Power Balance Wristband - Choice Magazine Warns

CHOICE verdict

CHOICE is all for the power of positive thinking, but we can’t find much positive to say about Power Balance. It has no discernable effect on flexibility and balance. Any benefit you feel while wearing it is almost certainly due to a placebo effect. So, zero stars for the Power Balance.
If the products were cheap, we could at least call them a harmless bit of nonsense, but at $60 for the wristband and $95 for the pendant they’re far too overpriced to laugh off.
Link to Choice Report Here

Customers Who Ask For A Discount

Discounting at markets:

It’s not like every single stallholder haggles and not every single buyer askes.

It’s a traditionally accepted part of the buying and selling paradigm. Haggling is built into it. The vast majority of people aren’t going to haggle, but there are a hard-core few who will, and in the hard core there are always some who are going to be really chintzy. There are certain shoppers who don’t even consider it a true market experience unless they talk you down a little bit.

Advice for stallholders:

Price tag everything. Customers are more comfortable with that. You have a starting point. If you discount your price, price everything with what is called a built-in bargaining advantage. If you know you need to get $8 for an item, price it at $10. If somebody starts haggling, then the built-in bargaining percentage works in your favour.

What to do with rude customers:

Don’t get angry, say, ‘You know, this is a really good deal at $5. If you’re not interested, somebody is going to snap it up later today. If you’re not willing to pay for it, fine, somebody else will be.’ Don’t yell at people. Try to keep it civil. But if somebody really tries to be chintzy, like offering 50 cents for something, just kind of laugh. It never pays to get belligerent with people, even the jerks. And they’re out there.

Power Saver Device Withdrawn From Sale

Power saver device withdrawn from sale after ACCC action

Bronze Swan will no longer sell the Enersonic Power Saver device after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission raised issues about the effectiveness of the device.
From March 2009 to April 2010, Bronze Swan marketed the device, which plugs into a standard electricity outlet and which purports to reduce the user's electricity consumption. Bronze Swan promoted and sold the Power Saver on its website , at trade and agricultural shows around Australia and also through its authorised agents. Bronze Swan sold around 2100 devices, each typically costing $139.95.
The ACCC was concerned that claims by Bronze Swan on its website and in its promotional material that the device would reduce consumers' electrical consumption and cut their electricity bills, were misleading and deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive, in contravention of the Trade Practices Act 1974.
Bronze Swan has been cooperative in resolving this matter and acknowledged the ACCC's concerns by ceasing to distribute the Power Saver.
The ACCC has accepted court enforceable undertakings from Bronze Swan that it will:

• not engage in the retail sale, marketing or distribution of the Power Saver
• display a corrective notice on the Bronze Swan website for three months
• display the corrective notice for a period of 12 months at each trade or agricultural fair or home show that it attends
• send a copy of the corrective notice to all consumers and agents that purchased the Power Saver, and
• implement a trade practices law compliance program.

"Consumers today are very concerned about rising electricity costs and traders should not take advantage of those concerns by making misleading and unsubstantiated representations that their products can reduce consumers' electricity bills," ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said today.

In July 2010, the ACCC instituted legal proceedings in the Federal Court in Sydney against the distributor of the Power Saver device, Auscha Corporation Pty Ltd and its Products Development Officer, alleging that Auscha made a number of false or misleading representations about the Enersonic Power Saver in breach of the Trade Practices Act 1974. Those proceedings are continuing and a hearing is set down for 15 October 2010.
Link here
http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/951584
And here
http://greenpowersaver.com.au/ 

Penrith markets fruit and Nut man.

Another stalwart stallholder of many years (12+) is shown here.

Thanks for your market support and friendly character. For the best produce be sure

to visit his stall.

Penrith Markets Great Staff

I have been promising to place these pics for some time so would be remiss to leave it longer.

Here we have the main support staff Robbie markets manager with Phil, Sean (good to see you still off the smokes), Vince Tables (just back again from malta) and Paul Paulie). Last but not least long serving Col. Not shown is Garry. Thanks to you all for your support and respect you show to us Stall holders over many many years.

Maitland Country Fair - Twice A Month Till Christmas

It's now October and Maitland Markets moves up a notch. Now on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month for October, November and December. This is a huge market with an incredible variety of stalls.

Location and times click here