Franchises California – Learning Express, the Educational Toy Franchise Announces the Establishment of 16 New Franchise Stores in the Last Quarter of 2011

Posted by on January 28, 2012 1 comment

Franchises California – Learning Express, the Educational Toy Franchise Announces the Establishment of 16 New Franchise Stores in the Last Quarter of 2011












Ayer, MA (PRWEB) January 25, 2012

The national educational toy store franchise Learning Express, winner of the 2011 Franchise Business Review Specialty Retail Category, announced the establishment of 16 new franchise stores in the last quarter of 2011. Currently, new demographic information indicates that franchise business opportunities exist in the San Francisco region and through many cities in California.

A California franchise business opportunity with Learning Express is a business opportunity with a soul. Learning Express franchises are guided by our mission, our corporate commitments, and The Learning Express Way. “Our stores are truly neighborhood toy stores. Our businesses are growing and our success has been a community effort, “said Sharon DiMinico, founder and CEO of Learning Express Toys. According to DiMinico, unlike several big box retailers that have fallen victim to economic pressures and have been forced to close their doors, Learning Express toy stores continue to serve children in communities across the nation.

Learning Express is completely involved in every facet of franchise store development and marketing. At the International Toy Fair in New York this February, Learning Express makes sure that their storeowners have a VIP experience. While other Toy Fair attendees are schlepping their heavy winter coats and bags around the enormous display area, Learning Express franchise storeowners have two large hospitality rooms, steps away from the exhibits. Here they can hang up their coats, grab complimentary water, soda, or snacks, and talk toys with over 100 fellow Learning Express storeowners from all over the country.

About Learning Express

Learning Express is the nation’s leading franchisor of educational toy stores with more than 150 locations across the country. Each store is proud to be counted amongst the family of homegrown local businesses in its community. Learning Express storeowners go to work each day to provide their neighbors with a warm, friendly environment in which to shop, meet, and learn. The Learning Express product mix is the crème de la crème of the industry, carefully evaluated for safety, child-tested for fun, and guaranteed to help parents raise smart, healthy kids. Contact us to learn more about our California franchise business opportunities.

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PROSALES Magazine Names Kuiken Brothers Dealer of the Year

Posted by on January 26, 2012 1 comment

PROSALES Magazine Names Kuiken Brothers Dealer of the Year












Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 25, 2012

PROSALES magazine revealed today that Kuiken Brothers Co. of Fair Lawn, N.J., is its newest PROSALES Dealer of the Year:

The PROSALES Dealer of the Year Award honors outstanding achievements in construction supply operations, management and innovations, as well as meritorious service to the dealer’s community and to the lumber and building material industry. Only one construction supply dealer is chosen per year. As winner, Kuiken Brothers is featured in the cover story in PROSALES’ January/February issue and on its website, ProSalesMagazine.com.

“Kuiken Brothers enjoys respect across the nation not just for its tangible qualities—particularly its record of financial and operational excellence—but also for possessing in spades such intangible qualities as integrity and trustworthiness,” said Craig Webb, editor of PROSALES magazine and author of the cover story. “In my travels from coast to coast, I have yet to come across a company in which more people told me how much they respect Kuiken Brothers as a place that gives you a square deal, upholds its commitments, and strives constantly to do things the right way. As one fellow dealer put it, ‘They’re the gold standard of what you want a lumberyard to be.’”

Founded 100 years ago by Dutch immigrants who settled in northern New Jersey and still completely owned by family members, Kuiken (pronounced CUE-kin) Brothers is the biggest independent, full-service building supply dealer based in the Garden State, with nine facilities, 240 employees, and 2011 revenues that topped $ 100 million. Despite operating in an environment that has seen housing starts nationwide fall more than 75% from their peak in 2006, Kuiken Brothers has turned a profit every year (as it has done since at least World War II). It opened a new branch in Succasunna, N.J., last year, and in November 2010 it launched the private-label KB Classical Moulding line.

The company also has won renown for its service to the industry and the community. Company president Doug Kuiken is a former board chairman of the Lumbermens Merchandising Corporation (LMC) and a past director of the New Jersey Lumber Dealers Association. He also is chairman of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association and a board member for the River Road Improvement Corporation SID, a downtown revitalization group for Fair Lawn, N.J.

To read the complete story, visit ProSalesMagazine.com.

About Hanley Wood

Hanley Wood is a leading business-to-business media company focused on the residential and commercial construction and design industries. Its diverse portfolio includes magazines, websites, e-newsletters, exhibitions and conferences, custom marketing, and data services.

Hanley Wood is composed of four operating platforms: Business Media, which publishes more than 30 magazines, featuring ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING, ARCHITECT, EcoHome, BUILDER, and REMODELING magazines, along with related websites, e-newsletters, and conferences; Exhibitions, which produces marquee events such as World of Concrete, bringing residential and commercial construction professionals face to face with manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and service providers; Market Intelligence, which collects and aggregates proprietary data sets that capture hundreds of pieces of profile and material information about housing developments in more than 75 housing markets; and Marketing, which plans, creates, and executes strategic and integrated marketing solutions for its clients. Visit http://www.hanleywood.com.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







StorageMart Awards $5,000 in “ScholarSmarts” Scholarships

Posted by on January 24, 2012 1 comment

StorageMart Awards $ 5,000 in “ScholarSmarts” Scholarships











StorageMart “ScholarSmarts” Announces Winners

Columbia, MO (PRWEB) January 23, 2012

StorageMart, a full-service storage company with more than 130 locations across the United States and Canada, announced on January 17, 2012 the winners of the StorageMart “ScholarSmarts” scholarship program. Designed to reward students from any level of higher education in the United States or Canada who may not otherwise find themselves eligible for more “traditional” scholarships, the program will provide five students with $ 1,000 gifts.

Recipients of the Winter 2012 ScholarSmarts Scholarships are:

    Jennifer Lopes-Silva of Baylor University (Waco, Texas)
    Alan Shields of Ozarks Technical Community College (Springfield, Missouri)
    Isabela Guizan of Broward College (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida)
    Simone Samuels of McGill University (Montreal, Quebec)
    Chelsea Schultz of Arizona State University (Tempe, Arizona)

Recipients were chosen on the basis of essays written answering the question “What link is there between a clutter-free workspace and increased productivity?” or “How has self storage improved your lifestyle?” Winning essays have been published to the Storage Insider, StorageMart’s blog. The winning essays were chosen from a pool of nearly 200 submissions.

ScholarSmarts differs from many scholarship programs in that its eligibility is open to any student enrolled at any college, university, apprenticeship program or other institution of higher learning. This open eligibility was designed to allow for a wide spectrum of students, but particularly non-traditional students, to apply.

Additionally, the $ 1,000 gifts are given directly to the recipients, allowing for their use toward any expenses involved with the pursuit of higher education, whether they be tuition, books, rent/mortgage or even child care.

StorageMart will launch another ScholarSmarts program leading up to the beginning of Fall Semester 2012. Stay tuned for updates on the company’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/StorageMart and on Twitter @StorageMart.

About StorageMart

StorageMart ScholarSmarts is just the latest program from StorageMart. The company also supports local charities within its communities, including Habitat for Humanity and the Ronald McDonald House, as well as many adoption and foster programs, local animal rescue missions and more.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Belk Announces $1 Million+ Contribution to Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Posted by on January 22, 2012 1 comment

Belk Announces $ 1 Million+ Contribution to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® as Part of Three-Year Commitment












Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) January 16, 2012

Belk, Inc. has announced a $ 1,068,597 contribution to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to support breast cancer research grants and life-saving community programs. The donation is the second in a series of three that is part of Belk’s commitment to raise $ 3 million over a three-year period to benefit Komen for the Cure and support its breast cancer initiatives.

The funds were raised through a company-wide “Pink Is Our Passion” campaign held during October, plus grassroots efforts by individual stores to support local Komen fundraising events. Tim Belk, Belk, Inc. chairman and CEO, announced the second-year donation during a check presentation ceremony at the Belk Bowl game in Charlotte on December 27th in front of more than 58,000 football fans.

A total of $ 599,950 of the contribution has been designated by Belk’s Breast Cancer Survivors Committee to the Belk EDGE, a Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Grant for Early Detection and General Education funded with the support of Belk. The balance of the funds will be divided between Komen’s national office and Komen Affiliates located within Belk’s market area to support breast cancer education, treatment, research and community programs.

“We want to thank our associates and customers for their generosity in supporting our breast cancer campaign, which has raised more than $ 2 million over the past two years for Susan G. Komen for the Cure,” said Tim Belk. “We’re proud of our partnership with Komen and look forward to our continued efforts to raise more funds to fight this disease.”

“We are so pleased that Belk and its supporters are making such a huge impact in the fight against breast cancer. Through Belk’s generous pledge to raise $ 3 million over a three-year period, we will be able to touch lives and fund innovative research, bringing us closer to ending this disease forever,” said Margo K. Lucero, vice president, business development and partnerships at Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

Highlights of Belk’s “Pink is our Passion” campaign last October included:

Belk donated one percent of its total store sales (excluding belk.com) Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
All store associates wore “Pink is our Passion” t-shirts on each Saturday during the month. The shirt design incorporated key breast cancer awareness facts.
Pink Shops in each store featured a wide assortment of pink merchandise from a variety of vendors, with proceeds from the sale of some of the products going to Komen.
A special edition Belkie Bear sold for $ 14.99, with $ 5 from each sale going to Komen.
Customers could honor or remember a friend or loved one affected by breast cancer with a pink ribbon displayed on the stores’ “Wall of Hope” for a $ 1 donation to Komen.
During Belk’s Columbus Day Sale, Oct. 7 – 10, customers received a set of three extra-discount coupons for sale and clearance merchandise purchases for a $ 1 donation to Komen.
From Oct. 20 – 24 during Belk’s “text2donate” event, customers could contribute $ 10 directly to Komen by texting “PINK” to 90999 on their cellphone or smart device.

Belk will conduct another “Pink is our Passion” campaign next October during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign is part of the company’s overall “belkgives” corporate initiative.

About Belk, Inc.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk, Inc. (http://www.belk.com) is the nation’s largest privately owned mainline department store company with 303 Belk stores located in 16 Southern states. The company was founded in 1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, N.C., and is in the third generation of Belk family leadership. Its belk.com Web site offers a wide assortment of fashion apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family along with top name cosmetics, a wedding registry and a large selection of quality merchandise for the home. To connect with Belk via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blog, mobile phone text messages or by email, go to: Belk Get Connected.

Modern. Southern. Style.

Belk seeks to satisfy the modern Southern lifestyle like no one else, so that our customers get the fashion they desire and the value they deserve. Our vision is for the modern Southern woman to count on Belk first – for her, for her family, for life.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Today, Susan G. Komen for the Cure is an organization which works to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world through ground-breaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries with a special focus on low-resource and developing nations. Visit komen.org. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







San Joaquin Media Group to Host Online Marketing Seminars for Local Businesses

Posted by on January 20, 2012 1 comment

San Joaquin Media Group to Host Online Marketing Seminars for Local Businesses












Stockton, CA (PRWEB) January 19, 2012

“Main Street Goes Interactive: How Local Businesses Use the Internet to Grow” is a new seminar series from Recordnet.com and The Record. At the six, one-hour seminars, Stockton-area businesses will learn how other businesses in their industry invest in promoting their company online. The six seminars available will cover developing a website, leveraging social media for your business, search engine marketing and the rest of the latest in internet marketing strategy, including San Joaquin Media Group’s new deals product, LimelightDeals.com. The seminars will all be held at The Record.

Gregory Thompson, regional digital manager for Dow Jones Local Media Group, will share digital marketing knowledge and techniques with local businesses. Thompson has extensive research and can share tactics which businesses can apply immediately to help acquire new customers, grow market share and gain the competitive edge needed in today’s busy and aggressive digital world.

“San Joaquin Media Group is a leader in digital growth for our region and we’re excited to offer this series to our business community.” said Deitra Kenoly, advertising director for San Joaquin Media Group. “Attendees are sure to walk away with the knowledge and tools needed to enhance or create their digital presence in this rapidly changing environment. All sessions are free of charge and space is limited.”

Sessions will be held 3 times per day on both January 26/27 at The Record offices (530 East Market Street) in Stockton. Content will be specifically tailored to particular business category needs. Retail, Real Estate, Automotive, Professional/Services. Parking is available in the parking garage immediately to the west of the offices. Validation is available.

Local businesses interested in registering for the seminar can visit http://www.recordnet.com/seminar. Space is limited, so reservation is strongly recommended.

ABOUT DOW JONES LOCAL MEDIA GROUP

Dow Jones Local Media Group (http://www.dowjoneslmg.com), operates eight community media groups around the country – including San Joaquin Media Group – that collectively are comprised of 8 daily and 15 weekly newspapers, several lifestyle magazines and other niche publications, and a multitude of affiliated Web sites in seven states.

ABOUT DOW JONES & COMPANY

Dow Jones & Company (http://www.dowjones.com) is a News Corporation company (http://www.newscorp.com) and a leading provider of global news and business information. Its principal products include The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires, Dow Jones Factiva, Barron’s and MarketWatch. Dow Jones also provides news content to television and radio stations.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







‘The New Noblewoman’ Women?s Web Magazine Launches

Posted by on January 18, 2012 1 comment

‘The New Noblewoman’ Women’s Web Magazine Launches











Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 17, 2012

When writer Amanda Millay had trouble finding a magazine she wanted to read, she decided to create own. The result is The New Noblewoman— a free, online, general interest women’s magazine, with an emphasis on arts, culture and noble living.

“Women today are frustrated since magazines emphasize celebrities, fashion, sex and shopping. The New Noblewoman has all the usual categories—beauty, fashion, home and garden, relationships, book reviews—but highlights the substance behind the style,” said Millay. “Instead of the typical New Year’s resolutions article, we include some advice from Plato. Rather than focusing on what to buy, one of our upcoming articles discusses plants from medieval gardens, so readers get a history lesson combined with tips for gardening style.”

Upcoming topics include:

    Home & Garden: Why home economics trumps home décor
    Arts & Culture: How to start a classical music collection for less than $ 100
    Arts & Culture: Must-read novels by women
    Arts & Culture: HBO’s The Tudors: Fact and fiction
    Relationships & Etiquette: How to make engaging small talk
    Beauty & Style: The secret to Audrey Hepburn’s style
    Beauty & Style: Good posture: How it helps your body and mind

In addition, The New Noblewoman features reprints of classic poems, essays and artwork. Millay compares it to the popular men’s site, The Art of Manliness, and cites the growing number of “mom blogs” as evidence that women are looking for more engaging and wholesome content online.

“Many women’s magazines appeal to the worst side of people. They prey on women’s insecurities about how they look, dress, decorate and entertain. The New Noblewoman does the complete opposite, by appealing to the highest aspects of a person.”

Free Lilla Rose Giveaways: First 500 Subscribers Will Be Entered to Win

As a bonus to initial readers, The New Noblewoman is holding a drawing for five Lilla Rose hairclips for its first 500 email subscribers.

“Lilla Rose products are a great example of the values of my website—beautiful designs with an old-fashioned look, yet convenient for the modern woman,” said Millay, a consultant for the company.

An Innovative Design for a Web Magazine

The New Noblewoman website was designed not only for readability, but also as a virtual art gallery. Visitors are greeted with a vibrant slideshow, and can scroll to the bottom of each article for more information about the featured artwork. An online “Art Gallery” allows visitors to quickly peruse the site’s drawings and paintings.

“The bold design of The New Noblewoman website was risky, in an age where sites cluttered with links and ads are king,” said Millay. “But showcasing art effectively requires a spacious, quality design. There’s a real lack of beauty on the Internet, even though people love beautiful design. So far the response has been incredible.”

Besides the striking artwork, by ancient to contemporary artists, the very design of The New Noblewoman tells a creative story. The background is an original Art Nouveau pattern created by the web designer, and the blue color was selected from a montage of dresses worn by medieval noblewomen.

“If you look closely, you’ll see a variety of textures on the website, which give it an organic feel, reminiscent of an old-fashioned, wallpapered parlor or old dresses. There’s even stitching incorporated,” said Millay.

About The New Noblewoman

The New Noblewoman is a free, online, general interest women’s magazine, with an emphasis on arts and culture. To learn more, visit http://www.newnoblewoman.com.

About Amanda Millay

Amanda Millay-Lanier has worked in the publishing industry for more than 10 years. Her first job was as a features writer for a community newspaper, and she later worked in business editing and desktop publishing. She has a BA in Communications and Rhetoric Studies from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. She and her husband live in Auburn, Ala.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Push Back Time Introduces the Weather…Or Not Swing in Atlanta

Posted by on January 16, 2012 1 comment

Push Back Time Introduces the Weather…Or Not Swing in Atlanta











Becky Irvine, CEO of Push Back Time, LLC with the swing she designed that lets people enjoy the view, talk to friends or take a nap

Louisville, KY (PRWEB) January 13, 2012

The new Weather…Or Not™ (WON) swings are being introduced today by Push Back Time, LLC at the International Gift and Home Furnishings Market in Atlanta. The first improvement in porch swings since they were developed in Ancient Greece some 2400 years ago, the WON is at the Push Back Time, LLC booth, W-4-429.

What makes the WON unique is the back pivots and lifts out so homeowners can look one way to enjoy the view–face the other way to talk with friends–or take out the back for a nap on the swing seat. Push Back Time has a patent pending on its swing design.

WON swings are on the Push Back Time website, http://www.pushbacktime.com. Online prices start at $ 2,800. The swings also will be available from retailers and catalogue companies that place orders during the Gift & Home Furnishings Market in Atlanta.

The WON is solid mahogany and the back comes in four furniture designs including two Chippendales. Each is named after a Duke Ellington tune, as a tribute to the great bandleader who composed “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing.”

Becky Irvine, the inventor of the swing and CEO of Push Back Time, LLC, signs and numbers each WON before it is shipped.

Push Back Time, LLC, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, also markets a line of pillows Ms. Irvine paints with water-resistant paints and fabrics so they are suitable outdoors as well as inside the home. Many pillows, such as a three-pillow dachshund, complement the Weather…Or Not™ swings while others have sports or holiday themes, or just reflect the Ms. Irvine’s artistic whims at the time.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Panama City Beach Spring Breakers Receive Early Booking Discounts on Attractions Through TripShock.com

Posted by on January 13, 2012 1 comment

Panama City Beach Spring Breakers Receive Early Booking Discounts on Attractions Through TripShock.com











Spring Break on Panama City Beach


Panama City Beach, FL (PRWEB) January 13, 2012

College students and families will be getting more out of their Panama City Beach vacation activities with the help of TripShock.com The travel website announced today that they will be offering several spring break specials that will save visitors up to 50% off regular ticket prices. Some of the deals include $ 25 parasailing rides ($ 50 reg), $ 90 waverunner dolphin tours ($ 120 reg), and $ 140 half day pontoon boat rentals ($ 160 reg). More deals will be posted within the next month as the tourist season draws closer.

Customers are asked to book online to lock in these rates as there is only so many reservations offered at these prices. TripShock.com offers flexibility on all reservations as most bookings include a 24-48 hour cancellation policy from the arrival date.

About TripShock!

TripShock! ® is the one and only travel agency that enables travelers to book tours and activities online directly for the Northern Gulf Coast. TripShock! offers trusted reviews from real travelers, photos, videos and other planning tools to help create the perfect Gulf Coast vacation. TripShock! attracts more than 500,000 visitors annually and partners with over 100 activity and lodging providers from Florida to Louisiana.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Fila Signs Sponsorship Agreement with WTA Tour’s Jelena Jankovic

Posted by on January 11, 2012 1 comment

Fila Signs Sponsorship Agreement with WTA Tour’s Jelena Jankovic












Sparks, MD (PRWEB) January 09, 2012

Fila announced today that it has signed an endorsement agreement with WTA Tour tennis star and former Number 1 ranked Jelena Jankovic.

“We are thrilled to add former #1 ranked Jelena Jankovic to the Fila family,” said Gene Yoon, Chairman of Fila. “Her on-court and off-court style is consistent with the tennis champions that have worn the Fila brand since the 1970s. As we enter the 101st year of the Fila brand, our commitment to the sport that has been such an important part of our history will be strengthened by relationships with world-class athletes like Jelena.”

“I have always been attracted to Fila’s fashion-forward designs and especially appreciate their commitment to infusing our sport with beauty and fashion,” said Jankovic. “Fila has such a rich tennis history and it is an honor to be wearing the same brand as the stars I admired as a child.”

Jankovic, 26, has been an imposing competitor on the WTA Tour since she turned pro in 2000. Consistent top level play by Jankovic helped put Serbian tennis on the map. During her Top 20 ranking over the past six years, Jelena has won 12 Singles titles, one Doubles title and is a Mixed Doubles Champion at Wimbledon. She is a member of the Serbian Fed Cup Team as well as a two-time Serbian Olympic Team member.

Fila has a long and distinguished history in the world of tennis that continues with endorsements and sponsorships that include agreements with ATP Tour and WTA Tour athletes. Fila is a sponsor of the Sony Ericsson Open, the BNP Paribas Open and the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Fila is also the footwear licensee of The Championships at Wimbledon.

Visit http://www.fila.com to see the full collection of Fila tennis apparel and footwear.

In 2011, Fila celebrated its centennial anniversary, a milestone for this historic brand established a century ago by the Fila brothers of Biella, Italy. Fila is now a leading manufacturer of sport and leisure footwear and apparel distributed worldwide. The internationally respected company, having gained world-class recognition in tennis apparel, has developed brand recognition by marketing high design and style content products that are endorsed by professional athletes from around the world.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







The Secret is Out: Online Shopping Rocks

Posted by on January 11, 2012 1 comment

For most people, shopping is a tactile and visceral experience. Let us be honest. Shopping is more of a visceral experience for women than it is men. Most men would be happy never to set foot inside a crowded mall ever again. Women still frequent shopping plazas in search of discounts and bargains. Hanging out with girlfriends and rummaging through racks of clothing will always hold a certain romantic appeal to women. The pursuit of a good deal is half of the fun of shopping, and grabbing a cup of coffee and chatting with friends between assaults on the outlet stores is the true reason why women shop together. However, the shopping landscape has gone through a  transformation over the past few years. Online shopping has exploded, and more women are looking for designer jeans or dresses via the comfort of their living rooms. In other words, the Internet has changed how we do business.

Shopping in a mall or boutique can be fruitless and exhausting. Chasing down a sweater can be like searching for the Holy Grail. Did we mention how much of a hassle it is to find a place to park at these mega-shopping complexes? Online shopping changes that. If you want to find a vintage skirt, then it is only a few clicks away. A hip, hard to find t-shirt can be found and purchased in no time. There is no point spending hours perusing the mall when the entire fashion universe is at your fingertips. There is more availability and selection on the Internet than in the average store. More importantly, most clothes are cheaper on the Internet. Do you really need to touch the cashmere sweater when the online clothing stores are selling it for a fraction of the price the mall is asking?