The consumer landscape has changed dramatically over the last few years. Whereas once it was the face to face transaction which was the most common, now it is online commerce which very much rules the roost. This is particularly true of the retail industry, which has seen the majority of high street retailers now operating online concerns alongside their more traditional avenues of trading. Online trading in the business to business sector is now also extremely popular.

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A Winning Situation for Courier Firms

One of the main industries to benefit from this explosion in online shopping activity is the courier industry. It is a simple equation really. The more trading which occurs online, the greater the number of parcels to be delivered. It is a winning situation for the nation’s many courier firms. As recently reported by TechWeekEurope UK, the rise in popularity of smartphone shopping has pushed online sales even higher. The online boom has also seen former entertainment retail giant HMV announce in Retail Week its return to the digital shopping arena, just two years after its well publicised trading troubles.

Before the true dominance of the online market fully took hold, most of the courier industry was concerned with the business to business sector. Now however, the domestic side of the courier industry is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the country, experiencing huge levels of growth in the past couple of years. As a result in this change in emphasis, many courier and express delivery firms have adapted the services they offer in order to better serve their domestic customers.

A Change in Emphasis

One such change is the increase in next day and same day delivery services. The online revolution has influenced the speed at which we live our lives and consumers now expect their goods to be delivered promptly and without delay. This has seen many couriers become far more specific with their delivery estimates, moving away from 24-hour and 48-hour slots and focusing more on actual time-specific windows. These changes can only mean good news for consumers, with courier firms raising their service levels to remain competitive in a thriving market.

One of the other sectors within the parcel industry which has benefited enormously from the online retail phenomenon is that which deals with packaging machines and supplies. The demand for the likes of strapping machines and pallet wrapping machines is only likely to get bigger as the online boom continues.

With digital technology continuing to become more advanced, allowing people to access online services from wherever they may be, digital commerce is sure to continue to grow in strength. Indeed, it is difficult to see any other outcome. Manchester web design agency Bamboo Solutions offer an array of website designs in all shapes and sizes, so if you’re business is thinking of venturing into the online world why not give them a call.

In this digital age it is absolutely essential for every business, big or small, to have a website. Consumers are wired in to the notion of researching their potential purchase options before making any buying decisions. If you do not have an internet presence where they can find your company, you are not giving yourself the best chance of competing in the marketplace and risk missing out on potential sales. Fortunately, getting a good website in place is easier than you might think.

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Form and Functionality

The first decision to make is what you need your website to do. It will be the first port of call for many of your potential clients, so it needs to offer a clear outline of the services you provide. Other information about your company’s ethos and history, management team and any significant projects or clients can be included.

If you use your website to allow customers to shop online for your products, it is also essential to ensure it is easy to navigate and offers a secure encrypted paying platform. Whilst most businesses are aware of the need for a website, a recent Online survey found that up to 80% of micro-business websites are simply not fit for purpose. Your website must allow you to regularly and easily update the content as well as have the functionality for tasks such as uploading photos, managing a blog and plugging into a social media feed.

Consider too the impression that you want to create. Lots of bright colours and a busy template will give your website a quirky feel, whereas more neutral shades and a cleaner layout look more professional.

Spread the Word

Once your website is established, you need to attract traffic to it. Using SEO keywords in your web content is a good way to ensure that your company appears near the top of any internet searches a potential client may make for your products or services. But to really spread the word, make use of social media and raise awareness of your brand. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr allow smaller companies global potential client reach and mean that they can compete for market share with much bigger firms. Creating a discussion about your company on social media is an effective way to get your name known, allowing instant interaction with potential clients and helping to establish good relationships with customers. Varying the content with a mixture of blogs, photos and news releases on diverse social media platforms allows you to reach the largest possible target market.

Go Pro or Go Home

Enlisting the services of a company such as Hemel Hempstead web designers 24-7website.co.uk, makes the process simple and effective. Professional website design companies will be able to create a site that looks great but that also offers you the right functionality for your requirements. Unlike a free DIY site, you will not have to have any intrusive adverts for other products, and they can take care of all the hosting and maintenance too.

A good website that attracts plenty of traffic is an invaluable addition to your marketing strategy, extending your reach and generating additional income.

With its verdant rolling landscape and idyllic country villages and attractive towns, Somerset is an ideal county for a relaxed, pastoral themed wedding. And with a wide range of venues, planners and wedding services available, planning a wedding in one of the most beautiful corners of England’s green and pleasant land has never been easier.

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Why Somerset?

Whether you’re planning a traditional church wedding or something more relaxed, Somerset offers a wide range of venues and services to make your dream wedding a reality. Once you’ve decided on your ideal wedding venue, there are certain legal obligations you’ll be required to fulfil – you’ll find more information here. From beach themed weddings, to the glories of Regency Bath or the beautiful golden stone villages of the Cotswolds, Somerset has a wedding theme to suit everyone.

Planning Ahead

The task of organising your own wedding can be daunting, and many couples entrust everything to a wedding planner. But if you want your wedding day to be utterly unique, Somerset based wedding services range from the green to the family friendly. Catering from classic to contemporary, and your gorgeous wedding cake will all be captured by your friendly and innovative photographer and videographer. You can arrive at your venue in a vintage Rolls Royce or a horse drawn carriage and celebrate your reception everywhere from a beachfront hotel to a tipi. The choice is yours and your wedding planner, if you choose to use one, will ensure that everything is to your satisfaction.

Your Dream Venue

Glamorous weddings in films and magazines may look incredible, but Somerset offers such an array of venues and landscapes that you can enjoy all the glamour of Hollywood, whatever your budget. From hill top castles to country hotels, caves to castles and city to village, Somerset has something to suit every dream – and every budget. Taunton, the County town of Somerset, is particularly popular and the choice of easily accessible venues includes gardens, country houses and even the gothic magnificence of a school chapel. If you decide on venue hire in Taunton and you’re inspired by the Olympics or just love sport, you can even look at County Ground venue hire in Taunton.

With so much variety to choose from your Somerset wedding – and those all important pictures – are bound to be a success.

There are many causes of bad breath or halitosis, but the most common is poor oral hygiene resulting in a build-up of bacteria in your mouth. If there is any food trapped between your teeth or in cavities, this can be broken down by the bacteria and cause the release of an unpleasant-smelling gas. Gum disease can also cause bad breath.

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A diet containing foods that are strongly flavoured can also make your breath smell, as can alcohol and smoking. Certain medications and some illnesses can also be a cause.

Poor oral hygiene

Poor oral hygiene is the commonest cause of bad breath. Regular brushing and flossing prevents the build up of plaque and removes food that would otherwise be broken down by bacteria, causing unpleasant smelling breath. Leicester’s private dentist sjrdental can do a thorough checkup and advise on treatments and where bacteria can also be found and therefore cleaning prevent bad breath; however, according to Scientific American, it may be more important to encourage helpful bacteria in the mouth rather than destroying the bad bacteria.

Food and drink

Food such as garlic, spices and onions may make your breath smell, and alcohol and strong coffee can have the same effect. This is usually a temporary situation and can be avoided by not eating or drinking the offending foods. According to the clinical director of London Smiling Dental Group, Dr Uchenna Okoye, most people could cure their bad breath by doubling the amount of water they drink.

Smoking

In addition to causing bad breath, smoking can stain your teeth, reduce your sense of taste and irritate your gums. It also increases the risk of developing gum disease, which is another cause of bad breath.

Crash diets

Low carbohydrate diets and fasting can cause bad breath due to the ketones that are produced when the body breaks down fat.

Medication

Some medicines can cause bad breath. These include the nitrates used for the treatment of angina, some tranquillisers, and some chemotherapy medications.

Medical conditions

Sometimes the cause of bad breath can be a medical condition such as some gastrointestinal problems, an infection, sinusitis or diabetes. In certain cases your GP may refer you to an ENT surgeon.

Fortunately most cases of halitosis can be completely cured by practising good oral hygiene.

Cosmetic dentistry is growing more popular in Europe and is now frequently turned to as a means of beautification and age reduction. A clean, bright, well-aligned smile can work wonders for your confidence and give your whole life a lift. At the same time, new technology is increasing the number of cosmetic treatments available to choose from.

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The technology behind cosmetic dentistry has advanced hugely over recent years, so to clarify what options are available to them, patients may need to spend some time in discussion with their dentist. Some of the more commonly asked questions are listed below.

Can I lighten the colour of my teeth?

Whitening involves removing stains that have accumulated on your teeth over the years from food and drink. Teeth can be whitened using a variety of procedures, some that last longer than others.

Can my crooked teeth be straightened?

Teeth straightening has been performed using orthodontic braces. However, there is a new Invisalign technique that uses invisible appliances to move teeth and this is becoming popular, particularly during the teenage years.

What is a bridge?

These are permanent fixtures that hold a false tooth in place. The bridge is attached to the teeth either side of the missing tooth.

How can a gap between my teeth be filled?

This can be done in several ways, the most common being dentures, bridges or implants. If the gap is small it can be covered by a veneer.

Does my badly broken tooth need to be removed?

No, a crown can be made and fitted to the remnant of the natural tooth. The surface of the new crown will form the occlusal surface.

What is a crown made of?

New materials are becoming more readily available. The most commonly used ones in the past were porcelain or gold.

Cardiff cosmetic dentistry is available from several private clinics such as Cathedral Dental Clinic (http://cathedraldentalclinic.com/). If you are interested in cosmetic dentistry and would like to find out more from a dentist near you, check out the list of British Dental Association members.

Cosmetic dentistry is a healthy option, as you end up with an improved set of teeth that will be easier to maintain and therefore hopefully require less dental treatment in the future.

Pop-up shops can be seen in towns and cities around Ireland – and the world – especially during peak periods, such as the summer season and the weeks leading up to Christmas.

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For consumers, these shops can offer a new and exciting experience, or just added convenience at busy times of the year, whilst for businesses, they are a lower-cost choice for makers, designers, artists and brands to sell and advertise their services and goods.

For companies or individuals considering a pop-up shop as a business option, there are things that should be considered to help optimise the chance of success and minimise risk factors.

The Right Location

The right space for the pop-up shop can be the make-or-break factor and there are a number of ways to find the best location. The first choice is to contact the local county council and discuss any potential retail spaces that might be on offer.

Councils will often be willing to consider genuine proposals as they would prefer not have commercial properties sitting empty in town or city centres.

Dún Laoghaire County Council, for example, was well known for setting up its own pop-up shop scheme. The aims of the initiative were to lower the visual impact caused by empty properties, as well as to increase footfall, provide lower cost space to be used by community organisations, local business and social enterprise, and to build publicity in the area.

Another possibility is to find a great space and then make a direct approach to the landlord.

Making the Most of Space

It is vital to make the most of the space that is chosen. This may mean making full use of in-house imagination or enlisting the services of Irish or Belfast shopfitting experts and specialists in designing pop-up shops such as RMC.

Rules and Regulations

People setting up pop-up shops must ensure that all regulations are complied with, these could be general laws or terms and conditions set by councils. More information about government business regulations can be found online.

In Dún Laoghaire, meanwhile, tenants must possess both contents and public liability insurance. They also have to demonstrate their appropriateness for a shop, as well as for the surrounding area, have some experience and not conflict with nearby retailers.

Dust mites are most commonly associated with our bed sheets and pillows. However, these tiny microscopic bugs don’t just like to share our pillows. They also love and breed in other areas such as carpets, car seats and cushions etc. Despite their immense popularity in our homes and even in the workplace, it can actually be quite difficult to detect their presence. This is because they are technically not parasites, and therefore they will not bite or sting us. Instead, they feed on our dead skin cells. It’s enough to make you shudder. But there are certain things you can do to help decrease the presence of these tiny bugs in your This makes spotting them increasingly difficult.

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What is a Dust Mite?

A dust mite is a microscopic insect that lives and breathes off our dead skin cells that we shed on a daily basis. They also eat cells shed from animals such as dogs and cats etc. Dust mites cause allergic symptoms to trigger such as itchy eyes and asthma attacks. They breed faster in warm and humid conditions. This tends to act as a problem all year round since in the spring and summer, high levels of pollen aggravate allergies even more. Whilst in the colder months, people tend to turn the heating up, providing the perfect temperature for dust mites to breed and multiply in their thousands.

Detecting their Presence

Whilst they tend to be most common at home, dust mites can also exist in the workplace, especially if there are carpets. Buildings with unclean air ducts will also experience a higher degree of dust mite infestations that buildings who keep their ducts and vents clean throughout the year. A Kent Duct cleaning company such as: http://www.enviro-group.eu/duct-cleaning-kent/, provides exceptional duct and vent cleaning services to all commercial properties.

Knowing whether or not you have a dust mite infestation in your workplace is quite simple. Take a look around and see if any of your employees are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Runny nose
• Irritated eyes
• Sneezing
• Itchy or watery eyes
• Nasal congestion
• Eczema
• Asthma
• Breathing difficulties
• Itchy nose or throat
• Coughing
• Swollen skin under the eyes

According to Environment, Health and Safety Online, you will shed enough skin cells a day to feed a million dust mites. With statistics like that, it seems impossible to do anything about the dust mite infestation problem. But as long as you try your best to control the amount of dust and dirt in the office, whether it be through sufficient duct cleaning or regular carpet cleaning, you will be able to dramatically decrease the presence of dust mites.

There are many different factors to consider when choosing a timeshare. These might include how frequently you go on holiday and where and when, as well as whether you have any additional needs and requirements. Before making your decision you should also think about whether your holiday habits may change in the future.

Before purchasing a timeshare, carry out some research about timeshares and the area you are considering investing in. The Timeshare Association (TATOC) can offer help and advice.

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Retired Couples or Those with No Children

Retired couples or those with no children typically have the luxury of greater flexibility. They are rarely tied to buying a week outside of school term time and as such can often take advantage of some cheaper deals. Buying timeshare holiday weeks outside of peak times can enable people to make considerable savings. Timeshare owners can also benefit from bonus weeks, late breaks and extra holidays — all fantastic value and which would otherwise cost considerably more. 

Young Couples and Single Travellers

There are plenty of options available for young couples. Research carried out by Bournemouth University and commissioned by the Resort Development Association suggested ways to make timeshares more attractive to Generation X.

Young couples or single travellers may have the advantage of flexibility and be able to go away during off-peak periods. Not only does this give them more choice, but it can work out a lot cheaper. However, they should consider how their holiday needs might change in the near future. Timeshares are typically taken on for a number of years, so before taking the plunge they may like to think about the timing of the timeshare week as well as the location. It is sensible to choose a timeshare that will continue to be suitable as the family unit grows. Of course, it is possible to swap weeks and locations using various swap schemes. Alternatively, timeshare points can work very well as a low-cost entry to the scheme and can be increased as and when necessary.

If timeshare owners find that their needs change and their timeshare is no longer convenient, they may think about selling their investment.

Families

For those with children in school, it is important to own a week outside of school term time. Timesharing can be really good value when compared to other types of holidays. Owners may be required to pay an additional initial premium to own a peak week, but annual costs are usually the same as for those owning off season weeks. After the first year, the timeshare holiday will prove even better value. In addition, selling or exchanging the timeshare will be easy given that peak weeks are highly desirable.

Owning a floating week may not work quite so well unless they definitely cover peak times (Gold Holiday or Platinum floating weeks) and owners are prepared to book well in advance to ensure the availability of a week in the school holidays.

Timeshare points can also work well, especially for those who are looking for more choice and flexibility or have older children.

You may even decide that you’d rather find a convenient spot either here or abroad and invest your money into building your own property to rent out or holiday in.  Be sure to contact local land registry’s and a surveyor and relevant architect before committing.  Then once you have an agreed place, find the right equipment, Timber frame construction company qtfhomes have easy to assemble wooden frames to help with your dream build investment.

Common symptoms of cancer therapy include fatigue, bloating, nausea, constipation and the severe loss of appetite. People may experience these issues if they are currently undergoing cancer therapy. However, it is possible to suffer from such symptoms even after therapy and during the recovery process. Knowing how to deal with such problems has a lot to do with re-building your immune system.

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Eat Less Dairy – For now!

An unusual side effect to cancer treatments is the temporary presence of lactose intolerance which can be a problem for the dairy lovers out there. These gastrointestinal symptoms associated with lactose intolerant can be steadied and reduced by consuming less dairy products such as milk and cheese.

Try Some Ginger

According to Health Monitor, ginger is one of the best things you can take to reduce the effects of nausea caused by chemotherapy. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to waffle a large amount all at once. Simply take a ginger supplement or add a small amount to your cup of tea.

Drink Plenty of Water

No matter if you are a cancer patient or not, dehydration is going to cause symptoms such as fatigue, nausea and even vomiting. You need to make sure that you have taken enough water to keep your energy levels high and your body hydrated.

Meats and Fish

If your white blood cell count is particularly low, remember to eat plenty of meat and fish for protein and iron. According to the American Cancer Society, it is incredibly important, as always, to ensure that all meats, fish and poultry are properly cooked. They even advise that you check the temperature of your food with a food thermometer.

Berries and Fruit

Certain types of fruit such as melons, pears and mangos, contain quite a large amount of fructose. This can cause some minor discomfort, so it is advised to keep these to a minimum and choose fruits with less fructose in them. The types of fruits include plums, berries, bananas and peaches.

Nuts

Surprisingly, nuts are full of different nutrients. They are easy to snack on and can immediately take the place of your favourite salty treats such as crisps. Mix a bowl of your favourite nuts with a few berries for more flavour. Nuts contain vitamins and calcium, amongst many others.

If you are a cancer patient, it is extremely important to do anything you can to rebuild your immune system. Seek professional advice from your doctor or dietician to ensure you are eating the right foods. You may want to also ask your doctor about any clinical cancer trails taking place in your area. These are often testing new revolutionary cancer treatments that may help to replenish your immune system.

Clinical Research Associates are determined to find a cure for cancer, many of these professionals are supplied by companies such as gandlscientific.com, who ensures that each member of staff provided is skilled, experienced and determined to help cancer patients like you.

If you have come up with a great idea for a new medical device, or perhaps you already have the device ready to go, you’re going to need to know how to market it legally in the US. This involves making sure that your device is both safe and effective for human use. The Food and Drug Administration, otherwise known as the FDA, are responsible for ensuring that approved devices such as medical tools, instruments, drugs etc. are all 100% safe and effective for human or animal use. This involves preparing and submitting a 510(k) clearance. Continue reading How to Legally Market your New Medical Device in the US →