A Not Quite Right Christmas Gift

So I was looking last week for last minute trinket type gifts to give out to a few of my select sports minded friends and relatives.  I usually I look for a simple, yet practical, gift with that “special” – it’s from me – slant. 

A perfect example would be the Redskins Christmas Ornament I once gave to my very Father-in-Law who is a huge NY Giants fan.  He laughed and promptly through it in the trash  has put it on his tree almost every year since.  Come to think of it, I believe he only puts it on the tree when the Giants beat the Redskins.  Hmmm. . . considering we SWEPT them this year! I guess it is off. . .  😉

Anyway, I came across this Clinton Portis Action Figure that struck me as not quite right.  Actually wrong!  And it is not because he is no longer with the team.

 

So this of course got me into thinking about other possibly “wrong” and “not quite right” figures.

Here is one . . .

 

And yet another that our beloved Nationals amazingly got wrong on the packaging . . .

 

I wonder what other “not quite right” gifts have been sold, given, or received by folks out there?

Thinking Outside Pandora’s Box

Amazon (AMZN) has patented a new return process.

“So what” you say.

Well, consider the following:

What if I said you could not only find out what gifts others are getting you, but you could then “return” those gifts before they were ever sent!

Or, if you could set up some sort of rule that tells Amazon to always return or exchange for a gift certificate any gift that your dear old (insert random friend or relative here) happens to send you.

You could even set up a rule to send an ecard thank you note for the gift that was ordered but never received.

From a business perspective, this is great!

From a personalized “I was thinking of you and got you this gift because I like you” perspective, this is not so great.

After all, anybody who has kids, was a kid or even still is a kid, knows the importance of gift giving and making others feel good. You know, “it’s always better to give than to receive” and giving gifts helps show others that you care and are thinking of them. And this is a good thing.

But, according to some studies, up to 30% of all gifts are returned. This represents a huge amount of time, effort and expense that people and businesses have to deal with.

Imagine, from a financial business point of view, if you could come up with a way to save up to 30% of the costs associated with everyday business processes; From packaging, mailing, shipping and receiving, transacting and refunding; your bosses and stock holders would love you.

And probably get you a gift . . . 😉

But here is another financial thought. . .

Would those potential amazon stock holders continue to be so happy if they were also stock holders of UPS or FedEx?

If we are talking about 30% of all gifts returned, then it could be safe to assume, especially with large online e-retailers such as Amazon, that for every 100 gifts shipped via UPS and FedEx, 30 are shipped back. With this new process, we could be talking about a lot less business for the shipping industry.

Or back to the whole gift giving and return process. . .

What if you are like us and do a lot of online shopping and have the gifts sent to yourself so that you know it arrives in good condition, wrap it, and personally give the gift to your intended recipient? Would you want that person to know ahead of time? And stop the shipment?

Or if you saw that you were going to be getting a sweater you really did not like but knew that you would be at that persons house party next week and “the right thing to do” would be to wear it in a show of appreciation.

Would “returning” it before it even shipped be appropriate?

I actually like the fact that Amazon is thinking outside the box and being creative and looking for new ways to do things.

This new patented return process has a lot of good, and bad, potential. Like most new inventions, it will be all in the way it is used that will ultimately determine it’s usefulness and impact.

What do you think? Good, Bad or indifferent?

You can find out about Amazon’s new patented return process here.

The inspiration for this post can be found here at the Washington Post .

Fumbled Gift Ideas – Sports

This is a wonderful time of year.

Many people are focused on the holidays, Friends, Family, and all things which we are thankful for and have contributed to making our lives better.

I would like to think that one of the things which make our lives better, or at least more fun and memorable is sports.

This past week, the sports world lost a legendary sports and entertainment figure Don Meredith.

Don Meredith was part of what is now an American Institution. Monday Night Football.
Oh yeah, he was also a Dallas Cowboy, and a pretty Dandy one at that, but I certainly don’t hold his choice of teams against him…

When I look for gift ideas, I often try to think of ideas that give either a different spin on a popular topic or represent the “classic” or “best of” a topic.

So, in honor of Dandy Don and Monday Night football I’ve come up with two Gift Ideas.

Monday Night Mayhem:

Based on the book by Bill Carter and Marc Gunther, this immensely entertaining made-for-cable film tells it like it was in chronicling the golden age of Monday Night Football, a bold experiment in prime-time programming that transformed the pop-culture landscape. Carrying the ball for the lesser-known ensemble is John Turturro’s Emmy-worthy performance as Howard Cosell, who played the role of “provocateur” in the then-revolutionary three-man booth that included in its heyday “Dandy” Don Meredith (Brad Beyer) and Frank Gifford (Kevin Anderson). John Heard gives a career-best performance as ABC producer Roone Arledge, who nurtured his brainchild and brilliantly massaged the egos of his stars. His prickly, more complex relationship with Cosell is the heart of this film. Rich with incident, Monday Night Mayhem spans from Muhammad Ali’s controversial anti-Vietnam War stance and the blood-soaked 1972 Munich Olympics to John Lennon’s death, which Cosell announced to a shocked nation. Also comic and compelling is the behind-the-scenes in-fighting and the colorful backstage characters.

This next one is the “classic” “best of” production version of the story just mentioned and, best of all, it comes in an “old school” VHS format!

25th Anniversary of Monday Night Football:

The complete story of the early years of the greatest night in sports.
In September 1970, ABC Sports started a revolution that became an American Institution. Now, 25 seasons later, the beginning of every autumn work week is much easier to handle. The 25th Anniversary of ABC’s Monday Night Football celebrates the highlights and history made by football’s greatest players and play-by-players.
The hard-hitting action is all here in classic overtime victories, amazing runs, winning kicks, blitzes, bloopers and bizarre moments from the NFL’s greatest night. John Frank Gifford, Al Michaels, Dan Dierdorf, and former announcers Howard Cosell, “Dandy” Don Meredith, O.J. Simpson, Joe Namath, Fred Williamson and Keith Jackson for magic moments from the booth to the backfield to the bench.
This special collector’s edition also features: inside stories, classic anecdotes and great gaffes; moving moments of triumph, defeat and courage; and much more!

Personally, Monday Night Mayhem is one I’ve known about and have heard about before but never seen. I think I am adding that one to my list to Santa. Of course, I wouldn’t mind watching the classic 25th anniversary one either.

Hint, Hint.

Wedding Planners

OK, so a guy I know is getting married Saturday.
Right at the start of football season!

What a terrible time to go on a honeymoon… (Just Kidding)

Hope he has already picked his fantasy league and had the draft… (Not Kidding)

So, what ideas did I come up with for a gift?

Don’t worry though, I’m sure she will get her turn.
I hear she is a Hockey Fan!

Seriously though, I hope and wish for them only the best.

Give some SAKS for Valentines Day

Romance your Valentine with these sweet stock buys
By Gergana Koleva, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — The staple offerings of Valentine gifts are on display everywhere: from crimson teddy bears at your neighborhood drugstore to the velvety fare of Godiva’s chocolates to the cool, robin-egg hued sparkle of Tiffany’s. Add to that the perennial appeal of a dozen overpriced long-stem roses and you’re forgiven if finding a present for your partner reminds you of a multiple choice test.

But love comes in more ways than red, sweet and sparkle. If you’re looking for a unique gift idea for your Valentine this year, it may be worth remembering that the two of you are joined not just by your hearts but by your wallets. For some, there’s nothing that says “I love you” like a stock certificate putting your spouse’s favorite jewelry or lingerie brand in her hands.

“We have everything, we’ve given each other everything, and we’ve reached a point where we rack our brains every time Valentine’s Day comes around,” said Lee Comer, a retired owner of a marketing agency in Toledo, Ohio. He has been giving his wife stock of Saks (SKS: saks inc com SKS ) and Tiffany & Co. (TIF:Tiffany & Co.TIF ) every February 14 for the last 25 years. This year, he is showing his love with 100 shares of Saks.

“The first time I did it, she didn’t know what to think. Then she started really looking forward to it,” Comer said, explaining that he chose those two companies because his wife loves shopping at those stores. To him, giving a stock certificate to your spouse can be no less romantic than surprising him or her with a thoughtful present, especially if the shares are of a brand he or she particularly likes.

Though it does take some getting used to, the idea of pampering your partner with shares instead of a shiny diamond is hardly new. It is a fairly popular gift that can be very intriguing, according to Alan Lancz of Alan B. Lancz & Associates, a money management firm.

“Companies like Tiffany and Limited Brands make for a great Valentine’s gift because of their growth potential,” says Lancz. “They are divesting less efficient operations, so if you’re looking at it from a long-term perspective, say two to three years, you might want to pursue that idea.”

Sweetheart stocks to love

In his annual look at public companies whose earnings typically get a boost from the sentiments surrounding Valentine’s Day, Brent Wilsey of Wilsey Asset Management in Poway, Calif., a Linsco/Private Ledger Corp. affiliate, says the following three companies will melt your lover’s heart but not your brokerage account:

FTD Group Inc. (FTD: FTD ) Growth looks good for this company. Investors will enjoy a 5.1% dividend and revel in the knowledge that the floral product provider uses only half its earnings to pay out the juicy yield. Return on equity looks good at 15% and the company’s sales seem to be on track, increasing 19% year-over-year.

Steiner Leisure. (STNR: STNR ) This spa service provider has experienced good growth of sales and earnings, which are up 15% and 11% respectively, both well above the industry average. 2007 earnings per share are estimated at $2.64, and 2008 EPS is expected to jump to $2.99. The Nassau, Bahamas-based company, which has 53 resort spas and two day spas as well as a presence on 126 cruise ships, carries no debt on the balance sheet and has returned 27% on equity over the previous 12 months.

Limited Brands. (LTD: LTD ) The parent of the Victoria’s Secret line is poised for growth, with return on equity at 33% compared with the industry average of 23%. The company pays a healthy dividend of 3.2% using only 30% of its earnings and its stock trades around 10 times current earnings. However, with debt-to-equity at 140%, debt could be a problem, so watch it closely.

While these stocks could benefit anyone’s portfolio, when bought expressly as a Valentine’s gift they are more likely to end up in women’s hands.

Wonder what to buy your guy? How about shares of…

Best Buy (BBY: Best Buy Co. Inc BBY )

Coach (COH: coach inc com COH )

“Being romanced by public companies that profit from our affection for one another is easy, and these stocks certainly don’t play hard to get,”.