text:
Blockbuster to Launch Set-Top Box for the Holidays6 Nov, 2008 By: Erik Gruenwedel
Blockbuster is planning to bow for the holidays a set-top box that would deliver movies on demand from its Movielink download service. The Dallas-based DVD rental chain next year also will bow a Blockbuster-branded widget on Intel-manufactured chips imbedded in IPTV monitors.
Chairman and CEO Jim Keyes, who made the announcement Nov. 6 during a call with investors, offered no additional information on the set-top box, including manufacturer, price and availability.
Analyst Edward Woo with Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles said the set-top box device sounded ambitious, but wondered how consumers under pressure from the current economic downturn would receive it.
“Until I hear more concrete information, I'm not sure how receptive consumers will be and whether it will be different or better than other boxes out there or planned be out there,” Woo said.
Blockbuster downplayed posting a third-quarter (ended Oct. 5) net loss of $17.8 million and 2.7% decline ($33.6 million) in total revenue to $1.2 billion, citing a limited slate of movie titles and competition from Olympic telecasts.
The Dallas-based DVD rental giant said the loss was 48% less than the net loss of $34.4 million during the previous year period.
Domestic same-store revenue increased 5.1% due to a 0.8% growth in same-store rental revenue and a 30.7% increase in same-store merchandise sales, driven largely by increases in sales of games software and hardware.
Blockbuster chairman and CEO Jim Keyes said in a call with analysts that the chain’s ability to overcome a 53% drop in August theatrical box office comps and the public’s growing interest in the presidential campaign underscored the resilience of DVD.
He said Blu-ray rentals now account for 2% of the chain’s domestic revenue. Keyes said Blockbuster stores will increase availability of player selections at prices competitive with other CE chains.
International same-store revenue decreased 3.4% compared to last year, reflecting a 2.2% decline in same-store rental revenue and a 5.0% decline in same-store merchandise sales.
Global same-store revenue grew 1.9% from the same period last year.
“We weathered a third-quarter storm that in hindsight proved to be even a little bit more challenging than we anticipated,” Keys said. “Key initiatives around merchandise assortment, in-stock availability (at 60% from 25% last year in first week) and expense reduction allowed us to deliver our third consecutive quarter of positive domestic same-store sales.”
He said the improved offerings resulted in the average net rental rate rising from $2.98 last year to $3.43 this year.
The CEO said he remained confident in what is expected to be a difficult fourth quarter due to a flurry of encouraging year-to-date data.
Specifically, paying actives per store are up 1.4%; revenue per visit up 15.4%; net paid rental rate up 17%; net total revenue per square foot up 7.6%;“gross profit per square foot up 2.4%; same-store rental revenue up 11%; and total same-store revenue up 16%, he said.
Keyes said Blockbuster’s DVD-by-mail had been intentionally ignored until the chain refined other aspects of its business.
“We don’t see it as a dominant growth engine,” he said.
Finally, Keyes tempered expectations for the digital download market, which he said is dominated by cable VOD and estimated to be $1.4 billion today and $2.5 billion by 2011.
“Right now we’re mostly interested in understanding consumer response and keeping pace with the emerging technologies available,” he said.
Analyst Marla Backer with Soleil Securities Group said she remained positive about Blockbuster and Keyes, especially with the chain’s improved customer service and availability of new releases.
“There is still considerable upside opportunity,” Backer said in a research note.
Separately, Blockbuster said it has been experimenting with three pricing models in test markets in Florida, but had no immediate plans to alter its current prices throughout 7,500 worldwide stores.
The tests include “demand pricing,” whereby higher profile titles most coveted during their initial week of release would rent for $4.99 for two days, compared to $3.99 for other new releases and 99 cents for classic titles.
Keyes said consumers had responded favorably to five-day rental terms and lower priced daily rental rates. The company also is testing weekly memberships that include a rewards program for a $20 annual fee and unlimited monthly rentals for games and movies.
“We are working toward a market-by-market deployment of some variation of the daily, weekly and monthly rates between now and the first quarter of next year,” Keyes said.


text:
New research examining the progress of Australian businesses towards net zero has revealed that 10 per cent of banks and financial institutions are already carbon neutral.
Financial service providers were reported to be twice as likely to have reached net zero in comparison to businesses in other industries, of which only 5 per cent are carbon neutral.
These findings come from a new report published by Microsoft ANZ and a research team led by Dr Chris Brauer, director of innovation at Goldsmiths, University of London.
For the report, businesses were assessed against seven key dimensions of sustainability including decarbonisation, supply chain sustainability and technological innovation.
Financial services providers were found to be 14 per cent more likely than other businesses to have achieved the highest marks for their performance across all of the dimensions.
They were also said to be 11 per cent more likely to invest in technology that enables them to measure carbon emissions across their businesses, and 13 per cent more likely to have the in-house skills and expertise needed to put their sustainability strategies into practice.
“Our research demonstrates that Australia’s financial services providers are taking big strides on their sustainability journeys,” said Microsoft ANZ financial services executive, Rebecca Engel.
“From decarbonising their own operations to investing in sustainability-focused tech, they’re leaders among industries in almost every dimension we looked at.”
However, the report warned that 28 per cent of businesses in the financial services industry were set to miss the net zero target they are aiming to reach by 2050.
A clear, enterprise-wide strategy for decarbonisation and sustainability was identified as the biggest obstacle towards achieving net zero by 39 per cent of decision makers.
“Our study shows that leaders are struggling to operationalise their sustainability plans,” commented Microsoft ANZ sustainability director, Brett Shoemaker.
Decision makers also cited a lack of access to technology such as carbon-capping software and emissions visualisations dashboards as hampering their journey towards net zero.
About 28 per cent said their business did not have access to the necessary funding to implement a sustainability strategy and 31 per cent highlighted the challenge of locating green skills.
Jon Bragg is a journalist for Momentum Media's Investor Daily, nestegg and ifa. He enjoys writing about a wide variety of financial topics and issues and exploring the many implications they have on all aspects of life.

domain: news


text:
While it stands to reason that every year’s iPhone is an improvement on the last, the changes have sometimes been quite incremental from one generation to the next. Is this one of those years?
Here are the biggest rumored upgrades for the iPhone 16.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Price and availability
The standard iPhone’s price has remained static at $799 since 2020’s iPhone 12 (albeit with the cheaper $699 5.4-inch iPhone mini being phased out in favor of the $899 6.7-inch Plus). We could be due a price increase, therefore, but Apple may decide to keep pricing competitive and reserve any bumps to the Pro models. It’s too early to tell.
Availability is far easier to predict. Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will almost certainly launch in September, as every non-SE iPhone has for over a decade (barring the Coronavirus-era iPhone 12, which launched a month later due to supply chain difficulties).
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design and display
We’re not expecting “significant design changes” for the iPhone 16, according to the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. While the Pro models may be a little bigger this year, the regular models will reportedly retain the same 6.1-inch/6.7-inch screen, with the same 60Hz refresh rate.
But there are a couple of changes to be excited about. Just as the iPhone 15 inherited Dynamic Island from the previous year’s Pro models, we’re expecting the Action Button to replace the long-serving mute switch in 2024.
Additionally, all the phones are reportedly getting a dedicated Capture button for quick access to the cameras. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims this is predominantly for shooting video.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Specs and cameras
Since the iPhone 14, Apple has given the Pro models a faster processor, with the entry-level iPhones sporting year-old chips. They’re still some of the fastest phones around, just not as fast as the Pro models.
But an early rumor suggests that Apple may be abandoning this division for the iPhone 16, with both handsets getting the A18 chipset. There still could be a divide, with the Pro models getting a more powerful version of course, but it’s intriguing all the same.
The good news continues elsewhere, with the analyst Jeff Pu claiming that 2024 will see the iPhone 16 getting an extra 2GB RAM, taking it to 8GB. On top of this, there’s also talk of support for the faster Wi-Fi 6E standard, should you have a compatible router.
After the introduction of the 48MP sensor to the iPhone 15, we’re not expecting any big changes to the camera array, however — unless you consider a possible change of layout to be a big deal.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Software
It’s no secret that the iPhone 16 will arrive with iOS 18. The contents of the operating system update aren’t currently known, though there’s an assumption that Apple will go big on artificial intelligence with a substantial upgrade to Siri that’s reportedly being tested as we speak.
Of course, iOS 18 will also be available to older iPhones, but the AI features may be exclusive to the iPhone 16 if they require a hardware bump to function. Additionally, the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reckons the iPhone 16 will have an improved microphone to help with Siri requests.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Outlook
While the changes outlined above largely aren’t going to be revolutionary (with the possible exception of AI integration in iOS 18), it looks like a solid set of upgrades for the iPhone 16.
If Apple can keep the price static for the fourth year in a row, there’s no reason to think this will end the company’s run of excellent smartphones.


text:
Confirmed: Giant Bomb bought by CBS Interactive
GameSpot parent CBS Interactive has bought popular US site Giant Bomb, its been announced.
An AllThingsD piece first broke the news, but a Giant Bomb livestream has confirmed it.
The site will move into the GameSpot offices.
The sale comes as part of a wider deal that sees GB's parent company Whiskey Media bought by BermanBraun. Most of Whiskey's sites will remain with Berman, while GiantBomb and Comic Vine will be sold to CBS.
Giant Bomb was co-founded by ex-GameSpot alumni Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis after the former was infamously and controversially fired from the site after his review of Kane and Lynch: Dead Men.
Gerstmann has said in the stream he will explain lwhy he was fired from the site in 2007 alongside current GameSpot boss John Davison in a livestream at 4pm PST (11pm GMT) today that'll be hosted on both Giant Bomb and GameSpot.


text:
Watch now! Digital Renaissance in Brazil: e-commerce and payments
Let’s see what is the e-commerce and payments landscape in Brazil, the number one market in Latin America?
E-commerce in Brazil: how consumers in the country pay and shop online?
Latin America’s leading market, Brazil is the largest country in South America, the fifth largest nation in the world, and a heavyweight e-commerce contender. Representing 57% of all online sales among Latam’s Six Main Markets, with a $ 153 billion...
Top 4 local payment methods for e-commerce in Chile
As online shopping continues to grow and sales reach USD 16 billion in 2021, it becomes apparent that the Chilean market is fertile ground for those looking to invest.
Originally published on March 04, 2020.Blog post updated on November 15, 2022.
E-commerce in Chile: how consumers in the country pay and shop online?
The highest sales volume per capita in Latam, a huge rate of banking penetration, stable economic scenario: Chile highlights the immense potential of the region’s smaller markets.


text:
SMEs says important issues not being addressed by politicians
Small businesses are disappointed with how important issues have been handled in the run to the general election, recent research suggests. Two-thirds of business owners said politicians had not properly addressed the issues that face small businesses, a survey of more than 1,000 companies found report Harris & Co chartered accountants Northampton, the specialist small business accountants. Almost eight out of 10 did not trust politicians would follow through on the promises they made during the election campaign and nearly 63% said the quality of political debating had decreased in recent years. The research also found more than half (51%) said tax simplification was their top priority, closely followed by the economy (49%) and lowering the costs of doing business (45%).


text:
The £30 million investment in a proposed new hotel in Academy Street is justified by Inverness being at the forefront of visitor accommodation expansion in Britain, according to an international expert in the industry.
Tomorrow Highland Council’s south planning applications committee will consider an application by Bricks Group to build a Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, for which approval is recommended by officials.
Council officials are recommending the bid to create the new seven-storey, 155-bedroom hotel on the site of the Ironworks venue is approved.
Marc Finney, head of hotels and resorts at Colliers International, a key industry analyst, said: “The market in Inverness has bounced back quickly and strongly and average revenue is comfortably ahead of pre-pandemic levels.
“Dependent on category, room occupancies are slightly below 2019 levels but continue to build. Average rates are markedly higher and income growth is outstripping cost growth.
“The Inverness market continues to lack supply, particularly in the mid-scale and economy sectors. The new Marriott due to open later his year will not help much at this level.”
Invernessian Allan Davidson, Bricks’ chief operating officer, said: “City hotels are booming just now, further underlining Marc Finney’s expert judgement that there remains good scope to grow the Inverness market. Our new hotel would be a key building block in this further development of the city and the Highlands as a visitor destination.
“We’ve stayed committed to this project, and Bricks fund their own new hotel developments, a significant advantage as it guarantees that if and when planning consent is secured, the project will actually happen.”
He added: “Painstakingly close work with planners and the council’s design review panel over a sustained period has seen us make the necessary changes which have enabled this positive recommendation.”
Mr Davidson added: “This hotel represents a significant inward investment to the city which would also enhance the city centre retail and hospitality footfall.”


text:
Are gun stores considered “essential” under Gov. Little’s “stay at home” order?
That is a question many gun owners had after Little’s order earlier today.
So, what is the truth about whether they are essential or not?
After a call to Gov. Little’s office, they confirmed that gun stores are considered “essential.”
Within minutes of Gov. Little’s order to close all “non-essential” businesses, gun owners started asking about gun stores.
Of course, the leftists in the state are sure to mock gun owners for insisting that gun shops remain open.
To them, your safety and protection from criminals isn’t a necessity and they rather enjoy mocking gun owners for having a gun for protection.
In Idaho though, many consider the ability to carry a firearm and protect their family as the most essential right we have.
Thankfully, Gov. Little’s Policy Advisor on 2nd Amendment issues, Louis Hougard, confirmed that gun stores would be essential.
This will come as welcome news to Idaho’s gun owners.
I had fielded numerous messages and comments about the issue.
Additionally, I have spoken with a number of gun stores who also wondered about the order.
Mr. Hougard told me more information will be available soon. The official Idaho coronavirus website will have a document that will specify that gun stores were essential.
Idaho Code 46-1008 specifically prohibits such restrictions under an “emergency” clause.
For gun store owners, my recommendation would be to wait until you have that document in hand before making official decisions.
UPDATE: Below is a screenshot of the guideline listing “Firearms Businesses” as essential.
You can view the full document here.
Idaho Second Amendment Alliance


text:
A week ago, if someone had mentioned Omicron to me, I would have assumed it was a new Transformers villain. What a difference a week makes: we are now only too familiar with the latest Covid variant, as this week’s news has been dominated with stories about its spread across the globe.
Within hours, I started to receive messages from retailers asking what I thought might happen to footfall in stores. They didn’t have to wait long to find out: apparently stores have been exceptionally busy all week, with some shoppers apparently fearing history repeating itself with another lockdown at Christmas.
For what it’s worth, I don’t foresee that happening in the UK, although obviously it’s impossible to be 100% certain about anything pandemic-related. Hopefully, those retailers who stocked up in anticipation of strong December sales should be fine – although if they also have online sales capabilities as a back-up, that will help them sleep at night. On that note, Toymaster’s new website feature – linking directly to the websites of customers’ nearest Toymaster stores – has already boosted sales, so it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a strong multi-channel strategy.
That said, given the ongoing shortage of delivery drivers, a sudden spike in consumers moving from physical to digital purchases could possibly tip the whole situation over the edge anyway. With any luck, common sense will prevail: if people get their second jabs or boosters and wear masks, stores should not become off limits to the vast majority of shoppers. Fingers crossed, the same should be true for the early year trade shows in the UK; despite this week’s developments, I haven’t heard anyone expressing concern for the London Toy Fair.
I wish I could say the same about Nuremberg, but the rumours rumble on. The latest unofficial, unconfirmed reports suggest meetings next week will determine what happens…let’s hope the show organizer is soon able to re-confirm that the show will go ahead as planned. To be fair, every communication I have received from them thus far has reinforced that it’s full steam ahead, but it is obviously a bigger challenge for an international show than a predominantly domestic event.
It’s also full steam ahead for the Fence Club Christmas Ball this weekend: after a hiatus last year, this popular event returns on Saturday, and it will be great to see many friends and colleagues from the toy community at what is always a fun and glamorous night. Looking forward to a great evening and raising lots of money for the many deserving children’s charities which the Fence Club supports.
Our final issue of the year landed on desks this week – you can read the digital version of our December edition online now, including part one of our Nuremberg Toy Fair preview, all the latest news and industry moves, plus a smattering of amusing Santa hats to give it a festive vibe.
We’ve also seen several major retail developments announced this week, including the impending sale of Selfridges; the unveiling of a brand new US flagship store for Toys R Us in New Jersey’s American Dream Mall, which opens in mid-December and the return of the legendary Wicked Uncle tube advertising campaign. Mike O’Shea offered me a tenner if I could make it on a journey through the underground without spotting a poster, and his money was safe, as I didn’t get past Green Park before spotting several. Although the person who bet me a fiver back in the summer that we would all be travelling to Hong Kong in January wasn’t so lucky (unfortunately).
Finally, I mentioned last week that if there was any fallout from Black Friday, I would come back to the subject in this week’s Blog. At the time I wrote those words, I genuinely had no idea just how prescient they would be. Fallout there was, after Argos instigated an apparently last-minute Black Friday deal which saw 20% wiped off the price of pretty much all toys in its range. Yes, even the ones that had already been heavily discounted (some by as much as 50%) and, crucially, the ones out of stock – which was apparently quite a large portion of the range.
The indiscriminate nature of the reductions seems to have caught a lot of people off guard, even allegedly the Argos toy buying team. Ahead of Black Friday, most people had assumed that toy retailers would cherry pick their discounts and offer limited deals on a focused selection of lines., taking into consideration stock levels and the need avoid margin erosion at a time when cost increases have either been introduced or are impending.
However, there was a consensus that the public has come to expect Black Friday deals, and with UK toy sales figures proving to be lacklustre in October and inconsistent throughout November, some had begun to wonder whether consumers were holding back their festive spending in the hope that there would be attractive Black Friday deals on offer. It seems that either Argos lost its nerve and blinked first or was determined to take the opportunity to bolster its market share at the expense of profit margin. Either way, most toy suppliers we spoke to were both mystified and disappointed, while other retailers were almost certainly forced to look at their own pricing proposition and react accordingly. You have to feel sorry for some of the more experienced members of the Argos buying team: they must be wondering what on earth is going on sometimes.
Although I was quite pleased to get this reaction to the whole fiasco from Midco’s Dave Middleton: “All our ‘out of stock’ lines were 20% off this weekend too. Mind you, all the lines in-stock were full price and we had the best weekend of the year.” Who do you think is the better trader, Dave or Argos?


text:
With this announcement, the team at ERTC Expert has released a questionnaire to help business owners determine their eligibility for Employee Retention Tax Credits (ERTC). The firm seeks to maximize a client’s refundable claim payout from the IRS.
More information can be found at https://ertcexpert.us
The ERTC Expert qualification assessment offers businesses an overview of the ERTC claim process and a clear path to filing claims. The firm shares the origins and guidelines around the pandemic-related tax credit. ERTC is part of the CARES Act, passed to provide immediate financial relief to businesses who retained W-2 employees despite the financial crisis of 2020-21.
The CPA firm helps businesses distinguish between the PPP (Payroll Protection Plan) and the ERTC tax credit, both passed as part of the CARES Act. At the beginning of the pandemic, business owners were eligible for either the PPP or the ERTC, but not both. ERTC Expert state that in March of 2021, yet another Act, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, was passed. This act included modifications that made it possible for businesses to file a claim for an ERTC tax credit even if they have received a PPP loan.
Business owners can now apply for their ERTC tax credit through ERTC Expert by taking a 10-question survey that takes 15 minutes or less to complete. ERTC Expert charge no upfront fees and though ERTC was created simultaneously with PPP loans, business owners do not need to repay these funds. Similarly, how business owners use these tax credits is not restricted.
Following the review of a client’s eligibility, the team at ERTC Expert will create and review all relevant paperwork including the 941-X Amended payroll return.
A spokesman for ERTC Expert says, “The government has authorized unprecedented stimulus, and yet billions of dollars will go unclaimed. We help your business maximize your ERTC payout from the IRS and handle all the paperwork. When you engage us, rest assured that you’ve hired the best CPA Firm to lock in this one-time opportunity for a large refund check from the IRS.”
Interested parties can find more information by visiting https://ertcexpert.us
3646 State Highway OO


text:
LẠNG SƠN — Việt Nam’s fruit container trucks have been allowed custom clearance through China earlier than expected despite China’s original plan to cease custom clearance for a week for the Lunar New Year holiday.
A Việt Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association spokesperson said on January 5 that this was “good news for Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable export [for the start of the 2022 Lunar New Year.]”
In January China had announced that it would stop customs clearance of goods at the bordering Lạng Sơn Province for the holiday from January 31 to February 6.
However, two of three of the province’s border gates to China resumed custom clearance on February 3, with 115 containers exporting fruit cleared that day.
Đặng Phúc Nguyên, general secretary of the association, said that during the spring season, price of fruits exported to China would be high due to the country’s cold weather, leading to high demand for imported fruits.
China is Việt Nam’s largest buyer of fruits and vegetables, accounting for 53.7 per cent of Việt Nam’s export in 2021.
However, exports to the country have been falling over the last two years.
The country has been enforcing stricter regulations on agricultural produce imports in recent years.
Nguyễn Thanh Bình, chairman of the association, said that domestic businesses need to improve their capabilities to better satisfy China’s requirements and not lose market share to other exporting countries.
Việt Nam aims to export up to $4 billion worth of fruit and vegetables in 2022.
Fruit and vegetable exports in 2021 hit $3.56 billion, an 8.6 per cent rise compared to 2020.
Exports to the US and Europe saw high growth at 17.4 per cent and 29.1 per cent respectively. — VNS


text:
Netflix is increasing the price for new users.
In the media-streaming company’s Q1 earnings report, Netflix announced its price hike for new users, citing the need to increase its content collection.
But what about the current users? Netflix has a plan for its loyal customer base that will ease the minor payment increase.
The company will hold off increasing prices for current customers for an unspecified period of time, acting as a sort of grace period for current subscribers.
The company launched its price increase program in Ireland initially, and reported a “limited impact from our January price increase for new members in Ireland (from â‚¬6.99 to â‚¬7.99), which included grandfathering all existing members at â‚¬6.99 for two years.”
Of course, launching in only one country doesn’t boost revenue, so Netflix is rolling it out to everyone. “Our current view is to do a one or two dollar increase, depending on the country, later this quarter for new members only. Existing members would stay at current pricing (e.g. $7.99 in the U.S.) for a generous time period. These changes will enable us to acquire more content and deliver an even better streaming experience.”
Competing streaming services like Amazon Prime and Hulu are in the same price range, with Hulu costing $7.99 per month and Amazon Prime at $99 per year.


text:
Dr. Anne Snowdon’s latest paper shines a light on the relationship between health supply chain capacity and the impact of the pandemic on the health workforce.
The rapid surge in demand for critical products and access to care has placed enormous pressure on health systems worldwide. The pressure and uncertainty have had a significant impact on the health workforce, specifically the relationship between the health supply chain and the autonomy of the health workforce.
Dr. Snowdon’s research demonstrates that supply chain capacity must been seen as an integral component of the health ecosystem to ensure the workforce is confident in the safety of their work environments. Strengthening the health supply chain will be crucial to post-pandemic health system recovery.
Click here to read the article, published in Longwoods.
The article authors are Anne W Snowdon, BScN, MSc, PhD. and Michael Saunders, PhD.
Anne W. Snowdon is the scientific director and chief executive officer of SCAN Health, an international knowledge translation platform that engages health system leaders and supply chain experts to advance global capacity to adopt and scale best practices in the healthcare supply chain to offer traceability of products and care processes from bench to bedside to patient outcomes. She is a full professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor in Windsor, ON.
Michael Saunders is a postdoctoral fellow in the Supply Chain Advancement Network in Health (SCAN Health) at the University of Windsor in Windsor, ON.


text:
This article is part of a larger series that focuses on diversity and equity in marketing. As a company, we are committed to identifying actions we can take in the fight against racism and injustice, and elevating BBIPOC voices is paramount to inspiring change. Follow along and read other posts in this series here.
This post is authored by Anyssa Roberts, writer and journalist.
For the last two years, I’ve witnessed dozens of families and individuals celebrate the most gratifying accomplishment of their lives—paying off their debt.
I was a marketing copywriter for Ramsey Solutions, an influential personal finance company in Tennessee. I created content that made sales while improving our audience’s lives. I even followed the financial principles myself and celebrated my own debt-freedom in 2020, as a single, Black woman with an immigrant background.
Personal finance changed my life for the better and influenced the way I interact with marketing. That’s why it bothered me to read that Black people are most likely to consume products but are financially behind white and Latino counterparts, according to research. While most Americans report feeling as though they live paycheck to paycheck, minorities are most likely to face ongoing wealth gaps compared to their white peers.
In marketing, we, of course, want people to buy from us, but we also want our products and services to improve the lives of the people who use them. But where does this financial discrepancy lie in the Black community and how can we as marketers better support one of our largest consumer populations?
Black people are major consumers in the American economy and spend more than $1 trillion a year on goods and services.
“At 47.8 million strong and a buying power that’s on par with many countries’ gross domestic products, African Americans continue to outpace spending nationally,” said Cheryl Grace, Nielsen’s Senior Vice President of Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement and co-creator of the DIS Report in 2019.
We dominate as consumers in the beauty and personal care categories—a multi-billion dollar industry—and make up 90 percent of the consumers in the ethnic hair care category. We’re also 20 percent more likely than the total population to say they will “pay extra for a product that is consistent with the image I want to convey,” according to Nielsen’s report.
In short, our dollar matters.
It’s unfortunate, however, to see so many dollars exiting the Black community only to leave us beautiful and broke.
The average white family has eight times the wealth of the average Black family and five times the wealth of the typical Latino family, according to the Federal Reserve.
Let’s take a look at a couple of the reasons why Black people are behind when it comes to financial development and building wealth:
Lack of Access to Resources and Financial Education
Black people are more likely to face systemic financial challenges that limit their wealth-building ability. Some examples include having fewer financial resources, less access to employer-sponsored benefits and greater income volatility a TIAA study found. These challenges already limit financial advancement and are made worse by low financial literacy.
Financial literacy isn’t high amongst American adults in general. But in a study, Black people answered 38 percent of financial literacy questions correctly, and only 28 percent answered more than half correctly.
Low financial literacy also influences buying and investing habits. Black people have a tendency to get rid of assets too early or not acquire them at all, according to a TIAA research study.
These barriers hinder sound financial decision making as well as good financial management.
Expensive Spending Habits
The data shows that Black people like to shop, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, too much reliance on consuming products and services rather than producing them can hurt us more than help.
Nielsen reported that 52 percent of Black people find in-store shopping relaxing, compared to 26 percent of the total population. And about half of Black consumers say they enjoy wandering the stores looking for new, interesting products.
Currently, Black women trail behind Latino and white women in financial security, according to a research study by the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA). In their report, they found that 71 percent of Black women and 60 percent of Latino women had at least one expensive behavior in relation to the use of credit cards. Only 49 percent of white women had at least one expensive behavior.
A Nielsen report stated that Black consumer spending is highly influenced by advertising. Black people reported being 42 percent more likely than the rest of the American population to respond to mobile ads. They’re also more likely to respond to ads on television, radio and the Internet.
This is good news for us in marketing, because it means our ads are working; however, when we zoom out and look at the big picture of our impact on an already vulnerable community, we have to pause and analyze the full impact.
Expensive cars, clothes, hair, jewelry and vacations are perfectly fine products and services to market to the Black community, but if our marketing departments are targeting a community solely to buy their products without thinking of how they can serve that community, then we’re doing more harm to our customers than good.
Like many populations, Black people appreciate and almost demand to see themselves in marketing, but is our product or service helping or hurting? Are we selling a false image of success—something that makes us want to keep up with the Joneses rather than live meaningful and productive lives? As I shared earlier, we want people to buy our products and services, but we should also be concerned about the communities we are marketing to.
So how can we better support them as marketers?
As marketers, we don’t have to stand idly by while we watch one of the main consumer populations in America struggle. We can do something. In fact, it’s expected of us. Nielsen reported that 42 percent of Black adults expect brands they purchase from to support social causes. That’s 16 percent higher than the total population.
Here are just some of the ways we can support the financial advancement of Black people as marketers:
Support and Mentor Black Business Owners
By nurturing up-and-coming business owners, you support the growth and expansion of Black-owned products. This is important because it helps to balance the flow of money entering and leaving the Black community. It also creates more positive representation of Black entrepreneurs for the next generation to aspire to.
Support the Expansion of Financial Literacy Resources in Black Communities
Financial literacy is key to the advancement of the Black community. By sponsoring school financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs in Black populated areas, you’re helping to transform and uplift the Black community in a way that’ll impact generations.
Oppose Systemic Racism That Causes Financial Challenges
Racism is malleable and doesn’t always look as overt as it did during slavery or the Jim Crow era. Today, systemic racism affects Black people in many ways, including financially.
Underfunded schools and lack of support for first generation college students hurts exposure to education that qualifies people for better paying jobs. Unfair hiring practices and poor employee benefits also negatively impact Black communities financially.
By taking a stand, being aware of your marketing practices and supporting social causes that positively impact the Black community, you’re helping to support one of the largest consumer bases in America and developing a better relationship between you and your customers.
Anyssa Roberts is an award-winning journalist, copywriter and editor. She has written for the USA Today Network, The Spruce, Ramsey Solutions, a Dave Ramsey Company, among other marketing and news organizations. Currently, she uses content to help customer-centric brands hone their unique voice and connect with their audiences.
Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Anyssa earned her B.A. in journalism from the University of Kentucky and resides in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
Anyssa is passionate about personal finance and helping people to take control of their money. When she’s not writing, she can be found researching tiny houses, experimenting with new cocktails or solo traveling. Connect with her on LinkedIn or reach out via email. She’d love to hear from you.
Visit this page to see more in the series, or check back in a week for our next guest post.
Marigold is a family of global marketing technology brands including Campaign Monitor, CM Commerce, Delivra, Emma, Liveclicker, Sailthru and Vuture. By joining together these leading brands, Marigold offers a variety of world-class solutions that can be used by marketers at any level. Headquartered in Nashville, TN, Marigold has United States offices in Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York City, Pittsburgh and San Francisco, and global offices in Australia, London, New Zealand and Uruguay.


text:
Mike Alpert, the COO at Smart Health Clubs, shares why you shouldn’t put your virtual offerings on hold when you are reopening.
In the past 15 months, there have been quite a few articles written on virtual fitness. While it’s not new, it took the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of health clubs and gyms to capture the attention of many club operators. In many cases, virtual programming contributed a great deal in keeping clubs afloat during the pandemic as members were able to workout remotely with their favorite instructors and trainers.
Every club has a percentage of their members who have been anxiously waiting for the club to reopen and they are rushing back in. Clubs are certainly acquiring members whose clubs in their areas went out of business due to long-term extended closures of the pandemic. This might tempt some operators to put their virtual offerings — which include live streaming, on demand and two-way video conferencing — on hold or from getting into the virtual market.
Although your number one priority is to get your members back into your club quickly and to continually build your backlog of prospective new members, you are missing a golden opportunity if virtual fitness is not part of your programming mix.
Due to COVID-19, consumers are seeking wellness like never before and this has resulted in the increased demand for the digital delivery of wellness and fitness solutions. There is a huge segment — about 80% — of the population who don’t belong to a health club or gym, and a significant percentage of them are deemed “at risk” due to chronic illness. 154 million people — 74% of the population — in the United States are either overweight or obese. The total available market of this population represents $1.5 trillion and is a staggering number. If you can get them active by offering programs that they can do in the privacy of their own homes you will, at some time, convert a percentage into club members.
Let’s look at some numbers.
- The digital at-home fitness spend since COVID-19 has surged 30 to 40%.
- There are currently 87 million fitness apps in the United States and the online fitness market is expected to grow from $6 billion in 2019 to $59 billion by 2027, representing a 33% compounded annual growth rate.
- Peloton has 1.7 million subscribers and Beachbody, which just went public with an IPO, has 2.6 million subscribers.
Last week, United Healthcare made a major announcement that they have agreed to pay the recurring monthly subscription fee to Peloton for all of their healthcare subscribers for one year. This is a major shift by one of the largest healthcare providers in the country that is making a major financial commitment by encouraging their members to get active and to take charge of their health care and their health care costs. Even with a steep discount of the recurring monthly fee, assuming one was given, it represents a significant financial commitment. Other healthcare providers will surely follow suite. A pivot from treating sickness with costly drugs and costly procedures to exercise and programming that work at a fraction of the cost. Be the club that brings this to your members and non-members and stand out as the leading health club in your market.


text:
Audi AG is sustaining its expansion route looking at figure of 346,100 cars sold – a growth of 10.8 per cent – the last quarter of the year was the best in German automaker’s history. The company set-off steadily in the current calendar due in part to March statistics: approximately 143,500 cars sold and a 14.1 per cent climb in sales. German automaker with four rings has never before delivered so many cars within a month. Consumers in the USA and China market, where the German automaker accomplished record sales, as well, fuelled expansion in the course from January to March particularly. The business similarly indexed increase in Eastern Europe and in its local German market.
“We set-off with 2012 very fruitfully and anticipate expansion to prolong in the months to come,” says Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at Audi AG. “The much anticipated compact crossover Audi A3 will be launched from the second half of the current calendar, and we have just launched the next-gen A6L in China.” The extravagant saloon’s long-wheelbase edition is the segment ruler in China market.
Audi recently concluded the finest quarter ever in China – the business accomplished rise of 40.5 per cent by recording 25,941 further fresh Audi units sold to China market in comparison to the first quarter of 2011. From the 31,505 cars sold in March (+37 per cent), the biggest share was attained by the indigenously produced A4L, A6L and Q5 models. 4,674 additional individuals bought the Audi SUV (+139.9 per cent), in comparison to March 2011. In addition, Chinese market stands as on the vital markets for the Audi A8, adding an extra 40 per cent of worldwide sales of this luxury sedan. Luxury-class models give the German Audi the apparent boost in the US market, too. Roughly, two times as many consumers obtained deliveries of the A6 during the initial three months of current calendar than in the prior-year period (+87.3 per cent to 3,581 units). On the whole, the brand with four rings recorded 29,470 sold cars in the first quarter, accomplishing rise of 16.1 per cent – also Audi’s record in the US market. Deals climb by a double-digit number once again in March, by 18 per cent to 11,585 cars. Moreover, there was double-digit rise in sales in several vital markets in the Americas. For instance, first-quarter sale figure saw a climb of 23.3 per cent in Canada, 37.3 per cent in Brazil and 49.3 per cent in Argentina. Audi AG also enhanced its growing trend in homeland. The brand with for rings registered 25,140 sales record in the previous month recording a rise of 4.8 per cent. On the whole, rise during the initial three months of 2012 added up to 3 per cent, as 57,976 Audi models were sold in Germany. The A6 family played a key role, as German customers took delivery of 12,448 A6 units in the first quarter (+74 percent). The Avant stays as largely admired in Germany, and the newest makings are no exception. About two-thirds of A6 consumers went for picking this version.
The tendency for Europe as entire is rising for the Ingolstadt-based auto manufacturer, too. Even though Audi finished the first quarter with a minor fall in sales of 0.1 per cent, the automaker’s growth rates have seen a rise in each consecutive month, with rise in March of 7 per cent. This was owing particularly to figure of growth in three vital markets.
Sales figure of March in United Kingdom saw a rise by 8.6 per cent to 23,062 cars and in France by 5.4 per cent to 6,219 units. Growth demonstrated chiefly healthy in Russia, where the German automaker boost up March sales by 99.9 per cent to 3,404 vehicles. Sales figure was certainly striking for the next-gen of the A5 family, the SUV models and the new A6.
Emerging economies in the likes of India and South Korea also made imperative assistance to the quarterly sales record. Audi sales in India climbed by 40.8 per cent to 2,269 units sold in the first quarter. The German automaker recorded year-on-year growth of 41.7 percent in South Korea by selling 3,365 units.


text:
Regardless, here are some CX research insights that will put you on the path to better business resilience and growth …
Many separate independent studies have shown how companies in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) that invested in boosting customer experience (CX) are reaping benefits.
Those with more mature CX capabilities should logically improve business success in areas such as market share, increased customer-spend, and pivoting ability for resilience.
One study by Zendesk surveyed more than 1,000 CX managers and leaders globally and found that APAC businesses with mature CX capabilities were over 10 times more likely to grow faster customer spend than those with less mature CX; and over four times more likely to increase their customer base.
Additionally, more than half of APAC businesses with mature CX capabilities said they were able to ensure seamless transition to remote work for customer service and support agents during the pandemic.
Said Adam DeMattia, Director of Custom Research at ESG, which collaborated with Zendesk on the report: “Our research identified a clear connection between CX excellence and business growth. Companies that are at the Champion stage not only see better outcomes in traditional service metrics, such as resolution time and customer satisfaction, but they’re also experiencing positive business outcomes in customer spend, retention, and board-level support of CX as a business priority.”
With that in mind, here are some valuable insights that the two firms have distilled from their research:
Five lessons from Customer Champions
- Build a culture focused on CX, from the top down
CX champions see CX as a critical business priority. They also have greater involvement from senior business leaders, with over a third of champions in APAC reviewing CX Metrics with C-Suite executives on a daily basis: 7.8 times more likely than CX newbies.
- Do not forget your people
Service and support continue to be an area of focus among CX leaders, with agents at leading APAC organizations receiving an average of about a day of additional training per year than CX up-starters.
- Data-centric support delivers
CX ‘champions’ place a focus on KPIs and metrics to guide their support decisions. In APAC, 74% of champions state their KPIs can be reported in real-time.
- Automation and AI are making an impact
Responding to the increased volume of data and rising customer expectations, 43% of CX champions in APAC make use of automated methods of building and updating cross-channel customer profiles. AI tools, such as automated chatbots, are also making an impact on support performance.
- Invest in CX success
When asked about plans for the next 12 months, nearly three-fifths (59%) of APAC CX champions expect their organization’s CX spend to increase significantly, versus just 7% among CX starters. Additionally, 13% of Singapore respondent organizations expect a significant increase in CX investment at their organizations over the next 12 months.
“Starters not only have the challenge of catching up to their competition in customer service, but also ensuring the gap doesn’t widen,” added DeMattia. “To make these gains, it will be critical for leaders at CX-lagging organizations to make the most of their budgets by learning from their more mature peers and investing in the areas that can drive the greatest impact on their CX maturity.”


text:
Monnai was founded in 2021 by Ravish Patel and Pierre Demarche, technology leaders who had worked together at a Belgium-based global communications firm for over a decade. As they traveled extensively, living and working in more than 40 countries, the co-founders gained experience building and operating global tech businesses.
Despite their success, ongoing challenges in accessing financial consumer services motivated them to establish Monnai, a company focused on leveraging data, bridging gaps between global and hyper-local markets and helping all stakeholders thrive in a connected global community.
Demarche, who serves as CEO, stated Monnai is committed to building an innovative, diverse default global infrastructure that companies can access in real time through a single API. The infrastructure is based on four key pillars, which he summarized as onboarding, trust and fraud risk management, credit decisioning, and collections.
“Our Verification and Insights APIs deliver over 500 insights, enabling fintechs to grow rapidly and securely anywhere in the world,” he said. “With our solution, businesses benefit from 99 percent uplift in fraudulent identities detected and 85 percent users identified with high confidence and it takes less than a week to access 5 billion identity and behavior data in real time.”
Monnai’s 20 employees, based around the world, are led by Demarche, who is based in California, and Chief Product Officer Ravish Patel, who works in India, where engineering and operations teams support the company’s global infrastructure and APIs. Go-to-market and customer activities are led by local teams in India, the United States, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, company representatives stated, adding that LATAM will soon be added. Monnai noted that its infrastructure serves over 3 billion consumers in India, Southeast Asia and LATAM, leveraging more than 500 insights to enable fintechs to grow rapidly and securely anywhere in the world. The company expects its continued growth to reach more than 5 billion consumers in these emerging markets while powering regional and global fintech transactions.
Monnai’s near-term roadmap includes plans to further enhance infrastructure by vertically integrating data aggregation and orchestration solutions into a single offering. This enhanced infrastructure will help fintech and financial institution partners deliver high value, low maintenance financial products in emerging markets, the company stated.
Demarche pointed out that Monnai helps partnering organizations make informed decisions throughout the customer lifecycle in the following three ways:
Monnai reduces the complexities of disparate data, regulatory compliance and demographic bias through a single API, delivering ubiquitous decisioning insights to help our partner fintechs and financial institutions and service providers grow and scale, Demarche stated.
Notice to readers: These are archived articles. Contact names or information may be out of date. We regret any inconvenience.


text:
The restaurant industry has endured some tough times over the past year and a half. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry report, more than 110,000 restaurants throughout the U.S. closed their doors for some period of time due to COVID-19. Those that were able to re-open need security solutions to help them recover profits and minimize losses as much as possible. At ASI Security, we have those solutions. Our restaurant security technology can help restaurant managers do the following.
The modern hospitality industry faces a number of unique challenges. Today’s guests have high expectations for the hotels, motels and hospitality properties they visit — and, they aren’t afraid to voice their opinions or share their experiences online. There are also local criminal risks to contend with, homelessness on the rise and a new focus on terror risks connected to global events.


text:
Pandemic cost hospitality £100bn in sales: Hospitality businesses have suffered a £100.2bn drop in sales from pre-pandemic levels in the 15 months since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, the latest edition of the UKHospitality Quarterly Tracker with CGA reveals. Prolonged closures and severe trading restrictions limited total sector sales in the 12 months to end-June 2021 to an estimated £59.8bn – down by £72bn from the total of £131.9bn in the 12 months to end-June 2019. Adding on the second quarter of 2020, this brings total sales in the last 15 months to £64.4 bn, £100.2 bn below the total of £164.6 bn in the 15-month period to June 2019. The latest quarterly figures are a notable improvement on recent year-on-year comparatives, following the easing of restrictions for restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels and entertainment venues since mid-April, compared to a period when hospitality was almost totally shut in 2020. As a result, estimated sales in the three months to end-June 2021 totalled £18.4 bn, compared to £4.6 bn in the same quarter of 2020. The sharp increase shows that hospitality’s recovery is underway, and that strong consumer demand for the sector can help to power the UK’s wider economic revival. However, the £100.2bn shortfall in sales from pre-pandemic levels indicates the seismic impact of covid-19 on the UK’s hospitality sector. While the easing of restrictions from Monday 19 July has given businesses greater freedom to trade – and allowed some to open for the first time in 16 months – many now face major challenges including debt burdens, staffing crises and fragile consumer confidence. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “These figures confirm in stark terms the huge impacts on the hospitality sector during covid. Furthermore, while we hoped to be close to normal trading from 19 July, in reality hospitality businesses instead remain impeded, by the ongoing ‘pingdemic’ crisis, the pre-existing staffing shortage and the looming shadow of vaccine passports over some of the sector. History tells us that hospitality can be a leading economic force in driving an economic recovery but to do so in current conditions and with huge debt accruals, it will need further support to push it over the line and back to pre-covid trading. Extension of the business rates holiday, speedy resolution to the rent problem and retention of the lower VAT rate indefinitely are more crucial than ever to safeguard jobs and businesses.”
Updated database of multi-site businesses released at midday today and another brand new database released at same time too:
The updated database of multi-site companies for July, which is produced in association with Virgate, will be sent out today (Friday, 30 July) at midday. The Propel Multi-Site Database
will include 71 additions and is exclusively available to subscribers. The 71 new companies operate 477 sites between them and increase the total number of companies on the database to 1,951. Subscribers will not only receive the database as a PDF and an Excel spreadsheet, they will also be sent a 12,094-word report on the businesses added during July. The go-to database provides company names, the people in charge, how many sites each firm operates, its trading name and its registered name at Companies House if different. In a new feature this year, there is a synopsis of what the business does and significant news associated with it. It is updated at the end of every month. Premium subscribers will also receive a new database at exactly the same time today, at midday, (Friday, 30 July). The New Companies Database
will focus on the newly announced openings and upcoming launches in the sector and will be updated at the end of every month. Meanwhile, subscribers also have access to another database called Turnover & Profits Blue Book
. The Blue Book, which is also updated every month – on the second Friday of the month – provides an insight into UK operator turnover and profitability over five years, profit conversion and directors’ earnings. Subscribers also receive access to Propel’s library of lockdown videos and Friday Wrap interviews and now also have access to a curated video library of the sector’s finest leaders and entrepreneurs, offering their insights on running outstanding businesses in the sector. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before our 6am send-out; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel insights editor Mark Wingett. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The regular single subscription rate of £395 plus VAT for operators and £495 plus VAT for suppliers remains the same. In today’s (Friday, 30 July) Premium Opinion column, Propel insights editor Mark Wingett looks back at the week just gone, with a focus on the decision by NewRiver to sell Hawthorn to Admiral Taverns. Email firstname.lastname@example.org to sign up.
Shepherd Neame – we will lose less than originally forecast: Kent pub operator and brewer Shepherd Neame, has reported it has performed well, generating cash and profits ahead of our expectations since the resumption of trading on 12 April. The company stated: “Initial outdoors trade from 12 April to 16 May was encouraging, but demand has taken a step up from 17 May when indoors trade was allowed. The business continues to benefit from pent-up demand for the pub experience. Our rural and coastal pubs and hotels, in particular, are benefitting from their unique locations and great outside space. Beer volume in all channels is strong. Overall retail sales have been impacted by the extended closure of 15 Central London pubs. From 19 July, now that restrictions are lifted, we have re-opened almost all of these, although we expect their trade levels to remain below prior levels for some time to come. For the 11 weeks from 12 April to 26 June, managed pubs that were open and trading achieved 84% of their 2019 revenue and total retail sales, including those closed pubs in London, were 60% of 2019 levels. For the initial period of outdoor trading between 12 April and 16 May open pubs achieved 62% of 2019 levels and from 17 May, when indoor trading resumed, to the year end, those sites that were open achieved 97% of 2019 levels. Since full restrictions have lifted on 19 July we have seen a modest increase in sales. For the 11 weeks from 12 April to 26 June, our tenanted pubs achieved 77% of their 2019 volume. For the four weeks of June, they achieved 91% of 2019 beer volumes. After charging no rent for all the weeks of lockdown, our tenanted pubs returned to 90% of normal rent as from 21 June and, as from 2 August, will return to normal rent. Total beer volume has been resilient throughout the pandemic, and we have obtained new on trade customers and new listings in the grocery trade and export. As the on trade has re-opened, sales have been buoyant, with total volume in all channels in May and June up +8.4% versus 2019 and total own beer volumes excluding contract down -3.6% for the same period. Although the restart has been most encouraging, the company will inevitably report a loss for the financial year to 26 June, after such lengthy periods of closure, though less now than originally forecast.” Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame said: “It has been great to be open again, and our team members and licensees are delighted to be able to welcome our customers back. Although we continue to trade below full capacity, we have benefitted from strong pent-up demand. The business is back on the path to recovery and has been cash generative and profitable since re-opening. Although we naturally have to be cautious in case further restrictions are imposed during the winter months, we are now looking forward and planning beyond the pandemic with some optimism, driven by the rapid return to near normal trading levels in the past few weeks.”
Cineworld secures additional liquidity: Cineworld has secured $200m of incremental loans maturing in May 2024 from a group of its existing lenders. The company stated: “The new debt facility does not have a material impact on the group’s weighted average cost of debt. The group has also agreed covenant amendments on certain of its existing debt facilities, including reducing the minimum liquidity requirement and relaxing limitations on the use of cash, among other modifications which will further support the group as cinemas restart trading. Cineworld believes that this further liquidity, in addition to the US CARES Act refund of $203m that was fully received in May 2021 and the $213m convertible bond raised in March 2021, together with the tight control over cash usage will provide the group with the financial and operational flexibility and resilience to execute on its business strategy as it resumes its operations. Since cinemas started reopening in April 2021, trading has continued to improve, and the group is now well-positioned to benefit from pent-up customer demand and the exceptionally strong film slate through the second half of 2021.” Mooky Greidinger, chief executive of Cineworld, said: “The additional liquidity announced today provides the group with significant operating flexibility now that cinemas have opened across the world. We are monitoring the evolution of the virus and its potential impact on our business, but we are very excited about the potential of the unprecedented slate of films in the second half of 2021 (mainly in the fourth quarter). We remain confident in the prospects for our business and continue to look forward to welcoming our customers back to the best place to watch a movie.”


text:
March 23, 2018 – Affiliate Summit is pleased to announce that they have sold 70% of booths for Affiliate Summit East 2018.
Affiliate Summit is the biggest performance marketing event in the world, and the premier platform for you to meet publishers and advertisers.
Affiliate Summit East 2018 is taking place on July 29-31 at the New York Marriott Marquis.
Here are the top 10 reasons to why you should exhibit at Affiliate Summit East 2018*:
1. We run the biggest events for affiliate marketers in the world: last year 1,213 affiliates, 914 advertisers, and a total of 4,556 attendees came to New York
2. 77% of past attendees consider the Affiliate Summit events important to attend
3. 83% of past attendees consider Affiliate Summit the market-leading event
4. 76% of past attendees said that there were opportunities to network with relevant people, and this year we have more networking than ever with an even better VIP program, industry vertical roundtables and a personal networking manager for our sponsors
5. 86% of past attendees would recommend Affiliate Summit to a friend or colleague
6. On average 221 contacts were met at exhibitor stands
7. On average exhibiting companies generated $813,372 worth of business
8. 77% of past attendees are likely to return
9. We have attendees from over 70 countries
10. 73% of attendees choose Affiliate Summit to meet new partners and suppliers.
Affiliate Summit East 2018 will take place on July 29-31, 2018 at the New York Marriott Marquis.
We are already 70% sold out of exhibition spaces so book now to secure your place.
For more information on Affiliate Summit East 2018, please visit: http://affiliatesummit.com/events/ase18
*Figures quoted have been verified by an independent research company called Fusion Insight & Strategy as part of research conducted by Affiliate Summit Corp in 2018.
For more information, please contact:
+44 (0) 20 7384 7809
About Affiliate Summit East 2018
During July 29-31, 2018, thousands of digital marketers from will gather at the New York Marriott Marquis for the performance marketing industry’s premier global event, Affiliate Summit East 2018 (#ASE18).
Affiliate marketers attend from over 70 countries looking for new connections, innovative visions, cutting-edge technologies, and solutions to improve their bottom line.
This 3-day event features:
· An agenda crafted by the Affiliate Summit Advisory Board made up of the biggest stakeholders in the affiliate marketing industry – packed with engaging presentations and panels covering the latest industry trends, analysis, and challenges
· Three tradeshow areas packed with affiliates, merchants, vendors, networks, technology providers, digital agencies, traffic sources;
· A variety of networking events in relaxed environments that encourage the exchange of open ideas and experiences
· Access to online tools providing opportunities to arrange meetings with other attendees and speakers before, during and after the event
Get ready for unparalleled networking and inspiration while you discover what’s next on the performance marketing horizon.


text:
In March 2021, Mojeh, a Dubai-based luxury magazine, celebrated its 10th anniversary. This at a time when many international legacy publications have reduced their issues, while others have gone digital and still more are having to work with skeleton crews. “Ten years ago, when I came to Dubai to work and live here, I saw a gap in the market, a need for a luxury niche magazine. I am Iranian, I have my roots in the region, but I also traveled and studied abroad, and I really wanted a high-quality, international standard of localized content,” says the magazine’s founder and editor-in-chief Mojeh Izadpanah. “Combining that with my business background, I saw I could turn it into a profitable business.” Starting with six issues per year, Mojeh is now a monthly publication and has worked on further brand extensions such as Mojeh Men.
While Mojeh has a mainstream take on luxury fashion, Plastik, an art-based magazine known for its cutting-edge style, printed its last issue in November 2019, but this is just a pause for the magazine. With Plastik’s distributors being in London, the pandemic has meant the magazine has had to take a break. Launching a decade before, it won awards for its creative design. Its Beirut-based founder Eli Rezkallah started his career as a fashion show producer before launching one of the region’s most respected creative studios: Plastik. “In Lebanon, the advertising industry was about playing it safe at the time, and I could not produce the kind of work I wanted (this was just before Instagram). So, in 2009, I decided to launch Plastik magazine as a platform for my work and that of other young, emerging artists in the region and beyond,” says Rezkallah.
A collectors’ issue is coming out later this year, and Plastik’s loyal social media followers are still very much engaging with the magazine. “Like everyone else, regional artists, designers and creatives are influenced by the globalization of culture they’re experiencing on social media,” says Rezkallah. They’re now exposed like never before and feel encouraged to express their understanding of their world and culture. And this can mean incredible things for the media landscape in the region. I want Plastik to play a role in offering these artists a platform to showcase their work to the world. We should have publications that spotlight this work.”
One of the reasons for print losing its relevance is the advent of social media. As Sorbet Magazine’s founder Ali Khadra explains: “It is a sad fact that so many good magazines are shutting down for multiple reasons, such as the dominance of digital media, shorter attention span and environmental factors.” His quarterly magazine is more like a coffee table book than a glossy, and every issue is themed. “This also makes it more of a collectible than ephemeral monthly or weekly tabloids. It doesn’t only take a lot of research, effort and budget to produce Sorbet, it is also very rich in content that needs time to be enjoyed by its reader,” he explains. Sorbet is currently in the process of relaunching its digital platform – no print publication can survive without digital.
Mojeh has been very digital strong for a few years and during lockdown shared its digital version of the magazine for free. Mojeh has always taken a very precise view of its distribution, says Izadpanah. “We have a strong private system of distribution to our community,” and are even available in a very important place in Europe in certain months when the Arab community travels for ski holiday or for their summer sojourn.”
Being small and niche means local brands can pivot with ease, and being flexible is key to survival. “We have to be very flexible to be able to respond to the change or build something on top of what we have,” says Izapadanah. “Perhaps the fact that these publications have such a precise focus also means they are able to stay in touch with their audience, which tends to have discerning taste, so look for more specialized publications.
Just as the recent tough times have proved that couture will always have a role to play in fashion, so will print publications is media – it may just have to be for an even more limited and refined audience than before, and the numbers will come from their social media platforms. Since the MENA region is known for liking the finer things in life, it does seem that niche luxury lifestyle publications will still have an audience. As Khadra says: “With a publication like Sorbet, I believe digital will enhance


text:
The ‘Goodbye Gluten’ line made by Goodbye Gluten Bakeries includes two bread (white and multigrain) and two wrap (plain and multigrain) options. A spokesperson for Grupo Bimbo said the firm has been testing the products in specific US markets since mid-2012.
Matthew Hudak, packaged foods analyst at Euromonitor International, said Grupo Bimbo is ready to take on the gluten-free market, particularly given its strong footing in the regular bread market.
“I think it will mainly benefit from its relationship with retailers, which will help to promote the brand in store,” Hudak told BakeryandSnacks.com.
Standing strong alongside competition
Taste will prove key to the success of the new line as Bimbo will face stiff competition from established gluten-free players like Udi’s, Glutino and Boulders Brands.
“Established gluten-free dieters have likely already been consuming these brands. That said, they are likely more than willing to try new things, so if Goodbye Gluten tastes better, they will likely switch,” Hudak said.
“Taste can help for gluten-free dieters who are fed up with the quality of some of their products.”
Marketing a healthy lifestyle will also boost business by appealing to those consumers considering a gluten-free diet for the perceived health benefits, he added.
On its website, Goodbye Gluten provides a ‘recipe’ section that gives consumers suggestions on how to incorporate the breads and wraps into their diet.
Separate brand, clever move?
The decision to develop a gluten-free line under an entirely new brand, rather than use an established brand, may prove tougher initially but in the long run may be a better strategy, Hudak said. “It lets them create an entirely new brand identity in the mind of consumers.”
The branding is also simple and to the point. “They do not appear to want any confusion as to who this is for."
Bimbo should work to broaden the portfolio eventually, as it is “a little plain” with just bread and wrap options. “But I think it’s important they build a trust for the brand first,” he added.
The website for Goodbye Gluten can be found here. Grupo Bimbo would not discuss the brand and its strategy in moving forward any further.


text:
Shiba Inu has begun to progress to the next stage of its evolution, being the payments space. The meme coin is taking the same route as its predecessor to being a payment token for facilitating small transactions. It has now made it into AMC Theatre’s list of cryptocurrencies that will be accepted for purchases in the coming months.
This will provide what will be a utility for the meme coin going forward. Shiba Inu which was created with no utility prospects, moved only by the power of internet hype, will see a real-world application soon.
Related Reading | AMC Theaters Considers Accepting Shiba Inu As Payment Amid Growing Interest
AMC Announces Shiba Inu Payments
AMC CEO Adam Aron had published a poll on Twitter on October 29th to poll the community on their thoughts on Shiba Inu. The poll was similar to the poll carried out for SHIB rival Dogecoin before the company had implemented Dogecoin payments for tickets and concessions. The poll garnered over 150,000 votes, with 81.4% of the voters voting in favor of accepting SHIB.
TWITTER POLL #2: As you know, you can now purchase AMC gift cards using cryptocurrency, and our IT group is writing code so that soon we can accept online payments in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Dogecoin among others. Should we strive to take Shiba Inu too?
— Adam Aron (@CEOAdam) October 29, 2021
SHIB price maintains low momentum | Source: SHIBUSD on TradingView.com
Fast forward to November and AMC held its quarterly earnings call on Monday. The earnings had more than 10,000 people listening, where CEO Adam Aron announced that the theatre chain would be accepting Shiba Inu as a payment method in the future. Theatre-goers would be able to purchase tickets and concessions as they would be able to with other cryptocurrencies.
The company, however, did not reveal a time frame for when SHIB payments would be accepted on its platform, but it is expected that the meme coin will go into effect alongside cryptocurrencies scheduled to be implemented for payments in 2022.
AMC Growing Its Lineup
The addition of Shiba Inu as an expected payment method has brought the total to six cryptocurrencies set to be accepted at the theatre chain. CEO Adam Aron had previously disclosed that the entertainment giant was working to implement crypto payments for its services. Initially, bitcoin was the only cryptocurrency announced. But as time went on, other cryptocurrencies were added to the lineup.
Related Reading | Shiba Inu Beats Out Cardano, Dogecoin On Top 10 Watch-Listed Tokens
Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin were further added to the list to help provide more options for users when paying with cryptocurrencies. Then in October, Aron announced that the theatre chain would begin accepting Dogecoin, bringing the total to five.
Dogecoin payments were implemented after the CEO carried out a poll that saw the overwhelming majority voted for Doge to be added to the lineup. On October 5th, Dogecoin payments were officially announced, allowing users to purchase gift cards of up to $200 a day using the cryptocurrency.
Featured image from CNBC, chart from TradingView.com


text:
At the end of last month, Indian Prime Minister Modi traveled to the United States to lure US companies back to India to invest. According to the Wall Street Journal, just four years ago, the US investment stock in India amounted to approximately $1.9 billion, and now four years later it is only around $800 million. PM Modi tried to assure the likes of Boeing, IBM, GE, Citigroup or PepsiCo that he is cutting through all red tape and making sure that foreign investments are safe in India. The reality, however, tells a different story. The second largest cell phone company in India, Vodafone, has been battling the Indian government in arbitration courts over the imposition of retro-active taxes. Before entering India, Vodafone was promised tax breaks by the government, but after the check cleared, parliament instituted a new law that required Vodafone to pay taxes AND back taxes. Amazon is stuck in limbo, too. When Amazon entered it was fairly certain that as an online platform it would not be subject to retail regulations, but now it seems it will. WalMart, which had announced lofty plans for the Indian market not too long ago, has also put India on the back burner, and only operates wholesale stores there under a joint venture agreement. In most Western countries, the law is the law. In some countries, however, there are no laws or there are sometimes even contradictory laws. And in yet other countries, laws are either changing constantly or they are subject to interpretation. It seems as if some cultures have laws to make their lives easier and more predictable, while other cultures have laws to because … well … why … I mean….! The lesson is that companies need to pay close attention not only to differences in the law, but also to differences in how law is applied and practiced.
Like 0 Thanks! You've already liked this7 comments


text:
Precious Cargo had the recent opportunity to attend the 2019 United Motorcoach Association (UMA) Expo held in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The conference, held annually, allows leaders from bus and charter companies all over the world to network and share ideas on how to make the industry better. Classroom and round-table discussions dominated the first and second day with topics including, driver hiring and retention practices, driver fatigue, business social media presence, and creating a vibrant safety culture, among many others.
The highlight of the conference was on day 3, when the expo floor was opened to all in attendance. Within the confines of 200,000 square feet were vendors and suppliers, each showcasing the products and services they offer. Motor coach manufacturers were of course a major part of the show and vehicles were on display and even available for purchase on the spot, if anyone was so inclined.
Check out the YouTube videos below showing highlights from the show!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfYNXV1iQOU (UMA Expo 2019 Highlight Day 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQGqeBkcKuc (UMA Expo 2019 Highlight Day 2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJKJNN2uqYU (UMA Expo 2019 Highlight Day 3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pViZW2mKkDI (UMA Expo 2019 Highlight Day 4)


text:
At a time when major retailers are being dragged kicking and screaming into the world of internet sales, the last thing one would expect would be for the biggest of them all to abandon international online sales.
Yet Tesco (TSCO) is doing just that. As from 1st February it will abandon international delivery of online orders for its F&F clothing range.
If ever there was a sign that Tesco’s troubles may be far deeper than it has so far been prepared to admit, it is the e mail which it has issued today to to its international customers, advising them that their business is no longer wanted – full stop, no explanation, not a word of regret.
What retailer in its right mind can treat customers worldwide, like this. Is this what Tesco meant when it said it was re assessing its attitude to customers. Is this what it meant when it said it needed to improve customer service.
Internet sales will gradually become the be all and end all of international retailing and what passes at Tesco for management has chosen to walk away from the future and seek refuge in its outdated mammoth stores which nobody wants any more.
Some commentators are expressing the view that Tesco in its present form will have ceased to exist by the end of the year. Now we know why.
Invest in Greek tourism; holiday villas and hotels for sale; visit – http://www.hiddengreece.net


text:
The internet is speculating about a potential PlayStation State of Play showcase airing as soon as next week.
Earlier today on June 20, Twitter personality Tom Henderson compiled a list of clues pointing towards a new State of Play presentation. The leaker firstly points to the announcement of a new Gran Turismo 7 update arriving next week, before referencing a previous report which claimed God of War Ragnarok's release date would be unveiled later this month.
Evidence of a SoP next week;Gran Turismo producer says an update on the game next week - https://t.co/zbrsixgGd9Jason Schreier says GoW Ragnarok release date later this month - https://t.co/UEt6yRMH1tSony is set to reveal some hardware next week - https://t.co/AeZ4ZZpkT4June 20, 2022
It's worth pointing out that the Gran Turismo 7 update could simply be announced for an immediate release via the game's social media accounts, or via the PlayStation Blog, which developer Polyphony Digital has actually done a fair few times since the game launched earlier this year.
As for a God of War Ragnarok release date announcement, that could well merit a State of Play presentation. However, it's worth noting that for PlayStation's last big exclusive - Horizon Forbidden West - the publisher chose to forego a State of Play showcase for announcing the game's release date, and instead announced it via Gamescom Opening Night Live.
So, while there at might first appear to be plenty of evidence for an imminent State of Play, it's worth bearing in mind PlayStation's history with announcements before jumping to conclusions. Then again, the publisher really could just roll out the red carpet for God of War Ragnarok's release date unveiling.


text:
Yulu Bike’s ubiquitous blue two-wheelers seen zipping across Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru are set to become an even more common sight, as it has raised $82 million (approx. Rs. 653 crore) from investors led by Canada’s Magna to drive its expansion plan. The company said that the funds will be used for deploying more bikes and for setting up a battery-swapping network in the country in partnership with Magna. Existing investors, including Bajaj Auto, also Apple’s Latest Innovation participated in the funding round, which saw Magna pump in $77 million.
The company is looking to scale up its rental fleet by more than 10x to over 100,000 two-wheelers from about 10,000 at present. Yulu has already tied up with Bajaj Auto for manufacturing these vehicles. Meanwhile, Yulu Energy, the placeholder name for the new entity that will manage the battery-swapping network, is targeting creating an array of over 500 charging stations over the next year. Companies planning to tap into this network will have to adapt to the battery and charging standards of Yulu.


text:
VW reached a settlement with US and California authorities to recall 83,000 diesel cars with 3-liter diesel engines, resolving the last major part of its emissions cheating scandal.
The agreement, involving VW, Audi and Porsche cars, is another step towards allowing Volkswagen to put the emissions cheating scandal behind it.
In June the German auto maker agreed to a $15 billion settlement for another 475,000 vehicles affected by the scandal.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the total cost of the 3-liter settlement, including buybacks, repairs, and environmental remediation, at about $1 billion.
VW reached a $14.7 billion settlement with 550,000 owners of smaller, 2-liter diesel cars in September.
About one-quarter of the affected owners will be able to sell their vehicles back to VW at a price yet to be determined. The other 60,000 vehicles will be repaired at no cost to their owners, becoming fully compliant with clean-air laws.
US District Judge Charles Breyer said owners of the 3-liter cars made between 2009 and 2016 would get “substantial compensation” for having them fixed or repaired.
However, there were some remaining issues to be resolved and another hearing will be held on December 22, he said.
VW spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said the deal was “another important step forward in our efforts to make things right for our customers”.
The company admitted in September 2015 to installing secret software in 475,000 US 2-liter diesel cars to cheat exhaust emissions tests and make them appear cleaner in testing than they really were. They emitted up to 40 times the legally allowable pollution levels.
The $15 billion settlement in June covered those vehicles, including an offer to buy them all back.
The US Justice Department said VW had agreed to contribute another $225 million to a fund to offset excess diesel emissions.
In a separate filing, California’s government said VW would increase the number of electric vehicles it sells in the state.
Robert Bosch, the German engineering company that made the software for the VW diesels, has also agreed in principle to settle civil allegations at a cost of about $300 million.
According to Germany’s transport minister, around 98,000 VW petrol vehicles are caught up in the automaker’s latest emissions scandal.
That follows an admission by VW that it had found “irregularities” in CO2 emissions levels that could affect 800,000 vehicles.
It came to light as a result of an internal investigation by the firm following the diesel emissions scandal.
On November 3, VW admitted that an internal investigation had revealed that carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption were understated during standards tests on about 800,000 cars.
The company said the issue mainly affected diesel cars.
However, on November 4, Germany’s Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the country’s parliament: “Today we were told that among the affected vehicles are 98,000 petrol vehicles”.
VW, Skoda, Audi and Seat vehicles could be affected and the company estimates the CO2 problem could cost it about €2 billion.
Volkswagen had already set aside €6.7 billion to meet the cost of the initial emissions scandal.
News of the issue with CO2 emissions sent VW shares down by 5.6% on November 4.
The company’s shares have lost about a third of their value since September, when the scandal first broke.
It came to light after the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found VW software had detected when vehicles were undergoing emissions tests, and altered the way they operated to give more favorable results.
On November 2, the EPA also alleged that VW had fitted nitrogen oxide defeat devices on 3.0 liter diesel engines used in Porsche, Audi and VW vehicles – a claim VW denied.
Porsche also denied the allegations, but its North American division announced it is discontinuing sales of Porsche Cayenne diesel sport utility vehicles until further notice.
The carmaker is recalling 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide that were fitted with the software that circumvented tests for emissions of nitrogen oxide.
That recall is for cars with variants of the EA 189 diesel engine built to the “Euro 5” emissions standard.
Meanwhile, VW is recalling 92,000 cars in the US over a mechanical problem that could affect vehicles’ brakes.
The German carmaker said part of the camshaft could shear off, causing loss of vacuum in the power brakes, which could lengthen stopping distances.
Today’s recall includes Beetle, Golf, Jetta and Passat models from 2015 and 2016. The cars have 1.8 liter and 2 liter turbocharged petrol engines.
VW discovered the problem after getting reports of camshaft failures. A fix is expected by the end of March.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), VW cars with bigger diesel engines also contained software devices designed to cheat in emissions tests.
Porsche, Audi and VW cars are all included in this new investigation, which affects at least 10,000 vehicles.
The EPA said that cars with 3.0 liter engines from the years 2014 to 2016 were affected.
However, VW denies the vehicles have software designed to cheat tests.
Instead the automaker says that cars with the 3.0 liter diesel V6 engines “had a software function which had not been adequately described in the application process”.
VW said it was cooperating with the EPA to “clarify the matter”.
“Volkswagen AG wishes to emphasize that no software has been installed in the 3-liter V6 diesel power units to alter emissions characteristics in a forbidden manner,” the company said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Porsche said it was “surprised” by the EPA’s allegations.
“Until this notice, all of our information was that the Porsche Cayenne diesel is fully compliant,” it said in a statement.
The EPA says the investigation is ongoing.
“VW has once again failed its obligation to comply with the law that protects clean air for all Americans,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator at the EPA’s enforcement unit.
The EPA identified these diesel models as containing software aimed at cheating tests: 2014 VW Touareg; 2015 Porsche Cayenne; 2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and Q5.
In early September, VW admitted to the EPA that cars from the model years 2009 to 2015 contained software designed to cheat emissions tests.
It said that 11 million cars were affected.
That prompted US regulators to run further tests designed to detect such defeat devices and led to today’s announcement from the EPA.
“These tests have raised serious concerns about the presence of defeat devices on additional VW, Audi and Porsche vehicles. Today we are requiring VW Group to address these issues. This is a very serious public health matter,” Cynthia Giles said.
Regulators all over the world are now looking at VW’s diesel cars and the company is also facing criminal investigations.
State and federal prosecutors in the US have announced criminal investigations and German prosecutors are looking into the scandal.
VW CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned in late September as the scale of the scandal emerged.
At the time Martin Winterkorn said he was “not aware of any wrongdoing on my part” but was acting in the interest of the company.
Last month Volkswagen reported its first quarterly loss for at least 15 years after taking a big charge to cover the costs of the scandal.
VW said it had set aside €6.7 billion ($7.4 billion) to cover costs related to emissions cheating, which left it with a €2.52 billion pre-tax loss for the third quarter of the year.
Many analysts expect that VW will have to set aside more money to cover the recall of cars, penalties and lawsuits.
According to Global NCAP, five of India’s most popular small cars have failed crash tests.
The tests by Global NCAP showed that if involved in a crash, fatalities or serious injuries could result.
Among the cars tested was India’s talismanic Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car, as well as models made in India by Ford, Volkswagen and Hyundai.
The cars were apparently stripped of safety features to make them cheaper for Indian buyers, correspondents say.
The five models accounted for 20% of all sales in the country last year. Estimates say that about 80% of the cars sold in India have price tags of under $8,000.
“It’s worrying to see levels of safety that are 20 years behind the five-star standards now common in Europe and North America,” said the head of NCAP Global, Max Mosley, the former chief of international motorsport.
Those car manufacturers who have spoken out since the safety tests have insisted that safety is of paramount importance and that they will be reviewing the NCAP’s test results.
The car safety watchdog put five models through crash tests, including the Suzuki-Maruti Alto 800, the Tata Nano, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10 and Volkswagen Polo.
India Hyundai i10 scores zero stars in Global NCAP crash tests
None of these entry-level cars sold in India are fitted with air bags. They also lack the safety standards that the same models have when sold in North America and Europe, according to the watchdog.
“Poor structural integrity and the absence of airbags are putting the lives of Indian consumers at risk. They have a right to know how safe their vehicles are and to expect the same basic levels of safety as standard as customers in other part of the world,” Max Mosley added.
As a result of the tests, Volkswagen has withdrawn its Polo model without airbags.
Volkswagen also said the airbags, as well as anti-lock brakes, would become standard from 1 February along with a 2.7% price increase to offset the costs, the Associated Press reports.
“We are proud to be leading the cause of driver safety,” Arvind Saxena told AP.
Tata has said it is looking at the Nano’s structure for ways to improve its strength, having already added power steering and other features, AP adds.
India also has more road accident deaths than any other country – put down to bad roads, poor driving but also it appears unsafe cars.
Every year, tens of thousands of people are killed on the country’s roads and the numbers have been rising steadily – nearly 140,000 people were killed in 2012, according to the government’s National Crime Records Bureau.
According to NCAP, it is estimated that 17% of these deaths are of car passengers.
Porsche, Audi and Bentley – Volkswagen’s luxury brands – have posted record sales in 2013 helped by new model launches and a recovery in the global car market.
Porsche’s deliveries jumped 15%, Audi’s 8.3% and Bentley posted a growth of 19% in 2013, from a year earlier.
Demand for luxury cars has been growing in emerging markets such as China and India amid rising income levels.
Carmakers have also benefited from a recovery in demand from the US, one of the biggest markets for luxury cars.
Audi’s sales jumped 13.5% in the US during the period, from a year ago, while Porsche saw a growth of 21%. Bentley deliveries in the US rose 28%.
China was the other major growth market for the firm, with both Audi and Porsche posting nearly 20% growth.
However, Bentley’s sales in China declined 3% from a year ago.
Porsche, Audi and Bentley have posted record sales in 2013 helped by new model launches and a recovery in the global car market
VW has set its sights on becoming the world’s biggest carmaker by 2018.
The latest figures are likely to provide a big boost to VW’s ambitions.
Overall, Audi sold 1.57 million cars and sport-utility vehicles globally last year, Porsche sold 162,145 vehicles and Bentley’s sales totaled 10,120 units.
“We set an important milestone for Audi in the past year: We achieved our intermediate strategic goal of 1.5 million deliveries two years earlier than planned, and in fact comfortably exceeded it,” Rupert Stadler, chairman of Audi, said in a statement.
“This means that in the past four years alone, Audi has attracted more than 600,000 new customers.”
The numbers by Volkswagen come at a time when the global car market has been recovering from the slump seen in the years after the global financial crisis.
Data released on Thursday showed that car sales in China – the world’s biggest car market – rose 14% in 2013, from a year ago. That compares to an annual growth rate of less than 5% seen in the previous two year.
According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers 21.98 million vehicles were sold in China last year.
Analysts also expect 2013 to be the best year for US auto market since 2007, with total annual sales expected to reach nearly 15.6 million units.
If that figure is met, it would mark a strong recovery from 2009 when sales fell to 10.4 million during the depths of the recession.
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.


text:
Beyond offering sales updates for The Division 2 and talking about a rough release window for the upcoming Rainbow Six Quarantine, Ubisoft also took the time to speak a bit about some of their upcoming releases in their recent quarterly financial meeting. One game they spoke about quite a bit was Watch Dogs Legion, which is arguably their biggest upcoming release.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot was of the opinion that at E3 2019 following its reveal, Watch Dogs Legion “made a huge impression thanks to its innovative gameplay”, and that it put the series “back in the spotlight”. However, the company also spoke of strong competition that all their releases might face in the final quarter of the financial year, from January to March (Ubisoft themselves have a number of games coming out in that timeframe, with Watch Dogs Legion, Gods and Monsters, and Rainbow Six Quarantine).
One game that they’re glad they won’t be competing against during the quarter is CD Projekt RED’s upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, with Ubisoft’s chief financial officer Frédérick Duguet admitting that it was “good news that Cyberpunk is not in the quarter” (via Twinfinite).
It’s interesting to see Ubisoft feeling that way- after all, the two games do share some similarities. While Watch Dogs Legion isn’t going to be an RPG, or as story-driven as Cyberpunk 2077, they’re both open world games with cyberpunk aesthetics and systems-driven gameplay that lets players choose how they want to play. Given just how hugely anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 is and has been for so long, it makes sense that most other publishers would want to not try and compete with it.
During the quarterly report, Ubisoft also mentioned that PC has surpassed PS4 as their move profitable platform, while also giving their thoughts on the Epic Games Store and Google’s upcoming Stadia. Read more about both through the links.
Share Your Thoughts Below (Always follow our comments policy!)