(Family Features) A clean grill can enhance the flavor of your food, making regular grill maintenance an essential part of your outdoor cooking routine.

Grills, especially those exposed to the elements, can accumulate dirt, rust and food residue that can affect performance and safety. Plus, residual char and grease can impart unwanted flavors and even lead to flare-ups.

Once you’ve gathered the right tools – a sturdy grill brush with stainless steel bristles, a scraper, a bucket of soapy water, microfiber cloths and grill cleaner or degreaser – consult this step-by-step guide to keep your grill in pristine condition, ensuring delicious meals every time.

1. Preheat the grill for 15 minutes to loosen any stuck-on residue then turn it off and let it cool slightly.
2. Ensure the gas supply is turned off before cleaning.
3. Remove the grates and scrub them thoroughly with a grill brush and warm, soapy water. Rinse and let dry.
4. Clean burners by wiping them with a damp cloth.
5. Scrape the inside of the grill to remove any debris and use a vacuum to collect loose dirt and ash.
6. Wipe down the exterior of the grill with a microfiber cloth and grill cleaner.
7. Reassemble the grill once all parts are dry and give it a final wipe down.

In between deep cleanings, remember to clean your grill grates immediately after cooking while they are still warm to remove food particles and grease. Find more tips for the grill and beyond at eLivingtoday.com.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
eLivingtoday.com

(Family Features) Thanks to the explosion of ecommerce over the past couple decades, consumers can find virtually any product or service they can think of online. In fact, the consumer ecommerce market is expected to approach $6 trillion by 2027, according to the International Trade Administration, up from roughly $4 trillion in 2024.

A diverse collection of product segments is driving this growth, including everything from fashion and furniture to food and beverage. While major marketplace retailers still lead the category, ecommerce has become commonplace among small businesses, too. In fact, by the end of 2023, an estimated 80% of small businesses had at least basic ecommerce capabilities, according to a report by Digital Commerce 360.

However, small businesses are grappling with challenges such as inflation, supply chain issues and keeping pace with major retailers, among others, that are driving a variety of ecommerce trends in 2025 and beyond, including:

Video Content
Spurred by social media, video content is in high demand on ecommerce sites, too. Videos that explain how to use products, offer tips for using them and demonstrate projects that were completed using a product all earn favor with shoppers. In addition, videos that highlight product features, video reviews on social media and “live shopping events” on the social channels of ecommerce retailers can provide a more appealing interactive experience for shoppers.

Inclusive of the “live shopping events” trends, livestreaming is often popular among consumers as it can create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out), leading to enhanced brand loyalty and engagement. Short-form videos sweeping social media also drive engagements and offer a quick, appealing way to demonstrate new or popular products.

Personalized Products
Ecommerce provides opportunities for shoppers who appreciate buying products that are uniquely their own. Online buying platforms that allow for customization of products such as shoes, clothing and drinkware can create buyer engagement and earn loyal shoppers who know they can purchase the items they want exactly to their own specifications. In fact, a survey by McKinsey Insights found 80% of loyal customers prefer shopping with brands that offer tailored choices and personalized experiences. From color selection and accessories to performance variations, custom options can help create a highly personalized shopping experience that allow buyers to interact more directly than they would for a standardized transaction.

Beyond the initial purchase, customized reports and shipping notifications are also becoming the norm. Shippers can alert customers to their products’ delivery status – including any delays or changes – via email, text, video message or, in some cases, a customizable dashboard where consumers can view incoming shipments tied to their account or address, request a different delivery time or location, pre-sign for packages and more.

Micro Purchasing Moments
You may think phenomena like impulse buys or convenience purchases are reserved for brick-and-mortar stores, but micro-purchasing trends suggest otherwise. These purchases are typically made by someone looking for a quick solution or information in a hurry from a mobile device, such as comparing two or more similar products and clicking a “buy now” link, ordering and paying for food ahead of time to skip the line, making a hotel or excursion reservation while traveling or looking up movie showtimes and purchasing tickets from the same page. Ecommerce sites that can establish themselves as a resource, make information easy to digest and simplify the purchasing process are earning customers (and revenue).

Flexible Payment Options
Online purchases were once limited almost exclusively to credit card purchases, but over time, businesses have granted greater flexibility to shoppers when it comes to collecting payment. While this trend has been growing for several years, many contemporary ecommerce sites now accept credit or debit cards, online checks, digital wallet and mobile payment services, cryptocurrency and even installment payments via third-party providers. By 2029, the third-party payment market is expected to almost double from $62.5 billion in 2024, according to findings from Mordor Intelligence.

Simplified Shipping Options
Evolving technology isn’t just improving the browsing and purchasing side of ecommerce; shipping operations are also seeing enhancements. For example, ShipAccel, a digital platform designed by Pitney Bowes, simplifies and enhances shipping operations with advanced ecommerce technology. The platform empowers early ecommerce brands to ship like larger companies with access to discounted carrier rates; more than 80 integrations including leading marketplaces, data and insights to help make smarter shipping decisions; branded tracking; and return capabilities. It features a collection of apps, widgets and application programming interfaces to easily configure new workflows and seamlessly meet the demands of business growth.

“As ecommerce becomes a mainstay, shippers must take a technology-first approach, utilizing platforms that can grow along with the business and partnering with providers who offer deep expertise in the segment,” said Shemin Nurmohamed, president of Sending Technology Solutions at Pitney Bowes. “As a result of using technology like ShipAccel, ecommerce shippers can save money, enhance operational efficiencies and delight customers – all of which support the business’ bottom line.”

Find more shipping support for your ecommerce business in the coming year at shipaccel.com.

Easy ECommerce Shipping Tips

Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, getting smart about shipping can help improve your ecommerce experience.

Be cost-conscious. Buyers obviously benefit from lower costs, but as a seller, managing shipping costs means more revenue. Volume discounts and options for lower prices with longer shipping times can make a bigger impact than you might expect. A shipping partner that has pre-negotiated discounted rates with carriers can deliver significant savings to your business, too.

Reduce package sizes. Using boxes or padded envelopes that closely fit the product being shipped can reduce weight and therefore the cost to send it to the customer. Also avoid excess packaging that adds bulk, which adds cost and waste.

Utilize advanced tracking tools. Keep tracking information for everything you ship or buy so you can monitor its safe delivery or, if problems arise, promptly identify and correct the issue. An option like ShipAccel uniquely provides branded tracking updates so your business stays front and center with your customer from click to porch.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (woman using laptop)

SOURCE:
Pitney Bowes

As spring approaches at jet speed and you start thinking about planting mixed containers but perhaps with a little fear of the partnerships keep in mind three-part harmony. It certainly works in church music, and it is perfect for gardeners too. In the world of garden color, we call it triadic harmony.
Simply put triadic harmony is three colors spread equal distance apart on the color wheel. So in the mixed container or basket this would be three colors of flowers to create pleasing harmony.
Rowe Farms is not only one of my favorite growers of seasonal flower color, but their Facebook page is a textbook on design ideas.

Read the full Garden Guy column in the Thursday Bowie News.