Who ever said you can't get something for nothing???

Don't you feel good when you save money?

Now you can do so without ever clipping or cutting coupons again!! The EpiFany is the first digitalized home organizer that combines targeted clipless coupons and discounts, a digitally enhanced telephone directory with bluetooth dialing capabilities, an Emergency management system, and news, weather and sports updates all on one touch screen device. All promotions and sales are automatically linked to our complimentary discount E-Pif Card that will be swiped at participating store locations. So don't worry about forgetting that coupon at home. And the best news is... The EpiFany is completely FREE. No monthly fees, no installation costs, and no purchase costs!!! Yes that's right...FREE...absolutely NO COST TO YOU!!!

Without needing an internet connection targeted discounts and coupons will be delivered directly to your EpiFany. NO JUNK MAIL or ANNOYING ADS!!

The EpiFany also allows you to access news, sports, and weather reports.

> The Need for VAS Concepts
> The Solution for Consumers
> The Solution for Businesses
> Environmental Impact
> Emergency Management

The Need for VAS Concepts
As rising prices and a declining economy continue to take their toll on society, consumers are changing their shopping behaviors and are actively looking to cut back their spending.  Naturally, given the current economic environment, consumers are looking for NEW ways to save money.  In efforts to save their money, a Consumer Survey conducted by NCH Marketing in August 2008 reported that 51% of consumer respondents were stocking up on sale priced items.  The survey also reported that because consumers are increasing their coupon use, they are in turn more receptive and responsive to marketers' promotions (Attention Marketers).  Most interestingly, the share of consumers who said they were using more coupons than the prior year grew by eight percentage points in 2008 to 31% of the population (Attention Marketers). Coupons and promotions provide a platform to attract and retain high consumption shoppers, thereby helping companies fend off competition. As American consumers become more price conscious and promotion sensitive, they are more receptive to new money saving alternatives.  VAS Concepts' EpiFany provides a win-win solution to the apparent consumer spending crisis for both the consumers and the companies attempting to target them.

The Solution
For Consumers:
VAS Concepts provides consumers with a patent pending 10"X10" touch screen home management system that provides users with coupon and sales offerings, a digitally enhanced telephone directory system, an Emergency Mangement System, and news, weather, and sports updates, all on one user friendly device.

Telephone Directory System

The EpiFany's digitally enhanced telephone directory system makes browsing through the phonebook a visually pleasing and time saving experience. Besides providing basic company information such as telephone numbers and addresses, the directory will include detailed company information profiles containing:

• Promotional offerings
• Product listings and photographs
• Company and product ratings and reviews
• Store hours
• Credit card policies
• Digital map showing company location
• Restaurant listings will include full menu offerings accompanied by hi-definition pictures of menu items

With the EpiFany you never have to write down a telephone number or address again...you simply press the call button and your bluetooth compatible cellphone will automatically dial the number and send a text message to your phone with the business information. The EpiFany takes the YellowPages to a completely different level!

Other Features

The database is continuously updated throughout the day to ensure real time and up-to-date search results. On The EpiFany you will be able to save preferred promotions and companies via the Favorites feature that will automatically transfer promotion offering dates to your personalized Calendar. If you have a phone with bluetooth technology, these important dates can also automatically be transferred to your phone's calendar feature. So you'll be sure to NEVER miss that sale you've been waiting for.

The EpiFany also allows users to access news, sports, and weather reports.  In hazardous situations, the device is capable of receiving alerts regarding inclement weather conditions, disasters, and terror alerts.  The device will also send fire alarm alerts to users' cell phones within in a 500 foot range. The EpiFany is powered by alternating current (AC) in addition to its self-sufficient battery feature. 
 
VAS Concepts offers users a complimentary discount card that is linked to our promotions database.  Instead of clipping out coupons to take advantage of sales, users will be able to swipe the discount card at stores advertising through our database.  Users no longer have to worry about losing or forgetting loose, cut out coupons at home.  Furthermore, every time a user makes a purchase at a participating company, they will receive reward points that can be redeemed for prizes once certain point totals are reached.

For Businesses:
For companies, we offer affordable, targeted advertisement space to be displayed on The EpiFany.  Given the current economic downturn, now is not the time for companies to panic and significantly scale back marketing budgets.  It's the time to start spending marketing dollars differently, and more effectively.  VAS Concepts' digital coupon and promotions interface will be an important vehicle for retailers and service providers to entice shoppers into their stores and defend market share.  In order to remain successful during these tough economic times, companies must understand the changes in consumer behavior, adapt with their cash-strapped customers, and consider a new, low-risk advertising medium, The EpiFany.
 
There are four different types of advertisements that companies can purchase:

- General Circular Advertisements: The telephone directory device will have a general circular that is distributed to consumers.  The general circular will be divided into categories, making it easy for consumers to find specials related to their particular area of interest.  If the consumer doesn’t want to browse by category, they can simply open the General Circular and all company advertisements will be randomly displayed.  General Circular advertisement prices will be based on customer reach.  The highest priced advertisement will be the cover page, which all consumers will have to view.  Companies can also purchase full page and half page advertisements.
 
- Store Circular Advertisements: Companies that desire to have a circular designated specifically for their company’s product/service offerings will purchase store circulars that have a minimum of four pages each.  These advertisements will be similar to traditional print circulars for companies such as Target, Best Buy, Macy’s and Rite Aid.
 
- Flash Advertisements: Flash advertisements are ads that will display when the device is idle mode or in use, for a period of 20 seconds each.  Flash ads will feature direct links to circular advertisements, for those companies that have purchased both circular advertisements and flash advertisements.  Flash Ad prices will be segmented based on specific time slots.
 
- Directory Advertisements: Directory advertisements are the ads placed in the actual telephone directory.  Regular listings in the telephone directory are free.  Just like in the telephone book, companies will have to pay for bold listings or they can opt to have a ½ page detailed listing or a full page detailed listing, with digitally enhanced features.

Environmental Impact
The manufacturing of paper, printing inks, use of solvents and coatings for paper, distribution and disposal of print advertising results in many adverse environmental consequences. The manufacture and disposal of paper affects the environment through forestry operations, air and water emissions from manufacturing operations, and disposal of waste.
 
According to the Center for Development of Recycling at San Jose University, it has been estimated that the average American adult receives 41 pounds of direct mail per year. Many brochures are never read, they go in the garbage or recycle bin without having any advertising benefit.  In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, 44% of these unsolicited mailings head to land fills unread.
 
The Center for a New American Dream reports that the total annual volume of direct mail sent in the United States consumes 100 million trees per year. That doesn't include the fossil fuels burned in transporting the mail, energy used to process the paper, and toxic bleaching agents and other chemicals used to treat and print it. Creating and shipping direct mail produces more greenhouse gas emissions than 9 million cars. Additionally, about 28 billion gallons of water are wasted to produce and recycle direct mail each year.
 
Recycling also has an environmental impact. Printed materials made from coated material cannot be recycled and the inks used in direct mailings often have high concentrations of heavy metals, making these paper types more difficult to recycle. Conventional printing inks are made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource, and some inks release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air during printing. VOCs contribute to smog and can cause illness and cancer.
 
On the other hand, VAS Concepts’ telephone directory device has a minimal negative environmental impact because it doesn't use raw materials like paper, is cost and time-efficient and easy to update. VAS Concepts’ device is essentially a virtual advertising brochure. It consists of data that is directly sent to each household’s device through our comprehensive database. Advertisements are created electronically using creative ideas and targeted marketing messages. The device is designed to consume minimal amounts of electricity through its low energy usage and energy saving features.  The material presented on the device is never wasted, and therefore never has to be recycled or disposed of. The device doesn’t use up and destroy trees, pollute our water and/or add to our landfill sites.
 
Advertising through this cutting edge media outlet is the most cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way to advertise.

Emergency Management System
As previously mentioned, VAS Concepts’ EpiFany is designed with an emergency notification and alert feature.  The purpose of this feature is to minimize the consequences of any disaster or emergency.  Unfortunately, we live in a society today where the potential of a terrorist attack or any other harmful incident can occur, without notice.  Being prepared for emergency situations provides people with the best chance of survival and the ability to help others.  Therefore, emergency preparedness should become an integral aspect of the residential environment.
VAS Concepts’ EpiFany will provide a variety of pertinent notifications and alerts. These include:
 
• Homeland Security Terror Alerts
• Severe/Inclement Weather Alerts
• Natural Disaster Alerts (Wildfire, Earthquake, Hurricane, Flood)
• Amber Alerts/ Child Abductions
• Industrial Accident Alerts (Chemical Spills)
• Home Fire Alerts
• Dangerous Persons in the area (Jail breaks)
 
If the fire alarm in a resident’s home is triggered and the individual is within a 500 foot range of the residence, The EpiFany will automatically send an alarm via Bluetooth technology to the individual’s cell phone.       
 
These alerts can be extremely effective in warning citizens about hazardous situations and emergencies. The benefits of an automated notification system are monumental in that many lives will be saved as a result of time-sensitive information being disseminated immediately.  The advantages of VAS Concepts’ Emergency Management feature include:
 
• Saving precious time in emergencies by alerts being sent simultaneously to all consumers with the device
• Allows emergency workers and employees to concentrate on the most pressing tasks
• Alerts can be sent without needing an internet connection
• Citizens will be able to react faster and assemble necessary survival equipment such as water, clothes, food, etc. in a more timely fashion
• Lives being saved