Important Questions to Ask Your Ecommerce Service Provider

When making a choice of who to use as your eCommerce service provider, one must ask the right questions to ensure that what you are paying for is what you're getting.

Also ensuring that there are no unpleasant surprises or complications down the road that will seriously affect your ability to do business online.

The 3 Success Factors:

The right technology -to fulfil your business requirements Intelligent Support Infrastructure - for effective support, hosting and technical knowhow to ensure that your technology is up and running as close to 100% as possible allowing you to focus 100% on selling and running your business. Professional eCommerce Services - that are geared to helping you sell effectively online, including online merchandising, information architecture, sales strategy and sales focused copywriting.

Important Questions to ask:

How many Ecommerce sites have they done before?

Experience will dictate how well your storefront is built, operate and sells online

What is the core competency of your provider?

If your provider offers web design, logo design, flash design, ecommerce, SEO and a number of other services, please make sure that they truly differentiate themselves in terms of eCommerce.

Does your provider have a fully functional ecommerce system?

Or do they have to "build" one? Can they show you something that really works and does it work for you? If they don't you may wait a long time to start trading online, and even then the possibility is there that the system will not work smoothly.

What happens if something doesn't work?

Do you get charged to fix it? Are there support and maintenance costs? How long will it take to get back up and running?

What kind of technical support do you get?

Do you get charged for this? Can you phone in and expect immediate intelligent answers to question? What is the turnaround time for response?

Do you get access to upgrades?

If so, do you have to pay for them? What kind of upgrades can you expect in future?

What kind of Bandwidth and hosting environment do you get?

How fast is your hosting environment and are you hosted in SA? This makes a difference as to how fast your site loads and whether customers are going to lose patience, leave and never return.

How independent are you?

Do you have to ask your provider to complete critical business tasks such as upgrading orders, adding in new content such as products and prices, running reports, creating affiliate campaigns, changing your design. If so do they charge for this and how fast do they get this done?

What kind of Security Certificates do they provide?

If they do not provide full Thawte (or Verisign) certification, at least 128 bit encryption and SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology, then they are not providing your customer with a secure place to perform online transactions.

What does your provider advise you to use for your main page?

If there is no mention of placing products, specials or items that will be truly of interest to your customer, then you will know that your provider is not thinking about designing a storefront geared to sell.

Are you tied in to a contract?

If so, for how many months and what are the terms?

Has your provider given you a deadline?

If not you may wait a very long time to get things done and get online and selling.

A Brief History of Bankso, Bulgaria's Premier Ski Resort

The area around Bansko has been inhabited for centuries by the Thracians, Romans, Byzantines and Slavs. There are many ruins of old fortresses and burial grounds around the town.

Bansko first became a settlement in the 9th to 10th century when several neighbourhoods joined together and it is mentioned in the Ottoman register under the name Baniska.

During the 18th Century Bansko was mainly the home of agricultural workers and craftsmen, who worked in the forests and fields around. Many mills were built along the river. Wood products, leather manufacture and fish, olives and tobacco were traded with settlements in the Aegean, Serresa and Drama. Horse drawn caravan trains would take goods across the country and further afield. Those living and working in the Bansko became wealthy and many travelled abroad or sent their children abroad. This led to a wise cultural diversity in Bansko. It also meant that the residents of Bansko were able to build magnificent houses; high stone houses with wooden beams and cladding and heavy fortified gates. The ceilings and walls of the rooms would be covered in colourful murals and religious paintings.

It was not until 1912 that Bansko was freed from Ottoman rule, the day the Balkan war was announced. Bansko's council or local government was set up in about 1850 and consisted of local elected officials from the various local tradesmen. In the 1860's and 1870's the local municipality was particularly involved in fighting against the Greeks for independence for the Bulgarian church and attempting to bring education to the village. The first school was built in 1857. During the Balkan war the Bansko council collected food and clothes for the Bulgarian army.

Due to its location at the base of the Pirin mountains, skiing developed above the town, but initially was only accessible by a mini-bus taking skiers up the steep hillside to the base of the small ski area. It was not until 2003 when the gondola was put in, that skiers could access the skiing directly from the town. Bansko quickly developed into a more modern winter holiday resort with an explosion of hotels and apartment blocks. Marketed as a cheap alternative to skiing in France and Italy, it soon became a popular destination for British.

The old part of Bansko still retains its character and authenticity. There are cobbled streets, traditional stone and wood houses and lively local bars with local musicians. There are over 120 cultural and historical monuments in Bansko old town, including the Holy Trinity Church with its 30 metre high clock town, built by donations from local towns folk in 1835 to 1837 and decorated with murals done by the local art school.

This contrasts drastically with the large number of new developments that have sprung up in the last few years to cater for the number of skiers and holiday makers. The ski area has around 75 kilometres of runs with close to 30 ski lifts and the highest accessed point being at 2,600 metres.

Bansko hosts a number of events each year from music festivals to chess tournaments as well as large sporting events. There is also a golf course and several lakes in the area, as well as the famous Bear sanctuary close by. The next door village of Banya, now more or less joined to Bansko by all the developments, is known for its thermal mineral springs. There is also a narrow gauge railway line running from the village of Dobrinishte to Septemvri and taking a scenic few hours to complete the journey.

Bansko is situated in the south western corner of Bulgaria, right at the bottom of the Pirin mountain range, fairly close to the Greek border. It has an elevation of 925 metres. It is around a two and half hour drive from the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia.

Ways To Stay Safe On The Internet

As more people continue to worry about privacy on the internet, it seems like most people do not really know how they can protect themselves on the internet. There are plenty of occasions of where people get their identity stolen or personal information simply because they were not thinking about the problems that surfing the internet without any precautions can cause. Here are a few things to think about when trying to stay safer on the internet.

Google Chrome Incognito Mode

Some browsers are beginning to follow suit but Google Chrome has made it a priority for people to be able to finally go on the internet feeling completely anonymous. This is a great way for people do all the things that they want without the fear of anything bad going on. Whether you are going through your PayPal account or simply checking your bank account, you want to be able to know that you are safe. This is why Google Chrome has become so popular and more people are using the incognito mode.

Only Work With PayPal

When it comes to making payments on the internet, the best way to really stay safe is by paying everything through PayPal. This is the most efficient and safest way to deal with people on the internet when you are trying to buy and sell things as PayPal is 100% safe. A great way to even take it a step further is to use PayPal while using Google Chrome while browsing PayPal because you will be able to double up the protection.

Never Give Out Personal Information

When it comes to the internet, you can't really trust anyone. If you are serious about making transactions of any kind, do not give out your name, address or any personal information that can be used in any way. Make sure that the websites that you are working with are known to be very safe and are not websites that will try and phish your information. There are plenty of unsafe sites on the internet and there are ways to really tell if the website is legit or not. The best way is to trust Google's recommendations when you search for something because only the most trusted websites will come up when you search for something. Be sure to only use websites through Google Chrome incognito when you ever come across a somewhat unsafe website.

When you are on the internet, always be aware of the website that you are going to and the people that you are talking to. As much as possible you should always be on Google Chrome incognito mode and to only use PayPal when making your transactions. When it comes to giving out information, make sure that you do not give anything out that can cause any problems.

For years people have been worried about the internet and how dangerous it is and you really do have to be aware of your surroundings on the internet. Make sure that you know what your children are doing on the internet and always ensure that you keep a good eye on them. Be safe and always browse with awareness.

When You Should Consider A Workers Compensation Attorney

Workers compensation is a form of insurance that provides for employees when they are injured on the job under certain circumstances. In order for an injury to qualify under a worker compensation claim it must generally meet a two-prong requirement. First the injury must have occurred at the place of employment and secondly the injury must be related to the work performed. An injury that occurs during an employees break or lunch period for example would not qualify since by the very nature of the timing the employee would have been off the clock and not performing a job related task.

If the first two prongs have been met the employee may still have a difficult time having their claim approved if the injury is the result of a cumulative action such as carpal tunnel syndrome or a lumbar back injury. These injuries can be harder to wholly prove based on a medical exam or x-rays and even harder to prove that they are the result of a workplace occupational injury.

In addition, employees who suffer from these cumulative injuries may not file a workers compensation claim in a timely manner and their injuries may be considered "suspect" and denied.

Since there are so many variants that can come into play with workers compensation claims it is necessary to understand how workers compensation works and when it is important to hire a workers compensation attorney to represent you and your claim. The most important step is to file your claim as soon as the injury occurs. The longer you wait to file, the more likely your claim will be red flagged as a potential false claim. Be prepared to have your employer contest your claim. It comes down to money and the more claims an employer has filed against them the more money it will ultimately cost them.

The insurance carrier will decide initially to either deny or approve your claim. If your claim is denied by the carrier, you will be able to appeal to the board or industrial commission. If they also deny the claim, you can take the claim to court for resolution. At any point in the process you can hire an attorney, but generally you will want an attorney if you are seriously injured or your compensation claim amount is not correct.

Your compensation generally should cover your lost wages up to a certain percentage as well as your medical expenses. If you feel you are not receiving the correct compensation or your medical coverage is denied, you may need an attorney to help correct the situation.

Finally if your employer retaliates or fires you for filing a workers compensation claim against them you will need an attorney to help you fight for your claim as well as your illegal firing.

What Is a Better Deal, Minor DUI or MIP?

If you have been charged with minor driving under the influence of alcohol there are not a lot of plea deal reductions to choose from, since this is a pretty low offense. Therefore it can be difficult to try and come up with a game plan on how best to resolve this type of even.

With a DUI over.08 its pretty simple to come up with plan on how best to resolve the case. Usually there are lesser offenses than the DUI can be reduced to that limits the consequences and penalties of a DUI offense. However minor DUI usually does not carry very many penalties and consequences. Especially compared to its more serious counterpart. However despite not carring all the consequences, and penalties, it still carries the stigma and negative connotation due to the term "DUI" in the charge. And many people want to avoid having that term in their criminal history. So what can be done with a minor DUI.

One option that I think is a better deal, is changing the charge to minor in possession of alcohol. Usually this is a more serious offense, meaning the maximum penalty is higher and comes with a larger possible fine. But to me this sounds a heck of a lot better than having DUI in the title.

Why does an MIP sound so much better you ask? Well first of all it doesn't involve driving. As a parent I think I would prefer my son or daughter have an offense that involves possessing alcohol as opposed to driving with alcohol in their system. When you think of a minor in possession charge this can be something as simple as having a beer at a college party, or having a drink in your hand at a football tailgate.

Secondly this type of offense is more likely to get vacated after their appropriate time frame expires. Why is this? Because again there isn't a driving element associated with it. Most Judges want people to have their record reflect prior DUI charges. This is because of sentencing issues, and the laws with repeat offenders. However a Minor in possession would not fall under this category and a Judge might be more likely to vacate or expunge the charge off the record of the individual or minor convicted of this offense.

In the end this will really be up to the defendant. However in my opinion I think a MIP sounds a lot better, and has a better chance of ultimately being removed than a minor DUI.

Test Your Affiliate Program Before You Commit to It

There are some excellent - and sophisticated - affiliate marketing systems available. However, these systems can be expensive or difficult to learn. They are essential when you've built momentum, but I'm going to suggest an easier way to get started.

Start by finding one person or company you would like as an affiliate. Talk to them; explain the commission deal you're offering; and invite them to be an affiliate.

Then, before you install any affiliate software on your Web site, simply create a special page for that affiliate to promote whatever product you want them to sell. This page is an exact duplicate of the public page on your Web site promoting that same product. But your affiliate's page is private - only they know the address. And you have some way of knowing if somebody orders through that page (For example, you can use a unique product code).

You then ask them to do their promotion for you, and refer people to that private page. You can supply them with sales copy, or ask them to write it themselves.

Now you sit back and wait!

You have an affiliate eager to find you customers; you've chosen your best product for them to promote; and they've sent some promotional material sent to a database. This is about the best scenario possible.

If you get a strong positive response, congratulations! This is a good sign it's worth expanding the program.

However, my guess is you'll be disappointed with the results - because, as I said earlier, most business owners over-estimate their results. That's not necessarily a bad sign, because this was just a test run. It gives you valuable information about what works and what doesn't. You have the opportunity to adjust a few things and try again.

You might even decide an affiliate program isn't right for you just yet. Perhaps the returns were so low you realise it shouldn't be one of your top priorities. Perhaps you didn't realise how difficult it would be for other people to promote your products and services. Perhaps you ended up with too many leads that didn't turn into sales - and hence wasted your time.

Regardless of the results, this experiment has been a success. Even if you decide not to continue, it was a fast, inexpensive way to reach that decision.

If you do decide to persevere with your affiliate program, repeat the experiment with a few more hand-picked affiliates. Remember that you engineered the best-case scenario the first time, so it's worth experimenting again. If this still works, you can invest with confidence in proper affiliate software.