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Removing throw-away packaging from the shopping equation is a much better strategy than recycling. It's part of the 'reuse revolution'.
Zero-waste shops are starting to pop up all over the place, allowing customers to avoid throwaway packaging and instead bring along refillable containers to store their food. This is partly thanks to MIWA (short for Minimum Waste), a Czech company that provides the infrastructure for shops to adopt this type of retail model. It's good news for prices and the planet.
Dried goods are dispensed from refillable capsules, which are fitted with smart technology (radiofrequency ID tags, sensors and GPS tracking) to help retailers with automatic reordering and monitoring of stock through the supply chain.
MIWA describes itself as a complete business ecosystem for smart-powered reusable packaging - an ecosystem based on a clean and effective way of selling goods while minimizing packaging waste.
This is important because, every year, around 16 million tons of plastic packaging waste is generated in the EU, and only 30% gets recycled. Today, it's clear that recycling alone is no longer enough. Stopping the waste before it happens makes much more sense.
MIWA currently operates in four food stores in the Czech Republic and Switzerland, and has plans to expand into supermarkets in Germany and France.


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Jardine Cycle & Carriage reported Friday its first half net profit jumped 147 percent on-year to US$427 million on net non-trading gains of US$20 million, mainly on unrealized fair value gains for non-current investments.
Underlying net profit, which distinguishes between ongoing business performance and non-trading items, slipped 1 percent on-year to US$407 million, Jardine C&C said.
That was due to a lower contribution from Astra amid a weaker automotive market, hurt by relatively weak domestic consumption and lower commodity prices, the company said.
Revenue for the six months ended 30 June was slightly lower at US$9.16 billion, compared with US$9.19 billion in the year-ago period, the company said in a filing to SGX.
“The outlook for the rest of the year remains cautious, with Astra expected to continue to face a soft automotive market and commodity
prices. The group’s Direct Motor Interests will also continue to be affected by challenging market conditions,” Ben Keswick, company chairman, said in the statement.
Astra contributed US$326 million to Jardine C&C’s underlying profit for the first half, down 8 percent on-year, while Direct Motor Interests’ contribution fell 22 percent on-year to US$55 million, the filing said.
Net income from Astra’s automotive division fell 18 percent on-year to US$244 million, mainly on lower car sales volumes and increased manufacturing costs, the filing said.
Jardine C&C declared an interim dividend of 18 U.S. cents a share, unchanged on-year.
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June 6, 2013
For immediate release
Love our Lobster campaign supports fishers
Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development
View details and
A campaign to promote lobster is helping to boost sales and support local fishers, says Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development Minister Ron MacKinley.
“The Love Our Lobster campaign is a great opportunity to support our hard-working fishers, processors, retailers and peddlers,” the Minister said. “The best thing Islanders can do to support the lobster industry is to eat more lobster.”
The department is partnering with Island radio stations Ocean 100 and Hot 105.5 and 21 retailers across the province promoting lobster sales with contests offering prizes of free lobster. Anyone who buys lobster at any of the participating retailers this month has a chance to win 50 pounds of lobster to be served by The Culinary Institute of Canada at a party for 20 people. Various other prize draws will be made.
More than 1,200 fishers are involved in the lobster fishery. Last year, more than 26 million pounds of lobster were landed with an approximate value of $250 million to the Island economy, including spin-offs. The lobster fishery employs about 6,000 people.
“The lobster industry is a significant contributor to the economy of Prince Edward Island,” the Minister said. “We are working very hard to increase demand for lobster and strengthen the industry.”
The Love Our Lobster promotion ends June 27.
For contest details and a list of participating retailers, visit gov.pe.ca/fard/loveourlobster.


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HTC, the Taiwan based maker of smartphones and mobile devices had its shares fall up to 4% today and this happened all of a sudden after the founders of Beats Electronics, its audio technology firm, came up with concern regarding the strategy of half of its total holdings. Beats Electronics, a music company having its origin by founders Dr Dre, US rapper/music producer and Jimmy Iovine, Beats’ CEO and HTC purchased about 50.1% of Beats Electronics for a price of about $309 million last year in the month of August.
HTC carried out this huge purchase in order to accompany its struggle to bring differences to its phones as well as to improve its branding in the midst of highly competitive market. But the company in a statement recently reported saying that it had sold back 25% to the founders of Beats’ for a price of about $150 million. However, HTC will carry on its workouts with this manufacturer of high-end speakers and headphones. In a research report, Morgan Stanley said “We find HTC’s announcement of cutting back its investment in Beats puzzling,” he added “Reducing its holding to 25.57% signals HTC’s separation from Beats’ operations. Possibly it implies that there was not much synergy between the two companies from the beginning.”
He said that this whole contract from achievement to removal has nothing to do with strategy and has no financial sense to the investors of HTC. The largest shareholder of Beats Electronics will always be HTC having about 25.1% and the founders of the Beats’ have the rest in their accounts. The company is likely to have a voting right of about 25.57% and as a matter of fact, some devices in its new One series of smartphones make use of Beats audio technology. HTC in a statement regarding the share sale said “provides Beats with more flexibility for global expansion while maintaining HTC’s major stake and commercial exclusivity in mobile.”
HTC is about to go through a violent competition from the Galaxy smartphones of Samsung and this will force HTC to to operate traditionally. According to another statement, HTC wrote that it had made agreements to lend T$6.74 billion which is about $224.85 million Beats for one year along with an interest rate of about LIBOR+1.5% to LIBOR+7.5%. The profits of HTC was reduced to more than half in the second quarter when the company had to put a lot of efforts to regain the market share which it had lost to Apple and Samsung.


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Nothing complicates trade negotiations like popular fears about food safety.
About a year after the United States and South Korea signed their free trade agreement in 2007, there was a huge uproar in Korea about American beef imports, because mad cow disease had been discovered in one American cow – a dairy cow – in 2003.
When American trade negotiators insisted that the Koreans base their import decisions on science, Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon showed them a photo of 80,000 people in the streets of Seoul demonstrating against American beef imports and asked, “Can you solve this with science?”
The food phobia du jour is about chicken washed in water with a tiny bit of chlorine in it. United Kingdom Trade Secretary Liam Fox and U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross met this week in Washington to talk about a possible free trade agreement between the U.S. and the post-Brexit UK. This caused the issue of chlorine-washed chicken to rear its head in England. The process is common in the United States, but is banned in the European Union, of which the UK is still a part. Consequently, U.S. poultry exports to the EU are roughly zero.
The process entails spraying a chicken carcass with slightly chlorinated water to cleanse it of harmful pathogens, such as salmonella and campylobacter. The U.S. Agriculture Department, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and numerous academics have examined the process and found that it poses no threat to human health. The European Food Safety Authority said in 2012 that “chemical substances in poultry are unlikely to pose an immediate or acute health risk for consumers.”
U.S. chicken processors have been using this method since 1997. Americans eat 156 million chlorine-washed chickens every week, according to the Adam Smith Institute in London.
Nonetheless, a hue and cry has arisen in the UK; a lot of Brits recoil at the thought of eating chicken that has been sprayed with chlorinated water, even though the incidence of salmonella and other food-borne pathogens is 15-20% in EU chickens and 2% in American ones, according to the Institute.
Once the UK leaves the EU, it will decide whether to continue the chlorine ban or drop it. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said the UK should keep it and that chlorine-rinsed chicken imports should not be allowed in any US-UK free trade agreement. Fox expressed a more reasonable view: he said the chlorine question was a “a detail of the very end stage of one sector” of future trade negotiations.
Some UK activists aren’t interested in being reasonable. Rather than argue that chlorine-washing poses a public health threat, they claim, without evidence, that it leads chicken processors to be careless about sanitation.
Some British press outlets seem to have their back. The BBC and the Guardian have reported that the U.S. allows processors to wash chicken carcasses in “strongly chlorinated water (emphasis added).” In reality, the FSIS limits the amount of chlorine in a chlorine-water solution to 50 parts per million.
And George Monbiot, a Guardian columnist, wrote Tuesday that the incidences of two strains of salmonella were four and five times higher in North America than in Europe. However, there are 10 countries in North America and only one uses chlorine to disinfect chickens.
“The British media are obsessed with chlorine-washed chickens,” Fox said recently.
For Britons, this is an economic issue as well as a public health issue. American chlorine-washed chickens are less expensive than British non-chlorine-washed chickens. If the UK were to allow imports of American chickens, British chicken farmers and processors would have to change their methods in order to compete. Keeping American chickens out of that or any market without a valid science-based reason is protectionism, plain and simple.
Government leaders make a lot of unequivocal statements about what they will and will not accept in a trade agreement before they start negotiating it. Once they face their counterparts across the table, though, some of those statements become bargaining chips. In trade negotiations, you sometimes have to give up something you want in order to get something you want. Let’s hope that British trade negotiators will be able to see the forest, not just the trees.


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On Wednesday afternoon, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) did launch a new phone, the Fire. The bull and bear debate over this phone will rage on, with the long-term impact to be decided over the next couple of years. Today, I'm here to provide my thoughts on the phone, and why I think this move was a necessary one for the company.
The new Fire phone:
When it comes to any new product launch, the details will be key. Here's a brief list of key features:
- A 4.7 inch display with 13MP rear camera.
- A Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) Snapdragon CPU (2.2GHz, quad-core).
- A new service called Firefly that recognizes 100M plus items.
- A 3D UI, called "dynamic perspective".
- An unlimited cloud photo storage service.
- AT&T's (NYSE:T) site states a 32GB model will go for $199 with a 2-year contract.
- Amazon is also offering 12 months of Prime free for a limited time, or will add a year to your service if you already are a member.
Since everyone wants to know what this means for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), here are a couple of items to consider. Apple provides 5GB of free iCloud storage to iDevice owners. Additionally, the 16GB iPhone 5S currently goes for $199. Obviously, Apple is just a few months away from launching its next set of phones, which could be two new larger screen phones. Amazon states that you can experience the Fire at AT&T stores on July 25th.
There is an important debate to have here when it comes to Amazon versus Apple. Amazon is not trying to duplicate the iPhone's success in terms of tens of millions of phone sales per quarter. Amazon may not sell more than a few million of these phones a year, if that. Apple sold nearly 44 million iPhones in its latest quarter. Apple generated more iPhone revenues in its latest quarter than Amazon had total revenues. That's how big the iPhone is.
What Amazon is doing here is something that Apple has really done well. This is all about building and expanding a moat. We saw Amazon go into tablets, and now the company is going into smartphones. It's not just about getting people to order stuff through the website. The company is also increasing its offerings for Prime, with Amazon recently launching a music service for Prime. Over one million songs are supported. Prime has also beefed up its video library in recent months, highlighted by a deal with HBO. Amazon did raise the price of Prime from $79 to $99 a year, and we recently saw a price raise from partial competitor Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) as well. Amazon's Prime reportedly has over 20 million subscribers.
Improving the bottom line:
Yes, I know that Amazon is barely profitable. I've covered that angle of the company in great detail in recent years. However, Amazon is starting to make strides in that department. The company did lose money in 2012, although that was partially due to equity investments and taxes. On a pre-tax basis, Amazon had a profit that year. Even with pre-tax profits declining a little in 2013, the company did report a profit for the year.
Amazon did increase its net income in Q1 2014 over the prior year period, and the 12-month trailing value rose as well, according to the 10-Q filing. Perhaps more important was that for the trailing twelve month period ending Q1 2014, Amazon reported a $1.1 billion rise in operating cash flow, as opposed to the prior year period. Capital expenditures and acquisitions were also down, so free cash flow was up a bit.
We know the analyst game of starting out with really high estimates and then cutting them as Amazon comes in with guidance. Over the last 90 days, Amazon's EPS estimate for 2014 has come down from $1.92 to $1.07, after a profit of $0.59 last year. Amazon is certainly trying to boost its profitability in some respects, and a move into online payments could help with that. Analysts are looking for a $3.21 profit in 2015, although that number has come down by more than a dollar in the past 90 days. Do I think Amazon will have more than $3 in EPS next year? Not at this point, but if some of these efforts start to pay off, profitability should start increasing a bit. Remember, Amazon doesn't even have half a billion shares outstanding, so every $100 million of profit is about 21 cents of EPS.
Amazon launched its Fire phone on Wednesday, the next move to build out the Amazon ecosystem. Apple makes a ton of money off the iPhone, but Amazon doesn't even need to duplicate iPhone margins for the phone to work. Amazon's gross margins were less than 29% in the latest quarter, and at times, iPhone margins have run at twice that level or more. If Amazon can make some profits from the phone, combined with a buildout of the moat, this phone will be worth it.
Disclosure: The author has no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. The author wrote this article themselves, and it expresses their own opinions. The author is not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). The author has no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Additional disclosure: Investors are always reminded that before making any investment, you should do your own proper due diligence on any name directly or indirectly mentioned in this article. Investors should also consider seeking advice from a broker or financial adviser before making any investment decisions. Any material in this article should be considered general information, and not relied on as a formal investment recommendation.


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If you’ve purchased fireworks this year, you’ve probably noticed that prices have gone up again. Fireworks are notorious for having high prices, but this year, it’s going to be harder than ever to avoid feeling like you’re literally setting fire to your money. Learn why New Year’s fireworks are more expensive this year and how to avoid the highest prices.
Increased Transportation Costs
Transportation costs have risen exponentially around the world since the start of the pandemic. Many people who work these tough jobs have left the profession, creating a global shortage of truckers, shipping yard workers, and other transportation professionals.
Most fireworks come to the US from China, which means their transportation requires the use of shipping containers that cost nearly $50,000 each. That’s five times the price they were just a few years ago. Fireworks also require special hazmat shipping because they’re explosive. So, there are several factors driving up the costs.
What most people don’t realize is that fireworks production rates went down during the pandemic. All over the world, people were canceling large shows in order to avoid spreading illness. Now that many places have stopped enforcing pandemic event restrictions, the demand for fireworks has skyrocketed again. Unfortunately, the industry hasn’t been able to catch up with demand changing so quickly, leading to a shortage.
According to some fireworks vendors, labor prices are also a reason why New Year’s fireworks are more expensive this year. Some say that the $2–$3 increase in workers’ wages over the last several years has contributed to higher prices.
However, it’s important to realize that wages are still much lower than they were in the late 20th century when accounting for inflation. It’s hard to imagine that such a small increase would have the same effect as the enormous inflation of shipping container prices.
How To Avoid High Prices for Fireworks
If you want to get your fireworks for the lowest price, do your shopping early. Firework vendors often raise prices closer to the holidays, capitalizing on people waiting until the last minute to buy. Prices also decrease after the holiday season passes, but it’s not a good idea to stock up on fireworks months in advance of the next holiday, as they are extremely dangerous to keep in your home.


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The U.K. Court of Appeal in London ordered Apple to remove the statement within 24 hours and place a new notice acknowledging the inaccurate comments.
"I'm at a loss that a company such as Apple would do this," Judge Robin Jacob said Thursday. "That is a plain breach of the order."
The ruling is the latest in a lawsuit that dates back to a July judgment in which a London judge said the design for three Galaxy tablets didn't infringe Apple's registered design, saying they were not "cool" enough.
The court's initial order to post a notice was designed to correct the impression that the South Korean company was copying Apple's product. Apple's post, criticized by judges Thursday, inserted four paragraphs including excerpts of the original "cool" ruling and details of similar German lawsuits that the court today said weren't true.
Michael Beloff, a lawyer for Apple, told the court Thursday that the comments posted by Apple were in line with original order.
The notice "is not designed to punish, it is not designed to makes us grovel," Michael Beloff, a lawyer for Apple, said in court. "The only purpose is to dispel commercial uncertainty." Apple's request for 14 days to make the changes was rejected.
"I would like to see the head of Apple make an affidavit setting out the technical difficulties which means Apple can't put this on" their site, Jacob said. "I just can't believe the instructions you've been given. This is Apple. They cannot put something on their website?"


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Scammers are taking advantage of the government shutdown by telling consumers across the country that they need to obtain new Medicare cards, collect unpaid taxes or fines.
Agencies across the country are warning consumers to beware. The Better Business Bureau in Florida alerted consumers of a scam where a caller claims to work the the IRS and demands that money be sent by the end of the day or risk being arrested.
"The scammers are taking advantage of the fact than the IRS is currently shut down, so consumers cannot verify the legitimacy of the calls and feel threatened," the BBB said.
Fox 4 in Kansas City is reporting that residents there are reporting scammers who have sent e-mails tell them that it's imperative to re-enroll in Medicare because of the shutdown. There is a link that prompts people to view enrollment options, but it's a sinwdle, the station reports.
In Pittsburgh, scammers call saying they are with the FBI. According to local Pittsburgh station WTAE, the caller demands a wire transfer to satisfy the debt.
"The caller also said he couldn't accept a credit card as a form of payment because of the government shut down," the station reported.


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Buyer found for transport business
A buyer has been found for a Tasmanian courier and storage company which went into administration this week, and it is expected about 50 workers will keep their jobs.
Road Runners had planned to stop trading this afternoon, with the loss of about 100 jobs in Hobart, Devonport and Launceston.
But the administrator Paul Cook has announced the company is being sold to Chas Kelly Transport which will run it as a stand-alone business.
Mr Cook says the sale means a number of workers will keep their jobs, but others will be made redundant.
"There are still some loose ends to tie up of course, but in principle we've reached a sale position.
"In any event the company was overstaffed for the customer base that it had," he said.
Chas Kelly says about 30 jobs will have to go if the business is to be financially viable.
"Fortunately we're financially secure, and moving into the future Road Runners will have a good solid financial base.
"The brand remains the same, Road Runners, and the livery will stay the same, you know, I'm confident about the future of the company," Mr Kelly said.
Administrators say they are still calculating Road Runners' debts to its creditors.


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LONDON (Reuters) - Borse Dubai has launched an accelerated sale of 8.5 million shares in the London Stock Exchange (LSE.L), representing around 3.1 percent of the company’s issued capital, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
The latest price guidance on the shares is 20.20 pounds each, one of the sources said, valuing the stake at 171.7 million pounds and representing a 3 percent discount to the closing price of 20.85 pounds.
The deal is well covered with books closing at 7:00 p.m. BST (1800 GMT), one of the sources said.
The proceeds from the sale will be used to fully subscribe to the LSE’s upcoming rights issue. Bourse Dubai will remain the LSE’s largest shareholder with a 17.4 percent stake.
Nomura (9716.T) is sole bookrunner on the transaction.
Reporting by Freya Berry; editing by Keiron Henderson


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The Bank will be there on 20-25 September at the stand C02, a 120 square-meter area in Hall 12.
For FCA Bank it is the first time at the German fair, Europe's most important event for commercial and industrial vehicles and logistics.
The Bank will also be sponsor of the “Star of the Year Award”.
FCA Bank continues its diversification strategy in Europe. The Bank is taking part in the IAA Transportation, held in Hanover, Germany, on 20-25 September 2022. This year, the German fair, the most important in Europe among those for commercial and industrial vehicles, brings together more than 1,400 exhibitors from 42 countries under the slogan 'People and goods on the move'.
Hall 12. This is its first time that FCA Bank attends the Hanover Fair with its own stand. The choice is no coincidence, as this year the event, initially known as IAA Commercial Vehicles, has expanded its concept, to cover both the transport and logistics spaces. This is an important opportunity for the Bank, which is also committed to enhancing its concept, to consolidate its role as an independent finance company and to extend its footprint in other fast-growing European sectors, such as that of heavy vehicles.The Bank will be exhibiting at stand C02, a 120 square-meter area in
The attendance at the fair will be an opportunity for FCA Bank to present its innovative financial services, based on digital solutions and attention to the environment, developed to meet the needs of brands and companies and to accommodate the electric transition of commercial vehicles, necessary for a sustainable future. In addition, the Bank will be sponsor of the “Star of the Year Award”, an event where prizes will be awarded to the best trucks and buses of the year in the presence of journalists and industry leaders.


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Wigan-based manufacturer Evolution Aqua continue to plough their own filtration furrow with the release of their latest pond filter – the Tempest.
Multi-award-winning manufacturer Evolution Aqua has launched a range of aquarium UV sterilisers. Available in 15 Watt and 25 Watt, the UV sterilisers are perfect for lowering disease pathogens and clearing green water in aquariums, says […]
British aquatics manufacturer Evolution Aqua have released a new range of medications aimed at koi. Fully VMD approved, the eaMedications range includes Malachite Green, Formaldehyde, FMG Mix and Acriflavine, all available in 500ml and 1litre […]


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The company, which added 7.9 million new subscribers to Disney+ in the March quarter (Q1), taking the total to 137.9 million, said during the earnings call late on Wednesday that it has about 500 shows in the pipeline for local content outside of the US or English speaking.
San Francisco: Google has said it will now power advertising for Disney’s collection of brands and properties — including Disney, ABC, ESPN, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars — across multiple channels, including live streaming and direct-to-consumer content offerings. As part of a global strategic relationship with Google, Disney will bring its entire global digital video […]
Moscow: The Russian government is coming under pressure to ban Disneys live-action movie “Beauty and the Beast” for allegedly contravening a 2013 law that prohibits “gay propaganda” aimed at children. In Bill Condon’s film, LeFou (Josh Gad) has a crush on Gaston (Luke Evans). Condon told Attitude magazine that LeFou’s role is groundbreaking. Vitaly Milonov, […]
Los Angeles: Kenny Ortega’s forthcoming film “Descendants” is by far the biggest and most ambitious movie Disney has ever attempted, says the channel’s president. Yesterday the TV movie premiered at Walt Disney Studios. Before the screening, Disney Channel president Gary Marsh spoke about the two-and-a-half years of work that went into the project, reports variety.com. […]
New Delhi: In a country where sports and films are prime attractions, the VIVO IPL 2019 has driven the reach of OTT platform Hotstar to an unprecedented 267 million viewers, which is way more than the 148 million global subscriber base of streaming giant Netflix. Hotstar has reshaped not just the Indian Premiere League (IPL) […]
San Francisco: Facebook is launching its own TV streaming service this fall and has reportedly approached Netflix, Disney, Hulu, HBO and other media companies for a new TV chat device for making video calls from TVs. According to a report in The Information late Wednesday, the Facebook TV chat device will use the same technology […]
Anaheim (US): Actor Tom Holland has finally addressed the controversial decision to remove Spider-Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe following a tussle between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures. Despite the rift between Disney and Sony, Holland on Saturday made an appearance at Disney’s ultimate fan event D23 Expo here to promote his Pixar movie “Onward”. […]


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Crash Team Rumble releases today, and for fans worried that the multiplayer title may be the last time they see the orange marsupial, developer Toys For Bob has announced Activision has not given up on the series, reassuring players.
Creative Director Dan Neal said in an interview: VGC Although Toys For Bob has been working on the Call of Duty series for the past two years, Activision is actually backing the studio working on the Crash Bandicoot series. As such, Activision wants to continue investing in new titles starring Crash.
“Obviously there is passion and a core spirit in games, and decades of excellent production at Toys For Bob have proven. It’s not just about what we’re doing, but what Activision has been supportive of and will continue to do, and we want to invest in new titles in this franchise,” said Neil. “They also have a belief that we can do exciting new things.”
Neil also noted that Crash Team Rumble was built on the knowledge and experience that Toys For Bob gained working with the Call of Duty developers, despite the significant differences between the two series. pointed out. He explained that this was due to the studio’s flexibility to accommodate different game genres.
“I think we’ve proven that we’re a really flexible studio. From the history of Toys For Bob’s work, it’s clear that we have people in-house who can turn their hands to Call of Duty and make a good Call of Duty.” The fact is, what the mission is,” said Neil. “We have drawn a lot of knowledge and learning from working with his Call of Duty team and brought it back to our own run on Crash Team His Rumble.”
Also, some fans may be worried about the future of Crash Team Rumble. This is in light of the fact that it’s a live service game that starts microtransactions and seasonal updates during a time when live service games are shutting down left and right. Neil addressed the issue by stating that Toys For Bob will consider saving the game in the future.
Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer at IGN. In the words of Calvin Harris, she expresses her love for Sonic the Hedgehog like a big deal. Follow her on her Twitter @SonicPrincess15.


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Did you know that e-commerce, which already accounts for 8 percent of all retail states in the U.S., is expected to outpace sales growth at brick-and-mortar stores over the next 5 years, reaching an incredible $370 billion by 2017?
Social media is playing its part, too – sales of physical goods through social networks is pegged to grow at a furious pace over the next few years, with some $14 billion of U.S. sales expected to be accountable to social media by 2015.
This infographic takes a closer look at the growth of e-commerce.
Anyone who has worked in digital marketing knows how important social networks are in this line of work. They provide a great way to communicate with your customers, run marketing campaigns, collect ...


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Lenovo-owned Motorola recently launched its first all-metal smartphone - Moto M, in India. Priced at Rs 15,999, the handset runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow out-of-the-box. But now, the company has confirmed that Android 7.0 Nougat update will be hitt...
How to repartition your Xperia s
The old thread is actually easy but many he not understood
So I he posted YouTube links from which you can understand
How to repartition
Here We Begin:
First of all BACK-UP everything and save it to ...
Updated to Fx 188.8.131.52 using magisk with driver version 2.5.04
Now the status is abnormal & audio format not supported..
Is it better then Google camera mod
Hi guys I'm gmnabeel
This year was a comeback for MotoRola owned by Lenovo,it has launched two great gadgets moto g5 and moto g5 plus
Which have created a rush in the smartphone market and Moto g5 plus is worth getting crowned as the "Budget Kin...


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An eight-member delegation of government officials and entrepreneurs from China visited TBDC on Wednesday, March 29.
The Chinese delegation travelled to Canada and toured the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) in an effort to better understand business and investment opportunities here.
Michael Donahue provided an overview of the support provided by TBDC’s Business Incubation Program, Canada’s Startup Visa Program and the opportunity to invest in the Centre’s client companies.
Two keynote speakers, the co-founders of TBDC client company EduFuture (www.edufuture.ca), Scott Xie and Ming Xia, shared their plans for growth of their Canadian knowledge-based business in partnership with the University of Toronto. In addition, they highlighted the investment opportunity with KWE Tec Inc. (www.KWEchild.com), their new joint venture with two tech entrepreneurs from TBDC community.
As a result of the delegation’s visit, one of the Chinese entrepreneurs is now reconsidering to move his manufacturing and distribution operation from California to Toronto.


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SOHH.com covers topics and products we think speak to you. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.
New York rapper Cam’ron is ready to take on the entire coronavirus spread. The hip-hop veteran has announced his signature Dipset face masks are back in stock.
Last night, Cam’ron went to Instagram to get his fans hyped. Cam shared a shot showing off his various Dipset face masks and said supporters could now make purchases again.
SOHH TIP: Protect yourself like Cam. Step up your face mask goals. O2‘s innovative respirators protect you from harmful particles, so you can breathe easier, feel healthier, and perform your best. Check out the varieties and selections.
“We restocked @dipsetnewyork or shop DipsetCouture.US 😷😷😷” -Cam’ron’s Instagram
Recently, Cam’s mom Fredericka Giles hit up Instagram with a must-see throwback baby pic. The shot featured a young Cameron Giles rocking a huge hat and sitting next to a Stretch Armstrong toy.
“1976…Baby Flee x Stretch Armstrong 💪🏽” -Cam’ron’s Instagram
Wait, There’s More
Killa’s mom recently went online with a hilarious meme. She joked about Cam doing the most with his at-home jump rope ability after footage went viral.
“Let the memes begin…Y’all had to know they were coming 🤷🏽♀” -Mom’ron’s Instagram
Before You Go
A few nights ago, Killa Cam showed off the priceless footage. In the clip, he’s jumping rope surrounded by family including his niece.
“My niece @reesylauren_didn’t think I could jump. Had to stunt on da family at @sugadugga1988 crib 🤷🏽♂😂” -Cam’ron’s Instagram
“Nah u styled smh u never know wit u west side baby 👶 lol” -Jim Jones
“😆😆😆” -2 Chainz
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Valentine’s Day has become more than just a western holiday celebrating love and romance, but an international holiday with substantial commercial success. As a holiday, it has achieved the commercial status that’s only surpassed by Black Friday and Christmas. According to National Retail Federation estimate, the average American would spend $136.57 this year celebrating Valentine’s Day, with an overall estimate at $18.2B in retail spend for 2018. Here at ContactPigeon, we are also curious to find out how the last Valentine’s Day fared for our eCommerce customers1. Here are the key findings from 2018 Valentine’s Day infographic on the email marketing and eCommerce data.
Most companies start planning their Christmas email campaign long before the actual holiday. That’s why it may seem like the Christmas season starts earlier and earlier every year! However, holiday marketing campaigns really go into full effect during the months of November and December. During this time, businesses around the world start filling inboxes with notes, coupons, special sales and more. If you’re smart about it, Christmas is one of the very best times of year to engage with your customers and boost sales. The key is to create campaigns that can get heard above the noise of all the


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Update September 23, 2022: Laure's has now moved to 4301 Upton Ave. S.
Larue’s is moving from its long-held corner on 40th and Lyndale to Linden Hills at the end of August. Kathy Lawrow, the eclectic clothing and jewelry boutique’s owner, said that the loss of parking by her shop due to reconstruction on 40th Street and nearby Bryant Avenue will negatively affect her business. Larue’s has been in business on Lyndale Avenue for 35 years.
“I did not choose to move, except I also didn’t want to choose to not be in business,” she said.
Lawrow is moving her store to 4301 Upton Ave. S. The hours, listed below, will stay the same.
Reconstruction on Bryant Avenue and 40th Street, which are two separate projects, aims to increase safety for pedestrians and bikes as well as support public transit. The 40th Street project will create a two-lane, protected bike path like the one on Blaisdell Avenue and will eliminate the parking alongside Lawrow’s store. Both projects are slated for this summer.
Lawrow is a self-proclaimed hippie and owns a bike herself, but worries that bike traffic won’t translate to sales at her shop.
“Biking is such a wonderful thing, but I think there is a limit and there has to be balance,” she said.
Additionally, Lawrow said that customers at the popular Laotian restaurant Khâluna, which opened across the street from her shop in 2021, fill the parking options in the area.
“If I stayed here, I was taking a big chance with the parking, and also this very popular restaurant,” she said. “The minute they’re open, we don’t have any parking. I just thought, let’s give it a whirl.”
Lawrow is disappointed to leave the spot she carved into her own. The store is two blocks from her home and she planted the flowers and trees outside it. Amid the hundreds of pictures, posters and other decorations in the back room of Larue’s is a hand-drawn picture of a strawberry with the date 1997, which Lawrow said her daughter made.
“I think I feel sad because I’ve been such a fixture here for such a long time,” she said. “At the same time, this is kind of an exciting new beginning at a time when most people are retiring.”
Lawrow prides herself on selling just about all-natural fibers in her clothing, which she says is partly an environmental choice and partly because the fabrics feel better on the skin.
“The environmental impact is a huge matter to me,” she said. “You need something that’s biodegradable and ages gracefully, which I think natural fibers do versus synthetics.”
The shop features local designers like James Reilly and Kyra Deva as well as the in-house jeweler, Barb Shelstad. Customers can get custom dresses, including special occasion looks, as well as customized jewelry. The price ranges from $10 earrings to diamonds, according to Lawrow.
“We like giving people the opportunity to just have something that really delights them, instead of trying to make themselves fit into somebody else’s idea,” she said. “They can be part of the creative process.”
The name “Larue’s” comes from Lawrow’s childhood nickname from the 1965 TV show “Gidget.” The distinct signs outside the store will be traveling with her to the new storefront.
Although Lawrow said she never planned on moving after putting down such deep roots at the Lyndale storefront, she sees the move as a new opportunity. The new location has stone floors, tin-pressed ceilings, and other features that Lawrow said she is excited about. She hopes that her Lyndale-location customers will follow the store to Linden Hills and that new ones will find it too.
“I would never have moved except with all– to get a little political here– there is not a lot of consideration for small business by the current powers that be,” she said. “But maybe that was the catalyst that I needed to get my butt out of here and go somewhere else. Maybe I’ll be fabulously successful over there.”
Larue’s is currently on 3952 Lyndale Avenue and is moving to 4301 Upton Avenue South. Their hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The hours will stay the same when they move.
Lawrow said that the last day at the current location will be Aug. 28, and the new store will likely soft-launch on Labor Day weekend.


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The overhaul is expected to modernize the original, 35-year-old store to match the look and feel of the new Alpharetta outpost, which boasts a refreshed look complete with private diamond viewing rooms and additional in-store amenities such as beer, wine, and champagne service.
Work planned at Solomon Brothers Fine Jewelry in Tower Place is expected to total in at around $260,000 for the 6,300-square-foot showroom, according to a City filing.
Founded in 1982 by South African-born brothers Ivan, Howard and Anthony Solomon, the stores are now run by Ivan’s son and current president Jaron Solomon, alongside his wife Alli.
According to Jaron, the renovations should be completed around May 1, 2020.
The Solomon Brothers renovations are happening in conjunction with the building-wide refresh and repositioning that developers Regent Partners recently put into motion for Tower Place, the complex including Tower 100 and 200, a two-story shopping mall with a movie theatre, a 230-room hotel, office space, and a 27,000-square-foot two-story WeWork.
The renovations included not only the towers, but the roads and sidewalks as well.


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SellerX co-CEOs Philipp Triebel, left, and Malte Horeyseck, right (company photo)
Talk of consolidation in the overcrowded Amazon aggregator space has come to fruition, as Berlin-based SellerX is acquiring Elevate Brands of Austin, giving the new company a combined portfolio of 80 Amazon brands, 40,000 products and a $431 million run rate.
This is the second such acquisition in the past three weeks, after Suma and D1 Brands tied up in late May and became rebranded as The Ambr Group, with a portfolio of 30 brands generating about $100 million per year. It was the first merger of U.S.-based Amazon aggregators.
SellerX co-founders Philipp Triebel and Malte Horeyseck will continue as co-CEOs. Elevate Brands’ co-founder and CEO Ryan Gnesin will become president of the new company, and co-founder and chief M&A officer Jeremy Bell is the global head of M&A. Rob Bell, Elevate’s Chief Growth Officer, will become head of global business development.
The new entity, dubbed SellerX Group and based in Berlin, touted the synergies of the deal, which is expected to close in June. Categories of focus for its brands include sports and outdoors, home and kitchen, mobile accessories, pets and consumables.
SellerX Group played up its technology platform, global supply chain infrastructure and warehouse operations, as well as its ability to launch new products and reach new markets. It will look to Elevate Brands to expand products sold on Amazon into multiple channels.
“Elevate Brands and SellerX are a perfect match: a strong cultural fit, a shared vision, and complementary capabilities,” said Triebel in a release. “This acquisition combines our know-how and diversified portfolios of strong brands with a market-leading technology platform and strong operational infrastructure. By leveraging our combined strengths, I am convinced we are well-positioned to drive further consolidation in the industry.”
After a massive infusion of money into the space from the fall of 2020 to last September, it hit a plateau of $16 billion and has remained there since, according data from Marketplace Pulse, which lists 93 such firms. Spencer Soper of Bloomberg Businessweek reported the coming aggregator consolidation has a “Game of Thrones” vibe. Many players are reportedly on life support, Soper reports, as grand visions of top rollups being the next Procter & Gamble with stables of hundreds of hot Amazon brands have faded.
And just as is the case with the huge rush into DTC, investors are now looking for the promised ROI and profitability from their capital outlays funding aggregators.
Juozas Kaziukenas, founder and CEO of Marketplace Pulse, said expect more mergers and even distressed sales this year as the aggregator space rationalizes in a tough environment with a credit crunch.
“The gold rush to launch and fund new aggregators has been over for 12 months, but the remaining players are pivoting, maturating or simply surviving,” Kaziukenas said. “There are macro forces like interest rates at play, and micro ones like profit margin compression that is causing this.”


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Some eyebrows will be raised.
According to PropertyGuru, developers launched 2,410 new private homes in October, 9% lower than total sales in the month.
Here's more from PropertyGuru:
They were probably being cautious following the latest cooling measures placing restrictions on home loan tenures for residential property purchases in Singapore.
Nevertheless, 2,624 new homes including executive condominiums (ECs), were sold in the month. Excluding ECs, 1,948 homes were sold last month, 26% down from the 2,621 in September, but 40% up from a year ago when 1,392 units were sold.
Overall, new home sales in the first 10 months of 2012 stands at 22,723 units, 18% more than the 19,306 for the whole of last year.
Home sales volume in the Outside Central Region (OCR) was recorded at 2,158 units and five projects in the region sold more than 100 houses that constituted close to 50% of the total sales volume in the month.
Nine units were sold in the month at a psf price of more than S$3,000. The costliest unit was recorded at S$4,289 psf for the District 10 project Sage. Another unit from The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Cairnhill was sold at S$4,128 psf.
The most affordable unit last month came from Waterbay at S$538 psf. 162 units were left unsold out of the 383 units in the project. Sited close to Punggol and Sengkang MRT stations, this recently launched EC development is set to be completed in 2016.
Prices range from S$560,000 for a two-bedroom unit to S$1.04 million for a five-bedder.
Over in the Core Central Region (CCR), 144 units were sold in the month. V On Shenton was the most popular project in the region and sold 33 units at a median price of S$2,263 psf.
The most affordable unit in the CCR came from Leedon Residence, which was sold at S$1,413 psf. Sales in the Rest of Central Region (RCR) reached 322 units, strongly supported by Sky Green. The project sold 145 units at a median price of S$1,516 psf.
As the festive season approaches, new home launches as well as sales are expected to slow down for the remainder of 2012. The latest government measures might also affect home sales.
Some buyers may postpone their purchasing decision as they adopt a wait-and-see approach as to how the measures will affect them. Nevertheless, keeping in mind the current strong buying momentum and other demand drivers, private home sales are expected to break all previous records by the end of the year.
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Seeking gas gains, not pains
The Israeli energy conglomerate Delek is set to list its U.S. division on the NYSE.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - A diversified energy business expected to list on the Big Board this week is setting its sights on breaking big in the United States.
Delek U.S. Holdings is being spun off by parent Delek Group, the Israeli oil conglomerate controlled by real estate mogul Yitzhak Tshuva - who made headlines here after buying New York's Plaza Hotel. Delek Group will own about 80 percent of the company after it goes public.
Delek U.S., which operates retail gas outlets in the South, as well as an independent oil refinery, plans to sell 10 million shares to underwriters Wednesday at an estimated price between $14 and $16 a share. The company aims to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "DK." Lehman Brothers and Citigroup are the lead underwriters of the deal. (Click here for a look at all of this week's IPOs.)
The company is banking on its ability to handle gas from the refinery to the pump. Based in Franklin, Tenn., it runs about 350 gas and convenience stores in the South, an independent refinery in Tyler, Texas as well as a wholesale fuel distribution operation.
Investors have loaded up on their share of oil and gas stocks, leading some in the sector to consider energy plays an also-ran. But with oil prices back on a rampage, Delek is looking like a pretty sweet deal, according to Ben Holmes, head of Morningnotes.com, an IPO research firm.
"With oil prices up $15 more a barrel this year, that says to me the game's still on and there's still room for these deals," he said. Crude prices broke through the $75 a barrel in late April, and while they've eased since then, they're still up about 17 percent this year.
The most recent IPO in the oil patch priced at $24 a share, the upper end of its estimated range. Since it debuted on the New York Stock Exchange a little more than a week ago, Complete Production Services (Research), an oilfield services provider, has gained about 9 percent over its offer price.
Bigger is better
Acquisitions drive Delek's business. The company was formed in 2001 to buy gas and convenience stores from The Williams Companies (Research). It expanded into wholesale fuel distribution in 2004, and last year it bought its Tyler refinery.
The buying spree has fueled Delek's sales and earnings, which have increased annually since 2003. The company said it earned $64.1 million net last year on revenue of $2 billion. It's difficult to compare year-to-year results, though, because of the impact of acquisitions.
Delek said it plans to use the proceeds from its IPO to pay back debt and make improvements to its refinery and retail stores. It also plans to use the money raised to fund future acquisitions.
The company's retail gas and convenience stores are based mainly in Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia and it's betting it'll have more opportunities to buy smaller players as it leverages its scale in those markets.
But its refining operations may turn out to be the big winner for its business. Refining costs and profits account for nearly one-fifth of the retail price of gasoline, according to the Energy Information Administration. That's almost 58 cents a gallon at current pump prices, which are averaging $2.92 a gallon nationwide. Last year, refining accounted for nearly half of Delek's revenue.
Delek expects the refining crunch in the United States to boost business. But with only one refinery in its portfolio, Delek's reach is still tiny compared to that of industry giant Valero (Research), which operates about 18 refineries in the nation.
Furthermore, refining margin - an indication of profitability - is volatile and could decline as a result of increases in crude prices, Delek said in its prospectus. Since the firm operates solely in the South, a downturn in the regional economy also could hurt its business.
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(For a live blog on European stocks, type LIVE/ in an Eikon news window)
* Chinese export and imports beat forecasts in July
* Yuan firms as Beijing signals intent to stabilize decline
* Adidas falls on lower second-quarter sales
* Thyssenkrupp rises, traders say profit warning priced in
Aug 8 (Reuters) - European shares rose for a second day on Thursday, as investors took heart from a stronger than-expected rebound in Chinese exports and steadying of the yuan currency after a week of turmoil centred around a renewed escalation of U.S.-China trade tensions.
Down as much as 5% in a three-day rout that began late last week, the pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.8% on the day by 0714 GMT, adding to a minimal rise on Wednesday and with the tech sector leading gains.
Latest earnings showed disappointing second-quarter sales from German sportwear company Adidas, sending its shares down 1.5%, while Thyssenkrupp gained 2% in the face of a fourth profit-warning that traders said was already largely priced in.
Data showed July exports in China rose 3.3% from a year earlier, the fastest since March, overturning analyst forecasts for a 2.0% drop. Imports fell almost 6% although that was not as bad as a consensus forecast for an 8.3% drop.
The yuan recovered some ground against the dollar, although the PBOC set its official midpoint below the seven to the dollar threshold for the first time since the global financial crisis. (Reporting by Agamoni Ghosh in Bengaluru; editing by Patrick Graham)


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Don’t count on Toyota unveiling the new Supra at the Detroit auto show next month.
Instead, for the next little while, the Japanese manufacturer will focus on expanding its SUV lineup to satisfy market demand for crossovers. At the L.A. Auto Show, it unveiled the FT-AC; prior to that at the Tokyo Auto Show, we met the Japan-only TJ Cruiser concept. And earlier this year, the FT-4X was shown at the New York Auto Show.
Although Toyota is still working with BMW on a jointly-developed sports car, we’re unsure when exactly it will debut, or even if will be called the Supra.
“There are other names that could be better,” Jack Hollis, VP and general manager of Toyota’s North American division, told Motor Trend.
With the help of BMW, Toyota is working to create a shared rear-drive sports car platform for both companies. The upcoming Z4 has already been unveiled in concept form, however there is no sight of the new Supra, apart from the FT-1 from 2014 and a seemingly endless supply of spy shots.


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Taiwanese chip company TSMC expects strong growth to accelerate in the coming years due to rising demand for semiconductors, as the tech giant on Thursday reported a record quarterly profit and said it plans to spend at least a third more than last year.
Rising demand for semiconductors used in smartphones, laptops and other gadgets during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an acute chip crisis, forcing automakers and electronics makers to cut production but keeping order books full at TSMC. and other chip manufacturers.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), a major supplier to Apple that also has customers such as Qualcomm, reported a 16.4% increase in fourth-quarter profit.
The company said it expects to raise capital spending to between US$40 billion (approximately Rs. 2,95,700 crore) and US$44 billion (approximately Rs. 3,25,210 crore) this year. Last year it spent US$30 billion (approximately Rs. 2,21,760 crore).
TSMC announced in 2021 a US$100 billion (approximately Rs. 7,390 crore) expansion plan in the coming years as new technologies such as fifth generation (5G) telecom technology and artificial intelligence applications also drive the chip demand.
The company is entering “a period of increased structural growth,” Chief Executive CC Wei said in an online earnings briefing.
TSMC, Asia’s most valuable listed company and the largest global contract chipmaker, expects capacity to remain tight this year and demand to be sustained over the long term, Wei said.
“With foundry capacity fully loaded, TSMC’s short-term order outlook remains healthy,” analysts at Taipei-based Fubon Research wrote in a note in early January.
With what it calls a “multi-year industry megatrend” of strong chip demand driven by new technologies, TSMC has raised its compound annual growth rate targets for revenue over the next few years to 15%-20% from 10%-15 %.
Wei played down market concerns about chip oversupply in the coming years and said a substantial increase in “silicon content” in tech gadgets such as electric cars would help TSMC’s climate market corrections.
“Even if a correction occurs, we believe it could be less volatile for TSMC due to our technology leadership position and structural megatrend,” said Wei.
The company has set a long-term target of “53% or more” for its gross margins, up from its previous target of “50% or more”.
TSMC forecasts that first quarter revenue will be in the range of US$16.6 billion (approximately INR 1,22,710 crore) to US$17.2 billion (approximately INR 1,27,140 crore), compared to US$12, 92 billion (approximately INR 95,500 crore) in the same period a year earlier. For the year, it expects to grow in the mid-high range of 20% in US dollar terms.
This was higher than the average of TWD 161.6 billion (approximately Rs. 43,270 crore) of 22 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv.
TSMC’s shares have gained around 7% so far this year, giving it a market cap of US$618 billion (approximately Rs. 45,67,760 crore). Shares closed up 0.15 percent on Thursday ahead of the earnings call, slightly underperforming the broader market, which ended up 0.33 percent.
© Thomson Reuters 2022
See the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360 in our CES 2022 hub.


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Makeshift beer gardens will be allowed when pubs begin to serve drinkers again.
The North East boasts hundreds of glorious beer garden areas, and even if your favourite watering hole doesn't have an outdoor space, then do not fear.
The government has confirmed that punters can still enjoy a drink at venues without outdoor areas, HullLive reports.
In news that will delight drinkers, it has been confirmed that pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants can use car parks as makeshift drinking and dining areas.
Pubs could reopen from as early as April 12 as part of the government's plans to ease lockdown rules.
Speaking when the policy was first announced, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "I know we all look forward to seeing our pubs, cafes and restaurants open their doors again and I'm determined to give them a helping hand to get back on their feet and their staff back to work safely.
"That's why we are introducing changes to make it quicker, easier and cheaper for them to set up outdoor seating and street stalls to serve food and drink.”
Business Secretary Alok Sharma added that re-opening the hospitality sector was a priority for the government: "Our pubs, restaurants and cafes are the lifeblood of high streets and town centres across the country and we are doing all we can to ensure they can bounce back as quickly and safely as possible.”
In an additional bid to help the hospitality industry, VAT was temporarily reduced from 20% to 5% on food purchases last July. In yesterday’s budget, chancellor Rishi Sunak carried forward the 5% rate for a further six months, with a new interim rate of 12.5% being applied for the six months after that.
But the Campaign for Pubs expressed disappointment that the VAT cut was just for food purchases, and hadn't been extended to booze. “While this helps some pubs, it does nothing for many non-food pubs while giving millions of pounds of tax relief to fast-food chains,” a spokesperson said.
The chancellor also extended business rates relief for all retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, meaning it now continues until the end of June.


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In the past, those who ordered a beer from a bar had to stay inside and finish it before leaving. But now?
"They come in, they order a round, and they leave because they want to continue to enjoy the festival," says G.T. Slocum, general manager of Krypto Music Lounge.
On the Waterfront worked with local businesses to allow bar patrons to walk around with a drink in their hands as long as it was in a plastic container. Everyone from customers to On the Waterfront organizers couldn't be happier.
"It’s worked out very well. I'm happy to see it, it’s been a hindrance for quite a few years," says Jim Colombi, owner of C.J.'s Lounge.
"It’s really increased the sales for not just us but for all the downtown businesses that participate in it," Slocum adds.
"I don't know of any major problems we've had with it, hopefully everything went well," says Becky Genoways, CEO of On the Waterfront.
"I think its great for downtown, I think it’s great for Rockford," says bar patron Heather Swartz.
The open container policy has done more than just pad bar owners' bottom lines however. Both bar owners and their customers say this year's festival has an entirely different feel to it because of it.
"I think its more relaxed downtown here, I don't think that there's a wall anymore," Swartz says.
"It makes it a lot easier. It’s a lot nicer, more friendly," says Jim Colombi.
"These people are able to come downtown and experience these downtown bars and these downtown businesses that are participating in this that normally don't come downtown," adds G.T. Slocum.
This policy was only in effect during this year's On the Waterfront festival. Waterfront officials are going to gage how much of an effect the open container policy had on insurance premiums. That might be the deciding factor on whether or not the policy will be in place over future Labor Day weekends.
Not every downtown business within Waterfront's boundaries took part in the open container policy. Even though Carlyle Brewing Company is on festival grounds, the owner opted out of the temporary policy. Both the Waterfront and bar owners had to pick up some extra insurance costs this weekend.


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Trump Administration Lowers Fuel Economy Standards Through 2026
The Trump administration has revised fuel economy standards downward, easing future increases from Obama-era vehicle emissions rules which called for a 5% mandated annual improvement through 2026. Instead, manufacturers are obliged to improve fuel economy by 1.5% annually, a significant relaxing of the regulations installed in 2012.
"When finalized, the rule will benefit our economy, will improve the U.S. fleet's fuel economy, will make vehicles more affordable, and will save lives by increasing the safety of new vehicles," EPA spokesperson Corry Schiermeyer said.
However, not all parties see such a rosy future. California and 22 other states are challenging the revision, since this ruling revokes states’ ability to offer promotions and incentives for low- and zero-emissions vehicles.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, said the Trump administration is weakening “standards that protect our health and environment from polluting contaminants emitted by cars and trucks,” according to Reuters.
Manufacturers continue building more and more fuel-efficient vehicles even under a cloud of regulatory uncertainty. According to the EPA, fuel economy improved 30% from 2004-2018, a nearly six miles per gallon increase, even as buyers gravitated towards car-based SUVs.
Environmentalists want more improvements and a significant move to electric vehicles as the Obama-era rules outlined. But the challenge for environmentalists and automakers alike is the complexity of consumer buying behavior.
In 2019, 72% of the 17.1 million new vehicles sold were some form of truck, including 41% of crossovers and 8% SUVs, according to Statista.com. These trucks and crossovers are packed with the very latest in fuel-efficient technologies, bringing the automotive industry a long way from the gas-guzzling SUVs of the 90’s. The EPA reports nearly half of all 2019 vehicles had at least seven transmission gears, 24% had continuously variable transmissions (CVT), and 36% had automatic stop-start technology, all methods to improve fuel efficiency.
Similarly, about 9% of new vehicle models are some form of hybrid or electric. But vehicles with these technologies accounted for just 1.9% of new vehicle sales in 2019, falling from about 2.1% in 2018, according to insideevs.com. Despite years of $7,500 federal incentives often enriched by state-level enticements and the much-lauded success of brands such as Tesla, consumer demand for hybrids and electrics is extremely limited.
Gas prices and fuel savings are not providing incentives to change consumer behavior, either. After peaking in July of 2008 at $4.11, a gallon of fuel has averaged nationally between $2 and $3 since November 2014. This is a far cry from the $3.50-$4.00 range seen in 2012-2013 when the Obama regulations went into effect. Consumers are spending less on gas than ever before, further aggravating the argument for prioritizing fuel efficiency in vehicle purchase decisions.
Regardless of regulations, nothing is preventing a manufacturer from continuing to increase the fuel economy of its vehicles. The question is whether consumers will demand better efficiency and lower emissions, and whether they are willing to pay for it.


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KCET-TV, once the powerhouse PBS affiliate in Los Angeles, is now in its second year of independence from PBS with new production studios in Burbank, a new slogan and new promises about the great programming it will produce in the future about Southern California.
The moves are all part of the station’s attempt to break away from PBS (announced in January 2011) and go it alone as one of the nation’s largest independent public television stations.
Since April 16, 2012, the company has been broadcasting its local news and other programming from two floors—approximately 55,000 sq. ft.—in a brand new LEED Gold certified (environmentally friendly) facility called “The Pointe” It includes an open, expansive floor plan featuring 10-foot floor-to-ceiling glass looking out at panoramic views of the city and mountains. The building is centrally located along studio row in Burbank, across the street from NBC and adjacent to Disney, Warner Bros. and ABC studios.
KCET utilizes the latest HD broadcast technologies, including a 56 HD channel Universal MediaLibrary system from SeaChange International (soon to be called XOR Media) that supports the station’s new master control play-to-air operations. One of its two production studios is equipped with three robotic cameras and virtual set technology from Orad Hi-Tech Systems.
The green screen set uses Orad’s ProSet software to replace (on air) physical furniture and backdrops for each KCET production. This allows the station to realize significant production cost savings. The crew can also change sets between shows quickly and show producers can be a lot more creative. They now have access to up to six HD video inputs (or 12 SD inputs) and a 360-degree shooting range with sensor or infrared based tracking. Virtual studio and on-air graphics are both controlled from the same Orad ProSet application.
Led by Gordon Bell, KCET’s senior vice president of operations and engineering, the design and installation process was “a Herculean undertaking” that spanned more than 12 months and involved many “gut-wrenching decisions.” Local contractors, electricians and system integrators worked for months to complete the task on time and on budget.
“We wanted one studio to have as much versatility as possible and virtual seemed to meet all of our requirements, including a favorable ROI, quick changes for sets, no set storage, augmented reality elements—and, of course, the ability to create amazing looking sets,” said Bell. “Virtual affords us many creative and economic opportunities not available to us previously.”
Prior to the move, the two floors occupied by KCET at new building were completely bare and had to be constructed into office and production spaces. Downtown Los Angeles-based architecture firm, Gensler designed the new studios and facility interiors.
Even though the new studios are now fully operating, the Los Angeles Times reported KCET’s revenue is way down and few new shows have been produced since it bolted PBS last year.
Chief Executive Al Jerome told the newspaper the station is making “really good progress” in its three-year plan to create a winning destination without public TV.
However, the newspaper said critics inside and outside the station see a sluggish old media franchise that spent lavishly on its new studio in Burbank, is burdened with a top-heavy management and has been slow to launch new shows to replace the familiar old ones.
A partnership with onetime Walt Disney executive Dominique Bigle, which promised a new jolt of vitality and five new programs, so far has resulted in rebroadcasts of only older programs. The “Times” reported that Bigle’s company been reduced to a tiny operation that has been late on some of its bills, according to several people familiar with the company.
In addition, the company relied on mass-market DVDs, and not just its own archive, for some segments of a nostalgia program it makes for station, according to these people.
Four people who have worked for Bigle’s Eyetronics Media & Studios said in interviews that they and others had gone without pay for as long as six weeks during the last year. The company owes several months’ back rent on its Encino offices, according to a representative for the landlord.
Although revenue has fallen, the Times said the station has gotten relatively good news lately on viewership—with its prime-time ratings approaching what they were before it dumped PBS on Jan. 1, 2011. KCET bolted because of what it called excessive dues. The station has also won some praise for its online operation, particularly the magazine-like “Departures,” which offers video, photos and maps as part of its coverage of L.A. communities.
Even so, critics don’t give KCET a good chance for survival. “There is no way, absolutely no way, that KCET can survive as a television station,” said Jack Shakely, former head of the giant California Community Foundation, which once contributed to KCET programs and pledge drives.
“They are like the book store that opens just when all other book stores are awash in red ink, a book store that cannot sell bestsellers, can’t sell popular classics, sells books you’ve never heard of and then asks you to contribute to the book store anyway.”
Three other executives at prominent Los Angeles nonprofits, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to alienate the station’s executives, said they had eschewed giving or partnerships with KCET because of their concerns for the station’s future.
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Retail prices of dry fruits have increased 20-30% in the past one week, according to Dinesh Purohit, a retailer at Mumbai’s Crawford market.
Why Taliban's Afghanistan takeover may spoil your Diwali party
Prices in the country’s largest wholesale market, Khari Baoli market in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk that supplies to the entire country have moved up by 10% in the last three days and may rise further, wholesalers said.
Kolkata: Militant group Taliban’s rapid takeover of power in Afghanistan over the past week is having some ripple effects on Indian commodity markets with questions raised over availability of dry fruits in the upcoming festive season and tea exports to Afghanistan.
Dry fruit prices are already on the rise.
Prices in the country’s largest wholesale market, Khari Baoli market in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk that supplies to the entire country have
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“The Mandalorian” Is First Disney+ Show to Rank on Nielsen’s Top 10 Streaming List
The Mandalorian is now the first show from Disney+ to rank on Nielsen’s Top 10 Streaming list. It made the list for the week of October 26, 2020, through November 1, 2020.
The Mandalorian is ranked at number three, behind The Queen’s Gambit and The Office on Netflix. In fact, the other nine shows on the list are from Netflix. The list is below.
# of Episodes
THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT (2020)
THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR
GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW
Nielsen ranks streaming shows based on the number of minutes viewers are streaming each week. When it comes to platforms like Netflix that do not release streaming numbers, Neislen estimates. Nielsen includes Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney+ in its streaming measurements.
The nine episodes of The Mandalorian available during that week (season 1 and the first episode of season 2) were streamed for 1,032 million minutes by viewers. It will likely remain in the top 10, and maybe even rank higher as Nielsen continues to rank the weeks during which a new episode aired. The final episode of this season will debut on December 18, 2020.


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Panasonic says it will begin manufacturing a new diesel exhaust filter for the Chinese market in anticipation of tougher emissions rules in the world's largest vehicle market.
With new orders from an engine manufacturer in China, Panasonic has announced that it has set up a new plant in Suzhou, China, through its subsidiary, Panasonic Ecology Systems Co., Ltd., to produce a new type of catalyst-coated diesel particulate filter that decomposes particulate matter contained in diesel engine exhaust gas.
The new plant in Suzhou, slated for operation in December, will produce the innovative filters for its customers, including a new customer in the engine manufacturing sector in China.
Panasonic says it has recently won the first order from an engine manufacturer in China, where automotive emissions regulations are being tightened. Panasonic's filters will be adopted by existing diesel vehicles and non-road diesel machinery, the company says.


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While food cannot be delivered from restaurants and takeaway outlets under Alert Level 4, alcohol can, and according to one delivery company, demand has shot through the roof around the country.
Nick Foster of Delivereasy, which operates in 22 cities and centres across New Zealand and employs 1300 drivers, noted that orders started rising as soon as the lockdown announcement was made on Tuesday night.
Liquor stores took orders, prepared them, and they were then picked up for delivery by Delivereasy drivers. Demand was strong in Auckland, but it was on a similar scale to other centres around the country. Customers pay Delivereasy via an app which then deducts the delivery charge and pays liquor stores and restaurants.


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PERU, Vt. – After a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Peru Fair will once again return to Peru Village on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Described as an “old-fashioned country fair,” the Peru Fair has been an annual tradition for more than 40 years. This year’s celebration will feature a variety of vendors, family activities, and other offerings, including a pig roast, food and baked goods, live music, family entertainment, face painting, hay rides, a magician, crafts, art exhibits, and artisans’ demos – plus the popular parade at 9:45 a.m., which will kick off the festivities.
The fair runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. No dogs, please. All parking is available at Bromley Mountain, and frequent shuttles, including handicap shuttle, will take visitors the short distance from Bromley to the fair. Shuttles are free and will operate throughout the duration of the fair.
All net proceeds benefit the Peru scholarship fund.


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Windows users will no longer be offered a choice of different browsers
Chrome named as the product with the most security flaws, but it's actually a good thing.
Google to switch off Silverlight plugin in Chrome, potentially blocking the world's biggest video on demand service
Doubts raised over whether new anti-terror measures will prove effective
Yahoo installed as the new default search engine in US installations of Firefox
Firefox starts delivering in-browser ads as it attempts to wean itself off Google search income
Firefox celebrates its first decade with a phalanx of new privacy initiatives
Firefox maker plans to give developers a dedicated web browser, FX10
Google Bookmark Manager brings a more visual approach to managing your lists of favourite sites
Latest stable release for Chrome browser is faster and more secure, claims Google
If you're running an older version of Internet Explorer, Microsoft is giving you until January 2016 to upgrade
There is little to no reason for you to miss an important World Cup game this year. To help you watch all the games you could possible want, this ‘how to watch the World Cup online' feature will bring the tournament ever closer to you
Learn how to change your search engine in Internet Explorer with our handy five-step guide
Firefox will use proprietary EME code, after Mozilla bows to pressure
New Mozilla CEO attempts to deflect attention from his past opposition to gay marriage
Firefox 29 beta introduces the Australis interface and a few new features
Dell has quietly dropped a £16 fee to pre-install Firefox on new computers
Mozilla will present new Firefox users with "sponsored content"
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There are still opportunities in the dairy industry despite current hardships, according to Westpac Victoria and Tasmania regional general manager Roddy Brown.
Mr Brown, who is currently in Allansford, near Warrnambool, for the Sungold Field Days, said dairy farmers were a "resilient bunch", and would bounce back from recent tough times.
"A lot of them are already talking about what to do next in terms of maybe expanding or increasing herd numbers," he said.
But he acknowledged that some dairy farmers had done it so tough that they were getting out of the industry.
"Quite a few transactions have occurred in recent times, but a lot of those have been smaller dairy farms," he said.
He said it was "hard to know" what impact this would have to the industry, but in the short-term it would be good for competition in the South-West.
"But it's very important to keep our factories operating at maximum capacity," he said.
- Drought heats up chook prices but supermarkets not moving on milk
- Fonterra the latest processor to announce price step-up
- Hope runs out as Fleurieu dairy farmers sell up
- Many Northern Victorian dairy farmers assessing their options
Some purchasers of these dairy farms have been other dairy farmers looking for extra land, he said.
"I think people are now at the point where they've realised dairy has a true cycle, full of ups and downs," he said.
"I'm finding much more are focused on the three to five-year scenario; they seem to be more strategic."
With processors announcing milk price step-ups in recent weeks, he said this was an opportunity for farmers to potentially look at paying back debt and looking to new opportunities.
"That's not taking away the fact that it's been a really tough few years, it's been tricky for a lot of people, but hopefully we've got some good years ahead," he said.
Mr Brown said the mood at the Sungold Field Days had been positive.
There had been a great turn out of visitors.


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On Monday, April 17th at 7 PM CT, NextVR and Live Nation will broadcast live in virtual reality Killswitch Engage’s concert at the House of Blues in Houston Texas. The band is currently on their co-headlining tour with Anthrax, and next week fans will get front row and on-stage access as they are transported to an immersive experience featuring the group performing for the first time in virtual reality.
The live VR broadcast will be available for free globally (except in China) through the NextVR app. Additionally, you will need a Google Daydream or Samsung Gear VR headset, along with a compatible smartphone in order to stream the live concert on the required app which is available to download from either the Oculus store for GearVR or the Google Play store for Daydream.
Nowadays it seems that anything is possible, if our latest technology can bring back the dead via holograms, then a live VR stream must be a walk in the park. You can find out additional details on the live VR stream event here and check here for information on the app itself.
This concert is part of Live Nation’s multi-year concert series with NextVR. The two teamed up before and broadcast Thievery Corporation, Galactic, Robert Randolph & The Family Band concerts so far, and have much more planned for future shows.


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What a waste(land)
A contentious and almost-universally hated constraint in Fallout 76 is the stash limit. This game that incentivizes grabbing anything that isn’t bolted down will only allow you to keep a collection of items that total 400 weight. It’s a silly restriction that Bethesda plans to change in the near future.
However, a more realistic restriction that Bethesda is ignoring entirely is how many people’s internet service providers have imposed data caps. Fallout 76‘s first major patch deployed this morning, and it’s hefty hefty hefty. It weighs in at 48.39GB on Xbox One (Version 188.8.131.52). It’s 47.26GB on PS4 (Version 184.108.40.206). The update seemingly replaces the old game file entirely. PC players get off easier at 15GB (Version 220.127.116.11).
This patch doesn’t necessarily have an obvious point of emphasis that everyone will be happy to see changed. It’s unfortunately not the update where the stash limit is increased. Rather, this focuses more on bug fixes and stability improvements. The latter is entirely welcomed with open arms. However, this patch does solve the issue where almost nobody could finish the Bureau of Tourism quest. Now, Prickett’s Fort Token Dispenser can be repaired, meaning you can knock that annoying last objective off of your quest log for good.
Here’s the entirety of the patch notes for today’s Fallout 76 update:
- Performance: Several issues have been addressed to resolve hitches during gameplay and other performance issues.
- Stability: The Fallout 76 game client and servers have received additional stability improvements.
- Xbox: Fixed an issue that could lead to instability on certain menus.
Art and Graphics:
- Ambient Occlusion: Placed items no longer leave behind shadow outlines after being picked up.
- Camera: The game camera now pans more smoothly when the player enters furniture.
- Graphics: The cover of Tesla Science magazine Issue 9 no longer appears solid red on pickup, or when inspected.
- General: Fixed an issue in which some enemies could chase the player farther than intended.
- Loot: Ghoul and Scorched Officers now correctly drop nuke code pieces upon being killed by a player.
C.A.M.P., Workshops, and Crafting:
- Blueprints: Fixed an issue that could cause Blueprints to break into smaller parts after logging out and back in to Fallout 76.
- Plans: Paints applied to Power Armor during the Fallout 76 B.E.T.A. will now appear correctly on the items that were painted, and those paints can now correctly be applied to additional sets of Power Armor.
- Repair: Fixed an issue that could cause an item to return to a broken state after being repaired.
- Bureau of Tourism: The Prickett’s Fort Token Dispenser can now be repaired, and players can no longer walk through it.
- Pacifist Mode: Players with Pacifist Mode enabled who engage in PVP by contesting a Workshop owned by another player will now correctly deal full damage to that player as long as they remain hostile.
- Respawn: Choosing the “Respawn” option after dying during PVP combat will now correctly clear any active hostile status toward other players.
- Seek Revenge: Cap rewards will now display correctly when choosing the “Seek Revenge” respawn option after being killed by another player.
- Seek Revenge: When targeted by another player who is seeking revenge, the reward amount will now display the correct number of caps that can be earned by killing that player.
- Languages: Korean fonts will now be displayed correctly in game menus.
- Hotkeys: The “Take Photo” hotkey can no longer be rebound and is now tied to the space bar on PC and the A button on controllers.
- Hotkeys: Fixed an issue that could cause the “Take Snapshot” button in Photomode to display an incorrect hotkey.
- Social: Fixed an issue that could cause players to disappear from each other’s social menus if two players each sent a friend invite to one another.
- Social: Fixed an issue that prevented newly equipped Player Icons from displaying to other players in the Social Menu.
Fallout 76 Patch Notes — November 19, 2018 [Bethesda]


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Full-on SVR models may not be the way to go for the four-cylinder Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque, but word has it that JLR is working on something. Continue reading Land Rover plotting high-performance Disco Sport,...Show More Summary
The Rage Rover Evoque Convertible looks to be moving from concept to test mule, as it’s been spotted roaming around wearing camo and a fabric roof. Expect it to make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year. Range Rover Evoque Convertible Will Enter Production originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 20 January 2015 10:30 EST. read more
Land Rover’s stylish Range Rover Evoque crossover first burst onto the scene back in 2012, so the vehicle is rapidly approaching the midway point in its life cycle. In order to keep sales brimming it appears Land Rover is planning a subtle facelift for the Evoque, as evidenced by the recent sighting of a camouflaged prototype. The only...
It would have been Freelander 3 based on model-naming evolution, it could almost be viewed as an Evoque XL, but Britain’s fresh assault on German mid-sized luxury SUVs takes the name Land Rover Discovery Sport. The Freelander badge has died after 18 years to allow Land Rover to expand the Discovery part of three vehicle-family [...]
www.ZerCustoms.com - The Range Rover Evoque NW8, which was revealed today, is the third in a line of... [...]
Land Rover admits its new Discovery Sport will steal some sales from its Range Rover Evoque twin and vice versa, but is confident overall growth for the brand will be significant. The Discovery Sport has been launched officially in Iceland this week, ahead of the May Australian release for the model that replaces the Freelander. [...]
The caffè latte crowd has a new model to look forward to in the form of the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Convertible—yes, an open-top version of the popular compact crossover not unlike Nissan’s failed Murano CrossCabriolet. Land Rover first previewed its Evoque Convertible in concept form back in 2012. At the time, the British...
Each of these upmarket 2-litre SUVs commands a following in Singapore, but which one of them can also command the respect of the other two? Read the rest of the story at: Porsche Macan 2.0 versus Audi Q5 2.0 versus Range Rover Evoque 2.0
Jaguar will make the coming XE the first model it builds in China. Production is expected to start sometime next year at its factory in Changshu, a joint venture with Chery Automobile, that began building the Range Rover Evoque earlier this year and will also assemble the Land Rover Discovery Sport. Show More Summary
Land Rover’s oddly compelling Range Rover Evoque Cabriolet concept could soon shed the ‘concept’, if reports and a telling photo this week prove accurate. Revealed in 2011, the Evoque Cabrio has been rumoured to have a production future since the day it first appeared, with reports popping up just about every year. Show More Summary
It would appear the popular Range Rover Evoque compact luxury CUV family is about to expand. A convertible version of the three-door Evoque Coupé has been spied being road-tested and the production version could be introduced as early as March 2015 at the Geneva Motor Show.
The topless Evoque will be billed as an alternative to premium German drop-tops like the Audi TT.
Jaguar Land Rover in China has vowed to take action against Chinese car brand LandWind for producing a sport-utility vehicle that bears an uncanny resemblance to its Range Rover Evoque.
China's strained relationship with the concept of intellectual property is one of the reasons that you can buy a local copy of a Range Rover Evoque for a third of the price. That's one of the reasons why western businesses are wary about selling thei...
The LandWind X7 has a striking resemblance to the Evoque, but for a fraction of the price.
Credits: LandWind/JLR Alt Text: LandWind X7 and Range Rover Evoque Car experts note the 'striking resemblance' between the LandWind X7 and the Range Rover Evoque One-Minute Read Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 11:54am Jaguar Land RoverShow More Summary
The boss of Land Rover says his company will complain to Chinese officials about the Land Wind X7 SUV, which he has accused of “copying” the design of the Range Rover Evoque. Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth says the Chinese-made Land Wind X7 – which bears more than a striking resemblance to the British Evoque [...]
Despite its position as a communist state, the People's Republic of China has taken a decidedly laissez-faire attitude towards copyright infringement. It's why, as evidenced in an old episode of Top Gear, you can buy a fake Omega, wear fake Ray-Bans, talk on a fake iPhone and drink at a fake Starbucks. Show More Summary
Land Rover's newest SUV marks the debut of a new family of Discovery-branded vehicles, and the 2016 Discovery Sport should be a crowd-pleaser, borrowing some of its sleek and stylish good looks from its popular Evoque sibling. The Discovery Sport's...


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PG Tips gives away cash via Facebook
PG Tips, the Unilever-owned tea brand, has created a scratchcard-style Facebook app that gives consumers the opportunity to win up to £100.
The Lucky Scratch Card app by We Are Social hands consumers the opportunity to win a range of prizes, from £100 in cash to a six-month supply of PG Tips.
Consumers can play on the scratchcard app once a day. It has been created in support of the brand’s current on-pack promotion to win an instant cash prize of £5,000.
Tana Walker, PG Tips brand executive at Unilever UK, said: "PG Tips' Facebook page has been hailed as the 'most engaged Facebook community in the UK' and this light hearted campaign gives us the opportunity to reward our fans for their loyalty.
"PG tips remains the number one tea brand in the UK, worth over £156m, with a 25% market share.
"As category leaders, we are dedicated to continuing to support the tea category and this app will encourage new fans to take a look at our Facebook page as well as drive further engagement from our existing loyal fan base."
The brand is also promoting the giveaway with a new version of an ad from last year.
In August PG Tips struck a deal with Channel 4 quiz show 'Deal Or No Deal' to use the brand’s logo on the mug used by the lead contestant.
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
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- Wayfair reported larger-than-expected losses in the first quarter as shoppers scaled back their spending on the home category.
- Wayfair reported its count of active customers in the first quarter of 2022 declined 23.4% from a year ago.
- Wayfair also announced its chief financial officer, Michael Fleisher, is set to retire early next year.
Wayfair shares tumbled 26% Thursday after the online furniture retailer reported larger-than-expected losses in the first quarter as shoppers scaled back their spending on the home category.
Wayfair also announced its chief financial officer, Michael Fleisher, is set to retire early next year. Kate Gulliver, current chief people officer, will be moving into the CFO role in November. Fleisher will remain at the company for a transition period until next January, it said.
Wayfair co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Niraj Shah said, despite sliding sales, consumer health remains "relatively strong."
The retailer was a massive beneficiary during the pandemic as consumers shifted their spending to the web and bought up fresh home decor and office furniture. But it's struggled with supply chain complications that have resulted in order delays and frustrated shoppers.
"The companies that will be most successful in navigating this dynamic environment are those that can act with agility," Shah said in a press release.
The stock at one point touched a 52-week low of $65.32 and closed the day at $67.45.
Wayfair reported its count of active customers in the first quarter of 2022 declined 23.4% from a year ago, to 25.4 million. Orders per customer totaled 1.87, versus 1.98 in the year-ago period. Orders from repeat customers likewise fell from 2021, totaling 8.1 million, 26% lower than the year ago.
Active customers represent shoppers who purchased at least once directly from Wayfair in the preceding 12-month period.
For the three-month period ended March 31, Wayfair reported a loss of $319 million, or $3.04 per share, compared with net income of $18 million, or 16 cents a share, a year earlier.
Excluding one-time items, the company lost $1.96 per share. Analysts had been looking for a loss of $1.56 a share, according to a Refinitiv poll.
Sales fell almost 14% to $2.99 billion from $3.48 billion a year earlier. That was in line with analysts' estimates.
Net revenue in the United States dropped 9.9%, to $2.5 billion, while international net revenue declined 31.4%, to $451 million.
Shah said Wayfair is focused on returning to profitability, on an adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization basis.
Wayfair shares have tumbled 64% year to date.
Find the full quarterly financial release from Wayfair here.


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(Yicai Global) Jan. 23 -- After Hong Kong's stock exchange is poised to allow 'dual-class share structures high-tech companies to list in Hong Kong,' more Chinese companies will choose to list in mainland China or Hong Kong in the future than in the US," Tong Shihao, managing partner of GGV Capital, a venture capital firm focused on multi-stage investments in the US and China, told Yicai Global in a recent interview.
"Chinese investors better understand Chinese companies and the listing and exit mechanisms of domestic exchanges. However, to wait in line to list on the domestic A-share market take some time." Hong Kong's capital markets have begun to pay more attention to the mainland's high-tech enterprises and even expect to attract them to go public in Hong Kong by improving its legal rules, Tong said.
HKEX was once the preferred place for global companies' IPOs. However, in the past two years, as Hong Kong Stock Exchange has been reluctant to accept the listing of mainland technology companies with dual-class share structures, technology firms such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. [NYSE:BABA] turned to listing in the US, but with HKEX confirming this will change this year, it may be possible to attract some Chinese tech firms that planned to go public in the US.
The 'dual class shareholdings' means that an enterprise may issue two types of shares with different voting rights to ensure that after its listing, founders and management can still obtain greater voting rights to guarantee them decision-making power over the listed company.
After HKEX announced the reform of its listing system allowing for the listing of shares with different rights in Hong Kong, Alibaba founder Jack Ma said in Hong Kong: "Alibaba is seriously considering listing in Hong Kong," but offered no further details.
Among many Chinese technology companies that are expected to IPO this year, the most remarkable one is handset maker Xiaomi Technology Co. Xiaomi's IPO scale is currently widely expected to reach more than USD100 billion and it is most likely to plump for a Hong Kong listing. As Xiaomi's early investor, GGV will get a very lucrative return on Xiaomi's IPO.
At present, GGV has invested a total of more than 300 companies, with Chinese and the US firms each accounting for half. Chinese startups are more aggressive than their US peers, in Tong's view.
"Chinese enterprises are more ambitious with stronger desire and determination to make a platform, while US start-ups are more geared to achieving some ideal. As to whether a platform can be made, or how much money can be earned in the future, this is not their biggest goal. Thus, when many US start-ups reach a valuation of some USD300 million to USD400 million, they will consider selling them for the next venture, but Chinese start-ups want it to continue to be bigger and stronger. This can be seen from a historical comparison of Didi and Uber," Tong said.
On the similarities and differences between the two big Internet giants Alibaba and Tencent Holdings Ltd. [HK:0700] in China, Tong noted: "Ten years ago, Chinese start-ups were still worried about being squeezed by the two giants. Now they are getting more investment from them. As Alibaba is a trading platform, it has a greater desire to acquire a company, while Tencent is mainly based on user flow and infrastructure, so the purpose of strategic investment is stronger."
"There is a good chance that China's Internet giants will reach trillions of dollars in market capitalization as the internet in China's market has far outweighed the rest of the world. Chinese internet companies go offline faster than companies go online," Tong added.


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Mexico has resumed trade of U.S. and Canadian bone-in beef from animals under 30 months of age.
In Mexico the bone-in beef accounts for a small percentage of the total market. U.S. beef exporters sold more than $874 million worth of beef products to Mexico in 2003, with bone-in beef products accounting for $40 million of that total.
"As a NAFTA partner and our second largest export market, the normalization of beef trade with Mexico is great news for our farmers and ranchers," says Ag Secretary Mike Johanns. "This action demonstrates Mexico's commitment to trade based on internationally accepted scientific standards for human and animal health."
In March 2004, Mexico opened its market to boneless U.S. beef from animals under 30 months of age, which had closed following the December 2003 find of BSE in Washington state. In April 2005, to help normalize trade in ruminants and ruminant products within North America, Mexico, the United States and Canada agreed to harmonize their BSE risk mitigation measures to more effectively address any BSE risk in the region.