American Packet

Article by Margarit Johnson

The way that we comprehend money, in terms of its value to us, is mainly dependant on trust and shared belief in common value. This isn’t really news to absolutely everyone, and it doesn’t cease being true if you stop thinking of currency and start pondering of precious metals such as gold instead; while many hard commodities retain value as material used in manufacturing, much of the reason we value gold so highly is because we perceive it as valuable. With that out of the way we can really start to think of why we value money and how we go about doing it, and with that in mind let’s examine the complex phenomenon of the digital age: the virtual economy.

The first place to look for an example of a virtual economy would be the world of online gaming. Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORPGs or MMOs for short) feature in-game economies of varying robustness as a part of the structure of the game. Depending on the game, this can range from easy trading of goods between players to auction houses choosing to use in-game currency to manipulation of in-game investments, commonly including unaffiliated but inextricably linked side economies involving exchanges of real currency for in-game items through eBay or other sites specifically created for this purpose.

One game in particular, EVE Online, focuses heavily on economics and trade in its gameplay, with players often taking on the roles of outer-space traders and merchants. What makes EVE particularly interesting is its approach to the interaction of real money to in-game commodities: due to rampant abuse by unscrupulous individuals, the game’s 30-day subscriptions have been commoditized as in-game PLEX items which can be exact items which can be picked up and carried around. CCP, the game’s publisher, doesn’t place any additional restrictions or penalties on player behavior, so it is not only possible for someone to steal these kinds of PLEXes and resell them, it is a definite concern given the community of in-game pirates and raiders.

Between the open market economy and the sideline economy of selling PLEXes and in-game currency for real money, it’s entirely possible to trade and raid in-game with the end result of turning a real world profit. Recently, one player manipulated other players in an investment scheme which allowed him to gain majority control of an in-game corporation and liquidate its assets. “Negative Bobby” walked away from his months-long scheme with some 850 billion worth of the game’s currency, which can then be used to buy over 2500 PLEX. Given that each PLEX is worth .95, “Negative Bobby” was able to turn his months of gameplay and fictional currency into around ,000 worth of cold hard cash. “Bobby” is just one example, indicative of the thousands of players who keep this virtual economy running.

Virtual economies do not just appear online, though. In 1992, the Brazilian government launched a plan to save the country’s economy, that was in a terrible state since the Brazilian people didn’t trust the government to control inflation due to decades of failed attempts. This plan, at its core, involved using a new currency called the “real” (which means both royal and exact in Portuguese) that remained stable, while the old cruzeiro’s value fluctuated. Before the real, if you went to the store to buy an apple, the nation’s 80% inflation rate meant that you might see an apple for 1 cruizeiro one day and eight cruzeiros the next month. After the real was implemented, that same apple would cost 1 real every day, however the number of cruzeiros that made up a real would be different from day to day.

Effectively, the Brazilian government tried to trick its people into using a currency that was not tied to any additional currency and did not have any physical representation in order to persuade the people that inflation was not a problem. And it worked. As of August 2010, the Brazilian inflation rate is 4.44%, and though a substantial number of people are living beneath the poverty line there, the very fact that Brazil still exists as a country and that an apple doesn’t cost 8 million reais shows that the plan was a success.

Let’s stop and think about that for a minute, because the comparison is quite interesting. What this says, deep down, is that for a time the Brazilian economic system was even less real than the economy of a video game is right now. What’s more, either of them are entirely viable in their own way: the Brazilian government really succeeded in its goal, and the EVE economy acts like a real one in every single way, with currency and commodities and relationships with other currencies. This means, at its core, that it is entirely possible to create an economy wholesale online which can theoretically be linked to national economies in the way that actually affects the national economies in a meaningful fashion. The trick to it, as with any economy, is convincing people that it works.

You’ve decided it’s time to step up and into your own small home based business – but you want to make sure you get it right so you don’t suffer financially, right? It’s common knowledge that many small business start-ups fail quite quickly, and home based businesses are no exception. There are many reasons why home based businesses fail. Here are just two things that can contribute to the failure of a home based business:

Inability to attract clients – particularly corporate ones – due to a perception of the business as a small home based operation;
Poor customer service including a failure to respond to prospective clients in a timely and professional manner, leading to a loss of business;

If you’ve done your market research and you’re confident you have sufficient funds to survive the early growth stages of your business you’re well on the way to success. The next step is to ensure that your business appears professional and that you’re able to attract good clients and communicate with them in a professional manner. A Manhattan virtual office from VH International Business Solutions can help you with that – and from as little as a month!

With a Manhattan virtual office you can:

Have a physical Manhattan office address for your business. The address can be used on your business cards and clients can send mail to you at the address. Any walk in clients will be able to leave a message for you at our staffed reception area.
Have a Manhattan telephone number. Calls to your Manhattan virtual office number can be forwarded to you or to a message bank. Alternatively, you can arrange to have a live operator answer all your calls during business hours and take messages personally.
Arrange meetings or presentations at your Manhattan location – VH International Business Solutions has meeting rooms and offices available for short term hire at inexpensive rates. That means that when you need to be “at the office” physically, you can be.

You might be years away from being able to afford office rental in Manhattan – and perhaps you don’t aspire to that at all – but a Manhattan virtual office can give you many of the benefits of a great office address without the expense, or the need to travel to the office!

It’s going to be a big year for you! You’ve decided it’s time to step up and into your own small home based business – but you want to make sure you get it right so you don’t suffer financially, right? It’s common knowledge that many small business start-ups fail quite quickly, and home based businesses are no exception. There are many reasons why home based businesses fail. Here are just two things that can contribute to the failure of a home based business:

Inability to attract clients – particularly corporate ones – due to a perception of the business as a small home based operation;
Poor customer service including a failure to respond to prospective clients in a timely and professional manner, leading to a loss of business;

If you’ve done your market research and you’re confident you have sufficient funds to survive the early growth stages of your business you’re well on the way to success. The next step is to ensure that your business appears professional and that you’re able to attract good clients and communicate with them in a professional manner. A NYC virtual office from VH International Business Solutions can help you with that – and from as little as a month!

With a NYC virtual office you can:

Have a physical NYC office address for your business. The address can be used on your business cards and clients can send mail to you at the address. Any walk in clients will be able to leave a message for you at our staffed reception area.
Have a New York telephone number. Calls to your NYC virtual office number can be forwarded to you or to a message bank. Alternatively, you can arrange to have a live operator answer all your calls during business hours and take messages personally.
Arrange meetings or presentations at your New York location – we have meeting rooms and offices available for short term hire at inexpensive rates. That means that when you need to be “at the office” physically, you can be.

You might be years away from being able to afford office rental in New York – and perhaps you don’t aspire to that at all – but a NYC virtual office from VH International Business Solutions can give you many of the benefits of a great office address without the expense, or the need to travel to the office!

It’s going to be a big year for you! You’ve decided it’s time to step up and into your own small home based business – but you want to make sure you get it right so you don’t suffer financially, right? It’s common knowledge that many small business start-ups fail quite quickly, and home based businesses are no exception. There are many reasons why home based businesses fail. Here are just two things that can contribute to the failure of a home based business:

Inability to attract clients – particularly corporate ones – due to a perception of the business as a small home based operation;
Poor customer service including a failure to respond to prospective clients in a timely and professional manner, leading to a loss of business;

If you’ve done your market research and you’re confident you have sufficient funds to survive the early growth stages of your business you’re well on the way to success. The next step is to ensure that your business appears professional and that you’re able to attract good clients and communicate with them in a professional manner. A NYC virtual office from VH International Business Solutions can help you with that – and from as little as $25 a month!

With a NYC virtual office you can:

Have a physical NYC office address for your business. The address can be used on your business cards and clients can send mail to you at the address. Any walk in clients will be able to leave a message for you at our staffed reception area.
Have a New York telephone number. Calls to your NYC virtual office number can be forwarded to you or to a message bank. Alternatively, you can arrange to have a live operator answer all your calls during business hours and take messages personally.
Arrange meetings or presentations at your New York location – we have meeting rooms and offices available for short term hire at inexpensive rates. That means that when you need to be “at the office” physically, you can be.

You might be years away from being able to afford office rental in New York – and perhaps you don’t aspire to that at all – but a NYC virtual office from VH International Business Solutions can give you many of the benefits of a great office address without the expense, or the need to travel to the office!

Who needs a NYC virtual office? If you’d like to make your one-person business appear a little larger, without paying office rental and electricity, or having to commute, then perhaps you do!

Starting out in business can be difficult. If you’re a sole trader it can be even tougher – you need to compete with larger competitors who can appear to be more professional and successful purely based on their size. There’s no doubt that operating from commercial premises can be a significant advantage – but it’s one that most people cannot afford when they’re starting out.

That’s where we can help. A NYC virtual office through VH International Business Solutions is an inexpensive solution that allows you to have a prestigious city address on your business cards, a physical and mailing address in the city, and even someone to answer your “office” telephone – while you work from home.

If you work “in the field” or you travel extensively, a NYC virtual office can give your clients the reassurance that they’ll be able to get in touch with your “office” even while you are away.

Missing calls from prospective new clients will also be a thing of the past. If you’re away or busy with a client, the trained staff at your virtual office can take your calls in a professional manner.

“Call my New York office” – doesn’t that sound great? You can also say “Meet me at my New York office.” We have offices available for short term and occasional use so you can have a physical presence in a major city when you need to meet with clients.

With a NYC virtual office you can be a little “bigger” – without paying the huge overheads. Why not set up your virtual office today and explore the advantages that having a city office can bring?

Who needs a virtual office? If you’d like to make your one-person business appear a little larger, without paying office rental and electricity, or having to commute, then perhaps you do!

Starting out in business can be difficult. If you’re a sole trader it can be even tougher – you need to compete with larger competitors who can appear to be more professional and successful purely based on their size. There’s no doubt that operating from commercial premises can be a significant advantage – but it’s one that most people cannot afford when they’re starting out.

That’s where we can help. A virtual office through VH International Business Solutions is an inexpensive solution that allows you to have a prestigious city address on your business cards, a physical and mailing address in the city, and even someone to answer your “office” telephone – while you work from home.

If you work “in the field” or you travel extensively, a virtual office can give your clients the reassurance that they’ll be able to get in touch with your “office” even while you are away.

Missing calls from prospective new clients will also be a thing of the past. If you’re away or busy with a client, the trained staff at your virtual office can take your calls in a professional manner.

“Call my New York office” – doesn’t that sound great? You can also say “Meet me at my New York office.” We have offices available for short term and occasional use so you can have a physical presence in a major city when you need to meet with clients.

With a virtual office from VH International Business Solutions, you can be a little “bigger” – without paying the huge overheads. Why not set up your virtual office today and explore the advantages that having a city office can bring?

Let’s say the you live in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and design websites. You work from home and serve customers throughout. Your orders are taken via on-line transactions and you design your clients website in your home office’s design studio.

However, you’ve been thinking about expanding into larger markets to attract new clientèle. How can you do that instantly?

Answer: By opening a NY virtual office with VH International Business Solutions!

You can go from a Coeur d’Alene based home business to having a business presence in a major metropolitan area instantly, for example: New York! Your company now has 2 locations! Imagine how snazzy a NY office address would look on your website!

Opening a virtual office in another country can also make you an international company instantly and open up the market for you to sell your products and services beyond the US.

Need local fax and phone numbers to complete your business presence? No problem! We can get them setup for you in a few hours. You can also have a live operator answer your calls, a machine answer your calls (voice mail) or, we can even transfer your NY phone calls to you in Coeur d’Alene. You can also receive your 212 NY faxes right in your email in-box.

Need to meet with a client or vendor in NY? No problem. You can rent a fully equipped, fully furnished private office or conference room to meet with clients on an as-needed basis. You can even have your lunch or breakfast meeting catered in the office.

Need a local hotel or restaurant recommendation? We can help you with ideas! Our knowledgeable staff is at your service. Our neighborhood is chock-full of first-class hotels, chain hotels and wonderful boutique hotels. Our neighborhood’s Michelin Stars sparkle amongst restaurants boasting top chefs, celebrity chefs, and world renown chefs.

See how easy it is to open a virtual office with VH International Business Solutions? … Keep doing what you are doing in Coeur d’Alene and we at VH International Business Solutions will handle your NY business presence.

It’s very common nowadays for British businesses, big and small, to do business with Americans. The Internet and other communication technology have facilitated easy international communication and inexpensive global marketing. Even so, when you’re dealing with an overseas company you like to establish their credibility before you place your order. When dealing with American companies, many overseas buyers are careful to check that they’re dealing with a legitimate company – preferably one with a verifiable street address. Americans are just as careful when buying from overseas firms.

If your main business location is in Britain and you’re not in a financial position to open your own office overseas, there’s no reason for you to miss out on tapping into one of the biggest marketplaces in the world. Obtaining a legitimate and verifiable virtual office address and telephone number from VH International Business Solutions is easy.

Having a virtual office in a major business center isn’t as expensive as you might think. For just $25 a month you can have a virtual office address in Manhattan for your business cards and website. Should anyone stop in at your office address they’ll be greeted by staff at our reception and a message will be taken.

You can choose from other services too – like mail forwarding and a local Manhattan telephone number with a messaging service or live answering. Mail and telephone messages can be forwarded to you promptly and should you need anything faxed in the US, our staff will be happy to help you. Your clients will never imagine you are working overseas.

If you’re at a level where you travel internationally to meet clients, your virtual office can become your physical office space too. We have meeting spaces and private office space that are available at a low cost for temporary usage – so you can meet your prospective American clients at your New York virtual office from VH International Business Solutions!

Having a virtual office address overseas can enhance your international business prospects and give you increased credibility. If you’re planning on expanding, why not dip your toe into international waters with a New York office? At $25 a month, there’s little to lose and much to gain!

It’s very common nowadays for businesses in Peru, big and small, to do business with Americans. The Internet and other communication technology have facilitated easy international communication and inexpensive global marketing. Even so, when you’re dealing with an overseas company you like to establish their credibility before you place your order. When dealing with American companies, many overseas buyers are careful to check that they’re dealing with a legitimate company – preferably one with a verifiable street address. Americans are just as careful when buying from overseas firms.

If your main business location is in Peru and you’re not in a financial position to open your own office overseas, there’s no reason for you to miss out on tapping into one of the biggest marketplaces in the world. Obtaining a legitimate and verifiable virtual office address and telephone number from VH International Business Solutions is easy.

Having a virtual office in a major business center isn’t as expensive as you might think. For just $25 a month you can have a virtual office address in Manhattan for your business cards and website. Should anyone stop in at your office address they’ll be greeted by staff at our reception and a message will be taken.

You can choose from other services too – like mail forwarding and a local Manhattan telephone number with a messaging service or live answering. Mail and telephone messages can be forwarded to you promptly and should you need anything faxed in the US, our staff will be happy to help you. Your clients will never imagine you are working overseas.

If you’re at a level where you travel internationally to meet clients, your virtual office can become your physical office space too. We have meeting spaces and private office space that are available at a low cost for temporary usage – so you can meet your prospective American clients at your New York virtual office!

Having a virtual office address overseas can enhance your international business prospects and give you increased credibility. If you’re planning on expanding in, why not dip your toe into international waters with a New York office from VH International Business Solutions? At $25 a month, there’s little to lose and much to gain!

It’s very common nowadays for Australian businesses, big and small, to do business with Americans. The Internet and other communication technology have facilitated easy international communication and inexpensive global marketing. Even so, when you’re dealing with an overseas company you like to establish their credibility before you place your order. When dealing with American companies, many overseas buyers are careful to check that they’re dealing with a legitimate company – preferably one with a verifiable street address. Americans are just as careful when buying from overseas firms.

If your main business location is in Australia and you’re not in a financial position to open your own office overseas, there’s no reason for you to miss out on tapping into one of the biggest marketplaces in the world. Obtaining a legitimate and verifiable virtual office address and telephone number from VH International Business Solutions is easy.

Having a virtual office in a major business center isn’t as expensive as you might think. For just $25 a month you can have a virtual office address in Manhattan for your business cards and website. Should anyone stop in at your office address they’ll be greeted by staff at our reception and a message will be taken.

You can choose from other services too – like mail forwarding and a local Manhattan telephone number with a messaging service or live answering. Mail and telephone messages can be forwarded to you promptly and should you need anything faxed in the US, our staff will be happy to help you. Your clients will never imagine you are working overseas.

If you’re at a level where you travel internationally to meet clients, your virtual office can become your physical office space too. We have meeting spaces and private office space that are available at a low cost for temporary usage – so you can meet your prospective American clients at your New York office!

Having a virtual office address overseas can enhance your international business prospects and give you increased credibility. If you’re planning on expanding in 2010, why not dip your toe into international waters with a New York virtual office from VH International Business Solutions? At $25 a month, there’s little to lose and much to gain!