B&D DLX850B COFFEE MAKER BLACK 12CUP BREW BASKET

Black and Decker DLX-850B 12-Cup Coffeemaker

With rising prices, and talk of the "credit crunch" wherever you go, what advice can I give coffee shop owners with regard to maintaining your profit margins without losing customers?

1. First, it is essential that you pass on the price rises to your customers. Your suppliers are passing on their higher costs to you; if they tried to absorb the increases and keep their prices to you stable, they would go bankrupt. So, you have no alternative but to pass on the increased costs to your customers. You should bear in mind that your customers are already aware of the rising cost of food, and any increases you make to your beverages or snacks will come as no surprise to them. Remember, also, that whilst restaurants may suffer as customers give nights out a miss, a quick visit to the local coffee shop will not seem so expensive in comparison.
2. Treat the current economic environment as a challenge, a chance to beat your competition by focussing on great customer service and introducing promotions, such as one coffee for the price of two for a limited time, or by introducing new items.
3. Try and reduce wastage. This could simply be by reducing electricity bills - ensure lights are switched off in staff areas when rooms are not in use, such as stock rooms. Review settings for your air conditioning. See if you can reduce the hours worked by your staff - there may be certain times of the day or week when you do not need so many employees on the shop floor.
4. Looking at your suppliers, you may need to bargain a little more, and perhaps pay earlier in order to achieve further discounts. Perhaps switch your orders to lower priced goods with good margins.
5. You could also bring in a few cheaper lines that can be picked up at the till. For any unhappy customers, offer a 10% discount voucher to be used on their next visit. Offer discount vouchers for purchases over a certain level, say 15. You might also consider reducing slightly your top selling items in order to increase volume of sales.
6. To recover the costs on items where suppliers have increased prices, you will need to increase the amount you charge in your shop. Don't do this all at once, introduce the higher prices on a couple of items each week. This way you should be able to maintain your margins without losing customers.
7. Ensure your premises, and your staff, are immaculate and reflect the type of service your customers cannot find anywhere else.

And remember, most coffee shop frequenters are looking for a comfortable environment and friendly staff. If you can provide that, they will be willing to pay a little extra for their coffee.

Tracey Beaney

Tracey Beaney has collaborated with former Coffee Shop Owner Don Clarke on a step by step guide to setting up a coffee shop. It has been reviewed favourably by Cafe Culture magazine, a UK trade magazine for the cafe industry. It is being translated into Turkish by a publishing company based in Istanbul, and is currently being edited for the US market. To read the review see http://www.howtosetupacoffeeshop.co.uk/review.htm

Coffee Maker Store

Senseo HD7810-15 White Single Serve Pod Coffee Maker

Enjoy a fresh, frothy cup of coffee every 30-60 seconds with the Philips Senseo coffee maker. Combining a unique brewing method with convenient coffee pods (sold separately), this almost animated looking appliance ensures "sensational" flavor and an enticing aroma. The 1450 watt boiler quickly heats to brew into one cup, two cups or one large mug, extracting the best flavor without bitterness. Other highlights include a standby function, auto shut off, water reservoir for up to five cups, stainless steel cup tray and removable parts that are dishwasher-safe.

Compatible with Douwe Egberts coffee pods, sold separately.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use other coffee pod brands in my Senseo Coffee Machine?

While we recognize that other manufacturers pods may fit in the Philips Senseo Coffee Maker, the coffee blends are different and will not result in the same premium quality, and consistency on a cup-by-cup basis. Philips and Sara Lee have been working for ten years to perfect this sensational cup of coffee.

Can tea be prepared in the Senseo Coffee Machine?

No. The Philips Senseo coffee pod system is designed to prepare coffee with the Douwe Egberts coffee pods.

A living room essential, coffee tables come in all shapes, sizes and materials. Whether you want a rich leather upholstered ottoman table or a sparkling ellipse of glass the best place to start your search is the Internet.

Rather than trekking to every furniture store in town you can browse at your leisure and see the greatest selection on coffee tables available. Choose from solid wood squares with inlaid glass, shabby chic white ones with storage drawers and modern metal ones with industrial edge. No matter your taste you'll find what you are looking for.

Of course to find the right one you have to access your space. What size table is the perfect fit? Is your dcor more vintage glam or simply modern? Once you have answered these questions you can begin your search.

Make it classic with a traditional wooden coffee table in a curvaceous shape. A rich cherry finish in a broad oval or heavily detailed rectangle is the epitome of old fashioned style.
Make it tempting with a soft leather ottoman table that begs to be touched and offers hidden storage within. It has never been easier to rev up your room's romantic appeal.
Draw attention and keep it with sparkling metals in varying sheens. Mix polished nickel nailhead trim on a sofa with an antiqued gold metal coffee table and bronze and silver accessories. The results are amazing.

Whether you want to show off your sultry side or your big old fashioned heart it is easy to do with coffee tables. No matter what style you choose a coffee table is one piece you cannot live without in your home. You can rest a drink or your legs on one. You can eat off of one. You can even decorate one. A simple formula for creating an eye catching display is: books + plant material + decorative object = stylish and attractive tablescape. After all cocktail tables or coffee tables are a focal point so you have to carefully consider what you put on them. You can try things of the same color in different sizes or textures or more. The most important thing is to not choose something that is too small; you need at least one bold item to focus on while leaving space for actual use of the table for resting a drink etc.

Unleash your imagination and create the living room you have been dreaming of. Whether that means glass or leather or metal or wood you'll easily be able to make your living room complete. So shake things up by topping a wood table with back-painted coffee table glass in a soft blue or bright raspberry, or keep things smart and handsome with a tray top table and make your living room whole and completely you to boot. Inspiration can be found everywhere you look. Beautiful affordable coffee tables are the key to a gorgeous living room. And with their great versatility you'll always get more than you bargained for.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops like http://www.everythingtables.com/blog that offer both items and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it's your living, bedroom, or even your deck or patio, there are many tips you can use to make those spots both functional and beautiful. Today, she offers advice on how to create a fabulous living area by using charming coffee tables that fill your space with simple elegance.

Cannon Digital Cameras

Coffee Maker Mug

* Custom coffee mugs are dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe. Colors are permanently baked into the mug's surface.
* If you have new ideas or need help selecting text for your custom coffee mugs please contact us.
* Size: 11 oz. capacity ceramic coffee mug.

Most espresso machines on the market offer a great number of features and deliver delicious tasting espresso. They also have one problem, most espresso machines operate manually. Enter the automatic espresso machine. Automatic espresso machines will grind the coffee beans, put the grounds in the hopper, then fill the reservoir with water, heat the water and then force the heated water through the grounds to produce a perfect cup of espresso every time. Some high-end machines will even dump the used grounds from the hopper when finished so that the machine is ready for the next brewing cycle.

Most automatic espresso machines are used by commercial coffee shops like Starbucks. Commercial coffee shops use the automatic machines to produce a consistent product on a steady basis. Consistency in the commercial market is much more important than quantity when brewing the perfect espresso.

Consistency starts with the basic ingredients and how they are mixed. To make a consistent espresso there is very little margin for error. Automatic espresso machines can perform the task of brewing a great espresso with very little margin of error. When the grounds are added manually, there is often an opportunity for error. Too much or too little grounds can make or break a great flavored espresso. By using an automatic espresso machine, the grounds and the water are measured exactly right each time so every cup will have the same flavor and consistency. And when the machine is finished clean up is a snap, you wont have to worry about dumping the grounds from the hopper because it does it on its own. Automatic machines also cut down on the time between cups which in the commercial world can help increase productivity and profits.

Automatic espresso machines are not just for commercial use. If you have been thinking about getting an automatic espresso machine for your home, then you are not alone. Automatic espresso machines for the private sector are becoming more and more popular and sales are increasing each year. Even with the automatic machines growing popularity, some people feel that an automatic espresso machine removes the personal touch when it comes to making their espresso. There will still be those that feel the need to hand grind their own beans and measure everything by hand. Some people will just never trust a great espresso shot to a machine, no matter what the time savings.

But for those who make a lot of coffee at home, the thought of having their very own automatic espresso machine is so enticing that they are not concerned with how much a dent it puts in their budget. To these people, the more automatic machine is the better. But with automation and high quality comes higher prices. Generally, the more automatic the machine is and the better the quality, the higher the price. However, when you consider the ease of making espresso and the quality and consistency of the finished product plus the time savings involved, true espresso lovers will consider the high price a worthwhile expense.

If you are interested in learning more about automatic espresso machines or would like to read reviews and product information on espresso machines and espresso products please visit us at http://www.espressomachines-review.com

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