The phone rings and before you can get through the hello, your computer crashes, your dog starts barking, the doorbell chimes and your 15-year-old daughter rushes into the room in crisis mode - a classmate has purchased the same prom dress and she wants you to take her to the mall NOW or her life will be ruined.

Do you sometimes wonder how your buyers perceive you? Do you really want to know? By asking a buyer for feedback on how you’re doing, you may find areas where change is needed, and after implementing a change, you may also discover your business is more successful as a result. But it does require something from you:

The factors that can affect a shop's bottom line are many including the state of the economy or changes in consumer habits. These factors are generally beyond a shop owners control but there are simple and cost efficient steps a shop owner can take that can make a significant difference in the overall success of their shop.

Because the Web brings many people from varied backgrounds and societies together it is important to have guidelines for proper manners for communicating online. To most users, the basic guidelines that have evolved in cyberspace have come to be known as Netiquette - short for Net Etiquette. Depending on the way you are using the medium, different specifics will apply.

875MM Consumers Have Shopped Online: 40% Increase in the Past Two Years - Global Marketing Survey by Neilsen

A very good PayPal spoof email was reported recently. Fortunately, the recipient immediately detected it, but would you? Do you know what to look for? Do you know what to do - what not to do?

10 Key Online Predictions for 2008 from

When a buyer is unhappy because they feel a shop owner has not dealt with them fairly, their next step is usually to contact Ruby Lane. Regardless of whether or not a buyer may truly have a basis for the grievance, once we are aware a disagreement exists, a shop owner can expect we will investigate the issue(s) fully.

We know your marketing budget is tight. Everyone's is (except maybe the big guys). That's why offering excellent customer service is worth its weight in gold for both small and large businesses. If you place an ad that costs you $1,000 to run and you get five inquiries from it (not unusual), and two turn into a sale, that's expensive for most small businesses.

Decorating your online shop for the holidays couldn’t be easier. No dragging out the ladder and boxes of upon boxes of this, that and the other. And no breakage!!