12 Days Of Seasonal Sweepstakes and Reviews -- Enter To Win

CSNer Dave gives you the latest on our new Season of Reason 100 Under $100 List -- the best gifts for less that will still impress. He's also giving you the skinny on a new video review sweepstakes we're running, where you could enter to win items from the 100 Under $100 List. Check it out. To see the full list of 100 recommended gifts, go here.

Everyday with Rachael Ray Features CSN Stores, Hosts New Giveaway

Everyone -- We just wanted to let you know about some coverage that just landed in Everyday with Rachael Ray, one of the leading magazines in the U.S. Rachael Ray has chosen CSN Stores' Living Room Sets from angelo:HOME as one of her giveaways for the holidays. The giveaway begins on Dec. 3 and should last for a couple of weeks. Keep your eyes open for more updates in early December and get ready to enter. To see our offerings of angelo:HOME chairs, sofas and loveseats, go here.

And you can enter to "Win The Table" from Weekend Today's Segment

Not only was Melissa of AskMelissa.com kind enough to include CSN Stores in her hostess gift segment on Weekend Today in New York, she has also extended an invitation to all CSN customers to enter her sweepstakes to win items from the feature. (This is Melissa's "Win The Table Giveaway.")

Here's the link, enter here: http://www.askmelissa.com/index.php/campaigns/. Thanks again, Melissa -- Keep us in mind for future segments.

CSN Stores on NBC Weekend Today in New York!

Hey everyone, CSN Stores teamed up with the Ask Melissa team for a fun segment on the Best Hostess Gifts for the Holiday Season. This appeared on NBC's Weekend Today in New York. We donated the very fashionable Nuance Waiters Bottle Opener - check it out at the 2.18 mark. Also, listen for the host to comment on how this was her favorite item! Awesome.

BedroomFurniture.com & The ChiliPad -- Top E-Mailed Photo on Yahoo News

CSN Stores News Flash -- The ChiliPad, that helps couples to change the temperature on different sides of the bed, has just landed as part of an AP story. This photo, from one of CSN's sites, bedroomfurniture.com, is also now one of the most e-mailed photos on Yahoo News. Quite a distinction.

Check it out: http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Most-Emailed-Photos/ss/1756;_ylt=Akdhv69OK07rbfDE5pIcXooFO7gF#photoViewer=/091109/480/f0e02a305d2a426e93d21afa3384ca66

If you want to see more on the ChiliPad, go here.

CSN Stores Is Centerpiece of Inc. Story on Great Customer Service

The importance of great customer service is at the core of a recent story from Inc.com that features CSN Stores:

There's No Substitute for Great Customer Service
Small businesses should keep good, old-fashioned customer service in mind when implementing new technology.

By Lauren Folino

Small businesses struggling to keep customers and entice new ones can test out new call center technology or sign up for social media sites or even implement customer relationship management (CRM) software, but there's no substitution for treating customers well. Experts suggest that small business owners keep this in mind when looking at new technologies.

According to customer service expert Kristina Evey, president of the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based customer service management company Centric Strategies, people don't buy products or services – they buy relationships.

"The No. 1 reason that people leave a place of business is based on how they were treated," Evey explains. "Smart companies understand the value of their current customer base, and recognizing what they need to do in order to keep them. By focusing on the customers, the smart companies are really broadening their customer base by increased referrals."

CSN Stores, a Boston-based e-commerce home and office goods retailer, is one company that remains committed to improving customer relationships during the recession, says CEO and co-founder Niraj Shah.

"We sell one million-plus different items across more than 20 categories, so we group our customer service representatives [CSRs] by specialty," he said. With a focus on call center technology, CSN Stores has also designed proprietary CRM software for tracking loyal customers and rewarding them for their business.

Shah's CSRs also reach out to customers on social media outlets and networks to engage them in dialogue, which helps CSN get candid feedback about the company and its reps. "We have enhanced many consumer promotions, deals and rewards this year and plan to do the same in the next year – in an effort to bolster customer retention, interest and loyalty," he said.

Another way that SMBs can easily respond to and connect with their customers is by using a cloud computing service, such as one created by Salesforce.com. These platforms allow companies to interact with customers via several channels simultaneously, such as email, call centers, Twitter, and Facebook, by using an application that operates entirely in a web browser.

"One thing to keep in mind," said Salesforce vice president of corporate strategy, Bruce Francis, "is that small businesses and medium-sized businesses are now getting access to world-class technology that they've never had access to before. They are able to use the tools that the big guys are using, and that is a really big advantage."

Fitness Starts At Home -- And This Year, Earlier Than Ever

People often ponder fitness around the holidays and launch a new resolution after those hefty meals and treat-replete parties.

But our fitness experts at FitnessEquipmentAndMore.com say many jumped into a fitness routine a lot earlier this year, beginning in September.

Comparing sales of various equipment in March with those from September, the results are dramatic -- sales jumped from 400 percent to 1000 percent or more for items including: exercise bikes, rowers, ellipticals and accessories (yoga mats and more). These sales spikes suggest that fall marked the beginning of the "get back to fitness" season for many people.

Taking their lead, the rest of us might want to look at some of the newest and most popular products on CSN Stores' FitnessEquipmentAndMore.com, so we, too, can get a jump on that New Year's resolution.

Omega Fitness - Triangular Magnetic Upright Bike. This new item from Omega Fitness is a compact, colorful exercise bike that combines modern technology – unique magnetic resistance allows for smooth, quiet operating – with contemporary design and functionality. This affordable bike is the ideal item to build a “home gym” around.

SPRI P - Pilates Anywhere Anytime
Just like the title says, this set allows users to practice pilates anytime, anywhere. No one’s advising people to avoid all of those holiday treats, but a few exercises a day (or during a lunch break) is the ideal way to fight off the additional fall and winter calories. Included are a mini weighted bar, a yellow, green, and red Xertube, a door attachment, an exercise mat, and an instructional video.

Stamina - Pilates Box & Pole - $129
The Stamina Pilates Box and Pole offers another great way to practice pilates at home and stay fit and active during idle hours.

For more popular fitness items, you can go to FitnessEquipmentAndMore.com. Our fitness experts and buyers are constantly updating that site with exactly what you need to stay fit or get back into shape.

Several CSN Sites Dedicated To Kids Kickoff Giveaways

Calling All Parents -- Many of CSN's sites dedicated to the little ones in your household have just launched a series of great giveaways to kickstart the holiday season of giving.
Be sure to check out the Weekly Sweepstakes on the following CSN Stores sites that feature thousands of products for kids:
http://www.allchildrensfurniture.com/, http://www.csnbaby.com/, http://www.strollers.com/ and http://www.babycarseats.com/ this week and then again every Monday for the forseeable future.
Entering is easy -- just mail a note to our Kids' Stuff Guru (see the rules on our sites).
Also, anyone who makes a purchase on these sites is automatically entered into the sweepstakes. Check out the offerings and feel free to let us know what you think (and even what you might want to see in the weeks ahead.) Something tells me our Kids' Stuff Guru will be "all ears." Oh, and by the way, the KidKraft Table and Chairs you see here is up for grabs at AllChildrensFurniture.com.

Vine Time -- Clock From CSN's Fall-O-Ween Page Featured In Denver Post

If you're seeking unparalleled autumnal accents, look no further than CSN Stores. In our Full-Page Fall-O-Ween Feature, we list affordable items that are perfect for the spookiest holiday of the year -- and what many call the most stunning season. One of those items, the Vine Clock, was also showcased in a recent article in The Denver Post, a Top 20 Paper. See The Denver Post piece here. And then spend a little time with our Fall-O-Ween listing, for more great design ideas.