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A little online market research can go a long way when you need to track moving trends: Latest fashions, must-have lifestyle gear, best-priced jewelry, designer and knockoff shoe brands. Here are some look-out posts, social media lurking sites, and top deals listings.

Look Out Post #1: Search Trends by Keyword, Brand Name, Category.

Go to http://www.toptenwholesaletrends.com, select a time period from the drop-down box, then enter words for the merchandise you are stalking: womens handbags … mens leather … plus size denim jeans … urban and hip hop clothing … fashion watches … backpacks for adults. Alternatively, plug in search terms for the brand name of your choosing.

A click of the search button gives you a graphic line chart showing how popular – or not – your searched merchandise is. This Trends charting from TopTenWholesale dips a toe into a wholesale search database that draws from over 20,000 buy/sell search actions a week. You are pulling popularity stats – totaled search results — from manufacturers seeking resellers, power auction resellers searching for product sources, and wholesalers stalking the best off-price and returned merchandise lots.

Lurking Post #2: Hang Out in Social Media to do Buzz Checks.

Surveyors of online user behavior — Pew Internet and American Life Project – recently published results of the Internet’s influence on politics and social participation, especially among youth. Key was the UNFILTERED and NO-SPIN nature of information exchanged at social media sites; sharing the latest and greatest without going through middlemen like newscasters, publisher’s editors, advertisers or other folks with an agenda. Unfiltered and uncensored opinion.

The Pew Project simply supports what we already know: Lurking and listening at the right social media and social networking web sites can provide up-to-the-minute trend and marketing info.

· Youth Hangouts (Ages 18 to 29): Facebook, MySpace and Most-Viewed Videos at You Tube.
· Boomer Lifestyle Sites (Ages 45 to 60+): Second Life, Gather.com.

Daily Deals Lists #3: Check Top Deals Lists to Learn What Moves.

Go to main category pages at eBay, such as Fashion & Apparel or Electronics. You’ll often find a list of most active products at auction, by product or brand name, for a quick merchandise pulse check.

TopTenWholesale offers a Top Ten Daily Deals list that draws from patterns of buyer and seller search activities in over 20,000 wholesale searches on our industry network. (TopTenWholesale, OffPriceNetwork, WholesaleU, Wholezilla) See http://www.toptenwholesale.com/daily-deals.html for lists and links to the day’s hottest merchandise. Sample Top Ten Daily Deals include the latest fashion watch that tells time and holds a portable Flash drive, the most text-friendly cell phones, backpacks for grown ups from makers of the Swiss Army knife, and Lifestyle Gear (the latest healthy food dehydrators; right-priced adjustable training weights).

But the Employee of the Month at JP Communications? They enjoy the health and recreational benefits of the Hawaii Chair

Try to top that, Other Wholesale Search Engines! I’m hula-ing my way to a slimmer, sexier me, as we speak. (eww)

Anyway, watching the video I take note that:

a) the guy at the beginning is gesturing and talking to “Tamara” who clearly is not there.

b) Then he sends it over to Erin Lee, who in both her shots on this clip, looks like she is barely able to stay on the thing. In her second scene, she looks like she’s trying to stay on a mechanical bull.

c) The guy who says “It feels great on my abs” : is either confused about anatomy or didn’t feel comfortable saying where the Hawaii Chair was really working.

I ran across this new article over at the News Room, it’s a great idea, its a product that can be sold at grocery stores, it’s goofy and it performs amazing feats. It’s the BAGGLER. Anyway no matter how awesome the Baggler is, the opportunity it presents is even better because here’s something wholesalers provide by the bucket load. Crazy, wild products that you haven’t seen in stores, because you don’t know the right stores.

Everyone loves a Blinky!

I often refer to this site as ‘The Greatest Site In the World” but that’s because I love blinkies and can stare at that page for several hours. I just think it’s funny to have a blinking martini attached to you, I’m thinking tie tack, or maybe on a knit cap - it would be a nice snowboarding accessory.

Not Sure What This is Used For

But, I like it! Please enjoy Nose With Hair!

“Tiny compressor inside helps him blow bubbles from his bottom.”

With a quote like that, I hardly need to write anything. HEY HOLD ON… From now on, this is a Wacky Products Blog…

I’m not sure who you would give a Bubble Geezer to as a gift. Maybe a retiring high school band teacher? I would avoid giving this at, a bridal shower or as a Xmas gift for your boss but I’m a careful cat.

I’m probably about to do about 90 wacky product posts in a row. Those of you interested in this blog’s survival and prospering please send me links - or post them as comments on the blog and I will check them out.