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Golden Rules For the Use of Autoresponders

Autoresponders are a perfect way to increase traffic to your site.There are many ways that autoresponders can help your business. One of the most important is their ability to track the effectiveness of your promotions.The appropriate use of auto responders can generate a large amount of business.




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Website Traffic Is Not The Key To Success

Although it's true that a constant stream of traffic is the lifeblood of a website, the quality of the traffic is far more important than the quantity. What you need are visitors specifically interested in your product or service -- you need 'targeted traffic'.




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The Pen Is Mightier Than Website Traffic

There is a certain art to writing an article but it doesn't really require any special skills. You don't need a degree to write an article and you don't need to be a programmer to submit your articles to ezines, blogs etc.




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The Origins of Valentines Day

Every year February 14th is celebrated as a day for love, exchange of gifts, promises of eternal passion, and more. The inspired pen poems inspired by their love and admiration for the women of their dreams while others just go to shops and buy commercially available verses.




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10 Great Gift Ideas for Mother's Day

Gift Ideas for Mother's Day




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Easy Crafts for Kids Aged 3-5 to Make for Mother's Day

Kids are always wanting to make mom a gift for Mother's Day. They want something that is all their own, without much help from anyone, so here are some ideas that are both inexpensive and easy for them.




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Traditional Southern Breakfast Recipes for Mother's Day

Make this Mother's Day unforgettable with one of these breakfast menus




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Romantic Things to Do for Your Wife on Mother's Day

You really want to do something that she will never forget.




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Low Cost Gifts for Mom on Mothers Day

You don't have a lot of money to spend this year for her, but you want something special for your mom. Here are some ideas that will take little or nothing to get or make.




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Mothers Day Quotes - A Lifetime of Love Doesn't End at 18

Here are just a few quotes from people that honored their mothers with these wonderful and memorable words about motherhood.




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Peace and Hope for Mothers Day

To all of the mothers whose children are fighting in wars - and to mothers whose children are growing up with wars raging around them or with terrorism threatening their safety... Wishes of strength, peace and hope for this Mother's Day...




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Scrapbooks - The Perfect Gift

There is something magical about special occasions - it's no wonder that we call them special.




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What Will Be the Hottest Christmas Toys of 2006?

Wondering which toys will be the hottest Christmas toys this year? This article gives you the "inside scoop" on what toys you should watch this holiday season.




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The True Meaning of Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving to kids may mean a day off from school filled with lots of treats. How can you make a holiday with no presents have real meaning? Discover some ways kids can experience the true meaning of "giving thanks".




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Top Songs for the Holiday

Christmas songs are embedded in our holiday traditions. Chances are you have dozens of holidays hits memorized. Everyone has a favorite. Do you agree with our top 10 of all-time favorite Christmas carols?




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Changing Face Of Holidays In The UK

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Enjoy the Snow

It's the first big snowfall of the season and you're snowed in. Enjoy the snow! But first, follow these simple tips to make the day fun and safe for your family.




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Teach the Meaning of Christmas With 5 Sensory Crafts

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The Benefits of Buying and Selling Locally

Shop at a flea market in Oaxaca, Mexico. Trade with a vendor in London, England. Or sport your wares to collectors in Geneva, Switzerland. You can virtually do just that when you shop or sell goods at an online auction site. You know those global auction Web sites, the ones that allow you to bid on thousands of items against millions of other competitors. Sure, they allow you to expand your world and uncover cool knickknacks from around the world. But these very same sites also open the door to you getting ripped off by someone four thousand miles away. More than 8 billion dollars were spent on auction sites in the last three months of last year, but how many dollars were lost along the way?




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The Warning signs of Online Fraud and How to avoid it

The number may seem grim for Web-based commerce. In 2004 in the Unites States alone, computer users logged in more than 207,000 Internet fraud reports to the U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Center. If you look hard at this number, you may be astounded, and a good bit frightened, by the implication. You may ask, "Is it really safe to buy and sell at an online site?"




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Blu-Ray set to take the world by storm!

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How to 'Download' Your Old Computer to the Highest Bidder

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Notebook or Desktop Computer, What is the Best Buy?

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How To Select The Notebook That Meets Your Requirements?

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Buying The Right Notebook Computer

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Travel Insurance - Do I Need Insurance for a Holiday in the UK?

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Pet Insurance - Suss Out the Answers to 10 Key Questions

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Travel Insurance - Few Bargains for the Over 65's

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Buying Life Insurance Over the Telephone the Safe and Easy Way

Buying life insurance over the telephone is most convenient way to save money and avoid the need to allow a life insurance agent into your home.




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Brit girls go there to get ripped off

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Female Hair Loss: The Shocking Truth

When you talk about genetic hair loss most people think about the most common form of hair loss: male-pattern baldness. This is the type of hair loss that is passed on genetically to offspring from their mothers. Most often the recipients of this type of hair loss are men, but sometimes the gene can result in female hair loss.




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Female Hair Loss: The Bald Truth

For a long time most people had the belief that female hair loss was related to the hereditary factor only. However, due to an increase in hair loss amongst women this condition is getting a lot more exposure and acknowledgement in the medical community.




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The Truth About Hair Loss

It is normal to shed hair every day and the truth is we loose between 100 - 125 hairs on any given day. Some people, however, experience more hair loss than is normal. Hare some alternative health ideas that can help naturally.




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Aromatherapy For Female Hair Loss

The essential oil formulas felt so healing and energizing on my scalp. It was as if I could "feel" them working! Within three months I began seeing and feeling soft new growth.




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Aromatherapy for Hair Loss-Top Eight Essential Oils to Promote Growth

For fifteen years now I have been able to control my hair loss and maintain healthy hair with aromatherapy. This article contains what I consider to be the top eight essential oils to stimulate and maintain hair growth.




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Hair Loss in Women, Could Stress Be The Culprit?

Stress causes actual physiological changes in our body. These changes throw off our entire equilibrium, and affect every system of our body. Hair loss is often the first symptom.




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Petrol retailers should reduce their prices in line with falls in international petrol prices

22 April 2020

Petrol retailers should not use the current pandemic to further increase profits, which the latest ACCC petrol industry report shows have risen in recent years, and should pass on the full benefit of falling oil prices to motorists, the ACCC has said.

Weekly average international crude oil prices have decreased by around US$ 50 per barrel since the beginning of the year and this has largely flowed through to Australian wholesale petrol prices, which have decreased by around 50 cents per litre (cpl) in the same period.

Over the same period, seven-day rolling average petrol prices across the five largest cities (i.e. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth) have decreased by around 45 cpl. These cities have regular petrol price cycles, which makes it difficult to assess the exact flow through of falls in international crude oil and refined petrol prices in the short term.

“The drop in the crude oil price is good news for the Australian motorists. At this time the Australian economy needs all the assistance it can get, and lower world crude oil prices are one of the few positives from current world events,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.

“In the larger Australian capital cities, petrol retailers took too long to pass on the savings from the rapid drop in international oil prices, and this did not reflect well on them.”

In Hobart, Canberra and Darwin as well as many regional locations, retail prices have been much slower to come down and the extent of the falls has varied widely.

Fuel prices are generally higher in regional Australia due to a number of factors, including lower population and demand, meaning there are fewer petrol stations, which often leads to less competition. There are also higher costs for transport and storage of fuel, and less convenience sales which can support the operation costs of petrol retailers when fuel prices are low.

Price changes in regional centres can lag up to six weeks behind changes in the larger capital cities, because the turnover of stock is generally lower in the country. The reduction in demand for petrol due to current travel restrictions may have further exacerbated the lag.

“We have previously found that the lack of vigorous and effective competition in some regional locations was a major reason for higher prices in those locations,” Mr Sims said.

“Where there is competition, you tend to see lower prices. Giving your business to outlets that are pricing competitively sends a strong message to those that have high prices that they will lose your business. We recommend motorists compare prices on fuel price apps and websites, such as MotorMouth and the government schemes in NSW, WA and the NT, which also provide information on retail prices in regional locations.”

“Especially at this difficult time, retailers must not take advantage of the situation to increase their profits, but should pass on savings to motorists,” Mr Sims said.

“The ACCC’s role is to monitor the market closely, and we will continue to do this, particularly to keep the pressure on the petrol retailers at this time.”

New ACCC report shows retail profits increased over time

The latest ACCC petrol industry report reports on the revenues, costs and profits in the Australian petroleum industry up to June 2018. It includes financial results for the retail and wholesale sectors as well as for refining and across the total downstream industry.

Retail sector net profits across all fuel products, convenience store and non-fuel services were $616 million in 2017-18, the last year covered by this report.

The sector generated a record high $333 million in net profits on petrol products – regular unleaded petrol (RULP), premium unleaded petrol (PULP) and ethanol blended petrol (EBP). This equates to a record net profit of 3.0 cpl on petrol products, which was almost double the average in the period 2008-09 to 2013-14 of 1.6 cpl.

About 60 per cent of petrol net profits ($199 million) were made on premium fuels, which only accounted for about a third of petrol sales by volume.

“Much of the increase in net profits on petrol products was driven by sales of PULP, which has a significantly higher profit margin for retailers,” Mr Sims said.

Net profits on PULP 95 and PULP 98 were 5.8 cpl and 5.9 cpl respectively, while net profits on regular unleaded were 1.5 cpl in 2017-18.

PULP 95 and PULP 98 have become more expensive relative to the retail price of RULP. The annual average price differential between RULP and PULP 98, for instance, increased to 20.4 cpl in 2017-18, an increase of 3.9 cpl since 2009-10. Profits were also influenced by higher sales volumes of PULP (particularly PULP 98).

Retailers also earn substantial profits from convenience store sales. Convenience and other non-fuel sales contributed around 37 per cent of total retail sector net profits (or $226 million) in 2017-18, illustrating their importance to petrol retailers’ businesses as the profit margins on these products are significant.

“Petrol stations make most of their profits from convenience sales and premium fuel. The average net profits on regular unleaded, at about 1.5 cpl are only a small part of the price motorists pay,” Mr Sims said.

The annual average retail price of RULP in the five largest cities in 2017-18 was 134.5 cpl.

“Drivers who have the option, can save money by resisting the temptation of convenience foods at petrol stations and using regular unleaded petrol, although motorists should follow their car manufacturers’ advice,” Mr Sims said.

Net profits in 2017-18 were stronger for refining and across the total downstream industry

The number of refineries halved from eight in 2002-03 to four in 2017-18, significantly rationalising operations. The financial performance of the refining sector fluctuated over the same period.

Refining net profits however recovered following several years of net losses after the Global Financial Crisis. Net profits reached $845 million in 2017-18, the highest since 2007-08. Overall profits for the total supply sector (which comprises refining, importing and transactions between refiners) were $1.19 billion in 2017-18.

Wholesale sector net profits were about $976 million in 2017-18 across all products and services. They have fluctuated over time but have been relatively consistent since 2008-09.

Net profits for the total downstream industry across all products and services were $2.78 billion (or 2.9 cpl), the highest recorded since 2007-08 and more than double the figure recorded for 2013-14 ($1.24 billion, or 1.4 cpl).

For petrol products, total industry net profits were $1.44 billion in 2017-18, or 4.2 cpl, the highest recorded by the ACCC. They were around double the profits on petrol products across the industry in 2013-14 ($723 million, or 2.0 cpl).

Notes to editors

On 16 December 2019, the Treasurer issued a new direction to the ACCC to monitor the prices, costs and profits relating to the supply of petroleum products in the petroleum industry in Australia. As part of this direction, the ACCC produces industry reports that focus on particular aspects of consumer interest in the fuel market in relation to prices, costs and profits.

This is the first industry report under the new direction. It reports on the revenues, costs and profits for the total downstream petroleum industry as well as for the following industry sectors: retail, wholesale, and total supply (which comprises refining, importing and transactions between refiners).

The focus of this report is to provide transparency around the financial performance and the profitability of the downstream petroleum industry. It presents results from analysis of this data.

The ACCC analysed the financial data of 11 companies:

  • refiner–wholesalers – BP, Caltex, Mobil and Viva Energy
  • independent wholesalers – Liberty, Puma Energy and United
  • supermarket chains – Coles Express and Woolworths
  • large independent retailers – 7-Eleven and On The Run.

The ACCC previously reported on financial results to the end of 2013-14.

This report includes data from 2002-03 to 2017-18 (the latest data analysed), but excludes results for 2014-15 and 2015-16, which was a period when the ACCC conducted other financial analysis of the industry as part of its regional market study reports.

All results in this report are in real terms in 2017-18 dollars.

Release number: 
76/20
ACCC Infocentre: 

Use this form to make a general enquiry.

Media enquiries: 
Media team - 1300 138 917
Audience
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The very bad, and some good, from COVID-19

5 May 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically changing the global economic landscape and causing severe disruption to Australian small businesses, ACCC Chair Rod Sims said today.

“Many small businesses are doing it tough, and are being forced to restrict their hours, lay off staff and, for too many, close their doors,” Mr Sims said.

Mr Sims was speaking via Zoom at an event organised by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).

“We know the COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant economic impact across Australia, which is why we are taking measures to help consumers and small to medium sized businesses,” Mr Sims said.

Mr Sims said the ACCC’s immediate response to the pandemic has focused in two broad areas of work:

  • authorisation of crisis collaboration between competitors, particularly in relation to hardship polices, and
  • the establishment of the ACCC’s COVID-19 Taskforce to tackle immediate harmful consumer and small business problems arising from the crisis.

Mr Sims said the ACCC has already granted interim authorisation allowing retailers to collectively bargain with landlords about rent relief during the pandemic.

“We see a clear public benefit in allowing retailers to work together in negotiations with landlords and help tenants who are experiencing financial hardship,” Mr Sims said.

Mr Sims said a conditional authorisation had also been granted to allow the Australian Energy Council and wholesale and retail energy businesses to provide financial relief to business customers financially impacted by the current crisis.

“Energy is an essential service and it is important energy market participants support businesses through the pandemic,” Mr Sims said.

Mr Sims said there may be further benefits to energy users flowing from the crisis.

“One rare positive to come from this pandemic is that wholesale electricity and gas prices are falling significantly. These falls need to be passed on to businesses that rely on energy,” Mr Sims said.

“As Australia comes out of this crisis we will need our energy prices to fall significantly if we are to have the recovery we need.”

Mr Sims said the ACCC’s COVID-19 Taskforce is rapidly responding to the thousands of phone calls, emails and social media reports from impacted businesses.

“We are already engaging with some large businesses about allegations they are deliberately choosing not to pay their suppliers, or demanding large discounts off goods already delivered, and also delaying payments significantly, and that they should cease the conduct immediately,” Mr Sims said.

“We are looking into concerns that many small grocery or convenience stores are missing out on supplies that now seem readily available to the large supermarkets. We need to maintain strong competition in the retail sector to ensure economic recovery once the pandemic subsides.”

Release number: 
90/20
ACCC Infocentre: 

Use this form to make a general enquiry.

Media enquiries: 
Media team - 1300 138 917
Audience
Topics




the

Annual Forecast for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - General Analysis

General Yearly Forecast for the Chinese Lunar Year Yang Red Fire Dog (29.01.2006 to 17.02.2007) that deals with political, economical and general matters. What industries will thrive and what fields will fluctuate ? What type of health problems will dominate and what type of thought forms will get boosted ? Read on ...




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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006: Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Rat Sign

If you were born in the Year of Rat or Mouse (1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996) as per Chinese Astrology, know how you will fare in 2006 in your Career/Business, Health, Wealth, Harmony and Love. Be aware of your strengths and be warned of the negative energy that you may have to face, to plan your strategies well ahead. Get to know the Fengshui Enhancers and Cures that can help you, too.




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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Ox Sign

If you were born in the Year of Ox or Buffalo or Bull or Cow (1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997) as per Chinese Astrology, know how you will fare in 2006 in your Career/Business, Health, Wealth, Harmony and Love. Be aware of your strengths and be warned of the negative energy that you may have to face, to plan your strategies well ahead. Get to know the Fengshui Enhancers and Cures that can help you, too.




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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Tiger Sign

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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Rabbit Sign

If you were born in the Year of Rabbit or Hare or Cat (1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963,1975, 1987, 1999) as per Chinese Astrology, know how you will fare in 2006 in your Career/Business, Health, Wealth, Harmony and Love. Be aware of your strengths and be warned of the negative energy that you may have to face, to plan your strategies well ahead. Get to know the Fengshui Enhancers and Cures that can help you, too.




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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Dragon Sign

If you were born in the Year of Dragon (1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000) as per Chinese Astrology, know how you will fare in 2006 in your Career/Business, Health, Wealth, Harmony and Love. Be aware of your strengths and be warned of the negative energy that you may have to face, to plan your strategies well ahead. Get to know the Fengshui Enhancers and Cures that can help you, too.




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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Snake Sign

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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Horse Sign

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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Goat Sign

If you were born in the Year of Goat or Sheep or Ram (1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003) as per Chinese Astrology, know how you will fare in 2006 in your Career/Business, Health, Wealth, Harmony and Love. Be aware of your strengths and be warned of the negative energy that you may have to face, to plan your strategies well ahead. Get to know the Fengshui Enhancers and Cures that can help you, too.




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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Monkey Sign

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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Rooster Sign

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Annual Forecasts & Fengshui Remedies for 2006 : Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog - for Dog Sign

If you were born in the Year of Dog (1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006) as per Chinese Astrology, know how you will fare in 2006 in your Career/Business, Health, Wealth, Harmony and Love. Be aware of your strengths and be warned of the negative energy that you may have to face, to plan your strategies well ahead. Get to know the Fengshui Enhancers and Cures that can help you, too.