Browsing Archives for October, 2007
To really "get" NetShops culture, it helps to be something of a romantic. I'm not talking serenades and moonlight waltzes. I'm referring to a sort of passionate idealism, a thirst for adventure, an ability to recognize and revel in life's simple pleasures.
This notion is reflected in many of our websites. We don't sell vibrating, posture-enhancing, adjustable water mattresses or other newfangled advancements in hopes of revolutionizing the supine position. We sell hammocks. In our stores you won't find the latest PC games and video game consoles. Instead you'll find classics like dartboards and chess sets.
We certainly don't eschew the technical - we are a leading Internet retailer, after all. We specialize in telescopes, weather instruments, and metal detectors, just to name a few of our more technologically sophisticated products. But upon a closer look, you'll see that inherent in each of these products is a quest for discovery.
As members of a pioneering e-commerce team, we're on a similar quest. And we revel in the adventure.
Shopping at work is something we do on a daily basis at NetShops. It's not exactly a fun-filled day at the mall complete with impulse buys and soft pretzels, but we don't have to cruise around the parking lot in search of a spot, either.
For many of us, shopping at work is work. We perform quality assurance checks on all of our sites. This process, known as "Q-A," includes everything from inspecting images, to checking links, to proofreading copy, to double-checking pricing. And then some.
So while it's not all leisurely browsing, it still kind of is. We just have to be sure to do it with a discerning, critical eye.
And if I happen to find the perfect birthday and Christmas gifts for friends and family (and compile a little wish list of my own) along the way, well, it's all in a day's work.
Just this month we added MixersDirect.com and FoodProcessorsDirect.com to our collection of specialty stores, and the timing couldn't be better.
A few weeks ago, humidity was high and temperatures lingered in the steamy mid-80s. From my agreeable position in front of the open refrigerator, the thought of weekend baking was ludicrous. But now that the mercury has finally embarked upon its annual descent, it's time to heat things up in the kitchen. And that means firing up the small appliances.
Surplus vegetables from backyard gardens wait patiently to be chopped, simmered, or canned. Neglected bags of flour and packets of yeast long to mingle in the mixer and bask in the oven's enlivening heat. Who are we to deny them?
Let's pickle those peppers, can those tomatoes, and put on some soup. If that's not enough to lift your spirits, try baking a pie or homemade bread. The timeless tastes and aromas of the season should be enough to warm any heart.
It is not the intention of this blog to oscillate between celebrating scrumptious eatables and praising the activities planned by the NetShops Health and Wellness Committee, but here I go again.
Today the Wellness Committee put together a Health Fair for all NetShops employees. We were invited to take some time to meet with representatives from local health clubs, receive free blood pressure and body composition tests, and line up for optional flu shots if desired. All well and good, but the real draw was this: a free massage from a trained massage therapist.
As for me, I skipped the flu shot, found a gym membership, and headed straight for my well-deserved massage. It's about time they let us kick the tires on some of the products from MassageChair.com!
Workdays at NetShops are action-packed and, at times, hectic. That's why I'm happy to see the company make a commitment to the health of its employees. A balance of active minds and bodies with a healthy dose of free massage sounds like a promising formula for success and longevity.
My voicemail light was winking at me this morning. It was triggered by a message left by a woman looking for information about a medicine cabinet from MedicineCabinetShop.com for her daughter's new home.
This may not sound that unusual, but I work in the Creative Services department and rarely do I have the chance to interact directly with our customers. I welcomed the opportunity and gave her a call. When I asked how she found me, she explained her strategy for finding a human voice when confronted with voice automation, which was to depress random buttons on her handset until someone picked up. Not too shabby. Evidently her random sequence began with my extension.
We had a brief, pleasant conversation, and I got her in touch with someone who could help her. I don't know if she made the purchase, but I'm willing to bet that our product expert was ready with the information she needed.
When people apply for open positions at NetShops, they send resumes and cover letters to opportunityknocks@netshops.com. I thought that was a fresh and clever presentation of the job back when I applied, but after a few years with the company, I've come to realize it's more than that.
Opportunity continuously finds its way into the workplace, and it doesn't always knock. It beeps. It flashes red. It comes in a question from a co-worker, a recommendation from a customer.
Whether opportunity arises here more often than in other offices around the world, I couldn't say. But I can tell you this: the people at NetShops seem to have an uncanny knack for recognizing it when it does.
Monday mornings are rarely as bad as they seem from the vantage of Sunday evening.
This week however, was a little more daunting. After a September filled with weddings and out-of-town visitors, this is my first five-day workweek since late August. And with "Black Monday" (ecommerce's answer to brick-and-mortar's day-after-Thanksgiving "Black Friday") and the holidays creeping ever closer, we at NetShops have our work cut out for us.
I've always been a huge Halloween fan, so the thought of focusing solely on the Christmas holiday as early as September throws my internal seasonal clock a little out of whack. Hence, you can imagine how pleased I am with the launch of one of NetShops' newest stores - GiftBaskets.com.
Similar to our WreathsGalore.com, which we launched last year, GiftBaskets.com is loaded with fresh, seasonal products that are relevant now. With dozens of colorful Halloween and autumn-themed gift baskets laden with goodies to choose from, it couldn’t be easier to start fall off on the right foot for someone you care about.
Trust me and the taste of this Granny Smith that I nabbed from one of the gift baskets on display - Monday mornings aren't so bad. Especially when you take a moment to savor the season.
It's not only a fine 80s flick with the brothers Sheen-Estevez and quotable lines like, "Could you describe the ruckus, sir?"
Nope. Around here the Breakfast Club is a delicious social event that happens every Friday morning. Today our club exchanged good mornings over a zesty Southwestern egg casserole and delectable apple tartlet.
(Blog time-out. Before I go any further, I'd like to point out that I fully appreciate the irony of following a post about the NetShops Wellness Committee with one about breakfast pastries. Like I said in my last post, it's all about balance.)
Breakfast clubs started on a departmental level, but quickly spread to include interested parties from across the company. Sometimes it's as simple as bagels and fruit, others as elaborate as Eggs Pontchartrain complete with fried oysters. And it's not limited to traditional fare if the assigned persons choose to loosely interpret the term "breakfast." A recent memorable departure was Meatballs of the World Day, which did not disappoint.
A solid day's work sandwiched between a good breakfast and Friday afternoon is an exceptional way to finish the week. Speaking of sandwiches, I wonder what's for lunch...