Gone are the days when it was only large corporations that had their own websites. In this age of 24/7 connectivity, there is a good case for saying that all businesses have to be visible on the internet.
As the internet becomes an increasingly indispensable part of our lives, people of all ages and backgrounds have come to rely on being able to find whatever they need on the web. Rather than driving or walking to local stores during opening hours, we have quickly become used to sitting at our computers at any hour of the day or night, in the comfort of our own homes.
With gasoline prices going up sharply now, people are realising that they can save money as well as time by using the internet. Any retailer, service provider or other business that is not easily located on there is therefore increasingly likely to lose out.
Searching for information about products and services before buying has, in fact, become one of the most popular activities on the web. This applies to purchases that are subsequently made in bricks-and-mortar stores as well as in online stores. A May 2008 survey described in a news release from Nielsen Online (Internet Strategy Essential to Offline Retail, July 22, 2008) found that a full 80 percent of respondents who had bought electronic products from a local physical store recently had visited that store's website beforehand.
The same survey asked consumers to choose their preferred source of information to support their next consumer electronics purchase. The majority (58 percent) said that they would do their product research on the internet, while 25 percent would visit local retailers. A mere 8 percent would rely on reviews in newspapers and magazines, and another 8 percent on recommendations from friends and family.
These findings demonstrate how important it is for retailers and other businesses to use the web to promote themselves and drive offline sales, even if they don't actually sell anything online. An effective business website can function as a 24-hour marketing department and public relations office, and in some cases a sales department too. A website can also be used to collect customer details and send out information such as newsletters, product specifications or availability, and quotations for services.
A good business website does not need to be 100 pages long to be effective. A simple but well laid out site of 3-7 pages is often adequate for a small business or independent operator. Of course, if the company sells physical goods online, it will normally need to display a full product catalog with photographs. The important thing is to provide clear and relevant information and make the site as user-friendly as possible, so that visitors leave with a sense that the company has provided a high level of information and service. This will help ensure that as many visitors as possible become paying customers at a later stage.
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Hybrid Cars
A new type of vehicle that gets exceptionally high mileage is the hybrid. A hybrid car has an electric motor as well as an ordinary gasoline-powered engine. While some hybrids run their electric motors from solar panels on the exterior of the vehicle, most of the models on the market right now use regenerative braking to capture the energy normally wasted during braking and coasting.
This energy is then stored in the onboard batteries and used when driving at low speeds, and to supplement the gasoline engine when accelerating or climbing hills. Many models provide additional energy conservation by automatically shutting off the engine when the car stops and starting it up again when the accelerator is pressed.
Some people worry that a hybrid might not have enough power to run very fast. However, the models on sale now are highly engineered and researched, and are built for just as much speed and strength as a conventional vehicle. If the batteries ever run out of juice temporarily, the conventional gasoline engine will automatically kick in so that there is no loss of power even if you are traveling at high speed.
Just about all the major automotive manufacturers are launching hybrid models now. Many vehicles are available in both regular and hybrid formats. Some consumers may hesitate to consider a hybrid because they think it will be poorly built and strange-looking, or that hybrids are only driven by “hippies” or “tree-huggers”. This reputation stems from the days of the experimental electric cars that did look like metal boxes on wheels and could only go a few miles between charges.
These days, however, hybrids are just as safe, stylish and well-appointed as any other vehicles. It is usually not even possible to tell the difference between a hybrid and a regular car just by looking at them. There are now hybrid versions of SUVs and trucks as well as the more familiar small cars, so you are bound to find a model that suits your needs and taste.
You do have to pay more to buy a hybrid than the equivalent gasoline-driven car, though, but you will use significantly less gas, particularly in city driving. In contrast to regular vehicles, many hybrids actually get higher mileage in town than on the highway since the gasoline engine often does not need to be used when driving at low speeds.
The federal and state governments offer tax incentives for buyers of hybrids and other non-standard vehicles, to help compensate for the higher purchase price. There are both tax credits and deductions available for people who buy hybrids, FFAs (flexible fuel vehicles) that can use E85 or gasoline, electrical and natural gas-powered vehicles, and even certain diesel models. For up-to-date details, see this website:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax_afv.shtml
Aside from the obvious economic benefits of driving a hybrid, a lot of people who buy one do so for its green credentials as well. Since it uses smaller quantities of oil-based fuel than a normal car, a hybrid emits less of the harmful greenhouse gases that are being blamed for causing global warming and climate change.
Hybrids are in such high demand now that you might have to join a waiting list in order to buy one. The main reason why manufacturers cannot produce hybrids fast enough to meet current demand is the shortage of certain vital elements that are used in the production of hybrid engines. The most important of these is dysprosium, which is found mainly in China and is highly sought after for use in other electronic products.
These are a few of the most popular hybrid vehicles on sale now:
Ford:
Escape Hybrid FWD: 34 city/31 highway
Escape Hybrid 4WD: 29 city/27 highway
Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD: 34 city/31 highway
Honda:
Civic Hybrid: 40 city/45 highway
Mazda:
Tribute Hybrid 2WD: 34 city/31 highway
Tribute Hybrid 4WD: 29 city/27 highway
Nissan:
Altima Hybrid: 35 city/33 highway
Toyota:
Prius: 48 city/45 highway
Camry Hybrid: 33 city/34 highway
Highlander Hybrid 4WD: 27 city/25 highway
For the most up-to-date comparisons of hybrid vehicles, see:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hybrid_sbs.shtml
This energy is then stored in the onboard batteries and used when driving at low speeds, and to supplement the gasoline engine when accelerating or climbing hills. Many models provide additional energy conservation by automatically shutting off the engine when the car stops and starting it up again when the accelerator is pressed.
Some people worry that a hybrid might not have enough power to run very fast. However, the models on sale now are highly engineered and researched, and are built for just as much speed and strength as a conventional vehicle. If the batteries ever run out of juice temporarily, the conventional gasoline engine will automatically kick in so that there is no loss of power even if you are traveling at high speed.
Just about all the major automotive manufacturers are launching hybrid models now. Many vehicles are available in both regular and hybrid formats. Some consumers may hesitate to consider a hybrid because they think it will be poorly built and strange-looking, or that hybrids are only driven by “hippies” or “tree-huggers”. This reputation stems from the days of the experimental electric cars that did look like metal boxes on wheels and could only go a few miles between charges.
These days, however, hybrids are just as safe, stylish and well-appointed as any other vehicles. It is usually not even possible to tell the difference between a hybrid and a regular car just by looking at them. There are now hybrid versions of SUVs and trucks as well as the more familiar small cars, so you are bound to find a model that suits your needs and taste.
You do have to pay more to buy a hybrid than the equivalent gasoline-driven car, though, but you will use significantly less gas, particularly in city driving. In contrast to regular vehicles, many hybrids actually get higher mileage in town than on the highway since the gasoline engine often does not need to be used when driving at low speeds.
The federal and state governments offer tax incentives for buyers of hybrids and other non-standard vehicles, to help compensate for the higher purchase price. There are both tax credits and deductions available for people who buy hybrids, FFAs (flexible fuel vehicles) that can use E85 or gasoline, electrical and natural gas-powered vehicles, and even certain diesel models. For up-to-date details, see this website:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax_afv.shtml
Aside from the obvious economic benefits of driving a hybrid, a lot of people who buy one do so for its green credentials as well. Since it uses smaller quantities of oil-based fuel than a normal car, a hybrid emits less of the harmful greenhouse gases that are being blamed for causing global warming and climate change.
Hybrids are in such high demand now that you might have to join a waiting list in order to buy one. The main reason why manufacturers cannot produce hybrids fast enough to meet current demand is the shortage of certain vital elements that are used in the production of hybrid engines. The most important of these is dysprosium, which is found mainly in China and is highly sought after for use in other electronic products.
These are a few of the most popular hybrid vehicles on sale now:
Ford:
Escape Hybrid FWD: 34 city/31 highway
Escape Hybrid 4WD: 29 city/27 highway
Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD: 34 city/31 highway
Honda:
Civic Hybrid: 40 city/45 highway
Mazda:
Tribute Hybrid 2WD: 34 city/31 highway
Tribute Hybrid 4WD: 29 city/27 highway
Nissan:
Altima Hybrid: 35 city/33 highway
Toyota:
Prius: 48 city/45 highway
Camry Hybrid: 33 city/34 highway
Highlander Hybrid 4WD: 27 city/25 highway
For the most up-to-date comparisons of hybrid vehicles, see:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hybrid_sbs.shtml
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