The Magnets.com family has been touched by Alzheimer’s disease and its devastating impact.  The most common form of dementia, characterized by a loss or decline in memory and other cognitive abilities, an estimated 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2010 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report.

To help make a difference in the lives of those suffering from this debilitating disease, and with November being Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Magnets.com will donate one dollar from each order placed in November to Children of Aging Parents (CAPS), a nonprofit organization assisting caregivers of the nation’s elderly and chronically ill. Established in 1977, CAPS provides reliable information, referrals, and support, averaging about 18,000 (and growing) requests for assistance each year.

Relying exclusively on annual membership dues, grants, bequests, and donations, please help CAPS continue their fine work by donating directly or making a purchase this month with Magnets.com.

As the official magnet of the Backstage Artist Lounge, a private area backstage at major music festivals, we get to showcase our magnets to some of music’s biggest names.  Papa Roach, Godsmack, and Seether, anyone?  Without further ado, here’s some images fresh from Houston’s Buzzfest.

As mentioned in a prior post, we recently became the official magnet of the Backstage Artist Lounge, a private lounge installed backstage at major music festivals where sponsors connect with bands for product sampling and relationship building opportunities.  A hot act, indeed.

Fresh from our first tour, this month’s Epicenter in California featuring bands like Kiss, Eminem, Blink 182, and Big Bio (from OutKast), our magnets had a prominent role with some of music’s biggest acts.  Check out some of our pics.!

Stay tuned for more pics. of our magnets on the road with the Backstage Artist Lounge and some of music’s biggest names!

Steve from the rock/rap group Kinda Major with Magnets.com

Papa Roach w Civil Society

Magnets.com backstage at the 2010 Epicenter Festival

OutKast's Big Boi

We’re all about social media, the newest and greatest technologies, online review sites, and connecting with our customers.  If you’re reading this blog post, chances are you are as well!  So, why not take a moment to find us, from Facebook to Citysearch!?

• Facebook
• MerchantCircle
• Citysearch
• Superpages
• Insiderpages

As a prior entry detailed, we recently introduced a Value Buy business card magnet produced with the same print and finish you’ve come to expect from Magnets.com, all on slightly lighter magnetic material (20 vs. 25ml).  Given customer feedback we expected a good deal of traction, but were taken aback by their sheer popularity:  since introduction, our value buy business card magnets have accounted for over 50% of all business cards sold on Magnets.com.  Talk about a hit.

That got us thinking:  why not put our customers in the driver’s seat, enabling them to choose the thickness of their magnets?  Brilliant, indeed!  With our new Web site set for launch later this year, you’ll be able to choose from three magnet thicknesses which, like today, are composed of approximately 77% recycled raw materials:

• Premium:  a full 30ml thick.  Simply the best, highest quality magnet on the market.  Capable of holding 5 sheets of paper.
• Standard:  our current standard magnets, 25ml thick.  And by 25ml, the magnetic portion makes up 20ml and the printed paper and laminate covering about 5ml.  Capable of holding 4 sheets of paper.
• Value:  20ml thick, the same as our current Value Buy business card magnets.  Capable of holding 2 sheets of paper and great for mailing.

Choosing the thickness and price point of your magnets… just another reason to stick with Magnets.com.

The entire Magnets.com staff and our team of vendors have been hard at work designing and developing our new Web site, scheduled for launch later this year.  Filled to the brim with the newest online and e-commerce goodies, many of which our customers have asked for, some highlights include being able to:

• Track the status of your order
• Design your magnets online
• Choose the thickness of your magnet
• Easily place reorders
• Share your design with friends, family, and colleagues alike

Of course, it’ll also be easier to use and much prettier.  But don’t just take our word about the whole pretty thing –why not take a sneak peek and let us know what you think!?  What’s more, while taking a look you’ll come across a promo. code that is good for 10% off your next order, if used before 8/31/2010.  Just a little token of appreciation to all our loyal customers.

Save some money (and time), and make your message stick with Magnets.com.

A relatively high percentage of day in, day out orders are customer reorders.  Although our current Web site enables customers to create an account, it does not store prior magnet designs or orders -customers need to either call or send us an e-mail when they want to reorder a magnet they previously ordered.  Not necessarily ideal, nor convenient, as indicated on our fairly recent Web site survey.  But that’s all changing…

When our new Web site is launched toward the end of summer, all prior magnet designs will be stored under each customer’s account, enabling quick and easy reorders, along with one click checkout!  A big, convenient time saver, indeed.  What’s more, this will help facilitate quicker delivery of your magnets –what’s not to like about that!?

Get ready to sharpen your pencils and unleash your inner Picasso:  on our new Web site you’ll be able to easily and in little time design and approve your very own custom magnets!

Partnering with industry leading software and e-design companies, there will be four ways you can order and design your magnets, all of which are free of charge. What’s more, you’ll be able to immediately view and approve a proof of your magnet design (unless you opt to have us design your magnets), a feature frequently requested by many our customers.  Which method will you choose?:

• Design your magnets from scratch: Start with a blank canvas and create whatever your heart desires.  You’ll be able to upload and view in real time different backgrounds, logos, photos, you name it.  Finish off with your contact information (or anything else you’d like on your magnet) and instantaneously view and approve a proof.
• Customize a template: We’ll have hundreds and hundreds of already created designs and templates that you’ll be able to customize online and in real time with your custom business information.  Once created you’ll be able to view and approve a proof and get your magnets into production.
• Upload your own completed artwork: If you have your own completed art this is for you -simply upload your file(s) and instantaneously view and approve a proof of your magnet design.  It’s that easy!
• Have us design it: Of course, we’ll still be here to design your magnets for you free of charge.  Like today, simply provide any art and design instruction and we’ll get a proof to you within one business day.

Swing by to learn about additional features that will be available upon release late this summer.

Whenever anyone in the office places an order online, be it for clothing, the newest electronic gadget, a red Swingline stapler, or pretty much anything in between, they’re sure to be anxiously logged into FedEx or UPS tracking its delivery and every move.  After all, the waiting is the hardest part.  Not surprisingly, the number one request we field from our customers is, well, the status of and tracking number to their order.  Additionally, a full 70% of respondents from our recent Web site survey said tracking is ‘very useful’ to them, and we certainly agree.

Enter Magnets.com 2.0, so to speak:  on the new Web site all customers will easily and seamlessly be able to track each of their orders, including where their magnets sit in the production process and, linking directly to FedEx and our other delivery partners, when they are slated to be delivered.  All with just a few easy clicks.

This is just one of dozens and dozens of new, cutting edge e-commerce tools and technologies our new Web site will be featuring.  Stay tuned to learn about additional enhancements that will be available upon release late this summer.