Merchandising Methods
January 27, 2012 | 
Author When people hear the term merchandising, many think of window displays or perhaps the mass proliferation of Disney memorabilia. However, merchandising is a much broader concept, encompassing everything a company does to package and present its products or services.
For some businesses, merchandising means creating visual displays that draw customers to a tangible product. For others, such as consulting or law firms, it is the presentations they conduct to show prospective clients what they have to offer. In either case, effective merchandising demonstrates expertise and style and gives both potential and existing customers the chance to see products or services in action.
Traditional Techniques
Many of the merchandising techniques retailers have traditionally used can be adapted for wholesalers, manufacturers and service companies to frame a product. Window displays are the first thing people notice about a company, other than the front of the building, and can be a very powerful advertising vehicle. In addition to spotlighting specific products, windows can reflect a specific atmosphere, ambiance and business philosophy. Props, an integral component of window displays, can create a theme, add impact, demonstrate usage and allow products to be displayed in a cohesive, well-blended manner. For example, a retailer who sells hand-woven sweaters and shawls might place an authentic weaver’s loom in the middle of the sales area as a focal point. Likewise, a store selling dolls could use baby doll furniture as props.
To enhance your own creativity, make a point of visiting the nearest regional shopping mall once a month to look at the display windows and temporary exhibits. Make notes on how props are used by window and store display designers. Signs can also stimulate interest and project a clear identity to the public. Because of their high visibility, however, unless you are a graphic artist, have them produced by a professional sign company. In addition to incorporating a logo or company name to reinforce your identity, think about the sizes of your signs and lettering – this aspect will determine how easy the signs are to read. Three-inch lettering can be read from 70 to 80 feet away; one-inch lettering from 10 to 30 feet. In addition, colors and styles should be coordinated with your decor and overall image. Are your signs bright and stylized, or subdued and unobtrusive? The former may be appropriate for a candy store, while the latter is a better choice for a law firm.
Lighting can be used to both create a certain atmosphere and highlight merchandise. Because lighting fixtures can be expensive, however, determine how essential lighting is to your overall product presentation. For example, retailers selling fine art or intricate items may decide they need spotlights to illuminate their work and help customers appreciate the quality of their craftsmanship or artistry. If your lighting needs are extensive, also consider seeking professional design advice. Once you decide on the necessary fixtures, invest in the best ones you can afford.
Counters and shelves offer an array of merchandising opportunities. For example, “facing” – a technique many retailers use – involves keeping all the stock pulled to the front of the shelves to give the appearance of a full inventory and create a more positive image of the store. Retailers can also set up counters and shelves to guide people through the store or to create special display areas. Of primary importance is that the store layout be reflective of customer needs. For example, people tend to stay longer in bookstores that have nooks that provide an “escape” from pedestrian traffic. On the other hand, customers in a hardware store are likely to prefer straight aisles with clearly labeled products that are within easy reach.
Although manufacturers and service companies often do not have counters and shelves, per se, they still have places where “products” can be displayed. Many businesses underestimate the merchandising opportunities of the waiting room, for example. Are the tables in your reception area covered with old magazines and newspapers, or brochures and newsletters that detail your various services? Has your company won any awards that can be displayed? Anything that educates the customer about your business and what it offers should be incorporated into your merchandising program.
End caps and power islands are frequently used for special displays. End caps (the end of a shelf or gondola in a store) can promote new products and services, sell higher-profit impulse items, call attention to key areas of the store or feature educational information about products and services. Power islands are attention-getting, free-standing displays that can be used in the same way as end caps. If they are eye-catching and colorful enough, they can also help direct people through the store or to certain areas of it.
Cross-organization, when products from different departments are displayed together, can create an effective merchandising opportunity. The most obvious example of this technique is furniture showrooms. Rather than displaying all the sofas, lamps and tables in separate areas, successful retailers put them together to create model rooms. Similarly, manufacturers and service firms can group products together in brochures and presentations.
Product demonstrations offer another way to gain attention and show customers what they can do with the product after purchasing it. For example, hand-woven baskets can be filled with fruit, letters, condiments or bath products. Similarly, vases can be filled with flowers, potpourri or colored marbles. Demonstrating how shoppers will benefit from the purchase of a product can also dramatically increase sales. One department store ran a video in the accessory department that demonstrated how to tie silk scarves. Sales increased 50 percent as a result.
The key to merchandising is simplicity and imagination. Entrepreneurs should develop a merchandising plan appropriate to their specific business and re-evaluate it on a regular basis. It is important to keep up with new merchandising ideas and to update your image periodically. For example, the olive-green office furniture that looked good in the 1970s may be less appealing to your 21st century client. Similarly, it’s no longer wise to assume that men make the majority of purchase decisions and therefore cater exclusively to masculine sensibilities. While merchandising does involve time and energy, a good program is an integral component of presenting a coordinated and attractive image in the marketplace.
Everyone persuades for a living. There’s no way around it. Whether you’re a sales professional, an entrepreneur, or even a stay at home parent, if you are unable to convince others to your way of thinking, you will be constantly left behind. Donald Trump said it best, “Study the art of persuasion. Practice it. Develop an understanding of its profound value across all aspects of life.”
Conclusion
Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you’ve seen some success, but think of the times you couldn’t get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.
Timeshare Foreclosures – Why You Should Avoid Timeshare Foreclosure
One of the common questions that comes up about timeshares is “What will happen if I stop paying my maintenance fee?” This question is usually asked by timeshare owners who are having difficulty keeping up with their annual maintenance fees, due to increases or a change in personal financial circumstances. Or sometimes a special assessment for maintenance becomes too burdensome.
Many of these folks are under the mistaken impression that there would be no consequences to allowing the payments to lapse. But that could not be further from the truth. Timeshare companies will foreclose on your timeshare if you fail to pay your bill and this will wind up on your credit report, just like if you decided to stop paying your mortgage or a credit card bill. You may also wind up being pursued by a collections company for back payments and could possibly face additional penalties and fees as a consequence of non-payment.
Some owners actually think that just because they’ve lost interest in their timeshare and don’t intend to use it anymore, that the timeshare company will just take it back if the maintenance fee doesn’t get paid. But this isn’t how it works. If that were the case you’d find some properties with an abundance of vacant properties on their hands during the least desirable vacation times. So for the most part, no timeshare company is going to let you out of your contract. The maintenance fee continues to be an obligation even if you have no intention of ever using your timeshare again.
So the best bet if you need to stop paying is to find a way to sell your timeshare. Sometimes it even makes sense to simply give it away. Unfortunately, for some sellers, you might be holding onto a timeshare that isn’t particularly popular, or maybe your week isn’t in high demand. In this situation, it might even make sense for you to offer a financial enticement. For example, you might offer to pay this year’s maintenance fees, but allow the new owner to use the week.
Conducting your sale in this way wouldn’t save you this year’s expenses, but it would ultimately allow you to relinquish the responsibility to someone else. This is far preferable to having your timeshare foreclosed upon.
Just be cautious that when you sell your timeshare you are not being ripped off. You should not pay a salesperson an upfront fee to sell your timeshare for you. A professional real estate person collects commission only after the sale is finalized, not before.
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Ride a Greyhound Bus – Six Tips
Maybe you do not feel like driving a few hundred miles. Maybe you cannot afford the increasingly expensive plane ticket that does not even come with a meal these days. Maybe you just feel like seeing the beautiful U.S.A. through your window. In that case, taking the Greyhound bus may be for you. Here are some tips to make your first ride go smoothly.
1. Greyhound buses are often delayed and rescheduled. Give yourself at least a few hours, preferably a day of leeway before you make time-sensitive commitments or appointments. If someone is meeting you at your final destination, be sure to keep him or her updated, as your arrival time is often later, and occasionally earlier, than scheduled.
2. Make sure that your luggage is recognizable and that you are taking as few items of luggage as possible. The biggest risk of losing your luggage comes when the bus driver puts luggage on other buses that are headed to your ultimate destination. So having fewer items means that there are fewer things to get lost. Try to take as much carry-on as you can. Consider shipping items ahead to your final destination, instead of bringing them with you.
3. Bring healthy snacks and bottled water. Greyhound stations sometimes offer cafeterias, but sometimes only vending machines. They are usually located in unsavory parts of town, not convenient to restaurants, and leaving the station and potentially missing your bus can be a hassle. Either way, if you come prepared, you will be able to save money compared to the station prices, and control the ingredients if you have special dietary needs, or are just trying to eat healthy.
4. Bring some kind of entertainment. Most Greyhound buses and stations do not offer Wi-Fi (their website does talk about future plans in that direction, however, so be sure to visit it before your trip for the most current information), but there are plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained. Hand-held video games, MP3 players, even a good old-fashioned book or magazine will help stave off boredom. Books of crossword puzzles can be fun for older people, while coloring books can keep the younger crowd occupied.
5. When you get to the station, line up in front of your door as soon as possible. It is okay to leave an item of luggage to mark your spot, just do not leave anything too valuable, and be sure to keep an eye on it. This will give you the best choice of seats when it is time to board. In addition, they sometimes overbook buses, so if they have to split the passengers onto a second bus, if you are in the front of the line, you have a better chance of boarding the bus that you paid for originally.
6. If you are boarding an empty bus, the very last row of seats adjacent to the toilet has three seats, rather than two, meaning you can stretch out or keep your group close together, if you are riding with friends or family. Some people consider that row to be the best seat, but others do not like sitting so close to the toilet. It is up to you. If you do not get that seat, though, try to sit closer to the front so that you do not have to smell the toilet. Also, consider that rowdier people tend to sit toward the back of the bus, where the bus driver cannot keep an eye on them.
Using these six tips, you should be able to sit back and enjoy the ride! Try to keep a sense of humor, and remember that you are saving a lot of money. When you finally get to your destination, you will also have a great story to tell about your ride on the Greyhound Bus.
Florida Timeshare Promotions – Timeshare Tours in Florida
One of the ways that you can save a little money on your next vacation to Florida is to take part in some of the Florida timeshare promotions. Because there are so many timeshares in Florida, timeshare promotions are quite common and not just in Orlando. You can go on timeshare tours in Florida in just about any part of the state.
While Orlando is certainly one of the most popular areas, you’ll also find timeshares near Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, the Gold Coast, and along the Gulf coast of Florida. So whether you prefer the theme park attractions, Atlantic ocean beaches or the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, there are plenty of vacation deals in Florida and the sales folks there are all eager to have you attend their timeshare tours.
Now for Orlando, I think it is pretty safe to say that you can really just wait until you arrive to schedule some resort tours. You’ll be practically tripping over the promotional opportunities anywhere near Walt Disney World, particularly along Highway 192 through Kissimmee. Any place that you see offering discounts for theme park tickets is likely promoting a timeshare. Just don’t take the first offer. Spend a little time bargaining and they will usually increase the value of the enticements to tour a resort.
But for the rest of Florida, if you’re looking for a timeshare promotion to help save some dollars on your vacation, then the first place to start your search will be the internet. Wyndham is one of the largest companies in the timeshare industry, so you’ll probably want to start with them. There are many websites that offer discounted accommodations at Wyndham owned properties and generally one of the requirements is that you attend a presentation as well. Play your cards right though and you should be able to entice a few more offers out of them for your time.
Other Florida timeshare promotions might include discount theme park tickets, discounted hotel or resort accommodation, dining certificates, tickets to entertainment events like shows or concerts, or even shopping gift cards. So once you know what part of Florida you are planning to visit, do a quick search for timeshares for that specific location to see what kind of deals you can get before you book your airfare or accommodation. You could easily save hundreds of dollars just for a few hours of your time attending a timeshare tour in Florida.
Wyndham Points Timeshares – Are They Scam Or Not?
Do you think all timeshare deals are scams? Have you been told to stay away from them? How many times have you been told just to say ‘no’ to that long boring timeshare pitch you hear to get your free tickets to Disney World?
Well, like anything, timeshares could be bad or good for you, depending on the deal you get, timeshares quality and also how you use it. Most of the time if you buy a timeshare which is forced upon you after a 3 hour presentation from a pushing timeshare company, you’re not getting a good deal. And yes, they will make you believe that buying vacation ownership is going to be one of your most valuable and important lifetime decisions…and yes, you could end up paying your second mortgage for your “dream vacation ownership” your whole life, if you did not get a good deal on your timeshare. Having said all that, let me tell you, timeshares are great! You can use them for your vacations, you can use them to make some extra money, and if you’re tired of dealing with them, you can resell them! Of course, it’s hard to resell your timeshare if you purchased it for $25,000 and trying to resell for $15,000, for example.
Wyndham (formerly known as Fairfield) timeshares are very popular among timeshare owners and timeshare exchange companies. They make your life very easy when you want to choose your vacation destination among Wyndham Vacation Resorts. The company makes it possible with their easy reward points program. You earn points every time you enjoy your vacation at a Wyndam resort. Think about people you know, your family, your friends… You could be sending off someone you know to a Wyndham vacation resort you really liked last time, also giving them an opportunity to have their dream vacation at a reasonable price while you’re earning your Wynham reward points. Their points are exchangeable with another popular vacation ownership exchange point system – RCI. The reason I like Wyndham points time shares is for their structure, customer service, reward points, more than 6,000 worldwide locations around the globe, including Wingate by Wyndham, Ramada, Days Inn and Baymont Inn & Suites, available from Wyndham and Wyndham Worldmark. Their reward points can be used toward thousand of redemption options such as free nights, gift cards, car rentals and even airline tickets. Wyndham resorts have activities for the whole family. They even have babysitting service for the children so that you can enjoy going out late with your spouse, inside or even outside of the resort.
Of course, like any other timeshare, depending where you get your Wyndham timeshare, you could get a good deal or not. You can often find great deals on Wyndham timeshares for sale on the internet. Make sure you carefully read all the details about these deals. You don’t want to buy a cheap deed for a Wyndam timeshare only to find out later there is a huge maintenance fee that you have to pay every year. Read all the details for the deals you find, no matter where you find them, and if you see something you like, go for it as it will not sit there forever!
Best Restaurant to Have a Christmas Party
Well it is that time of year again to start planning for your annual Christmas party. After last year’s success the real question is how could you ever do better? Well for starters, you can’t have the best Christmas parties at the office, you need to have them out in the real world where everyone would have a reason to have some serious fun. What better place to hold a Christmas party then at a local restaurant. They have the space, they have the food and they definitely have the beverages to host your party, so why not?
Well unfortunately, it comes down to timing. Most of the well-known restaurants who cater to parties will slowly start booking up the popular days for other parties. What this means is that the longer you take deciding on a venue, the less venues which will be available for you to choose from. Don’t be left having to throw your party after Christmas is over like some people do every year.
The best restaurants to have a Christmas party in are the ones that have the bars; preferably some sort of open bar set-up because no one wants to party without the booze and no one will really wants to pay for them after all. It only makes sense. But before you can think about all of the logistics you need to find out which venues are still available. They are going faster then you would believe so don’t take to long planning for the Christmas party.
Top 10 Most Wanted Toys for Christmas 2011 – 2012
If you are searching for the best presents to buy the little ones in your life, then you can stop now. I put together a list of the top ten hot Christmas toys for this year so you can spend more time enjoying the last month of 2011 and less worrying about whether you are the buying toys that kids really want.
#1 LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Educational, but your kids won’t know it! Includes 100 plus learning games, apps, ebooks, videos, built-in camera and video recorder. Also adjusts to each child’s skill level, has an interactive color touch screen and more wrapped in a sturdy, but light-weight package. Encourages children to learn and be creative at their own pace. Parents can also keep track of their child’s progress online and with emails. Available in green or pink.
#2 Monster High Dolls from Mattel Not like your ordinary Barbie-like doll. Each doll is the offspring of a classic infamous monster. For example, Draculaura is the daughter of Dracula, Abbey Bominable is the daughter of the Yeti. Almost everything Monster High related is going to be popular this Christmas, but the dolls will be the best sellers! Specifically the Monster High Abbey Bominable and Toralei Stripe Dolls since they are newer and a little harder to find.
#3 Air Swimmers This is a clever new type of remote-controlled vehicle by William Mark Corporation. There are two designs available, the shark and clown fish. The Air Swimmers use helium and are powered by four triple A batteries. They are designed to stay inflated for several weeks and “swim” through the air easily. This a fun change from the typical remote-controlled car or plane. Indoor use only though.
#4 Lite Sprites by Wowwee
These dolls and accessories use color and light to express their moods and feelings. Each sprite has a unique personality and purpose and they all comprise the Sprite Sisterhood. There is a Tree of Life accessory from which the individual sprites can hang from. So I suggest pairing the tree plus one or two sprites if the recipient doesn’t own any other Lite Sprite toys. There are plenty of other accessories available if they do, like the wand and various play sets.
#5 Hot Wheels Wall Tracks These are car tracks that you can attach to the walls. This is the latest change to the standard Hot Wheels floor racing tracks. I give them credit for coming up with something very different instead of just adding yet another loop. You can buy the starter set or a specific track set. The sets can be used alone or connected to the other wall tracks to create a larger race course. Don’t worry about the walls, Hot Wheels is using 3M Command Strips to attach the tracks so your paint or wallpaper won’t be destroyed. At least not by the 3M strips anyway.
#6 Sing and Glow Rapunzel This doll is based on the Disney movie, Tangled, that came out earlier this year. Rapunzel’s hair would glow when she sang a certain song. Just like the movie, the doll Rapunzel lights up and sings. There are two different versions of the Rapunzel doll from Tangled and they both have similar names. One has a light on her back so when it is on, it appears that her hair is glowing and she sings her song, “I See the Light”. The other one uses a wand. When in comes into contact with her gown, she lights up and sings her song.
#7 Rock Star Mickey by Fisher-Price Last year, Dance Star Mickey was the “must have” Christmas toy. This year it’s Rock Star Mickey. He dances, sings, “rocks out”. He does head bops, leg kicks, a split and plays the guitar with his nose. He’ll even teach you his dance moves. This is definitely for the younger age group. It’s recommended for ages 2 and up, but I wouldn’t go past 6 years old.
#8 Let’s Rock Elmo by Sesame Street Elmo seems to be a huge hit every Christmas, but this year I think he’s going to be even more popular. This time, he comes with a microphone, a tambourine and a drum set. What’s really cool is that he interacts with other Let’s Rock instruments(sold separately). He knows when you are playing any of the Let’s Rock instruments (guitar, keyboard or microphone) and starts playing with you. He also sings 6 songs. Personally, I like this toy better than the Rock Star Mickey, but it boils down to who your child loves more.
#9 Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Doll It seems like all of the Lalaloopsy dolls will be popular this Christmas, but I believe the Silly Hair Doll versions will be extra popular. I was once a wee lass and the main thing I loved about my dolls was the ability to play with their hair. Lalaloopsy doesn’t have the typical Barbie doll hair. The strands are thicker, bendable rubber so you can twist, curl or straighten them. Includes hair accessories and a pet with a bendable tail. I really like these dolls! I think they are creative and a nice change from the stereotypical girl’s doll.
#10 Xia Xia Pets by Cepia These are collectible hermit crabs that are colorful. They do a crab walk when you press their claws. There are four crab characters in all and each comes with a small friend under their shell. There are plenty of accessory shells and playsets too. I know, I didn’t quite understand the appeal either until I found out that the point is to collect and trade the shells. If there will be multiple kids around the same age opening presents together then maybe buy one for each child so they can trade after opening if they want.
How to Get Out of a Timeshare Contract
Did you just buy a timeshare on your vacation? By now, you are probably at home wondering what on earth you just did. The feeling may be just a bit worse if you have started to look at resale prices online. Hopefully, there is still enough time to get out of the timeshare contract. But let’s not waste any more time.
Many countries have laws in place that allow you to cancel within a certain period of time (Mexico is five days), but I’m not very familiar with international timeshares since all of mine are located in the US. So I can only tell you how it works in this country. Here’s what you need to know if you bought a timeshare in the US.
Nearly every state has enacted provisions that let you rescind your timeshare contract within a specified period of time. For some states, it is as little as four days. Nevada, for example, requires that you cancel your timeshare contract by midnight of the 5th calendar day after you signed the contract. South Carolina only allows four days (excepting Sundays).
Florida, on the other hand, allows the purchaser 10 calendar days to rescind the contract from the date of purchase. So you need to know what the law is in the state where you bought the timeshare. It’s important to note this too. It doesn’t matter which state you live in. The laws that apply are the laws of the state in which you signed the contract.
The timeshare contract, or its accompanying paperwork, should tell you the information you need to know, including how to go about canceling the contract. There may be a form for you to fill out or you may just have to write a letter. In all likelihood, this material is buried in your paperwork, so look through everything. They are required by law to give you this information, so it is in there.
As soon as you have found the information on how to rescind your timeshare contract, be sure to follow the instructions to the letter and then get it into the mail promptly. I would advise using certified mail with return receipt so you will have proof that the timeshare company received your request.
Once you’ve managed to get out of the timeshare contract, then you can relax and take your time investigating time-sharing if the idea still appeals to you. It can be a great way to vacation, but there’s no reason to rush into anything.
Top 10 Winter Getaways
Summer is typically the season that everyone thinks of when planning their vacations. But why not dare to be different and take a winter vacation getaway instead? If you are a skier, snowboarder, or just someone who enjoys the winter months, a winter vacation may be just what you have been looking for. There are plenty of spots around the world that make spectacular winter getaways.
Hershey. If you are traveling before or during the Christmas season, consider Hershey, Pennsylvania as your vacation destination. The home of Hershey’s candy, Hershey Park becomes home to Christmas Candyland, where over one million Christmas lights are put on display. Christmas Candyland typically runs for a month prior to Christmas.
Sweden. Located in the small riverside village of Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, Sweden’s Ice Hotel is famous worldwide for great winter vacations. The hotel is created each winter out of 10,000 tons of ice from the nearby river and 30,000 tons of snow. The hotel features the famous Absolut Ice Bar, a winter favorite for the 21+ crowd.
Yellowstone. During the winter the Yellowstone National Park, a popular summer destination in the United States, offers Lodging and Learning programs where guests of all ages can stay at Yellowstone and participate in educational lessons during the winter. These programs offer a great way for visitors of all ages to learn about the beautiful and fascinating Yellowstone Park.
Wisconsin Dells. This small Wisconsin town offers a great winter vacation at the Great Wolf Lodge, home of huge indoor water parks. Great Wolf Lodge is a popular destination for families. Visitors of Wisconsin Dells get the best of both worlds with summertime perpetually recreated indoors and snow falling outdoors. Wisconsin Dells is located near both Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin.
New England. One of the most historical areas in the United States, New England is where the country was founded. In addition to the number of historical sites throughout the six states that make up the region (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont), you will also find plenty to do in the winter months. Maine offers one of the nicest ski resorts in the country in Sugarloaf USA, or you can try the beautiful White Mountain area of New Hampshire where you will find a plethora of ski resorts and the historical Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeastern United States.
Orlando. If skiing is not really your thing and you are looking to get away from the snow for a few weeks then travel to Florida, one of the most frequented states in the US by vacationers each year. Walt Disney World offers discounted rates during specific periods of the winter months, considered the theme park’s off-season. Not only will the parks and restaurants be less crowded than during summer or a school vacation week, but you will be able to enjoy the beautiful Florida weather during your stay.
Caribbean. Why not take a cruise during the winter months? Like Florida, a Caribbean cruise offers a change of pace from the snowy, cold winter months that you may be used to. Winter is typically a perfect time for a cruise because the weather in the Caribbean has calmed down. Summer is hurricane season, spelling trouble for cruises but winter is perfect for calm seas and a relaxing cruise.
Mont Tremblant. Located in the spectacular Laurentian Mountains of the Canadian province of Quebec, Mont Tremblant offers its visitors over 600 acres of land for skiing and snowboarding. Perhaps the best choice if you are looking to take to the slopes, keep in mind that the US dollar is worth more in Canada and can go further than it would on a vacation in the United States.
Alaska. If you are traveling with children, Alaska may be the perfect vacation choice for you. Offering everything from dog sledding, one of Alaska’s most popular sports, to viewing the Northern lights, Alaska is one of the best winter vacation destinations. Although it is notorious for its cold, wintry weather, Alaska also holds a number of entertainment options that are likely to keep the whole family busy.
Lake Tahoe. For decades Lake Tahoe has been one of the top winter vacation destinations in the world. Located on the border of Nevada and California just west of Carson City, Nevada, you will find that Lake Tahoe has plenty of activities for everyone in the family. Lake Tahoe averages 360 inches of snow each year, making for a winter wonderland of fun on your winter vacation. There are a number of high quality resorts around picturesque Lake Tahoe and the Rocky Mountains make a fabulous backdrop for the perfect getaway.
The Top 10 Hottest New Toys for Christmas 2011
The “Top 10 Toys for Christmas” lists are a much anticipated annual event. For toy makers it means more sales for their new offerings, for toy sellers it helps them decide what toys to spend their inventory money on, and for consumers – the people that buy these top toys, it gives them an idea which ones the kids on their Christmas list may want the most for Christmas.
But there never seems to be just one list. Toys r’Us puts one out, and so does Walmart and Macy’s. So comparing these lists, here are the top 10 toys common to all lists.
*The toys listed are picked by category, ie. Boys, Girls, young kids, older kids, etc., one from each. And they are listed in alphabetical order, not by list position.
Angry Birds
What started as a game app for smart cell phones quickly morphed into a hot trend that quickly jumped onto the PC screen in Google’s Chrome browser, and even spawned popular boxed, board, and card games. If you have a young adult with a Smart phone on your Christmas list, this is one gift to consider.
Barbie Video Girl Doll
Barbie gone digital with the introduction of the Barbie Video Girl doll. She has a video camera lens in her necklace, and a viewing screen in her back. Little girls and Barbie fans will love taking short videos, (up to 25 minutes), from the doll’s perspective, and then viewing them right on her back, or transferring them to a PC.
Disney‘s Cars 2 Movie Toys
Ol’ Mater and Lightning McQueen lead the charge of hot new toys from this Disney offering. Lights & Sounds vehicles are the top choice for younger kids, while their die-cast collectibles and track sets are hot picks for older kids and collectors.
Fisher-Price iXL 6-in-1 Learning System
The iXL uses touch technology to give 6 ways to play: Digital Reader, Game Player, Note Pad, Art Studio, MP3 Player and Photo Viewer, all packed into a durable kid-safe package.Another great learning toy from Fisher-Price.
Fushigi Magic Gravity Ball
The Fushigi Gravity Ball seems to defy gravity by appearing to float in mid-air. No tricks or strings — just combine hand manipulation with its spherical reflective design and amaze your friends. You can feel like you are defying the laws of gravity with your very own hands.
LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Board Game
LEGO has combined their traditional building block sets with a movie themed game, (Harry Potter of course), to come out with a top-pick Christmas gift that kids build first, and then play. This top toy appeals to both LEGO and Harry Potter fans.
Nerf Guns – The New Vortex Series
Nerf has changed the game by changing their ammo. The new Vortex Nerf guns shoot round foam and rubber disks instead of the traditional foam darts. Added to that major change, Nerf also incorporated a new design that gives these Vortex Blasters longer range than any previous Nerf guns.
ReCon 6.0 Programmable Rover Robot
The ReCon 6.0 Programmable Rover is a robot, a toy, and most importantly, a learning tool! Kids can program the Rover to navigate specified courses to; surprise a family member with a personalized message, carry a soda, or deliver a treat to a pet. A sure hit for the techno and robotics kids on your list.
Singamajigs Singing Dolls
These zany dolls, the Sing-a-ma-jigs, stormed to the top of kid’s must-have toys in 2010, and with all the new additions introduced for 2011, including new 2-doll duets, they look like they will top the “Top Toys For Girls” lists for Christmas 2011 also.
Tonka Ricochet 4 X 4 RC Vehicle
Radio-controlled toys are always a hit, and this new Ricochet 4 X 4 is the latest and greatest in the RC market. They zoom, they tumble, and they roll right back upright to follow your commands. Backed by Tonka’s reputation for quality construction, this is an RC toy that will last longer than Christmas day.
These are just some of the “Top Toys for Christmas 2011″ choices, there are a lot more top-picks available for different age groups and interests. To see more, and make your gift selection easier, and save money too – check out these top-rated must-have new toys – complete with pictures, details, customer reviews, and direct links to some of the lowest prices available online at: Top Toys for Christmas 2011