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Apprentice Icon Karren Brady and World-Renowned Author Seth Godin Inspire Hundreds of Financial Advisers at Timeline’s Flagship Retirement Adviser Conference

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

Apprentice Icon Karren Brady and World-Renowned Author Seth Godin Inspire Hundreds of Financial Advisers at Timeline’s Flagship Retirement Adviser Conference

The UK’s fastest growing DFM, Timeline, has revealed that two world-class keynote speakers will headline a stellar line-up at its new flagship conference, ‘Adviser 3.0: Change Agents’, for Financial Advisers and Planners.

Baroness Karren Brady CBE, currently on TV screens as an expert in the BBC’s The Apprentice, will join the one-day event in London on 18th May along with globally-renowned author Seth Godin, appearing via live-satellite link. The event sees a host of experts from throughout the Financial Advice spectrum come together with 500 delegates to drive ideas for positive change and innovation for both advisers and their clients.

With a full line up of leaders and specialists selected from the spectrum of investment and financial advice including Vanguard’s European MD, Sean Hagerty, Fundment CEO, Ola Abdul, Seccl CEO, David Ferguson, Rockwealth’s Tim Horrocks and Tandem’s Paul Cleworth, excitement has been building in the financial advice community.

The event, co-hosted by Robin Wigglesworth, Editor, Financial Times Alphaville and author of Trillions, and Abraham Okusanya, CEO & Founder of Timeline, promises inspiring powerhouse keynotes, insightful peer-to-peer discussions and panel sessions, as well as tech demos and networking opportunities. It will consider how Financial Advisers can deliver positive change in the advice industry for themselves and their clients.

Abraham Okusanya explains: “Adviser 3.0 will show how each of us can bring about positive change by challenging the norm. We’re bringing world-class speakers from outside the industry to inspire and share their experience and ideas of breaking down barriers to drive progress.

Those joining the conference will leave with big ideas and clarity on how to put them into practice. It’s a unique opportunity that is not to be missed and it will also be enjoyable: we’ve even got the UK’s finest Mariachi band joining us!”

The event boasts Vanguard and Fundment as Platinum Partners and Early Bird tickets are now on sale at https://www.timeline.co/adviser3.0

Ola Abdul, CEO of Fundment, said: “We firmly believe 2023 is a year of change for advisers, particularly when it comes to using technology to deliver for clients. This event is a great opportunity for advisers to find out what that change looks like and how they can be a part of it. We’re thrilled to partner with Timeline.”

Karen Richie, MD, Riseden Penn Financial Planning, adds: “Timeline’s events are always fun, informative and insightful, making you really stop and think. You can’t beat their energy and dynamism in delivery and their creative approach to education and collaboration with the financial planning community.”

Maximising Efficiency: Tips to Scaling Your MSP Faster

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Danielle Trigg

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28/02/2023

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Maximising Efficiency: Tips to Scaling Your MSP Faster

As an MSP (Managed Service Provider) in today’s competitive marketplace, enhancing productivity and maximising efficiency is crucial to your success. This does not only mean growing the scale of your business operations but also enhancing your marketing efforts to cater to a larger client base.

By regularly working towards growth and excellence, an MSP can effectively stand out from the crowd and scale the business faster. However, most MSP owners or managers have trouble finding the right methods to scale their MSPs and truly enhance efficiency. This is pretty standard and understandable as improving efficiency while also scaling your business can be a daunting task and require great effort from all ends.

That’s why, to help you do this efficiently, we bring you this article suggesting the best tips and tricks to maximise productivity and scale your MSP faster. Regardless of whether you’re a new business or have been in the MSP industry for years, this blog post can help you make the most out of your business efforts and help you achieve your goals.

Discussing a wide range of topics to help you leverage today’s resources and enhance your business operations, this article will help you stay ahead of the competition and provide your clients with exceptional service.

MSP Marketing To Get New Clients

One of the most important things that you need to focus on as an MSP owner is getting in touch with the right MSP advertising and marketing solutions. When it comes to scaling a business, it is essential to remember that marketing plays an endlessly changing and crucial role.

Not only do you need marketing to enhance your brand visibility, generate new leads and build strong relationships with clients but also to establish a strong brand image. This encompasses a range of marketing activities like website design, social media marketing, search engine optimisation, content creation, email marketing and so much more.

By effectively creating campaigns that can be leveraged to target and resonate with potential clients, you can grow your revenue. Thus with the help of MSP marketing, you can ensure that your business puts forth an image of trust and reliability, leading to greater business growth, new clients and an increased retention rate.

Assisted Reality To Enhance Efficiency

With the help of various extended reality software and hardware like assisted reality glasses, MSPs can massively increase their efficiency. Using a technology that augments human reality with digital information, MSPs can provide cutting-edge service to their clients by remotely troubleshooting their problems in real-time.

What’s more, with the help of assisted reality, MSPs can guide their clients through all procedures and provide exceptional support at all times and from anywhere. Not only does this reduce downtime for clients but also allows you to provide better and faster support, leading to greater customer satisfaction.

Another great benefit of using assisted reality in MSPs is the incredible convenience in terms of training and knowledge sharing. Using these exceptional tools, one can offer remote training to all employees and hold meetings from remote locations. Moreover, you can also use AR to provide your employees training in complex procedures that require hands-on experience by simulating a training model.

Getting In Touch With a Commercial Finance Broker

When it comes to scaling your business, it is impossible to overlook the importance of finance in business growth. Whether you want to scale your operations, hire new employees, or new assets, you need financing options to get it all.

That’s why, to make sure you have all the necessary resources to invest in your business, we suggest taking a look at commercial finance options. Not only can this improve the quality of your business processes, but also provide you with more resources to hire skilled professionals and better technology.

Enhancing Customer Satisfaction

The next step to enhance efficiency and scale your business is focusing your efforts on customer satisfaction. The most crucial component to your success is how your customers feel about your brand and your services.

You can invest all you want in the right marketing techniques, technology and talent, but with poor customer service, it would all be for nothing. That’s why you need to effectively focus on improving your customer’s experience by prioritising their needs and expectations.

By focusing on customer satisfaction, you can significantly improve your business’ retention rates, word-of-mouth marketing, and customer loyalty, and build a strong brand image in the market.

Conclusion

With the help of these simple tips and tricks, any MSP can grow the scale of their business operations and attract new clients. Moreover, these tips can effectively help improve efficiency, grow the business, increase revenue, and improve customer retention. We hope this article helped you find what you were looking for and that you have a great day!

Phillips & Cohen Associates Acquires Ardent Credit Services as Part of Major International Expansion Plan

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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Phillips & Cohen Associates Acquires Ardent Credit Services as Part of Major International Expansion Plan

Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd, the Manchester-based deceased account management business, is acquiring 100% of Ardent Credit Services, the Liverpool-based debt recovery and credit management services provider.

The move is part of a long-term strategy to expand Phillips & Cohen Associates’ expertise and scale within the pre and post charge-off collections space in the UK and internationally.

In acquiring Ardent Credit Services, PCA is adding 26-years of proven expertise and excellence in the UK collections industry. PCA was attracted to Ardent’s ‘digital first’ approach that allows its customers to choose the most appropriate channels through which to interact. The business also has a highly experienced executive team and employees who have proven themselves to consistently find the right balance between compassion for consumers, and performance and compliance for their clients.

Adam Cohen, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Phillips & Cohen Associates, says that Ardent is the perfect fit: “It has always been part of our plan to expand our mainstream collection activities outside of the US, but without diluting the expertise in handling deceased accounts for which we have an established reputation and expertise.”

“Ardent is an extremely successful business and the right opportunity at the right time. Culturally, we are very similar, with compassion and compliance at the centre of all we do, and a like-minded approach to how customers should be treated above and beyond the remit of TCF.”

Steve Murray, the Founder and CEO of Ardent Credit Services added: “This is great news for the business, the team, and our future. We are like-minded companies with the same service ethic and being part of the Phillips & Cohen family will allow us to benefit from wider group knowledge and services. PCA’s investment in Ardent is also an investment in the local community, with exciting plans for expansion. Many of the senior team of the two businesses have been known to one another for many years, and this will make the collaboration even more effective.”

The senior team within Ardent all remain. John Ricketts continues as Managing Director, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer at Phillips & Cohen Associates, Nick Cherry. Steve has also agreed to stay with the company in the short-to-mid-term to ensure a smooth transition of the business. Upon completion, Ardent Credit Services will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Phillips & Cohen Associates (UK) Ltd.

Nick Cherry says that the ambition is to grow the business significantly: “The office in Liverpool give us the perfect space we need to expand,” he says. “The local area is also important to us with an excellent pool of very hardworking talent to draw upon for future recruitment to support our growth. As much as we are benefiting from the local community, we hope and expect the local community will also benefit from being part of our team.”

Completion is subject to final approval by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is expected later this year.

Orlando Reid Launches Brunswick Mill – 153 New Homes in New Islington, Manchester

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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Orlando Reid Launches Brunswick Mill – 153 New Homes in New Islington, Manchester

Orlando Reid launches Brunswick Mill in Manchester’s trendy New Islington with 153 new homes

Orlando Reid has been appointed sole selling agent for Brunswick Mill – the new £75m residential development, in New Islington located to the east of Manchester’s popular Northern Quarter.

Brunswick Mill offers 153 residential apartments – including one, two and three bedroom units. The repurposed Grade II Listed Victorian cotton mill building is a prominent local landmark on the skyline, situated in an attractive waterside location adjacent to the Ashton Canal, in the up and coming area of New Islington, Manchester.

Dating back to 1837, Brunswick Mill was designed by the firm of David Bellhouse, who became one of the country’s leading mill architects during the early 19^th Century.

Baljit Arora, Managing director at Orlando Reid commented: “Apartments at Brunswick Mill are an obvious choice for investors looking for a good rental return. The development will be equally appealing to city commuters looking for a central location within an easy walk of the city centre.

We are seeing an increasing influx of new tech companies choosing to come to Manchester and this is likely to spark additional interest from talented tech employees looking to settle in the area. Prices are really competitive for a development of this quality, starting from £198,000 (approx £400 per square foot) for a one bedroom apartment. Investors will achieve strong rental returns and those looking to step onto the property ladder can enjoy well designed space combining history with first class luxury living”.

New Islington which borders Ancoats is a vibrant food and drink destination and the district has enjoyed a significant transformation in recent years; whilst retaining its important industrial buildings which define this area’s working history and textile industry heritage.

Orlando Reid’s Manchester team has established itself as a leader in selling new prime residential schemes and investment options across the city and has brokered some of the city’s most successful development deals. Last summer, Orlando Reid Manchester worked with Awal Investment, specialist mill developers, selling apartments at their Meadow Mill in Stockport.

Prices at Brunswick Mill for 1 bed start at £198,000; 2 beds from £262,75

Hyatt Regency Manchester Launches Five New Signature Cocktails With 25% Off

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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The Graduate Bar at the Hyatt Regency Manchester hotel, Booth St W, has revealed its March cocktail menu and is offering the tasty tipples at just £10 each (1^st to 8^th March 2023).

Taking inspiration from its location in the heart of the City’s thriving science community, the cocktails each have a scientific twist that are bound to set your tastebuds tingling!

Available from tomorrow (1^st March 2023) are:

Equinox
- Olmeca Altos Reposado, Marachino Luxardo, Aperol, grapefruit Juice and yogurt
- EQUINOX
Siam Queen
- Thai Basil infused in Beefeater London Dry Gin, ginger liqueur, pineapple Juice and coconut syrup
- SIAM QUEEN
Infusus
- Thyme Infused in Havana Club Anejo Especial, apple juice, raspberry and lemon juice
- INFUSUS
Dispersion
- Absolut Vodka, Manzana Verde, cucumber, red chillies and cream
- DISPERSION
Equilibrium
- Buffalo Trace Bourbon, caramel syrup, apple juice and ginger beer
- EQUILIBRIUM

Ruben Segovia, Food & Beverage Manager and part of the team which created these cocktails from The Graduate Bar said: “Manchester has a thriving cocktail scene and it’s great to see people quite literally mixing it up and trying new drinks when they are out or staying with us. It’s also great to see a resurgence in popularity of some ingredients too and creative ways of serving cocktails – everyone loves a dramatic, eye-catching drink!

“Our talented team of mixologists love to get creative and so we are hopeful that the five new additions to the menu will tantalise the tastebuds and meet the city’s ever-growing interest in cocktails.”

Jam Proud to Win Manchester Pride Brief

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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Manchester-based marketing communications agency Jam has been appointed by Manchester Pride to deliver a PR and paid social media strategy for 2023.

Manchester Pride has appointed creative-led, marketing communications agency Jam to manage its PR and paid social activity for 2023, following a competitive pitch process.

Jam will implement a PR and social media strategy to increase brand awareness of the charity and its day-to-day activity, as well as promote the Manchester Pride Festival, taking place on August bank holiday.

The Manchester Pride Charity is one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ not-for-profit organisations, committed to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester and beyond.

The Manchester Pride Festival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend, hosting 50,000 people across a series of events including the Manchester Pride Parade, the Gay Village Party, Superbia Weekend, Family Pride MCR, Youth Pride MCR and a Human Rights Forum.

Lizzy Holroyd, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager for Manchester Pride, said: “2023 is another exciting year for Manchester Pride, and we’re delighted to have Jam on board. As a charity, it’s important for us to work with like minded individuals who understand not just what we do, but WHY we do it and we were impressed with the enthusiasm and creativity that Jam brought to the table.

“We’ll be working closely together to amplify the charity’s successes, while driving awareness of the Manchester Pride Festival taking place in August.”

Jaime Gee, Managing Director of Jam, added: “Manchester Pride is a dream client for us. It’s a charity that is close to our hearts and a cause that the Jammers personally support. We look forward to working closely with the team to challenge discrimination, campaign for equality and celebrate LGBTQ+ life through a series of PR and paid social activity.”

Manchester Pride joins Jam’s roster of B2B and B2C clients, including Staysure Group, TFRG, and Optimus.

New Manchester Business Launched – Soles Restored Offers Sneaker and Shoe Cleaning and Restoration Services Across England

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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New Manchester Business Launched – Soles Restored Offers Sneaker and Shoe Cleaning and Restoration Services Across England

The Manchester-based company uses the latest techniques to ensure shoes look as good as new

Sneaker and trainer cleaning and restoration service, Soles Restored, has officially launched. The company’s focus is to prevent the deterioration of expensive sneakers, trainers, and dress shoes, with its one-of-a-kind expertise and attention to detail.

Soles Restored offers a range of services from its highly trained staff of shoe experts, who can get customers’ sneakers and shoes clean, restored, and looking as good as new for under £100. Clients can contact Soles Restored for a consultation to learn about the company’s trainer cleaning, sneaker cleaning, and sole whitening services. Clients can even send their shoes to the Manchester-based business’s offices and have them shipped back looking fresh.

Luxury sneakers and shoes can cost hundreds of pounds. Whether buying a pair of shoes for a collection or wearing them regularly, one thing is for sure, and that is the shoes will become dirty and worn over time.

The rise of sneaker collecting means more and more expensive pairs of shoes are being worn daily. Unfortunately, many collectors don’t know the first thing about caring for their expensive trainers.

Sole Restored’s experienced team of specialists use the latest shoe-cleaning techniques to ensure sneakers and trainers look like they just came out of the box for the first time. Owners may not know how to clean certain materials, which could ultimately ruin their expensive trainers, making them worthless in a matter of seconds. Having a professional sneaker and trainer cleaner allows owners to rest assured that their kicks are being cared for properly.

Sole Restored’s comprehensive cleaning service includes deep cleaning, stain removal, and sole whitening. The sole whitening technique helps to give an older pair of sneakers and trainers a new lease on life. Soul Restored cleans each pair of sneakers by hand and uses all-natural, non-harsh cleaning products and materials.

To learn more about Sole Restored, please visit the company’s official website. You can follow Sole Restored on Instagram at Soles.Restored.

Despite False Claims of Illegal Nicotine Levels, Elf Bar 600 Disposable Vape Range Found Safe and Legal

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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Despite False Claims of Illegal Nicotine Levels, Elf Bar 600 Disposable Vape Range Found Safe and Legal

The recent article alleging that the Elf Bar 600 disposable vape range sold in the UK holds an illegal level of nicotine has caused concern within the vaping community. However, it has been found that the article used a misleading headline and scaremongering tactics to mislead readers and create anxiety among consumers.

Elf Bar 600s are disposable vapes with a fully enclosed tank and built-in battery, designed to provide a short-term vaping solution for events such as festivals, formal occasions, and nights out. While the article title claims that the Elf Bar 600 range contains an illegal level of nicotine, it has been confirmed that some batches of the watermelon flavour were mistakenly fitted and filled with a non-standard 3ml e-liquid chamber, which is not compliant with UK regulations.

Testing has verified that the affected watermelon flavour Elf Bar 600 products are safe to use, and the nicotine strength is still compliant with the legal limit of 20 mg/ml. The maximum e-liquid capacity permitted in the UK is 2ml, and Trading Standards has warned that this strict limit must not be exceeded under any circumstances, as it is designed to protect children from starting to use these products. However, the quality of the product is not compromised in any way, and it remains both safe and legal.

ELFBAR, the manufacturer of Elf Bars, initially cast doubt on the Mail’s test process and suggested the products may have been fakes. But a spokesperson later confirmed that some batches of the Elf Bar product had been overfilled in the UK.

Consumers who purchased the ‘non-compliant’ Elf Bars were actually getting more product for their money. Therefore, it is important for the media to report accurately and responsibly to prevent the spread of misinformation and undue alarm. The Elf Bar 600 disposable vape range remains a safe and legal product, and the company is committed to ensuring its quality control processes are reviewed to prevent such a situation from happening again.

ELFBAR has agreed with the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recommendation that the affected products be withdrawn from the UK market and will be removing all non-compliant Elf Bar 600s. Although the affected products are safe and sold internationally, they are not compliant with UK regulations which limit e-liquid capacity.

A spokesperson from Go Smoke Free, a company that distributes Elf Bar products, said: “Working with our distributors and other supply chain partners, we are moving quickly to replace all stock to ensure 100% that no product incorporates the 3ml capacity tank. The new batches with a capacity of 2ml will arrive in the UK within 30 days. While a highly regrettable situation, we should stress that this is an e-liquid volume issue and is not related in any way to product quality. Therefore, it does not compromise the safety of the product. As a brand that is committed to the highest levels of quality control, we will be reviewing our production processes to ensure that such a situation is not repeated.”

It is important for the public to be informed about product compliance and safety, but it is equally important for the media to report accurately and without sensationalism. The Mail’s article has caused undue alarm and fear among consumers.

Elf Bar, which entered the market in 2021, sells 2.5 million Elf Bar 600s per week in the UK, representing two out of three disposable vape sales. These devices are priced from £4 each. The Elf Bar 600 disposable vape range remains a safe and legal product, and the issue is an e-liquid volume issue that does not compromise the safety or quality of the product.

The World of Strategy Games: A Guide to the Best Titles

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Danielle Trigg

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28/02/2023

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The World of Strategy Games: A Guide to the Best Titles

As the name itself suggests, the best strategy games won’t give you victory on a plate. You need to work hard to make sure you emerge victorious.

You have to be smarter and more ruthless when you play these games, and for many, that is the beauty of gaming itself. Your decision-making skills should always be on point, and you don’t have much room for mistakes. So, with all that in mind, what are the best strategy games you can play in 2023? Let’s save you some time on research by mentioning the best ones.

Supremacy 1914

The first one on our list is a WW1 classic. In Supremacy 1914, you get the chance to be a general in the war.

You choose which nation to represent and along with another 499 players, you play your part in the war. Supremacy 1914 is a very long and complex game, which makes it a worthy inclusion in our list.

Romans: Age of Caesar

Technology has transformed online gaming, and one aspect that shows it is the visual quality of games. In that line, you will surely enjoy the looks of Romans: Age of Caesar, along with the overall gameplay.

If you ever wanted to build and protect empires, then this is the right game for you. This is a free game which requires you to play with 16 other players to rebuild and protect a Roman city.

Crusader Kings III

Crusader Kings III is a game released in 2020, and it is the much-awaited sequel to Crusader Kings II, which hit the gaming scene in 2011.

In this game, you don’t just manage a kingdom, you need to manage one person and their family. So, you need to pay close attention to all aspects that will help your nation dominate in medieval Europe.

Online Casino Games

Online gambling is a very popular pastime activity for many people across the world. Sure, luck plays a very big part in whichever casino game you play, but that doesn’t mean that there are no titles that allow you to use certain strategies.

By playing games such as blackjack, baccarat, poker, and craps, you need to have a certain skill set and use different strategies to enhance your odds of winning.

Even games such as online roulette allow the use of strategies to maximize your winning potential. The Martingale System is just one of the good strategies that we recommend when playing any roulette variant.

No matter the game you choose to play, you always need to gamble responsibly. There are tons of examples of people developing a gambling addiction problem, which is something you have to avoid at all costs.

Stellaris

We finish this list with a rather unusual strategy game. Stellaris is a sci-fi game that will see you step out of the simple terrestrial life.

Stellaris will allow you to create new alien species and decide on various political and social aspects. Once you do so, you can spread your empire across the galaxy. Of course, you will need to compete against other players, so there is plenty to look forward to!

Vital Free Guidance for Starting an Online Business From Business Companion

Olivia McHugh

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28/02/2023

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Vital Free Guidance for Starting an Online Business From Business Companion

New entrants to the UK’s business scene face a difficult set of circumstances in 2023, with restrained consumer spending, high inflation and lacklustre economic confidence among the challenges to be overcome. However, despite the difficult economic backdrop, more than 402,000 new businesses were established in the first half of 2022.

And thanks to the internet, more businesses than ever are being launched online than ever before, and the trend shows no signs of decline. In the digital age, a physical shop front is often simply no longer required to sell goods or services.

But with these new ventures having to navigate such difficult economic waters, it is more important than ever that startups have access to reliable, up-to-date and free information which could help them satisfy their customers and avoid penalties for breaches of consumer law.

With that in mind, Business Companion, a free online resource published by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) with the support of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), has launched a new guide to Starting an Online Business.

The guide provides detailed information to people who sell goods online, making them aware of their legal responsibilities and to providing a useful introduction to the UK’s consumer and trading laws.

Starting an Online Business sets out the important distinctions between selling items online as an individual and as a business, and the different obligations and responsibilities this entails under consumer protection law.

The ‘Am I in business?’ section includes answers to frequently asked questions and a flowchart which sets out different circumstances under which a person selling items through an online marketplace, such as eBay for example, could be considered to be a business.

The topics covered in this section include VAT registration, as well as the threshold at which a private individual selling items online could potentially be deemed to be running a business in the eyes of the law.

Once it is established that a person selling goods online could be classified as a trader, the second section of the guide covers frequently asked questions about things like terms and conditions and legal compliance.

The third part of the guide contains model terms that can be used as a template by traders to help them ensure they comply with consumer protection law. The terms are relevant to a range of selling mechanisms, including proprietary e-commerce websites, online marketplaces, social media platforms, and any other platform on which a trader sells goods and which is operated by another business.

The resource is easily accessible in website format and as a convenient, downloadable PDF booklet. Starting an Online Business is an essential guide for anyone who needs a quick, reliable and up-to- date answer to a query about the nature of their business and their legal obligations. As with all the information available on Business Companion, it is written by consumer law experts in plain English – and it is free!

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About Business Companion
Business Companion is a free online resource published by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) with the support of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). It provides businesses of all sizes and across all sectors with expert guidance on a wide range of consumer protection law issues.

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