What Are the Types of Online Casino Bonuses and How to Use Them?

By

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July 21, 2020

A-Brief-History-of-Online-Casino-Games — Source: games

Online casino games are enjoyed by millions of gamblers all around the world, and with the recent closure of land based casinos due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of online based casino users have since doubled according to Robin Chhabra, CEO of the recently launched FOX Bet. Websites that are categorized as a Bitcoin Casino use Bitcoins instead of real money to gamble, which further reduces risks for players all around. Because of this new method of transaction, which prioritises the best bang for your buck, first time players find themselves in a more welcoming and less precarious environment.

Online casino bonuses usually consist of extra credits, money, or spins on the house. Depending on the type of bonus and what online house the player chose, one, two or all bonuses may be granted to new and existing players. This typically comes in the form of a sign-up package, reload package, or a loyalty package. These packages can give players an edge when it comes to opportunities to gamble and make the most out of their money.

In this guide, we will be teaching you everything that you need to know about the bonuses and how to use them to your advantage.

Sign-up Bonus

The most popular online casino bonuses are the Sign-up packages. This is sometimes known as the New Player Bonus. The most common amount given to new players is $100. However, like any other deal out there, you have to look at the fine print, seeing as many do not follow a standardized form of this bonus. In fact, depending on where you’re playing, some casinos might offer it in monthly increments rather than lump sums.

There are also bonuses called Percentage Bonuses that come with a sign-up package. These bonuses vary from website to website, but essentially gives you more money to gamble. For example: if you deposit $100 and the online casino of your choosing has a Percentage Bonus of 100%, that means that the they will give you an extra $100, meaning you now have a total of $200 to gamble. However, it doesn’t stop there, as some websites can give up to a 300% Percentage bonus. That being said, this bonus usually requires you to deposit a huge amount of money, and can vary from casino to casino. BitCoin Casinos do this even better than regular one, such as when Bspin.io offers a 100% bonus on the player’s first deposit, with a maximum bonus of 1,000,000 µ฿. Of course, this will vary from website to website, but after an extensive search, This casino appears to have the best offer in comparison to other BitCoin Casinos.

No Deposit Bonus

The No Deposit bonus is exactly what it says, and is usually around $20 to $30. In this scenario, players don’t need to deposit anything, a strategy meant to encourage new players to test out games they would normally be too intimidated to play. Be careful, though, because all No Deposit Bonuses are subject to wagering requirements, meaning that there is a minimum playthrough amount required in order to qualify for a withdrawal of winnings. For example, in a $20 No Deposit Bonus with a 20x playthrough, you must wager a total of ($20×20 Playthroughs) $400 in order to withdraw your winnings. That being said, the Bonus does not require the player to have $400 worth of winnings in their wallet in order to withdraw, simply that they need to have completed $400 worth of wagers. All things considered, this is a wonderful feature, seeing as if the player wins, there will be a 100% profit with 0 risks taken.

Reload Bonus

Reload bonuses exist for new and veteran online casino players as a means of incentivizing players to reload and continue gambling. This strategy is similar to Percentage bonuses, and while the bonuses vary from casino to casino, it usually comes with an additional 75% bonus on the player’s first deposit, 50% on the second, and 100% on the third.

Monthly Deposit Bonus

This bonus is similar to reload bonuses and loyalty bonuses. As the name suggests, should a player be a consistent presence in a casino, they will award players with a monthly bonus, the amount of which is dependent on how much the player has gambled. The advice here is to contact the casino’s customer service support team to take advantage of this bonus, seeing as it isn’t advertised as often. Despite that, the casino’s customer service team will in most cases accommodate the request for a monthly deposit bonus.

High Roller Bonus

High roller bonuses are for players who deposit money of upwards to $1,000, and can come with 50% bonuses no matter how many times the player has reloaded. This means that for every $1,000 deposited, that’s an extra $500 of gambling money.

Cash back bonuses

Cash back bonuses is an Online Casino’s way of saying thank you for choosing them and making a deposit. It’s a way to reassure new and old players that losses will be mitigated. It’s not meant to earn money. Rather, the point of this bonus is to help your bank roll recover after a loss. Depending on the casino, this can be used for an unlimited number of times, but most Online Casino websites usually only offer this bonus to loyal customers and high rollers. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule, seeing as websites such as Vipscasino allow new players to take advantage of bitcoin and cash back bonuses, respectively.

Do’s and Don’ts

This is it, the playing grounds. Before anything else, you have to consider all the pros and cons of participating in online gambling. Next, you have to remember to read the fine print of the gambling website’s bonuses before accepting any of them, seeing as they vary from website to website, and not doing so might cause unnecessary confusion – not to mention, losses.

1. Always take advantage of your free bonuses.

2. Remember that different gambling websites have different rules for different games, as well as different bonus requirements and different cash-out requirements.

3. Make sure to check the expiration date on all of their offers. It would be a shame to miss out on a monthly opportunity that a casino might offer.

4. Always talk to a customer service representative before making a deposit to make sure you aren’t missing any bonuses that you might be eligible for.

5. Last but not least, don’t bet money that you cannot lose. Keep things fun, not dangerous. If you or anyone you know has a gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to call 1-800-522-4700 NCPG to talk to someone or get help.

How to Manage Your Money and Still Have Fun Playing Online Slots

By

Iva Aris

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July 21, 2020

Gambling can be a lot of fun, but every gambler knows that it can also be dangerous. If you want to gamble and have a good time, then you need to be careful about how you manage your money.

You also need to make sure that you’re using a reputable site so that your data isn’t sold to unscrupulous individuals or used maliciously.

Fortunately, this is all easier than you might think. To help you have fun while gambling, we’ve put together a list of everything that you need to know to manage your money and maximize your enjoyment of online slot games.

Set Yourself A Budget

The single most effective tool for managing your money better in any circumstance is going to be to set yourself a proper budget. Your budget should lay out exactly how much money you have, how much money you have coming in, and how much money you, therefore, have available to spend. Make sure that you account for all of your expenditures such as rent, bills, and groceries before you start putting money aside to gamble with.

Gambling in any form always presents a risk; you can never be certain that you will make a return or even leave with as much money as you went in with. However, if you have a budget to work with, then you won’t have to worry about your losses accumulating until they cause you serious financial pain. Make sure that you set a large enough budget to give you some room to have fun, but still allow you to keep your savings safe.

Stay Within Your Limits

Setting yourself a budget is an excellent first step, as it will give you an idea of exactly how much money you have available to you and what your general financial situation is. However, your budget is no good if you aren’t going to be able to stick within the limit that you have set yourself. It is important that you are as strict as you can be in this regard. Don’t let yourself spend a penny more than you have set aside.

Of course, in order to stay within these limits, you are going to have to exercise some self-control. If you know that self-control is something that you struggle with, then you might want to consider whether you can put up some other barriers to stop yourself from exceeding your limits. For example, you could open a new bank account that has no overdraft facility, meaning that you will never be able to spend more than you have in the account. You can then deposit money into this account to gamble with and not have to worry about going over the limit.

By using this approach, you can ensure that you don’t accidentally spend more than your set gambling limits. After all, it’s easy to get carried away when you’re having fun, and then suddenly find that you’ve spent way more than you intended to, but with a separate bank account you can’t make this mistake. You can also set up alerts from your online banking provider to let you know when you’ve reached a particularly spending limit, so you always know how much you’ve spent and how much you have left to play with.

Play With Casinos You Can Trust

Fortunately, the number of fraudulent online casinos out there is pretty low. For the most part, you can be confident that the top results in Google are going to be legitimate casinos that you can trust with your money. However, there are casinos that while not fraudulent is certainly incompetent. These are the casinos that represent the biggest risk to players. There are all kinds of horror stories of players who have been unable to withdraw their winnings for months – if they ever get their hands on them at all. As such, you should try to avoid them and work to find a reputable casino that you can trust.

Whether you are looking to play online slots or classic casino games, it is worth spending some time beforehand to check out your options and vet any casinos that you are considering using. For example, Unikrn casino has a great and verifiable reputation. They also offer rapid withdrawals so you can pocket your winnings as soon as possible after you earn them. As such, they’re the perfect online casino provider for anyone seeking to play online slots and other classic casino games.

Sticking to trustworthy casinos that have a proven track record means that you don’t have to worry about running into difficulties accessing your own money. There’s nothing worse than being kept away from a big win and losing your initial stake because the casino doesn’t want to play ball.

Try Demo Versions If You Can

Online slot games are based around the same fundamental principle; they all work in essentially the same way at their core. However, digitized slot machines often, in fact, nearly always, throw their own twists on the classic formula. Every slot game that you play will have its own set of symbols, its own bonuses to be triggered, and, in some cases, its own unique gameplay mechanics. While this definitely adds a new dimension to these games, it can also make things a bit confusing the first time you load up the game.

If the slot game that you want to play offers a free demo version, then it is a good idea to try this out before you put any money down. Not only will the demo version enable you to get to grips with the mechanics of the game, but it will also enable you to see how the betting works for the title you are looking at. Together, these both reduce the chances of you wasting your money.

While there are no guarantees when you are playing online slot games, taking the right approach will enable you to protect your funds to some extent. If you are worried about managing your money while playing the slots, stick to the advice we have set out above. We hope that this article helps you to gamble safely and still have fun.

Addiction to Video Games and Android Parental Control Apps: Two Reasons to Rejoice, 3 Reasons to Worry

By

Daniela Meyer

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July 21, 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO) has just created a new category of addiction: the addiction to video games (gaming disorder). It is defined as follows:

“Gaming disorder is characterized by persistent or recurring gaming behavior (“digital gaming” or “video-gaming”), which may be online (on the Internet) or offline, manifested by:

An alteration of the control of games (e.g. appearance, frequency, intensity, duration, end, context);
Give more priority to gambling as gambling takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities; and
The continuation or escalation of the game despite the occurrence of negative consequences.

Behavior is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, professional, or other areas of functioning. The pattern of gambling behavior may be continuous or episodic and recurrent. Gaming behavior and other characteristics are normally evident over a period of at least 12 months for a diagnosis to be made, although the required duration can be shortened if all diagnostic conditions are met and symptoms are severe. ”

If this pathology falls within the framework of addictions, it does not meet the same definition as addiction to alcohol or tobacco. This is indeed what is called a “behavioral” addiction. The main difference with addictions related to toxic substances is that the drinker must definitely stop drinking and the smoker to smoke at the risk of relapse, while the cure of addiction to video games does not involve a total withdrawal, but the ability to return to moderate use considered normal. It is quite obvious that the use of the same word “addiction” for two pathologies as different will not fail to cause much confusion… No one has ever denied that there are pathological uses of video games.

Two reasons to rejoice

The ambition is humanist: to better explore a pathology to better understand it and ultimately better care for it. In many countries, all people in pain can benefit from a refund of their care, or even free care in the dispensaries, it is far from being the same in all countries. With this official recognition, if it is subsequently confirmed by the DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is the reference work published by the American Psychiatric Association, describing and classifying mental disorders), people who feel that they suffer from such a pathology will be able to benefit from psychotherapeutic support, at least in the countries where this offer exists. It will become easier to practice specialized tests such as electroencephalogram and brain MRI, which will help advance research. It is therefore expected a gain of understanding, at least at the level of brain function, with the hope of thus laying the foundations of a more objective psychiatric science.

The risk of abusive diagnoses: confusing the cause and the origin

In real, many of these requests will end up with psychologists or psychiatrists. The risk of the qualifier “addiction to video games” is to forget that such a symptom, as recalled by Unicef, usually originated in a problem that the person can not overcome. A large number of studies conducted over the past two decades suggest that problems with the use of digital tools may arise as a kind of self-medication to escape difficult real-life situations. For example, if someone feels sad or stressed, he is tempted to connect, to escape this sadness or stress, an application that offers immersion and distraction, like an online video game. The consequences are both positive for this person (she feels temporarily better) and negative (the real cause is not necessarily treated). In the long run, adaptive behavior may become habitual unless the underlying problem is solved. The cause of the addiction is in the video game, but its origin is in the difficulty considered insurmountable that led the player to flee in the digital world. The key is to tackle the underlying issues that can lead to harmful digital engagement in order to overcome this problematic behavior. The same work indicates that conversely, a constrained reduction of screen time is only a superficial intervention that is unlikely to achieve its objective.

The risk of abusive treatment

It is likely that this may also result in abusive chemotherapy. Such treatments will indeed be all the more prescribed as the creation of an “addiction to video games“, largely relayed by the media (which had mostly not expected this official recognition to trumpet that he had a) may cause parents to panic and spark a wave of consultation! The danger, of course, is that overworked GPs are tempted to respond to parental anxieties with various forms of medical prescription. And what else could they do?

The risk of reducing teenage suffering on addictive pathology

The creation of a “video games addiction” will not change the mode of care. On the other hand, places of care may change. So far, pathological gamblers have been cared for in multipurpose care centers, such as Psychological Medical Centers (CMPs) and Psycho-Pedagogical Medical Centers (PPCs). But strong the recognition by WHO, centers of addictology may rise to the front line by claiming additional credits. With the risk that a large number of young people not suffering as such from “addiction to video games” according to the definition given by the WHO, find support impossible elsewhere, thereby fueling the idea, with their parents, is an ideal solution.

How can parents control the situation?

Well, to tackle the situation efficiently, parents are provided with digital tools such as FamilyTime Android parental control. With the app, they can not only see what games their kids play but can also analyze the time they spend on these games with the information of the games played such as version and date of installation. If for any reason, you find the game inappropriate for kids, they can always block those from the same app you installed. Not all parental apps offer these features but the advanced app FamilyTime provides all these with additional parental controls for mobile monitoring, web monitoring and location tracking, etc.

8 Biggest Misconceptions About Online Pokies

By

Abdar Grincoli

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July 21, 2020

projections-of-the-future — Source: casinonewsdaily

Online gambling has become quite popular recently. Players invest a huge amount of money to gamble. With so much popularity, it is of no surprise that it has several myths about losing, winning, and other similar facts.

We are going to clear a few misconceptions that players have heard about the gambling industry. People seem to believe one or the other myths, or their different versions. However, most of the misconceptions are nothing more than outraging mythz.

In this article, you will find a few misconceptions that are widely dispersed. Topslots New Zealand have busted the myths that have been prevailing around online pokies for long. The realm of gambling online has some significant mistakes, and people are also investigating whether they are true or just a fallacy.

These misconceptions are some common ones that online players had experienced in the past about playing online slots. Find a few of them below to ensure that they are not facts.

1. In Auto Play, The Player Has A Very Slim Opportunity Of Winning

This is a myth that is very far from being true. With the help of the autoplay feature, players get more flexibility while playing online slots. They can also take small breaks in between the game if required. If you are playing online slots in an unlicensed casino, you will not have to worry about anything. Such casinos available online tend manipulating the outcome, and hence, the players rarely get a fair chance to win.

2. You Might Lose If You Play During Some Specific Hours

Players often believe that they will win more if they play during the odd hours of the day. For instance, they think that if they play early in the morning or late during the night, they will earn more. This is true for land-based casinos since they have peak hours. But online casino slot machines cannot function in the same manner. Results are declared by RNG. Therefore, they cannot be impacted by a few factors present externally. Such things are easily discoverable by regulating bodies of the gambling world when they conduct independent testing.

3. High Rollers Can Only Obtain Benefits From Progressive Jackpots

You will find that new casinos are emerging very frequently, and therefore, there is a need for imposing strict rules. Regulating bodies are in the process of assessing regulations more stringent on the operators of the casino. As a result, casinos that are reputable will avoid committing any act that makes them lose registration or license. They will also lose their customers. This is an era where almost every player has equal chances of gaining a jackpot. Don’t just plan on yanking on the jackpot. In the process, you may also experience losses.

4. Slots Are Defined As Either Cold Or Hot

While playing online slots, players generally experience that at times the slots don’t pay.

There are some other stints in which payments are involved for an extended period. People generally believe that slot machines have different programs for streaks that are hot and cold. However, some reputable sites that have slots don’t set their machines’ programming to hot or cold streaks. Each spin of the slot machine is unique and completely adheres to the RNG rule.

5. It Is Tough To Earn Big By Using Bonuses

If you have been lately into playing online slots, you must also be aware that casinos offer frequent bonuses to both new and existing players. The bonuses may arrive in the form of no deposit, free spins, high roller, payment methods, etc. However, different techniques are used by the land-based casinos. Using such approaches, they retain loyal customers and entice new ones. When bonuses are maximized, your chances of winning big are not reduced at all. Hence, it would help if you did not hesitate to utilize the bonus after you get them offered through online games.

6. Slots Machines Are Believed To Rely On Systems That Are Rigged

It is often assumed by several players that rigged slot machines often experience a losing streak. There are several reasons because of which this is responsible. It is only developers who are capable of controlling RNA technology. You can have the best slots played in sites that have licensed slots. Hence, players should stay away from games that are pirated. Do your homework and due diligence before you plan to play online slots. Also, check the online reviews about how authentic a website is.

7. New Slots Bring A Variety

This myth is partially correct. However, there is a more fact that the players who play online slots are usually fickle. The players have a habit of changing online slots when they believe that they are about to lose a streak. Players often look for options that are alternative, and online casinos keep looking for opportunities. They are always ready to attract consumers. This way, they can also have a backup plan to steam on.

8. It Is Illegal To Gamble Online

This myth has been there for quite some time now, and it is persisting that you should not gamble online. They believe that it is illegal to do so. You can freely play casino slots online that are based in different countries. They will not break any law by doing so. There are several options available that are much higher in quality, and provide excellent gaming experience to the players without making them do anything illegal or break any rules.

Final Thoughts

Pokie machines have random spins. It means that the chances of winning or losing are not decided. There are equal chances of whether a player wins or loses a match. It all depends on the spins and luck. It has nothing to do with what time you are playing or whether you are playing with an available bonus or not. Take such games as fun, and invest only the amount that you can bear to lose. Please do not make the mistake of gambling to the extent that you cannot afford it.

Can I Ride My Escooter to the Shops

By

Billy Voss

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July 21, 2020

Many factors influence your choice when buying an electric scooter. The speed they can develop, the distance you can cross with a single battery charge, whether it can be assembled easily and quickly, the color, the manufacturer. A lot will influence your decision. And of course the price. A positive trend of declining prices of electric scooters has been noticed, as there are more and more manufacturers and production is growing. So it becomes more accessible for every budget. For this reason, we see them more and more often, and people start driving them in all sorts of places.

What are e scooters?

An electric scooter is a vehicle that has two wheels and whose power source is an electric motor with a rechargeable battery. The battery is adapted for charging in ordinary sockets, so you can charge at home or work, unlike electric cars, which generally require a different way of charging. The speed reached by average electric scooters is between 10 and 30 kilometers per hour, but there are also models that can reach almost 100 kilometers per hour. They are for experienced professionals and are very expensive. Battery autonomy varies from many factors, primarily from the weight of the driver, driving conditions and the like. For now, in most countries of the world, they are not regulated by law, so you do not need a driver’s license.

As problems with environmental pollution are an increasingly important topic, advancements in technology have enabled us to have vehicles like electric scooters that have multiple benefits for both us and our planet. And at www.ridetowheels.com, you can find everything about electric scooters which can be great before you buy one.

Can I Ride my Escooter to The Shops?

Many people love using their escooters to get to where they need to be. Escooters are a very modern form of transportation that is also quite environmentally friendly. However, according to www.escooter.co.uk, you should not ride anything that could cause difficulties for pedestrians. While the law does not mention escooters, many people have translated it and decided that these should not be ridden on pavements.

If you want to ride your escooter to the shops, you may, therefore, consider riding it on a quiet road. This is where the 1988 Road Traffic Act can come in and put a dampener on things.

Using your Escooter Safely

However, escooters have been built for use in urban environments and they are becoming increasingly popular. There is also encouragement among the riders to make people use their new modes of transportation safely. So what should we do until the law changes? Here are a few suggestions:

Do Not Ride On The Road

You should not ride on the road under any circumstances, at least until the UK’s laws change. Motorists will not be able to see you and they won’t be looking out for you. Roads are not made for small wheels, so you’re likely to catch them in potholes or on uneven areas of the road. If you fall off your escooter when you’re on the road, you could be seriously injured. Stick to the pavement for now, even if the shop you’re headed for is just around the corner.

Do Not Frighten Pedestrians

Be nice to other people. Don’t zoom passed them too quickly or too closely. You could hurt someone, so make sure you consider pedestrians and other pavement users.

Find an alternative route if you need to or use the pavement at a different time of day. Just make sure you don’t frighten anyone as you don’t want to give escooters and their riders a bad name.

Don’t Take Risks

While you might feel the need to take a few risks, you should avoid doing so at all times. Expect a pavement’s surface to change, expect there to be inclines and unstable surfaces. Don’t take any risks as they could result in serious injury. If you’re not sure whether you can ride on a particular surface, don’t. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Plan Your Journey

Plan where you need to be and how you’re going to get there. If the pavement is usually busy at 9 am, use it at 8:45 am. Think about the pavements you’re going to be using, are they narrow? Is there an incline? Try to use flat pavements that aren’t too busy. Your journey will be quicker in the long run.

Make Yourself Known

When you’re using your escooter, you should make yourself known. Ensure that other people can see you. If you’re riding at night or in the early morning, consider wearing a high viz. You might also want to add a light to your scooter if it doesn’t already have one. You could also consider using a bell to warn people you’re approaching them. Anything you can do to make yourself more visible is good.

Stay Protected

Protect yourself by wearing a helmet every time you use your new escooter. If you have a fall, you’re less likely to injure yourself. You might also want to think about wearing knee and elbow guards for extra protection. Yes, you might only be going to the shop, but accidents can and do happen.

Have Fun

When you ride your new escooter, you should make sure you have fun. Riding an escooter can take valuable time off those commutes. Enjoy using your scooter, but make sure you do so in a safe manner. Acting responsibly will help other people see that actually, escooters are ok to use.

While UK law still needs to catch up with the laws in some parts of Europe, if you’re sensible, you could use your escooter to go to the shops. Just make sure you’re seen, you’re safe, and you ride responsibly. Sooner or later, you’ll be a legal escooter rider and you can take it wherever you need to go.

Shopify or WooCommerce? Which is better?

By

Daniela Meyer

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July 21, 2020

shopify-vs-woocommerce — Source: onthemapmarketing

If you’re considering setting up an eCommerce store for your online business, then there are a few providers that can help you get up and running. Today though, we’re looking at the differences between Shopify and WooCommerce. These two platforms are world leaders in giving businesses the tools they need to build and run a successful online store, but each come with their own pros and cons. As someone who runs a business, deciding on which platform is best for you could be the deciding factor between the success or failure of your new online store, so we’re here to help you follow the platform that’s most suitable for your requirements.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the worlds of Shopify and wooCommerce.

A summary of Shopify and WooCommerce

Before we begin, let’s cover some of the basics of why these two platforms shine above other eCommerce rads on the market.

What does WooCommerce have on offer?

WooCommerce is a freely available plugin for use with the WordPress content management system, allowing you to turn your website into an online store. Custom extensions are available, allowing you to customize all aspects of your newly created store.

If you know your way around WordPress, this is a great option.

And how about Shopify?

Shopify, on the other hand, provides an all-in-one package that allows you to manage an entire store using a single platform to accept payments and keep an eye on your stock with ease. No hosting or technical know-how is required, although this option does come with a fee. Although a Shopify plan offers less customization than you’d find with a WooCommerce solution, there are several addons available in the form of apps, and you can read more about the apps that are available and how they can turn your Shopify store into an ECommerce powerhouse. By using apps, you can ensure the store is as user-friendly and attractive as possible.

What to consider to find the best platform

There’s no point in diving straight into creating an online store without knowing what you’ll be getting from the eCommerce platform you choose. The following factors will ensure your decision is the correct one when it comes to your comparison.

Usability – are you tech-savvy or a web beginner?
Pricing – Will it cost you a fee to run your online store?
Customer Payment Methods – Can the platform support all major i.e. PayPal, credit cards.
Customer support – is there someone to help when things go wrong?

Usability

The clear winner for ease of use off the bat is Shopify, mainly because going through the account creation process guides you every step of the way to building your store.

There is no hosting setup to worry about, although you will get the option to customize the store before hitting the publish button. Technical know-how is not required whatsoever.

The setup process for wooCommerce isn’t terribly complicated either, although there are several prerequisites you’ll need to cover before you get to the setup stage. You’ll need to install WordPress as the best eCommerce solution on your host, install and activate the plugin, etc. If you’re a complete newbie, then this might not be the greatest option for you.

Fortunately, if you decide to take this avenue, then many hosts offer a 1-click installation that installs WordPress and wooCommerce leaving you to log in and take care of the rest of the setup.

Pricing

Next up, you’ll want to ensure the platform you opt for is within your budget and won’t cost you the earth to run 9unless you have the cash to spare).

Although WooCommerce is open-source, it’ll immediately seem like the best and cheapest options, but once you begin adding those extensions we mentioned, the cost starts to add up quickly. Hosting a WordPress site with wooCommerce will cost you at least £5 per month, with a domain name at around £15 each year, plus your premium theme which could cost anywhere from £60 per year upwards. With all of the above fees, it’s not uncommon to end up spending more than you’d shell out for a Shopify plan which are:

Customer Payment Methods

Enough about getting the website up and running. The next thing to consider is how each platform will impact your customers, and how they perceive your business brand. The payment options that are available at Shopify consist of accepting PayPal Express Checkout from the moment you create your account.

Shopify will charge additional fees for transactions outside of the Shopify internal Payment system, so it’s best to use that to avoid those extra fees. The issue here is that Shopify Payments is only available to those in the UK, Canada, Australia, and the US with a handful of other countries at the time of writing. If your business resides outside of these countries, you will need to utilize a country-dependent payment gateway that comes bundled with various fees. If this sounds like your business, you may need to do a little digging to decide how this impacts you.

On the other hand, WooCommerce has extensions available to enable payment gateways. Using Stripe for credit cards and Paypal are fee-free, but using methods like Braintree, Amazon payments, or authorize.net will come with charges of a minimum of £80 each year. Although there are other payment options, these come at a cost too.

Customer Support

One of the last considerations we feel is essential is the support options available for both platforms. Phone, email, and live chat support is available for all Shopify users meaning you can connect with an agent whenever you need to.

WooCommerce is a little different in that there are no official support channels available. Instead, the company relies solely on the input from a community of users to assist you, that is, unless you shell out for a WooTheme. There are plenty of guides online to help with common issues, but that might take a little digging.

So, Shopify or WooCommerce?

The answer will vary here depending on your requirements, but for a small business looking to avoid the task of looking after a website, at a nominal cost, to get set up in minutes with a plethora of support, Shopify wins the crown here.

If customization of the look and feel of your store is important and you know your way around WordPress, then WooCommerce is the way to go.

How to Keep Clients and Customers Loyal to Your Business

By

Daniela Meyer

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July 21, 2020

It is easy to think that once you have made a successful sale to a brand new customer or client that the hard work is done. However, it can be just as difficult and requires just as much work and attention to keep customers returning to your business as it was to get them on board in the first place!

Whatever kind of business you are running, and the size of that business, you will want to make sure that customers have a reason to stay with you. A study showed that repeat customers spend more than new customers and that the process of attracting new customers can be up to 10 times more expensive than keeping existing customers loyal!

There are many ways to keep clients and customers happy and loyal to your business. In this article, we will explore some of the ways that you can do this!

Know Your Customers Well

One of the most important things to do is to make sure that you know each and every one of your customers well. We don’t mean on a personal level (although in many cases, familiarity is beneficial, depending on which industry your business is a part of). We mean that you should know everything about your customer that relates to the products and services you have provided them with in the past and could potentially offer them in the future! A customer who has been forgotten will not feel valued and is less likely to return.

Thankfully, you do not have to have an incredible memory to keep track of each customer and your history of business with them. Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, software, enables you to keep a database of customer information, and can even be connected to automated emailing tools to keep in contact with them!

Communication is Key

A CRM database should be used frequently as a way to monitor communications with customers and remind yourself and/or your employees to check in on them every once in a while. According to betterbuys.com, one way of doing this is to send out an automated regular newsletter or blog posts to all of your customers, or you could even be more personal with a direct email or phone call if appropriate! Simply checking in on a customer to ensure that they are happy with the services that you are providing them can play a huge role in developing and maintaining customer loyalty.

Provide Top-Quality Customer Service

It is no use communicating with customers frequently if you ignore any feedback that they give you. If a customer has an issue with any aspect of the products and/or services that you are offering them, or with any other aspect of your business relationship, you should always take care to do your best to solve these issues in a helpful and friendly manner. In addition to this, the chances are that if one customer tells you of a problem, there will be plenty of other customers who have experienced the same problem and have not told you about it!

Customers tell other people about the quality of the service they receive from a company. If a customer is unhappy with your business, you could lose potential future clients, and on the other hand, if a customer is happy and satisfied, they might end up doing the work of attracting new customers to your business for you!

Offer Rewards for Loyalty

Offering customers an incentive for repeated loyalty and business is a great way to ensure that this loyalty and custom continues well into the future. Setting up a reward system is a popular method of achieving this. Reward systems can be comprised of customer loyalty cards, future discounts on new products or the renewal of existing contracted services, free additional products and/or services, the ability to enter competitions, or any combination of these and more!

Offer a Variety of Payment Plans

While offering a variety of payment plans may not be efficient or viable for certain businesses, it can be a good choice for others, especially B2B (business-to-business) companies. It is often better to receive a late payment or receive payment in multiple installments than to lose a client or customer entirely that may be short on funds or having cash flow issues at certain time periods.

Flexibility with payment plans is often very highly appreciated by customers and clients and can be one of the most effective ways of maintaining brand loyalty!

Maintain a Friendly Yet Professional Manner

Your business may pass every other test on this list with flying colors, but all of that work can be easily undone in a matter of seconds if one of your employees is rude or unhelpful to a client. It is vital that every member of your sales team is chosen carefully for friendliness and social skills, as well as trained on effective sales and customer interaction techniques.

Greeting customers and/or clients with a welcome and a friendly manner is proven to be effective at maintaining business relationships. Remember, a smile and handshake go a long way in face-to-face meetings with clients. All of the technology in the world cannot replace the importance of trust between humans!

It is important to note, however, that different industries will require different approaches to customer interaction. For example, a funeral director will require much more formality and etiquette than a bartender! Being professional is of paramount importance, even if the specifics of what is considered professional may vary depending on the industry and other factors.

Offer Great Products/Services

Of course, it is no good for providing great customer service if the products or services that your company is offering are not up to scratch! The ways of developing quality products or services will differ based on company and industry, but it is vital to make sure that what you are selling is worth buying in the first place!

We hope that these tips are helpful in ensuring that your customers and clients are loyal to your business for many years to come.

11 Reasons to Smile

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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July 20, 2020

Have you ever noticed how someone’s attitude changes when you look at another person’s expression? A frown could spoil a deal, and a smile could melt a heart. If given a choice, most of us would pick to melt a heart in any situation. So that’s one reason to smile.

A smile is a facial expression that often radiates positivity. If you have been blue with the challenges of life, smiling might not seem like an option. But here at LiveTray, we have eleven reasons to make you smile. Read on if you want us to change your mind.

1. Relieves Stress

If you have ever been stressed about meeting someone new and aren’t sure how they are going to receive your presence, just smile. Smiling releases endorphin, which is a “feel good” chemical in our brains that relieves stress. It will immediately change their opinion about you and ease the tension, and they are more likely to smile back. Smiling is an infectious involuntary action that relieves stress from both parties.

2. Makes You More Attractive

Would you approach a grumpy salesperson at the mall or a happy looking one? Obviously the latter, right? It’s because a smile puts others at ease and make them seem more approachable. Likewise, when you smile often, people around you are more drawn to your energy and want to be around you. It makes you more attractive and appealing.

3. Look younger

No matter what life throws at you when you smile often, it is hard to be low or depressed. Stress and negative thoughts make people age much faster. Practicing to smile through the hard times makes us deal with the hardships better. And when you have lesser stress, it shows on your skin, and that’s the secret to looking younger!

4. Elevates Mood

Smiling elevates mood in many ways. It has the same effect on you as it does on someone else. Besides releasing endorphins, smiling also releases serotonin in our brains. This chemical boosts mood and even the immune system. When your serotonin level rises, depressing thoughts and stress are replaced by happy thoughts. The amount is not always physically noticeable, but the feeling does change the way you see life and how you deal with situations.

5. It’s Contagious

Many social experiments show that smiling is contagious. When you see someone genuinely expressing joy through their expression, it is difficult not to imitate the same feeling. It is as inevitable as looking at a happy kid and being stuck in a sad mood. So next time you want to see someone smile, or if you need to smile, be around someone who smiles. You will feel how contagious the feeling is, and you will also feel much better to smile often.

6. Boosts Immune System

Smiling is a sign of contentment and happiness. When you are physically content, your mental health is stable too. Without sad distractions, your brain becomes more focused on vital functions that keep your body healthy. So indirectly, a healthy mind is a healthy body, and smiling keeps your body healthy because your immune system is not distracted.

7. Lowers Blood Pressure

One of the leading causes of high blood pressure is stress. And we’ve already mentioned that smiling reduces stress. When you smile and often laugh, your heart rate increases, followed by a period of muscle relaxation. When your heart muscles are relaxed, it regulates pressure and lowers the risks of heart diseases.

8. Relieves Pain

It might seem unlikely, but smiling through a physical injury relieves pain. Many studies have proven this because smiling releases a natural pain killer in our brain. These are dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphin. These feel-good chemicals increase pain tolerance and ease the feeling. It also connects to the theory that since smiling releases stress, even your body is more relaxed to ward off pain.

9. Live Longer

Since smiling improves your overall health, you are more likely to live longer when you engage in smiling and laughing more often. The positive effects of what smiling does to your body internally and how it affects people you encounter are inter-related. So when you show positive emotions, you are more likely to live a longer, healthier life.

10. Improves Relationships

Since smiling is contagious and attractive and elevates mood, it is one of the best tactics for improving relationships. It makes it easier to build bonds and maintain a stable connection even during hard times. For example, if you can smile during unpleasant conversations, your brains perceive the positive sides of it, making you better deal with a difficult situation.

11. Smiling Brings Success

Everyone’s goal is to be successful in life, but success does not favor a mood person. Whether you are approaching a new client or introducing potential clients, a smile always goes a long way. It shows that you are approachable and looking forward to a positive outcome.

A smile is also a sign of being successful. It is rare to see a successful person who is always grumpy. Once your smile radiates, you will be able to create genuine bonds in business and personal relationships.

Bottom Line

Smiling is beneficial for the overall health of your mind and body. It benefits you and the people around you. So whenever you are feeling down or see someone else need a little emotional boost, use your smile as often as you can.

Helping Kids Adjust After Relocation

By

Daniela Meyer

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July 20, 2020

Relocation is a big deal, especially when you are moving with a family that includes kids. Even if the move is across the town, moving can take a toll over you as well as your kids. You need to go through a lot of stress while packing your belongings, moving to the new place with all the inventory, and then sorting out your belongings and life. The complete household system changes and you have to make peace with it. As you struggle you must know that the little bundle of joys finds it even more troublesome.

The best moving companies in the network of MovingApt, state that relocation affects the kids in a different manner. They lose friends, they are introduced to a completely new environment and they have to restart their life. The changes can make children react in different ways. While some may become clingy and cranky, others may feel sad and alone.

Child health care experts claim that this is a very crucial time in a kid’s life and it is really important that the parents attend to the changing needs of their child. So, how have you planned to make the move easy for your family? Well, in this post, we have compiled a few tips that would help you plan and execute a successful while keeping your family along:

As you announce the move

When you first make the moving announcement, stay prepared that your child will react. They can be angry with you or extremely sad to hear the news. Because it was you who thought of moving in the first place and must be excited about it, your child did not initiate the process and probably be worried about the outcome of the decision for her life.

You need to be very patient when dealing with such situations. You need to reassure your child but make sure you do not talk your child out of her feelings. If your child is not mature enough to know what a move is, it is important that you help her realize how her life will be changing soon.

Prepare your children but first prepare yourself

You must be too invested in the moving process and often this means you are not able to take proper rest. Before you become too engrossed with the move, make sure you have a time table, sleep enough to feel rested. If you do not feel at peace with your body and mind, you won’t be able to patiently handle your child at their worst. The child may become frustrated and stressed during the moving process. If you do not keep yourself composed, you can never help them overcome the change.

Explain your child, what to expect

It’s important that the child knows what they are going to experience. Helping them know what to expect will be a great help. If possible, take your child for a visit to the new place. Besides visiting the house, exploring the town, the neighborhood and some kid friendly places around this will help you child think positively about the place.

Be creative

Why not you make the moving process fun and memorable for the kids. Ask your child to take photos of the moving process. They can click a picture of you pacing with your partner, their stuff before it is packed, and then again when it is packed. This way, the child will have a collection of photographs that he/she can revisit anytime in the future. Even better if they paste these photos on a scrapbook and add taglines to it.

Let them grieve

If your child is feeling sad about leaving a place and finding it tough to say goodbye to everything they have ever known, it is good for them. Let the child grieve as it will help them overcome the pain. They will find it easier to adjust if they do not have anything to feel sad about.

However, you must help them grieve healthily. For this you must:

Take them to their friend’s house for saying good bye and exchanging contact details.
Go to your child’s favorite places in the town and let them say goodbye, take pictures and make some last memories.
Let the kids plan an outing where they can visit their favorite places in town.

Let your child control the process

It is important that you let the child take charge of the moving process, whenever and whatever way they can. Some of the ways you can let the child control the move include:

Let them take the minor decisions including the color of the paint in her room, the way to organize furniture, how to decorate the room and more.
Decluttering has been preached as one of the best ways to minimize your moving size but if your child does not want to give away her belongings, do not force her.
Give the assurance to your child that all her belongings will be safely transported to the new house and also ensure that the same happens.
Ask the child to make a box of her own. This box must have her most important things that they want to take in the car with you.
If you have mature kids, let them be the navigator under your supervision.

Do not play with their schedule

No matter what you do, try to keep the schedule of your child unchanged. The child is already going through a lot of changes and let us not add any more. Give them time to adjust while they lead their life in their old schedule.

Your child might be behaving in a different way and it is completely acceptable. You are asking the child to have a major change in life and it is her right to feel disturbed. However, to ensure that the change does not cost her big, you must help her adjust to the moving requirements. As you help your child adjust and prepare them for the move, make sure you too are ready for the big change. You ensure the first day after the move is easy going, pack a bag of essentials for you and the family. The moving process is tough but with the right management, it can be made easier for you as well as the children in the family.

6 Best Business Phone Systems and VoIP Providers (For Any Budget)

By

Дмитра Врачарић

-

July 20, 2020

Choosing a phone system is a major decision for any business. It is difficult to overstate how important communication is to any business, whether it’s communication amongst staff or with other businesses. Irrespective of your current budget, the five VoIP and phone system providers listed below all offer a high-quality service that any business would benefit from.

Visit here to see which VoIP systems are recommended for insurance companies.

1. Vonage Business

Vonage Business provides a reliable phone service using VoIP and comes with a range of business-centric features that make it an ideal option for businesses of all sizes. Compared to a traditional landline service, Vonage Business’s service is able to offer businesses cost reductions of more than a third.

It’s easy to get set up with Vonage, especially if you have a compatible VoIP phone. Given the impressive range of handsets that are compatible, most people who own a VoIP handset should have no trouble connecting it with Vonage.

Once you are up and running, you can rely on Vonage to provide excellent call quality alongside a range of features that make it a fantastic addition to the communications infrastructure of any business. Round the clock customer service ensures that you always have access to support when you need it, and any issues that you encounter can be solved quickly.

2. RingCentral

RingCentral has been in the VoIP game for a long time, with its first small business telephone service debuting in 1999. Since then, the business has clearly learned a great deal about how to provide telephone communications for businesses. RingCentral owns network infrastructure around the world, including networks in the United States, Europe, and Asia. This infrastructure is behind the exceptional quality that RingCentral offers.

RingCentral charges more than most of its competitors for access to their service but you will get what you pay for. For that premium entry price, RingCentral provides a long list of features that set it apart from the rest of the pack. For example, RingCentral’s service comes with a generous number of toll-free minutes. Users will also gain access to RingCentral’s unlimited video conferencing service.

One last selling point in favor of RingCentral is its price match guarantee. If you can show RingCentral a better price on a plan including less than 50 lines, they will offer you the same deal.

3. Nextiva

For most small businesses, it makes more sense to invest in a scalable service that can be upgraded as necessary. With a range of different plans available at various price points, Nextiva has an option to suit every business and makes it easy for businesses to scale up their service as they grow. Even if you are restricted to one of the cheapest plans that Nextiva offers, you will still be gaining access to an impressive array of features.

Many of Nextiva’s features are aimed specifically at workers who are working from home, so they are particularly helpful in the current climate. The Nextiva mobile app enables subscribers to easily access the service remotely, wherever they might be. Making and receiving calls from both desktop and mobile devices is simple, whether you’re having a one-on-one call or a conference conversation.

4. Ooma

Ooma is an excellent choice for small businesses, offering affordable pricing and a highly scalable service. Ooma is the kind of VoIP provider that can help to carry a business from their very first days operating and continue serving them well for years to come while keeping their costs low.

Ooma’s service is divided into two packages, each of which provides users with all the industry-standard features that you would expect from a business-focussed VoIP provider. The basic package will last most businesses fine until they have grown enough to justify upgrading. Because even the basic package is so versatile, most businesses won’t need to upgrade their package for some time.

In addition to its VoIP service, Ooma also offers customer relationship management features. Their inclusion sets Ooma apart from its competitors and, coupled with the remote working features Ooma offers, make it a very attractive option for businesses today.

5. Dialpad

Dialpad is ideal for small businesses. The company has been around since 2012, so it has a solid reputation for longevity and reliably. This is not a brand that will disappear in the middle of the night, leaving your business high and dry.

The company offers a VoIP system called Dialpad Talk. It also provides conferencing software. Plans are paid monthly, so you can pick a plan that suits your budget and needs. Smaller businesses will be happy with the standard or Pro plan, which includes call forwarding, video calling, and group texting in the US and Canada. Larger companies will benefit from the Enterprise price plan, which has extras such as multiple office integration and 24/7 customer support.

The great thing about Dialpad is that you can try the service for free – Dialpad offers a 14-day free trial. If you love it and want to sign up for a plan, there are savings to be made if you decide to switch to an annual tariff.

6. Grasshopper

For businesses that eschew the traditional office environment, many conventional VoIP providers offer features that are irrelevant or unsuitable. For these businesses, Grasshopper is an excellent alternative. Grasshopper’s service is easy to customize. Users can add features to their subscription as they deem necessary.

Grasshopper is another provider that sits on the pricier side of things, but they are well worth the investment for businesses that find most VoIP offerings too office-centric.

The providers we have listed above all offer exceptional phone and VoIP services to businesses; each of them has earned their reputation for excellence. Every business needs to have a solid communication infrastructure to enable communications amongst its own staff and external clients. Using one of the VoIP platforms above will save most businesses money while enabling them to upgrade their phone systems at the same time.

Look for free trials before you commit to using any VoIP service. This gives you an opportunity to test the features on offer risk-free.