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For those who swear by the iPads and iPhones, Volvo Car Group has good news. Volvo and Apple Inc. announced in Geneva that they are joining forces to bring their familiar operating system into the Volvo cabin. Called Apple CarPlay, the new service brings all the features and services familiar to iPad, iPhone or iPod users via Volvo’s large centre console touch screen display. The first Volvo to offer Apple CarPlay will be the all-new XC90.
Volvo has long-term plans to succeed and it’s been showing off recently. Even as the Volvo Car Group office for the region has been shifted to Turkey, it will continue to focus on Middle East and North Africa with the same vigour as seen in the launch of the V40, which by the way is picking up well. The brand’s acceptance has only improved, as I had sort of predicted in my review of the family crossover, the XC60 has become a volume seller for Volvo, accounting for more than one-third of the sales.
Emre Karaer, the General Manager of Volvo Car Group Middle East and North Africa commented, “we predict a 20% growth in the region over the course of the year. We are very excited to bring the highly anticipated global event – the Volvo Ocean Race – to Abu Dhabi at the end of the year.” Compared to 2012, three markets improved remarkably in sales – United Arab Emirates grew by 11%, while Lebanon doubled and Egypt performed encouragingly.
Talking global, Volvo Car Group has reported a full-year operating profit of almost 300 million USD for 2013. With the introduction of interior design features such as Apple CarPlay, the remodel of the XC90 and the Concept Estate, growth is set to be continuous. Hakan Samuelsson, President and CEO announced “Volvo Car Group has turned around 90 million USD already.” Samuelsson expects to sell at least 5% more cars than the 427,840 sold in 2013.
From the end of 2013 till now, Volvo has introduced three concepts that is a commentary on the brand’s new design language, the latest of which is the Volvo Concept Estate. Revealed in Detroit, the Concept XC Coupe was awarded the title “Best Concept Car” at the 2014 EyesON Design Awards at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show, and the award for “Best use of Color, Graphics and Materials”. Like the similarly highly-acclaimed and award-winning Volvo Concept Coupé, the Concept XC Coupé demonstrates the design possibilities of Volvo Cars’ new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that will underpin most cars from Volvo Cars in the future, starting with the all-new Volvo XC90 that premieres later this year.


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Lazy Lanigan’s Publick House
139 Egg Harbor Road
Lazy Lanigan’s Publick House has gone through many changes in the past year, but with the recent change in management, menu and merriment, the community restaurant promises a fun family atmosphere with traditional Irish fare.
New manager, Sara Ingraham — who took the position in January — said the goal is to “get back to a more local, neighborhood atmosphere.
Ingraham said Happy Hour has been revised to include more food and drink specials, Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. plus Saturday mornings, and there are live bands every Friday night.
“When it changed from Dubh Linn Square to Lazy Lanigan’s, there was a misconception that people thought it was because we weren’t doing well, but it was just a separation of partners,” Ingraham said. “We want to get back into the community. We have a core staff who has stuck with us through the changes, and the food has gotten so much better.
“What better place to go for St. Patrick’s Day?”
Flavor — Ingraham said Lazy Lanigan’s has “tons of Irish signature dishes” including Guinness beef stew, Jameson’s chicken, Shepherd’s Pie, Grilled Whiskey salmon and Fish ‘n Chips, which all come from traditional Irish recipes.
“Everything is made from scratch, and we make our soups fresh everyday,” Ingraham said.
Menu — Lazy Lanigan’s offers starters such as soups, salads and appetizers including Colcannon — a traditional Irish potato soup with leaks and cabbage.
“I had never had it before, but it’s really good,” Ingraham said.
Appetizers include Irish nachos — hand-made potato chips topped with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, bacon, scallions and pico de gallo, sour cream and salsa for $8; pan-seared Ahi tuna which is sesame-crusted and served over a bed of mixed greens with a light wasabi-ginger dressing for $11; and hand-cut fries with a variety of toppings including salt and vinegar or garlic parmesan for $4, Pile o’ cheesy fries with cheese sauce, scallions and bacon bits for $8; or sweet potato fries lightly tossed in melted butter with a cinnamon and sugar blend for $5.
Burgers range from a classic cheeseburger for $10 to a Bacon Bleu burger for $11; and sandwiches include a Rueben for $12, a French dip for $12, and a sliced steak sandwich on a fresh brioche bun for $11.
Entrees include Shepherd’s Pie with seasoned ground beef, carrots, onions and peas in Lazy Lanigan’s homemade gravy, topped with whipped potatoes for $12; Guinness Beef Stew with braised beef tips simmered with carrots, parsnips, potatoes and onions in a rich Guinness sauce, served with whipped potatoes and toast points for $14; and Jameson’s chicken which is a grilled chicken breast topped with Irish whiskey demi-glace, served with fresh seasonal vegetables and whipped potatoes for $14.
Desserts/Drinks — Lazy Lanigan’s bar features Irish brews including Guinness, Smithwicks, Harp and Kilkenny, in addition to other unique beers including Manayunk Monk from Yunk.
“We have all of the Irish beers and six dedicated lines to rotating beers like Monk from Yunk, Golden Monkey, and Batch 19, the Prohobition beer,” Ingraham said.
She said Lanigan’s bar has also brought in blenders for frozen drinks.
“The frozen drinks will be focused on the deck,” she said.
Atmosphere — Lazy Lanigan’s is a warm, friendly room that transports visitors to a traditional Irish pub.
The large, rectangular, wooden bar is a friendly place to belly up, and the dining areas are cozy and family-friendly.
“We have breakfast on Saturday and Sunday including tradition Irish breakfast as well as omelettes, French toast and all the favorite breakfast foods,” Ingraham said. “We also have Green Eggs and Ham and Shamrock pancakes for the kids.”
Even though Lazy Lanigan’s is an Irish pub, Ingraham said children are always welcome.
“I don’t see enough kids come in and they are always welcome here,” she said.
Hours — Lazy Lanigan’s is open from Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Information — For more information, call 856-245-7040 or visit lazylaniganspublickhouse.com.
---Contact Kelly Roncace at 856-845-3300 or email@example.com. Follow @KellyLin89

domain: news


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ASOS is undergoing some big changes. Not only has the CEO stepped down, but the business has warned of potentially changing profits by about 40 percent, due to increasing prices and a strain on the supply chain.
The fast-fashion online retailer, which has been reporting strong profit growth as online sales continue to increase, is warning of a change in profits.
A major change is underway, as the current CEO of ASOS, Nick Beighton, is leaving his role. He has held the reins of CEO for more than six years and has worked with ASOS for 12. While they are in search of a replacement, they are temporarily passing the baton to the current COO and CFO, Mat Dunn. “A search for his successor will begin shortly,” the business said in a statement.
This came off the back of ASOS’ financial results, which reported a 21 percent increase in retail sales, and a 13 percent uplift in Active Customers to 26.4 million. Throughout the UK, ASOS reported 36 percent growth, 21 percent in the US, 15 percent in Europe and six percent for the rest of the world.
In spite of these increases, ASOS’ share prices have slipped 19.58 percent in the last seven days. The business has shed 42 percent in its share prices since the beginning of 2021. The latest tumble happened directly after Nick Beighton announced his departure from the company.
“ASOS has delivered another strong performance, with continued growth in customer numbers driving further increases in sales and profits,” shared the interim CEO, Mat Dunn. “Our success has been underpinned by our focus on delighting fashion-loving twenty-something customers with greater choice, service, and engagement. We have also continued to invest in our platform and offer, including the successful acquisition and integration of the Topshop brands. This performance is based on the hard work and determination of all ASOS-ers and I want to thank them for everything they have done.”
Despite this success of the financial year, the retailer is earning investors of potential profit slips, as much as 40 percent. This is likely due to the increasing strain on the supply chain, Brexit, growing freight costs, higher wages, and increased global demand.
Nick Beighton has stepped down as CEO of ASOS after six years
“Looking ahead, while our performance in the next 12 months is likely to be constrained by demand volatility and global supply chain and cost pressures, we are confident in our ability to capture the sizeable opportunities ahead,” Dunn explained.
Over the course of lockdown, the company said that it saved significant costs as fewer customers returned items of clothing, resulting in a saving of £67.3 million (AUD124.48 million). But the rate of returns is reverting back to normal, the business said. Pre-tax profit rose 36 percent to £193.6 million (AUD358.09 million), but the business is warning that these could slip anywhere between £110 million and £140 million (AUD203 million to AUD258 million).
“In the last two years, we have transformed ASOS with investment in infrastructure and the customer offer; we have generated strong revenue growth and free cash flow and improved structural profitability.
“But we know there is more to do and today we are setting out details of our ambitious plan to significantly increase ASOS’s sales and profitability becoming a £7bn business within four years. I am delighted to be taking on the role of COO and will work tirelessly with all ASOS-ers to deliver against our refreshed strategy,” he said.
The e-commerce landscape is changing. With a Power Retail Switched On membership, you get access to current e-commerce revenue and forecasting, traffic levels, average conversion rate, payment preferences and more! Sign up today and receive an Apple Watch Series 6 – Find out more here.


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In a recent interview with local Brazilian news outlet Seu Dinheiro, the VP of new business at payments firm Visa, Eduardo Abreu, divulged the organisation’s intentions to integrate virtual currencies onto its platform for both payments and as a store of value, including the largest virtual asset by market cap, Bitcoin.
In the aforementioned interview, Abreu put forward his opinion that greater adoption will need the integration of traditional banking activity within the virtual asset ecosystem so that customers can transact with fiat and cryptocurrency within the same environment.
As to the date of the launch, there was no specific announcement. However, it is widely anticipated in the imminent months.
“The great advantage of adopting Bitcoin is, without a doubt, its ease. Without needing to exchange a fiat currency, there is an optimization of exchanges when using Bitcoin.”
Apart from that, Abreu also proposed the likelihood of customers receiving cashback in terms of digital assets. He said,
“Brazilians already have the culture of receiving card points, miles, discounts, etc. Why not receive cryptocurrencies with their credit card as well?”
Notably, Visa is no stranger to making headlines in the digital asset domain. In a bid to depict its pioneer reputation as a cultural mediator of traditional and modern finance, Visa last month bought a CryptoPunk NFT avatar for fifty ETH, which is around one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, at the time of sale.
This article originally appeared on the front page of Live Bitcoin News on June 2nd 2023. Have you ever wondered what it’s […]
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New research from the University of Cambridge, in partnership with online crypto brokerage eToro, delves into the influence of gender on Bitcoin […]
October 9, 2023


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Tighter economic times are here, and retailers are looking to pinch pennies. One emerging solution is alternative payments such as PayPal, Google Checkout and Bill Me Later, which can help merchants slash their credit and debit card processing fees. However, this tactic could prove detrimental to those whose livelihoods rely on revenue from card processing fees.
PayPal acts like a middle man during transactions. Payments are withdrawn from the user's PayPal-linked credit card or bank account.
Google Checkout expedites checkout and payment by allowing consumers to store account details for their credit and signature-debit cards in an electronic wallet. Bill Me Later is an instant card service and attracts customers by acting as an open-ended credit card in online transactions.
These three have paved the way for companies such as TrialPay Inc. and Webloyalty.com Inc.
TrialPay is a conversion tool that allows customers to pay for one item by purchasing something else, in turn, giving them a discounted or free item. Webloyalty provides customers benefit packages, which then boost sales for e-commerce merchants.
Are credit cards losing ground to alternative payment services? According to Javelin Strategy & Research, this could be true: Alternative payment is not a niche trend; it is slowing credit card growth and contributing to the decline of cash and checks. Javelin's projected numbers also show a shift in consumer preference from traditional cards to alternative payment methods.
Much of this switch has been driven by e-commerce. Javelin predicts online transactions will reach $355.2 billion over the next five years. By 2012, 30% of Americans will turn to alternative payments - stored-value, e-mail payments and instant credit - when purchasing online, up from 14% in 2007.
"Although it took nearly a decade for alternative payment methods to secure their position in the online world, it's apparent that everyday consumers are ready to view them as a trusted and viable way to buy online," said Bruce Cundiff, Senior Analyst with Javelin.
Some experts believe credit and debit cards paved the way for alternative payments. A Celent LLC study shows PayPal was still highly dependent on credit cards for account funding in 1999, with a 96% dollar volume for all consumer e-commerce purchases.
But fees exceeding 3% for card-not-present transactions sparked merchants to provide new value propositions. Celent's study shows just 12% of 2005 online payment volume was attributable to alternative payment options. However, it projects the total will more than double by 2009 to 26%, dropping online card volume to 50%.
According to Cundiff, PayPal is the main reason credit and debit card alternatives have gained a roughly 14% market share. PayPal said it has more than 153 million accounts worldwide and is available in 190 world markets in 17 different currencies.
And the expected growth in alternative payments may not be limited to e-commerce. "Given the recent online surge, we expect to see some of these trends transfer to offline buying over time," Cundiff said. "For example, more consumers may prefer to use alternative payment methods instead of credit cards, online and in person. But overall, we see continuing growth of online transaction and a decline of paper payment methods."
But not everything is rosy in the alternative payments market. Challenging the PayPals of the world is the surge of e-commerce fraud. A CyberSource Corp. survey estimates online fraud losses will grow to $3.6 billion in 2007, up from $3.1 billion in 2006.
"Merchants did see their online sales grow approximately 20%, but the costs of managing fraud grew a nearly identical amount," said Doug Schwegman, Director of Customer and Market Intelligence for CyberSource. "The picture is one of merchants swimming harder against an accelerating current."
In response, merchants are adding more antifraud tools, such as velocity monitoring, to their e-commerce systems. In 2007, 53% of merchants used five or more fraud detection tools. The largest merchants used an average of eight.
One outcome of adding fraud detection tools is that more orders may be diverted for manual review. CyberSource estimates that approximately 38% more orders were reviewed in 2007 than in 2006, and that extra diligence may have cost merchants an additional $100 million.
As the appeal for alternative payments continues to climb, merchants will find ways to combat fraud and offer as many payment options to consumers as possible. For now the alternative payments sphere is playing catch-up to credit and debit cards, but will it become the front-runner in time?
The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information.
Notice to readers: These are archived articles. Contact names or information may be out of date. We regret any inconvenience.Prev Next


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Amsterdam’s international outlook acts as a gateway to continental Europe. English is widely spoken and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the continent’s busiest and most efficient. The city is also a convenient launchpad for Scandinavian markets, which, with their high GDP per capita and high broadband penetration rates, can be lucrative for startups. Proud that we invested in 2 startups on this list of Wired!
Herengracht 182, 1016BR
The Human app encourages its users to move for 30 minutes a day. It tracks physical activity, encourages you to unlock badges and lets you share achievements on social media. “In a world where a sedentary lifestyle has become the standard, it’s not easy to motivate people to make healthy changes that fit into their busy schedules,” explains cofounder and CEO Renato Valdés Olmos. “Human exists to do that.” He claims that the app helps people move up to 75 per cent more a day within six weeks of using the app. It’s proved popular: Valdés Olmos plans to double his team before the year’s end.
Lauriergracht 116, 1016
Wercker helps developers test and deploy code on a social platform. It aims to fit between code-storing platforms such as GitHub and Bitbucket, and where applications are deployed, such as Amazon Web Services. “We help reduce risk and waste by enabling developers to test, build and release to the cloud,” explains CEO Micha Hernandez van Leuffen. Next up? To scale the platform, operations and team in the US.
See full list: http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2014/09/european-startups/amsterdam/viewall


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Hype, Hokey-Pokey and the Hot 100
Is something funny going on with the Billboard singles charts?
For the past few months, Billboard’s conversion to the SoundScan system has been one of the most hotly debated topics in the record industry. With SoundScan, Billboard ranks albums using a projection of actual computer-reported album sales. Under its old system, Billboard estimated album sales based on reports from record stores, who ranked the popularity of albums at individual stores, but did not provide actual sales figures.
By using actual sales numbers, SoundScan has largely killed off the age-old industry practice of “hyping” the charts.
“It used to be that if you gave enough incentives--cash, prizes, free tickets, whatever--to the key stores reporting to Billboard, the stores would say your album was selling more than it really was, which could boost your album up the charts,” says one veteran record exec. “Now if you have a Top 30 album, at least you know it’s a real Top 30 album, not just what you hyped up from No. 115. The days when you could play games with the charts are over.”
Or are they?
In the hubbub over the album charts, it seems to have escaped notice that Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart still hasn’t converted to the new system. It raises an obvious question: If SoundScan provides so much valuable information, why isn’t Billboard using it for its Hot 100, whose chart numbers provide record companies with a powerful weapon in convincing radio stations and retail outlets to play or stock records by the chart’s most popular artists?
Billboard now has three charts that measure singles activity: the Hot 100; the Top Point of Sale Singles Sales, which measures record sales; and the Top 40 Radio Monitor, which tracks airplay. Since the Hot 100 combines retail sales and Top 40 airplay, you’d think it would roughly reflect the numbers from the other two charts.
Not necessarily. In the Sept. 7 issue of Billboard, Paula Abdul’s “The Promise of a New Day” was ranked No. 26 in the Point of Sale chart and No. 5 on the Radio Monitor chart. It’s Hot 100 rank? No. 2. (A week later, Abdul’s single actually dropped in sales while it went up to No. 1 on the Hot 100.)
In the same week, Michael Bolton’s “Time, Love & Tenderness” was ranked No. 49 on the Point of Sale chart and No. 15 on the Radio Monitor. It’s Hot 100 rank? No. 9.
This week, Rod Stewart’s “Motown Song” was ranked No. 45 on the Point of Sale chart and No. 24 on the Radio Monitor. It’s Hot 100 rank? No. 10.
What’s going on? Billboard chart director Michael Ellis acknowledges that the current system has “definite discrepancies,” but said they were largely due to variations in chart methodology. He explained that the Hot 100 chart uses input from nearly 250 Top 40 radio stations, about 100 more stations than report to the Radio Monitor chart.
As for the differences between the Hot 100 and the Point of Sale column, Ellis noted that the POS column compiles sales from record stores who are part of the SoundScan system. The Hot 100 gets its sales information from a completely different set of stores, largely chains (like Tower Records) who are not part of the SoundScan system.
“It’s a discrepancy we need to fix as soon as possible,” he says. “We’re hoping to switch over to a new system by the end of the year, which would combine SoundScan sales results with information from the Broadcast Data System, which electronically monitors airplay. We’ve been waiting for BDS to get fully deployed so that when we switch over, they’d represent about the 85 top markets in the country.”
However Ellis admits that as long as the Hot 100 relies on reports from record stores, it remains open to influence from record labels who pay store staff for high rankings. “We can’t audit their sales reports, so we realize there can be definite discrepancies,” Ellis says.
Perhaps a bit bruised by the controversy over its album-chart conversion to SoundScan, Billboard has quietly prepared a sample singles chart, using its new SoundScan and BDS information, which it has been faxing to record labels to gauge their reaction. “We’re still experimenting with different formulas,” says Ellis. “Our charts have to be totally honest, but we don’t want to do anything to hurt the industry either.”
Most label chiefs seem to welcome the new chart, though they are concerned that it would take considerably longer to break a new single. “The new chart is dramatically different,” says one exec. “You see songs that are in the Top 5 on the Hot 100 that aren’t even in the Top 20 on the new chart. But at least it’s an honest-to-God chart. The numbers look real--no more hokey-pokey. Maybe it’s time we took some of the hype out of the record business.”


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| Dec 23, 2013
| 8:00 AM
Whether you're looking for a gift for an aspiring fashionista or a treat for yourself, a couple of books published this fall might fill the bill.
In "Rock in Fashion," menswear designer John Varvatos breaks down the elements of rock 'n' roll style...
| Jan 30, 2014
| 8:58 AM
Naya Rivera, who portrays Santana on "Glee," is on the cover of the Spring issue of Cosmopolitan for Latinas, which is scheduled to hit newsstands on Tuesday. Inside, she talks about how she met her fiancé, rapper Big Sean — on Twitter. [Cosmo]...
| Jan 27, 2014
| 12:13 PM
Pharrell Williams' heaping helping of hat at Sunday night's Grammy Awards turned out to be the viral equivalent of Jennifer Lawrence's Golden Globes dress -- a focus-pulling fashion statement that spawned comparisons to Smokey Bear and the Arby's logo --...
| Jan 28, 2014
| 10:58 AM
In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and that kids outgrow their clothing. So save some green by going green and shop for gently used garments for your little ones. Plus, if you are expecting, you can pick up something for...
| Nov 14, 2013
| 12:37 PM
At a talk at the Wadsworth Atheneum a few years ago, interior designer and lifestyle philosopher Alexandra Stoddard of Stonington described how she keeps calm.
Every morning she starts the day with a "one-flower" meditation, which, she said, leaves her...
| Oct 29, 2013
| 4:30 PM
With 100 days to go before the Winter Olympics begin in Sochi, Russia, the U.S. Olympic Committee and Ralph Lauren unveiled the first pieces of a domestically made Team USA wardrobe produced across nearly a third of U.S states.
Our Sports section...
| Oct 21, 2013
| 12:24 PM
It might seem foolish suggesting feathers are a new fashion trend this fall — after all feathers have been beloved by the fashion world for centuries. But it's what modern fashion designers are doing with their feathers that makes the motif fresh...
| Sep 4, 2013
| 10:13 AM
Ruben Studdard says "American Idol" gave him a career. Now, he wants "The Biggest Loser" to give him a life.
Studdard -- nicknamed "The Velvet Teddy Bear" partly for his girth and his cuddly, cheerful, happy-go-lucky demeanor -- said he is returning...
| Oct 17, 2013
| 12:51 PM
Guys hoping to pique the interest of the cool ghouls and lady demons this Hallow's Eve should consider donning a Batman costume or dressing up as Jay Gatsby.
That's one of the takeaways from a recent survey of more than 2,000 singles conducted by dating...
| Nov 6, 2013
| 7:32 AM
The phone call came on July 2, 2012 – Ann Feanny Mahfood’s 49th birthday.
“You have been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer,” said Mahfood’s doctor.
At the time Mahfood thought, “Some birthday gift.”...
| Sep 30, 2013
| 6:30 AM
"I am beginning to think a royal family might come in handy. True, the endless, action-deprived run-up to the birth of George, Prince of Cambridge, might have reminded the dispassionate observer of the wait for the arrival of a new baby panda," writes...
| Sep 12, 2013
| 11:03 AM
NEW YORK -- Jessica Alba looked like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn on Thursday morning at New York Fashion Week, wearing a ballet pink full skirt and black sweater, with cat eyeliner and her hair in a chignon. It was a fabulously flirty 1950s look, but...


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Confirming once again that Microsoft was killing off its virtual assistant Cortana for Android and iOS and removing Cortana from its Launcher app for Android from January 31, the company now says the app will continue in the US only. On January 31, 2020, Microsoft will end support for the Cortana app in India, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Mexico, Spain, and the UK. Andrew Shuman who leads Cortana team told VentureBeat on Monday that Cortana mobile app (and Cortana integration in Microsoft's Android launcher) was going away in all countries except for the US.
"We still have people who use their Cortana apps to manage their headphone operation," in the US, said Shuman.
"So if you have the Surface Headphones, you can use the Cortana app with those, and we're still supporting that".
It means that after January 30, only Surface headphones users in the US will be able to keep using Cortana for Android and iOS.
All other Surface headphones owners will have to use Cortana for Windows.
"The markets we turned off had much lower usage and engagement," Shuman was quoted as saying.
The Cortana app is used to configure settings and update firmware for devices like Microsoft's Surface Headphones.
Lists, reminders and other content created by way of the iOS or Android app will still be accessible via Cortana on Windows.
Microsoft Ending Support for Cortana on Android, iOS on January 31


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The NRA boycotts are already working; and here’s why – 02/28/18
Article quotes Professor Brayden King about the impact of boycotts on companies with ties to the NRA. King said very few boycotts actually ever result in significant change in consumer behavior, but if the boycotts grab the attention of the media and threaten the reputation of the company, then they are more likely to be successful.
Why Technology is the Bright Future for Business Schools – 02/28/18
Article highlights the increasingly closer relationships between business schools and tech firms. Article notes that Kellogg has a record 25 percent of its MBAs accept positions in the technology industry in 2017.
New York Times
The Power of Religion – 02/28/18
Article cites Professor Dean Karlan’s research on whether religious faith leads to healthy behaviors. Karlan said the findings were cautiously positive for the power of religion. Karlan’s research was also covered in The Economist.
Crain’s Chicago Business
What the NRA’s business partners should do – 02/27/18
Article by Professor Tim Calkins discusses the question of whether businesses should cut ties with the NRA. Calkins said in the article that by maintaining a partnership with the NRA, a company appears to be taking the side of the NRA, which is important to consumers’ perceptions.
How brain science founds its way into business school – 02/27/18
Article highlights how courses on improving productivity, influencing decision-making, and handling stress have found their ways into business schools. Quotes Professor Adam Waytz, who said an ethics course at Kellogg teaches students how neuroscience can influence people or persuade people.
The Wall Street Journal
Apple’s China Lesson: Think Different, But Not Too Different – 02/26/18
Article quotes Professor Tim Calkins about Apple’s recent concessions to the Chinese government, including shifting customer iCloud data to Chinese mainland servers. Calkins said in the article that Apple is far from the only company to make concessions to China, but its choices are vexing considering the brand tests convention.
Everything is Booming Except for Wages – 02/23/18
Article discusses how even though the economy is booming, inflation has led to negligible increases in wages. The article cites Professor Efraim Benmelech’s research, which states that increased concentration in labor markets and a decrease in the number of employers competing for workers had led to wage suppression.
Professor Robert Wolcott was featured in two radio broadcasts, discussing the different emerging philosophies regarding who controls our data, as well as the future of automation in jobs.


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Rich Travelers Can't Stand Flying Anymore
According to research by travel-focused market research firm PhoCusWright, a quarter of all fliers feel negatively about the air travel experience, while rich travelers are twice as likely to feel negatively about the service they receive.
This disconnect between the airlines and their luggage-toting cash cows is nothing new, according to airline industry consultant Bob Mann, but it's gotten worse in recent years."'First Class' is now a mere vestige in quality and emphasis of what it once was," Mann says. As a result, Mann says the uber-rich are decamping in large numbers to private jets, flight time on which can now be bought like a time-share arrangement.
In response to this loss, some airlines increasingly court business-class passengers, Mann says. Even high-end business travelers are unlikely to fly private jets, which makes them kind of a captive audience for airlines. By and large, Mann says, "U.S. carriers have under-invested in hardware and software -- equipment and employee motivation."
For anyone -- wealthy or not -- who's been snapped at by a harried gate agent or flight attendant, this will ring true. The difference with the richest passengers is they're paying more for the experience, so they expect more.
According to PhoCusWright, customers who pay more (sometimes much more) for a seat and still have to pay additional fees for things like checking bags come to resent the airline's nickel-and-diming, especially since most travelers remember when such things came included in the price of a ticket. "Even more concerning for airlines is that their most valuable customers -– business travelers and those with higher annual household incomes -– are even less happy than the average," said PhoCusWright's director of research Carroll Rheem, in a statement,


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Sunset Overdrive will be crammed with guns
Insomniac has been making some bold claims about their slightly mysterious Xbox One exclusive title Sunset Overdrive.
The game has been described in the upcoming issue of Edge magazine as a "a classic Insomniac game in that there are lots of weapons".
Sunset Overdrive is expected to be released in the autumn and it has been named as a launch title for the Japanese release of the Xbox One.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III is coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360 after all
- Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third gets a release date
- Adr1ft is coming to PC and consoles at the end of the summer
- EA gives the new Mirror's Edge a name – Mirror's Edge Catalyst
- ZombiU PS4 and Xbox One port reportedly in the works
- Mike Bithell's Volume to be released this August
- Gearbox's new shooter Battleborn gets a pre-E3 trailer
- Steam Controller launches in October, Steam Machines arrive in November
- Gears Of War devs Black Tusk change their name to The Coalition ahead of E3


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With a fresh year now underway, all businesses are looking ahead to their priorities for 2015, and if last year has taught IT departments anything, it's that data security needs to be high up on the agenda. Recently, we've seen the likes of major breaches at eBay in 2014 and Adobe in 2013, and even celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence learned the hard way about the harm a data breach can cause.
A security mishap, or even a potential data breach, can derail the most important of projects. So what has 2015 got in store that could impact business data security? Take a look below to find out…
EU General Data Protection Regulation
Businesses may think they have a future-proof IT strategy in place, but substantial regulation changes on the horizon will force a considerable rethink. The EU Data Protection Regulation, which should come into force in 2017 (but will be adopted this year), will ramp up businesses' responsibility for data security, increasing sanctions for mishandling it. In short, this means fines of up to 2% of annual global turnover and possibly a requirement to report a breach within 24 hours.
This has ramifications for any strategy that is based around data – like BYOD, storage, internet of things and cloud. Because the changes in law are radical, organisations will have to work hard in 2015 to have a chance of complying and avoiding substantial fines when the new laws come in.
Big data innovation
2015 will see even more businesses take advantage of the power of the data they hold. From using analytics to gain greater business insight, to schemes such as the NHS care.data initiative, organisations are doing more with their big data.
However, due to the numerous data breach stories in the press, many organisations are unwilling to engage in innovative data schemes for fear of it increasing the chances of a data leak, as demonstrated by the difficulties care.data has run into. For many, there's a lot at stake if this goes wrong: reputation, the risk of heavy fines from the ICO, and public outcry that could put a halt to any progress already made.
What we could see this year is innovation being stifled by data leak worries, and to avoid this organisations should think about data security at the start of the project, and ensure it is incorporated throughout its lifecycle. This needs to take into account every aspect of the project, from the devices being used to the platform that is accessing this data.
(Even) more mobile
While this has been a trend for the last couple of years, the increased use of mobile devices by employees is not slowing down. Whether an employee-owned (BYOD) or corporately owned and personally enabled (COPE) device, the growth in devices means a corresponding increase in endpoints, all of which are potential security vulnerabilities.
With the proliferation in device types, form factors and operating systems, it's even more important that whatever security solution is in place is device agnostic, and able to cope with any type of new technology. That way firms are able to take an employee rather than device-centric approach to data security and device management.
Last year we saw mobile devices starting to do more, with the contactless payment and fingerprint recognition technology in Apple's latest devices an example of this. What we're going to see in 2015 is an increase in what mobile devices are capable of doing.
For example, Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner has so far been used to unlock the handset itself and as a verification tool when making purchases through Apple's App store. However, now that iOS 8 has made this functionality available to third-party developers, users will soon have the ability to unlock a greater range of apps via their fingerprints.


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Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley has capped a baffling week of investment decisions by increasing his company’s option to buy shares in Debenhams while declaring that he does not intend to make a takeover bid.
In a statement on Friday after the markets closed, Sports Direct said it was replacing its put option for 6.6pc of Debenhams with a new option to buy 10.5pc, exposing the firm to Debenhams’ share price to the tune of about £85m.
Together with a similar arrangement that was revealed in December, Sports Direct now has the right to buy 16.6pc of Debenhams.
However, Sports Direct stressed its “intention to be a supportive shareholder” rather than a suitor. “Sports Direct does not intend to make an offer for Debenhams and would encourage the Debenhams’ leadership team to concentrate fully on delivering their strategic plans.”
Mr Ashley’s company first took a 4.6pc stake in Debenhams in January 2014, only to sell it four days later and start a chain of derivatives that offer the right to buy shares.
The arrangement involves Sports Direct selling put options to Goldman Sachs. If shares are above a certain price - the so-called “exercise price” - when the options expire, Sports Direct would effectively get a discount on the shares it is entitled to buy. The expiry date and exercise price were not disclosed.
Mr Ashley had already perplexed the City on Thursday by moving most of his controlling stake in Sports Direct from his investment vehicle, Mash Holdings, to a new subsidiary named Mash Beta. The 50.71pc holding, worth almost £2.2bn, was handed to the Beta vehicle as a gift, leaving Mash Holdings with a 4.43pc stake. A spokesperson declined to explain this move, nor a separate manoeuvre to sell 15.4m Sports Direct shares worth £117m.
The portfolio movements come as Mr Ashley, who owns Newcastle United football club, is again linked to a rescue loan for Rangers, the Scottish team that has been beset by funding problems.


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The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were the only flagships Google was going to announce in 2021, meaning that chances of seeing a foldable Pixel in 2021 are slim to none. Fortunately, that is not to say that the company is delaying its first attempt at a foldable flagship, it is just that you will have to wait a little while longer and bear with a few compromises. According to the latest evidence, the upcoming handset might feature an inferior camera setup compared to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
Google’s First Foldable Pixel Is Codenamed ‘Pipit,’ According to APK Teardown
The 9to5Google’s APK teardown team discovered files associated with the latest release of the Google Camera app that the foldable Pixel’s codename is Pipit, and instead of the new GN1 sensor on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, the upcoming handset will likely use a 12.2MP IMX363 that was featured on the Pixel 3. Next up comes the ultrawide unit, with the details suggesting that there will be a 12.2MP IMX386 sensor.
One thing to keep in mind is that this camera is tagged as ‘Folded’ so it might only work if the foldable Pixel is closed, though this information is unconfirmed. Moving on, the report claims that the device will tout two 8MP IMX355 sensors, with one tagged as ‘inner’ and the other as ‘outer.’ It is possible the foldable Pixel churns out the same quality of selfies whether it is folded or unfolded, so that is something to look forward to.
Overall, it is disappointing to see that the report talks about the foldable Pixel sporting an inferior camera setup compared to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, though Google could use its computational photography magic to reduce the image quality gap. Still, that magic will only go so far, and we believe that the reason the foldable Pixel will feature this camera configuration is to maintain its slim form factor.
Keep in mind that both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro feature large-sized sensors, which is why those cameras needed to be arranged in a horizontal position. There is also no exact release timeline for the upcoming foldable handset, but we feel that the unveiling could happen when the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are being geared for a release. As for its internals, we would be surprised if the foldable Pixel does not feature the second-generation Tensor, which Google has reportedly started development work on.
Are you excited about the foldable Pixel’s release in 2022? Let us know down in the comments.
News Source: 9to5Google


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EA and BioWare’s Anthem didn’t exactly have the greatest launch of all time when it released earlier this year. The highly-anticipated online multiplayer came with a bunch of bugs, a lot of server issues and a tonne of p*ssed off players.
At the time of release, it was reported that lots of people tried to get their copies of the game refunded, without much joy.
However, new claims have arisen that suggest Amazon has refunded an Anthem player on the grounds of “false advertisement and fraud,” – at least according to the player.
Writing on Anthem‘s subreddit, a user by the name of lastKryptonian1991 shared their story of the refund – including a supposed transcript from their conversation with Amazon.
“I don’t see why I am not entitled to get my money back on a product that was wrongly advertised. Because that’s what happen, and I think what people need to realise is that this is no small matter, what Bioware and ultimately EA did is illegal,” writes the player.
“They advertised the product with an attached roadmap and now that ‘promise’ has been broken. You can make any argument about the state of the game, but you CAN’T deny this specific point.
“So I was quite ready to fight for my money, but was pleasantly surprised with the Amazon customer service, because they clearly knew what’s up.
“I got a FULL refund just yesterday Apr 30th and I am shipping the game back today. That’s right. And I urge people that are not happy with the game to refund it no matter how long you played it, because what these companies have done is, without a doubt, fraud.”
The post was later updated to include the supposed transcript of the conversation with the Amazon employee.
The transcript says that not only did the player get their money back, but that they also got it in advance of them sending the game back.
Earlier in the year, many outlets were refusing the return of Anthem. Maybe it’s worth trying again?
Featured Image Credit: EA/BioWare


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On July 20, Salata opened its first Tulsa-area restaurant at 6030 S. Yale Ave. in Kings Pointe Village. This is the second Salata in Oklahoma, with two more Tulsa-area locations planned to open in the fall.
The Houston-based chain offers customizable salad and salad wraps made from a selection of more than 50 fresh ingredients.
Vegetables and fruits are prepared daily plus lean protein selections. All dressings, soups and sauces are house-made and gluten-free.
Salata is the only salad concept that is gluten-free certified.
The company was founded in 2005 with currently more than 60 corporate-owned and franchise locations in Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Southern California.
Salata is ranked among the fastest-growing small chains in the U.S. by Restaurant Business and plans to open 30 additional restaurants in 2017 in multiple markets across the country.
Hours are Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit salata.com.


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Travel 2 is offering agents the chance to win a holiday a year to Dubai for the next three years or win…
The post Win a holiday or fam trip place to Dubai with Travel 2 appeared first on Travel Daily Media.
Thomson Lakes & Mountains integrates distribution channels with Thomson
Opportunity for UK inbound operators to capitalise on China’s Golden Week
The Global Travel Group reports record sales and leap in forward bookings


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Result on Silent Calls!!!
Silent Call Campaigner John Hemming MP has welcomed Ofcom's recent announcement on banning silent calls. "All telephone users", he say " should welcome Ofcom's action that will finally end the nuisance of the Silent Call. The use of an informational message will eradicate the worry and stress in relationships caused by Silent Calls. In essence the UK has now implemented the rules used in the USA. Hundreds of thousands of people have been harrassed by these nuisances."
"This is a major step forward in resolving automated phone nuisance. It is, however, not the complete solution. What is important, however, is that people will know what is happening so they can take action against those companies which continue to harrass them. The cowboys in the industry have hidden behind anonymity. They will no longer be able to do so."
"I would like to offer thanks to Ofcom for acting. Questions could be asked about why it took so long, but I would rather focus on the future and recognise that now we are getting somewhere."
"The work done by David Hickson should also be recognised. He, as a consumer champion, has worked hard on this issue and this work should not be denigrated. We also should recognise that the main industry association the Direct Marketing Association has been positive about change as have software suppliers such as Amcat."
"The fact is that this is a change that will be welcomed by everyone except the cowboy call centre operators who will no longer be able to hide."


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“A new generation of online mega-hubs called e-marketplaces or e-exchanges may soon make standard websites obsolete, declared Erin Hiraoka of Bcentral.Com. This was just one of the startling announcements that came out of the first E-Commerce Summit and Town Hall Meeting sponsored by the Seattle-Tacoma Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA co-hosted the E-Commerce Summit at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond. Over 400 small businesses signed-up for the free, half day Town Hall Meeting with e-commerce experts. Some on the panel of e-commerce experts thought Hiraoka’s remark was inaccurate. All panelists, however, seemed to agree with Samantha Wilkinson of NVST.com who said, Emerging e-marketplaces can provide you with instant access to thousands of qualified buyers and sellers in your industry at a fraction of the cost and hassle. The latest trend in e-commerce is to let someone else do it for you, said Fred Hochberg, Deputy Administrator for the SBA. Stay focused on your core business, said Joann Francis, SBA’s Northwest Regional Administrator based in Seattle. Out source all the business processes that can be handled using today’s high-tech specialty companies such as your e-marketing, website management, accounting, and 24/7 customer service. Take advantage of new highly automated resources, including free website creation. And contact your re-invented 21st century SBA.The SBA is on the leading edge in educating small businesses about e-commerce, said Summit co-host Aaron Bernstein of Microsoft. No other organization, he added, is so dedicated, so informed, and so positioned to assist America’s 23 million small businesses. These small businesses employ one-half the private work force, generate half of the nation’s gross domestic product, and are the principle source of new jobs in America. The participants listened to a panel of experts explain new evolutions in e-commerce. You don’t need an elaborate web site, said Erin Hiraoka of Bcentral.com. Simply affiliate with a number of available sites who will sell your product or service for you.Experts estimate that transactions on these e-marketplaces will skyrocket from $200 billion annually to nearly three trillion dollars by 2004. Bcentral.com, a Microsoft affiliate, said that they can provide inroads to a number of application service providers that can free up businesses from time consuming tech work and allow the business to concentrate on what they went into business to do. As a start, Hiraoka said, you should identify the e-marketplaces which focus on your particular industry. To find them, check out two leading B2B directories: B2businessNet at www.b2business.net, and Line 56 at www.line56.com. The Internet helps to level the playing field so the small businesses can compete with the big guys, said Hiraoka. The growth of e-commerce looks like a hockey stick, she added. In 1999 eight percent of all business was through e-commerce. By 2002 it will be seventy-two percent. This is nothing less than a revolution. Many participants were very excited about the information they received.For the first time, I don’t feel overwhelmed by all the high tech advancements, said David Keller, owner of a vitamin company, which makes nutritional drinks that are balanced with the body using research by the Mayo Clinic. One attendee said, I used to think of the SBA as a place where minorities went to get tiny business loans. Instead, I feel like they are providing me with a business consulting service with e-commerce experts and e-commerce sites specifically geared to help me launch my business on the web. And at no charge. Wow! That’s like a hundred-thousand-dollar consul-tant, or CIO, for free. I’m pumped! One speaker, Irene Reyes, owner of Excel Gloves, who described herself as very low-tech, related her SBA experi-ence: In just a matter of months with advice from the SBA, I was using the Internet to submit bids to the state. And guess what? Last month I received a one and half million dollar order!This produced a loud applause from the entire audience. Irene also added, I am always going to two websites to get help with the high-tech jargon–webopedia.com and whatis.com. Two panelists discussed future trends. Transmission speeds of 10 gigabits per second will be available down the road using dense wave division multi-plexing or DWDM, said Pat Beechum, a solutions engineer with Qwest.Beechum said DWDM will allow the use of a single light wave, called a lambda, to be individually assigned to a user. Dan Fine of BOT, Inc said, to protect our security we will soon have ‘bots,’ short for personal on-line digitized ‘robots,’ that will hide our identity and conduct all of our transactions on our behalf with a suppliers ‘bot.’ This will allow each of us to remain anonymous, Fine predicted. Mike Simon of Conjungi Networks said, that soon people will realize that it’s safer to give your credit card over the Internet than giving it to a taxi driver or waiter. He added, the maximum liability anyone has for fraudulent use of their credit card is only $50. So, it’s only a matter of time before security around a purchase will be a non-issue. Attendee Mary Daniels, who makes one-of-a-kind water sculptures, said, This Summit was the first time I felt I could get a handle on the whole e-commerce opportunity. The SBA has shown me a path to their door. And I’m going to walk in.All were encouraged to ask about SBA’s Business Information Centers, Tribal Business Information, One Stop Capital Shops, Service Corps of Retired Executives, Small Business Development Centers, U.S. Export Assistance Centers, Women’s Business Centers, a business resource center at www.onlinewbc.gov, http://pronet.sba.gov, and available publications and videos. SBA Deputy Director Hochberg concluded his remarks by saying Most people don’t know that the SBA participated in the launch of INTEL, COMPAQ, SunMicrosystems, and Apple Computer. He honored Microsoft for its contribution of software and computers which helped launch the SBA’s business information centers. The current trend under the Clinton-Gore administration is to move government services ever closer to e-gov., Hochberg said. Our goal is to increase accessibility. A person without a dime can come to the SBA and have free access to computers, software and the Internet. Within that goal is to increase the speed and efficiency of government services while simultaneously reducing the size and cost of government.He added that Vice President Gore has been pushing this for years in his re-invent the government program. In the past eight years the Clinton-Gore administration has guaranteed $19 billion dollars in loans. That is double the number of loans made in the entire previous 40 years., he said. Forty percent of those loans went to women-owned businesses. Maybe one of the men or women here in the Puget Sound area will launch the next INTEL with a little support from the SBA. It could happen. David King Keller is a freelance photojournalist and small business owner who lives in Seattle.He is currently incubating Dial311.com, a network service center. “
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Feb 11 2022
Yellophant Digital, an alliance of Merge Infinity Global, acquired the digital mandate for 1Rivet India, a tech-based consultancy firm, headquartered in the USA. The mandate includes entire social media responsibilities for the brand from ideation to execution. The Mumbai-based agency secured the mandate in a multi-agency pitch and will work towards building up the brand’s presence online.
1Rivet is a US-based IT strategy and consultancy firm that helps clients to expand their business growth. It further assists them with new talent acquisition and facility management. The agency will manage the brand’s social media presence on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Yellophant Digital also plans on launching the brand on any new platform that can help the brand maximize its reach.
Preksha Seth, Co-Founder, Yellophant Digital, said, “We are thrilled to be working with 1Rivet India. There is so much commonality between us, especially a shared vision of what the organization should communicate online. With both our teams being young and dynamic, it shall be an exciting collaboration. I’m eager to kickstart the project and elevate 1Rivet India’s online presence.”
Harikrishna Nair, CEO, 1Rivet India, said “It has been a pleasure to work with Preksha and her team at Yellophant. We have engaged Yellophant Digital to manage our digital presence and we are happy with the way they've run the program so far. The Yellophant Digital team is responsive and easy to do business with. It’s definitely worth having a conversation with them if you’re thinking of investing in your company’s social media presence.”
4Psnews.com is a unique trade media platform that covers the entire marketing landscape across India. It envisions to become an amalgam of knowledge for the entire marketing fraternity.


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Now we can have our cake and eat it too - or prosecco as the case may be.
We heard on the (literal) grapevine that this was happening a few months back, but now the joyous day has finally arrived and online wine shop Wines Of The World has confirmed that it is now available to buy on our fair isle.
At just 67 calories per 100ml, there HAS to be a catch we hear you cry? Well, it's sort of pricey at €24.99 per 75cl - but you get a lot of goodness for this price.
The bubbly, created by Amanda Thomson of the UK-based company Thomson & Scott, is organic, vegan friendly and has less than half the sugar than your average glass of Prosecco.
Amanda explained: “We’re all obsessed with the new war on sugar. I was raised on a sugar-free diet by my mother and now 40 years later, it’s finally being recognised as the way forward for many like me who want to avoid the deadly granules.”
Now all that remains is the taste test.
Megan Cassidy | Digital Team | 14:32


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New England Craft Brew Summit will feature Rob Tod of Allagash Brewing as the keynote speaker. Rob is the founder of Allagash Brewing Company, former chair of the Brewers Association, and was recognized in 2019 as an Outstanding Wine, Spirits or Beer Producer by the James Beard Foundation. Rob will share his experience and advice with attendees about how he has navigated the industry cycles and maintained excitement around his brand since Allagash’s founding in 1996.
Additionally, we are honored to welcome Neil Witte, Quality Ambassador for the Brewers’ Association as a featured speaker. Neil is certified through the Beer Judge Certification Program and is currently one of 18 Master Cicerones. He is co-author of the Brewers Association Draught Quality Manual, Draught Beer Quality for Retailers and a contributing author to the MBAA Beer Steward Handbook. His talk, ‘Quality: A Complete Picture’ will explore what quality means to today’s brewer, the brewery, and the industry as a whole.
With the number of breweries in the USA doubling in the past five years, we’ll be exploring ways breweries can plan to grow and sustain their businesses for the years and decades to come – ensuring the craft beer industry can continue to positively impact communities around New England.
Over 20 Educational Sessions and a Vendor Expo will be offered throughout the day spanning interactive talks on Technical Brewing, Business Operations, and Hospitality topics.


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Not long after publishing Amazons’ Wonders and forming a partnership with Royal Panda, the Czech-based gaming content provider, SYNOT, has confirmed the receipt of a UK gambling license. The company has been through a detailed preparation period to ultimately meet the high standards and is now in possession of a permit under the United Kingdom Gambling Commission or UKGC for short.
As stated, the internationally recognized software brand is happy to announce a new market entry, as SYNOT is ready to deliver a host of successful games to players in the UK. The studio’s portfolio has been certified by the UK regulatory agency shortly before Christmas, meaning that its top-ranking titles Books of Secrets, Respin Joker, Fruit Awards and other releases are already live.
Recent launches in the style of 243 Mexicana, Monkey Slots and Joker 50 Deluxe are also available to many licensed operators in the industry’s most regulated sector.
A Significant Step
Expanding in Europe continues for the company after reaching major content distribution deals with Solverde.pt and Pixelbet, established brands with a strong footprint on the market, swift and secure payments, high quality promotions and top-notch customer satisfaction rates.
Among the latest partners to join SYNOT is also Premier Gaming, now providing an even more exciting range of games than ever before. The brand has implemented a lot of popular slot games from the roster, which are optimized for mobile devices and offer immense playability levels.
Commenting the licensing, Ivan Kodaj, CEO said:
“This is a huge step for us as a company. The UKGC is known to have strict regulations to comply with, so having the license granted to us represents a significant step which we took one day before Christmas. We are now able to integrate our slot offer with online casino operators in the UK and make them available to their players for the very first time.”
On a related note, the company’s sales team has reached out to potential clients in the previous period with an enticing offer and a potential to deliver first game roadmaps scheduled for 2021.
Martina Hrabinská, chief commercial officer said about the company’s huge milestone:
“Our sales team will now be focusing on branching out to UK-based customers. Gaining as much exposure as possible to reach as many players as possible across the country will be their main goal for now. We are excited to launch our exceptional slot games across the UK.”
Success in Other Regions
Getting a license from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission is a huge privilege for the Czech supplier and SYNOT is already reaching players around the globe thanks to its affirmed portfolio. One of the latest distribution agreements is with a network of sites Mr. Java, operating in Italy and Spain.
“We are pleased to partner with Infinileads SL and their portfolio of specialized web pages like Slotjava.es. I am certain that they will take our games to all their visitors for a nice spin. Hope that everyone can enjoy our games and looking forward to the reviews that will come forward,” explains Matej Sopóci, product manager at SYNOT Games.
Mr. Java has integrated the studio’s best-performing games such as Respin Joker, Book of Secrets, Fruit Awards, Joker 40, Hunter's Spirit, Firebird Double 27, Fruity Gold, 6 Fruits, Fruits n Fire, Alchemist's Gold and Jokers Five.
“SYNOT Games Successfully Obtain UKGC License”, synotgames.com, January 18th, 2021.


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Retail: Confident and proactive about tech transformation—but at risk
As global businesses continue to transition to intelligent networks, IT leaders operating within the retail industry are taking an even-handed, methodical approach to digital transformation. This includes a focus on consumer behavior via upgraded network capabilities to the creation of a balanced cybersecurity strategy. However, new research by AT&T reveals several issues that the industry must address to enhance transformational success.
What the research shows
Failure to identify future fault lines. While IT leaders believe existing network capabilities can support requirements, there is a disconnect with their networks’ future computing-power needs. Over a third of respondents believe there will be no change in computing-power needs in the next 3 years. This is an unrealistic expectation given the increasing number of new intelligent network-driven technologies and capabilities being introduced.
Slow to embrace intelligent networks. The retail industry is aware of the benefits of intelligent networks. This is reflected by strong levels of investment in software-defined networking in a wide area network (SD-WAN) and virtualization. But the speed of execution—or lack of it—should concern IT leaders. Nearly half (44%) predict that full virtualization won’t be achieved until 2024 at the earliest. This leaves them at risk of being overtaken by faster-moving competitors within their markets.
Confusion over transformation strategy and priority. A significant majority of IT leaders agree an intelligent network is vital to securing retail’s future success. However, nearly half state they don’t have a clear transitional strategy in place. This lack of vision could explain the sector’s technology blind spots and intelligent network issues. If left unresolved, such issues could jeopardize the industry’s transitional plans.
AT&T empowers retailers with data insights and secure technology solutions to help provide a powerful, connected consumer experience.
About the research
A global online survey of 1581 senior IT roles (C-Suite and direct reports) was conducted in August 2018 on behalf of AT&T by Longitude, a Financial Times company that has world-class expertise in quantitative and qualitative research.
The analysis in this report is based on the findings from the 331 senior IT executives from the retail industry who took part in the research. All of the respondents have oversight of, influence on, or involvement in their organization’s decisions relating to network infrastructure.
Retail respondents were based in three territories: Asia Pacific (18%), EMEA (47%), and North America (35%), and all work in large organizations that have annual revenues of $1 billion or more.
In-depth insights were obtained from interviews conducted with the following individuals:
- Adam Gerrard, CIO, Yodel
- Abhi Ingle, SVP, Digital, Distribution & Channel Marketing AT&T Business
- Mark Ridley, Technology, growth and strategy adviser, and former Head of Technology, Reed
- Tarun Samtani, Group DPO, Boden
Predictably, retail’s primary focus is on understanding consumer behavior. This is reflected in a commitment—greater than in any other vertical—to upgrading network capabilities to support IoT and big data/analytics. The survey also reveals retail’s plans to integrate edge computing, microservices, and network policy and orchestration capabilities into their networks. This demonstrates that the sector is supporting its expectations with appropriate levels of investment.
Crucially, retail is adaptable, ready to rebalance rollout strategies if and when inadequacies are identified. For example, in the past 12 months, retail businesses have had an unbalanced approach to investing in IoT (61% investment priority) and analytics (49% investment priority). This trend risks creating a high volume of data without the analytical processes in place to leverage it effectively. But the good news is that retailers seem to be adapting to and correcting this imbalance.
Over the next 3 years, 45% of retail respondents will make IoT investment a priority, and 44% will prioritize big data and analytics, producing a more balanced approach. To aid analytics transformation further, retail has also identified a previously low investment in AI/machine learning (28%) and plans to increase investment over the next 3 years, to 49%.
Cybersecurity: Striking the right balance
As in other verticals, security investment and priority levels remain the highest of all considerations within retail—but with one key difference.
Retail’s prioritization is the lowest (40%) compared to the nearest sector, healthcare, on 47%. And this, research suggests, is a good thing. Retail may be less at risk than other industries who invest so much in cybersecurity that it reduces their investments in other key areas.
Retail’s more balanced approach to cybersecurity is underlined by 81% of retail IT leaders being confident or very confident that their current network will improve cybersecurity. This sense of confidence is reflected in the fact that, while security has been the top investment priority (61%) over the past 12 months—tied first place with IoT—this drops to 47% over the next 3 years. Moving forward, retail would be wise though to reassess security strategies regularly to check its confidence remains well-founded.
It is important to have the core of your security platforms and processes well formed and understood. We include security as a core set of requirements when deploying any new technology and ensure that it is thoroughly investigated when we are proving concepts. - Adam Gerrard, CIO, Yodel
While retail’s stance on transformation and cybersecurity investment is positive, there are hazardous blind spots in technology and network abilities.
Investment in key technologies is on the decline in the retail sector. For example, blockchain, while offering huge potential for critical retail functionality, is at risk of being sidelined. IT leaders expect investment priorities in the technology to drop from 32% to 21% in the next 3 years.
There also appears to be confusion surrounding 5G and its role within future networks. 5G offers increased connectivity and reliability across future networks. IT leaders, however, only expect investment priority levels to increase from 5% (in the past 12 months) to 7% in the next 3 years. Perhaps most revealingly, 75% of retail IT leaders do not see the tech as a high priority.
While the sector is adopting a cautious approach to a technology still in its infancy, any potential gains offered by 5G could well be lost if not invested in and leveraged correctly: “5G offers stability and quality of service,” says Mark Ridley, a technology, growth and strategy adviser. “It joins up dead spots [in the network] to stop those frustrations of ‘I'm trying to work here, and everything has just fallen apart!’”
Adam Gerrard, CIO at UK-based delivery service company Yodel, is cautiously optimistic about 5G: “If the real-world 5G services work as expected, then combining that capability with our IoT network could open up some very interesting opportunities,” he concludes.
5G has to be an important consideration if you believe in a world in which people, process, and assets are all connected. And when you're running a company, you're essentially orchestrating these three elements as efficiently as you can. – Abhi Ingle, SVP, Digital, Distribution & Channel Marketing, AT&T Business
The role of Open Architecture is critical to the future of intelligent networking. Mark Ridley explains: “Its huge participatory audience makes it a driver of innovation and of new and effective technologies.” Yet the retail industry remains uncommitted to Open Architecture. In the past 12 months, investment levels have stood at 25% and are expected to be reduced to 22% over the next 3 years.
It marks an ongoing lack of commitment to a technology that offers the capabilities that IT leaders say are critical to their future operations. For instance, 77% of IT leaders agree the development and use of external APIs are a major focus of retail’s technology strategy. Yet the investment priority levels supporting the increased use of APIs stands at only 21%. “Open APIs and standards enable us to create the right tools in the right places,” explains one VP of IT Infrastructure at a $3B+ Retailer. “We use the open source nature of APIs to build, like Lego bricks, very complex, very two-purpose solutions that give us both speed to market and open flexibility as we move forward.”
As discussed, cybersecurity confidence levels are high. What’s more, IT leaders also believe an SD-WAN-enabled future will pay dividends. For instance, 52% state SD-WAN’s main benefit will be centralized security. 31% believe it will enable more secure surfacing of data to external parties and end users.
However, concerns are emerging about the principal barriers to the successful implementation of network migration strategies. The top 3 concerns all relate to security and governance:
- Cybersecurity concerns – 66%
- Data privacy concerns – 61%
- Regulatory compliance concerns – 38%
Despite retail’s high confidence levels in the short and medium term, IT leaders believe security could be hindered by transitioning to SD-WAN. It’s a concern that one VP of IT Infrastructure at a $3B+ Retailer can empathize with: “My security team is a little more nervous about SD-WAN because of the newness of the technology and the potential for not-yet-anticipated exploits. With SD-WAN, we've effectively got rid of a giant door [defending our data] and we've now put in 1,200 little windows that we have to monitor and protect instead.”
The survey reveals a disconnect over short-term computing-power needs and the network’s ability to deliver sufficient processing power going forward.
Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) believe there will be no change to their computing-power needs, despite the increasing levels of investment in new technologies. This suggests that some retail operations could find themselves with a network unable to cope during the rollout of new capabilities.
Retail is aware of the benefits of intelligent networks, with companies making investment and prioritization commitments in SD-WAN and virtualization. While this illustrates that retail is on the right trajectory, is the industry proceeding at the right velocity?
For instance, the speed of virtualizing all network functions is expected to take a minimum of 6 years for nearly half of retail IT leaders (44%).
The issue of speed is echoed by retail’s desire to move away from physical data centers. Currently, 88% have data centers but over half (52%) say it will be at least 2024 before they phase them out. The risk is clear—transitional laggards could be left behind by faster-moving competitors operating within their retail markets. This is especially pertinent as research shows company lifespans are, in part, being reduced by technological disruption. For instance, in 1958, a company could expect to stay on the S&P 500 stock index for 61 years. Today, the average is only 18 years with technological disruption believed to be a key factor in their eventual demise.
So why are some retailers suffering from a slow transitional pace? The survey suggests it could be connected to strategy and leadership issues. For instance, 77% of IT leaders agree that they need to virtualize their infrastructure. However, nearly half (44%) state they don’t have a clear virtualization strategy in place. Not only that, but there seems to be frequent conflict between key stakeholders: a quarter (27%) of IT leaders claim to have priorities that conflict with those of business leaders.
We have a huge migration plan. You have to consider resources, understanding what is currently running on different platforms, the different codes, the different libraries, and more. We are assessing where we are and then building the same environment into a new platform. We can't just board that in one day; it has to be tested for weeks and months. - Tarun Samtani, Group DPO, Boden
Retail is clearly able to address shortcomings in key areas, as demonstrated by its rebalancing of investment in big data and analytics, IoT, and AI. Retail is also taking a more even-handed approach to cybersecurity than are other verticals. But some retail IT leaders must now apply this proactive mindset to their core transitional strategies—or risk a faltering transformation that allows faster-moving competitors to pull ahead of them.
How must retail IT leaders manage network modernization?
Deal with technology blind spots. Reassess your prioritization strategies to check key technologies and capabilities, such as blockchain, aren’t being sidelined.
Stay open to OA. Revisit your Open Architecture strategy to confirm that it fulfills your expectations for key functionality, including API deployment.
Face up to future network computing-power needs. Re-analyze your current network computing capabilities: is your network computing power able to service your needs today and the future? If not, it could jeopardize your ability to evolve as new technologies come online.
Address SD-WAN concerns. Tackle SD-WAN-related security concerns now. Consider consulting with SD-WAN security specialists to help keep your network protected.
Collaborate to roll out your network strategy. A lack of strategy and leadership could be preventing successful transformation from happening at pace. Review your digital transition strategy to identify where you can accelerate it. Failure to do so could leave you open to threats from faster-moving competitors.
This report is part of a research series called The Intelligent Business.


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It's already Tuesday and we haven't written anything about UNIQLO this week, so if you are waiting until May for the chain's Costello Tagliapietra collaboration, model Agyness Deyn and her sister Emily have something to tide you over until then. When UNIQLO approached the famous catwalker for a project, she turned to her sister who has started her own fashion company. The two took Polaroid photos of their favorite New York activities which will decorate a line of T-shirts and tanks for the chain's UT line. The result of their efforts will be available at the store this Friday April 30th.
We have no word whether or not the popular model will be making any appearances to promote the collaboration, but if you stop by the store this Friday, look for the tall, striking bald chick. Aggy has relinquished the bowl cut seen at the right and was recently photographed with her famous locks completely shorn.
Aggy Approved Tanks and Tees (Modelinia)
Collaboration Anticipation: Costello Tagliapietra Hits UNIQLO in May


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Speed, high tech lubricants and attempting world record!
Yes, in 2016 you will get a chance to see the Bloodhound Project take off from your door-step.
‘Hakskeen’ is an Afrikaans word meaning heel and Northern Cape at Hakskeen Pan will be the host venue.
Castrol as a global headline sponsor of the Bloodhound Project that is preparing to set a World Land Speed record in South Africa, invited select guests at the Johannesburg Castrol Edge Speed Cult to explore a number of innovative tools designed to bring the Bloodhound experience within easy reach.
Sought after models in the form of Ford GT40, Jaguar F-Type S Coupe, Nissan GT-R and a yet-to-be-launched Ford Mustang, were on display.
Our fellow South Africans Chris Wall, Lindiwe Mtshali and Philip Baker won the chance to see their names rush to 800mph – or 1 287km/h – and a new World Land Speed record next year and their names will be printed on the Bloodhound SSC tailfin.
“We are extremely proud to be involved in this event and to see our brand being represented in a global spectacle happening right on our doorstep,” says Shren Moodley, Castrol’s Marketing Manager for Africa.
“At Castrol, we have over 110 years built a proud history of fuelling pioneers and this partnership gives us the chance to showcase how our high performance products set new standards and continue to push boundaries.”
Historically, Castrol has supported the spectacular feats of early pioneers and record breakers, and its notable heritage in land speed racing is further testament to this.
The record has been set 21 times with Castrol as a partner. It was instrumental in Sir Malcolm Campbell’s first attempt in 1924 (he reached 235 km/h in the Sunbeam), and Castrol was on hand when Bloodhound pilot Andy Green set the current record (1 228 km/h) in Thrust SSC in 1997.
The Bloodhound SSC is currently being built at the team’s base in Bristol, UK in time for the race in SA (2106), for the very first time.
Fast and furious BMWs mesmerised by the smoking clouds and ear-splitting engine roared to complete an amazing evening.
Indeed, this is gonna be a bloodhound…
Now you have a convincing answer why the two brands are in common. Aha!


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3DS selling faster than the DS did
Nintendo has revealed that despite its disappointing sales performance before the price drop the 3DS has outsold its predecessor during its launch year.
The 3DS has managed to reach 2.37 million units sold in eight months, a target that the DS took 12 months to reach.
Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime said: "In sales through this past Saturday - 8 months - [the 3DS] has outsold the full 12 months of the original DS. During that 12 months time, the original DS sold 2.37 million and we just surpassed that this past Saturday, so we've got real good momentum going into the holidays."
Fils-Aime also noted that, as well as the price drop, the release of Super Mario 3D Land has helped the 3DS reach more gamers.
- The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter gets a PC release date
- Sony schedules PSN maintenance for Monday
- Warframe update 14 hits PS4 as it closes in on 10 million registered users
- Bungie releases the official Destiny launch gameplay trailer
- Codemasters releases a new Austria hotlap video for F1 2014
- Eden Hazard joins Lionel Messi on the cover of FIFA 15
- PS Vita getting a five-game Adventure Mega Pack hardware bundle
- Lords Of The Fallen has “a steep learning curve”
- PS4 trailer arrives for Dreamfall Chapters, and some screenshots too


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Hotel chains such as ITC, Accor Hotels, and Sarovar are looking to upward revise their room tariffs owing to increased average occupancies and favourable demand-supply situation. The hike in rates could range between 8% and 10% this year. The Indian hotel sector is inching closer to the 70% average occupancy mark and the national average occupancy rate of around 66% in 2017-18 was the highest the industry has witnessed in almost a decade as per various industry estimates. A report by HDFC Securities in October last year said occupancy demand in the near future is projected to outgrow supply.
FMCG major, ITC, will launch its own e-commerce operation for selling premium and niche products in order to tap the growing online sales segment, executive director B Sumant said. The conglomerate will sell both food and non-food FMCG products from the recently launched e-store, itcstore.in. The company is running a pilot service to sell gourmet chocolates, Fabelle, on the portal. The online store will initially sell in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata. ITC has also launched an e-store and an app for stationary products. ITC currently sells through online trade partners like Amazon, Flipkart, Grofers and Big Basket.
Eight of the 10 most valued Indian companies together added Rs 53,741.36 crore in market valuation last week, with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and TCS being the biggest gainers. While RIL shares gained Rs 19,047.69 crore in market cap, TCS shares soared Rs 12,007.64 crore. Only ITC and HDFC from the top-10 list suffered losses in their market for the week ended Friday, February 8. Others gainers included HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), Infosys, SBI, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd and ICICI Bank.
Diversified conglomerate ITC Limited would invest Rs 1700 crore in West Bengal towards setting up an FMCG plant and upgrading of existing facilities, said MD Sanjiv Puri at the fifth edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit. The company's committed investments in the state, with an outlay of Rs 4,000 crore across agriculture, manufacturing and services includes two new state-of-the-art mega food processing facilities at Uluberia and Panchla in Howrah district, which are fully operational and running at high capacity, he said.
The Department of Economic Affairs in response to a RTI said the Indian government is in the final stages of formulating regulations on cryptocurrencies. The RTI was filed by Coin Crunch India on December 13, 2018, asking whether the panel on cryptocurrency has recommended a ban on Bitcoin. While there is no formal declaration by the Indian government on the legalisation of cryptocurrencies, the response has made it clear the government is planning to regulate them. The government had set-up a panel in December 2017 to examine a framework for regulating cryptocurrencies.
ITC reported a 3.84% increase in standalone net profit at Rs 3,209.07 crore in the December quarter 2018, boosted by good performance in FMCG and Agri businesses. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 3,090.20 crore in the year-ago period. Gross revenue from sales was up 15.09% year-on-year to Rs 11,340.15 crore as against Rs 9,852.74 crore. During the quarter, revenue from total FMCG business was up 10.31% to Rs 8,274.36 crore as against Rs 7,500.97 crore in the year-ago period, while revenue from cigarettes was at Rs 5,073.38 crore, showing an increase of 9.59% year-on-year.


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Paladion launches SOC book for enterprises to counter data breaches
The recent cases of cybersecurity breaches and escalation in the number of computer malware attacks have raised a concern among customers and enterprises who deal with IoT devices. There is need to adopt a proper cybersecurity strategy on the part of businesses to safeguard their data from such malicious practices. Thus, a robust cybersecurity strategy today has become a “must-have” commodity.
To avert such attacks and to reduce the risk of data breaches, a company’s Cyber defence services and offerings ought to be strong. Paladion, a security service provider, always takes pride to deliver such par excellence services to its consumers.
Paladion has come up with its Next-Gen SOC book, co-authored by Frost and Sullivan entitled, “How to build an Adaptive Future Ready Security Operations Centre”. The book suggests analytic solutions to enterprises on how to safeguard their companies against the data security breaches.
The book predicates upon the risk of increasing cyber threats in enterprises and how best the enterprises will be able to combat these advanced threats using machine intelligence, security automation and human expertise. It throws light on the solutions, recommendations and preventive methods to follow against cybersecurity breaches.
Sunil Gupta, President and Chief Operating Officer, Paladion Network, speaking on the book launch at an event in New Delhi, said, “Cyber threats have probably the second-largest impact on the global GDP, narcotics being in the first position. And India is in one among the top five countries which had seen the largest cyber threats in 2016.”
He added, “The security posture of a lot of enterprises is not ready to combat such advance threats. When we started thinking about it and as we studied tracking more and more people, we realized that there is lot to be done about. Today, the technology which enterprises are using is not enough, and the people that are deploying are not augmented, enabled and empowered. The idea is to help people adopt a preventive and future-ready SOC (security operations centre). The book talks about how to augment human intelligence and is also about moving from a tradition SOC to next-gen SOC.”
In most cases, businesses address threats through weak authentication practices; the book will help users to apply a high performance and effective cyber framework to defend and secure their data against the modern and advanced cyber threats and enable the ideal security management in an affordable way.
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While the UK as a whole is feeling pretty damp at the moment, owing to an unseasonal spate of heavy storms and squalls, travel agents and tour operators must be feeling particularly under the weather.
Last year’s unexpected scorching British summer encouraged people to stay in the UK, so with the contrasting wash-out this year, one might expect the mass-market travel industry to be enjoying a bumper season.
But so far, the signs are that the high street travel agents, many of them owned by vertically integrated tour operators, are not seeing any major resurgence in sales. The latest cumulative figures for high street holiday sales (to the end of July) show a drop of seven per cent on last year, to 10.5 million (AC Nielsen). Disturbingly, the figure is lower than the 10.8 million recorded in the industry’s traumatic year of 2002, the summer season that followed the September 11 terrorism attacks in the US. The fall in demand has put some independent package operators under pressure and only last week short-break company Travelscene was declared insolvent.
Even some of the online travel companies catering for the needs of the ever-increasing band of independent travellers are having a tough time, with both Lastminute.com and Ebookers issuing profits warnings during the past year.
Other ports of call
The decline of the traditional two-week “sun, sea and sand” mass-market holiday and the subsequent impact on high street travel agents has been well documented. However, the stampede away from the travel agents seems to have been more accentuated this year. One analyst says: “The market was very soft in May, June and July and has been one of the worst times people can remember.”
German-owned TUI UK’s Thomson Holidays brand is the biggest holiday supplier by volume and value on the high street. The company also operates the Lunn Poly retail chain. TUI UK marketing director Hugh Edwards says: “We think we will be four per cent down, year on year, through the high street.”
Stuart Jackson, commercial director of independent tour operator Cosmos, owned by Globus Travel Group, says that its business with travel agents is three per cent down, but that overall sales are “on a par with last year”.
However, it is not bad news everywhere: Mike Greenacre, chief operating officer of the Co-operative Travel Trading Group (CTTG), the buying and marketing body for the Co-op’s five travel chains, says sales at United Co-ops, a 100-strong chain in the North, are up seven per cent on last year.
The travel companies cite various factors that have caused the fall-off in mass-market sales, including the impact of the Euro 2004 football tournament that kept people at home in June and the increasing trend toward late booking, as consumers look for more flexibility and shorter breaks. Nigel Ragg, head of marketing at specialist operator Mark Warner, says: “People are booking much later in the season, particularly where peak weeks are concerned. They are also not going for two-week holidays any more – they want to spread their holidays out across the season.”
Alongside TUI, the major tour operators are First Choice, MyTravel and Thomas Cook. Although between them the “big four” own approximately half of the high street travel outlets, they all say that the drop in high street sales is being balanced by a migration to their direct sales operations, in the form of call centres, television stations and websites.
However, they know they are battling against a customer trend to create bespoke holiday packages with flights and accommodation booked separately on the internet, through travel sites such as Expedia, Lastminute.com and Ebookers.
Given this trend, it is hardly surprising that none of the big four have sizeable retail expansion plans. Indeed, TUI UK, which has just signed a property management deal with Lambert Smith Hampton, is widely expected to prune its Lunn Poly outlets.
The operators are experimenting with improved targeting of retail formats to satisfy particular customer profiles. Examples include Lunn Poly’s Farnborough store, aimed at the well-heeled traveller, and Thomas Cook’s Active store at the Milton Keynes Xscape leisure centre (MW August 14, 2003).
Both Edwards and Richard Carrick, chief executive of self-catering specialist Hoseasons Holidays and a former MyTravel marketer, say that the number of internet bookings will increase as more people sign up to broadband. Carrick says: “I believe that fewer people are prepared to shop at travel agents. The Web has allowed consumers to become experts in travel. There is a perception that the Web is cheaper, too, though in reality that may not be the case.”
However, he adds that the big four are driving direct sales and “sell more on the phone than they are prepared to admit publicly”.
The Web’s not working
Although there is a move towards internet bookings, some online companies are also having a tough time. Many compete directly with the tour operators by offering cheap packages, as well as allowing holidaymakers to create bespoke getaways. Ebookers has issued a number of profits warnings and Lastminute.com reported poor second-quarter results three weeks ago. Pre-tax losses were up 39 per cent, to &16.9m, partly caused by absorbing acquisitions such as Holidayautos.com.
These companies rely to a large extent on the distressed inventory of tour operators, cruise companies, hotels and other travel sectors and make their profit from the margin between the price paid for stock and the price it fetches on the websites.
However, they are facing something of a supplier backlash. Tour operators are improving their management of the number of packages they provide each season to the travel market and are investing in their own direct websites to clear excess stock.
The hotel market, which is experiencing a post-September 11 resurgence, wants to increase room prices and regain control of its inventory. In the US, hotel giant InterContinental Hotels Group, which owns Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and other brands, has announced it will no longer deal with IAC/InterActiveCorp’s online company Expedia – calling into question the future of Expedia’s sister company Hotels.com.
Oriel Securities leisure analyst Mark Brumby says: “The online operators are agents: they do not control what stock they have – and if their suppliers have developed an internet model to be as efficient, then the online vendors have not got a business.”
Not only are companies such as Travelocity, Octopus, Opodo and Ebookers having to cope with a reduced product supply, they are also on the back foot when it comes to the public’s recognition of their own brands versus those of established tour operators.
A spokeswoman for Lastminute.com claims that the issues between InterContinental and Expedia are very much a US problem and that relationships with suppliers in Europe are stronger, but she admits that there is increased competition. She adds: “There is still a long-term value in the business – we offer a much more comprehensive lifestyle service.”
High street hurries
The travel agents, too, are fighting back against the dedicated online companies. CTTG has carried out research on the time it takes to research and book a holiday on the internet, and found that it is speedier to visit a travel agent. The company will use the information for a PR and possible ad campaign.
Tour operators are also raising their game by investing in new methods of marketing. Edwards believes in making TUI a “power brand” and in partnership with Thomson, the brand has sponsored Tottenham Hotspur and Sky News Weather, and is appearing in a TV branding campaign. Conversely Thomas Cook, probably one of the most recognised brands in travel, has decided it does not need to advertise and recently parted company with TBWA/London (MWJuly 22). Instead, it will concentrate on direct mail and database management.
First Choice, which analysts acknowledge has a robust business model thanks to its diversification into more specialist areas such as adventure holidays, sponsored the successful TV show “I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here” earlier this year (MWNovember 13, 2003). The company is still considering its marketing strategy for 2005.
But not all operators have managed to ride out these troubled times. Travelscene went bust last week partly thanks to the trend towards independent travel, fuelled by cheap flights from the likes of easyJet and Ryanair. As a consequence, the company’s sales director, John Harding, has stepped down as president of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) ahead of its annual conference in November.
Meanwhile, analysts believe time could also be running out for MyTravel, which discovered a large black hole in its accounts in 2002 and has suffered an exodus of senior executives. The latest to leave is MyTravel Airways chief operating officer Tim Jeans. The company is trying to restructure, but is not believed to be able to hedge its fuel orders.
TUI may also face a sale or break up: its biggest shareholder, WestLB, has indicated it wants to sell its 31 per cent stake. The move has been triggered by the investment bank’s drive to sell off non-core assets rather than the troubles of the travel industry.
Brumby does point out that recent massive upheavals, from September 11 to the Iraq War, have meant “the past four years have been very difficult to measure and compare” in the travel industry. He says there have been distortions in the market: in the first quarter of last year, for instance, the Iraq War dampened bookings, then in the second the “Baghdad bounce” saw them strengthen.
And a measure of optimism is returning to the travel industry thanks to reports of a more buoyant August, and there are hopes that this will continue through to the end of the main holiday season in September.
But few things are certain in the travel industry, subject as it is to world events like acts of terrorism, fluctuations in exchange rates, changing consumer tastes and the burgeoning price of fuel. Future survival in a very competitive environment will depend on flexibility and quick responses to consumer trends.


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Solo Brands Inc. has drawn at least two analyst downgrades on the heels of a revenue warning earlier this week, with the stock now trading at all-time lows since its initial public offering in 2021.
Solo Brands Inc. DTC,
On Monday, the online retailer of outdoor lifestyle products cut its 2023 revenue forecast to $490 million-$500 million, from its earlier view of $520 million-$540 million. It also named a new chief executive, Christopher T. Metz.
Citi on Wednesday downgraded the stock to neutral from buy and said the company’s “fire doesn’t look as bright” due to a more challenging outlook on a softer-than-expected holiday sales.
“The changing management team further compounds uncertainty about 2024 for which any changes to the business will likely take time to show up,” Citi analyst Chasen Bender said in a research note.
William Blair analysts Phillip Blee and Sabrina Baxamusa on Tuesday downgraded Solo Brands to market perform from outperform.
A marketing push from celebrity Snoop Dog in the company’s first national advertising campaign has not boosted the company’s prospects significantly, the analysts said.
While the campaign was released “with much fanfare” ahead of Black Friday, the company did manage to “raise brand awareness among a broader set of consumers but fell short of the expected sales lift on a longer purchase consideration cycle,” analysts said.
But the effort could offer potential upside over the longer term, analysts said.
While the company’s partnership with Target Corp. TGT,