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Shopping

When you think of shopping what do you think of? Fashion? Well it is true, many people do think of fashion shopping. But Lilith Press already has a section for Fashion.

No, the focus of this section will be everything else people shop for plus fashion too. This means shopping for cars, shopping for insurance, shopping for real estate, cell phones, bicycles, pet clothing, furniture, and even shopping around for banks for storing your money in. Product reviews, shopping tips, marketing, advertising in the retail market - or even in the real estate market. One part economics, one part product reviews, one part shopping addiction.

And now if you will excuse me, I am going shopping for chocolate.

Sincerely,
Suzanne MacNevin
British-Canadian Feminist Writer


Let's Go Shopping!

  • Comprehensive Guide to Shopping for Hearing Aids in Ontario
  • A Comprehensive Guide on Shopping for Home Insurance
  • Comprehensive Guide to Shopping for Auto Insurance or Motorcycle Insurance
  • Comprehensive Guide to Shopping for American Health Insurance
  • The Importance of Travel Insurance: Protecting Your Adventures
  • Professional Liability Insurance vs Liability Insurance
  • Life Insurance and Generational Wealth: A Disparity Between the Rich and the Poor
  • Lee Valley Rechargable Hand Warmer
  • Cartoons inspire Cosplay Restaurant in Scarborough
  • Obese Shoppers Are Discriminated in Stores: Study


    A Comprehensive Guide on Shopping for Home Insurance

    By Chaz G. T. Patto - June 2023.

    When it comes to protecting your most valuable asset—your home—it's crucial to secure a comprehensive insurance policy. Home insurance provides financial coverage in the event of unforeseen damages, disasters, or theft. However, navigating the complex landscape of home insurance can be overwhelming. This article aims to provide you with a detailed guide on shopping for home insurance, empowering you to make informed decisions and find the policy that best suits your needs.

    Understand Your Needs

    Before delving into the process of shopping for home insurance, it's essential to assess your specific requirements. Consider the following factors:

  • Coverage Type: Determine the type of coverage you need. Standard home insurance typically includes dwelling coverage (structural damage), personal property coverage (belongings), liability coverage (third-party injuries), and additional living expenses (temporary housing).

  • Deductible: Decide on an appropriate deductible, which is the amount you pay out of pocket before the insurance coverage kicks in. Choosing a higher deductible may lower your premium but requires you to bear more upfront costs.

  • Coverage Limits: Evaluate the value of your home and personal possessions to determine appropriate coverage limits. Ensure your policy adequately covers the replacement cost of your home and belongings.

    Research Insurance Providers

    With a clear understanding of your requirements, it's time to research insurance providers. Consider the following steps:

  • Seek Recommendations: Ask family, friends, or colleagues for referrals or recommendations based on their experiences with insurance providers. Their insights can be valuable in shortlisting reliable companies.

  • Check Financial Stability: Look for insurers with strong financial stability ratings from reputable rating agencies. This ensures that the company can fulfill its obligations in the event of a claim.

  • Read Customer Reviews: Online platforms and consumer advocacy organizations provide customer reviews and ratings. Analyze these reviews to gauge the company's customer service, claims process, and overall satisfaction levels.

  • Compare Policies: Obtain quotes from multiple insurers to compare coverage, deductibles, and premiums. Use online comparison tools or work with an independent insurance agent to simplify the process.

    Understand Policy Coverage

    Insurance policies can be complex, so it's crucial to thoroughly understand the coverage and any exclusions. Pay attention to the following aspects:

  • Perils Covered: Review the perils covered by the policy, such as fire, theft, vandalism, or natural disasters. Some perils may require additional coverage or separate policies.

  • Exclusions: Carefully read the policy's exclusions to identify any scenarios or damages that are not covered. Common exclusions include floods, earthquakes, and certain types of personal property.

  • Endorsements and Riders: Consider additional endorsements or riders that provide coverage beyond the standard policy. Examples include coverage for high-value items, sewer backup, or identity theft.

    Evaluate Customer Service and Claims Process

    The quality of customer service and the claims process are critical factors in choosing a home insurance provider. Consider the following:

  • Customer Service: Assess the insurer's reputation for prompt and helpful customer service. Can you easily reach a representative for queries or assistance? Are they knowledgeable and responsive?

  • Claims Handling: Research the company's claims handling process, including the ease of filing a claim, the speed of claims settlement, and customer satisfaction with the process. Look for a company with a smooth and efficient claims resolution track record.

    Discounts and Bundling Options

    Insurance providers often offer various discounts to help reduce premiums. Explore the following possibilities:

  • Bundling: If you have multiple insurance needs, consider bundling your policies with the same insurer. Combining home and auto insurance, for example, can often result in lower premiums.

  • Security Systems: Installing security devices such as smoke alarms, burglar alarms, or surveillance systems can make you eligible for discounts.

  • Policy Deductibles: Opting for a higher deductible can lower your premium, but ensure it remains affordable in the event of a claim.

    Review and Update Your Policy Regularly

    Once you've chosen a policy, periodically review and update it to ensure it aligns with any changes in your home, belongings, or coverage needs. Major life events, home renovations, or purchasing high-value items may necessitate adjustments to your policy.

    Research

    Here are a series of articles on the topic you should read so you learn more about the subject:

  • 12 Tips for getting a Good Rate on Home Insurance
  • Illegal Things that Shady Home Insurance Agents Sometimes Do
  • Resolving Disputes over Claim Settlements in Home Insurance
  • Insufficient Coverage for Home Insurance: Understanding the Importance and Mitigating the Risks
  • Why is it Harder to get Home Insurance for a Historical Building?
  • Navigating Deductible Confusion in Home Insurance
  • 3 Crucial Considerations for Home Insurance
  • Home Buyers Insurance
  • Unveiling Non-Covered Perils in Home Insurance
  • Average Homeowners Insurance Losses by Causes 2006 to 2010
  • Watch out for Homeowners Insurance Scams
  • Mortgage Life Insurance

    Final Thoughts

    Shopping for home insurance requires thoughtful consideration of your specific needs, diligent research of insurance providers, and a comprehensive understanding of policy coverage. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can make informed decisions and secure the right insurance policy to protect your home and possessions effectively. Remember to regularly review and update your policy to ensure it remains adequate and aligned with your changing circumstances.




  • Lee Valley Rechargable Hand Warmer

    Lee Valley Rechargable Hand Warmer

    $25

    For the low price of $25, the Lee Valley Rechargable Hand Warmer sounds like a great Xmas Gift / stocking stuffer. It is an electric hand warmer which can be recharged using a standard micro USB cord, the type of cord that typically comes with your cellphone. (Unless you support Apple products, in which case then good luck finding a compatible cord.)

    The product description says it "provides hours of warmth", but in actual testing of this product it only worked for about 90 minutes before running out of juice. So not hourS. 1 hour plus an extra 30 minutes. Couldn't even make it to the 2 hour mark.

    Once it is empty it then needs to be recharged, a process that according to the product description take 2.5 hours. So it charges for 2.5 hours, but only provides 1.5 hours of heat. Not very inspiring.

    Kind of a dud in our opinion.

    However it is probably still more economical than buying chemical hand warmers which don't last much longer and end up clogging up landfills afterwards and polluting with their chemicals.

    So how about this for a review: "Better than what else is out there, but needs improvement."

    Just buy a really thick pair of mittens for $25. Old school mittens will often beat a gadget in practicality.


    Obese Shoppers Are Discriminated in Stores: Study

    Obese Shoppers Are Discriminated in Stores

    Do store sales clerks discriminate against obese customers? The short answer, and one that most plus-sized shoppers will verify, is yes.

    While sales personnel did not overtly discriminate against obese shoppers, they did discriminate in more subtle interpersonal ways. Sales people treat overweight customers with more respect if they think they are trying to control their weight.

    A study by Rice University researchers showed that while sales personnel did not overtly discriminate against obese shoppers, they did discriminate in more subtle interpersonal ways, such as avoiding eye contact, rudeness, or hurrying the sale.

    However, the researchers found that those attitudes were mitigated by whether sales personnel thought the customer was concerned about her size and working to lose weight. "Sales clerks expressed less prejudice when women who appeared obese were attempting to control their weight through diet and exercise than when they did not,” said Eden King, a doctoral candidate in industrial and organizational psychology at Rice.

    They also found a bottom line effect to this kind of biased behavior that should grab the attention of sales organizations: overweight shoppers who feel they have been the victims of discrimination tend to spend less money and, in many cases, are unlikely to shop at those stores again.

    King and her fellow researchers, Jenessa Shapiro, Sarah Singletary, Stacey Turner and adviser Dr. Mikki Hebl, an associate professor of psychology at Rice, tested their theories in a major Houston shopping mall.

    They will be presenting their research findings at the annual conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology April 15-17 in Los Angeles. The study has won SIOP’s John C. Flanagan Award as the most outstanding student contribution to the conference.

    The researchers used average-weight women who in some cases carried out sales transactions as they normally appeared; at other times they wore padding that made them look to be overweight. Observers accompanied the shoppers and evaluated the interactions with the sales clerks.

    The subjects also had tape recorders running in their purses, which King says is legal in Texas. "We taped the encounters because we wanted to study the tone and inflections of the sales clerks, which can indicate signs of discrimination in addition to the ones that can be observed," she said.

    In addition, the shoppers were professionally dressed when they entered some stores and at other times wore casual clothing. The treatment of obese-appearing professionally dressed women did not differ from the average-weight women but the reaction towards overweight casually dressed shoppers was noticeable. "They definitely received the greatest amount of interpersonal discrimination," said King.

    In another phase of the study, the researchers introduced the element of controllability. In half the interactions, the customers carried an ice cream drink into the store and while talking to salespeople made it clear they were not trying to lose weight. In other transactions, the shoppers had a diet drink and mentioned they were on a diet and were exercising to lose weight.

    "We wanted to see if there was any difference in the way overweight shoppers were treated based upon the perception that they were trying to control their weight," King explained.

    And indeed there was. The obese customers with the diet drinks were treated more respectfully. "One explanation," noted King, "is that perhaps the sales representatives blamed the ice-cream eating shoppers, who claimed to have no interest in losing weight, for their obesity."

    To determine the potential financial impact of interpersonal discrimination, they surveyed nearly 200 shoppers, being sure to include obese as well as average sized women.

    The results were quite clear, King noted. “Shoppers who felt they were slighted by sales personnel indicated they spent less money in the store. Also, the greater the extent to which customers perceived they were the victims of interpersonal discrimination, which included a general sense of hostility and unfriendliness, the less likely they were to plan to return to that store.”

    While organizations have paid attention to the formal signs of discrimination of all types, the undertones of biased thinking do exist, especially for obese people, and can result in a loss of business.

    “So there are financial reasons for salespeople and their supervisors to limit the expression of prejudice in customer service interactions. Given the increasing incidence of obesity in American culture and the associated buying power of such individuals, it is critical for sales organizations to react,” said King.

    “These organizations need to not only train their sales people to avoid blatant discrimination, but also the subtle forms which are not easily seen or documented, but which are noticeable to obese customers and may affect their patronage of those businesses,” she added.


    Comprehensive Guide to Shopping for Hearing Aids in Ontario

    Learn More About Hearing Loss

  • At Home Hearing Test
  • 77% of Canadians with Mild Hearing Loss Don't Know
  • Are Oticon OPN S the Most Perfect Hearing Aids?
  • Don't Be A Human Hearing Aid
  • Earplugs Effective in preventing Hearing Loss after Loud Music
  • Funding Cuts to Hearing Impaired Schools
  • Hearing Aids boost Cognitive Function in Elderly
  • Hearing Loss hurts Quality of Life
  • Hearing Regeneration Pill enters Clinical Trials
  • Invisible Hearing Aids: Out of Sight, Out of Mind
  • Modern Teenagers More At Risk from Hearing Loss
  • Modular Hearing Aids
  • Most Popular Styles of Hearing Aids
  • One in Ten Canadians Suffer from Tinnitus
  • Safe Listening Devices
  • Social Sounds improve Hearing
  • Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
  • The Health Benefits of Hearing Aids
  • The Pros and Cons of BTE Hearing Aids
  • The Pros and Cons of CIC Hearing Aids
  • The Pros and Cons of Extended Wear Hearing Aids
  • The Pros and Cons of Invisible in Canal Hearing Aids
  • The Pros and Cons of ITC Hearing Aids
  • The Pros and Cons of ITE Hearing Aids
  • The Pros and Cons of RIC Hearing Aids
  • The Tiny Signia Silk Nx Hearing Aids
  • Translator Hearing Aids
  • Wireless Smart Hearing Aids Growing in Popularity
  • World Hearing Day, March 3rd
  • Why You Should Get Your Hearing Tested
  • By Chaz G. T. Patto - June 2023.

    Shopping for hearing aids can be a significant investment in your hearing health and overall well-being. To ensure you make an informed decision and find the right hearing aids for your needs, consider the following comprehensive guide when shopping for hearing aids in Ontario:

  • Consult with an Audiologist: Start by scheduling an appointment with a qualified audiologist or hearing healthcare professional. They will conduct a comprehensive hearing assessment to evaluate your hearing abilities, identify any underlying conditions, and determine if hearing aids are necessary.

  • Seek Recommendations: Ask your audiologist or trusted healthcare provider for recommendations on reputable hearing aid providers in Ontario. They may have insights based on their experience and knowledge of the industry.

  • Research Hearing Aid Providers: Conduct thorough research on various hearing aid providers in Ontario. Look for companies with a strong reputation, positive customer reviews, and a focus on customer satisfaction. Consider their experience, range of hearing aid options, after-sales service, and warranty coverage.

  • Consider Specialized Services: If you have specific hearing needs, such as tinnitus management or hearing aids for children, seek out providers that specialize in those areas. Specialized services can ensure you receive tailored solutions for your unique requirements.

  • Assess Hearing Aid Technologies: Stay informed about the latest advancements in hearing aid technologies. Research different types of hearing aids, such as behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), and invisible-in-the-canal (IIC). Understand features like noise reduction, directional microphones, connectivity options, and rechargeable batteries. Determine which features align with your lifestyle and preferences.

  • Evaluate Cost and Insurance Coverage: Determine your budget for hearing aids and consider any insurance coverage or financial assistance programs available to you. Contact your insurance provider to understand the extent of coverage for hearing aids and associated services. Compare prices from different providers to ensure you are getting a fair deal.

  • Request a Trial Period: Inquire about trial periods offered by hearing aid providers. A trial period allows you to test the hearing aids in various environments and situations to ensure they meet your expectations. Clarify the terms and conditions of the trial, including any fees or return policies.

  • Seek Professional Fitting and Adjustment: Ensure the provider offers professional fitting and adjustment services. Proper fitting is crucial for optimal comfort and performance. The provider should be willing to make necessary adjustments to customize the hearing aids to your unique hearing profile and preferences.

  • Inquire about Follow-Up Services: Ask about the availability of follow-up services, such as maintenance, repairs, and ongoing adjustments. Find out if these services are included in the initial purchase or if there are additional costs involved.

  • Compare Warranties and Service Plans: Review the warranty coverage and service plans provided by different hearing aid manufacturers and providers. Look for warranties that cover repairs, parts replacement, and services for an extended period. Consider the availability of local service centers for convenient access to support.

  • Seek Professional Advice on Funding Options: If you require financial assistance or funding options, consult with your audiologist or hearing healthcare professional. They can guide you on potential government programs, subsidies, or financial resources available in Ontario.

  • Stay Informed about Consumer Rights: Familiarize yourself with consumer rights and protections regarding hearing aids in Ontario. Understand your rights when it comes to warranties, return policies, and guarantees to ensure a fair and satisfactory purchase experience.

  • Make an Informed Decision: Take your time to weigh all the factors, consider recommendations, and make an informed decision. Ensure that the chosen hearing aids align with your hearing needs, lifestyle, and budget.

    Remember, choosing the right hearing aids is a personal decision based on individual requirements. Take advantage of professional guidance, conduct thorough research, and ask questions to make the best choice for your hearing health.


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