Sunday, November 11, 2012

Achieving Impossible Possibilities In Your Business

I frequently set an intention to achieve what I consider to be "an impossible possibility" for myself in my business.
When I became a mom I realized that I wanted to be an amazing mother while making an even greater difference in my business. At the time this felt like an "impossibility possibility."
My belief was, "You can be a great mom OR a successful business owner, but you can't have both - especially not at the same time."
And yet my income doubled after my son was born. Then I decided it would be an exciting challenge to see if I could breakthrough six-figures within six months. I had never made that much money within six months - let alone an entire year.
I certainly didn't think it was possible to achieve this while having an abundance of time for my family, myself and working four balanced days a week. In spite of my initial self-doubt and skepticism I went on to achieve my goal.
I held a sincere, committed desire to achieve these intentions - even while feeling doubtful about my ability to carry through on them.
Often when I set a new intention or business goal I came face to face with resistance, and my inner dialogue about how it isn't possible for me to achieve what I say I want. However, each time my stories of self-doubt arouse I would re-commit to "BEING" the person I wanted to be in the future "RIGHT NOW."
When I was achieving my goal to breakthrough six-figures I remember waking up in the morning and being bombarded with thoughts about how I couldn't possibly succeed and that I was doomed to fail.
When thoughts of doubt and disbelief arouse I would return to my commitment and ask myself repeatedly, "How would a business leader who was committed to making 'X' amount of money this month WHILE 'living and loving richly™' handle this situation?"
Even in my moments of doubt I returned to this singular question over and over. At some point I would experience a huge shift causing my doubt and fear to disappear - and I would receive some sort of inspiration around how I could achieve my goal.
My inspirations came because I kept re-committing to being my vision over and over again.
Today's Reminder
Here's a daily reminder you can use when creating your "impossible possibility in your business...
"It's okay for me to feel doubtful about my ability to achieve a goal that I've never achieved before. I don't have to wait to feel confident about my ability to achieve my goals before taking action.
I can have all the self-doubt, fear and resistance in the world and still move forward!
As long as I am committed to BEING the kind of person that I want to be the in future right now, and as long as I am willing to take the next action step to move towards my ideal vision, then I can allow myself to feel my self-doubt and fear and still move forward anyway."
"There's a big difference between wanting something and committing to it. When you want something you move towards achieving it as long as it's easy and as long as you believe it's possible. However, when you're truly committed and you consciously recommit to achieving your goal over and over again - tens, if not hundreds of times a day while continuing to take action towards it in spite of your fear and self-doubts... this is what creates true character and radical business breakthroughs."

Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Electronic Message Board

The electronic message board has been around for several years, but their usage is still far less common than traditional signage. What this means for a business is that using one of these signs provides an easy way to stand out from the competition. Yes, they are more expensive than a sign made from wood and paint. But they are much more versatile, giving you more chances to connect with potential customers. In an age where the average attention span is dwindling by the second, you must do everything in your power to catch the customer's eye. These signs give you a golden opportunity to do so. Here's how you can use them to their greatest advantage.
Use the News
A lot of businesses make a very amateur mistake when they first get an electronic message board. They use it only for their own sales and promotion. Why is this a mistake? Because people who drive by on a regular basis will simply learn to ignore your sign. 15% off detergent, special sale this Saturday, a clichéd slogan. Yawn. While this information is important to you, why would anyone else care? Unless a driver is specifically invested in visiting your store, they aren't going to pay attention. Use current events to draw in that interest. Throw some major headlines on the sign. Time and temperature are good (if slightly boring), informative displays as well. Give people a reason to look.
Change It Up
The glory of an electronic message board is that it takes nearly no effort to change what it written there. Some signs provide no custom options, while others require someone get out there with a stick to change the writing letter by letter. With an EMB, you simply log into the computer and type out a different phrase or two. That's all there is to it, so make sure you do it regularly. Even if you're promoting a specific sale, change up the wording on a daily basis. Do a countdown. Anything you can use to get people excited should be considered.
Be Prepared
It's one thing to use an electronic message board to attract the attention of potential customers, but you'll need to be ready for the business. You sometimes only get a single chance to make a good impression. Fail to accomplish this, and those first time customers may never return. Your signage is but one aspect of running a successful company. Make sure your other pieces are in place before you bring in an influx of new business.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Settle for the Most Reliable Carrier Company

Considering the myriad of available options, many business owners find it hard to find a carrier service. There's Australian Air Express, DHL, and Fast, among others. Since these courier services are part of delivering reliable and quality business to your clients, it's just wise to invest some time looking for the best courier in the industry. Yes, it may cost you a big chunk of your budget; nevertheless, at the end of the day, it's still the efficient service that you're paying for. It's better to spend a bit of money as a way of ensuring good service to your customers. After all, your clients are the blood and life of your business. You always have to strive to give the best to your customers to ensure business growth and good industry reputation at the same time.
So how do you find a courier company? First off, take into consideration the package you are sending. To ensure that the courier company you're considering can deliver your parcels, check out the range of services that they offer. Some of the most common courier services offered by many carriers are cargo handling, freight forwarding, export and import through air and sea, as well as door-to-door deliveries. Courier companies can also assist you in preparing your customs clearance, as well as your export and import shipments. Check out which companies specialize in delivering the type of parcels you intend to send.
Depending on the nature of your package, make a shortlist of companies that have delivery operations to your desired destination. Moreover, take note of the amount of time it may take them to deliver your package. In most cases, faster deliveries cost you more money, while you can save a bit more if you choose the longer delivery process.
Standard shipping procedures usually take around 4-8 days depending on the destination of the package. This type of shipping service costs less, but as expected, takes longer time compared to expedited shipping. Expedited shipping, on the other hand, is more costly because of the shorter time it takes for the courier to deliver the package. It's considered the fastest form of shipping around the world as the delivery only takes around 2-5 days. While the shipping prices generally changes, better be prepared to pay for a faster delivery if you opt for this service.
Apart from checking out the range of shipping options offered, it also pays to check out the reputation of the courier company in the shipping industry. This is particularly important to ensure that you'll be getting the most value for your money in the process. It's wiser to go for more popular carriers like Australian Air Express as they've already established their reputation as a reliable and efficient carrier in the industry. And of course, don't forget to compare shipping quotes as you go along. You can check out freight calculators of courier companies online so you can choose the one that matches your budget.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Tips and Advice For First Time Buyers

Before the house hunt begins, it's important that all prospective buyers read up on the homebuying process so they know what, or what not to expect. Familiarising themselves with the situation is in the property market at the moment will give them a step in the right direction.
The first question all prospective home owners should ask themselves is "can I afford to buy?" While this may seem rather obvious, many first time buyers rush in to the decision and often end up wishing they had spent more time calculating their finances. If you simply cannot afford to buy at a given time, wait. Wait, keep saving and cut back on unnecessary expenses until prices naturally drop.
Today most houses will require a deposit of at least 10%, for many this will be significantly higher. However, it's worth remembering the additional costs of home buying as well. Besides raising money for the deposit, there's also survey costs and mortgage arrangement fees, insurance costs as well as the cost of fitting out the house itself.
For young couples, the obvious advantage is their combined wages. However, any singles out there looking to buy property may find it twice as difficult to save the funds required. The best solution here is to team up with a friend or relative to pool funds together, apply for a joint mortgage and perhaps work out some sort of legal contract.
Remember, don't pay too much! In today's market, developers are desperate to sell. While some may overprice properties to begin, it's your job to make an offer and get a good deal.
Despite money worries, it's important not to let this be the sole deciding factor for you and your home. The right location is, and should be key for choosing a home. Distance to family, friends and of course, work, is an influential factor for the majority of buyers. Some people choose to move away from the areas they know to find cheaper locations for buying property. However, don't simply settle for a location you don't like or haven't got to know just because the prices are cheaper. It will only affect your happiness in the long term.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Advantages Of Stretch Film

Whether you are just shipping your products within the country or across the ocean, you would want it to be in a good condition. Research shows that the use of stretch film has been proven cost effective and time consuming. That is why most of the companies prefer to use it on their products. Some of them even customized it through the years in the business. They have found advantages in using this stretch film before they would ship their products.
It was very useful because it prevents the goods from being lost. Aside from it is transparent, one could easily notice if something's missing with the product. It is also easy to store and pull out from your inventory because the stretch film can be printed with the available stocks left. It also insures protection and easily identification of the products wrapped because of the color coding films. One can also easily be detected or hold on to because of the different sizes provided. Whether it is for small boxes or the large ones, it can be modified and wrapped all together. It can as well reinforce brand image when the company's name is being printed in the film. Bold print is encouraged for the shipment for distance identification.
With the numerous advantages entailed, you may now be thinking to ship your product as soon as you're done with the packaging. But let me give you some criteria to consider first before you do that. These questions are often taken for granted although we know that these are very important especially when we are thinking about the safety of our goods. We should be thinking about what is the required level of hold force retention. In this way we will be able to identify the thickness of the stretch film to be used. You may want to check if your load is requiring you for a greater puncture resistance or tear resistance. Does your item have a high value? You might need to conceal the contents for further protection. The distance of the shipment should also be in great consideration. How long the shipment will be and how it will reach your receiver. The storage of the item is sometimes the most neglected task. Remember, when your item is free from dust or from any kind of dirt of course it has a higher value in the market and that means higher income in your pocket. You should be asking if the product will stay outdoors for a long time so that you can use the UV stretch film on it. Will you be using specialty stretch film such as anti-static stretch film, heavy gauge film or bundling and banding films?
Most of the products that are being commercially sold require a high demand of stretch wrap film. One should be very well equipped in knowledge especially in packaging. LLDPE Stretch wrap calculator has been created for us to properly compute the need of the film requirement. It is widely available in the internet so all we need to do is have it useful.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

4 Ways to Ensure That You Select the Best Ad Agency

Advertising is a highly specialized field and it is also very important in ensuring your company's success. Whether you work for a large corporation or own your own home-based business, you are bound to require the services of a good advertising company. If you are planning to hire the best ad agency, then you should certainly use the following tips:
1. The agency has plenty of experience dealing with a company like yours: This will ensure that the agency has a good understanding of what environment your business operates in. If you are in the music business then your agency should have detailed knowledge about this industry.
2. The agency is able to take care of all your advertising needs: There is more to promoting a product than just using advertising. Besides, there are many different media that can be used from time to time. A good advertising agency should be able to help you create print, radio and television ads. Each of these media requires different styles of advertisements. A good ad agency will have plenty of employees on board so that it is able to meet all your requirements.
3. The agency is able to offer you personalized attention: You'll need to be able to count on your advertising agency to offer you prompt service. A good way to ensure this is to select an agency that is more or less comparable with the size of your company. If yours is a small business then it is best that you hire an agency of the similar size. If you hire a very large company then you might not get the personalized attention you deserve; these companies normally reserve their best resources for large clients.
4. The company should have expertise in internet marketing: The field of marketing has changed tremendously over the past few years. If your ad agency cannot help you promote your business on the internet then you will not get the maximum benefit from it. Keep in mind that increasingly large numbers of people use the internet for getting information and entertainment.
Each client has different criteria when it comes to selecting the best ad agency. Make sure that you understand your needs properly so that you can make a proper selection. If you have the services of the best ad agency, then you can stay rest assured to aim higher in life with absolutely no issues to pop up.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Start, Run and Manage a Successful Business

There are things you have to understand for you to find out what makes a successful business. You'll need these to guide you and tell you what you have to do to start your business.
Here are the 6 Fundamental steps:
1. Passion - In order to make a business, you DO NOT venture into a specific business because that is the trend and it brings in the cash for now. You evaluate yourself and understand what your passion is or the things you love to do. That is your best business idea. Time is an investment you can't get back and when you mix passion with work, you'll be able to dedicate yourself for a long time. You do not want to invest yourself in something you would not want to do continuously.
2. Research - You now have an idea, now it's time to do a market research, identify if there's a market for your product, is there a need for it? If so, then it's positive sign for you. That means there are people who needs your product or service and are willing to buy from you.
3. Opportunities - If there is a market, for sure there are competitors, look for opportunities to scout competitors and identify how you can improve your product or service and make it better or something that would give it more value than theirs. Keep in mind, a product only needs 10% improvement in order to gain a significant share in the market
4. Materials - Identify the resources you will need. Starting with your capital, what are the skills you need, what equipments, facilities, etc. It is important to keep a list and get only what is needed to make your business, don't worry if you're only starting small. Think about it this way, when you plant a tree it doesn't grow enormous overnight, you take it one step at a time then continue letting your business grow in time.
5. Promotion - Once you have everything planned and ready to go, the next thing you have to focus on is promoting your product or service, letting everyone know that you are in business and you have something to offer that the market needs. You should make your promotion strategies convincing and persuasive, let them know about the quality, the price, what is new or what is different about your product or service or simply the overall value that it offers your customer that makes it distinct and better than your competitors.
6. Technology - With the fast paced growth of technology these days, you have to take it into consideration when you are in business. There are various ways you can use technology to scout competitors, identify and inform new and current market through social media regarding your product or service whether you have something new or just reminding them that you are in business and is still consistently providing quality products or services.
Just remember Passion, Research, Opportunities, Materials, Promotion and Technology (P.R.O.M.P.T), these are the steps you have to consider for you to successfully start up your career changing business. And lastly, Enjoy! Part of having your own business is being able to laugh and have fun with what you do, appreciate the joy of earning from your passion and let yourself prosper and grow with the business.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Positive Language Works

Positive language works!
The next time you meet a friend in the corridor, stop him and say, "Psst... don't look behind," and see his reaction. Nine out of ten of your 'victims' will jerk their heads to look behind! The same thing happens when you put up a sign saying 'Wet Paint. Do not touch'. You had better put up a container of paint remover nearby; quite a few of those who read the message are going to touch! So why do we behave in this way? NLP professionals, and even those who have casually read NLP literature, will smile and nod wisely; they know why: The human mind reacts to positive words, even if they are contained within negative messages.
In other words, when we tell someone not to do something, they tend to do it. This is especially true with children. When we tell them not to touch something, they will touch it at the first opportunity when we are not looking. My two-year-old son gave himself a mild shock when he put his hand into a VCR player slot. He was inspired by his cautious mother who had reminded him a few times not to put his hand into the slot.
This reaction to negative messages is not new knowledge. As early as 1965, my 'Principles of Education' lecturer in Teachers' Training College (Now Institute of Education) told my class that children do not react to 'don'ts'. If you tell them 'Don't forget to do your homework', they forget; if you tell them 'don't make noise' the noise level will increase and so on. Their minds automatically reinterpret 'don'ts' into 'dos'. The classic example is when someone says 'Don't panic' and everyone panics! I do not know of any logical explanation for this. It looks like the human mind just works this way. The remedy: reorganise the message in positive terms. Tell children 'Remember to do your homework' or 'Please keep quiet' and in a situation when people may panic say 'Keep calm', or to use modern terminology 'Stay cool'.
In the real world, lots of people are beginning to show that we understand this concept and bending the way we talk and write. It is heartening to note that LTA's messages on the expressways are no more 'Don't Speed' or 'Speed Kills'. Now they write 'Drive with care. Think of our loved ones'. Perhaps this is also why 7-Eleven changed their message from 'Always Close, Never Closed' to 'Always Near, Always Open'. Anti-Smoking campaigns are now more oriented towards healthy living instead of condemning the habit. By the way, I have yet to meet someone who had been frightened into stopping smoking after looking at the frightening pictures on cigarette packets. Strangely, the number of new people who light-up seems to be increasing every year! Here are some messages we could re-write in positive terms.
Instead of... Say...
Closed on Sunday Open Monday to Saturday
This gate (or car park) will be closed from 11PM to 5AM. This gate (or car park) will remain open from 5AM till 11PM.
In case of fire, do not use lifts. In case of fire, use the stairs.
No running on the stairs. Walk carefully on the stairs.
No children allowed. Only adults (above 21) allowed.
Implications for Business Communication
This tendency has useful implications on how we should talk, and write, to customers and clients. Besides that, business communication gurus advocate that a better impression is created when we speak in positive rather than in negative terms. Hence, we do not tell the customer 'We regret to inform you that the item is presently out of stock'. A better impression is created when we say 'Fresh stocks will be arriving in just three weeks'.
Here are some positive ways of speaking and writing business messages:
Instead of... Say...
We cannot send you the goods as you have not sent us the payment. We will send you the goods as soon as we receive payment.
You cannot take leave now because of Chinese New Year. I will gladly approve your leave if you apply after Chinese New Year.
The model you have asked for is no longer in production. The model you have asked for has now been replaced with a better model.
Sorry, I cannot meet you on Monday. I will be happy to meet you on Tuesday.
We cannot replace the item as it was not damaged by us (or worse: as it has been damaged by you). We will happily replace any item damaged by us or by the manufacturer.
Please do not be late for the meeting. Please be punctual for the meeting.
I am sorry; I cannot submit the report by Monday. Please give me another two days to complete the report.
Mr X's services have been terminated. (I have even seen 'Mr X has been terminated. Poor man!) Mr X has been released from his services to the company. (The Americans say 'We had to let him go'.)
Your application has not been successful. Thank you for your interest. The position has been filled. (Or: The contract has been awarded.) Thank you for your interest.
The shipment has been delayed because of bad weather. In spite of inclement weather, the shipment will arrive next week.
Notice how the positive messages take away the gloom of the negative messages and replace them with brighter, happier moods, though the message remains the same.
Actually, using positive language to describe negative or unpleasant news or situations seems to be part of good business language. Whoever heard of 'bus fare increase', 'retrenchment' or 'pay cut'? It is always 'bus fares have been adjusted'; the company has undergone re-organisation'; or 'pay as been revised'. In fact, using euphemisms has been part of the human psyche in every language. We do not say 'died' but 'passed away'; 'cemetery' but 'memory garden', or 'ill' but 'indisposed'. If these are not enough, new ones have been recently created, such as: 'visually challenged', 'hearing impaired' and so on.
Even for Self-Improvement
To top it all, self-improvement gurus swear that thinking, saying and writing positive language actually makes us become positive people and can lead us to success. Hence, all in all, it seems that making a special effort to think, speak and write messages in positive terms have great, positive implications for all of us. We have everything to gain.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

It's Not Just an Afterthought

Interface Analysis is one of the significant parts for your analysis efforts and the elicitation of your requirements. This process involves interfaces between the solution components and the solution itself. It is a technique that defines how the component parts of a solution and the solution interact with each other and with the world outside.
This is an important business analysis technique that helps in the better and successful running of your business. This is a knowledge that you attain at the time of your business analyst training and the better you implement them to your business the better will be its prospect. These trainings help you build your confidence and find positive solutions that will in a great way impact your business. The business analyst training also gives you knowledge on the ways of reading and using the business documents that are necessary for the successful running of any business.
There are various types of interfaces that you come across while conducting of your business like the user interfaces, interfaces from the external applications and to them as well and also the interfaces to the hardware devices and from them. The early and quick identification of these interfaces can address to the interoperability of new solutions. The interoperability issues might impact the delivery date of the planned solution because of the additional work. Proper business training helps you deal with these factors while conducting a business in an easier way. The identification of the interface requires collaboration with the other projects and systems that interfaces with the new solutions and impacts the implementation and the integration when the development of the life cycle comes to its end.
A business analyst online with special skills developed form business training can also take care of these factors for your business. They review your current documents till date for any kind of interface requirements. They also visualize the interfaces both to and also from any external devices parties or applications. A business analyst online can also identify the interfaces that are needed by the system or the stakeholder that is interacting with your system. For every identified interface they describe the type, purpose or any details based upon their type. They also specify the requirements of the interface and describe the inputs and the outputs, the validation rules that are associated with it and any other events that trigger interactions.
Interface analysis is a special technique that is used by many business analysts for the purpose of improving the prospects of any business. This technique is very useful and a great success on different kinds of projects, especially the IT projects where the interfaces can really impact on the success of the project. The business analysts have a major role to play in the successful running of a business. Hence a proper communications needs to be kept all throughout the various levels of the organization they deal with. They are main bridge that fills the gap between a business and the development of its solutions.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Employees At Your Organization Hate Their Job

Disengagement and complacency has become the 21st Century disease eating away at organization's performance in the 21st Century. From sales teams to manufacturing and operations, disengagement is spreading like a summer wildfire on the West Coast. A recent Kelley Service's reports that less than half (44 percent) of the global workforce feels valued by their employer and two-thirds (66 percent) intend to look for a new job with another organization in the next year. The survey also concludes that those who are content with their current position are seeking greater engagement and meaning from their positions and cite the ability to 'excel or develop' (74 percent of respondents) as the key to providing a sense of meaning in their work.
Dan Pink has been writing and speaking about this for months. A recent bestselling book by Dan, titled "Drive" goes into how and why we got this way. Not to quibble with Dan Pink, my thoughts about how we got this way is weak leadership. For instance upon approaching companies to survey and offer a solution to this disengagement, complacency and motivation dilemma one hears the following excuses: "I need to get consensus from my team before starting an initiative like this." "We tried something like this before and it did not work. (Not a lot of Edison's out there today) Get together with the committee and present your ideas.
All of these stalls to making a leadership decision are being touted in order to justify being risk averse. Let me elaborate. Yesterday I went to the Space and Rocket museum in Huntsville Alabama. What would have occurred if we took these same risk aversion approaches in the 1960"s? Would we as a nation today strap five 18, 416 pound disposable rocket engines with 1,500,000 of thrust each to a test stand in order to make sure they would work? This despite the fact numerous failures occurred as they tested individual engines on these same test stands. Great leaders did this to determine if we as a nation could meet our mission on schedule. I am starting to think we as a nation and as organizations are going backwards due to leaders that are risk averse.
Back in 1960 we had a mission and a vision that every one believed in. Apply this concept to our organizations today. Do workers and leaders share their personal visions, missions and emotions at their organizations today? For instance I am always told there is too much to do and not enough time to get it all done. When I endeavor to discuss a proven way to use peoples exiting software married with a proven process to fix this the leaders of companies are too busy to pursue the fix.
If you want to have a fully engaged workforce you must inculcate more "Causal Motivation." "Casual Motivation" defined by Target Training International occurs when an environment is created that causes people to WANT to work and be the best they can. The simple axiom is people do things for their reasons not yours. Strong leaders are determined to find out what are the values that motivate each of their team members to come to work every day to excel and develop beyond their potential.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Social Media E-Commerce

Today, I'd like to take a look at the role E-commerce is beginning to play in the realm of Facebook, Twitter and other social media websites. Social media sites have expanded rapidly over the last few years. For those who don't remember, Facebook started out as a place strictly for college level students to network. Now all-inclusive, Facebook is the world's most populated social gaming and media platform with 955 million users worldwide.
Twitter is second with over 500 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is third with just about 175 million, and Google+ trails all three with about 90 million. With such a massive user base to reach out to, an E-commerce presence is the next logical step, and as usual, Facebook is taking the lead. This article will focus on what Facebook has done to streamline the E-commerce aspect of social media.
"Like" Pages
It's safe to say most Facebook users are familiar with the "Like" button and similarly, the "Like" pages. These pages describe the interests and activities of the user, offer updates to certain products and promotions, as well as allow users to share their thoughts on those products.
The end goal of any merchants Facebook "Like" page is the get the most number of "Likes" and subsequently the most number of page views and purchases of your particular product. The problem lies with differentiating potential customers from current ones. If someone "likes" a page for a product, they may already own it, be saving their money for that product, or just think its neat but don't want or need it. As of right now, Facebook has no way to separate these users.
Social E-Commerce
According to Facebook's SEC Form Q-10, 1.6% of users spent over $1 billion on Virtual goods (accessories for virtual characters, tools in Farmville, etc) in the first six months of 2012. That is money spent on items never seen outside of the browser. If the market for non-tangible goods can be that lucrative, the market for actual goods Facebook users enjoy must be bigger.
Carol Rozwell, Vice President at the tech research firm Gartner had a call to action for merchants unsure of the potential for social media e-commerce. "It's crucial that organizations implement approaches to handling social media now. The effort involved in addressing social media commentary is not good cause to ignore relevant comments or solvable issues." According to Gartner, although more than 50% of organizations track social media only 23% actually collect and analyze data.
In June, Facebook made a move to simplify mobile e-commerce payments by decreasing the number of steps involved in checking out, from seven individual steps to two, and eliminating the need to type. The Facebook mobile app SkyBucks, is another innovation in E-commerce, it allows you to charge your virtual accessories to your phone bill directly.
More recently, the social media giant rolled out an offer for stores using Shopify. Since partnering, Facebook is now offering free $50 Facebook Ad credits. This is in addition to the credits from Google AdWords and Amazon Products that Shopify merchants already enjoy. The promotion is another step for Facebook in the E-commerce direction.
The "Want" Button
Above I identified a need Facebook had, the ability to discriminate between current and potential customers for their advertisers and business users. In early July, the Ecommerce Times had a story on Facebooks next big thing, the "want" button.
The button will allow users to create 'wish list' of products that they like or want, but do not currently have. Merchants will want to focus on who has marked their product as 'wanted' and who has not. The benefits of the "want" button go beyond sales. The button would allow for highly targeted marketing as well as a sharing of 'wish lists' between users. Ultimately the goal should be for the wish list to take its place among the social media landscape, along side a user's general info and status updates.
For the Consumer
To the average consumer and Facebook user, this should add to the ease of purchases that has increased recently. With the additional "want" info that the site will collect, you will be able to see what your friends and family want, add similar items to your personal wish list, and research potential gifts for you friends discretely. All of which add value to Facebook's ever-increasing platform.
For the Merchant
For merchants looking to expand on Facebook, the E-commerce addition will do wonders. The added marketing affects will help businesses increase name recognition and sales, while still connecting with the end user. It seems to me, that Facebook's E-commerce push will benefit all involved.