Sites worth seeing

Margaret Harris brings you this selection to surf to

36Boutiques.com

Would you like to have access to South Africa's most desirable designer labels for between 35% and 80% less than the recommended retail price? Of course you would, which was exactly why Nicky Boy, the head of business at 36Boutiques.com, set up her online business.

For a limited time certain local and imported brands are available to members of 36Boutiques. Some of the brands that have had boutique sales include Stefania Morland, Mooks, Ben Sherman, Seven for All Mankind jeans, Errol Arendz, Alexandra Classics, Habits and Jingle & Chimes by Louise Carver.

To become a member, customers must sign on for free on the website and then wait for an invitation, which can take a few weeks. This adds to the exclusive flavour of the experience, however.

Boys explains that "36Boutiques is a 'private event retailer'."

"Private", she says, because it's members only - you have to be accepted as a member after signing up - and "event", because each boutique only lasts for 36-48 hours. "This creates a tangible anticipation around each boutique. So, yes, the whole concept is an exclusive offering. It's about the quality of our members, not the quantity."

She says the response from customers has been encouraging. "We have been pleasantly surprised with the positive feedback from both our customers and the designers. The public seems to accept the concept, both in terms of the effort taken in selecting and showcasing amazing brands, but also in the discounts we offer. The idea that one has to be a member has also been welcomed across the board. Our members want to share their experiences, which is always a positive indicator of our appropriateness to their lifestyles and needs."

getagreatboss.co.za

This site announces boldly that "people join companies but leave bosses. We believe people should join companies because of great bosses."

Gavin Symanowitz, the managing director and founder of getagreatboss.co.za, says the site allows great bosses to use their charm to attract great talent to their organisations. The site allows candidates to search for jobs according to industry, level of seniority and location, all fairly standard in terms of job searches, though with the added bonus of ending up with a "great boss" at the end of the search.

He says recruitment is only one aspect of the site. The other element is management feedback. In terms of the 360° approach to feedback, bosses may be told that their style of management is over-bearing, but if they go to the human resources department to find out which member of their team has said this, they will be told that all feedback is anonymous. On the other hand, if the company introduces a system that allows managers to know the identity of the person who has criticised them, their team will begin to give only positive feedback and hold back on anything that may be considered unfavourable.

Symanowitz says that for feedback to be useful, the manager and the disgruntled employee should be able to discuss the issue, which is what getagreatboss.co.za provides - an anonymous conversation between the two parties.

The site allows for all feedback to be done online. The boss can then look at the kinds of comments that have come through and, with the help of the site, have an anonymous discussion with the employee about the issue that is bothering him or her. The boss is able to understand exactly which actions are causing a problem, while the employee can be as honest as possible without worrying about the fallout of being so candid.

yuppiechef.co.za

You probably didn't know you needed some magnetic measuring spoons to brighten up your fridge and make baking more fun, or a silicone foodpod to take the fuss out of draining your vegetables after cooking them. But pay one visit to yuppiechef.co.za and you will find more kitchen gadgets that will quickly become a necessity.

How about the Egg-Perfect timer? You put the timer into the water when boiling eggs and it changes colour as the eggs become harder, so you can tell by the colour of the timer whether they are still soft-ish or rock hard.

For those who can't wait to get their hands on something new for the kitchen or are in a hurry to give the perfect gift, the site has a list of 24-hour products that can be shipped fast, so you will not have to wait too long to get a set of Twistix frozen pop makers for the children, or a Polar ice maker to make perfect ice, or a teddy bear cookie cutter.

If your inner Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson needs something that won't bust the budget too much, search through the under-R300 goodies. There is also a gift registry for brides and grooms with generous friends and family and a wide range of beautiful recipe books.

apetslife.co.za

Looking for hoof oil for you horse? How about a stroller for your puppy, who finds the walk home from the park too arduous? These and a whole lot more are available on apetslife.co.za.

All pets, from small, scaly fish to large, majestic horses, are catered for on the site. For example, if your dog is eating too fast or needs to be entertained while you are out, the Aikiou (pronounced IQ) dog bowl may be just what you need. The bowl looks like a big dog's paw and is made up of five different compartments. Your dog will have to use his paws and muzzle to open the sliding doors to access the food inside. This makes dinner time more exciting and satisfies your dog's natural instinct to hunt.

For bird lovers who are also fans of the Olympics, there is an Olympic play ring, made up of five plastic rings (the Olympic rings, in the correct colours). The rings hang down with a bell at the end and will give budgies and parakeets hours of fun.

Then there are the Petsafe top-and-tail wipes, which are "suitable for all domestic pets, large and small".

I am not sure I would be too keen to use them, however, especially if they are anything like baby wipes. But then many pet owners consider their pets their babies and may be less squeamish.

The site really does have everything your pet's heart could desire, along with quite a few things he may really not like, such as muzzles and anti-bark units that use ultrasonic technology to stop your, or your neighbour's, dogs from making a noise.