The second İstanbul Shopping Festival will run from June 9-29 and is predicted to bring in around TL 7 billion. The city is on its way to becoming one of the world’s leading shopping centers.
The shopping festival will offer up to 50 percent off all goods, from clothing to electronics. In addition to discounts, some brands are offering free store credit after customers spend a certain amount of money.
During the festival, shopping malls and smaller stores will host events and extend their opening hours for the 21 days. Streets will be colorfully adorned with festive lighting and decorations. Street parties, galas, surprise events, music activities featuring concerts from renowned musicians, races, fashion shows and special overseas presentations are all scheduled to take place throughout the festival. İstanbul will become a center of attraction for serious shoppers worldwide. The festival includes gifts, promotions and raffles. All this season’s stock will be on sale.
More than 100 modern shopping centers are taking part in the festival, including ones in Taksim, Nişantaşı, Şişli, Bakırköy and Fatih. For visitors who prefer to shop while strolling through the city, the stores of famous shopping streets, such as Bahariye and Bağdat Caddesi, will be filled with heavily discounted goods. Customers will be able to relax at nearby cafes and restaurants before heading out for more shopping. Last year the festival attracted approximately 5 million visitors and this year organizers expect millions more.
The festival kicks off with a large parade on İstiklal Caddesi in Taksim beginning on Saturday, June 9, from 1-2 p.m. and continuing later on Bağdat Caddesi from 5-7 p.m. The Kent Orchestra, Tiny People and Zalinde will perform, along with clowns, jugglers, stilt walkers and skateboarders.
The festival website, http://www.istshopfest.com/, lists specific retailers and their discounts and gives links for following the daily events and discounts. Shoppers can check in on Foursquare using ISTSHOPFEST, and a free mobile application, ISF mobile, is available for iPhone, iPad and android phones. For foreign visitors, the website also features historical places, museums and a guide for traveling with children.
The festival is a must-visit for savvy bargain hunters and shopaholics alike. Happy shopping!
Brother of murdered PI wants police shake-up (From Your Local Guardian) - Croydon Guardian
Review into collapsed murder trial of Thornton Heath private investigator published
8:41am Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in Croydon By Nick Hitchens
The family of a private investigator found with an axe embedded in his skull 25 years ago hope a judicial inquiry into the handling of his murder case will “embarrass” police into wholesale changes.
Daniel Morgan, who ran his company Southern Investigations from an office in Thornton Heath, was found brutally murdered outside a Sydenham pub in 1987 – six murder investigations have failed to convict his killer.
A review into the reasons behind the last trial collapse, in March last year, was published on Monday, four months later than promised, paving the way, his family hope, for a judicial inquiry.
Alastair Morgan, Daniel’s brother, said: “There was nothing in the review that surprised us.
“It was something we had to flush out, which is why it is so frustrating it has taken so long. Now the Home Secretary is going to be forced to respond to our request for an inquiry put in last August.”
The review into the trial by the Crown Prosecution Service and Metropolitan Police admits errors in disclosing evidence, as well as in the handling of key witnesses’ testimonies.
Such was the volume of evidence collected over more than 20 years, four crates of papers relating to the case, yet to be served upon the defence, were discovered during the trial.
Mr Morgan believes that due to the complexities and previous failures in putting together a case, the CPS will never bring criminal charges against those he suspects of his brother’s murder.
He said: “Barring a confession there is no possibility of ever bringing a criminal case. We are certain it would be fruitless and would just cause us further pain.”
Instead, the Morgan family hope a judicial inquiry will reveal a catalogue of mistakes and incidents of police corruption during the initial police inquiries into Daniel’s murder.
Mr Morgan said: “The way the case was handled needs to be put into the public domain. I think there is a culture of denial and cover-up responsible for police malpractice – it is almost a default reaction by police.
“The scale of this with regards the handling of Daniel’s case needs to be brought to light to embarrass and shock them out of this behaviour.”
A Home Office spokesman said: "It is deeply regrettable that Daniel Morgan's killers have not been brought to justice and we understand the strength of feeling this case has caused.
"We will carefully consider the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service's joint report into the case.”
The family also hope links between the police, the News of the World and Daniel’s company Southern Investigations will be revealed during the Leveson Inquiry.
Related
Family of Daniel Morgan to meet police
25 years on, Morgan family still looking for answers
Morgan murder discussed in Parliament
Socialvest Closes Funding Round, Has Now Secured more than $2 Million - Marketwatch
ATLANTA, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Atlanta-based Socialvest, the leading cause-based shopping platform, recently closed their latest round of funding, led by Bluff Point Associates putting Socialvest at over $2 million in funding raised to date.
Socialvest is a free online service that allows users to shop, earn and give to the causes they care about. Socialvest offers consumers the opportunity to shop at hundreds of big brand national stores. Users earn money through these purchases that can then be donated to the nonprofit(s) of their choice via the Socialvest website, giving them the power to turn everyday shopping into extraordinary change.
The funding will be used to help the company continue to expand its product offerings and channel mix, including an upcoming iPhone application, leading to greater capabilities for Socialvest members to shop, earn and give.
"Our long-term goal is to continue to extend the Socialvest platform for users," said Adam Ross, Socialvest founder and CEO. "We're excited that we were able to raise this capital from Bluff Point Associates, and to continue capitalizing on the exciting growth stage of our venture and the overall rise in awareness of cause-based commerce."
Edelman's Good Purpose Report found that 86 percent of consumers believe companies need to place at least equal weight on society's interests as on business' interests. Another study noted that 83 percent of consumers would be willing to modify their purchasing habits to make the world a better place.
In 2010, Socialvest responded to this message by empowering consumers to shop and earn with leading retailers. The company extended its capabilities in 2011 with an optimized mobile website and the introduction of browser applications that allow users to shop and earn without having to go directly through the website. 2012 will see further innovation with the debut of an iPhone application giving cause-conscious shoppers the ability to purchase and give back with just a tap on their phone.
Socialvest users earn back a percentage of their total purchase from merchant partners. The earned funds are automatically deposited into Socialvest users' online Giving Account, and the amount received - and the retailer's participation - can be broadcast to users' friends and followers via social media outlets. Socialvest allows members to donate to more than 1.5 million nonprofits in the United States.
About SocialvestSocialvest is the fastest-growing cause-based online and offline shopping platform that benefits worthy non-profit organizations. With hundreds of top retailers from which to choose, U.S. shoppers can earn money to bank and donate to any combination of the more than 1.5 million registered non-profit organizations in the Socialvest network, at any time and at no additional cost to the consumer. Socialvest users earn money through www.Socialvest.us , shopping with participating retailers online, through the Socialvest browser application or the iPhone application. Socialvest offers an opportunity to turn everyday shopping into extraordinary change by creating an easy fundraising channel for important causes close to home and around the world. Socialvest is a VC-funded social good service founded by social entrepreneur Adam Ross.
SOURCE Socialvest
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Fantasicakes Offers Wholesale Bakery Goods and Pastries to Businesses across America - YAHOO!
Fantasicakes offers its gourmet pastries and bakery goods at wholesale prices for nationwide buyers across America.
(PRWEB) May 23, 2012
Fantasicakes has been offering its full product line to its local wholesale customers in Los Angeles area for years. These include country clubs, high end catering companies and restaurants, retailers, cafes, food markets, banquet hall facilities, corporate cafeterias, and coffee shops. Fantasicakes is now offering its wholesale bakery goods to nationwide buyers and wholesale customers.Our gourmet Coffee Cakes, Bundt cakes, and Tarts are currently available for nationwide delivery. There is a variety of great flavors to choose from. Our coffee cakes come in seven flavors: Cinnamon, Cinnamon Walnut, Pecan Cinnamon, Apple Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip, Marble, and Chocolate Mocha. We offer our Bundt Cakes in eight different varieties: Triple Chocolate, Red Velvet, Rum, Chocolate Rum, Lemon, Orange, Blueberry, and Walnut Raisin. Our Tarts come in five flavors: Apple, Apricot, Blueberry, Cherry, and Raspberry. All our products are available for mail order online at Fantasicakes.com. Our cakes and tarts are made fresh everyday with only the finest gourmet ingredients available in the market. The result is the most flavorful Bundt cakes, coffee cakes, and tarts you will ever have the pleasure of tasting. Visit fantasicakes.com today to view all of our wholesale pastries and bakery goods.
"Our products are very well suited for bulk purchase by culinary distributors, gourmet food online stores, online marketplaces, wholesale clubs, and membership clubs." Van Keshish, owner of Fantasicakes, said. "We can drop ship our cakes and tarts for our wholesale customers, or we can do private label and ship them to their retail customers in individual packages, therefore eliminating the need for storing, wrapping, packing, and shipping hundreds or even thousands of items. Based on the order volume we offer special discounted prices for our wholesale customers."
About Fantasicakes:
Founded by Van Keshish, Fantasicakes began as a pastry shop in the Los Angeles area, supplying pastries and bakery shop goods to corporate and celebrity events, as well as local restaurants. Fantasicakes pastries are individually and carefully handcrafted using the finest gourmet ingredients. The fascinating designs and exquisite flavors of Fantasicakes creations enhance the quality and beauty of the events they are served at, leaving a lasting impression. "When I began Fantasicakes, we started out by catering corporate and celebrity events, as well as supplying local restaurants with our distinguished selection of pastries," Van Keshish, owner of FantasiCakes, said. As the bakery business grew, Keshish looked for new ways to expand. Finding the offerings of other online pastry shops lacking, Keshish brought Fantasicakes online for everyone to enjoy their mail order cakes and tarts anywhere in the United States. Fantasicakes is now offering its wholesale bakery goods to nationwide buyers and wholesale customers. Visit our website and simply fill out the wholesale request form for more information regarding wholesale prices and free product samples shipped to your store!
For more information, visit http://www.fantasicakes.com
Or click here to view our wholesale product request form
Van Keshish
Fantasicakes, Inc.
818-361-2171
Email Information
Nearly half of consumers to be ‘social shoppers’ by 2021 - femalefirst.co.uk
The next generation of ‘social shopper’ is expected to emerge as a force to be reckoned with by 2021 with 41 per cent of the UK’s consumer population expected to be influenced by or using social media to make a purchase, according to new research from Barclays.
Amongst 25 to 34 year olds this figure is much higher with nearly half (45 per cent) of this age group already engaging in s-commerce. By 2021, the figure will have jumped to 73 per cent.
Richard Lowe, Head of Retail & Wholesale at Barclays, said: “Shopping has always been a social activity right back to the days when people bartered rather than paid for goods. It wasn’t until the arrival of e-commerce that the social aspect of shopping was removed.
“For most consumers the social element is fundamental – shopping it is a leisure activity in the British psyche – so being able to reintroduce this aspect into the online purchasing process is a powerful tool for retailers”.
Around 70 per cent of online shoppers are already active users of social platforms but the number of social shoppers is set to grow further as social micro-blogging websites, such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest increasingly blur the boundaries between retail channels in the same way mobile technology has done.
Where social media is really coming in to its own is as an influencer and multi-channel integrator rather than a direct sales channel. Users are receptive to new ideas, suggestions and recommendations when on social networking sites but are not in an active state of mind to purchase. Translated into revenues, in the next five years influenced sales are expected to more than double from £1.4 billion to £3.3 billion. This contrasts with direct sales which are expected to rise from £210 million to £300 million.
The retailers enjoying the greatest uplift in sales as a result of social media’s increasing influence are fashion, footwear, music, film and grocers.
Richard Lowe continues: “When someone you know and trusts makes a recommendation it’s extremely powerful and we’ve seen that the social shopper isn’t afraid to express online how much they want, love or dislike a product or service.
“This in turn creates a feedback loop on a product or brand. As more people post reviews, more people read them and, in turn, they give their own feedback which is picked up by a new group of consumers. Retailers should be exploring ways to tap into these communities in order to create more personalised shopping experiences”.
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