Getting the best deal possible should be your main objective when locating a Clinique skin care sale on the internet.  For budget minded shoppers, it is the recommended method to get the greatest value for your money.

Retail department stores & specialty shops are great to view skincare items, however the web delivers a greater variety at bargains that are much cheaper than you will find locally.

It is thought of as a smart choice to have a look at what is offered online first before you decide to purchase.

Compare Prices

Having the ability to view values at several different stores quickly & easily is a fantastic benefit that using the internet provides.

After you understand just how simple it is, you will quickly find out that the internet is your partner when it comes to comparison shopping and locating the best possible deal for your dollars.

Discovering the exact product we wish for and saving as much money as we can while doing so is what makes shopping fun, interesting & exciting.

Discovering Facts

Customer feedback & up to date product reviews are valuable tools you can use when deciding on what beauty products to purchase.  Better web shops are known for offering these services available to their customers.

While a sales staff member working at a typical retail shop can provide you with general details about a product, browsing the review and feedback features available on the net will give you the chance to obtain information that is much more useful & unbiased.

Easier Shopping

Regular stores are sometimes inconvenient as they are open during set business times.  However, internet stores are always open, so you can shop whenever you wish.

Worries about time or your schedule is not a problem anymore.  Because of this, you can do research and find items at a time that best fits your lifestyle.

Finding Deals

I love to shop online.  As a result, I have been able to discover rare & hard to find beauty items on the internet that are either out of stock or not available in my town.

When I am searching for deals and bargains, stopping by the eBay webpage and viewing what is available is a high priority for me.

It is one of my all time favorite sites as they always have the exact products in stock that I am searching for with great prices as well.

If you browse through the listings closely, there are deals available that provide free shipping and handling for several goods.

Secure Shopping

Because they strictly deal with ecommerce transactions, they take extra precautions to make sure that your credit card details is protected so you can enjoy a gratifying net shopping experience without any security concerns.

Overall Value

If you are considering purchasing Clinique beauty items at your area department store or specialty shop, expect to pay between $6.99 to $42.99 or more, depending upon the product.

If you wisely choose to shop on the Internet, bargains can be found on the net for up to 36% off of the listed retail price.

We are living in an era of quite hectic and busy life style. It has become very difficult for most of the people to go for shopping outside their homes. Keeping in view, the growing demand of online shopping, the entrepreneurs have created several online shopping portals, which are very inspiring and lucrative for the customers.

The process of Online shopping is very simple and easy. We have ample number of sites which would facilitate online shopping in UK, where one can easily execute online shopping with great offers and discount. You can also find out the directory of online shopping UK, which would help you to access safe and secure online shops. Thus, you can shop on the Internet with great conviction. You can easily get all the details regarding the range of the products, delivery services, prices, special offers and gifts etc.

There are various online shopping sites in UK, which are reviewed and awarded star rating in terms of their quality and performance. To facilitate the buyers with online purchase, these sites come complimented with the online shopping guide, which helps the customers to know more in-depth details regarding Online shopping.

Hence, with the help of these Online shopping portals, we can save our ample time as well as gain lucrative offers.

If we discuss about community shopping on Internet, it has also become a very crucial mode for the buyers. This is particularly because, such process offer extra benefits to the customers. The Community shopping refers generally to a group shoppers, who are connected with each other online. They put forth their practical experience and feedback in great lengths about the goods they have dealt or are dealing with. Such feedback and reviews very often help other buyers, especially those who are planning to buy some commodities via Internet.

You can find a great number of shopping communities, which can be very crucial for your online purchase . This is obviously because, these communities help you to evaluate and find out the best products out of a huge stock of goods, which would suit you the most.

Recently, the process of online shopping has become very popular. It has revolutionized the shopping means altogether. Now, with the help of one click of your mouse, you can find all the goods displayed on the monitor. This trend has eased our lives to a large extent.

At last, it can be said that shopping community motivates and encourages the customers to opt online shopping by providing essential reviews and feedback about the goods. You would not have much knowledge and insights about that concerned good if you were compelled to buy them manually rather than online. Thus, shop Online and wipe out all the shopping tensions without any hassles.

ing Cart Software You want to shop for a week’s supply at Walmart and as you enter the store, you notice that all the shopping carts are gone. How would you feel? Of course, you’d feel like not shopping at all and switch to other stores where shopping carts are available. The same applies for online shoppers who wanted to make a more organized and one-way shopping, most especially if they’d purchase multiple items. A customer would always want it the easy way out and one way of letting them shop the easy way is through online shopping carts. Shopping cart software has improved a lot as years passed and as e-commerce boomed to overcome a lot of tangible business out in the business world. Having an Online Shopping Cart Software is important and will reap you a lot of benefits both in short term and in the long run. Through a shopping cart, you would be able to cater the best shopping experience to your online customers like they’re in a virtual shopping mall picking up what they want and stashing it inside the cart for the cashier to bill them out. Free vs Paid Shopping Carts There are a lot of shopping cart softwares available; most of them are pay-to-use while some few are for free. Free shopping cart softwares may be very tempting to avail of because they are absolutely free of charge. Take note, however, that these free shopping cart softwares may be a good option while starting a business, when the customers are not that overwhelming yet. But try to anticipate when your business made it into the main stream. Surely, the free shopping cart software won’t be able to handle the demands of multiple customers in the long run. As compared with paid shopping carts, free carts are less stable and have less customer support available for technical difficulties. Multi-Tasking Carts There are available shopping cart softwares which come in a package making them more versatile than ever. Shopping cart packages allow for the users to perform multiple tasks at once. Suggestive carts- Aside from the usual shopping cart where all the items to be purchased are stored temporarily, current carts also generate information about the customer’s history of previous purchases and offers them similar products which could catch their interests- this is through the power of cookies which collect previous information of users and dig them up for future use. Search Tool- Search tool is also integrated in some shopping carts so shoppers won’t need to scour over the list of items. They can also sort these items out so that they can compare the prices, and all other essential information. Cross Selling- Some carts can also be designed to do cross-selling such that there would be Hot Listed Items on a part of the cart which could raise the interest of a customer. Computations of Fees- One important feature of a shopping cart is to make the job of the online seller easier so that before it reaches the Internet Merchant Account service, everything is already ironed out and ready for billing. Computation of taxes, shipping costs, discount rates and all other necessary calculations can be done by a shopping cart and this helps a lot in making the transaction smoother and more convenient. Reporting- A shopping carts task doesn’t just end once the customer leaves the site and billed out by the IMA. The cart should also display reports to the online seller about the hottest items on the list, the overall sale for a certain time, the information about the traffic, the type of customers and all essential information necessary to improve the store. Customizability of Design The flexibility of the shopping carts is important so that it could be well adapted and customized according to the design or layout of the online store for which it is designed to work. By this feature, you can easily change the look of your store if it starts out to feel dull and monotonous. You should also see to it that the interface is user-friendly so that those persons with no idea about HTML or web designing can easily tweak the design up. There are also some shopping cart software providers who can customize the carts for you- all you need is to give them a logo of your store or tell them how you want those shopping carts to look like. Shopping carts are very vital in the functioning of an ecommerce website. It gives heaps of benefits for both the seller and the customer. For this reason, be very careful and strategic in choosing the right shopping cart for your store. Just bear in mind those tips and points which should be looked into and surely, you’ll get the best shopping cart service suited for your business.

The process leading up to a transaction online is possibly the most critical to a shopping cart’s success. If the buying process causes frustration, confusion or insecurity, the user is likely to abandon the shopping cart, never to return again.

The usability of a shopping cart refers to the efficiency with which a user can achieve their goals on a website. Many of the larger online shopping carts, like Play.com and Amazon.com, are continuously striving to make their buying process as fluent and as effortless as possible. Knowing you can buy a book or film in just 3 or 4 clicks encourages you to return to the same, reliable website.

Having read numerous articles and white papers dedicated to best practice shopping cart design and usability; below I have highlighted five potential design problems in shopping carts that I’m sure many users have encountered.

1. Shopping carts that ask a user to register before knowing if the product is available or not.

It could be quite irritating for a user if they have spent 10 minutes entering their credit card details, home address, telephone number etc etc. only to find out during the checkout process that the product they want to buy is out of stock.

Many shopping carts enable you to present users with live stock availability before the user places their product in the shopping cart.

2. Suggesting the user buys similar products before adding the main product to the shopping cart.

It’s often helpful when a website recommends additional products you may want or need after adding your main product to your shopping cart.

However, I think you’ll agree that it could be slightly confusing if these additional products were offered to you before even adding the main product to your shopping cart? You press “Add to Cart” and suddenly you’re offered batteries, or insoles or travel cases. Many users would be left feeling confused, wondering if their product had been added or not, or if they’d pressed the wrong button.

Best practice guidelines would indicate offering your user the extra products after the user has finished shopping and they’re entering the checkout process.

3. Shopping carts that ask a user to register before they have even added a product to their shopping cart.

Asking for a user’s personal information before they have even added a product to their shopping cart is not a good move.

Customer registration can offer some big advantages to you as a merchant including recovery for abandoned shopping carts, customer loyalty and email contact. However, many users may be browsing a number of websites, adding products to numerous shopping carts for the main purpose of comparing prices and features. If a user has to register personal details before using the shopping carts, a large percentage are likely to abandon the website.

4. Requiring a user to delete and add the same product to shopping carts just so they can change its colour, size or variation.

Editing a shopping cart should be as simple as possible and shouldn’t require the user to delete anything from the shopping cart.

If a product comes in different colours and different sizes don’t make them delete it from their shopping cart if they want it in a different variation. Users should be able to select from within their shopping carts the different options.

5. Websites that do not clearly show the user the contents of the shopping carts.

Have you ever been on a website and added the same product to your shopping cart 3 or 4 times because you’re not sure if it worked the first time?

Many users that can’t see the contents of their shopping cart in the same browser as the one they are shopping on can often feel confused about whether or not their item has been added successfully.

As a merchant it is understandable that you don’t want to take your user away from the page they are shopping on every time they add something to their shopping cart. Best practice guidelines therefore indicate displaying the contents of a users shopping cart in the same browser, in the right hand corner for example.

To summarise, the design of the entire shopping experience is of utmost importance. These 5 potential design problems highlighted are five of many common problems found on shopping carts.

Which one is most likely to make you abandon your shopping cart?

Tell us about additional usability problems you have encountered!

Which, out of those above, do you think is the most irritating and the most likely to cause shopping abandonment?

Large women do not have to worry about their weight and shape and how these can ruin their appearance on their wedding day. There are ways for large women to look attractive and feel like a royalty during their special day.

In looking for the best wedding dress, plus-sized women should know a couple of things. First, it is necessary for them to schedule an appointment with bridal boutiques. It will spare you of troubles if you can have a look at the dresses of you and your bridesmaid a few months before the wedding day.

Secondly you should have a list of shops where you can get the best deals on large size dresses. One of the great shops to go to is SalwarkameezIndia’s online store because they give promotions like outfitting your entire party if you win a contest. They also offer tailoring, as well as shoes and jewelry to accentuate your look during wedding day. However, there are many other fabulous online stores which could give you exactly what you are looking for.

Weddings may also require the bride to put on some intimate lingerie, so it could be good for the bride to shop for sexy plus lingerie. Victoria’s Secret may not be recommended but going online is. You could try browsing online for various websites affordable deals on intimate lingerie for your special night.

Remember, you don’t have to worry about your weight in order to feel like a royalty on your wedding day. Keep in mind these simple, practical reminders and chances are you will look your best on your special day.

What’s Google Checkout?

Google Checkout is a new service from the current online shopping is beset by problems from the start. For example, right now in this way users connect to the Internet, such as Amazon Shopping and Yahoo Shopping auction sites such as using online auction that is quite a number of people up. But in fact all online purchases as a percentage of use, how? Forrester Research of the United States Borrow and data, statistics, in 2006 the ratio of online shopping is only just 8%, Google is the cause of “independent shopping site every settlement system”, “shopping cart check-out time-consuming Ross cumbersome and time, “Stanley said. In other words, shopping sites vary in a single transaction-intensive process to a common login ID and password immediately even if shopping is complete – this is one way of solving the problem.

And Google, the payment systems also provide another analysis programs. That is, users of online shopping, so 37 percent from the first shopping search process that we started. The further 25%, as it results from a shopping site for shopping on the move. If Internet search and shopping site possibly linked to the system, which has become a big business.

That means Google Checkout is a simplified purchasing process and search operations in and provides a one-stop of thing.

Google account unify the shopping process

As already mentioned, the site provides a shopping cart and the shopping is independent of the payment system, payment necessary to enter personal information and account / shopping history is that individual users need to be aware of. Distributed management of the account is cumbersome, as well as personal information leakage current problems seen in the user’s security is beset with anxiety. Google Checkout provides centralized management of account information, check out when shopping sites, such as Google when I need only sign a settlement can be completed. Google side and all credit card information is managed for the account of the risk of leakage or misuse of information is distributed when compared to the previous decrease it. Also, a shopping cart through the history of all Google account can be listed, purchases and shopping site’s progress (or cancel already been shipped, etc.) can be sequential verification.

Actually look at the purchase process. First, as usual shopping purchases made at the site trying to check out the account information fields appear on the page. If an account with Google, Google Checkout information required to register if made, simply enter your ID and password to complete the purchase process alone. Have to account, even if the field to create a Google account and are available for purchase. If shopping site until Google account to login and if the state, particularly the need to enter any information without a “buy” button to complete the work alone.

Google Checkout user benefits, and have a Google Account, and the shopping site support if the purchase can be simplified almost to the point of the process. To unify and credit card account information, such as an important mechanism to prevent leakage of personal information, online shopping safer to enjoy.

Results geared to attract new customers and to aim up effect

Simple user side and the security services, as well as a shopping site on the part of merchants, the effect of higher than expected number of customers to their services. Specifically, the Google search results come out in the text of sponsored links to Google Checkout interlocking parts and shopping site from the search results directly to the Direct-guided shopping cart.

For example, Google search “speaker” and enter the keyword search results, usually the “speaker” relevant search results are listed by the same time, and right at the top of the page area, “speaker” related sponsor displays text ads. If this site is sponsored Google Checkout-enabled shopping site had been prepared, the sponsor of the ad part of the shopping cart icon on the display, users simply click on the shopping cart scene to give you guidance. Accordingly, the effect of advertising to attract new customers from the aim to increase.

Google Checkout, a shopping site’s tools are also available on the user’s shopping lists and can check, credit card processing to accounting and processing status of the background check process and makes it easier to.

One of the points here is a shopping site Google Checkout transaction fees when using the system. Google, the purchase fee per individual shopping process “Product 2% +0.2 amount of dollars” to set up a plan. Also, if a shopping site via Google AdWords text ads in the media and on the fees to be free (AdWords ad sales charges to submit more than 10 times). Some media reports, the initial fee will be provided free of charge to the information and later rival PayPal payment systems, such as compared to affordably seem to be setting.

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Although looking for plus size lingerie could seem as a hard task in the past, it is not as hard today. There have been a lot of advances in the industry as well as more demands coming from retailers, which have banished those days of having to put up with garish and very uncomfortable for bigger women. Now, larger women could look sexy and seductive wearing plus size lingerie.

It is hard enough to fit in a medium and small world if you have a larger size. Having to look for clothes and lingerie could even be more intimidating. You are looking for the same sexy and stylish corsets and bustiers, as well as the playful babydolls and slinky silk gowns all the smaller-sized girls are wearing. And though you could order the store’s largest lingerie size, if the piece was not made to specifically fit your body type then you could be uncomfortable in it or it might not fit at all.

Today, many designers have begun to create collections of plus-size lingerie pieces which provide much better selections for bigger women. After all, it is not just the smaller women who have the right to look sexy and beautiful.

When you shop for plus size lingerie, just make sure that you know your correct size. You could also let the salesperson take your exact measurements if you are not sure. Keep in mind that lingerie sizes could slightly vary slightly from one manufacturer to another. There are some sizes that run small, while others that run a bit larger. Lastly, follow your instincts. You no longer need to settle for deigns you do not really like. With today’s great plus size lingerie available in the market, making sure the lingerie you have on fits your style and personality is easy.

Locating a Obagi skin care sale can be easy if you use the net for your search.  Savvy shoppers find it to be a simple way to get the maximum deal for the money.

While many shoppers have a habit of relying on their local shops and department stores for their shopping, it is much easier to locate skincare prices online that are much cheaper than retail.

I can’t emphasize enough that you search on the web & check out what is available before you make a final buying decision.

Compare Prices

Having the opportunity to view prices at many different stores fast and easily is an excellent opportunity that utilizing the net provides.

After you understand just how simple it is, you will quickly understand that the web is your ally when it comes to comparison shopping & locating the best possible deal for your money.

Finding the exact goods we want and saving as much money as we can while doing so is what makes shopping fun, interesting and exciting.

Get More Facts

It is a great help to get as many facts and product reviews about beauty products before you buy.  Quality internet stores will provide such information as well as feedback from consumers who have already purchased items.

Because you can easily view these excellent features, you can avoid having to deal with the sales staff that are present at normal retail shops.  Furthermore, the info you will get is of higher quality as it is usually more detailed & unbiased.

Easier Shopping

While normal stores operate during set business hours, net stores are always in operation 24.

This helps to make the shopping experience easy, offering you the ability to research & select items at the time that is right for your schedule.

Finding Deals

Shopping on the web has plenty of advantages, such as being able to discover rare or hard to find beauty items that can’t be found in your town or is out of stock.

I make it a point to have a look at eBay whenever I am trying to find the best deals.

I always have very good luck when visiting their webpage as the prices are great and I can find just what I am looking for.

If you take the time to search their WebPages thoroughly, you can uncover values for products that provide zero charges for shipping  handling.

Safe Shopping

Because they specialize in web transactions, they take extra precautions to be sure that your credit card information is safe and secure so you can enjoy a satisfying net shopping experience without having to worry.

Overall Value

Depending upon the product, the average prices will be somewhere between $24 & $225 for Obagi products that are sold locally in department stores & specialty boutiques.

If you decide to shop on the internet, bargains can be found online for up to 27% off of the regular retail price.

It is extremely easy to find and buy anything and everything online. The diversity of the online shopping marketplace is amazing because of its global aspect. You have endless possibilities. For the convenience of online shoppers, the number of discounts in internet stores have also been growing continuously.

As the industry of online stores continues to boom, the level of competition among the retailers also keeps getting higher. This competition makes the online shops to be very alert and updated on what the other stores are selling to make sure that it would be their prices that would be most appealing for online consumers.

There are literally thousands and thousands of online stores that continue to thrive and they all provide businesses and individuals with an electronic method of buying services and products. They provide the access to the widest variety of merchandise in the comfort of their offices or homes.

Here are some of the more popular online stores or marketplaces that truly provide great products offering and service.

1. eBay

eBay is probably the most famous online auction. Consumers are able to find all kinds of items – from books to gardening tools to appliances to clothing to baby products to electronic gadgets and even cars and real estate.

2. Amazon

This would be perhaps the second largest online store, which hosts both online stores and auctions. Although Amazon also offers the same products that eBay sells, their reputation mainly lies on the category of books and video entertainment.

3. Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is an online store, which offers a wide range of merchandise as well. However, they also offer internet services, as well as questions regarding taxes at the start of the year. This makes Wal-Mart a great place to shop and get information.

Good morning Stefania, please tell us about yourself.  Are you originally from Rome?

Good morning Karen. I am extremely keen on sharing the love I feel for Rome, my city and my fondness for shopping in this amazing city with your readers.

My family is from Rome and we have been living in the Eternal City for as long as any member of the family can remember and I am very proud of that.

Rome is the largest open air museum in the world and as a local I love sharing it with visitors who come from all over the world. My philosophy is to provide my guests with the finest vacation in Rome, backed up by my personal friendly service.?

What makes Rome such a popular shopping city?

Shopping in Rome is a marriage in paradise. You have the most famous and desirable designer shops all nestled in a colorful and unforgettable urban landscape made of small alleys, old patrician palaces and unique squares designed by the genius artists Italy is famous for.

In some cities you shop between districts, in Rome you shop between centuries.

Beside Rome is not only for the glitterati who like to splash out on the latest must-have bag. On the contrary the Eternal City has plenty to offer for all tastes and wallets, from chic boutiques to small ateliers and artisan shops that you can only find by taking your time walking the ancient walks of Rome.

Actually the best of the Made in Italy with its sartorial touch can be found here and if you knew whom to ask for you can even find the Pope’s tailor in downtown Rome!

When did you begin your business as a personal shopper?

About six years ago, during one of my frequent business trips to London, I decided to maximize my shopping time hiring a personal shopper. The result was excellent because of the great value of the assistance I got and because I realized that I took a service that I used to give to my friends when they came to visit me in Rome. I suddenly realized that this creative job could have been a great challenge for me since, in 2003, almost nobody knew of this profession in Italy.

I asked my friends about my idea of sharing my expertise for styling and fashion together with my passion of Rome with guests and they encouraged me to “launch myself” setting up a “shopping friendly” website and that’s how http://www.romeshoppinguide.com was born! Since then word of mouth has been my best advertising.

I am extremely happy with this decision since it gave me the opportunity to get in touch with people from different places and cultures. These encounters often turns into friendship and give us the possibility to exchange views on the latest fashion trends from NY or Mumbai to Shanghai and Paris and it is really fascinating.



What are your most popular tours or types of shopping requests?

My clientele, both male and female, when they come to Rome for pleasure or business, are interested in having access to the “unknown Rome”.

Actually what I enjoy most is taking them beyond the street level retail shops sharing “my shopping secrets” with guests curious to experience Rome in a no tourist way.

Just to give you an example, since Italy is also famous for leather I have being asked several times by my clients to take them to leather goods shops. I often accompany them to visit skill craftsmen of which there are few left downtown Rome. These are my favorite gems. In these leather shops cum-laboratory guests can purchase and customize their bags, suitcases, jackets, coats, shoes with the kind of leather, seize, color and accessories they prefer.

This kind of shopping trip together with those that target private showrooms and local artisan laboratories are always a successful experience. Italy is actually  still a country with an alive artisan heritage and if you would like to have a unique quality piece, this is the place to come to for it!

Then going back to your question, and actually a question I have also been asked often from my clients, there are not popular tours but similar shopping requests as for clothing and shoes of course but also for watches, for customized jewelery, for gourmet food and wine, for pottery and home furniture, for kids clothing and toys and even for pens!

But let me tell you that sometimes I also get bizarre requests such as the one from two ladies who asked me to take them just to the best quality open air food market in town because they wanted to make a dinner surprise for their husbands! We had an amazing time together, they were eager to learn about Italian recipes and so during our shopping food tour I was pleased to share my family secrets with them on how to cook with those fresh ingredients. After few days I was very happy to receive a thank you letter from those ladies. This is just one of the several wonderful memories I got.

Can you provide me with a sample itinerary of two contrasting tours, for example, Piazza Navona and Via Veneto?

My pleasure and specialty is customizing itineraries to the client’s objective and make sure that it is unique and unforgettable for them.

The Piazza Navona and the Via Veneto guided shopping tours as proposed in http://www.romeshoppinguide.com are based on my experience and entice most of guests that visit the Eternal City for the first time. But please keep in mind that these itineraries can be tailor made, revised and eventually turn up side down even at the very last second according to the guests requests.

When I receive a shopping or a wine tour enquiry, 99%by e-mail, I ask for as many details as possible so that I can create a personal itinerary based on their particular needs, maximize their precious time and make their trip fun and relaxing. So through this “questionnaire” I plan the tour making sure to book, if necessary, private ateliers, schedule the tour with the “right” shop stops. Sometimes my questions are amplified by a phone call to get even more details and the day I meet up my client/s at their hotel, we reconfirm their personal preferences so that we get the best outcome!

Following your question, the Navona and the Via Veneto guided shopping tours vary for the different kind of shops you can find and for the feeling you get by strolling around.

Shopping through the historical Navona area means going for antique and marble shops, artisans and glass shops, minimalist boutiques, enoteche and gourmet food, breathing the ancient Roman atmosphere on every corner. In this shopping area surrounded by marvelous fountains, noble palaces and ancient ruins, guests get the perfect combination of a shopping and sightseeing Rome tour since, besides leading them to the shops, I point out and explain to them all the treasures around.

The Via Veneto area, well known as the Dolce Vita Street, has many exclusive leather goods, jewelers, gloves and fashion shops that I usually suggest to a sophisticated and more mature clientele.

American clients enjoy also this route because in the Dolce Vita Street they can also appreciate the magnificent 19thcentury Palazzo Margherita beloved to the first Queen of Italy, Margherita di Savoia, which nowadays houses the U.S. Embassy.

You also offer tours to Tuscany & Umbria, as well as factory outlets and food/wine stores. What do these tours encompass?

I love offering my guests different choices of shopping and wine tours as well as promoting my country letting travelers know that Italy is not only confined to Rome, Venice, Florence, Capri etc and that besides the astonishing Tuscan countryside well known around the world, there is also the beautiful Umbria countryside region.

The Umbria area is extremely picturesque and with a wide variety of choices from visiting ancient Castles surrounded by vineyards, where is lovely to stop for a personalized wine tasting; to visiting the pottery and cashmere outlets (the best Italian ceramics and cashmere brand name factories come from this region); from stopping at the chocolate factory (the famous Bacio perugina comes from Perugia!) to visiting the gourmet shops specialized in the famous black truffle.

I mean the list of treasures to discover and things to do is endless and it is definitely worth a visit!

The factory outlet tours are the bargain tours and, in nowadays with this bad economy, finding quality designer goods at 30% to 70% discount on the retail price is wonderful!

Often those outlet tours could be combined with magnificent wine and genuine Italian food tastings, according to the region we are going to.

Can you share some of the current fashion trends in Italy, from clothing to shoes to eyewear?

I gravitate towards unusual, special and unique pieces. I love clothes and accessories that have style and are not related to any specific trend.

In my opinion fashion trends for 2009 would be a lot more towards affordable fashions than big labels. Today’s fashion designers need to be extremely creative in order to have a competitive edge in today’s growing fashion industry.

Having said that I am saving for a beautiful suitcase that I have recently seen at the last Pitti in Florence. I won’t tell you the brand! After all I am Italian and I am a fashion victim by default!!!