DOUBLE BEWARE of the jewelry being sold by JEWELEXI

I have never written any kind of guide before but I am quite familiar with what fine silver jewelry set with natural gemstones should look like and I was sadly disappointed not ONCE but TWICE WITH JEWELRY I RECEIVED FROM JEWELEXI!

Their auction ads state in no uncertain terms that you will receive the actual pictured stone in that particular auction that you are bidding on and this is AN OUT AN OUT LIE! I bid and won one of their auctions against several other bidders where my winning bid along with the postage was close to $50.00 which while it was NOT a super amount to pay for a .925 Silver Ring supposedly set with an absolutely gorgeous deep verdant green Emerald accompanied by two quite small diamonds on either side of the large Oval shaped center stone. The ring was also supposed to have a few touches of Rose Gold on the tips around the main stone and on either side close to the two side mounted diamonds; HOWEVER, the ring I received while Silver in appearance with almost no Rose Gold anywhere on it to be seen was mounted with a whitish milky looking supposed Emerald. It looked more like a shade of light mint green jade. There was absolutely no resemblance between the ring I had bid on and won when it came to the center oval stone. It in no way looked like even the very worst emeralds I have seen in the past.

I emailed Jewelexi spelling out in no uncertain terms that they had definitely NOT sent me the ring pictured in their auction ad which I had bid on and won. Not only that I found the very same "identical picture" of the ring I had purchased listed in a then current "Buy It Now Ad" for $138.99 and I requested that since at that point in time no one had bid on it that Jewelexi stop that auction and send me the ring I had already purchased which they refused to do. I was to later discover that evidently using the same pictured ring in multiple auction ads is a USUAL PRACTICE THEY EMPLOY ALL OF THE TIME! Again, remember that their auction ads assure all prospective bidders that they will be receiving the actual ring they are seeing pictured in that very ad. Not only could I tell by looking at the main oval stone that it was NOT the exact same ring even the skin peeling off of the fingers of the person holding the ring was in the same exact spots. I advised Jewelexi that the "Inclusions" found within the center oval stone in each of the multiple pictures of the same ring were identical from one picture to the next and that no two natural Emerald stones could ever have the same exact inclusions located in the exact same spots within the stone because each stone is unique unto itself--no two ever alike! Jewelexi I believe is fraudlently leading bidders to believe that they are bidding on one particularly brillantly colored green Emerald set ring and then sending them extremely inferior specimens for whatever the amount of their winning bid and hoping enough will accept the garbage set rings and not say anything about the "Bait and Switch Operation" they are running.

I agreed to accept another ring "of my own choosing" to replace the piece of trash they had originally sent to me WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE MY SECOND FOOLISH MISTAKE! I got their Customer Support Girl, who by the way is very personable considering the kind of company she is working for, to agree that she could personally assure me that whatever piece of jewelry I might pick out among all of the other pieces of jewelry in their online store that she had told me I could have my pick of to replace the garbage ring they had sent me and that the piece of jewelry I would be sent as a replacement would definitely look and be exactly the same piece of jewelry pictured in their ad. I have to admit that they sent be the same ring pictured in their ad the second time, however, they had backlit the "Murano Glass Ring" from behind and underneath from the inside of the ring which caused it to appear to glow a gorgeous Aqua Blue color in the picture which is what attracted me to it in the first place as a gift for my granddaughter. It appeared to have vibrant hues of blue, yellow and greens within the glass where the little flower-like particles appear to be floating within the glass; however, again when this replacement ring arrived it was another big disappointment since the whole background of the glass was actually DARK BLACK and NOT opaque at all there were no vibrant hues of any colors showing in the glass when you put it on your finger and the flower-like particles suspended within the glass appeared to be being drawn down into the blackness of their glass background. I have gone into all of this minute detail to make it plain and clear that the products shown in JEWELEXI AUCTIONS WERE NOT ANYTHING LIKE THEY WERE PICTURED IN THEIR AUCTION ADS! The jewelry pictured may actually exist (somewhere) but what was pictured in the auction ad on both occasions was definitely NOT what I received for my money paid! After this second fiasco, I demanded a full-refund of all money (Not the first time I had done so!) I had paid with me returning both of the rings that they had tried to force-off on me. I purchased the first ring on or around April 13th and it took me to June 7th to finally receive any satisfaction in this matter--a full-refund of my money paid. HOWEVER, I have NO Rings which I returned "at my own expense" for shipping, insurance and return receipt because I did NOT trust them to follow through on their word after all of the previous fraudulent behavior on Jewelexi's part.

So after all is said and done I learned a valuable lesson and that is do NOT just take a quick look at a company's "Feedback Score" and if it is quite close to 100%--say around 99.7%--and assume as I did that the company was a trustworthy Ebay Seller, rather go to their individual page and check-out all of their Neutral and Negative Feedbacks within the last year and remember if they do a tremendous volume of sales--as Jewelexi does--that you can be easily fooled because of the averaging in of such a huge volume of sales into THEIR LESS THAN PERFECT FEEDBACK SCORE! Jewellexi's 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Don't Believe It--unless you are willing to accept anything they are willing to send you!!!

There are plenty out there that will outperform the Latitude D600 as far as speed

graphics and storage size. But if you want good reliable performance on basic stuff, documents, spreadsheets,etc or watching a DVD or surfing the web on wireless G at a very reasonable price, then this is a great very durable laptop. 

I took mine on a 14,000 mile camping trip from Virginia to Deadhorse, Alaska and back. I charged the batteries using an inverter in the car. Every night I transferred my digital pictures to the hard drive and I wrote my blog in a word processing document. Then every few days I would upload to a blog when I could find wi-fi. The little Dell survived drops, cold, damp and even some heat back in the lower 48. 

With Windows XP SP3 it connects flawlessly available networks and it talks to my other Vista and Windows 7 PCs without fail - much better than the newer OS computers do. I would however, recommend upgrading the memory to at least 1 GB. If you already have a 512 MB chip, a second will cost you about another $20.00 on E-Bay. Also, even at 5 years old (per the service tag) I still get about 90 minutes or so out of the battery. 

Again, this is a great starter or spare. I like mine so well that I bought a second one for my 84 year old mother. 

This is an incredible product. I am glad I decided to purchased this over a GPS unit

Love this thing. Most of the courses I play have some yardage markers but when you stray from the fairway like I do, then this rangefinder is priceless. 

I have no problem with any shot from any place on the course. I can range bunkers, flags anything I want and easily. 

I ranged all my clubs from driver to gap wedge. Now I know exactly how far each club should go, if I hit it well. 

This is the best thing that I've added to my bag, period. 

Would definitely recommend this to anyone.

Great rangefinder it has the best warrenty and the quality is unmatched

I really like the range finder and the fact that it can give you the actual distance to shoot, so I dont have to sit and do the math during a long shot up or down hill. I shoot a 30-378 weatherby and and can ethically kill a elk out to 600 yards in the mountians so it is really handy when getting a range in the high rockies. 

The only thing that I dont like really like about it is all the features it took me awhile to get used to using the menu to toggle threw all of them, but after you learn how to use the menu you you can go threw it like nothing.

Fashionable and Funky Boho Mini Skirts

100% cotton fabric hippie Boho Gypsy and Designer Medium Skirts .These skirts are unique and original piece Because of the handmade nature of these garments, sizing, color, pattern, and fabric .Elastic Waist band with adjusting drawstring. Each item is unique and different. its a perfect for girls. it feels you comfort all time.The design and color of these skirts are make you stylist and fashionable. its easy to wear and carry. And give you Fabulous and trendy look. add a hippie touch to the skirt.

Dell.com Coupon Promo Code Rewards Special April 2012

Do you want to save 5-75% each time you buy something online? Dell.com & 1200+ other stores!

How would you like to also get a $5.00 online gift card for free?

Use the link below!

Ebates offers millions of coupons for over 1200 online shopping stores. Ebates has already earned their members over $100,000,000.00

These coupons include all your favorite stores such as Walmart, Best Buy, Dell, HP, Apple, Macys, Sears, Alienware, Staples, Newegg, Home Depot, Kmart, Microsoft, Sony, TigerDirect, Target, Kohls, Gap, Tmobile, Barnes&Nobles, Half, Footlocker +Much More etc.

Ebates is free to use. They also give you $5 just for trying them out. For Free. Millions have already joined and received this free bonus.

Here's what you do!

Step 1)-Sign up following the link below:

Step 2)-Shop through Ebates. You have to spend at least $25 to get the free $5.00 credited to your account.

Step 3)-Get paid more cash back every time. (No expiration.)

And that's it! Enjoy saving more online now!! Copy and paste the link below.

Choosing Best Fast Intel AMD Desktop Gaming Motherboard

- Will all of your selected components be compatible?

- What is the primary use of your computer system?

- Will you have expandability for future upgrades?

- Will all of your selected components be compatible?

The first step is to perform a google search for the following: 'motherboard name and model here' CPU support list

For example: ASUS Rampage IV Extreme CPU support list

Then view the CPU support list and make sure your CPU is compatible with your selected motherboard! You will also need compatible RAM, Just about all new motherboards in 2012 will have DDR3 RAM support. Depending on which Intel or AMD motherboard you decide to go with, you may want a dual or triple channel RAM kit for the best performance. Using your computer for gaming? If you plan on installing 2 or even 3 video cards, make sure your selected motherboard will have enough PCI Express lanes to accommodate your cards.

- What is the primary use of your computer system?

When selecting a motherboard it is important to think of your custom built PCs main purpose. If you are a gamer, then selecting a gaming motherboard with multiple PCI Express lanes and a triple channel RAM configuration is ideal. Using your computer for simple tasks like surfing the web and checking email? Then a much simpler budget board will do just fine, however stay clear of budget boards with bad reviews that are prone to quick failure. Boards with solid capacitor engineering advancements (would recommend either Gigabyte or Asus) would be a great investment for any budget custom gaming or desktop PC build.

So has anyone actually gotten all their selling limits removed before?

Auctions on the other hand are a whole 'nuther deal.....you can list 500 auctions at 19.99 ea. and if they all sold for 50.00 ea., you could theoretically do 25,000 with a 10,000 limit.

You would have to do them all at one time though since as they increase they also build against your sales limits.

The best way to get them raised is keep your DSRs and feedback and use as many as you can on a monthly basis. I do this with an item I found that I can buy in bulk for 13 cents each and can sell for 1.50 with free shipping I sell about 100 of these a month but I keep over 1000 of them listed at a time in my store so I only pay 5 cents per month for the actual listing.

How to Buy Kitchen Cutlery

American Culinary Federation C.E.C. Tony Kasik demystifies Cutlery.

When it comes to kitchen cutlery there always seems to be a lot of confusion. First of all what kind of knife do you need, Chef, Slicer, Deba or Sanktoku? After that what about forged or stamped? And than what type of blade? Damascus, High Carbon or Stainless Steel? Oh let's not forget about ceramic.

Every knife, material and creation method has it's pros and cons. I will be going into this in this blog. The one thing I want to suggest right away, is not to by that $50 dollar set that you find at your local Wal-Mart. They are flimsy, don't stay sharp and honestly quite dangerous. The only knives that you want slightly flexible is a filet or a slicer.

Types of Knives

The first thing that you need to decide is what do you need this knife for?

General Purpose -- Chef / Cooks Knife or Deba

Mincing or Chopping - Shantoku or Chinese Cleaver

Butchering - Boning Knife, Scimitar or Cleaver

Filet Fish - Filet knife, yanagiba

Garde Manger or Delicate Garnishing - Paring Knife, Utility or Hawk's Bill

Peeling - Paring or Hawk's Bill

Soft Vegetables (Like Tomatoes) - Serated Bread Knife or anything serated

Breads - Serated Bread Knife

Carving - Slicer or Carving Knife ( I prefer a semi- flexible 12" Slicer)

If you are just buying knives for the house, all you really need is a good Chef knife, Paring Knife and Bread Knife. But if you are a Home Chef and want to create the things you see on TV, Than you really do need at least one in each category. That is how we make it look so easy. The correct type of knife does the work for you.

Forged or Stamped ????????

The Chicken or the Egg? This is one question that has been haunting Chef's for years, and if you ask each one you will come up with a different answer. I have always preferred forged knives. Here is the difference.

Forged: in a forged knife, the metal is heated and then hammered in to the desired shape. This process leads to a more expensive, stronger, heavier knife (Although better balanced) with a finer edge. Typically a forged knife will get sharper and hold it's edge longer, this also has alot to do with the type of steel being used.

Stamped: Imagine a large sheet of metal on an assembly line and your knife being punched out of it. From there they Shape your knife by grinding it into shape, including the edge. This leads to a lighter more movable knife, but it will not get a sharp as keep it's edge as well. Your Cheaper "Wal-Mart" Knives are stamped, don't get me wrong there are several really good stamped knives. Such as Global and certain other brand names.

Material... What is the blade made of?

Stainless Steel: This is the choice of most of the cheaper knives. It is a good medium quality metal that will not rust or react to acidic foods. It does not hold an edge that well and will only get to about medium sharpness.

High Carbon Stainless Steel: The more carbon that you have in the steel, the harder the metal is. The harder the metal is, the sharper the knife will be and the longer it will hold an edge. The draw back is that it is also more brittle. This is what most high end knives are made of.

High Carbon Steel: They really do not use this any more. But if you find a vintage knife, GET IT. I have not found a knife that compares to sharpness or how long they hold their edge. The

How to select and wear a Garter Belt

The primary purpose of a garter belt is to hold up your stockings and keep them from moving around (especially if you are wearing stockings with seams.) Unless you plan on wearing it for only a few minutes in the bedroom, you will need a good, high quality garter belt. You can buy garter belts everywhere from discount stores to high-end department stores, to lingerie boutiques, on-line and mail-order houses. The problem is, most of them are junk, certainly not meant to be worn for very long, if at all. Choosing a good garter belt to wear with your stockings is relatively easy if you follow these five simple guidelines.

First and foremost, a good quality garter belt must be comfortable. Measure your waist carefully with the tape measure just snug, but not tight enough to press into your skin. If your waist measurement is between sizes, (and it most likely will be) try a size larger unless you are less than ½” from the smaller size. The waistband should not dig into your waist. It should hold you snugly, but not tightly. It should fit smoothly down over your hips. The best garter belts have an adjustable waist, but pull-on types can work just as well if you are careful when you buy them. The garters should hang from your hips, not your waist. When you get a new garter belt, put it on and wear it around the house for a few hours. If it becomes uncomfortable or if it moves around, it’s the wrong size or cut wrong; take it back and try another. (The Stocking Lady offers a 30 day return policy on garter belts. If you don’t like it, let us help you find one you will like.)

Second, high quality hardware is critical: DO NOT BUY A GARTER BELT WITH PLASTIC CLIPS. You will regret it if you do. Steel garter clasps do not harm your expensive stockings any more than plastic ones do. Plastic ones have the unfortunate tendency to let go of your stockings at the worst possible moment, sometimes in a chain reaction or zipper effect where they all let go, one by one, within seconds of each other. Don’t buy a garter belt with plastic clips. Just . . . don’t.

Third, unless you are planning on wearing your stockings only long enough for pictures to be taken, you will need more than 4 garter straps. Any garter belt that has fewer than 6 straps, regardless of the price, can immediately be assumed to be junk. (Especially if it has a skinny little elastic waistband, and plastic garter clasps.) You need at least 6 garter clips but you can get belts with 8, 10, 12, or more clips. (We've seen as many as 18!) Anything with more than 8 clips is probably over kill. Anything with more than 12 has probably crossed the line between ultra-paranoid multiple redundancy and pure fetishism. (Use your best judgment here.) The more garter clasps, the more expensive the garter belt, all else being equal. Six clips are usually sufficient to keep your stockings snug, and straight. Eight or more clips will provide an extra measure of safety should one of your clips let go. It gives you time to finish whatever you are doing, and allows you to reattach the clasp at your leisure.

Fourth, consider what you will be wearing with your garter belt. If you are wearing a closely fitted skirt or dress, be aware that garter belts with lots of lace or ruffles may show through tight clothing. In this case, it’s better to choose a garter belt made primarily of satin or some other smooth fabric with flat garter straps. Some better quality garter belts have little satin ribbons that cover the clasps. This helps prevent the clasp showing through the fabric of a tight dress or when you sit down. Another thing to consider is the color of the clothing and underwear you will be wearing. Ideally your garter belt should coordinate with your bra and panties, as well as with your dress or outfit. Also consider if you are wearing white or light colored clothing - a bright red or dark colored garter belt will likely show through.

Fifth, garter belts come in a variety of cuts, from low-waisted short bodied styles, to high waisted, longer open bottom girdle styles. Higher waisted styles can help pull in your tummy, but are generally less comfortable for long term wear. What might be fine for an evening out, may be uncomfortable for a long day at the office.

To properly wear a garter belt and stockings, put the garter belt on first when you are getting dressed. Then attach your stockings and adjust the length of the garter straps. THEN slip into your undies and finish getting dressed. Your underwear should be worn OVER the garter belt despite what you may have seen in pictures. If you wear your panties over the garter belt, then going to the ladies room is easy. If you wear your garter belt and stocking over your underwear, you will have to pull down the entire assemblage to take care of necessaries, and then you will have to pull them all back up, straighten your seams, and get everything back in order – all in the tiny closets that we call public restrooms. Forget the pictures you may have seen. The proper way to wear your garter belt is beneath your knickers.

Finally, after choosing your new garter belt, try it on. Try it on with stockings. Wear it with the outfit you plan to wear it with. Wear it around for a few hours and adjust the length of the garter straps. It should fit comfortably. If it doesn’t send it back and get another size or style. With a few attempts, you should find a size and style that fits you comfortably, and properly. Once it is adjusted, you can just jump into it and fasten your stockings in a few moments, anytime it strikes your fancy.

these are great clubs,they allow for great control.

cg15 black pearl wedge golf clubs.I bought these clubs three weeks ago and was immediately impressed with them. It has a grooves,that allow for greater control. My only complaint is that they will no make these clubs.

he's not violating policy - yet - that's going to change though.

At this point, your goal is to outsmart him. If you write a good listing, with good pics, and undercut his price a bit, they'll buy yours and not his. You can always wait until his aren't listed anymore, although if he never sells them, or has a huge box of them, that could be a long wait. Some militaria stuff has more than one appropriate category... if you can list in another category that makes sense, you can avoid his listings (for some buyers) all together. See if you can come up with any good keywords that he isn't using, be sure to use any good keywords that he is using though too.

If he is listing them as BINs in violation of policy (they need to be identical, BTW... if they're in different conditions, for example, he's not really violating policy), you can report them and get rid of all but one of them. But if you do this, and then list yours a day later, he might figure out it was you, and that can end badly...

Understanding Your Fine Art Investment

"Fine Art Print" is a term often misunderstood. Frequently, the first image to pop into one's head is a mass-produced poster on simple shiny paper bought at the local mall or souvenir shop for a few bucks.

This guide will help you understand the very different world of the authentic Original Fine Art Print. Many thanks to our Beloved Friend, Brother in Spirit, and Brilliant Master Printmaker and Artist, Pascal Giraudon, for this information.

PRINTING TECHNIQUES

WOODBLOCKS (or WOODCUTS)

Technique

Basically, a block of wood is engraved by carving away what will stay white on the paper and keeping intact the lines for inking. A roller or brush is used to ink the woodblock. Very little pressure on the paper or fabric is necessary to create the print.

To create a color woodcut print, color is applied to each block of wood separately, then registered and printed individually on the paper.

History

Woodblocking was the first technique of printing, developed in China in the second century A.D. It was brought to Japan in the sixth century A.D. in the wake of Buddhism -- the early Japanese woodcuts were often religious in subject matter until the 17th century, when "Ukiyo-e" (a more highly developed artistic genre featuring motifs of landscapes, historical tales, pleasure quarters, and the theatre) began to emerge. Japan's multi-colored prints of the 18th & 19th centuries brought us the quintessential eloquence of color concept in woodcuts.

In Europe, the woodblock technique came alive in the Middle Ages, upon Marco Polo's return from the Orient with China's paper-making method. Color was first used in woodcuts to hand-tint the black & white art images of saints. The method of printing pictorial color woodcuts from separate blocks, known as "Chiaroscuro", first appeared in Italy in 1455 and Germany in 1508. The second half of the 17th century brought western Europe the use of color from several woodblocks for heraldic images, initials, and printers' marks. In 1867, the Paris Art World became aware of Ukiyo-e as a profound new art form when a large quantity was exhibited at the Paris Exposition Universelle. Japanese printmakers' concept of the symbolism of flat color, pattern and line was a great influence upon the work of Gauguin, Van Gogh, Lautrec, Whistler and others.

Baccarat Crystal - Fact or Fiction

Note to the Novice Collector - Much of Antique Baccarat is unsigned !!! In fact if you find Antique Baccarat and it is signed with anything besides a sticker or no mark at all - the acid mark should be called into question. I have seen many pieces with the word Baccarat in relief in the glass mold - so you shouldn't worry about those much as they are almost always genuine. However acid etch marks are often faked. Most 1800's Baccarat, is unsigned. I find it necessary to make this clear as there is a seller with Signed Baccarat pieces every week on Ebay - and none of the pieces are real Baccarat.

Many novice collectors buy antique Baccarat from me and then send me surprized emails telling me that the item was not real Baccarat when in fact it is - but they read somewhere in a silly Blog that real Baccarat always bares an acid etch. THIS IS A TOTAL MYTH !!!! Only New Baccarat Always Bares the Acid Etch, Baccarat from the mid 1930's onward. Someone got their Lions Crossed.

There is also a misconception that Baccarat Bambous began in 1910 - which is a farse. The oldest catalog I have seen with Baccarat Bambous was 1870 - but I do not know when it originally began - as Baccarat began crystal production in 1734 !!! Wow! Sorry - but I am such a fan that such beautiful things were made so very long ago. I adore the beauty and magic of someone's dreams forever captured in such glorious design and so well made that it has endured the ages just to bring us pleasure.

As well, I encourage all Baccarat enthusiasts who are interested in buying a piece with intrinsic value to look into the unsigned antique pieces of Baccarat that are listed on ebay and elsewhere - as these pieces are quite often very valuable and too often overlooked. If you want to know what a great piece of Antique Baccarat is and don't want to buy a lot of expensive catalogs - I advise one to scroll through various fine antique dealers and their Antique Baccarat Crystal - which generally run $500 to several thousand dollars - and is almost always unsigned !!!! Because the fine antique dealers with pieces of real value have generally researched and done hours and hours of reading and surveyed the finest Baccarat in the finest of venues being sold to understand the quality, the style and the value of real Baccarat Crystal Antiquities. A $20,000

Antique Baccarat Vase is not going to have an acid etch 99% of the time - it will have no mark. Not only that - to make things even more confusing - if it is a piece of Baccarat with any sort of metal embelishments - say a gilt stand or sterling rims or legs - it may even have the name or assay mark of the metal worker and not the name of Baccarat - although Baccarat has had pieces imprinted with their name as well in metal portions. Which can confuse the average collector. You will see it quite often as well with Lalique pieces - Say a Lalique Perfume atomizer bottle may state Lalique in the description but the metal portion may be imprinted with the name of the company that produced the metal portion and no Lalique indications.

This is why good antique dealers make good money - they learn these secrets and sell them to the finest collectors of the world.

People also seem to believe Baccarat made only clear or formed crystal - Baccarat has made amazing pieces through the years in every color of the rainbow - in Black crystal, Blue crystal, Hand Painted Crystal, Molded Glass, Chinese Motifs, Bohemian style cut to clear, Arabic Style (Especially Pieces from the Ottoman Empire Era), Gold Gilded Transfers and much much more. Happy Hunting - Bid safe

The next time you see a "Signed Baccarat" piece with an acid etch - think twice and study the styles for yourself - don't just ask an expert - as even they are often wrong - do the leg work and earn a good investment. And the next time you see an attributed piece - remember the highest selling Baccarat pieces at Christie's and Sotheby's for Baccarat are attributed and unsigned.

Save money on shipping costs simply by shipping smarter

Yes, you read that correctly. Sellers can save money, reduce shipping costs & be more compeditive, simply by shipping smarter. There isn't any trick or hidden gimic. All a seller has to do is: 1) Think smarter, 2) Do a little research and 3) USE the free tools avaliable to them. The technique i'm about to explain can be use by all sellers; Seasoned, Part time & New sellers alike.

Before I start, there are some requirements a seller must have. You'll need to have or purchase a printer and postage scale. These 2 items are curtial to making this work. If you don't have either one of these, you can purchase them from good sellers right here on eBay.

In the following example A, i'm going to lay out some bullet points detailing a recent purchase I made. I'll reference back to these bullet points, showing you how the seller could have maximized shipping costs, compeditivness and gotten more bids, by shipping smarter.

Example A:

Seller list widget in auction style with a starting price 1/4 of what the average completed listings show as a final selling price

Seller lists Item with a calculated shipping cost of 11.oo

Item in it's own box measures--- 6in x 6in x 1-1/2in thick

The item wieghs 12oz, when mailed in a #2 bubble mailer. I knew this prior to my bidding, as I purchase many of these.

Seller ships this item to me via USPS Priority Medium Flat Rate Box

Actual Postage cost: $10.58

I am in that sellers USPS postal zone 2

Now, lets dig in and Think/Ship Smarter............

You have your items you want to sell, and maybe you already have them listed. Have you...............?

Listed them with Free shipping, Flat rate or Calculated? It really doesn't matter.

Do you know each items wieght? Or the wieght of the item as if it was boxed and ready to ship?

Do you even know how your going to package each item you have listed? Or are you waiting until the item sells to figure it out?

Researched shipping options and their associated rates? Or are you just guessing?

Ever over charged a buyer on shipping? Or do you find yourself consistantly under charging, thus paying some shipping costs out of your own pocket?

Found a supplier of shipping supplies at the best price? Or do you just pick them up/purchase them from the same old place? Or rely solely on the USPS for FREE priority products, because they are FREE?

If you haven't thought, each and every one of those points through, then your not thinking/shipping smart. Remember my seller from example A above? They weren't thinking/shipping smart either. They listed with calculated shipping without knowing: What the item wieghed, How to properly package it, Alternate shipping methods/rates and relied solely on a limited supply of USPS mailing boxes.

They also paid more than I payed them for shipping via FVF's. That's right, with the 9% (.99cents) FVF fee on the 11.oo calculated shipping charge, they paid .57cents more out of their pocket or profit made from the sale of that item, for a total shipping cost (to them) of 11.57. That doesn't include the 2.9% paypal charged them for that portion of the sale.

Granted .57cents isn't a lot, but do that 100 times in a month and your out 57.oo. Thinking Smart, one would realize that a premium eBay store subscription is only 49.95 a month. Just think, you could recoupe the monthly cost of a premium store cost, just by Shipping smarter.

OK. So I think your starting to get the idea, but where do you start? We'll, you start by...................

Doing some basic research

I know, research is about as boring as it gets. You may not like it, but research is not only key to pricing your items, it's KEY to thinking/shipping smarter. Your research should include.......

Knowing the size and weight of the items you sell, packaged ready to ship.

Knowing what the best mailer type is best suited for your item and how to select the proper type.

Knowing where to get the best quality mailing supplies at the lowest cost to you. Always be on the lookout for cheaper sources, without sacrificing quality.

For items over 13oz that cannot ship USPS First Class, you need to know ALL the USPS Priority options avaliable for use.

Most importantly, you need to know the shipping rates for each mailing class. I suggest printing a copy of USPS: FC, standard Priority and All Priority Flat Rate options, and keeping them in a binder for quick reference.

Don't forget to check/compair rates with UPS or FedEx when you have a heavy/bulky item. These two shipping options often go overlooked, and they can save you money -v- USPS.

Researching these areas, and becoming familiar with shipping options/rates, will help you think and ship smarter. Because my seller from example A didn't research these areas............They didn't know the weight of the item, the best packaging to use, where to get the best rates for shipping supplys and more importantly, they didn't know the diferent shipping classes. Had they done any of this research, they would have found that item would ship just as safely by: 1) 12oz in a #2 bubble mailer for 3.28, 2) In a USPS Padded envelope for 4.90 or 3) USPS Rate A box for 5.06, yet they chose to limit their options to a medium flat rate box and loose money.

Not only did they loose money on shipping, they lost out on bidders due to the excessive calculated shipping choice for that item. Three things I want to clerify:

Yes, I know what some of you are thinking......If you thought the shipping was high, why did you still bid and buy the item? A) Because I knew bidders would shy away and not bid. B) Because I was the only bidder, knowing I could relist and sell it for a 30.oo clear profit. That item sold 3 days after I listed it with a proper price and postage cost. On a side NOTE: It's not "Thinking Smart" to severely undercut your competition.

Had the example A seller done some extra research, they would have seen most compeditors charging a flat shipping cost of 5.99-6.99 for the very same item. The seller also lost money by sending prospective bidders & buyers to other sellers with better, more in line shipping costs.

I am in NO way, shape or form suggesting you skimp on packaging. What I am suggesting is to select the best mailing type choice, that gets the item safely to your buyer, while not over paying for postage.

Did you know? That the USPS rates increase on 1/22/12, and that an item packaged weighing 1 lb, can ship to ALL 8 zones via regular priority, cheaper than it can ship to all 8 zones via USPS Rate A box? A 2 lb regular Priority package ships to all 8 zones for the same rate as a USPS Rate A box. Even a 1 lb, total boxed weight, item that would ship nicely as a small flat rate box, will ship cheaper as regular priority to zones 1&2.

Tip: When using the Calculated shipping option for items that have to ship Parcel Post or Priority (other than flat rate boxes/envelopes): Find out what the actual postal cost for the item going to your zone 8. Then add 11% of that cost to your items BIN price or auction starting price. That 11% should cover all FVF's charged by eBay for that shipping charge.

Example: Postage cost for a 6 lb Priority package (to big to fit in a flat rate box) going to your zone 8 is now 20.47. By adding 11% or 2.26 to your items price, your able to keep the item price lower and cover the FVF's charged by ebay for the postage side of that transaction. Note: if the item sells to a buyer in your zone 6, then the postage cost to that buyer is only 16.31. Your still covered with the FVF's and will be .46cents ahead, since 11% of 16.31 is only 1.80.

Also, don't over pay for First Class postage either. For example, I sell a line of items, that when boxed have a shipping weight of 9oz. Since these items are ridgid on their own, they can be shipped in a #0 bubble mailer at 6oz. The box would cost me .24cents each -v- the .14cent bubble mailer. Not only is there a shipping supply cost savings, I also save .51cents in postage for each sale. I know the bubble mailer is the right choice, as I have sold hundreds of this item with zero complaints from my buyers. Since I haven't reduced the items selling price, i've now added .61cents to my profits bottom line each and everytime I sell one of these. All due to simple research.

Only you know your items. Select your shipping container and method wisely. You want the item to ship cost effectively, but more importantly, it needs to get there safely and undamaged. Getting this right will add $$$ to your bottom line, which leads us to.....................

Using the avaliable FREE tools:

There are hundeds upon hundreds of Free tools to help you sell better. Infact there are too many to list, so i'll list the basic ones that I thing are best suited to shipping...........Note: I can't actually link to some of these tools, due to the guide writing policies.

Google USPS (United States Postal Service). On this site you can view, print and compair rates. You can even order all of the Pirority maling supplies, having them delivered to your door. Remember; Regional Rate A, B, C boxes and the Padded envelopes can only be obtained in this manner, as they are not avaliable at the PO, and Postage for those MUST be printed online.

eBay search: this seems simple, but it is a powerful tool when used properly. You can search for any item, and then by using the left side links, search: completed listings, listings with/without free shipping & BIN's/auctions. Searching completed listings allows you to see the sold results of items you wish to sell. This gives you an idea of the average selling and shipping price buyers are willing to pay. Advanced viewing of all the options allows you to go in and see what thoughs sellers are charging for shipping, and whether or not buyers are actually paying the posted shipping. You'll see the highs and lows, as a lot of sellers don't have a clue: such as the flat costs that end with .99cent, i.e. 2.99, 8.99, 15.99 & ect. This tells me that seller doesn't have a clue, their padding to cover FVF's on postage costs or they are adding in a handling charge. Regardless of that, i've never ever printed a postage label that ended with .99cents.

Google: rolbe.com. This free "eBay Fee calculator", created by an eBay member is great, as it can show you all sorts of information about the item you want to list: eBay/paypal FVF's, break even point, profit when item sells and even allows you to play with the numbers. Point to remember: You can't get acurate results if you don't enter the proper information. So knowing the postage cost of your item is KEY to using this tool correctly for maximum profits.

Landmark Beads - Recall Your Travels in Sterling Silver

Landmark Beads are made of high quality .925 sterling silver with oxidized accents, and the large hole makes them compatible with many popular European style brands including Chamilia, Carlo Biagi, Pandora, Pasha and Troll chains. These highly detailed beads have a smooth inner hole, which measures approximately 5mm, and are approximately 3/8" long by 3/8" tall.

Where is your favorite vacation spot? Do you have a love of a particular area of the world? Whatever the case may be you can find a sterling silver memory of that location to wear on your charm bead bracelet. There are over 60 different hghly detailed beads representing locations in the world and the United States that are top vacation spots or historic landmarks, along with those there are several beads to help tell the story of your travels including a cruise ship, jet airplane, sail boat, camper and more.

Landmark Beads should only be cleaned with a silver cleaning cloth. Do not use silver polish dip, as this may remove the oxidation that shows the tiny details in the silver. When you are not wearing your bracelet, keep it stored in a safe place in either a plastic ziplock bag or special jewelry storage, this will help keep it from tarnishing quickly. With proper care, these beads will be a lasting representaion of your travels around the world!

Check out all the Landmark Beads at Bead Lovers Korner

Top Ten List: Why Buy A Luxury Car

The luxury car market is hurting along with the rest of the auto sector, with sales at record lows. But luxury automakers are still hoping their history of solid engineering, performance and brand cachet will convince tentative buyers it's worth it to shell out the extra thousands to buy their cars.

Like any other vehicle purchase, however, it depends on what you need--and on how much you care about your image, of course. Not everyone who owns a Porsche 911 or Audi R8 cares about their superior handling--some just want to be seen driving them.

"It's about emotional connections that people can make with a brand and how it makes you feel," says Wes Brown, a principal consultant at Los Angeles-based consumer-research firm Iceology.

But there's more to luxury cars than prestige. Premium cars offer the most advanced safety options and best entertainment technology on the market, not to mention some of the plushest interior and most options for customization.

It's not that vehicles from midrange brands like Ford Motor and Honda aren't safe or don't offer optional high-class amenities. But with standard features like heated leather seats and headrest-mounted DVD players, there's an undeniable allure to owning a luxury car.

Tough Times for Luxury
Despite the appeal, it is not the best of times for luxury carmakers. Last month, Acura's sales dropped 29.7% from January 2008; Audi, 26.4%; BMW, 15.5%; Cadillac, 42.5%; Land Rover, 34.4%; Mercedes-Benz, 42.9%; and Porsche, 36.1%, to name a few. Ultra-premium brands like Bentley and Ferrari fared even worse, down 74.4% and 52.4%, respectively. It's the first time a downturn has so deeply affected America's luxury segment, says BMW North America President Jim O'Donnell.

"This is the first time, I would say, since 1931 there was such a recession, because there were always areas of the country that [kept luxury cars] popular," O'Donnell says. "Now, everywhere has been affected."

O'Donnell says luxury brands will rebound quicker than the rest, however, thanks to financially healthier dealerships, better leasing and certified pre-owned programs and loyal customers. In some respects, he's already being proved right: Jaguar posted a surprising 17.6% sales gain last January from the same period a year earlier. And Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz each gained 0.1% of market share in 2008.

How to clean your diamond jewelry

A diamond may be the hardest substance known to man, but to keep it looking its best, it needs proper care and maintenance. This is especially important if you wear your diamond every day. To keep daily build-ups of soap, cosmetics, and skin oils from dulling your beautiful jewelry, follow any one of the following procedures to care for your gem:
PROFESSIONAL CLEANING: This is the best option and also gives you the opportunity to have your retail jeweler check your diamond's mounting to make sure prongs or other settings are not weak or loose.

COLD WATER SOAK: A mixture of half cold water and household ammonia will work well if your ring or diamond jewelry is allowed to soak for 30 minutes. Lift your ring out and clean gently around the front and back of the mounting with a small, soft brush. Give the ring a second swish through the solution and let dry on a paper towel. No rinsing is necessary.

OVER-THE-COUNTER JEWELRY CLEANERS: Ask your jeweler for a liquid jewelry cleaner made especially for diamonds and follow the instructions on the label. A good cleaner is designed to remove loose dirt and dissolve any oils or residue on the stone.

DETERGENT BATH: The simplest cleaning method for your diamond is to soak your jewelry in a small bowl of warm, sudsy water combined with any mild liquid detergent. Use a toothbrush or other soft brush and gently brush the ring around the setting while it is in the water. After its bath, put the ring in a fine wire strainer and rinse thoroughly under warm running water (the strainer provides protection for the ring from slipping down the drain). Pat your ring dry with a soft lint-free cloth.

ULTRASONIC CLEANING: This method involves a special machine that uses a high-frequency vibration to clean the ring. The ring is enclosed in a small cup with cleaning solution and in just a minute, any dirt and oils are removed from the stone. The method can be done by your jeweler or at home after purchasing an ultrasonic cleaner.

4mm round Dazzling Natural White Topaz Gems Loose gemstones Jewelry making

Anyone who has ever shopped for a diamond before, might have heard the mention of the "4C's"" color, clarity, carat (or carat weight), and cut"or the four characteristics that determine a diamond's rarity and value. Understanding them can help you understand why diamonds of equal size may not be of equal value. It's the synergy and the many different ways that each of the 4C's can be combined that is the key to understanding what makes each diamond unique and valuable.

COLOR While most diamonds appear to be white, virtually all have slight traces of color. Evaluating a diamond's color for grading purposes is done by measuring the degree to which a diamond approaches colorlessness. Gemologists and jewelers describe the color of diamonds on a letter scale beginning with D (colorless) and moving through the alphabet to Z. The degree of colorlessness is not easily discernible to the untrained eye. D, E, and F color grades are more expensive because they are rarer. However, well cut diamonds with good clarity of all color grades can be equally dazzling as it is the interplay of the 4C's which determines each individual stone's unique beauty. Deeply colored diamonds in shades such as pink, blue, and yellow are known as "fancies" and are especially rare and valuable.

CLARITY Practically all diamonds contain naturally occurring internal blemishes called inclusions, or a diamond's natural birthmarks (these can look like tiny crystals, feathers, or clouds). However, many are microscopic in nature and can only be glimpsed under powerful magnification through a standard 10-power jeweler's loupe. Diamonds with the fewest inclusions are graded as VVS1 or VVS2; those on the other end of the scale are graded I1 or I3. The fewer inclusions the rarer the stone.

Clarity:	Number and Size	Expert-10x loupe	Naked Eye	Influence on Brilliance
IF	no inclusions-internally flawless	nothing	nothing	none
VVS1	very very small inclusions, pin pricks	very difficult	nothing	none
VVS2	very very small inclusions, pin pricks	very difficult	nothing	none
VS1	very small, still minute	difficult to see	nothing	none
VS2	very small, still minute	difficult to see	nothing	none
SI1	tiny	easily seen	nothing	none
SI2	tiny	easily seen	nothing from top	none
I1	small	recognisable immediately	difficult to recognise	none
I2	larger and/or numerous inclusions	obvious	recognisable immediately	slight
I3	large and/or numerous	very obvious	very easily recognised	heavy influence

CARAT indicates the weight and therefore the size of the diamond. One carat weighs 0.2 grams, or 1/142 of an ounce. Jewelers, however, refer to stones using points: 100 points equal 1 carat; 50 points, a half-carat; 25 points, a quarter-carat and so on.

CUT is perhaps the most important of the 4C's because a quality cut is what helps to unleash a diamond's fiery sparkle. A well cut diamond, regardless of shape, releases the fire and brilliance of a diamond through the proportion of its 57 or 58 facets (tiny planes that create angles), allowing the maximum amount of light to be reflected through the diamond. In order to maximize this fire and brilliance, a diamond cutter must place each of the stone's facets and angles, which act as light-dispersing mirrors, in exact geometric relation to one another. Diamonds that are not cut to proper proportions (too deep or too shallow) lose light that spills through the side or bottom.

Cut is also quite different than shape. While cut is a technical quality, determined by the skill of the diamond cutter, the matter of shape is a personal choice. The round (brilliant) is often the most popular of all shapes, with the majority of brides-to-be receiving a round stone. Other popular and traditional shapes include the marquise, pear, oval, emerald, princess, and heart shape.

GEMS TV Woman Ring Flamingo Topaz Diamonds 14k gold band size 6.75 Jewelry

In a remote corner and deep beneath the ragged ranges in the Kimberly region of North West Australia, spectacular diamonds were growing more beautiful as the centuries passed away, the colors began to show. Finally in 1979, the first inkling Diamond mine in the world became known.The Argyle Diamond mine.

Apparently, the Geologists discovered and realized that these precious stones had become colored, even though, the original Diamonds were formed over 3 Billion years ago, It was compression of the Diamond lattice structure by tremendous forces deep beneath the earth is said to have led to Red, Pink and Champagne Diamonds, hence making Australia's soil, bright with fire and brilliance ands color.

It's often said that it is all in the name, so true, Champagne Diamond, like Champagne, subtle, and mysterious, saturated with rich natural color, that took billions of years in the making, hence offering, these extraordinary, fire-laden gems in various shades from light subtle color to a palette of colors, in between, inspiring, remarkable jewelry making.

It is their uniqueness that these Diamonds are set off brilliantly next to colorless diamonds, with an extra dose of sparkle, dash of thrill, timeless classic, in built versatility and limitless possibilities of innovation.

Let's get down to serious business now!

In the case of Champagne Diamonds it's the Three C's

Color:

To understand and inspect the true perspective, it should be done on a bright day with natural day light. There are various tints of Champagne colors, such as, C1-C2 Light Champagne C3- C4 Medium Champagne C5-C6 Dark Champagne C7 Fancy Cognac.

Cut:

Sometimes, Bad or UN professional cutting can affect the color, resulting in un-even color zoning; Bow-ties that often appear in fancy cuts are not necessarily considered bad, unless it dramatically affects the totality of the color.

Clarity:

Like all other diamonds, these stones come in a range of clarities. The amount of color usually outweighs clarity unless the stone is visibly marked.