Trying To Improve My Chess Skills With a Tempting Chess Set by Hannah Thore

I've been playing chess off and on for a few years now. It's something that me and one of my former roommates started doing for a while when our internet was down. And then we just started playing chess for fun even when our internet came back up. We got strangely competitive about it and kept a running score of the game outcomes. Well, I've had this strange urge to play chess again but now when I try and play it with my boyfriend he totally destroys me. And it's not like he plays chess all the time or anything!

I decided that maybe I should buy myself a nicer chess set as a way of motivating myself to play a little better. I went online to try and find some nicer chess sets and while I was doing that I ran across the website WIRELESSINTERNET.NET. After I read through it a little bit I decided to change over my home internet service to the company.

I found this one chess set that's actually part of a table. I thought that would be a really fun addition to my living room furniture.

Mind Exercise Games

A thought, my mind is always running, but I wanna keep it running! Just making sure as I age...

Recently downloaded Words With Friends in iPhone, it is pretty cool! It is something smart to do during break time, it sharpens my mind and it helps me stay up and running and think.

The one thing that I want to be really doing is play chess... Looking for a decent playmate, my wife excluded haha!

I need to keep this game to improve my strategic decisions, I am long done with Plants vs. Zombies!

Business Account

Last week was one unusual week for business. One very prominent bank closed our business account without disclosing the reason why, was that fair? Definitely not!

My business partner and I have tried our luck by dressing up corporate to try to negotiate the bank to reopen our business account, but they were just as stiff as Steve, if you know what I mean...

I have no idea if they are even allowed to that though given that they have their own restrictions whatsoever, but wasn't that some sort of discrimination? Queer.

Ebay: Price Complaint from Customer

I had overstock phones that I wanted to get rid immediately and just last week I listed them at a price difference of $50 from my previous listings. I never thought a previous customer would get back at me for bringing down the price.

CAUTION: Always put "Prices are subject to change without prior notice" in your listings.

The customer I'm talking about sent me a message complaining and cursing for the price difference. I dealt with him in a manner that won't feed his burning anger. I wrote him back, and referred to him as "my friend", and explained to him that there's nothing wrong with me changing my prices, that I just happened to get rid of the overstock items and that I didn't intend to lower the price to disadvantage my other customers.

This happening is not new by the way, I get them from time to time. I just wanted to put it down here to serve as a guide to all other eBay sellers. Just treat your customers, be it your prospect customers or existing customers with utmost priority, attend to them right away and make them feel special.

90 stars and counting!

Update With The iPad Business

Its going down, down, down, its going down...

Seems like the iPad 2 craze has died, we are slowly losing our market for iPad 2. No demand from indirect sellers, proven by the zero inquiry we are getting lately.

Early on we have identified that the profit generated from buying and selling the iPad 2 is not worth it. It is highly in demand but we cannot supply that demand so that we definitely decided to keep it off our listing in eBay and just focus on selling phones and other electronic accessories. Listing it makes no sense as it would just put more pressure on us to source it out.

Since the tsunami in Japan last month, a lot of businesses have been affected in terms of supply, Apple included. I have the gut-feel that people's interest in the new iPad 2 is not there anymore, its probably because they are waiting for iPad 3. I mean, it has been always like that.

Used Shoes: Shoe Business Opportunity in the Philippines Part 1

Photo courtesy of Will Forster from Flickr

My export business in the REDS Global Marketing side in the Philippines is still young and honestly needs some assistance in terms of sound accounting practices. I have given my aunt the authority over the retail business in the Philippines but it seems that business is not taking off. I am taking care of system for sound accounting so I could take note of the overall business's worth, considering the rental, electricity expenses, and the overhead. Anyway...

Good thing about the Philippines is that you have a market for almost everything, and used goodies is nonexempt! In our retail business where we retail majority of used clothing, shoes, accessories, kitchen utensils, appliances and etcetera, we have discovered that among all of these merchandise, we have a good market for men's shoes. Our Filipino market in Davao City is actually on the lookout for branded shoes mostly athletic shoes preferably Nike, but whatever brand name that they recognize is fine too like Adidas or Reebok. Initially what we did in the beginning (just last year) was to buy the used shoes from the Salvation Army. There are also times where we pick free stuff listed in Craigslist, so there is actually a good margin for us, especially when its all free. An idea came to mind: since this commodity is a hit and we actually generate good profit from used shoes, why not look for bulk suppliers for discount shoes online. There are actually a lot of sellers that sell by the pallets or by vans, depending on your capacity to buy.

I first came to the site called Liquidation.Com, it is an online sellers' portal for everything where the buyer have to bid for the items. I later weighed the pros and cons of bidding, and I found that its not worth it. There are bidders line up for good quality items on auction of course, but as to my cost versus profit computation, what I could afford to place a bid on are items that I am not sure of the assortments. Liquidation.Com do not provide a Contact Seller option, and I find it kind of a hassle to contact the main office to request for a manifest from the seller. I want to save time as I am an exceptionally busy person even in my sleep (go ask my wife).

So I did more research for suppliers of used shoes online. I also considered buying brand new clearance shoes from big department stores, but later on I will write on that one and for now would like to keep my focus on the used ones for this post's sake. Buying the shoes in bulk entails additional cost for the shipment and the sales tax, so I focused on looking for a supplier with a fixed price per pallet with the possibility of no sales tax that also offers free shipping across US mainland for free. Guess what? I actually found a lot of these sellers in Closeout Central.

I am currently in the process of setting up an efficient accounting system for my retail business in the Philippines and when I'm ready, I will proceed on buying used shoes in bulk. For now, I bet there is a sufficient inventory of items to sell in there and I have 5 more boxes to send this month. By the way, I send the items via a Balikbayan Box service, $65 per 22x22x22 box, 1.5 month lead time, door to door delivery.

Dealing With a Negative Feedback on eBay

Selling on eBay is not just simply selling on eBay. You have to make sure you keep your reputation by maintaining 100% feedback. Consider it like you are actually working for a boss and you want to impress this boss with your every performance, you have to keep that mindset and put that very same effort on eBay.

There is actually an article on eBay about Dealing With Your First Negative Feedback and you might want to read on that. A negative feedback is a stain in your credibility as an online seller and thus there is a need for you to work hard to counter on that negative feedback and turn it to your advantage.

Based on my experience, the first and only time I got a negative feedback got me so upset and I couldn't think of anything else but to find a way to take off that negative feedback on my page. I have asked myself couple of times why this particular buyer gave me a negative feedback when I have been so careful with all of my transactions and I always see to it that I always provide good customer service? So what could have gone wrong?

So what did I do?

I gathered my thoughts and braved myself to write the buyer and convinced him to revise his feedback. I told him things like, I just been laid off from my job and that eBay is just my only source of income at the moment. I made my story sound so hopeless and I just kept on writing him to the point of actually begging for a positive feedback. I wasn't sure if he was a constant eBayer though and if he would read my letters but I just tried my luck and two days later the negative feedback was changed into a positive one. My drama has paid off. You could also try what I did, but take caution too that it may or may not work for you at the end of the day, but also keep it mind that there is no harm in trying.

To date, I have been keeping my seller credibility at 100%. 80 yellow stars and counting!

New Laptop for Business

Four months ago I went searching for the best mini laptops online. I had to turnover my old Sony VAIO to my wife because she needs it as well for her online business and for her blogging. Four months ago it was Christmas and I figured that was the best season to get me something as a gift to myself and that would be a new laptop. I was kind of attracted to getting a netbook that time, just for a change, amidst the wild objection from wife, she was insisting on getting me the regular laptop because she knew for a fact that I like big screens. I have already decided I wanted to have something light and handy but at the same time credible and elegant-looking netbook that I could take with me to my regular job everyday without the need of hiding, so I went on and definitely bought me a Toshiba Mini NB305 netbook - the blue one, which by the way is no longer available in any retail store or online.

Just as my wife predicted it, months later I got tired and bored of using the netbook. I wanted something with a wider screen and a wider keyboard so I looked to find something as an excuse so I could buy myself a new laptop. I contemplated and decided to send my netbook to the Philippines so my cousin could use it for my little business there, I figured she would be needing to send me Excel worksheets of the monthly sales and ending inventory of the items there anyway plus I also have plans for expansion and I wanted clear records for everything.

Just days ago, my friend who at the same time is also my business partner suggested we need to get ourselves new laptops for our electronics business. There it was, opportunity revealing itself just in time! Both of us were looking for a good laptop that has a numeric keyboard on the right side just like the typical desktop keyboard. We are kind of formalizing our electronics business lately that my friend actually bought Quickbook so we could have a formal log of all our transactions. Having the numeric keyboard easily accessible on the right will make our invoicing jobs easier. It was time to search online for the best rated laptops that meet our keyboard requirement. My electrician friend told me that the best laptop brands are Dell and Sony, and I had to rely on his good judgment because he's had years of experience fixing a variety of laptops from time to time. So I figured I'd go look for best deals on laptops for either a Dell or a Sony brand. There are actually a good few laptops with our keyboard specifications mostly with 15.5" screen. My friend got a Dell-branded laptop while I got a Sony VAIO VPCE Series.

I am feeling more comfortable using this new laptop as compared to my old VAIO. Though it is wider as compared to my old laptop, I like its sleek look and i like the keyboard. Now I am moving on to learning Quickbooks, I hope I could find my way around this accounting software.

I am REDS Global, LLC

REDS Global, LLC is the name under which I've chosen to register my business. It's inception was inspired by my family's first name initials, R for Rendel (yours truly), E for Efren (my late beloved dad), D for Delia (my mom), and S for Seigfred (my brother). My then girlfriend helped me figure out the business name that I wanted with the idea of something that has an impact, a name that sounds big time and at the same time credible. I actually had thought of combining our names but fortunately with the help of my ladylove we've both prevented the creation of a business name that's more like what one would normally name a sari-sari store. Then came REDS Global which I registered as a Limited Liability Company.

I have three ongoing businesses in the Philippines, all of which i started in 2008. I started with growing bananas in a small piece of land, a lending business, and an export business spearheaded by my mom wherein we send US items to the Philippines and are sold in our two retail outlets. I thought of putting everything in order and last year I felt the want for a formality for the business. I researched for a type of business setup that will in the future put me to a great advantage, especially in terms of filing taxes. Seemed to me that a Limited Liability Company was the best option.

The Department of Trade and Industry in the Philippines though only allowed me the business name REDS Global Marketing for the Philippines. I have great ideas and plans that I would like to initiate. Currently thinking of something for more money...

iPad Smart Cover

Whoever was the proponent who first invented an accessory for something? I wonder what was the first accessory ever invented for mankind because I really feel that we owe our precious possessions of almost all sorts the need to be accessorized. I feel for you iPad 2 owners.

As the demand for iPad 2 was on its peak, so is also the undeniable demand for these cool iPad smart covers. I have posted iPad smart covers on eBay the day after iPad 2 was released, and it was two days after posting when I received an order for a color red. It seemed to me that the red one was the most saleable as people are most easily attracted to that color, and I had a headache when I couldn't source it out anywhere after I sold 2 pieces on eBay and the customer already paid. Problem was, I posted an authentic Apple Smart Cover accessory with a full Apple product description on eBay and it was out of stock and I have a five-day only handling time. I was afraid to tell the customer that the product he just bought from me was sold out, because in the first place I should have only posted products that are on hand, or if not on hand, products that I could easily source out easily if somebody places and order. Just look at this precious in-demand smart cover:

Everybody wants a color red really. I called every Apple Store around to inquire about its availability but only to no avail. It was reported that the manufacturing for iPad 2 and all its accessories were affected largely by the uneventful tsunami that hit Japan early this month.

So you might be wondering how I handled my eBay customer?

I always remind myself to treat customers with utmost priority because they give life to my business. I decided to tell the customer with all honesty and sincerity that iPad Smart Cover color red is currently sold out, but I gave him an option for another color for a discounted price. I was like letting some couple of dollars out of my hands for the sake of compensating for my customer's expectation. It was good to note that the customer was good-natured and thus opted a refund but I promised him I would be of service and get back at him as soon as the color red is made available again.

Now, does anybody know when will it be available?

People Lining Crazy for iPad 2: The So-Called Scalpers

For whatever personal or business reason, the people seem to have grown in numbers as the days go by. Competition for the iPad 2 is getting tougher.

A week after its release, the lines seen in the Apple store were overwhelming. A lot of locals have already seen the advantage of sourcing this latest hype locally and selling it international. We couldn't keep up with the competition because people are actually lining up in groups! We then decided to contract more friends and acquaintances to line up on our behalf in as early as 9 p.m. the night before to avail of the new iPad 2 shipments the following day. During the first few days this system has worked for us and we were no doubt successful in bringing home a few more tablets, but just lately there is just nobody who would dare line up anymore as the groups started to line up as early as 5 p.m. Its getting real crazy.

At the peak of this iPad 2 craze comes some written posts about "US" Asians or Russians being termed as scalpers. Wow. Scalpers it is, but this is how you do some business you haters!

I would like to make my official written statement, and this is to tell to the world that we, the so called scalpers, are entitled to our opinions and/or ideas also.

First of all, what we are doing is nothing illegal. Buy and sell is a long time trading practice for the business-minded that we have just chosen to pursue. Apple reserves the right to allow or disallow repetitive purchases of its products, and last time I've heard, Apple have been accommodating and lenient. Point is, we scalpers are not breaking any rule here. We are just simply doing buy and sell as we were born with this talent for business.

It shouldn't be taken against "US" Asians or Russians if you couldn't get yourself an iPad 2 at the time you want and at the price you want.

It is not our fault that we were born aggressive and competitive. We decided to make our money work for us in our own legal little way.

By the time I publish this post, people are no longer lining up for iPad 2, but business is still alive.

iPad 2 Craze: Another Business Opportunity!

March 11, 2011 was the day Apple officially released its new and improved tablet iPad 2 in the US market! Announcement was made on March 10 about the official sale to happen at 5 p.m. the next day across the 236 Apple outlets in America and at select authorized dealers.

Me and my friend set up a plan on what to do on March 11 so we could get more iPad 2 as possible. Like everyone else, thinking about business, we need to have more than sufficient iPad 2 in stock so we can supply a large demand from our international buyers. What's good about being here in the US is that we are way way ahead of other countries in almost every aspect. We have the advantage of supply, the advantage of price, and the advantage of being a trusted supplier selling 100% authentic stuff! We have the edge whichever way we look at it, and that means money baby! Here is a new opportunity that we would like to hit big!

On March 11, we formed two groups to line up at the Apple Store and in Best Buy. The line started shortly after 12 noon where it was so amazing to see people of all ages and style lined up for this new tablet innovation. It was a long line, and it was a cold day but we endured it. We have a goal we kept in mind and we were on to hit it in every way we can. The Apple staff were upbeat to keep people alive and interested by sharing more information about the new iPad 2 while patiently and/or impatiently waiting for the gates to open. Complimentary mineral water were given to those who lined up and an open free overflowing coffee was sitting right in front of the then closed Apple Store in Oakridge Mall, here in San Jose California. Finally, the clock hit 5 p.m. and chaos from the people's tension was overwhelming! At Oakridge, there was a 2 tablet limit per person and everybody wanted to have the 16Gb white iPad, but unfortunately at Best Buy, only 1 tablet per person was allowed, and the most number of our group lined up in Best Buy! The adrenaline rush at that very moment was unexplainable, we had a target of 50 iPad 2 for that day, plus there was the possibility of stock shortage which could have meant failure for our goal that day.

At the end of the day we gathered a total of 17 tablets, a mere 35% of our overall target. Lesson learned: focus on the Apple Store!

The next steps we took were far more bloody as compared to the release date as we were on to line up as early as 11 p.m. the day before to avail of the next iPad 2 shipment the following day. More of this story in my next post.

Business from iPad 2 is sure to be doing just great!

Already have your iPad 2? You may want to check out these following accessories to dress it up!

Electronics for eBay

Now here's an E for Electronics in eBay...
I saw the potential of electronics in eBay, but thanks to my friend who I give a lot of credit for seeing the electronics market ahead of me. Almost everybody is always sold out to a new techie gadget, and I guess it is evident that the world is on for more techie unimaginable gadgets to come. A lot of new techie stuff are being created and it makes people crazy for the want of having it ahead of others. From simple mobile headset to hands-free devices, regular cellular phones to smart phones, from desktop computers to laptops and now to tablets, the electronics department in eBay has got to be the most profitable online business right now!

I sell smartphones, tablets, and other electronics accessories in eBay. There is only one consideration for me to keep selling this stuff consistently, and that is for the fact that I never cease to close a sale while I am on my official daytime job! Just how convenient is that? 57 stars to date by the way.

Unlike the old days, most people are willing to change their phones or computers for a new model eventhough what they currently have is still functional. There is always this excitement to get the latest model, because, it is cool and it is IN! Here is my opportunity to source out this demand locally and sell it online and people just buy it at the price I set! The only hassle I get is sourcing the stock, but selling is no sweat, it is almost effortless if not for the posting that I also have to make sure is a standout among other sellers.

Here is iPhone, the phone that is considered to have changed the world. Almost everybody in the world is on the go to have this smartphone. I am not in awe why people instantly loved the iPhone when it was launched, but here I'm showing you a study conducted that shows the level of satisfaction people get from using iPhone which is probably why they just love it! It's the iPhone's smart usability! People live in an online world, important emails need to be checked form time to time, a social networking that needs to be updated, plus lately the need to shout to the world by tweeting! The iPhone is just the perfect convenient phone fit for all these online activities because of its unique interface. Everybody is tuned-in to the latest development in iPhones that everybody patronized it since the original iPhone, to iPhone 3G, until iPhone 3Gs, and now the latest which is iPhone 4.

What's good in my market is that, I still have buyers of iPhone 3G and 3Gs. I know how to play this iPhone wars ongoing online and I see to it that if I do not fair well in the price, I will turn them down by making a good post and a promise of good customer service, and by far I am doing good at it.

Deciding What to Sell on eBay

Online sellers are always in for the money, but who isn't? In eBay, the very first obstacle you are going to face is making the first sale. Keeping the sales coming in is the next big obstacle. For the most part, it is deciding what product to sell in eBay which will lead you in bagging the money.

I recall the relationship between demand and supply from my economics subject and what I learned from it, but I am not sharing it here anymore because I am afraid I will go wrong. I mean, supply and demand is basic and everybody should already know it. I will be sharing more about the theory of demand instead where supply is low. Look around you, what do you think is the one thing that people always want to buy, look at it in the perspective not just of the price the buyer is willing to pay but also its availability in the market. Selling on-demand items where supply is low is the most exciting! Why? It is because where the demand is high and the supply is low, profit is more promising as buyers are willing to pay for the price! It is like hitting the target! So think, think, and think! Luckily for me I haven't thought about what product to sell as my friend already conceptualized the idea and the plan for me, thus leading me as well to venture in consumer electronics.

Whatever it is that you feel like selling, go ahead and sell it! There is money in those garbage of yours, unused clothing and other garage items could be a treasure for others and you can earn from them! Buy and sell is also a hit. I do buy and sell, I source my products locally in individual item or wholesale, and I sell it online.

To update you guys, my stars went to 45 already. That was fast!

Utilizing eBay Online Resources

Think positive all the time, this is the very first tip that everyone who wants to be successful eBayer should religiously follow. A lot of people, mostly impatient people will try to bring you down and discourage you on selling on eBay, what with the fees that eBay takes out plus the fees that PayPal takes out as well which boils down to lesser profit. To become a successful in eBay, you just got to learn, pick the right products to sell, establish good relationship with your network, and always believe in your guts. Oh, and I almost forgot, be friends with every eBay reading material that you encounter because you will be surprised to learn something to help you succeed.

A sucker for learning, I went on to read eBay's very own online resources. It basically contains all the primary things you have to know in navigating the site, getting yourself ready to sell, and other eBay tools that will contribute to your selling success. If you think this online material is very basic and you think you can still succeed without having to read it, then go ahead and feel free to skip it. It is always good to note however that every learning experience is an advantage and so I keep a mindset to always learn more in order for me to increase my chances to be more successful. I've got nothing lose anyway, all I want is to learn something more.

Aside from eBay's online resources, there are lot of free materials in the internet that tackles selling tips on eBay. All you have to do is to teach yourself to spend a little time everyday to read these tips and follow them by heart. The world has already become a better place for everybody as as you could actually access these reading materials and a whole lot more of helpful information in the internet without having to pay anything at all.

If you have trouble finding out more of eBay reading materials, you may want to try out these below suggestions:

1. How to be Successful on eBay
2. Top 10 Tips to be Successful on eBay
3. How to Start a Successful eBay Business
4. Successful eBay Selling Strategies
5. Is a Good Reputation Important in eBay?
6. 8 Tips for Creating a Successful eBay Storefront
7. Learning How to be Successful at Selling on eBay
8. Keys to eBay Selling

Take note that again, just be patient. I haven't heard of somebody yet who has become a millionaire just for selling on eBay, but if you are looking for a steady, hassle-free income by the side, eBay is for you.

Learning eBay For the First Time

I got to say this, I am a serious man, even more serious when I am learning something because I want to get something out of it. Well for everybody at least, that is just the way to do it! That is how I define and apply FOCUS. My greatest motivation of all in this material world, as you may all know is MONEY. Always the money.

I had to put serious time and effort when I was first learning eBay, like you would always find me stuck in my computer most of the time, even when I was at work because I wanted to be noticed as a seller, I wanted my postings to be noticed and definitely sell. You can only gauge your success in eBay when you sell items, and you sell them fast, and you constantly get positive feedback from your buyers. I have this mindset to always return the same courtesy when I buy stuff from other eBayers, I always see to it that I leave them a feedback because I now know, and very well how these feedback matter to every eBayer, be it a buyer or a seller. I was so eager to learn the ins and outs of eBay because I wanted to be a successful eBayer too. For one, I have already recognized the opportunity in selling in eBay because this online shopping site goes worldwide! So I thought of really taking it seriously, even going to my friend's house almost everyday because I was so hungry with what he has to feed me about eBay. Fortunately though, in no time, I was able to sell my first item, and shortly after that, with a little more effort, the sales keep of coming to this very day.

Also, one thing about becoming a successful entrepreneur is always about the patience. I recognize that everything I do will definitely, more or less, will take some time. I recognize the fact that I couldn't become successful, at least as successful as my friend in eBay overnight. I recall my very first posts were all about iPhone cases. If you have any idea what these cases cost, you would actually think I was crazy for selling in eBay considering the fees they'll take out from my every sale. One iPhone case would cost around $4-$9, and yes, not that enough profit I know, but it was during that time that my excitement to post more profitable items started. It was during that time that I started to post iPods, bluetooth devices, iPads, and then smartphones. In ebay, if you try to research it, the fast selling items are in the electronics category, and it is where all of my items fall. When the time came that I was already familiar with eBay, I began to be conscious of eBay reading materials in the internet, and in my next post I will share how these reading materials have helped me.

Business on the Side - eBay 101

It has been a long time since I last blogged. A lot of happenings lately. My dad died on July 2010, completely leaving me to take over the family finances. I had an ongoing immigration petition for my the fiance, now officially my wife, way back in the Philippines that required a lot of attention and a lot of money. My grandmother in the Philippines died, thus postponing my wedding to 2011 and having my wife unemployed for a longer period as was expected. These events were just some of the outstanding highlights in my 2010. No wonder I was off for a long time. I had to look for ways to earn additional money.

A friend of mine was into selling smart phones in eBay. He has no job but he earns his decent income - tax free - by just selling online. He started his business way back in 2007 and now that he has built his network and established his credibility as an online seller, he never has to worry for looking for a steady job again. Luckily, this friend of mine was generous enough and has encouraged me to venture into this online business, also selling smart phones and other tech gadgets like he does. He helped me establish my credibility by building up positive feedback from my buyers. He taught me everything from scratch, how to post, what kind of photos to post to get a buyer's attention, the content of each post, and the best time to post a listing so that it appears on top of other listings. Right now, for nine months I have already sold a couple of phones and has earned 30 stars more or less in eBay, with positive feedback from my buyers, I am a credible online seller, a credible eBayer.

Selling in eBay was one thing that I considered doing just to get an extra income at the beginning, as an addition to to my monthly paycheck. I never thought this could really be helpful, earning a couple more dollars a month by just posting and waiting for a buyer to see my post online is just so convenient.

I'd like to share more about online selling on my next posts. I will be redeeming myself in this little blog and will seriously start putting on some business lessons for everybody to read.