Not So Cute On Sale

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Have you ever noticed that things on sale are just not that appealing?
I walked into a store the other day to look for some business appropriate clothes, and of course, I veered straight to the sale rack. I was intrigued by the "50% off last ticked price" sign. I sorted through the clothes. They were cute. As I sorted through them I thought to myself "are these clothes on sale because no one else wanted them?" and "if they are so cute then why are they on sale?" Things started to look less and less appealing.
Business owners know that sometimes items that are not selling well need to go sale. Other times it is seasonal items that need to go on sale to make room for new merchandise. So how can we make sure that our customers are not thinking "Hmm. Why is this on sale?"
As business owners, we have to combat the three main misconceptions about sale items:

1. They are inferior goods,
2. They are no longer stylish, and
3. The season for that item is over

They are inferior goods

Many times sale items are thrown together perhaps in a basket or on a rack. This gives the impression that the merchandise is not important to the seller. If the seller does not take pride in their merchandise why would the customer feel it is worth buying?
Even though in most cases you are trying to get rid of this merchandise as soon as possible try to display your sale items in a similar fashion to your regular priced items. For example, if you sell clothing try and group similar styles and or colours together and make sure that the sale rack is always kept tidy. If you are retailing jewellery think about displaying your sale items on a jewellery rack.

This

Instead of this

They are no longer stylish

To combat this you can attempt to integrate a sale item into a current trendy display. For example, you can pair a charm bracelet on sale with a fashionable handbag, display old table wear with a new table runner, or showcase a spring camisole with a fall scarf and cardigan.

The season for this item is over

Sometimes this is unavoidable. You will be hard pressed to sell Christmas earrings May. Again, try and keep your items relevant through your displays. You can show customers that there are other ways to use or wear a particular item that they never thought of before. But by all means stay away from putting all your red and green items together in January!
You want to make sure that you create space for new items, so create your displays with the thought that customers do not want to spend money on something they cannot wear in 2 months or utilize without feeling unfashionable.
You have great items they just need to be showcased better to get them out of inventory!
EJ WIPS Designs has employed these strategies and has greatly benefitted from them. What techniques have you used to entice customers to buy items on sale?

• Visit our website at www.ejwipsdesigns.ca
• E-mail us at emilynandjameelag@gmail.com
• Like us on facebook at www.facebook.com/EJWIPSDesigns
• Or follow us on twitter @EJWIPSDesigns

--> EJ WIPS Designs
www.ejwipsdesigns.ca
@EJWIPSDesigns
emilynandjameelag@gmail.com

Picking and Choosing Festivals and Craft Fairs

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Over the years, EJ WIPS Designs has been to a range of festivals in the Calgary (#yyc) area. We have been to small community fairs and large street festivals. Some have been booms while others were busts.
So how do we decide which fairs and festivals to attend? There are a few things we use as criteria:

1. How many people are attending?
2. Do the people attending fall within your target market?
3. How many vendors are attending?
4. Do people come for entertainment or to buy?
5. How much advertising has been put into this fair or festival?
6. Where will you be in relation to the "action"?
7. Are the vendor fees reasonable?

How many people are attending?

This is a very important criteria to consider. If you know that one out of five people who come to your booth purchase an item then a festival that has10,000 people in attendance could be a good thing.

Do the people attending fall within your target market?

Many times the festival or fair promoter will boast that they have 60,000 + people in attendance every year; however, the festival may cater to pet lovers, brides, or seniors. If the people who attend fall within your target market then it is a go. If not, stay home. Keep in mind, there is the possibility that even if there are 100,000 people at the festival or fair you may not get the traffic you desire which brings us to the third criteria we use at EJ WIPS Designs.

How many vendors are attending? Are they selling similar things to you?

As stated above, even if there are 100,000 people in attendance, there may be 1000 vendors all selling similar things. You do not want your customer base to be spread too thin among competitors or your sales will suffer.

Do people come for entertainment or to buy?

Many times people go to festivals to enjoy the music or the food and nothing more. When you are considering a fair or festival take into consideration if the entertainment is the main purpose or if the arts and crafts section is highlighted in the advertising (our fifth criteria).

How much advertising has been put into this fair or festival?

Advertising year to year will affect participant numbers. If advertising is lax a festival may see dismal attendance numbers even if they had 60,000 attendees the previous year. Be sure to research what type of advertising the organizer has implemented (newspaper, television, radio, social media). If the fair or festival is local ask yourself if you have heard about the festival in recent years. Also, ask other people if they have heard about it or attended. Ask yourself the festival new, if so, there is no track record to refer to. Do you want to take the chance at being a pioneer?

Where will you be in relation to the "action"?

With street festivals you do not want to be stuck on a side street. Being on a main street or thoroughfare will mean good sales if the above criteria have been met. A good organizer will make sure that all vendors have a good "spot".

Are the vendor fees reasonable?

Finally, after evaluating the above criteria, you have to wonder if the fees are reasonable. With the amount of people in your target market attending, the number of vendors, and your proximity to the "action", will you be able to generate enough sales to cover your table, pay for your labour, and make a reasonable profit?
If you use this criteria then we are positive you will be able to attend only the best festivals and generate the greatest amount of sales.

• Visit our website at www.ejwipsdesigns.ca
• E-mail us at emilynandjameelag@gmail.com
• Like us on facebook at www.facebook.com/EJWIPSDesigns
• Or follow us on twitter @EJWIPSDesigns

--> EJ WIPS Designs
www.ejwipsdesigns.ca
@EJWIPSDesigns
emilynandjameelag@gmail.com

The Law and E-Commerce

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We are not lawyers at EJ WIPS Designs, but here is a bit of an overview of the ins and outs of buying and selling things particularly online when it is descriptions and pictures that really sell a product. Any comments are appreciated.
E-business encompasses e-commerce, which is the buying and selling of goods online. To put it simply, the buying and selling of goods is the main source of revenue for many companies both online and offline. The law in Alberta, which governs the buying and selling of goods, is called the Sale of Goods Act (Sale of Goods Act, 2000). Maneuvering through the Sale of Goods Act can be difficult.
There are some basic principles that every buyer and seller must know about the Sale of Goods Act when doing business online: implied warranties, sale by description and sale by sample, merchantability and fitness of goods, exclusion clauses, and when title passes from seller to buyer. Knowing these sections will help to make business transactions uncomplicated and predictable.
In Alberta, the Sale of Goods Act (2000) lays out implied warranties, which do not need to be included in contracts, such as the seller having title to the goods at the time of a sale Section 14a; the buyer being entitled to quite possession of goods Section 14b; and that there are no third party interests in the property Section 14c. For businesses buying and selling goods online, whether in a Business to Consumer (B2C), or Business to Business (B2B), relationship, understanding and being aware of the rules in the Sale of Goods Act will ensure that few problems arise, and it will explain how to deal with these problems if they arise.
Within the Sale of Goods Act (2000), Section 15 mentions that goods purchased based on a description must correspond to the description given by the seller. In order to prevent a potential dispute, a seller should give the least amount of description as possible when it comes to selling a product online. For example, if a business were to sell t-shirts the least amount of description would be to describe the item as Item #1. Of course, a buyer would not be inclined to purchase something over the internet--especially if they are buying in bulk-based on such a vague description. Businesses must keep in mind that words of praise and quality that are used to describe an item do not factor into the description. A seller may choose to describe a t-shirt as fashionable, 100% cotton, red, and durable in order to provide a bit more description, however, only red and 100% cotton would be part of the sale by description because they are laudatory. The concept of excluding laudatory language (a description containing excess praise) from the description of goods is summed up in the case John Macdonald & Co. v. Princess Manufacturing (1925). In a B2B relationship a buyer may purchase an item based on a sample as well as a description. If the seller sends the buyer a sample that does not match the description given but the buyer accepts the shipment of the product based on the sample, then the buyer may be entitled to either reject the goods or sue for damages based on the fact that the goods do not correspond with the sample. For example, if a seller describes and item as a red 100% cotton t-shirt and sends a buyer a red 90% cotton t-shirt, and the buyer agrees to purchase 10,000 of the item based on the acceptance of the sample, then upon discovery notices the t-shirts are 90% cotton, the buyer may sue for a breach of contract. This legal action would be possible because Section 15 in the Sale of Goods Act (2000) states that “if the sale is by sample as well as by description it is not sufficient that the bulk of the goods will correspond with the sample if the goods do not also correspond with the description.”
The other important sections in the Sale of Goods Act (2000) are Section 16, for buyers, and Section 54, for sellers, which speak to merchantability and fitness and exemption clauses. Merchantability and fitness implies that the goods are usable for the purpose that the buyer intends to use them for. If a buyer “expressly or by implication makes known to the seller the particular purpose for which the goods are required so as to show that the buyer relies on the seller’s skill," then "there is an implied condition that the goods are reasonably fit for that purpose” (Sale of Goods Act, 2000, Section 16(2)). It is in the best interest of the buyer to look for as much description as possible, to inform the seller of the purpose that the goods will be used for in order to avoid dispute, and to settle a dispute quickly in the case that one does arise. Section 54 in the Sale of Goods Act (2000) deals with exemption clauses. Exemption clauses can be helpful for sellers to deter buyers from rejecting the goods or seeking damages, and exemption clauses serve as a type of “buyer beware” clause that relieves sellers of liability arising from the unfit or unmerchantable goods they sell. Since exemption clauses are to the disservice of the buyer, courts will usually be very strict and sometimes imaginative when interpreting exemption clauses. For example, the case Tercon Contractors Ltd. v. British Columbia (Transportation and Highways) (2010) included the exemption clause that “no Proponent shall have any claim for compensation of any kind whatsoever, as a result of participating in this RFP, and by submitting a Proposal each Proponent shall be deemed to have agreed that it has no claim” (para. 60). It was held by the judge that “Tercon’s claim is not barred by the exclusion clause because the clause only applies to claims arising ‘as a result of participating in [the] RFP’, not to claims resulting from the participation of other, ineligible parties” (Tercon Contractors Ltd. v. British Columbia, 2010, para. 63). This imaginative interpretation of a seemingly air-tight exemption clause is a reminder to sellers that the law does not look favourably on exempting oneself from liability.
One of the other important sections in the Sale of Goods Act is Part 2, which speaks to the transfer of title between buyer and seller. This section is extremely important for buyers and sellers in B2C and B2B relationships because, generally, risk follows title, and it is essential to insure your goods as soon as they become your property. The Sale of Goods Act states that “no property in the goods is transferred to the buyer until the goods are ascertained” (s18). There are many different conditions for the ascertainment of goods which section 20 covers. The chart below summarizes the relevant and important information.

Sale of Goods Act: Passing of Property

Contract Type	When Property Passes	Example
Unascertained Goods	Property cannot pass until the goods have been identified (ascertained).	A contract to purchase ten boxes of t-shirts from a shipment with a thousand boxes of t-shirts in it. Title cannot pass until the specific boxes to be transferred are identified.
Unconditional contract for specific goods	When contract is made.	A contract to purchase a specific bicycle in a store. The buyer can take bicycle immediately or pick it up later. When the buyer collects the bicycle is immaterial to passing of title since buyer owned at the time of contract.
Contract to sell specific goods where seller must in some way prepare the goods before they can be transferred to the buyer	When the goods being purchased are ready for the buyer and the buyer has been informed of the fact.	A contract to purchase a dress but the store must fix the hem first.
Contract to sell tangible, ready to transfer, goods where the goods need to be measured in some way to determine price	When the goods have been measured, weighed or otherwise tested as needed, the price has been determined and the buyer is informed of that price.	A contract to purchase a ten specially selected planks of high grade lumber by the linear foot. The transfer of title cannot take place until the exact number of linear feet has been determined and the price calculated.
A contract which allows the buyer to test or review the goods purchased after they are delivered and return the goods if they are unsatisfactory	Either when the buyer informs the seller that they have approved and accepted the goods, or the buyer indicates acceptance by their actions (e.g. begins to use the goods) OR, when a specified review period has ended without the buyer rejecting the goods.	A contract involving a "book of the month" being sent to the buyer, which the buyer may either keep if they like it or return within 30 days if they are uninterested. If the buyer begins reading the book, cause wear to it, or if the buyer simply does not return the book within the 30 day period they have ratified the agreement and the book is theirs.
A contract to purchase goods that are not yet in existence but that can be clearly described and identified	When the goods are ready and both parties agree, then ownership (title) of the goods passes to the buyer.	A contract to purchase the crops off of a specific plot of land. (this would also in some ways overlap with the third type, as the crops would need to be measured as well).

When doing business online, whether B2C on eBay or a company website, or B2B through integrated logistical software; it is important to keep in mind that the Sale of Goods Act will fill in the blanks of a contract when it comes to disputes arising from a sale by description, the merchantability and fitness of a goods, when title passes, and if a seller is exempt from liability. Knowing these things will help to keep business running smoothly and help businesses avoid potentially expensive litigation.

• Visit our website at www.ejwipsdesigns.ca
• E-mail us at emilynandjameelag@gmail.com
• Like us on facebook at www.facebook.com/EJWIPSDesigns
• Or follow us on twitter @EJWIPSDesigns

--> EJ WIPS Designs
www.ejwipsdesigns.ca
@EJWIPSDesigns
emilynandjameelag@gmail.com

Globalization and Fashion

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Fashion is truly global. I came across an article done in Indian Vogue that highlighted African fabrics and fashion. As India is an emerging economy, there is a growing middle class that is able to indulge in luxuries. This article made us at EJ WIPS Designs realize that small businesses must always look for business opportunities where ever possible. And the opportunities are available between emerging economies. -->

Indian Inspired Fashion

Although it can be difficult to do business in a foreign country, the returns can be tremendous. Entry strategies for a business ranked by path of least resistance include import/export, franchising, licensing, joint venture, and wholly-owned subsidiary.
Import/export, although seemingly simple, is very complex. Importing goods into Canada requires identifying your good's internationally approved Harmonized System (HS) of classification. Even before identifying the HS, a business owner would have to decide how much responsibility they are willing to take on. For example, some manufacturers or wholesalers use an International Commercial Term (INCO Term) called Ex-Works (EXW) where the buyer is responsible for pick-up, shipping, and insurance.This represents the most responsibility for the buyer. On the other end of the spectrum is DDP (Delivery, Duty Paid) where the seller delivers the goods to your door. Besides the responsibility, the main difference between the two is money: EXW carries is a cheaper price than DDP.
It is important to remember that some countries insist that there is domestic ownership of a company, and therefore, a licensing deal or joint venture is desirable for a business. However, licensing can be expensive if you are looking to license a brand or technology in your country and it can be legally complex if looking to license your brand or technology to another country. A joint venture with another small or medium sized business may prove lucrative because the foreign business is aware of the consumer behaviour and the customs in the country. A joint venture can also be less expensive and easier to exit than a wholly-owned subsidiary.
At the end of the day, a small business must always be ready to take advantage of an opportunity (with the proper research) even if it is between two countries.

• Visit our website at www.ejwipsdesigns.ca
• E-mail us at emilynandjameelag@gmail.com
• Like us on facebook at www.facebook.com/EJWIPSDesigns
• Or follow us on twitter @EJWIPSDesigns

EJ WIPS Designs
www.ejwipsdesigns.ca
@EJWIPSDesigns
emilynandjameelag@gmail.com

A new website

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EJ WIPS Designs has finally gotten a new website to call home: www.ejwipsdesigns.ca. Having a website is a tremendous benefit for a small business. Having real estate on the web helps to ensure that customers know that you exist not to mention that it can help to increase sales.

Creating a website is relatively easy these days as there are many templates offered to individuals and businesses. At EJ WIPS Designs, we believe that it is important to have a website that stands out, and we have decided to hire a local student to help us jazz up our site.

Tell us what you think about our website in the comments below.

Regards,

EJ WIPS Designs

www.ejwipsdesigns.ca

emilynandjameelag@gmail.com

"Designs As Unique As You Are"

Steps to Starting an Online Business: IT Elements

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As you know, EJ WIPS Designs is starting to expand its business online. Within this blog post are the basic elements that every business should consider when trying to set up online. Feel free to share your highs and lows with starting up the online portion of your business.

In many parts of the world, it is essential for businesses to have a presence on the Internet. Starting a website or online business can either be an alternative to a brick-and-mortar store, or a supplement to an existing business. After a business concept is decided on and a feasibility test has been carried out, the information technology (IT) issues related to starting an online business need to be addressed. The many things that need to be taken into account are things such as hardware and software and choosing the right providers for the business website. This guide will help to establish the main IT requirements needed to set up an online business for a small or medium enterprise (SME).

            Although it seems intuitive, the first IT related device needed to start an online business is a computer. When choosing a computer factors such as mobility, computing power, and disk space need to be taken into consideration. If the computer that is chosen is a desktop computer, as opposed to a laptop, all the hardware needed to operate the computer (mouse, monitor, keyboard) must be purchased as well. A business may also consider purchasing a printer, scanner, and fax machine for administrative tasks; however, it is possible to purchase all-in-one printer, scanner, and fax machine. Other periphery devices needed many include a web camera, and speakers depending on the nature of the business.

            Once all the hardware requirements are met, the next thing that is needed is an Internet connection. The main types of internet are dial-up, high-speed, and satellite; however, these types vary depending if you are in a rural or urban setting (Marlow, 2010, para. 7). A business will want to choose a relatively fast internet speed if it is to conduct e-commerce because of the amount of data in the form of pictures and possibly video that will need to up uploaded onto the website. Many telephone providers offer Internet service and the best thing for a business to do is to contact their telephone provider and request an Internet connection. Along the same line of the Internet is securing a domain name for your business. A domain name “allows users to refer to web sites and other resources using easier-to-remember domain names (such as "www.icann.org") rather than the all-numeric IP addresses (such as "192.0.34.65") assigned to each computer on the Internet” (Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers, 2011, para. 1). It is important to choose a short and easy to remember domain name that your customers will remember, or you may risk losing business and traffic. When choosing a domain name it is also important to consider “the right-most label in a domain name [that] is referred to as its ‘top-level domain’ (TLD)” (Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers, 2011, para. 1). The top-level country domain assigned to Canada is .ca (dot ca). According to the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (2010) in Canada there are currently 1,616,786 domain names registered unter the .ca domain. There are many benefits to having a .ca domain if you are a Canadian company: 1) the .ca domain is “instantly recognizable as Canadian to Internet users around the world”, 2) “domain names are kept safe and secure in an independent national registry”, and 3) “Over 60% of Canadians prefer .ca for online shopping” (Canadian Internet Registration Authority, 2010).

            After deciding on an easy to remember domain name, finding a web host is the most essential decision that needs to be made. A webhosting company “rents out web space and bandwidth to those who wish to publish a web site” (Erack Network, 2008, para. 2), essentially, a webhost is constantly connected to the Internet and provides a space on their server for a website to stay constantly connected as well. Things to take into consideration are numerous when choosing a webhost such as

·         Bandwidth: the amount of data transfer available

·         Disk space: storage space

·         Reliability: how often the webhost’s server is up and running and available to customers

·         Cost

·         Customer service

Other features to look for are the ability to use a template to build your website, as opposed to building one through hypertext mark-up language (HTML), which if you are a beginner could look amateur, the ability to have, a shopping cart, database support, e-mail addresses, newsletters and guest books for your website. These features will be more or less important depending on the nature of the website or online business. For example, if the online business involves buying and selling things online, it is important to look for a host that offers a shopping cart. Taking payment for goods or services will also have to be considered. The Government of Canada (2011) suggests that business “get a merchant account from a bank...[or] use a service that will process the credit card or other method of payment (para. 1)”. According to the article 5 Payment Platforms to Consider for Your Business (2009), PayPal and GoogleCheckout were among the most popular and trusted payment options. If the webhost chosen has provided compatibility, these payment platforms can be downloaded and installed on your computer. Customers will have to have an account with the payment platforms, but they are assured that their information and payment is secure. For this service, businesses usually have to pay a certain percentage of the sales amount to the payment platform operators. It is usually a small price to pay to have customers feel safe and secure with doing business with you.

            Hardware, and Internet connection, and a webhost are the basic IT elements needed to start a website or online business. Having a good understanding of what type of products or services a business wants to offer will a SME decide on the specifications of hardware, speed of internet connection and the features of a webhost the business will require. Knowing these things will help to make opening a new business online or creating supplement to an existing business an easier task.

EJ WIPS Designs

www.ejwipsdesigns.ca

emilynandjameelag@gmail.com

"Designs As Unique As You Are"

References

5 Payment platforms to consider for your business. (2009, July 28). In Open Forum. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/technology/article/5-payment-platforms-to-consider-for-your-business-ben-parr

Canadian Internet Registration Authority. (2010). Why.ca. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://www.cira.ca/why-ca/Government of Canada. (2011, February 2). Payment for online sales. In Canada business: government service for entrepreneurs. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/145/148/4368/

Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers. (2011, August 13). Top-level domains (gtlds). In Internet corporation for assigned names and numbers. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://www.icann.org/en/tlds/

Marlow, I. (2010, November 15). Rural Canada loses as politics and business fail to get broadband down the last mile. In Globe and Mail. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/internet/rural-canada-loses-as-politics-and-business-fail-to-get-broadband-down-the-last-mile/article1799640/page1/

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Who We Are

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Hello everyone,

We are EJ WIPS Designs. A small business, mother daughter duo, that specializes in handmade jewelery for both men and women and African Art. We are based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The purpose of the blog is not to sell you anything, it is to share information on a broad range of things from running a small business to the latest fashion trends.

We hope that you will get to know us better through our blog, and hopefully, you will learn something new every week!

EJ WIPS Designs

www.ejwipsdesigns.ca

emilynandjameelag@gmail.com

"Designs As Unique As You Are"

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