Shopping for another person - Gift Shopping - is sometimes pleasurable and sometimes tedious.  

Buying decisions related to others is a subject that fascinates me. Displaying affection adequately in the modern world seems to get more difficult.  But taking note of milestones in each others lives and celebrating family events by going a little crazy over occasions  is a nice diversion.

CoolProducts.com Founder Tony Schmidt

To satisfy the events in our lives, the marketplace reactes by providing Department stores, Malls and Big Online Merchants   These A-Z methods of shopping have slowly displaced smaller local merchants.  They offer a more comprehensive solution than existed before.   

So what’s next?  It’s 2010 and shopping for another person is still a pretty tedious task.  The problem that CoolProducts.com tries to address is time.  What’s a person to  do when “time” is a limiting factor.  The ultimate goal of gift giving is to impress the recipient and satisfy the giver.  Noone wants to just show up with something we had to rationalize at the last minute.  Instead of driving to the mall or department store, then parking, dodging crowds and searching through the abundance we have created a software that helps you uncover the perfect item.   

So we are trying to create a comprehensive - TIME SAVING - solution for people.  CoolProducts.com is 1000s of merchants pulled together in one place and organized by 400 broad categories and 250 sports teams.  All major Department stores, chain retailers, mail order catalogs, airline catalogs, TV shopping channels and large, medium and small web merchants alike.  Gift Professor is a tool to filter through it all in minutes. A comprehensive approach.   Check it out!

{subscribe to my shopping blog by clicking the RSS feed button at the top of the page}

Thanks

Tony 

President

As the founder, I couldn’t resist demonstrating our People Powered Gift shopping invention…. could I ?         

The truth is, I almost did.

One night, (December 13^th to be exact) I realized that procrastination was about to get the best of me once again.  So I sat down, and in a period of about two hours researched and purchased all of my 2009 Christmas gifts.  I was able to surprise eight people with something special from our labor of love software-as-a-service website CoolProducts.com.  Granted I got a little carried away, like a kid in a candy store but I narrowed the selections down and clicked through to the merchant and placed each order online in record time.  Then I was done.  For the next two weeks, my conscience was clear and I didn’t have a shred of panic or remorse about my purchases for Christmas day.  The process was a little clunky at first until I remembered I could save the products into My Favorites.  I ended up with 210 personally selected products in My Favorites.   Then I carefully reviewed them and sorted the best ones down on eight small pieces of paper.  Then I tried to keep things somewhat equal since four of my target recipients where my children. On the final list, I had these products.      For my wife: a Diane Artware Delft Blue Turtle Tureen with Ladle  $63  QVC .  My wife and I love having family and friend dinner gatherings and I hoped she would like this large serving container.  She likes it, but it’s not microwavable.  Also, my wife does an amazing job of periodically changing decor in our house so I thought she might like a  Giraffes of the Savanna Sculptural Vase  $65 Design Toscano.  Truth is, I liked it.   To play it safe I picked up a Susan Boyle “I Dreamed a Dream” CD $13  at Borders.com since Susan is also a native Scot.   Total for the three: $141

For my Dad I bought a Kindle Reading Device $259 Amazon, and a neoprene Kindle Case $25 Amazon, and a digital book to load on the Kindle - Ulysses S. Grant   $10  Amazon for a total of $294.  I hoped he would enjoy holding something lighter than a 3-4 lb novel and might like receiving the New York Times or Wall Street Journal on a 10 ounce  8″x5″ devise. 

For my Mom: Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer $94  WalMart online only because she’s recovering from surgery and since Jack LaLanne’s in his 90s so juice must be healthy.  I also got her a book (hardcover because it was not available on Kindle) Ayn Rand and the World She Made by Anne C. Heller $30  Amazon for a total of $124

For my oldest son I purchased a Rotary Cheese Grater $31, Sur la table (shown here), because he’s a gourmet cook.  For my oldest daughter: a Travel Table Easel $68  Blick Art Materials, because she is a wonderful artist.  For my youngest son: a Collapsible Snake Tong $38  from Reptile Supply, because he is an outdoorsman and for my youngest daughter: a Gabrielle at the Gate Jigsaw Puzzle $40 Victorian Trading Co. because her middle name is Gabrielle. Total for the four kids $177                                                        For the whole family a bought a new game: Civil Lore!  The Game of American Culture $30 Uncommon Goods, because for my buck, time spent together is the best time.  Since my youngest son had won a Wii in an engineering contest, and because I loved playing golf on the thing….it’s so realistic…I bought an attachment for it called the  Wii Fit system $139  Amazon, and a Wii Shaun White Snowboarding game $43  Best Buy, a Wii skateboard/snowboard for the Fit Balance Board $35  Buy.com (shown above).  This is an amazing product and very much like being there.  Total for the family $247  and a grand total of $980  Gulp.          Well, you can’t take it with you.  My wife supplimented my surprise shopping spree with many equally thoughtful gifts, but all in all I was proud of myself for once. 

I’m sure many folks bad equal or better results and I would love to hear about them, but this was remarkable for me.  Even at this early stage of our website, I had my best shopping experience EVER last month.  And it’s all thanks to the staff and participants at CoolProducts.com. 

My goal in 2010 is to create a more efficient system so that our users and myself won’t have to write out little lists of paper or have to browse every single possible item like I did. 

And by the way, all my products were delivered in record time, often just a few days later.  How do they do that?  Stay tuned.

Tony Schmidt

President

Today’s expert is our founder Tony Schmidt (me) :  )

I’ve been interested in Photography for 20 years.  I became interested when I realized I could make a living taking pictures.  I bought an existing photography company in 1988 to make money so these opinions are based on one inspired by the profit motive.  As owner of Heart of America Photography, Inc.  from 1988-2005, my staff and I photographed commencement ceremonies and large group pictures for over 400 institutions as well as numerous marathons in a 6 state region.   As an example of a consumer level camera setup that approaches pro, heres a  Nikon DSLR Outfit.  It includes a Nikon D40 DSLR Camera, AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm and AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm Lenses PLUS a bonus Nikon Gadget Bag and 2-Instructional DVDS.  This would deliver great pics and it’s available at CoolProducts.com

Photography became an important part of my life and I hope to offer you some useful information that you can utilize when shopping for someone with similar interests.  Some things to keep in mind when shopping for someone interested in photography:

1.  Are they doing it as a hobby?  If so; do they like portraiture, nature, landscapes, citizen journalism, sports events, real life, etc?

2.  Do they hope to make money doing it such as; contracting weddings, events, free-lance jobs, newspaper stringer, magazine staffer, eBay?

3.  Are they film or digital people?  Film people really can’t make money any longer. Digital is the preferred media for gainful employment opportunities.  Digital people are likely to also be interested in image manipulation and programs such as PhotoShop and sites like Flickr.

As a photography enthusiast my preferences tend to focus on lighting.  Digital cameras are all pretty good these days.  It’s hard to mess up a digitally created image, and most cameras have enough megapixals to satisfy the naked eye.  In reality, it is my understanding that only when digital cameras offer 25 MP will they be equal to or better than 35mm film.  6 MP or better will produce excellent 8×10’s.  To me, the important issue is to be able to manually adjust your digital camera to accommodate different light situations and lighting systems.  

1.  Lighting is important to me because I like portraiture and lighting and because it is an arena where photographers can differentiate themselves.

2. Lighting creates dramatic photos.  That’s why Ansel Adams shot so many great landscapes early in the morning or late in the day.  When the light was low and streaming in from the side.

3.  Lighting can soften a subject and provide idealism.  Lighting is crucial for Black & White. I have always admired photos with the classic three to one lighting ratio where one side of the subjects face is dark, and the other side is three times brighter.  I also like hair lighting, and background lighting.   

Keeping in mind the recipient’s preferences it’s also helpful to know whether they are a beginner, intermediate or expert. 

With a beginner you might keep in mind what classes or training they have had, if any.  What kind of camera are they using?  Are they producing nice pictures already?  Do they keep albums of their work?  I would suggest products along the lines of Cameras (A NikonD90 is the standard) and Flash attachments.  

With an intermediate you might keep in mind that they probably have the camera they want.  An extra lens, or something to challenge them might be in order.  I’ve liked my wireless remote light triggering system and soft boxes for my light kit with stands. I also like using a domed backdrop light. I would suggest products along the lines of Pocket Wizards and Alien Bees.

With an advanced photography enthusiast you should probably assume they have almost everything they want.  Maybe a long lens they have been pining over.  Long lens with a low 2.8 F stop are optimal, but those can run several thousand dollars.  If they are into studio work, I would suggest products along the lines of a backdrop organizing system, a posing stool system, a heavy duty tripod on wheels, reflectors, or maybe a panoramic camera.

On the topic of gifts, the most unusual items that I have ever received or purchased, given my passion for photography has been the following items: A Hasselblad medium format camera which is the name brand standard for excellence.  This brand was taken to, (and left on) the moon.  My cameras and lens assortment made me a lot of money. Another fun item was a refractor wand to create the illusion of fast movement which was fun when my four kids were growing up.  But always, the most fun has been the latest and greatest Nikon Professional camera.  I also would have liked to have had a studio management software program. .    

 In conclusion, there are many factors in giving the right gift and avoiding embarrassment.  These are only some suggestions and you must rely on your knowledge of the person more than anything.  Good luck and happy gift hunting.

For more information on the topic I would suggest looking in these places: Coolapedia, Adorama, Best Buy,  Ritz Camera, Abe’s of Maine & B&H Camera. 

So it’s Friday night and you’ve had a long week. It’s time to unwind with some friends and let loose. You can’t just have some friends over, serve them some French onion dip and call it a party. You require a full service wet bar, which is why we’ve got the broadway bar. It’s stylish and contemporary two-tier layout works well in any den or game room, plus the chrome finish and glass top make a statement. But you had better make sure the beer is cold. That’s not a problem with a beverage chiller that can chill a 12-16oz can in about 60 seconds. It’s perfect for when you need to make that beer run, but all they have are cases at room temperature. Its compact design is great for parties, RV’s, dorm rooms, boats, and especially tailgating. Your friends will love you even more if you break open the humidor and dish out some smooth-tasting cigars. But you wouldn’t dare keep your treasures stogies in just anything. Our personalized humidor will give you the feeling that you’re some important mob boss, unless of course, you already are. This humidor makes a great gift for retirees, birthdays, graduations, and weddings.

These are just a few gift examples for those who enjoy the finer things in life. Let us know if you have any other great gift ideas for the spirits and tobacco enthusiast.

http://www.cigar.com – Find nearly any cigar!

http://www.humidorvault.com/ - Elegant and traditional or sleek and modern, you can find the perfect humidor for you!

http://www.beer-wine.com/ - A great site on how to begin brewing your own beer or wine!

Do you like to do it yourself? If so, then you’ll love some our unique DIY products. Our solar powered shed lighting system will help you bring some light into your shed or garage without the need for an electrician. The super bright LED’s last for 5 hours on a single charge so you can wrench all night long if you want. A treehouse is a fun project to build to with your kids, but a Kids Crooked House will make them the envy of the neighborhood. This unique playhouse comes complete with a dormer and wacky angled walls and windows that you kids will love, and you will love it because it assembles in less than 30 min. A bit too much? Well then try some slightly easier DIY projects such as birdhouses, bedroom shelves for your beanie baby collection or a fire engine pedal car. Either way, DIY projects aren’t so much about the end result as the journey you take and the pride in building something yourself.

Here are a few other cool places to shop for the do it yourselfer.

http://www.rockler.com/ - Tools and plans for the avid woodworker

http://www.diynetwork.com/ - Great information on home improvement

http://www.refdesk.com/doitself.html - Excellent resource on nearly any type of DIY project

So you’re not content just being a tech freak. No, you need something to impress your Apple fanboy buddies. A flexible illuminated keyboard will gain you some rep at your next LAN party when you’re up at 4am playing your favorite MMO-RPG. Or maybe you want to print out some pictures, but only have the 35mm negatives. The slide and negative to digital converter will ease your woes by scanning a negative or slide and transferring a 5MP image to your computer. Or maybe you should check out the NeatReceipts electronic receipt scanner so you don’t have the IRS on your back this year. The patented software works with business cards, receipts, documents, etc. Once scanned, it automatically placed the data into a spreadsheet. Then you can organize your receipts by expense category or vendor, prepare expense reports or export the data to other applications. Perfect for your business transactions with Office Depot, but not your trip to Vegas.

Here’s a few more sites that any great techie should be keeping an eye on. Happy shopping.

http://www.newegg.com/ - Great deals on everything computer related!

http://www.cnet.com/ - Read reviews and product descriptions on electronics!

Winter is coming and unless you’re headed to your second home in Florida, you need some hobbies, so we thought you should offer up a few suggestions to help you fend off boredom. Perhaps a detailed cross-stitch kit to keep you busy. RC cars and planes can also provide hours of wife-neglecting fun. Buy a balsa wood airplane kit and build your own airplane from scratch, or just get the Electric Mustang Airplane kit which comes pre-assembled with a battery, charger, and radio in the box. This way you won’t be so frustrated that you wasted countless hours and money when you crash into the ground. Better yet, buy an Escalade Remote Controlled Car and hook it up to your favorite Aerosmith playlist on your MP3 player. Your co-workers will never figure out who keeps playing Pink as you drive it around the office.

http://www.towerhobbies.com/ - The ultimate RC website!

http://www.hobbytown.com/ - Parts and accessories for you favorite RC toys!

http://www.hobbylobby.com/ - Sewing, scrapbooking, framing, and more!

What kind of hobbies to you take part in to help pass the time?

http://coolproducts.com

Don’t know what mom and dad want for Christmas this year? Well, we’ve got some great nostalgic gifts that are sure to bring back “the good ‘ol days”. Something all old people remember are “talkies”, that’s movies to you and me. The flickering of the screen, the overpriced candy, and the fragrance of buttery popcorn are all yours with a retro popcorn popper. This popper makes up to a gallon of fluffy goodness per batch and it’s sure to bring back old memories.

Even if grandma doesn’t care for movies, she’s sure to love a retro radio designed to look just like the Crosley Companion radios of the 1930’s. The fine craftsmanship of this mini replica is sure to appease any audiophile with its full-range dynamic speaker and electronically assisted tuner. Or maybe you enjoy some easy listening music yourself and remember the days of vinyl records. Well then let the Crosley Traveler Stack O Matic Record Changer delight your ears with the rich, deep sound only vinyl can give.

Here’s a few sites that might give you some inspiration when looking for unique collectible gifts.

http://www.retrojunction.com/ - A great place to shop for that nostalgic gift!

http://www.victoriantradingco.com – Vintage clothes, books, jewelry and more!

http://coolproducts.com

So you never got around to having kids. No big deal since Fido is now the object of your affection. And of course he is, with his filtered water bowl, heated bed, and climate controlled pet carrier. All of this is a small price to pay for unrivaled home protection and unconditional love. You may have just gotten dumped, or killed somebody, but it doesn’t matter to Rover, as long as you’ll rub his belly and let him sleep inside rather than his high-tech, insulated, doghouse. You can bake a batch of muffins in a non-stick pan shaped like a bone for your next party just to show everyone how crazy-in-love you are with your dog. After all, you’ve got to waste your money on something, and it might as well be your pooch rather than your bratty nephew.

Here are you few links that will help you find some great gifts for your pet. Let us know you if you have any other super places you like to shop for your furry loved one.

http://www.pampermepuppy.com/ - Go overboard when it comes to pampering your pet.

http://www.petsmart.com/ - Anything you could ever need for your pet.

http://www.pampered-dog-gifts.com/ - Huge selection of dog treats and beds.

http://coolproducts.com

Family trees are boring, so why not show your friends something as unique as you are? DNA11 is a company which takes your DNA and prints it on high-quality canvas. Order one for everybody in the family and hang them all together. Available in different sizes and colors, this “self-made” artwork will complement any room and tell people that you’re not just some schmo who likes Starry Night, just like everyone else in the world. Don’t worry about not being a vampire to extract blood for the DNA, a simple swab of your cheek will suffice for this artwork.

Also, teach your kids about the high tech, up-and –coming biomedical industry through an easy to use genetics kit. You can learn about how certain genes are expressed, how to breed bacteria for experimentation and you can build a DNA model. You’ll thank us when your kid wins a Nobel Prize.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/ - Learn about how genetics are important to our future.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/ - Understand how out genes work.

http://coolproducts.com