Building a Successful Brand With a Continuous Innovation Cycle

Innovation is the key to brand success but, it is not limited
to the functional benefits of the brand. A brand that sets the trend
rather than reacting to them is likely to be seen as different and more
popular. What is it about Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Starbucks, Disney, and
McDonald’s that they are a huge success? What makes a consumer buy one
product over another? They have all experienced uncommon success based
on innovation. Building a good brand is more than just creating a logo,
tagline and using a specific color scheme to put on your company’s
packaging, bags and letterheads. Successful branding is more about
building trusting relationships and emotional connections with your
customers.

Enterprises usually tend to promise the best service
or the lowest price, but that’s not enough, because everybody makes
those promises. To make a successful brand, constant innovation is
vital. Brands are among the most important assets that a business can
own, and strong brands can ensure business continuity in times of
difficulty. A brand must relevant to their customers, contemporary and
appealing at every span of time. For this, a company has to constantly
innovate.

Steve Jobs once told a group of employees, “People with
passion can change the world for the better.” To Steve Jobs, people who
buy Apple products are not “consumers.” They are people with hopes,
dreams and ambitions. He builds products to help people achieve their
dreams.

Innovation, very simply put, is a new way of doing things
that result in positive change. Innovation can become an inherent part
of your brand when you think differently about addressing your business
challenges, to beat the competition and stay successful. Branded
innovation is actually incremental and is developed in response to
market opportunities-as people moved from cassette to CD, the Sony
Walkman became the Sony Discman. Kellogg’s launched Nutrigrain to bring
us breakfast in a bar.

Every
company must innovate to steer ahead of the competition and in the
process build a successful brand. Sony has demonstrated an ability to
capture the imagination and enhance people’s lives. It built a
successful brand with continuous innovations. The company has been at
the cutting edge of technology for more than 50 years, and has
positively impacted the way we live. Sony innovations have become part
of mainstream culture, it continues to fuel industry growth with the
sales of innovative Sony products, as well as with the company’s
convergence strategy. Sony has moved with the times and introduced
products like VAIO notebooks that raised the bar in both form and
function; digital cameras that capture pictures on a floppy disk, and
many more.

Enterprises understand that it is important to move
from idea capture to execution of the idea, and with the help of
successful idea management services, it is easier to create a successful
brand.

Working method of Employment Tribunal

In this period of employment crisis many employers removes the employees from job without any reason by creating some reasons for removing them from job. Employment tribunals are how disputes between employers and workers take place after other attempts to resolve a conflict have failed. The courts are usually a last resort to resolve issues between employers and workers. It is important to know how courts work and the entire procedures.

Employment Tribunal process in general is given below:

Employment Tribunals are made up of a committee of three, a judge and two lay complete with extensive experience in labor disputes. There is no charge for the use of a court, but it will still be the cost of attorneys’ fees of each party. The cases have not been claimed against more than three months from the date of the incident happened will not take into consideration unless there is any kind of unforeseen circumstances. Once a decision has been made is legally binding and both parties must respect this decision.

There are a variety of different topics that can be taken before the Labor Court. The most common complaints are as follows:

Redundancy Equality issues Discrimination Dismissal without prior notice or reason Breach of contract Disciplinary procedures Maternity or paternity

Alternative Dispute Resolution

If a dispute is always a mutual interest in ensuring that you are trying to resolve the situation before the court. There are many types of alternative dispute resolution that can spread very fast. It is always helpful to consider the following methods before resorting to an employment tribunal:

1.ACAS Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration is the main methods of pre-complaint conciliation. They will try to solve the problems between the employer and employee before going to court. They will give advice and suggests possible methods to solve the issue by discussion or any other means without going to court. If the matter was settled through ACAS, then both employer and employee must sign a legally binding agreement for avoiding further problems in future. If the agreement is violated by both sides, then the other party has the right to sue for breach of contract. This agreement is good option to avoid minor issues after the settlement. 2.Other effective method of dispute resolution is a compromise, and this is a legally binding solution, to provide compensation or a reference to the dissatisfied party. Compensation will be usually made by the withdrawal of the claim by one party. You must inform Employment Tribunal in writing, and the second party involved in the dispute, if you accept a compromise. Here one party has to accept the terms of other party and have to come in mutual understanding to avoid future problems. This will work out in few cases only because it is not that much easy that one party will agree with the terms and conditions of the other easily. Issues relating to employment tribunal must always be resolved with the help of a lawyer specializing in employment.

Employment Tribunals hope you will appreciate the practical advice within this guide on employment tribunal rules. We believe that the specialist experience we provide allows any claimant or respondent to have the benefit of effective representation throughout the employment tribunal procedure and rules.

Same Day Cash Advance Loans Instant Financial Loans For Your Benefit

A cash crunch in the middle of the month is nothing new and most salaried individuals, running their family on a fixed budget might have faced such a situation. The most important action during such times is the instant arrangement for alternative source of cash and a financial loan seems to be the best option available. Financial loans, however, have the drawback of having long drawn processes which are highly time consuming and the borrower cannot get immediate access to the funds, thereby defeating the purpose of applying for the loans to meet short term expenditures in between two consecutive paydays. To get over this handicap of time and extensive processes, lenders in the money market offer the same day cash advance loans to borrowers looking for immediate access to funds.

The lenders offering the same day cash advance loans usually have their own online websites which form the best source of information on these loans. Any potential borrower could gather every information he needs and accordingly, apply for the same day cash advance loans through a simple, online application form. The form will only take a few minutes to fill and requires basic personal and financial information about the borrower. The lender promptly gets back to the applicant once the application has been received and gives instant approval decisions on the loan, after verifying the information provided. The borrower can then get instant access to the loan amount within 24 hours of the loan approval. The loan amount can be utilized by the borrower to meet any urgent cash requirement which he may be having, till his next salary cheque gets credited on the next payday.

The same day cash advance loans are a perfect financial solution for every category of borrowers, as the lender does not require any documents to be faxed to act as proof for information provided. Hence, even borrowers who are suffering from a bad credit history and find it difficult to get access to ready cash from other lenders, can take the advantage of these cash advance loans to meet any urgent requirement for funds. The loan amount may then be used to repay any existing debts which the borrower has, thereby improving his overall credit score. The lender does not place any restriction on the manner of expenditure of the loans and hence, the fund may be used to meet any expenditure which the borrower deems fit.

The repayment of the same day cash advance loans is also easy, as the loan is extended only for a short duration of a week or two and can be electronically repaid by simply placing a post dated cheque with the lender, at the time of loan approval. Also, since these loans are only meant for short term use, they are unsecured in nature and the borrower need not run helter skelter to make any arrangement for collateral against the loan. So, as long as the need is immediate and the borrower has a ready plan to repay the loan, it can be one of the most feasible ways to meet any urgent cash requirement as per the need of the borrower.

Employment – Mercenary Jobs

To have an idea about what a career in mercenary requires one needs to know what is the meaning of mercenary. The word is derived from merces in Latin which means fees or compensation. They are soldiers hired by an overseas or foreign country. They have played an important role since historic times and have been a part of the security forces since there have been wars. They are known by different synonyms such as overseas security consultants and they work for consultants. They may be rewarding financially and personally, but challenging physically and mentally. The job is not easy. The job involves concentration, dedication and persistence.

It is very easy to bag mercenary jobs. However there are some requirements one needs to fulfill certain paramenters. Some positions require a bachelor’s degree and experience with special military operations. The career path has a lot of potential but it is not advisable for people who want to earn material wealth. The training will be full of intense physical exertions, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. One of the mercenary jobs profile description requires a candidate, while in the army to make progress by working up the ranks or be offered a position on the special operation teams. If a candidate has doubts regarding the duration of his stint in army, three years should be more than enough. One thing the army man must remember is, if his career goals lies towards being a mercenary, he must be honourably discharged before moving ahead. The army only offers higher ranks, but it rarely offers a career path to being a mercenary.

There are other requirements too. One must not forget, he is still a part of the military. So, the requirements are pretty much the same. He needs to keep himself in shape both physically and mentally. Corporations will rarely spend time or show enthusiasm towards ill-kept candidates. The mental challenges are no less complicated than the physical ones.

Once the applicant is prepared, it is time to take the next step. In recent times, most mercenary corporations have had websites. The applicant can send in his application to the website of the company he wishes to work for. Just like every other job application, it is important to do one’s homework and research thoroughly.

There are pros and cons to every job and industry. The pros are, it usually pays very well and there are promotions too. And if the person is excellent in mercenary jobs, he may gain a solid reputation. The cons are very dangerous, at times they can be life threatening. Ultimately, he is a soldier for sale and this is what he needs to remember at all times. He should not let his personal ideals or beliefs obstruct him. He needs to let everything come in second to his country.And most of his work is primarily confidential, so secrecy is of top priority.

Last, but far from the least keeping a clean military record is a way one can be a success at mercenary jobs. The dedication and patriotism to one’s country will help a truly dedicated person to achieve his dream.

New Designs by Foster+Partners

Info & images: Foster+Partners

Foster + Partners reveal the designs of two of their latest projects – Comcast Innovation & Technology Centre and United Arab Emirates pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo…

While the former is proposed as $1.2 billion, 59-story, 1,121-foot tower that will neighbor Comcast Corporation’s global headquarters in Center City Philadelphia, and become a dedicated home for the company’s growing workforce of technologists, engineers, and software architects, the later is a contemporary reinterpretation in the sustainable Masdar City masterplan in Abu Dhabi as a site-specific pavilion for the 2015 Milan Expo.

The glass and stainless steel tower of the Comcast Centre, expected to be the tallest building in the United States outside of New York and Chicago is a unique and sustainable model for mixed-use, high density development, which uniquely combines spaces for high tech research and development with recreation facilities and a significant public reception space – a window on Philadelphia.

While the -urban room’ embraces the city at the ground level; it links directly into the below-ground public transport system. Above this, the highly flexible loft-like spaces and studios are designed for a dynamic way of working – an engine for the city’s evolution as the kind of leading technology hub presently associated with Silicon Valley.

Chosen yet again to create the national pavilion for the UAE, Foster+Partners’ design of the proposed pavilion maximizes the opportunities presented by an elongated site – the dramatic canyon-like entrance defined by two undulating 12-metre-high walls will welcome people inside, and the channels between the high walls provide intuitive circulation, naturally leading visitors to the auditorium, exhibition and restaurant spaces

The walls continue throughout the 140 metre site in a series of parallel waves, unifying the visitor spaces within a dynamic formal language designed to evoke the ridges and texture of sand dunes. To convey a distinctive sense of place, the texture of the walls derives from a scan taken in the desert and construction will utilize materials to represent the different shades of sand across the Emirates. The GRC panels are supported by a steel frame, which can be easily demounted and reconstructed for the pavilion’s eventual relocation in the UAE.

The design is further enhanced by interactive displays, digital talks and augmented reality devices that help to bring the story of the Emirates to life; including a special exhibit celebrating Dubai as host city for the 2020 Expo.

The design targets LEED -Platinum’ through a combination of passive principles and active techniques, from rainwater capture on the roof garden to the integration of photovoltaic cells.

to view images click on globalhop.indiaartndesign.com

Case Studies And Business Communication

We were frustrated, my colleagues and I, as we wrestled with a new business idea. We thought it was a great idea but we couldn’t effectively describe, in business communication terms, what it would mean to users.

And, out of our discussions came the idea of writing a case study. If you’re not familiar with them, case studies are a staple of business communication. More specifically, they’re histories of specific business initiatives.

They’re like articles, but they put the reader into the shoes of a person making a difficult decision. Other professions also use case studies; you’ve probably heard of medical case studies, for example. Medical students get a set of facts about a patient, and perhaps some background or context, and then must diagnose the patient’s condition or disease.

Business case studies have proven popular at some university business schools (popular with the profs, at least). In some senses, the case study is the next best thing to being involved in a real case. And, an effective business communication tool, as I’ll explain here.

So, why would this be of interest to you? Well, if you have to persuade others to adopt your point of view, or buy your products, or vote for you, then you might find a case study useful.

In fact, you may be doing something like that already. Whenever you tell a story that’s designed to make a certain business communication point, you’re using a form of case study.

During my brief foray into life insurance sales, for example, I learned that emotion sells policies, and not logic. That’s why people in the business have a raft of stories about people who did or did not have protection when they died.

The point being made is that you should life insurance, and that you should have the right kind and the right amount. Now, if you sold life insurance, you would quickly find that no one listens when you explain the logic, but they will listen — and act — if you have your case studies (your anecdotes).

So, having gone through all that, is a case study just a fancy name for an anecdote or story? Yes, to a certain extent it is any tale used in business communication.

But, when you think of a case study, think of it as a more elaborate and more logically constructed story. Typically, a case study describes an organization or manager facing a choice or dilemma of some kind, and the reader gets a number of facts about the options. After that, you, the reader, are challenged to make the decision. Some real-life case studies include a follow-up report, so readers know which real-life decision was made, and how it worked out.

Getting back to the business idea with which we started, my colleagues and I did not proceed, and the case study exposition became a moot point. But, had we gone ahead, the case study likely would have been the cornerstone of our business communication efforts.

Finally, if you’d like to read some case studies, simply go to your favorite search engine and type in this phrase (with or without the quotation marks): “case study examples” or “case studies” .

In summary, case studies are a special type of business communication; they help us understand real-life decisions, and are a useful resource for persuasion and education. Add one or more to your business communication toolbox.

Pre-employment Background Checks 5 Reasons Why Smbs Should Conduct Them

Labor experts tell us that 8 out of 10 hiring professionals do some form of pre-employment background screening. Yet many medium and small businesses and are still dependent on traditional methods of pre-employment background screening, such as checking up on references. This article explores why many SMBs avoid professional employment background checks, and the risks and dangers of doing so.

Why Many SMBs Don’t Do Pre-Employment Background Screening

Lack of concern. Some SMB managers believe that only cops, teachers, and doctors should be subject to employment background checks. That point of view is outdated. Nowadays, many private companies are consistently performing pre-employment background screening, for the reasons listed in the second half of this article.

Lack of Internal Support and Expert Knowledge. Many SMB leaders assume that any pre-employment background screening they do must be done in-house. The prospect of training an employee to carry out background checks is intimidating to most managers, especially since it could very well take a person months to research the best background check procedures. However, partnering with pre-employment background screening outsourcing firms allows all companies quick, convenient access to employment background checks.

Overestimation of Cost. Many SMB leaders hold a misconception about pre-employment background screening, namely that it’s exorbitantly expensive. If you’re open to the possibility of outsourcing your employment background checks, you can typically conduct pre-employment background screening for no more than $50 per job candidate.

Top 5 Reasons Why SMBs should Conduct Employment Background Checks

1. Decreased Costs. You’ll find better job candidates if you conduct pre-employment background screening. Improved hiring means that you’ll spend less money counteracting negative PR, lose less money to negligent hiring lawsuits, and see fewer employee-generated losses, such as embezzlement. Finally, it’s typically much less expensive to outsource employment background checks, rather than doing them in-house.

2. Fewer legal trip-ups. Each state has its own law in place regarding negligent hiring. These laws are intended to protect the public by preventing dangerous individuals from being hired for delicate positions. As an example, many states’ alcohol laws require that employees have three years of felony-free history before they can be hired for a job that involves serving alcohol. Failing to check out candidates backgrounds through pre-employment background screening opens you to the risk of being sued or fined for failing to do your due diligence on new hires.

3. Safer Employees. Human Resource gurus estimate that 1 out of 10 job applicants have a criminal history. If you don’t carry do employment background checks, it’s more likely that you’ll hire a dangerous individual who could hurt your employees, your customers, and your business’ reputation.

4. Accelerated hiring. The majority of pre-employment background screening companies offer results in 48 hours. In this sense, outsourcing employee background checks can mean speedier hiring. In just a day or two, you can get the information you need to determine if that seemingly perfect candidate has any skeletons lurking in his or her closet.

5. Discover dishonesty in applications. Here’s another scary HR statistic for you: researchers calculate that approximately 4 out of 10 resumes feature deceitful omissions, if not total lies. Employment background checks reveal such dishonesty so that you can avoid hiring mendacious individuals.

As we’ve seen, there are many reasons why owners of small and medium-sized businesses should arrange employee background checks.

Get the Facts Before You Borrow Payday Loan 101

In the current economic climate, alternative means of obtaining
money to make ends meet are becoming increasingly necessary. Some
alternatives include borrowing money from friends/relatives; cash
advances from employers; pawning personal effects and payday loans.
Also known as a check/cash advance loan or deferred deposit check loan,
the payday loan is the most popular among these. As payday loans grown
in popularity, more and more people want to know just what a payday loan
is, and if it is the right solution for their situation.

SO, WHAT IS A PAYDAY LOAN?

A
payday loan is an unsecured, short-term loan of anywhere from a few
hundred dollars to as much as fifteen hundred dollars in some instances.
A borrower generally secures the loan by post-dating a personal check
for a specific amount of money to be posted against their account on
their next pay period. Payday loans are designed to help out in
situations when you need quick cash to cover an unexpected bill or an
emergency situation until your cash comes through or is made available.

A
payday loan is NOT a revolving line of credit. It is short-term and
that is a key factor in this type of loan. The idea is to take out the
loan to cover a small bump in the road or to smooth out any rough
financial edges until your next payday. If you are thinking of the
payday loan as way to repair a much bigger financial problem, the advice
is to STOP! A payday loan can create bigger problems down the road
when used as part of an overall troubled cash flow situation.

SO, WHAT IS A PAYDAY LOAN?

The
most important thing to remember about payday loans is that they must
be repaid on time in order to avoid paying insane fees that could
potentially equal or surpass the amount of the loan itself! It is the
renewing of the loan and failing to repay it on time that can create a
major financial dilemma for the borrower.

Most loans have a
repayment period of four to eighteen days depending upon the terms
negotiated with the lender. The repayment schedule and the method of
repayment is arranged at the time the loan is disbursed. More often
than not, the borrower will agree to pay the loan in full with cash on
or before the due date. Additionally, some lenders may opt to collect
on the loan by depositing the borrower’s post-dated check against
his/her bank account on a mutually agreed upon date.

With payday
loans, there is a fixed rate fee calculated into repayment on each loan
disbursed. The average rate is $15.00 to $20.00 dollars per $100.00
dollars borrowed. Due to the nature of the quick turn-around time of
payday loans, the annual percentage rate or (APR) is generally very
high. It is not uncommon for the (APR) to be 100%, 200% or even as high
as 400% in some cases.

If a borrower is unable to repay a loan at
the scheduled time, the lending institution may agree to rollover the
loan allowing more time for repayment. The drawback to rolling a loan
over is that additional fees are added to your account. For example, if
the fee to borrow $100.00 is $15.00 and the borrower rolled over the
loan three times, then the new fee would be $60.00. That is the
original $15.00 fee plus three times that fee itself added to each
$100.00 borrowed.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A PAYDAY LOAN?

Generally,
the only major requirement for a payday loan is that you have a job.
Your job is your assurance that you will be able to repay the loan. It
is expected that you will be receiving a paycheck, and therefore, the
money to cover the loan. Good credit isn’t necessary or even required
for the payday loan to be approved. The lending institution only wants
to see that you are employed and have a steady income. In essence, your
job is your collateral

Getting a payday loan is actually a simple procedure.
You apply, and if approved, sign paperwork that indicates your promise
to repay the loan on the lender’s terms. Be sure to take the time to
carefully read the terms of the loan and do not be afraid to ask
questions about what those terms mean. Often, these kinds of contracts
are written in a legalized, financial jargon that is not easily
understood by the average consumer.

BORROWER BEWARE!

If you
feel the lender’s representative is not able to fully answer your
questions, please say so! If the terms of the loan are not clear to
you, do not take the loan until you fully understand them. Teachers
always say that the only stupid question is the one you don’t ask. This
is true! Again, if you do not understand all the terms of the loan, do
not sign paperwork until those terms have been fully explained to you.
Otherwise, you are legally bound by those terms that could prove
disastrous for you if you fail to act in accordance with the terms of
the loan. We would like to think that everyone is above board, but not
all lenders are. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous lenders out
there who intend to make a profit at your expense.

It has been
noted by the NAACP and the Department of Defense that payday loan
offices have strategically opened offices near military bases and in
socio-economically disenfranchised areas where the demographic is
largely African American and Hispanic. Many reputable financial
institutions, consumer groups, and civil organizations are doing all
they can to shut down payday loan offices, but their efforts to date
have been largely unsuccessful.

BORROW IF YOU NEED TO, BUT BE SMART ABOUT IT!

With
the often strict guidelines used by reputable lenders, many people are
getting caught up in the cycle of payday loans because of their
immediate benefits. When emergencies occur and cash is needed, payday
loan companies offer fast, hassle free cash. More often than not, most
have no minimum credit requirements and do not perform background
checks. In most cases, all that is needed to secure a payday loan is a
recent pay stub and proof of a checking account. In these regards,
payday loans and cash advances do offer consumers financial options in
emergencies. On the other hand, more and more people are getting caught
up in this vicious cycle of borrowing which can lead to financial ruin.
This is not good, especially considering that the loan was probably
taken out to avert a financial disaster in the first place. With pros
and cons like these, it would seem that the best advice would be to
borrow if you absolutely must, but do so with extreme caution.

Being
proactive is probably the best strategy or, as conventional wisdom
holds, “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”. Take an
honest look at your family finances and come up with creative ways to
not have to borrow. Consider trimming the fat out of your budget,
pledging to save a little money from each paycheck, and reducing credit
card and revolving debt.

A little effort on your part can make a
huge difference not only in your financial situation, but in your
quality of life as well. Nevertheless, if you must take out a payday
loan, remember the following key points:

- Payday loans are NOT revolving lines of credit

- Repay your loan on time!

- Do not plan on rolling your loan over. Plan, instead, to pay it off

- The only “stupid” question is the one you don’t ask

- Payday loans have terms & conditions of repayment. Know and abide by them

- Payday loans can ruin your finances and jeopardize your job if you are not careful

- An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure

Personal Loans For Retired People – Meet Your Financial Requirement After Retirement

Retirement can include a lot of damage to peoples finance due to the income fall that it often implies. This reduction should go along with an expenditure drop too, but this does not always happen and thus, some sort of budget restructuring is required. Personal loans for retired people can offer the needed money to put your budget in order and buy you sufficient time for your stability. With the help of this facility, retire people can solve the financial problems like credit card bills, debt consolidation, car breakdown and so on. You can avail this plan in two forms:

Secured form:

This is a long term plan. If you need large number of cash, then you can get by providing collateral. You can avail the amount in the range of 5000 to 75000 for the time period of 5 to 25 years. Lenders approve the amount after valuating your property.

Unsecured form:

If you require small amount, then unsecured form is perfect. With the help of this form, you can avail the amount between 1000 and 25000 depending up on financial condition. You get 1 to 10 years to repay the amount. The interest rate will be high because of risk for the lender.

This facility is for bad credit holders as well. Personal loans for retired people are very easy to get. It comes with a few conditions. If you are a UK citizen as well as have a bank account, then you will get approval fast.

Applying procedure:

You can apply for this plan online and offline. However, applying from online way is very convenient and free from paper work and documentation. You need to provide some details in the online application form and lenders approve the cash after cross checking.

New Hampshire Payday Loan Alternatives

Money problems seem to loom around every corner these days. With them, come stress and worry as folks wonder how they are going to manage their money problems. This article is a list of solutions that can help you discover new ways to find cash when you need it most.

At PaydayLoanCashAdvance.com we want to help you get the funds you need when you need it. Residents of New Hampshire are able to seek payday loans within their state, however, we would like to offer these payday loan / cash advance alternatives to you.

Payroll Check Advance:

Sometimes employers will either pay you ahead of time, or pay you a portion of your payroll check as an advance. Not all employers are willing to issue payroll advances, and asking can sometimes cause problems with the relationship you have with your employer. On the other hand, this is a good alternative if the option is available because these loans are interest free. The downside is that your next check is going to be smaller, than it would be without the advance. While this option is available, it may not solve your personal finance problems.

Credit Cards and Financial Institutional Loans:

If you have unused credit on your credit cards, then you may be able to use that to help out during cash flow problems. If you have good credit, you might consider applying for additional credit on existing credit cards, or even applying for a new credit card, though that process can take weeks. If you have a good relationship with your bank, you can apply for either an unsecured bank loan or loan against collateral.

Car Title Loan:

If your car is paid for, then you might consider a title loan, which is a loan that holds your car as collateral. These types of payday loan / cash advance alternatives carry the risk of losing your vehicle if you cannot repay the loan. These loans are available in many states and they are quick, which means you can often have cash the same day you apply.

Pawn Shop:

Payday loan / cash advance alternatives might include using the services offered by pawn shops. If you simply want a short term loan that you plan on repaying, use a pawn shop and place your valuables as collateral in exchange for cash. If you simply wish to sell some of your valuable possessions fast, than consider selling online at places like eBay and Craig’s List. You will likely receive more cash online than you will using a pawn shop, but both have their positive and negative benefits.