Technology - April, 2006
SilkFlowers.com selling permanent arrangements, plants and trees
eRugGallery.com offering risk-free online rug purchases
MyEmbroideredGifts.com launches new Web site
R&R Licensing’s online gallery features art available for licensing
Study: Manufacturers will boost online marketing spending in 2006
SilkFlowers.com selling permanent arrangements, plants and trees
Silkflowers.com has launched a retail Web site that offers a wide variety of silk flowers, artificial plants, potpourri and accessories. The site features lifelike designer silk floral arrangements and other unique decorating and gift giving ideas. With large, full color product pictures and SSL encryption, http://www.Silkflowers.com makes shopping online enjoyable and secure. Premium gift boxes are also available with many items.
"Many people are disappointed with ordering live flowers online. The quality can vary and they only last a few weeks," said Christopher Corelli, Silkflowers.com managing director. "Our silk flowers are professionally arranged, won't wilt during shipping and can be enjoyed for years to come."
Crafted from advanced synthetic materials, today's silk flowers are incredibly realistic and virtually maintenance-free. Silk plants and flowers are a great alternative for people with allergies and those who want to enjoy natural beauty year round. Many arrangements are available in high-quality glass vases complete with Silkflowers.com's "acrylic water.” This crystal clear acrylic is hardened in the vase, and gives the illusion of freshly cut stems in water.
The Silkflowers.com staff has more than 20 years of experience. Silkflowers.com also features a wide selection of artificial plants and trees, including bonsai, ficus, topiary, aspidistra, hosta, palm, ivy, fern, and many others. Each item has amazing botanic accuracy, and several decorative planters are also available.
eRugGallery.com offering risk-free online rug purchases
Online rug retail leader http://www.eRugGallery.com is offering a new “Try It Before You Buy It” policy. This policy includes a 180-day money back guarantee and free shipping on eRug’s inventory of over 20,000 fine handmade area rugs. The policy allows and encourages customers to try a rug at home before making a final purchase decision.
“We feel that this new, risk-free policy gives customers the added benefit of seeing the beauty of a handmade Persian rug in their home without feeling obligated,” said President/CEO Farzin Kamal. Kamal says that with so many choices online, eRug sees the need for customers and redecorators to experience and try the products at home first.
http://www.eRugGallery.com wishes to alleviate some of the challenges when doing a renovation or redecorating a home. Many changes and quick decisions happen during the renovation process, and eRug wants to be clear to its customers that the “Try It Before You Buy It” policy gives ample time to make a final decision on a piece that might stand out as a centerpiece in a room for many years.
MyEmbroideredGifts.com launches new Web site
Six years after starting out with a small self-designed Web site, Madison online business MyEmbroideredGifts.com has debuted a redesigned Web site and new services.
A small dream has turned into a big reality for this “work from home” mom, company founder Debra Killen. After a humble beginning making “Grandmother Shirts” for her friends and then some of their friends, MyEmbroideredGifts.com is growing into a gift shop with selections for everyone.
MyEmbroideredGifts.com now has a wide selection of plush baby gifts from Baby Gund. Many of these plush gifts can be personalized with custom embroidery. For a personalized wedding or anniversary gift, they offer custom embroidered towel wraps and robes.
Still the most special gift, since it is the item that started it all, is the Grandmother or Grandfather shirt. These shirts can be personalized with names of all the grandchildren. “I think the most faces I have sewn on a shirt was about 30,” Killen said. “We included children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren as a birthday gift for a lovely lady in Kentucky. All the families were colored coded so you could tell who went together. It was such a special way to honor her for her birthday.
MyEmbroideredGifts.com has also recently brought in some great products from other suppliers that compliment the items already for sale. Offering gift wrapping and personal message gift cards allows the customer to purchase online and have the gift sent directly to the recipient.
R&R Licensing’s online gallery features art available for licensing
R&R Licensing Ltd. has unveiled a new e-gallery with thousands of pieces of art now available for licensing. R&R’s e-gallery is a collection of some of the world’s most famous art.
“We’ve assembled an amazing archive. It actually comprises several museum collections ranging from European and Russian masters from the world famous Hermitage Museum and St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Art to original artists. Included in it are works of contemporary artists like Chuck Hughes, illustrator for the Grateful Dead and others, and Michael Bryan whose post-commercialistic pieces capture the essence of life in the 21st century,” said Robert Greener, president of R&R Licensing Ltd. “E-tailing is the future of business. Why not art licensing?”
Those interested can see a sample of the gallery’s holdings at http://www.rrlicensing.com/preview, but for admission to the full gallery, a user name and password is required and obtainable via an RSVP to R&R Licensing’s William Sherman at 212-750-5001 (was@rrlicensing.com).
“We expect our new art gallery will become a resource for those looking to fill a range of art licensing needs,” added William Sherman, COO of R&R Licensing Ltd. “We’re making it easy for people shop for new ideas, and to bring products to the marketplace quickly and profitably. Licensees can do all this from the comfort of their office or laptop!”
Based in New York City, R & R Licensing is a full-service agency that represents artists as well as corporations, brand owners, celebrities, athletes, inventors, and designers. The firm’s management has over 100 years combined experience in all aspects of licensing and business development.
Study: Manufacturers will boost online marketing spending in 2006
More than 75% of manufacturing companies will be increasing their online marketing budgets in 2006, according to the results of an annual survey of industrial marketing executives conducted by SVM E Business Solutions.
The study, which surveyed more than 220 marketing executives at U.S. manufacturing firms, found that online marketing efforts are producing tangible results for manufacturers, and the vast majority of respondents plan to ramp up their online marketing efforts to address their most important business challenges in 2006.
“This study confirms that online marketing should be an essential component of a manufacturer’s overall marketing mix,” said Bob DeStefano, president of SVM E-Business Solutions. “Industrial marketers who hesitate to embrace online marketing will miss a critical opportunity to increase sales, grow market share and strengthen relationships with customers.”
Among many other significant points, the 2006 E-Business Trends in Manufacturing Report identified the following key industrial marketing trends:
* Industrial marketing budgets are shifting online, often at the expense of traditional marketing. Industrial marketers are increasing spending on Web sites, search engine marketing and email marketing, while decreasing spending on magazine advertisements, trade shows and direct mail.
* Web sites are becoming the hub of industrial marketing. The Web is increasingly becoming the hub of manufacturers marketing efforts. In fact, over half of all manufacturers consider their Web site to be their most powerful marketing tool.
* Manufacturers are turning to search engine marketing to help drive sales lead generation efforts. About half of industrial marketers engaged in some form of search engine marketing in 2005, and this will increase significantly in 2006.
* Manufacturers consider online marketing more effective than traditional marketing because it makes a measurable impact on their business. Industrial marketers feel online marketing is more effective at producing measurable, business-building, results.
For more information, visit SVM on the Web at http://www.svmsolutions.com, or call (877) SVM-EBIZ.