Fall Season merchandise – hoodies and graphic T’s, student laptops and electronics, dorm room storage cubes, personal housewares, fashionable backpacks – will find exceptional deals at Las Vegas trade shows in August and September.

· ASD Las Vegas Las Vegas from August 9-12.

· Off Price Specialist Show Las Vegas from August 28 to September 1.

· ASAP Global Sourcing Las Vegas from August 30 to September 2.

Upside of a Down Market. The reason this year is best for discount deals on youth apparel, classroom and dorm accessories is the upside of a down market, or silver in the gray economic clouds. Several popular retail chains that target tweens, teens and the college-aged have boarded up their mall stores and outlets since last December. Some location shutdowns were driven by corporate desires to staunch the flow of red ink; others resulted from system-wide bankruptcies.

But chain reseller shutdowns mean more deeply discounted merchandise hit the overstock, closeout, surplus and liquidation resale markets. Look for value-priced lots of merchandise from Steve and Barry’s (every known graphic T, Sarah Jessica Parker’s “Bitten” design line, casual urban wear); Pac-Sun Wear (hoodies, T’s, jeans, beachwear, outerwear) and both Circuit City and CompuServe liquidated inventory (school supplies, computer and consumer electronics).

4. Fitness Footwear. Casual footwear that doubles for fitness activities is always a strong seller.

· Source the most popular, searched wholesalesuppliers of Athletic Shoes.

· Top 5 “sneakers” brand searches from Google-assisted AOL at the beginning of the summer season included: 1. MBT; 2. Adidas; 3. Converse; 4. New Balance; and 5. Nike.

MBT footwear is designed with a negative heel and a positive arch, which is supposed to burn more calories, improve posture and exercise and tone body muscles with every step. Brands like Adidas and Nike crossover wearers who want support for running and sports with wearers who simply want to display an athletic fashion persona.

· FitFlops ™ and Clogs like Crocs and EVA clog shoes, are molded to provide arch support to student feet. Some claim to exercise, strengthen or slim the wearer’s leg and thigh muscles.

5. Plan a Tax-Free Shopping Event.
Many U.S. states launch Tax-Free Holidays timed to the back-to-school buying season … August. The waiver on sales taxes for a one-to-three day tax break focus on school clothing, shoes, school supplies (backpacks, book bags, office supplies) and electronics for discount-driven parents on back-to-school buying missions.

· One example is a tax holiday in Missouri from August 7 to 9 that exempts over $3,000 in computer equipment purchases from sales tax … potentially up to $150 in a tax discount.

· Another example is tax-free clothing purchases in North Carolina, everything from coats and jackets to baby clothing, boots and shoes.

What of value-driven parents who need back-to-school clothing and supplies, but miss the narrow window of a tax-free holiday? Or what of buyers in tax jurisdictions like Washington, D.C. where a budget squeeze cancelled tax-free days this August? (Other revenue-strapped states have considered canceling as well.)

An independent discounter of electronics, jewelry and housewares in my region cleverly times a “We will pay your sales tax” one-day event … weeks after New York State’s tax-free holiday … for anyone who missed the official tax-free days.

If you’re a merchandise reseller who sources the lowest prices through wholesale search directories and at discount trade shows, why not stage a tax holiday for your customers? “We pay your sales tax on back-to-school essentials” has stronger marketing appeal than offering “10% off your purchase.” Or, “20% off *select* items.” Or, the even less specific claim: “Our prices can’t be beat.”

Savvy customers have a very specific idea of the sales tax they have to pony up on major clothing or electronics purchases. Offering them a tax-free holiday is cash-in-hand help for back-to-school buyers.

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , , , , ,    |   Categories: Finding Wholesalers and Manufacturers, New Product Trends, Sourcing Tips, Wholesale Apparel



Wholesalers Have Friends, Too. Top Ten Wholesale’s Tips on Social Networks and Recommendations for Business

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
July 6, 2009 · Posted in B2B Marketing Tips, Wholesale Advertising Tips · 7 Comments 


You did get the memo on how hot Social Media Marketing is, didn’t you? Business of all sizes tap social media sites to “buzz up” their new products or special discount sales, to plant their brands at the top of buyers’ minds, to conduct instant 100% responsive customer service, and to do basic online marketing.

You Gotta Have Friends. Memos on Hot Social Media mention twitter; MySpace; Facebook; Linked In; auction site Buyer/Seller Ratings; User Reviews; Blogs; Votes on Digg It, Delicio.us, Reddit, Stumble Upon, Bookmarked and many others sites that organize groups of like-minded friends, who share opinions and ratings, tips and recommendations. All among trusted networks.

Nielsen Online Business According to Nielsen Online business media trackers, traffic to social networking sites increased 83% from April 2008 to April 2009. Unique visitors to twitter soared from 475,000 in February 2008 to 7 million in February 2009. Nielsen also found that twitter is most popular among working adults.

How Wholesalers and Manufacturers Use Social Networks

Here’s a look at how some of the biggest global services, original equipment manufacturers, wholesalers and chain resellers use social networks… Read more

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,    |   Categories: B2B Marketing Tips, Wholesale Advertising Tips



Top Ten Wholesale Tips for Dropshippers

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
June 23, 2009 · Posted in Ebay: Tips and Tricks, Small Business Matters, Starting a new retail of wholesale business, Wholesale and Manufacturing Company Profiles, Work from home: Dropshipping on the web · 4 Comments 

What is a wholesale dropshipper? Is it …

1: A supply chain technique through which The Retailer works directly with Manufacturers and Wholesalers, who ship merchandise directly to The Retailer’s Customers;

2: A smart way to avoid keeping excess inventory in stock. A way to manage a profitable merchandise reselling business without keeping any merchandise on hand;

3. A savvy way to start up a Home-Based Resale Business or be an eBay Powerseller; OR

4. All the above.

The right answer is, of course, #4: All the above.

Dropshipping 1,000,000s of available products to your customers – directly from a wholesaler or manufacturer warehouse – is the profitable way to start up your own small business. You don’t have to work all the logistics of warehousing, inventory audits and storage hassles; or shipping, delivery and product fulfillment. You can concentrate on marketing and promoting your reseller business and meeting customer service needs.

Here are Top Ten Wholesale’s 7 tips on types of dropshippers, product offerings and levels of the game.

Focus retail on one dropshipped product category, like Toner Dropship.com.

Toner Dropship Banner Ad

Toner Dropship Banner Ad

1. Focus on One Discount Product Category: Toner Dropship.com is the source for discount printer inkjet and laser/fax toner cartridges, plus affordable quality imaging and printer supplies. Toner Dropship works with quality manufacturers – see their top web page navigation buttons for OEM brands like Brother, Canon, Dell, HP, Konica-Minolta, Kyocera-Mita, Lexmark, Samsung – who ship product directly to Toner Dropship’s retail buyers.

2. Own Your Own Customers’ Satisfaction: Toner Dropship offers attentive Customer Service, Support and a 100% Satisfaction guarantee. So, the end customer enjoys a risk-free buyer experience.

Also, Toner Dropship.com uses its shopping cart checkout page to poll its retail buyers. Community Poll offers a good list of answers for: Why Purchase Products Online? (More convenient shipping and delivery; Lower price; Bigger choice; Centralized product search procedure … without having to leave your home; Payments security; 30-day Money Back Guarantee.)

3. Speaking of Security and Trust: Very important for any online commerce site – especially for a dropshipping reseller who deals with many wholesalers and manufacturers further up the supply chain – is a valid seal as a Verified Business and Secure Payment Processor.

Sure, you may not consciously notice those little logos at the bottom of web pages that indicate “Business Verified” by Trust Guard, eTrust, BBB OnLine Reliability etc. However, buyers who are about to enter financial data, credit card numbers or business purchase orders DO NOTICE when those little seals of approval are missing. It’s a “trust” thing.

Toner Dropship.com displays the seal: Verified Merchant — Authorize.Net Online Payments.

Get tips and tactics from Sell and Profit -– also known as DropshipHQ — to drop ship 1,000,000s of products directly to customers and/or become an eBay Powerseller.

4. Drop Shipping & Online Auction Advice: At Sell and Profit.com, you’ll find “eBay and Drop Shipping Advice, Articles and Humor.” File HUMOR: Why the odd, strange and weird eBay sale items? (The Miracle Boot Shaped French Fry! The $60.98 Flexy Straw! Easter Bunny-shaped Popcorn!)

File HOT TIPS: Advance notice of Fee-Free Auction Days, like eBay’s waiver of traditional listing fees for two weeks this past March.

File BEWARE BUYING CLOSEOUTS: Tips to avoid problems in Buying Closeout Liquidation Clearance Items … Oh My! if you plan to resell closeout and liquidation merchandise in online auctions.

Start an eBay Business

Start an eBay Business

5. Free Trial to Start an eBay Business: An affiliate of DOBA and an eBay Certified Provider, Sell and Profit.com (DropshipHQ.net) offers a 4-step plan to make money dropshipping products directly to customers … and locating suppliers of over 1,000,000 products available to online sellers, eBay powersellers and dropshippers.

Take the 3-minute Free Trial Tour from Sell and Profit’s web site button. Or click here at the DOBA PPC Tour link.

6. Manufacturers Who Dropship: Sell and Profit.com (DropshipHQ.net) is a Business Verified by Trust Guard, the BBB OnLine Reliability Program, and is also an eBay Certified Provider. As a small sample of dropshipping opportunities available to certified providers, Sell and Profit.com lists these merchandise manufacturers:

Dropshipping Manufacturers

Dropshipping Manufacturers

7. Wholesale Pricing Guarantee: As an affiliate of DOBA, Sell and Profit.com extends its Wholesale Pricing Guarantee. They promise the lowest wholesale merchandise prices to you, as an online auction reseller/dropshipper. Or, they offer up to $120 in free membership. Rewards Back price guarantees are common at the end buyer and retail customer end of the supply chain. So, it’s nice to see a lowest price guarantee that works for Home-based Businesses and Online Auctioneers, too.

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,    |   Categories: Ebay: Tips and Tricks, Small Business Matters, Starting a new retail of wholesale business, Wholesale and Manufacturing Company Profiles, Work from home: Dropshipping on the web



Top Ten Wholesale’s Top 10 Tips to Get On Top of Local Search Listings

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
June 2, 2009 · Posted in B2B Marketing Tips, Selling Products Online, Small Business Matters, Wholesale Advertising Tips · 2 Comments 

Here’s a fact for resellers and chain store suppliers who advertise their goods online:

Over 30% of products researched online through search engines are finally purchased from a local seller … either a brick-and-mortar storefront OR a local online retailer.

This buyer preference for local action drives a hot area of search advertising these days: Local Business Listings.

Whether you sell brand name denim jeans or consumer electronics … discount shoes or fitness equipment … getting to the top of the pile of listed results for Local Search needs as much attention as getting your business web site to appear at the top of general search results pages.

Local Search Engine Optimization – SEO

Pulling ahead of the pack and displaying your business at the top of a product search list is called “ranking.” And rank has its privileges: Research on search users – both business and consumer – shows that almost 90% of searchers never go past Page 1 or 2, the top 15 to 30 of maybe millions of search results listings.

Ranking at the top of the search pile is not magic; it comes from search optimization: The keywords you use, the way you set up your web page, how you describe your products, whether you offer valuable information or only empty sales slogans, accurate product photos or generic pretty pictures.

Specialized SEO tips are needed, too, for ranking at the top of Local Search listings.

Here are Top 10 Tips on Local Business Search Listings:

1. Local Search is where the action is.

Local Search Marketing specialist David Mihm, along with 24 contributing search experts, publishes Local Search Ranking Factors every year because, “It is my hope that this study will help small business owners confused by Local Search, or those strapped for time, to prioritize their marketing efforts.” (David Mihm)

2. Big Local Search activity in the past year:

We saw a major study of Google Maps (a key tool in localizing search results), interviews with the heads of Yahoo Local and Google Maps, new portals, and Google’s new Local 10-pack for generic keywords. (Hint: Giant search engines only push resources to areas that promise ROI. Or, What’s in it for them?) Read more

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , , , ,    |   Categories: B2B Marketing Tips, Selling Products Online, Small Business Matters, Wholesale Advertising Tips



Peace Sign Turns 50 Years Old. Peace Signs Blooming in Retail: Jewelry, Clothing, Accessories

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
May 13, 2009 · Posted in General Merchandise, Wholesale Jewelry · 1 Comment 

The Peace Symbol, popularized worldwide during the 1960s, turns 50 years old in 2009. And all the fashion signs point back … to peace symbol motifs on jewelry, T-shirts, clothing and even home décor. File this one under Hot Retail Trends + Social Marketing. Here’s “Peace Signs Blooming” from Cool Jewels Fashion Jewelry.

Top Ten Wholesale Blog Editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peace Symbol - Fine Art Jewelry Image From Michelle DaRin Fine Art Jewelry

Peace Signs Blooming in 2009
By Julie Hall for Cool Jewels

Hey, is that a flower in your hair? In Retail Shopping 2009, another symbol of the Summer of Love is a big hit and blooming everywhere.

Take a look at a current sizzling hot fashion trend seen on celebrities, models and average mall shoppers – Peace Sign Jewelry .

Now step back several decades: How about a tie-dye shirt from the 1970s? You do recall all those Volkswagen Beetles covered with hand-painted daisies, peace signs and the word GROOVY, don’t you? Retro or not, stepping back to that long ago era makes us feel better.

Peace signs have humble beginnings in the early sixties, used as a rallying symbol to stop nuclear proliferation. They traveled to Woodstock, where people painted peace symbols on signs, their clothing and their bodies to express their heartfelt desire for peace and harmony throughout our world. Peace signs in any shape and size have always represented desire for a better world.

Today — as the symbol of peace turns 50 — they are found on clothes and posters, furniture, bedding, fashionable jewelry and car emblems.

Let’s also acknowledge those who pursue the message of peace by raising awareness of the limited resources of our home, Planet Earth. Al Gore (former Vice President, Statesmen, Educator and Nobel Prize Laureate) has helped us understand the need to change our ways to save our home – labeling his collected environmental and global protection insights An Inconvenient Truth. This is a message of change and peace that Al Gore has carried around the globe for nearly 10 years.

The peace sign found around our necks, on our wrists, on T-shirts and cars have become far more than fashionable – they’re personal symbols of a better tomorrow. Peace signs signify hope.

So, go ahead: Wear a fashion statement with a noble history, like a Peace Sign Necklace from Cool Jewels.

Keep a look out for the Peace Sign’s comeback in its 50th anniversary year. They’re blooming everywhere. Because the desire for world peace is as strong in 2009 as it was right after the Summer of Love in the late 1960s, I’ll give the last word to musician John Lennon: Give Peace A Chance.

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , ,    |   Categories: General Merchandise, Wholesale Jewelry



New Season Brings Increased Sales of Trendy Accessories and Fashion Jewelry

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (4 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
April 22, 2009 · Posted in Customer Corner, Customer Service Tips, Wholesale Apparel · Comment 

Accessories and Jewelry Buyers Take Note:

Retail Trend Trackers see a bump in sales of specialty accessories and souvenirs extending well into next year, as customers stretch their wardrobes and budgets with less expensive upgrades. Buyers and Sellers should look to new retail outlets, new wholesale suppliers, and to targeting ALL age groups to ride this wave. Below is a guest blog on this trend from Cool Jewels, a fashion trend wholesaler of jewelry and apparel.

– Top Ten Wholesale Blog

New Season Brings Increased Sales of Trendy Accessories and Fashion Jewelry
by Julie Hall for Cool Jewels

As Summer arrives, everyone embraces the change of season with hopes that our economic and weather chills are passing. Read more

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , ,    |   Categories: Customer Corner, Customer Service Tips, Wholesale Apparel



Online Auctions and Product Sourcing for Right-Sized, Right-Priced Inventory: eBay Sellers, Craft Fair Vendors, Niche Market Discounters, Flea Marketers

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
April 15, 2009 · Posted in Avoiding Scams, Ebay: Tips and Tricks, Finding Wholesalers and Manufacturers, Flea Markets and Swap Meets, How to Price Products, Importing and Exporting, New Product Trends, Small Business Matters, Starting a new retail of wholesale business, Wholesale Apparel, Wholesale Handbags · Comment 

eBay PowerSellers, Craft Fair Vendors, Niche Market Discounters and Flea Market Entrepreneurs can now source products at the right price points, and in the right minimum order quantities, from online auction and sale sites. Read more

Share:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • TwitThis

Tags: , , , , ,    |   Categories: Avoiding Scams, Ebay: Tips and Tricks, Finding Wholesalers and Manufacturers, Flea Markets and Swap Meets, How to Price Products, Importing and Exporting, New Product Trends, Small Business Matters, Starting a new retail of wholesale business, Wholesale Apparel, Wholesale Handbags



Next Page »