Tag: Price

Testimony of Simplicity

Staff Writer

Over the course of the last decade, a vast majority of Americans pulled out a great, big pair of rose-colored glasses and tricked themselves into believing our financial worth was invincible. We tricked ourselves into believing—regardless of the fact that the value of our money was declining—massive borrowing and spending was acceptable. Somehow, some way, debts would be cleared, McMansion mortgages would be met and keeping up with the Jones’ could be an attainable goal.  

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Intelligent Beams of Light

Michael Cornnell

It’s serious deadline business time right now on the magazine, so I don’t have a lot of time to devote to a long, clever post neatly relating to our industry (or attempting one anyway). I thought I would instead just give you all a quick blurb of something that that didn’t get into my computer accessories story for May.

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I’m Switzerland

Staff Writer

A morning trip to the eye doctor means I can’t technically see that well right now, which should make this blog post extremely interesting for everyone involved, particularly the poor soul who has to proofread this.
Anyway, so I’m working on a feature for our upcoming issue on products made in the USA, and that old Dave Mason song just kept going through my head: “There ain’t no good guys, there ain’t no bad guys, it’s only you and me and we just disagree.”

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U.S. Postal Service Price Changes Go Into Effect

Staff Writer

With all the excitement surrounding the Inauguration, we just wanted to take a minute to remind everyone as of January 18, 2009, U.S. Postal Service domestic and international shipping rate increases will take effect.
From the USPS:
U.S. Postal Service to Change Shipping Prices in January
New Annual January Price Change Consistent with Industry Practices
WASHINGTON, DC —Pricing for shipping services will change on Sunday, Jan. 18, the Postal Service announced today following a vote by its Board of Governors.
“The move to annual January price changes for shipping services products is consistent with industry-wide practice, and provides a clear picture of

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Guilt Trip

Staff Writer

We travel a lot as an industry, I’ve come to learn. And being that I just finished my first-ever promotional products trade-show cycle, I feel a little trepidation at the thought of starting all over come January. I just booked my flights for ASI Orlando and I’m tired already.
I realize making face-to-face connections is invaluable, particularly with you party animals, and maybe that alone is worth the price of admission (flights, booths/accoutrement, shipping, client dinners, etc.). But in terms of ROI, at what point do they stop being valuable and start becoming “same old, same old”? How many times a year do

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Fastbadge Comes Fighting Back

Staff Writer

Slidell, Louisiana-based Fastbadge announced it has reopened its doors after Hurricane Gustav forced mandatory closures and evacuations. While the company is still experiencing limited pick-up services from FedEx and the United Parcel Service, the company stressed the limitations would be short-lived and further that it is currently shipping some orders. Fastbadge thanks customers for showing further patience as the final few employees return to town and the company returns to a full workforce.
For more information on Fastbadge, visit www.fastbadge.com
Greater China Holds Steady
Greater China Industries, based in Bellvue, Wash., announced it will honor 2008 prices for distributors on the next price quote

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Five Things More Expensive Than Gas

Staff Writer

It’s really an exciting time for water-cooler talk. Hillary calls it quits, a heat wave hits the East Coast, and gas prices are doing their very own imitation of that Mountain Climber game from the Price is Right. Of the three, I think gas prices truly have the staying power to be part of office chatter for quite some time.
Gas prices have risen from $1.34 just under eight years ago, (Hmm, what happened eight years ago?) to a staggering nationwide average of just more than $4—an pproximate 64 percent increase. In an effort to help everyone cope, I’ve put together a

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$200 a Barrel Oil

Staff Writer

Light, sweet crude. This market term for oil is somehow endearing, hearkening back to a time when Hollywood glorified oil men. Wildcatters striking it rich and Jed Clampett moving his family to Beverly … Hills, that is. There was an everyman’s face put to the image of oil wealth.
Oh, how times have changed.
As of today, oil has peaked to an all-time high of more than $122 dollars a barrel as worried traders start buying on what they think the future will hold, whether it be increased demand (see China and India) or decreased supply (see OPEC). And as

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