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- Written by: Editor
SACRAMENTO – As winter nears and the nights turn chilly, many people will choose to heat their homes with a nice, warm wood fire in the fireplace. While there are many wood dealers eager to sell at attractive prices, how do you know if you’re getting a good, fair deal? The only way to know for sure is to measure what is sold.
Firewood has its own special unit of measurement called a “cord.”
Firewood, in units of 1/8th of a cord and above, must be sold by the cord or fractions of a cord. A cord of wood by law must equal 128 cubic feet.
To determine if you have a cord, the wood must be measured when it is “ranked and well stowed.” This means the wood is stacked neatly in a row with the pieces of wood parallel and touching with as few gaps as possible. If, when measured, the width times the height, times the length equals 128 cubic feet, it is a cord of wood.
Be wary of terms such as "face cord," "rack," "rick," "tier," "pile" or "truck-load," as these terms are illegal to use in the sale of firewood. If a seller uses such terms, consumers should be on alert for a possible problem.
Some wood dealers try to sell firewood from a pick-up truck. Be on your guard, because a pick-up cannot hold a cord of firewood. An 8-foot truck bed can hold one-half of a cord while a 6-foot bed can barely hold one-third of a cord.
Make sure you get an invoice or delivery ticket that contains the name and address of the seller, the date purchased or delivered, the quantity purchased, and the price. The seller is required by law to give you this information in writing. You may want to take note of the license plate of the delivery vehicle.
Finally, if you believe you have not received the quantity you ordered and paid for, call the seller to correct the problem. Try to maintain the wood in the condition it was delivered, take a photograph, and do not burn any.
If the seller can’t or won’t correct the problem, contact your local county weights and measures office as soon as possible at: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/county/county_contacts.html or the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards at 916-229-3000.
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The class will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19.
Learn to make lemon curd, Devonshire cream, tea sandwiches and desserts served at a traditional afternoon tea and then enjoy them with "a spot of tea."
Tea lore and English Christmas traditions will be shared.
The $32 class fee includes generous tastings and a complete recipe booklet. Class size is limited and advance reservations highly recommended.
To sign up, visit www.chiclechef.com .
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- Written by: Editor
SACRAMENTO – The Secretary of State's office has been advised that letters are being sent to California corporations directing them to submit $495 and a completed form to a private company named Business Filings Division in order to dissolve their business entity.
A similar letter is being sent to California limited liability companies (see an example at the Secretary of State's Web site at http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/be/alert-misleading-solicitations-terminations.htm ).
The letter/form does not meet the requirements of the California Corporations Code, and a corporation cannot delegate the obligation to have the certificate of election to wind up and dissolve and the certificate of dissolution signed and verified by the shareholders, members, officers or directors of the corporation.
Additionally, the certificate of election to wind up and dissolve and the certificate of dissolution must be submitted to the California Secretary of State's office for filing. Please note there is no filing fee associated with either document.
Forms that meet the minimum content requirements of the California Corporations Code and instructions for these filings are available through our Web site at www.sos.ca.gov/business/be/forms.htm#corp .
The completed forms can be mailed to Secretary of State, Document Filing Support Unit, 1500 11th Street, Third Floor, Sacramento, California, 95814, or can be delivered in person to the Sacramento office at that same address.
There is no fee for submitting these documents to our office by mail, however, there is a $15 service fee for submitting these forms in person for filing to the Sacramento office. Once again, there is no filing fee for either dissolution document.
California businesses that receive one of these fraudulent solicitation letters can mail a written complaint along with the entire solicitation (including the solicitation letter, the outer and return envelopes, and all related documents) to the California Attorney General's office, Public Inquiry Unit, P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, California 94244-2250.
A complaint form, which can be completed online and printed to mail, is available on the California Attorney General's Web site at www.ag.ca.gov/consumers/general.php .
These solicitations are not being made by the California Secretary of State's office and are not being made by or on behalf of any governmental entity.
Although a business entity can use an intermediary to submit filings and fees to our office, no business is required to go through another company in order to file its documents with the Secretary of State's office.
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- Written by: Carol Cole-Lewis
However, just a small increase in any one of the following areas can make big difference to your bottom line:
The amount a customer spends with you each time they buy;
How many times a customer buys from you each year;
The number of years a customer buys from you.
Here’s an example of how small changes make a big impact:
Suppose an average customer spends $50 a month with you. They remain a customer for three years. Their value to you is therefore $1,800 (50 times 12 times 3). Watch what only an additional $2.50 added to each purchase, made every 28 days, for three years and three months does: their value increases to $2,218 (52.5 times 13 times 3.25). For a business with 100 customers, this means a revenue growth of $41,800!
Now, taking this example further, here’s an audacious out-of-the-box thought for you to consider: Give away the entire value of your first sale ($50) as an outrageous offer in order to acquire this average customer!
If you care for your customers – provide them with good service, quality products, prompt delivery, and good value for money – they will continue to buy from you for as long as they need what you offer. So, the small amount you invest upfront with your outrageous offer is minimal compared to the loyalty (and revenue) you’ll receive in return.
Since time immemorial, referrals and word of mouth have been the best way to attract business. Therefore, you’ll want any outrageous offer to be remarkable.
That’s why small percentage discounts are not exciting enough to start the chatter that lures business your way. What’s better is to make an outrageous offer people can’t refuse – an offer with huge perceived value up front to them (and a large back-end to you) – that entices crowds to your door!
Here are three ideas for outrageous offers you can adapt: Buy one, get one free.
Hoteliers: Stay two nights, get the third night free.
Theaters: Buy one ticket, get a free ticket for a friend.
Gift store: Buy a Christmas card, get a birthday card free.
Tire store: Buy a new set of tires, get the tires repaired free.
Hairdressers: Get a free haircut with every hair color.
Have your customers buy an item that is slower moving and use as a “giveaway” – a popular item that has a higher perceived value to your customer, but is lower in cost to you. Give away something for free (or at a low cost) that needs to be purchased with something else.
For example:
Grocers: Give spaghetti (what’s spaghetti without the sauce and the hamburger?).
Hardware store: Give a gallon of paint (which needs a paint brush, drop cloth – and the other 4 gallons of paint!).
Bar owners: Give potato chips (need I say more?).
Real estate agents: Give a free housewarming set of pots and pans to first time homebuyers.
Let customers buy more up-front at a discount:
Auto repair shop: Sell a 10 oil-change card for the price of 8 oil changes.
Photographers: Sell a “family package” – a professional photo of their kids taken every year for five years – for the price of four photo sessions.
Computer repair: Buy 10 hours of service up front for the price of nine hours.
How can you apply these ideas to your business? See how I have: you can find details of my outrageous offer (“Basic Web site + Blog + 1 year hosting for $400”) on my Web site (http://c-cole-lewis.com/outrageous-offer/ ).
The “Shop, Stay and Play” program by the Lake County Chamber of Commerce seeks to encourage Lake County residents to shop local by using this principal (http://shopstayplay.com ). Why don’t you sign up now while it’s free if you’re a business owner and denizen of our county – and don’t forget to post your outrageous offer there!
Dare to be outrageous – your customers (and business) will thank you!
Carol Cole-Lewis, Internet Marketing Consultant, helps Lake County businesses grow though a better Internet presence. You can reach her by calling 707-587-4277, by email at