fancy-a-date

by RobandSheila

Laminate Flooring – Things You Need to Know

INTRODUCTION TO LAMINATE FLOORING

Laminate flooring is a great alternative to hardwood when you want the warmth and beauty of wood flooring without the installation and maintenance hassles. This attractive flooring solution is available in a wide range of prices, colours and grains. It’s also more scratch and dent resistant than hardwood flooring, which makes it the perfect choice for homes with active children or pets. Laminate flooring is the one of the most versatile, durable and well-constructed types of flooring on the market today.

HOW TO CHOOSE LAMINATE FLOORING

Laminates warranty range from 10 years to lifetime. Entry level laminates come with a 10 to 15 years warranty but they are designed for light traffic areas. Used in a high traffic area, they will begin to show wear and tear usually within 3 to 5 years. Remember that choosing the right laminate flooring is not as easy as it seems, but by doing that, you will save money in the long run. Just think of things like the amount of time you are planning on staying in that house or the amount of traffic, because there is no point in buying really expensive laminate flooring with extended warranty if you know that you are moving sometime in the near future. Also consider buying laminates with Paraffin wax impregnated joints, as this wax acts as a water repellent and prevents water from penetrating down to the core.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Laminate Flooring is made up of six layers, and comes in varying sizes of either planks or squares with a tongue and groove interlocking system. The surface layer of laminate is the melamine wearlayer, which is a tough clear melamine layer with aluminum oxide particles. When fused together with heat and direct to the core the wearlayer becomes an incredibly hard, durable finish. The resin-filled wearlayer is so dense it becomes extremely difficult to stain, scratch, or burn. The second layer is the Print Layer, which is the decorative layer giving the flooring its appearance of real hardwood or tile. The third layer is a clear thin plastic sheet that floats freely above the substrate before the laminate floor is floated. Melamine is a plastic-type resin used throughout the construction process to add durability and stability to the laminated planks. The thickest layer is the core, consists usually of high-density fiber board (HDF), particle board to add resistance and form the tongue and groove locking system. Melamine plastic resins are used to improve moisture resistance of the core by some manufacturers. A thing you should consider when buying laminate flooring for bathrooms or kitchens is it’s core. A thicker core is more stable, less vulnerable and sounds more like the real hardwood floor when walked on. Quality laminate cores are treated with water repellent chemicals. The melamine plastic backing is used to add more structural stability and moisture protection to the planks.

INSTALLATION

As glueless locking mechanisms has been introduced to the market, laminate flooring has become the perfect choice for households because it has a quicker installation, it’s easier to repair and it can be installed by people without experience or specialized tools. This will save you a considerable amount of money. Installing laminate floors eliminates the need to nail or glue your floor in place. It is also a very attractive, low cost and long lasting flooring option. With an easy to clean surface, impact and dent resistance, laminate flooring can be installed over many different types of subfloors and on all grade levels, making it a versatile flooring choice. Installing laminate floors can be used in any room in the house and in most commercial areas as long as they are flat and in solid condition. Installing laminate floors can be done over concrete, wood, ceramic tile and even your existing linoleum floor. Even though laminate floors can be installed in any room in the house, they should not be installed in garages or on outside porches. The biggest reason for this is moisture. Moisture and laminate floors do not mix. On a scale from one to ten, installing laminate flooring requires a skill level of about a four. The most challenging part of the installation process will be clearing your schedule for a couple of hours. The easy to follow instructions and simplified interlocking clicking system mean that most do-it-yourselfers will be able to install an entire floor in one afternoon. A laminated floor that is properly installed, protected and maintained will go a long way to help your laminated floor last as long as your home.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LAMINATE FLOORING

Laminate Flooring is available in one of 2 types, planks and tiles. Flooring planks can be interlocking or tongue and groove where flooring tiles have tongue and groove edges. There are many different manufactures of laminate flooring and as the laminate flooring producers continue to expand colors, styles and increase quality, the growth of laminate flooring industry will continue.

REASONS TO CHOOSE LAMINATE:

A laminated floor is tough and durable.

A laminated floor is chemical resistant and harsh household chemicals and cleaning agents will not harm your laminate flooring surface.

A laminated floor can resist dropped cigarettes for a time without burning the floor.

A laminated floor will keep its color or design for years. The surface will not fade even when exposed to direct sunlight.

A laminated floor is hypoallergenic, it doesn’t contain any hazardous PCB’s, dioxins, plasticizers or chlorines. It repels dust, dustmites and other allergy causing particles.

A laminated floor is stain resistant and can be easily cleaned. Cleaning up a spill on a laminated floor is as simple as wiping up the mess. Also, scuff marks can be easily cleaned off a laminated floor.

Installing a laminated floor is quick and easy. It can be floated over your existing K-3/lino, wood, concrete, tile or even low grade commercial carpet saving value time and expense. There is no need to wait, you can walk on your floor immediately after installation is complete.

A laminated floor comes in many different designs and colors.

A laminated floor is easy to care for.
 

If you are interested in Toronto Laminate Flooring, please visit Contractors Toronto – Toronto-Contractors.ca: Home Improvement and Renovations

Related Laminate Flooring Articles

by family jonesnow

Things To Do On Holiday In Wales

Wales is home to some of the most stunning scenery in Europe. Many holiday makers go on a family holiday to Wales and rent a holiday cottage or self catering apartment. Wales is very different from the rest of Britain and is just about two hours from the Heathrow airport.

It is a country with over four hundred castles; however there is only a single official motorway. So if you are looking for a peaceful holiday then Wales is certainly the place that you should be at. There is nothing more relaxing then renting one of the charming holiday cottages in Wales and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Wales is known for its rich history, myth, culture and legend. It is a beautiful place with breathtaking scenery and is home to about three national parks and five areas of amazing natural beauty.

There are several ways to enjoy the green countryside either by bike, car or foot. Enjoy walks along the peaceful countryside, play golf, go fishing and even benefit from a few water sports in the some of the best beaches in Europe. It is possible to rent a holiday cottage next to one of these stunning beaches and then use it as a base either for water sports or to explore the local countryside.

With the history and legend that prevails in the country you will have an informative journey into the past by visiting the Roman Forts as well as the number of castles that are found there not forgetting the heritage sites at Conway and Caernarfon. Learn about the legendary king Arthur and the magician and relish the rich culture that is present in its various museums and galleries that are found everywhere.

Cardiff which is the capital has some great shops, bars and restaurants. Many tourists come to Cardiff on a long weekend or short holiday break and stay in one of the many self catering apartments that are available to rent.

You can visit the Edward fortress in Caernarfon which is an impressive medieval fortress and has strong royal connections that range from the age old Celtic Chieftains to the Royal family. Another place that you should visit is Llangollen where the Holy Grail is said to buried on the mountain among the ruins of the Castle Dinas which is above the town. You can also take a canal boat ride along the city and absorb amazing views. It is said that some of the holiday cottages in this area have some of the best views in Wales.

It you a landscape lover then you have got to visit Pemrbrokeshire which has a stunning coast, crystal clear blue water and the perfect beaches where you can make memories that would last a life time. You will find a spectacular mix of coast, country and city all in the same place. Here you can stay in a self catering holiday cottage in the country or if you want the night life you can stay in a holiday apartment.

Snowdonia is extremely popular with lovers of the outdoors. They can rent a holiday cottage and use it as a base to hike and climb. Near by the beautiful coastline includes sports such as hiking, trekking, mountain climbing, horse riding, canoeing, sailing, quad biking, woodland rambling and much more. Whatever you want you will find. There is always something for every body irrespective of age.

Wales is an ideal holiday destination for families staying in self catering holiday accommodation. It has a great choice of holiday cottages and self catering apartments and it has a unique blend of stunning coast, countryside and the bustling city life.

Find More Holidays In Wales Articles

Six Things An Online Recruitment Specialist Are Able To Do To Suit Your Needs

Six Things An On-line Recruitment Professional Can Achieve For You

His task would be to help an applicant land on the appropriate job suitable to the latter’s experience and qualification. His objective is to help employers seek for deserving employees for vacant positions and curtail the headaches accompanying the mere act of interviewing and selection of dozens of applicants. He is otherwise known as on-line recruitment specialist and he is just what you need in terms of your recruitment requirements.

Also referred to as head hunter, this specialist matches the best employer for the very best employee. His objective would be to provide the right candidate for a particular position after exhausting the obtainable modes of selection to all of the striving applicants. Knowing what this head hunter can actually do to your company may even save you from a great deal of pain. Here are six things that he can do for you:

Bare in mind that an on-line recruitment specialist has a wide access to a great number of job seekers. With this, he will be acquainted with who fits in and who doesn’t. After a thorough process of interviewing and selection, this head hunter can supply businesses with only the cream of the crop instead of give the large boss a purported employee who pretends can do the job.

It is a rough competition these days with limited slots for the lucky few, and job seekers knew precisely this. The usual repercussion is that these applicants will try to impress employers with their respective credentials. But how would you know the decent prospects from those who aren’t? The on-line recruitment specialist performs skill tests, analysis, and issue solving which will separate the capable from the incompetent.

With a large pool of aspiring candidates, who would wish to do all the interviewing and skill analysis? It will only consume a great deal of your time instead of spending it with your company dealings. A head hunter can do it for you. Imagine, you can attend to your transactions although the head hunter hunts for you. You do not need to place yourself within the agony of going through the painstaking process which will consume most of your precious time.

Protect your anonymity. Obviously, you don’t want your competitors to know what exact positions you need inside your company. And with this, a head hunter will sound perfect if not practical. You don’t have to announce to the public about your job vacancy and save you from being swarmed with hopeless applicants.

A head hunter not just leads you to the right individuals for the job. He likewise provides strategies on how you’ll improve the use of internet within the recruitment process. Being amply trained in this type of industry, a head hunter gives you appropriate consultancy to guide you along the way.

Finally, engaging the assistance of a head hunter will save you from having a bloated budget. Since the head hunter isn’t under your employ, you are not obligated to pay him his statutory advantages provided by labor statutes. You secure his services when you need to and might terminate the same after he complied with his undertaking, that is, to lead you to the right employee best fit for the job. Within the exact same manner, a head hunter slashes your recruitment price.

Beginning your company or expanding it does not need to price a lot of your time and spending budget. With an on-line recruitment specialist, you’ll be guided along the way accordingly with out exposing a lot your business to the public.

by Eversheds LLP

5 Things to Consider Before Choosing a Personal Injury Solicitor

Ensuring that you have the right personal injury solicitor representing you for your compensation claim is vital. But with so many people claiming to be experts for personal injury claims it may seem impossible to know which solicitor will be best for you! However, all you need to do is ask your solicitor the following questions:

1. Is there a specialist qualified to handle your personal compensation claim?

This might sound like a silly question but with so many different areas of personal injury claims it’s essential that your solicitor has the right knowledge to represent you. Always remember that if your chosen injury claims solicitor does not specialise in your particular area of law, he/she are unlikely to know the current legal trends, and could instead end up costing you money.

2. Is the personal injury solicitor a member of any recognised organisations?

Make sure that your personal injury solicitors are regulated by The Law Society and are members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, ensuring you receive the best possible service.

3. What will it cost me?

Your solicitor is obliged by the Law Society rules to tell you what it is going to cost you to pursue your personal injury claim or at least give you an estimate. You should ask them if they can offer you a no win no fee agreement backed by an insurance policy to insure you against your opponents costs.

4. Do I need to actually see my solicitor?

Not really. If you are unable to get to see your solicitor they should be willing to come out to see you. However, in most straight forward cases you will not need to see your solicitor as most of the communication can be done by telephone, email and letter. If you particularly want to see your solicitor you should say so at the outset.

5. What will happen if you lose?

Hiring a solicitor can be expensive; so what happens if you lose? You need to ask this question of your personal injury solicitor to see if he/she is willing to insure your claim against the chances that you may lose. Always ask for a No Win No Fee deal!

For more information about personal injury compensation claims please visit MyClaim at www.mycompensationclaim.co.uk. MyClaim specialises in Holiday Travel Accident Claims, Road Traffic Accidents, Whiplash Injuries, Medical Negligence Claims and much more.

(Original Source: 100percent-compensation.co.uk/articles/personal-injury-solicitor.html)

by Milkwooders

Baby Cots – Things You Need to Know Before You Buy

With the variety of baby cots, cotbeds, and baby travel cots available on the market, knowing what to expect when shopping for a cot makes the selection process much easier. Most baby cots and cotbeds are made from wood and come in various colours, such as natural, brown, and white. Although cot styles may vary, many have evenly spaced bars or slats around the entire cot and others have evenly spaced bars on the sides and solid back and front ends. For the safety of the child, the bars should not be farther than 45 mm to 65 mm apart.

Some cots or cot beds have one or two dropsides. These slide down when prompted from the cribs’ exterior and should be secure enough to prevent a baby from moving them. A dropside makes putting babies in and taking them out the cot easier. Along the top of the dropsides or crib sides, some baby cots have a plastic teething rail for a baby’s teething pleasure.

Many baby cots and cot beds are available with height adjustable mattress bases. The base of the cots or cotbeds can be lowered as the baby grows. When the baby is small, the base should be as high up as possible, making the baby easier to access. Later, the base can be moved down for the baby who has begun pulling up in the cot and for one who is cruising.

Cot beds are a good investment because they convert into beds. They make the transition from baby cot to cotbed easier for toddlers. Usually, converting a cot to a bed involves removing the dropside from the cotbeds. Sometimes one of the dropsides can be replaced with a shorter safety railing to prevent falls. Depending on a child’s size, a cotbed can be used for over four years. Before purchasing a cotbed, it’s important to make sure the warranty covers more than two years.

Once a baby cot or cotbed is purchased, the proper mattress must be purchased too. All mattresses do not fit every cot. It’s important that the mattress isn’t too small for the cot. It should fit perfectly and securely in the cot, so a baby’s body parts don’t get caught between the mattress and the cot.

After purchasing a cot and mattress, some families invest in a baby travel cot too. A variety of baby travel cots are available. Some come with netted tops and others have handles to make them easier to tote. Because of the collapsible sides and fabric of some, a travel cot can be used as a mobile sleeping area in the home or used as a bed for a baby when traveling. A portable baby travel cot can be used for play and rest. In many cases, with a push of a few buttons, the travel cot can be broken down and loaded into the trunk of a vehicle and used as a sleeping cot or a playpen once you reach your destination.

Baby cots, cotbeds, and baby travel cots should make sleeping safe and comfortable for babies. In addition, purchasing the right cot should make life with a baby easier and more peaceful for parents. Selecting a cot should not be a random act but one that is based on research. Most importantly, before anyone purchases a cot, he or she should make certain the baby cot conforms to the current BS EN 716 safety code.

by massdistraction

Use Display Stand to Provide Better Visibility to Things at Office

A display stand is a structure used for displaying certain items.  Display stands are used largely in commercial centers to display products, pictures, hoarding, signboards, and garments and in offices, they are used to display things that are owned or used by employees. The main purpose of it is to make a certain object visible from a fair distance.

The most common forms of display stands that you will find in offices are key ring stands, magazine and journal stands, CD stands, bookstands, gift-wrapping stands and poster stands. Employees who come to their workplaces by two-wheelers or cars hang their keys on the key ring stand and identify it easily while leaving office. Magazine and journal stands are mainly kept in the reception and the lounge area where visitors wait before the office members for interviews or other kinds of appointments call them in. Bookstall is almost like a journal and magazine stand but it is mainly used in working area to provide workers fast access to books in case of needs. Presenting employees with gifts on birthday and anniversary has become parts of corporate courtesy these days for which varieties of gift wrapping papers are kept in stock. Gift wrapper display stands make it easier for a person to choose and pick a particular wrapping paper quickly, instead of searching out from a clutter of papers.

Other than these, a specially designed display stand is used for displaying A4 and A3 size literatures and papers for taking printouts, for displaying leaflets and for cards. Stands displaying cards are generally kept on the desktop of senior employees who store visiting cards of people whom they meet. Made from glass or transparent fiber, these small card display stand do not only provide clear visibility to the cards but also add to the look of the desktop. The other stands like key ring stand, bookstand, and magazine stand gift-wrapping stands are generally made of stainless steel so that they can withstand a moderate weight.

In corporate houses, display stand also plays a role in the canteen and cafeteria, in the form of menu holder. Transparent, light-weighed menu holders are placed on tables for displaying the day’s menu. You will also get to see special menu holders that show menu from both sides. While you see the menu in front of your eyes, the person sitting face to face to you can see its backside, which also contains the same content.

These stands are available in variety of sizes and designs. If you want to put it at a place, which is not so spacious, you can opt for a small one and if you want to load a lot of things for display you can take a big stands. The key ring stands come with lots of hooks for hanging keys and some are equipped with spinning facility. You can just spin the stand to bring the hook holding your key closer without reaching for it. Besides, some display stands are equipped with wheels that facilitate dragging and pushing the structure from one place to another. It is a good facility because it allows cleaning of the floor.

Here it is….the culmination of weeks of planning and 2 weeks of implentation. My “Wall of Accessories” which is Phase 1 of “My Woman Cave” Term “Woman Cave” coined by www.youtube.com Inspiration Videos: The Eccentric Diva www.youtube.com FlawlessMakeup101 www.youtube.com SheSingsLovely: www.youtube.com Jewelry Display Stands Purchased from: www.lottadisplays.com Corkboards purchased from Michael’s and Wal-Mart Hooks for scarves purchased from Bed, Bath & Beyond DISCLAIMER All products mentioned in this video purchased SOLELY BY ME! I do not represent nor have I been compensated by any company for opinions. Please RATE & Subscribe Follow me… Twitter: twitter.com Blog: hauteandhair.blogspot.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

by DennisSylvesterHurd

Gas Fireplace – Things to Know About

Gas Fireplace – Things to Know About

A gas fireplace is mostly a firebox with a glass face to see the fire. Most of the designs of gas fireplaces are made per specifications provided by the customer. These fireplaces have ducts that help with even distribution of the heat to different corners of the room. This allows for your fireplace to not only work more efficiently, but it leads to maximum utilization of heat and less waste of gas.

Whether it is a gas or a direct vent fireplace, both have a sealed combustion chamber for the release of emissions through the chimney or vent. A gas fireplace in Atlanta has many advantages being that it’s convenient and ignites at the press of the switch. A new range of natural gas fireplaces is getting increasingly popular amongst buyers in the market.

These fireplaces keep the house clean and produce less pollution in comparison to the wood-burning fires. A high quality natural gas fireplace in Atlanta heats up to 1,000 square feet of living space efficiently and turns out to be the most cost-effective fireplace option.

Most of us think that revamping the whole hearth is the only option left after picking out the fireplace mantel. But, you can also give your fireplace a new look by installing a gas electric fireplace that has following pros and cons:

Positives of a Gas Fireplace

Gas Fireplace has many benefits like:

• It is reliable and easy to control. Nowadays, gas fireplaces with a remote and a single button allow for easy, hassle-free operation. There are also fireplaces fitted with timers, so that one can control the total time for which the fire should burn.

• Most of the gas fireplaces can be easily inserted and fitted into the old firebox. If you are going for an un-vented gas fireplace, it won’t require a chimney. A vented gas fireplace needs a chimney so that waste product is immediately expelled out.

• With a gas fireplace, 70% of the heat remains in house instead of being lost in the atmosphere.

• When you are using gas fireplace, no time is wasted in building a fire or cleaning the ash later.

Negatives of a Gas Fireplace

Undoubtedly, a gas fireplace is a great addition to your home, but there area few things to consider:

• If you are buying an un-vented gas fireplace, you should know that it has oxygen depletion sensors for turning the gas off if the carbon monoxide level increases. You might be required to install additional carbon monoxide detectors in your home as an extra precaution.

• You can not get the authentic crackle and smell of the burning wood in the fireplace.

• Because the un-vented gas fireplace is hot as the natural gas burning inside it, you have to take extra precautions if there are children or pets in your home.

• A gas fireplace creates extra moisture because water is a byproduct of combustion of a gas fireplace.

Are you wondering how to start the pilot light on your gas fireplace?

Find More Gas Fireplaces Articles

by Hegemony77 doll clothes

Things to consider while Commercial Label Printing

Printing your ad on any surface – paper, fabric, ceramic, wood, metal, and any other surface – is simple and affordable. With the FLEXO Press technology we have, it’s become more practical and a better way of marketing if you provide your target clients with marketing guarantee printed efficiently. From label printing, sticker printing and custom labels, printing is a most important and essential part of marketing that any business can’t do without.

That’s reason commercial printing has become very fashionable. Many have ventured into the printing business that sometimes it’s not so hard to get an unreliable provider that’s only in for the money. With the big demand for commercial printing, it’s not surprising at all that many would want to try their hands on this particular niche.

But if you’re on the other side and you’re the one needing this particular printing service, how can you be sure that the commercial printer you send out your best print job to would give you the results you expect from their side? One way is you have the basics knowledge of commercial printing. You need to know the bare necessities so you can ask the right questions when you’re ready to bring your print requirements to your printing provider.

Choose material for your product labels

Paper product labels best for food labels or for other short-term uses and may be laminated to protect the ink. Film product labels are good for packages that get wet, like shampoo, etc. Product label helps to find out your product easy way. You can also find your label stamped with gold or silver foil for a fancy look of color with many types of label material.

So what do you need to know?

The first things you have to understand are the words associated with commercial printing. These are the jargons such as RGB and CMYK when doing your sticker printing, label printing and custom labels for example. Both are associated with colors and inks that are applied in your printing job.

RGB are for the colors red, green and blue which are used to print the primary colors in commercial printing. By the way, these colors are considered the major colors in commercial printing hence, they tend to be less costly than any other color combinations. On the other hand, CMYK are cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Black represents the letter ‘k’ as it stands for ‘key’, which means the key color in printing – black being the key color. Newer digital label printers are skilled of mixing seven colors for a truer color. Another way, asks for a printed proof of your product label before paying for a full print run. Ask if you can run a small batch so that you can see any color variation that is bound to happen. The variation shouldn’t be bad – just a shade lighter or darker is normal.

These are some of the basic terms for your commercial printer when you hiring a commercial printer to do the job for you. You need to know these basic fundaments for you to be able to ask the right questions that can give you the best results for your print job or business needs.

Related T-Shirt Printing Articles

by TechShowNetwork

3 Things Businesses Need to Know About Email Compliance

In today’s business world, we are nothing without our email. Now, we don’t even need to be sitting in our office to hear the ding of our inbox, alerting us that yet another message has arrived; we live in a time where smart phones are everywhere and we can have our email with us at all times. With all this new technology though, there has also come an onslaught of laws that are designed to keep email compliant with things like customer privacy, law enforcement investigations, and corporate governance. In short, the purposes of the laws are to make sure that email is being used, and managed, properly.

If you work for a doctor’s office, you certainly know about HIPAA. The two rules that affect email compliance are the Privacy Rule and the Security Rule. Of the two, the Security Rule is more in-depth and essentially mirrors the Privacy Rule; its purpose is to focus on information and security best practices and revolves around the security cornerstones of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The Security Rule focuses on everything from workstation management of information to facility access and transmission security. It is vital that any information you send via email, not speak of the patient’s identity or the problem they are facing; many offices will use initials when speaking about patients via email.

In the financial industry, email compliance is governed by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Also known as GLBA, it is basically the same law as HIPAA, just for a different type of business. It is designed to ensure the privacy and security of non-public personal information as it relates to individuals financial information. GLBA’s rules apply to mortgage lenders, banks, stock firms and others of the like. Within GLBA, the financial company is charged with several things: to designate an employee or employees to coordinate the information security program, to identify reasonably foreseeable risks to non-public information, to make sure their suppliers are also using safeguards, and to monitor all of the above.

On top of these two rules, there are also others. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, also known as SOX, is watched over by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This act was designed in response to the various, and highly publicized, bogus financial reporting in the early 2000s. SOX discusses what information may leave an organization and how long the industry should keep information on file; it requires that financial companies keep emails on file for six years. Likewise, the SEC Rule 17a-4 and NASD Rules 3010 and 3110 affect email communications within the financial industry.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. When it comes to email compliance, there are rules everywhere, and your business needs to know which apply to you and how to handle them. There are several ways to handle these issues, most of which include hiring at least some type of IT security firm to develop a total information security plan that will comply with recent, and future, government email regulations.

More Email Compliance Articles

by -mrsraggle-

Prom Dresses From Overseas Auction Sellers: Five Things You Need To Know

Browse online auction sites and you’re sure to be amazed by the number of bargain prom dresses being advertised. However many people fail to factor in shipping charges, customs duty and VAT before purchasing a gown and end up with a prom dress which costs more than they expected. In addition to this, buying overseas may make it harder to get a refund if you receive a gown that does not match the description.

The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the things to bear in mind when buying prom dresses from overseas auction site sellers.

1. They may be making money on the shipping charge, not the purchase price

Does the price of the gown seem too good to be true? Many sellers offer a very low price on prom dresses and make their money from charging very high shipping charges. They do this because they know that many consumers will focus on the purchase price, treating the shipping price as an incidental cost. In some cases, by the time you’ve added on shipping costs, you can end up paying more than three times as much as you expected.

What to do: Many people focus on the bargain purchase price and try to put the postage price out of their mind. When ordering a prom dress from overseas the cost of shipping becomes part of your cost of purchasing the item. Always check the postage price and calculate the total amount that ordering this dress will cost you before making the decision to buy.

2. Overseas Prom Dresses will cost you 30% more than you think

If you’re importing a prom dress into the UK from a county outside of Europe you will be charged VAT and Customs Duty by HMRC if the amount you pay (for the item, shipping included) is over £70. VAT and Customs Duty are calculated based on the shipping and purchase cost. Once added on these taxes will normally increase the price of prom dresses by around 30%. This means if you pay £50 for the dress and £70 for delivery the total you will end up paying will not just be £120, it will be close to £160.

What to do: Contact HMRC for advice on how to work out the VAT and customs prom dresses attract.

So let’s say you receive a gown and wish to return it.  What are your options with regards to prom dresses which don’t fit or don’t meet their descriptions?

3. It will cost you money to return the Dress

If the factory agrees to let you return your prom gown then don’t forget that you’ll be the one who has to pay out for international postage to send it back to them.

What to do: Ensure that you bear this risk in mind when purchasing your gown

4. You may find UK law unenforceable

What happens if the factory refuses to allow you to return an item? If you were buying from a UK seller you have the options of contacting Trading Standards or taking the seller to small claims court. However, while UK law is enforceable in the UK, you may find it very difficult to enforce if you’ve bought prom dresses overseas.

What to do: Be aware of the risks involved; the greatest protection you have are therefore the threat of negative feedback or using a protected payment method.

5. Raising a dispute may not be successful

If worse comes to worst and the seller won’t refund your money for a dress which doesn’t match the description then you have two options. You can either threaten the seller with negative feedback or (if you’ve used a secure payment method) you can raise a dispute. However do bear in mind that such disputes are often difficult to settle and it is by no means a guarantee that you will definitely get your money back.

Buying prom dresses overseas from online auction sellers not only has hidden customs and VAT costs, it also has inherent risks. Be aware that buying abroad often means paying high shipping costs, customs duty, VAT and can affect your ability to return an item with which you are not satisfied. With this in mind you will be in a position to make an informed decision about whether the costs and risks involved in buying from an overseas seller make it a good option for you.