Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • _Dear Friends,_

    Vermont got hit with a big winter storm and I was watching the “*Belkin NetCam*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/84786/belkin-netcam-hd-wi-fi-camera-w-night-vision at my house when the power went out from the heavy snow and ice. My neighbor reported 25 inches of snow and an expected 24 hours without power. Our Apple rep made it up to Vermont despite the snow storm…that is some dedication there!

    Emily had to cancel our normal retail call because she found a wandering horse on the side of the road on the way into work. She was busy looking for the owner. The retail team figured this was about the best reason for canceling the call that they had ever heard.

    I have found that with the increased competition in the marketplace that we have to be more innovative in how we reach out to customers. Where newspaper advertisements and web banners were the best media a decade ago, now social media and other digital marketing is proving to be more effective. One thing that has remained constant, at least in Vermont, is the effectiveness of our underwriting of “*Vermont Public Radio.*”:http://www.vpr.net I cannot count the number of times that customers not only tell me that they heard about us there but also thank us for supporting VPR.

    Of course, our electronic newsletters have also been a constant. We started out way back when, before there was an internet as we know it, faxing a list of our inventory to interested customers. This faxed list became an email list back in 1996 when the “*first issue of Kibbles & Bytes was sent.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/kibbles/1/ Almost 20 years later we are now on issue #910 and I want to say how much we appreciate the opportunity to speak with you each week. Our “*Tech Tails newsletter*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/techtails is almost as old and the newsletter for the retail stores, “*Best in Showroom,*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/bestinshow is a mere pup in comparison.

    Please check out our “*Facebook page*”:https://www.facebook.com/hellosmalldog and consider becoming a friend (you already are IRL so why not online?). We are starting to offer some fantastic deals exclusively on Facebook so it might be worthwhile and it is another way to stay in touch with Small Dog Electronics.

    Well, I know some of you just don’t do Facebook so I will continue to make sure we have a Kibbles & Bytes exclusive each week. This week to go along with my article on choosing the right AirPort, I am offering $10 off the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule. I have used an Apple AirPort since the time of the flying saucer AirPort and I know you will find the reliability and ease of use perfect for your home or office.

    “*See the AirPort Extreme deal here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001670

    “*See the AirPort Time Capsule deal here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001669

  • Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Years!

    As we enter our twentieth year, we realize this milestone was made possible by the support of vendors, friends, family members and loyal customers just like you. We offer thanks, and wish you much peace and great joy during this holiday season and throughout the New Year.

  • 'Tis the season for extra green

    Can’t wait to get your hands on the new iPad Air 2? Jumping to get your hands on the new 15″ MacBook Pro with Retina Display? Stretch that holiday budget a little further this year with our special in-store financing.

    Synchrony Financial Financing is back, just in time for the holidays!

    * *6* month offer (no minimum purchase amount)
    * *12* month offer (purchases of $499+)
    * *18* month offer (purchases of $1499+)

    *How to Apply*
    Come in to any of our retail locations and any of our helpful associates can assist you with the application. It can take as little as five minutes to receive approval! Learn more “*here.*”:http://killington.smalldog.com/finance/affordable-financing-options

  • Employee Purchasing Program hosted by Small Dog Electronics

    Small Dog Electronics invites you to shop local this holiday season, “*online*”:http://killington.smalldog.com and in “*retail stores.*”:http://killington.smalldog.com/retail As a member of our Employee Purchasing Program you, your family and friends are entitled to special discounted pricing on all the products we sell.
    We’ve got this year’s hottest gifts, and we’re making it easier than ever to check everything off your list. Simply sign in to our site:

    * *Visit:* “*http://killington.smalldog.com*”:http://killington.smalldog.com
    * *Username:* Killington
    * *Password:* Vermont

    As long as you are signed in you can navigate through our site to view pricing and make purchases.

    If you have any questions feel free to email us at “team@smalldog.com”:mailto:team@smalldog.com

  • !(image)http://blog.smalldog.com/images/3036.gif!

  • Well I finally got my iPhone 6 and set it up this week. I immediately configured Apple Pay and went down to Winn-Dixie to get some groceries since I knew they accepted it. What a breeze! No wallet needed! I just held my iPhone 6 near the terminal with my thumb on the Touch ID sensor and just like that I had paid for my groceries. I even got a notification of the transaction. I think that many are underestimating the impact of Apple Pay both on sales of compatible devices (i.e. iPhone 6 & 6+) and on how we pay for goods and services. From my one experience, I think Apple got this one right!  

    Thank you so much for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!  

    Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,  

    _Don, Rachel, Dean & Mike_

  • SPECIAL | Capture Your Holidays

    As Don mentioned the Canon EOS 7D with a 28mm to 135mm lens is perfect for the inner artist that is looking to capture the moment on more than just an iPhone or iPad. Now ONLY $999!

  • SPECIAL | Belkin Sport-Fit Armband

    The Belkin Sport-Fit Plus Armband for iPhone 5/5s/5c and iPod touch 5th Generation is made from a stretchy neoprene material which is lightweight and breathable, making it ideal for exercising. There is also a pouch that can hold a key or cash. Perfect for the person on your list who is always on the go.

  • Bundle Up!

    We’re making it easier than ever to check everyone off your list this year. Shop our Mac The Halls Holiday Deals at “*Smalldog.com/macthehalls*”:http://www.smalldog.com/macthehalls/holiday-2014-sale or in any of “*our retail stores.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/retail/visit-us-in-store-at-any-of-our-locations

    We’ve got some of this year’s hottest gifts, conveniently bundled to make shopping stress free!

    !http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4149.png!:http://www.smalldog.com/macthehalls/holiday-2014-sale

    p<>. *Purchase any MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or iMac with AppleCare, and receive savings of up to $200!*

    !http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4150.png!:http://www.smalldog.com/macthehalls/holiday-2014-sale

    p<>. *Save on an iPad case when you purchase an iPad.*

    !http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4151.png!:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001658

    p<>. *Hammerhead On The Go Bundle for iPad*

    *Stay tuned until next week for our Annual Kibbles & Bytes Gift Guide!*

  • How to Set up Apple Pay

    I should have written this article earlier but I did just get my iPhone 6 so better late than never! It is really easy to set up Apple Pay but let’s go over it… 

    You can start using “*Apple Pay*”:http://www.apple.com/apple-pay/ as soon as you add a credit or debit card to “*Passbook*”:http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204003. Here’s the pre-requisites:

    * iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus (Apple Pay in stores and within apps)
    * iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3 (Apple Pay only within apps)
    * iOS 8.1 or later
    * United States as your selected region
    * Touch ID or passcode on your device
    * iCloud account
    * A supported credit or debit card from a participating bank

    Your credit cards are stored in Passbook so that is where you manage, add or delete them. If you want to use the card that you already have tied to you iTunes account it is really simple. Go to *Settings > Passbook > Apple Pay > Set up Apple Pay.* Once there if you do not have any credit cards already set up you can click on the + sign to add a card. You will then be given the choice of using the card on file with iTunes or add a different card.  

    If you are just using the card on file with iTunes it will ask you to enter the security code and then you tab “next”. It will go out on the ‘net to verify your card with the bank and you are all set. 

    So, if you are like me, I want to use a different card for Apple Pay than I use for iTunes so I wanted to add a new card. It was also easy. You tab the + sign and select “Use a Different Credit or Debit Card”. On the card details screen which will pop-up you can manually enter all the information or click on the camera icon next to the number field and you can capture the credit card number with the iSight camera. You will still need to add things like the expiration date and the security code manually.

    You are now ready to shop at the increasing number of stores that accept Apple Pay or use Apple Pay within an app, where it says “Buy with Apple Pay” or just the Apple Pay logo: . You can always change your default card, switch cards, delete cards, etc. from within the Passbook app.

  • _Dear Friends,_

    It was great to be back in Vermont where we hosted the big Thanksgiving feast with lots of Mayers, Bangouras and Kellys in attendance. We got our taste of cold weather and snow and are glad to be back in the sunshine in Key West now.  

    Black Friday did not seem to be as big as previous years and there may be many reasons for this but I think that the big box stores opening on Thanksgiving had some impact. We will never open on Thanksgiving as we believe this is a day for our employees to spend with their families, not to head to work or to the mall for shopping. In terms of sales impact, however, I also think that the deep discounting that many of the big box stores offered on Apple products was both a reflection of the amazing popularity of the most innovative products on the planet produced by Apple as well as the fact that these stores use these products as “loss leaders” to drive customers to their stores to buy TVs, refrigerators, etc. Our response to this during October was to partner with women’s shelters to make a donation from each sale. During October we were able to raise over $16,000 for these shelters thanks to customers who bought from Small Dog Electronics not based upon price but based upon community.  

    Competition will always be there and I do not see the deep discounting going away anytime soon. So, what is our response? We must give you many reasons to buy from Small Dog Electronics. We strive to become contributing and involved members of the communities in which we operate, provide complete solutions, patient and non-pushy sales and work very hard to make each of our customers a loyal customer. We believe in making customers for life and whenever our company intersects with your life that we both leave that intersection better from the experience. I had one friend tell me that my employees were too focused on customer service and not on sales. That we gave away our expertise and worked hard to find the right solution for the customer but that wasn’t our role, that we were sales and we should concentrate upon just that. Well, that is not going to happen, at least not on my watch. We have made our name by the friendly and caring interactions with our customers, our community involvement and honest recommendations. That is a consultative sales approach with the ultimate goal not being the small profit that we may make from a single transaction but rather the life-cycle value of a loyal customer.  

    Nevertheless, we have some awesome deals for the holidays both on Apple products and third-party accessories as well as tools you may need for your digital life. Check us out “*online*”:http://www.smalldog.com/macthehalls/holiday-2014-sale or in any of our “*retail stores*”:http://www.smalldog.com/retail/visit-us-in-store-at-any-of-our-locations, we will be happy to see you!  

    Speaking of great deals, we have made a special buy on a high-end digital camera. Now, I know that so much of modern photography is done on iPhones and iPads however, if you want to truly bring out that inner artist you may want to consider a “real” camera. The Canon EOS 7D is just such a camera. It is an 18 megapixel CMOS camera with a 28mm to 135mm lens. This camera sells for $1299 on Amazon and you can find it for about $1099 if you just want the body without the lens, but for Kibbles & Bytes readers you can get this brand new camera with lens for only $999!  

    “*See this great deal here!*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001615

    “!http://blog.smalldog.com/images/4152.jpg!”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001615

  • SPECIAL | Belkin NetCam HD Wi-Fi Camera w/ Night Vision

    Not only does the Belkin NetCam HD allow you to keep tabs on kids or pets from your smartphone or tablet–it also allows you to see all the action in vibrant 720p HD video. Ideal for anyone who has kids, pets, or grandparents at home, the camera captures smooth video and crisp digital audio that makes you feel like you’re right there with them.