Monday 17 August 2009

Shop Safely Online

My usual blogs are about our products however; having done a lot of online shopping myself recently I decided to do a blog about shopping online.

With the recession and job layoffs we see a lot of new shopping sites popping up all over the internet. We have a lot of customers phoning in orders as they're afraid of making a purchase online. I also had a few bad experiences myself recently (a seasoned online shopper).

So for the "silver haired surfers" and the "internet newbies" what should you look out for?

  • Don't be tricked by the fancy site and stunning display of flash images. (Yes our site has it) be wary of sites that don't include telephone numbers or more than one way to contact the web owner.
  • Avoid websites that state "we are not responsible if", there are a few exceptions including delays due to postal strikes, and holidays.
  • Sellers that state they aren't responsible if your order goes missing; and that they will give you the proof of postage receipt so you can follow up the loss yourself, should be tarred and feathered. Wrong answer. Sellers are responsible to make sure the order gets to you the customer.
  • Be wary of websites that give you an option of standard postage or recorded delivery. Chances are if the order goes missing they'll be one of those sellers that makes you track your own lost parcel.
  • Recorded delivery is for the benefit of the seller, not the buyer. Recorded delivery doesn't track the order, it just shows when the order has been signed for. If you've signed for the order you know you've received it. Recorded delivery helps prevent fraud and charge back for sellers.
  • It's perfectly acceptable however; for a website to give you the option of trackable service or standard. As you are then able to follow every step of the delivery process.
  • Look for sites that have a full set of terms and conditions that cover returns, exchanges, delivery times, procedures for lost orders etc.
  • Don't assume anything based on the photo of a product. Colours look different on various monitors. So be sure to ask questions prior to ordering to avoid disappointment.
  • By law customers making purchases online are allowed a cooling off period. This generally varies between 7 to 14 working days (sometimes more). This should be stated on the site. If the site doesn't include this, ask and if you aren't given the appropriate response AVOID.
  • Websites should include a list of payment methods. If you're making a purchase by credit card or debit card make sure the page asking for your financial data has a lock symbol somewhere on the page which indicates the page is secure.
  • Google the site. This gives you an opportunity to see if there are any negative press on the site or unhappy customers venting their anger about the site's performance on other forums.
  • Websites should clearly mark information about dispatch and delivery times. The last thing you want to do is guess when you're order will arrive. Good websites will keep you updated throughout the transaction. Be sure though to check your spam folders as sometimes these updates may end up there.
  • Once you've made a purchase and received your order write a review. If the site has a review section make sure you write one. You're helping future customers make decisions on the safety and efficienty of that site.

Wednesday 17 June 2009

Glow In The Dark T-shirts by Skulbone






Skulbone t-shirts are a sub-division of the popular t-shirt company The Mountain. The same company that manufacturers the internet phenomenon Three Wolf Moon T-shirt .

One of our most popular skulbone t-shirt is "Zombie And Ghosts" a glow in the dark t-shirt featuring the artwork of Vincent Hie. This design is two in one really. By day the t-shirt displays a haunted house with gravestones and zombies. By night the walking dead disappear and are replaced by glowing ghosts.

What sets this design apart from other glow in the dark t-shirts is the fact that it's not your typical ironed on design that flakes off after a few washes. As with all The Mountain and Skulbone T-shirts their unique dying process strips out the colour from the t-shirt and then re-dyes the colours back into the shirt. Which gives the end product a design that will not only last for 100's of washes, but also feels soft to the touch.

"Zombie and Ghosts" isn't the only popular glow in the dark design. We also carry "Feast" and "Pale Horse" .

Wednesday 27 May 2009

Three Wolf Moon T-shirt



Three wolf moon t-shirt has become an internet success. Now if you google this t-shirt manfactured by The Mountain you'll find hundreds of pages, blogs, news articles about this viral phenomenon.






Tam's Treasures has been successfully selling Three Wolf Moon for a while now, and it came as a sudden surprise when our own sales sky rocketed on this particular design. After the second or third order in a row we assumed it was a coincidence, but when we had ten in a row we knew there was something special going on.






Reviews and spoof videos have branded this design somewhat of a tacky, white trash kind of design. However; art and wolf enthusiasts can appreciate Antonia Neshev the artist's detail in this beautiful image.






There's no getting around the fact this t-shirt is high quality. It's not your average t-shirt where the image is ironed on or heat pressed on. The dying press is unique and it allows the image to last for many years to come.






In addition the manufacturer's environmental ethos is something that adds to the appeal of this remarkable t-shirt.






We carry all The Mountain T-shirts ranging from wolves to fairy and fantasy. With designs and sizes to fit most of the family they are ideal for gifts and collecting.






Tam's Treasures offers 10% loyalty discounts, free delivery over UK orders of £100. We also offer a free t-shirt if you're a previous customer of ours, who is willing to send a picture we can display on our site of you wearing a Mountain t-shirt.


Whether you're looking to purchase the Three Wolf Moon T-shirt or any other t-shirt visit www.TamsTreasuresOnline.co.uk

Friday 8 May 2009

New Website



In the past 24 hours we've had a new website design uploaded at www.TamsTreasuresOnline.co.uk . Hope you all like it! We sure do. There's some new features like the new drop down side menu. We're hoping customers will find it easier to find categories and products.
There's still more to be done - the home page will show featured products, new items added and special deals. We also have to go through each product page and tweak some of the text fonts as they've all seemed to have gone a bit wonky. So patience please there's a lot of pages to change!

Saturday 28 March 2009

Earth Hour

Be apart of something global, apart of something that can make a difference. Turn off your lights for just 60 minutes tonight at 8:30pm. Take a stand to help climate change and sign up to earth hour. http://www.earthhour.org/home/ for details. The whole world is getting involved.

Saturday 14 March 2009

Horse T-shirts



Equine addicts will fall in love with our amazing horse t-shirts by The Mountain. These earth-friendly tees are made from 100% cotton (organic when possible).
The Mountain use a unique printing process that dyes the images right into the fabric. Water based inks are used so there's no harmful chemicals affecting the environment or your skin.
With 26 equine designs there is a design for everyone. Our unisex t-shirts are available in adult and children's sizes, so perfect for the whole family.

Monday 2 March 2009

Laughing Bear T-shirts




Jeffrey Severn enjoys portraying North American wildlife in humourous and endearing situations. Now his wonderfully funny artwork has been brought to life on t-shirts by The Mountain®.



Tam's Treasures Online is proud to be offering these earth-friendly Laughing Bear T-shirts




Laughing Bear isn't just funny bear designs, you'll also find some adorable moose, squirrels and raccoon artwork.




Some of our Laughing Bear designs area now available in adult small. All designs are available in adult Medium, Large, X-Large, XX-Large and XXX-Large.




These t-shirts along with all of our t-shirts make the perfect gift for any occasion.




Tuesday 6 January 2009

New Years Resolutions



It's hard to believe another year has gone and we're 9 years into the Millenium. With New Year's resolutions at hand we continue to stick to our goal of running and living a "green" business and home life.




Going green doesn't necessarily mean giving up some of life's luxuries. People use the excuse "sending an email is better for the environment" than sending letter or cards. However; our greeting cards are perfect for those who want to stick to their resolution but at the same time be a bit more personal than sending a quick email.




Our tree free greeting cards by Tree Free produce amazing blank greeting cards that are 100% tree free (hence the name). These cards are made using sustainable resources such as the kenaf plant. Kenaf grows quickly and by purchasing these cards you also support kenaf farmers.




As well as kenaf, Tree Free also use sugar cane bagasse known as Sweet Paper. This is the pulp left over over and like the kenaf requires no bleaching. Traditional paper requires bleaching which uses a lot of energy as well as chemicals that are harmful to the earth.




In addition to the earth-friendly paper Tree Free also uses soy based inks to create the beautiful images on these amazing cards.




Tree Free uses the licensed artwork of today's renowned artists and customers who may not normally be able to afford the artwork itself can have a quality reproduction on a greeting card that can be framed.




We highlight our Angel Greeting Cards this month as they are symbolic of peace, tranquility, and comfort. With so much stress and economical instability recipients will find these beautiful cards a thoughtful and warm touch.




So if going green is part of your New Year's Resolution make Tree Free Greeting Cards a part of it. Going green doesn't have to be the only reason for giving these cards, showing thoughtfulness to those you care about is a nice resolution too. Emails are fine for day to day, but greeting cards are a bit special.