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Amazon (AMZN) - Get Amazon.com, Inc. Report is a symbol of growth and disruption, boasting fantastic revenue growth and becoming the dominant player in many of the markets which it enters. But are shareholders likely to benefit from all this? I argue that they will not.
Insatiable Growth -- Looking at the Facts
We all know the quote that "growth is vanity, profit sanity and cash is reality," right? Therein lies the problem for Amazon.
For so many years, Amazon has been the one stock to own, offering investors strong and diversified growth, so much so that investors have stopped questioning where the growth is actually coming from.
Any time that the last of the doubters capitulates and invests in the stock out of Fear Of Missing Out is when doom-and-gloom skeptics go from being a nuisance on the edge of the stock to being worth listening to.
Accordingly, for more than 10 years, Amazon has succeeded. Nobody today doubts what Amazon has achieved in the past. But knowing that Amazon succeeded in the past is of little advantage now when it's already one of the most valuable companies in the world.
Further compounding issues for shareholders, Amazon's Q1 2019 results, which will be announced next Thursday, are likely to point towards its growth rate being -- in the best-case scenario --up around 17% year-over-year.
In fact, at the mid-range of its Q1 2019 guidance, there is a very realistic scenario that its revenue might only hit 14% growth year-over-year, which would be the lowest growth rate Amazon has had in more than 10 years. This will come at precisely the time when investors sentiment is sizzling hot and pricing in annual revenue growth of above 20% for at least five or more years.
A Different Narrative?
Amazon's strategy going forward is likely to be focused on distracting investors and analysts as much as possible away from its diminishing top-line growth and towards its expanding operating income margins.
And there is certainly enough of a story to go on here. Amazon's operating income margin in Q1 2017 stood at 2.8%, while a year later, it was 3.7%. Amazon finished 2018 with the best annual income margin it's ever posted at 5.3%. Looking ahead, at the mid-range of its Q1 2019 guidance, Amazon's margin would be 4.8%, or $2.8 billion, for a 47% jump in operating income year-over-year.
If Amazon was to continue to improve its operating margin, this could be a promising story. The problem, though, is that Amazon's operating income of just over $12.4 billion for 2018 is simply not big enough to support its $900 billion market cap and a valuation of 75x operating income before taxes and interest.
New Growth Opportunities?
Growth companies only have so many levers to pull on to expand margins. Amazon needs some growth to support its heady multiples. Thus, Amazon will satisfy investors' unquenchable thirst for growth by highlighting its strongest growth opportunities, such as advertising and subscription services, as well as Prime membership sign-ups.
However, these new business units, despite their fast growth, account for less than 11% of Amazon's total revenue, so it's reasonable to ask whether Amazon has already had its day in the sun. For now, Amazon continues to be priced for perfection.
The Bottom Line
A few months ago, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos reminded employees that most large companies have lifespans of around 30-plus years, not 100-plus years. Accordingly, Amazon continues to be the poster child for an exciting new era akin to General Electric (GE) - Get General Electric Company (GE) Report in its heyday.
But Amazon won't last forever and I argue that its growth rate has started to dwindle, and its share price is not yet reflecting this.
The author does not have positions in any stocks mentioned.


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MADRID, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- In a bid to spur sales, the Spanish government has passed a law requiring eateries to serve olive oil only in its original packaging, identifying the brand.
Bars and restaurants will be required, starting in 2014, to ditch the generic glass bottles that adorn tables across the country and serve olive oil in the purveyor's original bottle, ThinkSpain reported. In order to prevent refilling old bottles, the pourers must have a no-refill top.
Tourism officials said most visitors only encounter olive oil in bars and restaurants and they rarely know what brand they're being served. The law is also a guard against bars using lower quality oil and marketing it as something more expensive.
Similar laws are already in place in Portugal and Italy.
The law takes effect Jan. 1, though in order to run down stock, businesses won't be required to begin using the original bottles until March.

domain: news


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This free utility automatically hides unused windows after a set amount of time with a little bit of magic -- I think.
Just click this nifty new lock now seeking funds on Kickstarter, and if it senses the right smartphone nearby, it's supposed to open like magic.
As Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics comes close to completion, hundreds of employees may find that their positions are marked as redundant.
Goodbye rat's nest! Intel says wireless power, docking and connectivity will form the basis of its post-Broadwell "Skylake" reference designs.
The SpiderPro Hand Strap fixes several design problems to give you a more secure grip and a better fit.
In the event an app gets stuck, you can force-close it in an effort to eliminate the issue.
This marks the first time Pinterest is opening up API access for development of consumer apps tied to the digital scrapbooking phenomenon.
CNET explains the tech behind noise-cancelling headphones, which electronically eliminate the sounds of your surroundings.
With a smattering of new laptops and hybrids, a couple tablets and its first smartphone in the US, Acer fleshes out its 2015 lineup for back-to-school shoppers.
The mobile payments service is on the verge of expanding to Canada, according to the Wall Street Journal. But will Apple be able to seal the deal?


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Berlin: Global travel industry’s leading trade show ITB Berlin kicked off amidst a grand ceremony in Berlin today. Around 10,000 exhibitors from 187 countries and territories will be exhibiting the latest products and trends of the global tourism industry on 1,069 stands from 9 to 13 March 2016. Over two-thirds of the exhibitors are from abroad.
Over the last half-century ITB Berlin has had a decisive impact on tourism, and on the eve of its fiftieth anniversary it enjoys an excellent standing.
The organisers expect around 100,000 international trade visitors and public attendance to reach tens of thousands on the weekend. They will be able to obtain an overview of the industry’s wide range of products in 26 halls.
The ITB Buyers Circle gathers travel buyers from Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Australia, more than 40 per cent of whom do business in the order of about 50 million euros each.
The Maldives is the official partner country of ITB Berlin 2016. With its glistening white beaches, turquoise lagoons and unrivalled diving opportunities, this island nation is a nature paradise, and one of the last on the planet.
Situated in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has been exhibiting at ITB Berlin since 1984 and is a model of eco-friendly and carefully controlled tourism development.
Dr. Christian Göke, CEO, Messe Berlin GmbH said : “We are delighted with the consistently high numbers of exhibitors, particularly from abroad, at the anniversary edition of ITB Berlin, which once again will provide outstanding opportunities for global business. In the face of terrorist attacks at popular travel destinations and palpable consumer fears the industry needs a strong boost to kick start the travel season. ITB Berlin is the industry’s leading marketplace and as the meeting place of the global travel industry can set the tone for change.”
The challenges and prospects arising from the digital transition will be discussed on all days of the convention. Günther H. Oettinger, the EU Commissioner responsible for the digital economy and society, will deliver a keynote speech on ’shaping a mega trend in Europe’
ITB Berlin 2016 will take place from 9 to 13 March.
In 2015 a total of 10,096 companies and organisations from 186 countries exhibited their products and services to 175,000 visitors, who included 115,000 trade visitors according to Messe Berlin .
March 9, 2016


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“Though support for the feature was added to iTunes 7.4, iTunes Tagging remains one of the least-understood expansions of the iPod ecosystem—arguably, for good reason,” Jeremy Horwitz reports for iLounge.
“Developed by Apple and implemented in new iPod speaker systems by companies such as Polk Audio and JBL, iTunes Tagging enables an HD Radio tuner to record information about the currently playing track, save it to an iPod, and let the iPod’s user easily find that track in the iTunes Store for purchase,” Horwitz reports.
Horwitz takes a look at how iTunes Tagging works with Polk Audio’s new i-Sonic ES2, iTunes 7.6, and an iPod classic and explains, “Ultimately, iTunes Tagging’s obscurity is likely attributable to the high prices of HD Radio tuners, the lack of iPod family-wide compatibility, and the fact that the feature sidesteps what people would actually want—the ability to use iPods’ recording features to actually store songs—in favor of storing tags and pushing people towards purchases of iTunes Store music. But if this feature is something that interests you, it does work, albeit with a few small kinks. “
Full article here.


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WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2014 – Eight states will participate in the Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables to increases purchases of locally grown fruits and vegetables in school meal programs.
The USDA announced selection of the following states for the program, as directed by the Agricultural Act of 2014, also known as the Farm Bill: California, Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
USDA Foods – provided by the USDA to schools – make up about 20 percent of the foods served in schools. States use their USDA Foods allocation to select items from a list of 180 products including fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, poultry, rice, low fat cheese, beans, pasta, flour and other whole grain products. This pilot program will allow the selected states to use some of their USDA Foods allocation to purchase unprocessed fruits and vegetables directly, instead of going through the USDA Foods program.
“Providing pilot states with more flexibility in the use of their USDA Foods' dollars offers states another opportunity to provide school children with additional fruits and vegetables from within their own communities,” said Kevin Concannon, USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. "When schools invest food dollars into local communities, all of agriculture benefits, including local farmers, ranchers, fishermen, food processors and manufacturers.”
[Keeping your eye on farm bill implementation? We’re covering it and lots of other ag and rural policy news. You won’t miss a beat if you sign up today for a four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription.]
The states were selected based on their demonstrated commitment to farm to school efforts, including prior efforts to increase and promote farm to school programs in the state, the quantity and variety of growers of local fruits and vegetables in the state on a per capita basis, and the degree to which the state contains a sufficient quantity of local educational agencies of various population sizes and geographic locations.
This pilot is designed to support the schools’ pre-existing relationships with vendors, growers, produce wholesalers, and distributors, and increase the use of locally-grown, unprocessed fruits and vegetables in school meal programs. While the pilot does not require sourcing locally grown foods, the project will enable schools to increase their use of locally-grown, unprocessed fruits and vegetables from AMS authorized vendors. Unprocessed fruits and vegetables include products that are minimally processed such as sliced apples, baby carrots, and shredded lettuce. For more information about the pilot, please visit the Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables website.
Building robust connections between farms and institutions, including schools, is a key element of USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative, which coordinates USDA’s efforts and investments in local food system development. Since, 2009, USDA has supported over 3,000 projects nationwide to build new opportunities in local and regional foods, mainly through programs authorized in the Farm Bill:
· USDA has expanded access to healthy foods in underserved communities by making EBT available at farmers markets. Over 5,000 farmers markets now accept EBT, and SNAP redemption at farmers markets nationwide rose from $4 million in 2009 to over $21 million in 2013. In September, USDA announced the application season for the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) program, a new Farm Bill program to help low-income consumers purchase more fruits and vegetables, particularly locally-grown produce, by providing incentives at the point of purchase.
· USDA’s Farm to School grant program has funded 221 projects in 49 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands since this program began in 2013. According to the USDA’s Farm to School Census, schools spent over $385 million on local food purchases during the 2011-2012 school year.
· In FY14 alone, USDA facilitated over 330 new markets for local foods – including food hubs, scale-appropriate processing, and distribution networks – that are connecting rural producers with new sources of revenue and creating jobs.
“The National Farm to School Network congratulates the states selected to participate in the USDA's Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables,” said Helen Dombalis, Policy and Strategic Partnerships Director for the National Farm to School Network. “Local procurement is a core element of farm to school, allowing school districts to connect to local and regional agricultural producers and thus investing more of their food budgets within their own communities. We look forward to seeing how this pilot will inform and strengthen future farm to school practices across the nation.”
· USDA announces funding to turn commodities into value-added products
· USDA announces local, organic food programs
· USDA farm to school grants will connect school cafeterias, local farmers
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service administers 15 nutrition assistance programs. In addition to the National School Lunch Program, these programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, and the Summer Food Service Program which together comprise America's nutrition safety net. For more information, visit www.fns.usda.gov.
For more news, go to www.agri-pulse.com.


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Speaking to Parliament a day after she and the governors of Germany’s 16 states agreed on far-reaching restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, Mrs Merkel said the country faces “a dramatic situation at the beginning of the cold season”.
Germany’s disease control agency said local authorities reported 16,774 new positive tests for Covid-19 in the past day, pushing the country’s total close to the half million mark.
The Robert Koch Institute also recorded 89 additional deaths, bringing its confirmed pandemic death toll to 10,272.
“The winter will be difficult, four long, difficult months. But it will end,” Mrs Merkel told lawmakers. “We have already seen over the past eight months how we can learn and help each other.”
Under the restrictions going into effect on Monday, German restaurants, bars, sports and cultural venues will be shut for four weeks, along with beauty parlours and brothels.
Gatherings are limited to 10 people from a maximum of two households and all non-essential journeys will be discouraged.
Schools, kindergartens, stores and places of worship will remain open — albeit with safety precautions — prompting some to call the measures a “lockdown light” compared to the more severe shutdown Germany saw in March and April.
Mrs Merkel said authorities had no choice but to drastically reduce social contacts as three-quarters of infections in Germany now are no longer traceable.
“If we wait until the ICUs are full, then it will be too late,” she said.
Opposition leader Alexander Gauland of the far-right Alternative for Germany party responded by accusing Mrs Merkel’s government of “wartime propaganda” and likened the pandemic to traffic, arguing that society accepts a certain number of car deaths each year but does not ban driving.
Germany’s finance and economy ministers announced a new 10 billion euro fund for businesses affected by the additional measures.
Europe’s biggest economy has been able to mobilise massive financial aid to dampen the economic blow of the pandemic.
Still, there has been anger over the new measures, particularly from restaurant owners who had set up heated outdoor seating areas and made other preparations to follow health regulations only to be told they are not allowed to serve customers for a month.


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BRITAIN risks ‘legal challenges’ if it forms air travel corridors with some countries but excludes others, foreign secretary Dominic Raab (pictured) has said.
There have been calls for ‘air bridges’ with destinations where the risk of coronavirus is low to allow travellers to avoid the UK’s 14-day quarantine rule.
Tory MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said he was ‘confident’ travel corridors would be in place by the end of June.
Chicken plant closes after 58 workers test positive
A CHICKEN processing plant has been closed after 58 cases of coronavirus were confirmed among its 560 staff.
Tests were yesterday being arranged for workers at the 2 Sisters factory in Llangefni, Anglesey.
Dr Christopher Johnson, consultant in health protection for Public Health Wales, said that staff ‘have been notified that they are coronavirus contacts, and we are asking them to self-isolate for 14 days’.
The 2 Sisters Food Group announced it was ‘doing the right thing’ and would cease work on site for 14 days with immediate affect.
Earlier this week, unions said they were aware of 13 cases at the site, with 110 people self-isolating as a precaution.
2 Sisters is one of the largest food producers in the UK, with brands including Fox’s Biscuits and Holland’s Pies. Its factories produce about a third of all poultry products eaten in the UK, supplying customers including KFC and Marks & Spencer.


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Tabletmonkeys is a computer media company focusing solely on tablet computers.Black Friday 2014, Cyber Monday 2014. five top tablets during the ensuing Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.The Cyber Monday master list: All the deals you. the day everyone scours the web for online deals.Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the 2016 Holidays Sales are gone now,.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2017Microsoft is knocking the price off of some models of the Surface Pro 3 and Surface 2.
Those interested in shopping online this year will find some solid deals on Cyber Monday,.
The Best Cyber Monday Deals - gizmodo.com
We have visited dozens of online and print ads to collect the best sales.Hundreds of early Black Friday deals are available now at. you can always plan to check out the Cyber Monday 2017 sale.Foldable Or Dual-Screen iPhone With Possible Launch Before 2020 Says First Sources.Microsoft is offering an eclectic mix of discounted products for Cyber Monday,.
Black Friday 2014, Cyber Monday 2014 Discounts, Sales: TopFrom the iPad Pro to the MacBook Pro, Apple products are expected to be in high demand again this holiday season.
Microsoft Cyber Monday 2015 Deals: Xbox One, Drones
Amazon’s Best Cyber Monday Tablet Deals - Heavy.comPosted on November 30, 2013 9:46 AM by Tabletmonkeys December 5, 2013.
The Best Prime Day iPad Mini, Air & Pro Deals (July 2017)This roundup of Cyber Week tablet deals includes awesome prices on iPad,.Top Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas Deals 2014. thicker version that will run on their Windows 8 PRO operating. 7 2014 Black Friday, Cyber Monday and.
Microsoft Cyber Monday Deals 2015: Surface Pro 4, SurfaceSome retailers jumped the gun over the weekend, but now the full.
Microsoft Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals: Surface,. comes with a Surface Pro 4 128GB and the. and Cyber Monday deals from Microsoft.Razer Phone And Samsung Galaxy S8 In Microsoft Store Ahead Of Holiday Deals.A roundup of the best Cyber Monday tablet deals for any budget.The two Microsoft Surface Cyber Monday deals are available in both the US and Canada.The online deal specialists at Black Friday Dealer have revealed the best Surface Pro 4 Black Friday deals for 2017.
Cyber Monday Online Specials - Walmart.comMicrosoft unveils Surface Pro 3. deals announced for Cyber Monday.Amazon Canada announces its Black Friday and Cyber. deals on tech products during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
@ 2014 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 12 Inch Touch Screen TabletThe Microsoft Cyber Monday 2016 sale is offering deals on Surface and Xbox.
The Best iPad Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals (2017)Microsoft is going to continue the huge discount on Microsoft Surface well into Cyber Monday 2013.
The best Black Friday Microsoft Surface deals 2017
Best Apple Deals 2017 - Discounts on Macs , iPads & MoreAlready bundled in however is Microsoft Office Home (which means full versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote) and Student 2013 RT.
So, whatever you may feel about the Surface RT, it looks like it will remain by far the cheapest Windows tablet available in 2013.DALLAS, Nov. 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Analysts at Topic Reviews have chosen the following Surface Pro deals as the top rated discounts for Black Friday.
@ Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Intel Core I7 16gb Ram 1tb With
Cyber Monday 2016: Best deals from Apple, Amazon - WSBTV
Best Black Friday Deals 2017: All the UK’s best Black
Certified Refurbished - Apple
Black Friday 2013 Surface Pro 2 Deals, Cyber Monday Sales and Review at ThankShopping.com.


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Drugstore chain Rite Aid secretly deployed facial recognition software across a network of security cameras in hundreds of locations in the US, according to a new investigation from Reuters published on Tuesday. The company had been doing so for more than eight years, and it only recently stopped using the technology, it told Reuters, following a “larger industry conversation” around facial recognition and the grave concern over privacy risks and racial discrimination it presents.
Yet, Reuters says Rite Aid initially defended its use of facial recognition as a deterrent against theft and violent crime, having nothing to do with race. The investigation found that not to be entirely true. “In areas where people of color, including Black or Latino residents, made up the largest racial or ethnic group, Reuters found that stores were more than three times as likely to have the technology,” the report reads.
After presenting its findings to the company, Reuters says Rite Aid issued a new statement and said it had turned off its cameras. “This decision was in part based on a larger industry conversation,” Rite Aid said. “Other large technology companies seem to be scaling back or rethinking their efforts around facial recognition given increasing uncertainty around the technology’s utility.”
Concerns over the unregulated use of facial recognition in the US, both by law enforcement and private companies, has been steadily growing over the last few years, fueled by studies that show the tech in its current form to be inherently flawed and more likely to misclassify the gender and identity of Black individuals. Numerous companies have now publicly renounced the tech in one form or another. IBM says it will no longer invest in or develop the tech at all, while both Amazon and Microsoft say they are pausing facial recognition contracts with law enforcement until Congress passes laws regulating its sale and use. A number of municipal governments, like Oakland, California’s, have also begun banning police use of the tech.
A growing concern among activists, artificial intelligence researchers, and lawmakers is that the tech is being sold and used in secret, without oversight or regulation that might protect against civil rights abuses. Companies like Clearview AI — which was found to have been supplying a powerful facial recognition database and search tool to countless law enforcement agencies and private companies — have emerged as public faces of the threat the tech poses to privacy and other at-risk civil liberties. Now, it’s looking like even run-of-the-mill retail chains, like Rite Aid, might be using facial recognition in secret.
Of particular alarm in Rite Aid’s case is that the company used the tech of a vendor, DeepCam, with links to a Chinese firm, Reuters reports. Prior to that, Rite Aid used a company called FaceFirst, which, until 2017, did not rely on any form of artificial intelligence and as a result routinely misidentified people, often Black individuals, based on blurry photos its cameras captured, Reuters reports. The point of the whole operation, the report states, was to alert security personnel of someone entering the store that had exhibited past criminal activity, so that they may be asked to leave to help prevent theft or crime. But Reuters’ interviews with former employees and managers illustrate how the system was used to racially profile customers.
While Rite Aid would not say which stores were using the cameras, Reuters found them at 33 out of 75 Rite Aid locations in New York and Los Angeles from last October to this month. Rite Aid says it informed customers that the cameras were scanning their faces as they walked through the store, but the investigation found that appropriate signage was missing from at least a third of the locations making use of the facial recognition cameras.


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A Lower East Side tobacco shop co-owned by an NYPD captain is by illegally peddling smokes for less than $6 a pack, city officials say.
The cheap scheme at Island Smokes, where Cpt. John Kimball is a co-owner, is simple:
Workers sell loose tobacco to customers, who then make their own cigarettes on in-house, automatic rolling machines. The shop says this allows them to sell the ensuing “packs’’ for less than half the normal $13 cost because technically, they have sold only loose tobacco, which is taxed at a much lower rate.
But that’s not how the city rolls, officials said.
“We view the business as illegal,” said Law Department attorney Eric Proshansky.
He ordered the Eldridge Street shop and its flagship store on Staten Island to stop selling the smokes after undercover investigators discovered the scheme.
“I’ve never seen this [tactic] used before in the city,” Proshansky said. “But I’ve seen it used outside the city and there have been lawsuits in those cases.”
Kimball declined comment.
The business’ lawyer, Jonathan Behrins, said he was aware of no such cease-and-desist order.
Kimball’s business partner, Patrick Donnelly — a retired New Jersey cop — said the city order is “news to me.”
“I can’t understand why they’d want to shut us down if we want to provide a healthy alternative to the public,” Donnelly said, referring to the shop’s tobacco choices, self-described as “additive free” and “healthier” than the average smoke.
David Nelson, 22, of Crown Heights, was at the Manhattan shop yesterday because it costs less to feed his addiction.
“Camel filters are $13 a pack [elsewhere,]” Nelson said. “Here, full flavors cost $6. In a week, I probably smoke three to four packs, so I’ll probably save a lot of money.”
Mayor Bloomberg has said that the illegal, untaxed cigarette trade accounts for $1 billion a year in lost revenue.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate voted overwhelmingly on Monday to give states the power to enforce their sales tax laws on online purchases, but the legislation faces a tougher fight in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 69 to 27 to back the measure, which pits brick-and-mortar stores like Wal-Mart Stores Inc and cash-hungry state governments against such Web retailers as eBay Inc and Republicans wary of new tax measures.
"Call me a conservative, but I believe the right approach to tax fairness is to reduce rates â not force higher rates onto others," said Tom Graves, a House Republican from Georgia.
House Speaker John Boehner plans to send the bill to the House Judiciary Committee, a senior Republican aide said. That will mean hearings ahead. The Senate uncharacteristically bypassed this step.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert Goodlatte, a Republican, has reservations about the legislation, including its complexity and potential impact on small businesses, a spokeswoman said.
Goodlatte has yet to schedule any hearings on it, she said.
Backers of the measure include major traditional retailers Wal-Mart and Best Buy Co Inc, as well as e-tailing giant Amazon.com Inc, which wants to simplify its U.S. state sales tax payments.
Opponents include many other online merchants such as eBay, Overstock.com Inc and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist. Lawmakers from states without sales taxes - like Montana, Oregon and New Hampshire - largely oppose the measure.
States that charge sales tax have largely been unable to require e-tailers to collect it from purchasers unless the e-tailer had a physical presence in the state. Otherwise, consumers are supposed to pay the tax, but very few do.
Some states have made separate arrangements with Amazon on the issue, while others have not.
The bill would let states require out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax on purchases made over the Internet, even if the e-tailer has no physical presence in the purchaser's state.
The bill would allow states to do this but not require them to do so. It would also exempt merchants with online annual out-of-state sales of $1 million or less.
"We place a 30 percent probability that the bill is signed into law by the end of the year" primarily due to opposition in the House, said Guggenheim Securities analyst Chris Krueger.
"Our odds will increase following passage of this bill in the Senate provided it receives a big vote of support," he said.
The online sales tax bill debate is moving on a separate track from efforts in Congress on a broader tax overhaul.
The main obstacle on that front remains the dispute between Republicans who refuse to consider new federal revenue from ending tax breaks that would be part of tax reform, and Democrats who insist that such new revenue is vital.
(Reporting By Kevin Drawbaugh, Patrick Temple-West, Kim Dixon and Nanette Byrnes; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Steve Orlofsky and Eric Walsh)


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LITTLETON —Littleton Mayor Phil Cernanec said his excitement for the new Breckenridge Brewery goes beyond just the potential sales tax revenue.
“I think it’s going to be one of those facilities that’s a destination … and it will be an employment center in the community,” Cernanec said.
The growing beer company would agree, with its $35 million project due to open in April.
“It is very much gonna become the face of everything we do at Breckenridge Brewery, and we want to make it a destination spot,” said Matt Eldridge of Breckenridge Brewery’s marketing department.
Between the restaurant and the brewery, the company will employ about 130 people to start, Eldridge said.
The new location, announced early last year, will be more than just a place for people to enjoy a meal and a beer at the new Farm House restaurant. It will be Breckenridge Brewery’s main production site, with each bottle having “Littleton, Colorado” printed on it.
Eldridge said initial production capacity would be for 125,000 barrels a year, with the possibility of growing to 500,000 barrels before the company would need to build extra facilities on the site. The company’s production facilities are currently located in downtown Denver.
“With our main production facility on Kalamath Street, we’re pretty much at capacity there. We’re gonna finish out 2014 at 70,000 barrels, and that’s all that place can pump out with what it’s doing,” Eldridge said.
The new location is on 12 acres between Santa Fe Drive and the Mary Carter Greenway Trail and the future site of the Reynold’s Landing Project, for which the city is spending $1.1 million next year to expand pedestrian access to the South Platte River and the new brewery.
The first phase of the brewery project will be the bulk of the construction, with room to grow. Eldridge said there’s talk in the company of adding a beer garden or outdoor bar.
“I think it fits in the character of the area the way they’re setting up the (Breckenridge Brewery) property,” Cernanec said.
Littleton City Manager Michael Penny said the city plans to take advantage of the brewery’s attractiveness as a tourist spot.
“We plan to work in partnership with Breckenridge Brewery to make visitors aware of other amenities nearby like Hudson Gardens, Aspen Grove (shopping center) and Historic Downtown Littleton,” Penny said in an e-mail.
The location is expected to attract tourists, particularly through its tour of the production facilities. Part of the tour will go over a covered pedestrian bridge between buildings. Tours will then end in a tasting room.
Eldridge said the company plans to plant a 2-acre hops field, as well as a vegetable garden to offer some farm-to-table cuisine in the restaurant.
Penny said the city waived half the building and plan review fees, not to exceed $87,500, and up to $300,000 in sales tax shareback.
The South Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce also sees the project as important, said Natalie Harden, director of public policy and economic development for the chamber.
She said via e-mail: “We look forward to the increased tourism and business opportunities that will accompany the opening of this great venture.”
Clayton Woullard: 303-954-2953, email@example.com or twitter.com/yhClayton


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Canadian entrepreneurs 35 or younger will want to apply for BDC Canada’s Young Entrepreneur Award.
The award includes a grand prize worth $100,000, with second place raking in $25,000 in consulting services.
There are less than seven days left to apply for the award, which challenges entrepreneurs to “describe a turning point your business has reached and propose a solution to take it to the next level.”
“Consulting services can directly help young entrepreneurs overcome challenges. Many local entrepreneurs are looking at the latest trends in order to grow their business, whether that’s driving more online traffic through mobile marketing, content marketing, social media advertising and Internet campaigns, or building genuine business connections or partnerships and expanding their customer base,” BDC explains.
Last year, Zane Kelsall won the grand prize for his business, Two if By Sea Café in Halifax. He says the award boosted his business greatly.
“Since winning the 2012 BDC Young Entrepreneur Award last June, the entire team has been working hard to bring the project to life,” Kelsall says. “Winning the BDC 2012 Young Entrepreneur Award is helping us build our brand in Canada and abroad.”


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This time is not about user experience nor search engine algorithm, it is clearly that Google has to abide the copyright rules and forced to work hand-in-hand with Getty Images.
But i personally thinks this is something good for the ecosystem, since limiting Google Images means Traffic for the source site. It is a ‘bad news’ for webmaster and content writer. But good news for website owner that has niche related with images (like wallpaper site), great news for photographer, super great news for Photo Stock Businesses like getty images.
It started early Feb 2018 when Getty Images and Google announce licensing partnership for two years. In my opinion, this is kinda a big ‘punch’ from Getty Images since they had take Google to the court of European Commission for two years. Now Google has to modifying image search to improve attribution of photographer and the source site PLUS google need to put a copyright disclaimer.
Nice Job Getty Images !


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We've spent a lot of time around here wondering how much skin is too much skin. Did Blake Lively's scandalous Marchesa look fall into overboard territory the other day? According to some researchers, yes. They say that the exact amount of skin you should show to attract the most men is...
...forty percent. The girls over at Allure's blog dug up an interesting (if kinda questionable) study: "Scientists from the University of Leeds found that showing 40 percent of your skin attracts the most men. Exactly how did they nail down this figure? They observed women in nightclubs, analyzing how select women dressed. To turn clothing into quantifiable data, they divided the body into quadrants—each arm was 10 percent; each leg,15; whole torso, 50—and took note of who covered what. The women who were approached most by men? Bare skin averaged out at around 40 percent."
The study also says that "showing too much flesh puts men off because it suggests they may be unfaithful." Looks like Blake should stick with more outfits like her one-sleeve number, above. Tell me ladies, how much skin do you usually show? Does 40% sound about right? Do you think this study is as funny as we do? Discuss!
More Ways to Get Glamour


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For years, social media platforms operated under the conceit that if they could simply accumulate enough users, a business model would eventually present itself. Now, publishers have adopted the same philosophy, posting their media (particularly their videos) directly to platforms such as Facebook and Twitter in the hopes that amassing an audience there will one day result in a revenue stream.
It’s a strategy reminiscent of the enterprising underpants gnomes from “South Park,” whose business plan was “Phase one: collect underpants. Phase two: ?? Phase three: profit.” Substitute “users” for “underpants,” and you’ll understand why CNNMoney started two weeks ago posting some of its videos directly to SlideShare, the LinkedIn-owned visual media platform.
“The amount of traffic we’re giving away for free pays huge dividends in attracting people to our brand,” CNNMoney’s executive producer of online video, Jason Farkas, told Digiday. “It’s really just about creating an affinity with the brand than it is about serving banner ads.”
LinkedIn’s allure extends beyond its mission to help professionals; with more than 106 million unique visitors in April 2015 — 85.7 percent more than during the same month last year — it affords publishers access to a massive number of potential readers who have already shown an interest in business news.
But as with the underpants gnomes, there exists a burning, unanswered question: “What’s phase two?”
That is, how will posting directly to and amassing an audience on LinkedIn lead to a revenue stream for CNNMoney and the other publications — including Simon & Schuster, The Economist Group and Jim Cramer and TheStreet — that have taken up LinkedIn’s offer to host their videos directly on SlideShare and then featured on LinkedIn’s main site.
When asked how TheStreet would monetize the videos it’s been posting to SlideShare since August, Elisa Bellcishta said: “No clue. There are no plans in the works yet.”
Same for CNNMoney, according to Farkas. CNN’s broadcast network would never hand its video over to a competing station for free. But when it comes to digital video, CNNMoney is more than happy to provide it to LinkedIn gratis.
“Whether it’s monetizable or not is not a primary concern,” Farkas said. “It’s a concern for the broader vision, but it’s not a concern for giving our content away on different social media platforms.”
LinkedIn spokeswoman Crystal Braswell declined to comment on its plans for monetizing publisher videos hosted on SlideShare, saying that it was “early days” and the initiative has elicited “good results” so far (although she declined to specify what those results were).
Despite the lack of a business plan, both CNNMoney and TheStreet were happy with the early results, saying plan to continue what they both framed as an experiment.
TheStreet has seen mixed results on its videos, with some netting thousands of views, and others — such as the ones that feature “Mad Money” star Cramer, who’s also a certified LinkedIn “influencer” — more than 10,000.
Its best video was a January 2015 explainer about the rather esoteric subject of the European Central Bank’s practice of engaging in quantitative easing.
CNNMoney’s video about former Hooters waitress Kat Cole, who rose through the corporate ranks to become president of Focus Brands Group, was the top video on SlideShare the day it was posted, according to Farkas.
Still, the eventual, if distant, goal is to monetize these videos.
“It’s about figuring out if this makes sense to us. So far, that answer has been yes. And once we have a little more growth, it makes sense to think about monetization,” Bellcishta said.
There are two likely means by which the monetization will occur: The participating media companies could distribute native video ads through their SlideShare accounts. Or they and LinkedIn could sell ads against the videos and split the revenue.
“Those are the two avenues,” Farkas said. “As each of the platforms figure out their monetization strategies, it’ll become an industry standard as far as how we approach it. But we’re not there yet, we don’t know.”
LinkedIn has forged similar partnerships with media companies in the past, such as last April when it expanded a program in which it pairs brands with media companies for sponsored content deals that are distributed on LinkedIn.
But LinkedIn also has a history of prioritizing its own media over that of outside media companies. For years, it delivered large amounts of referral traffic to business sites. Then LinkedIn launched its own, on-site media venture, and the referral traffic slowed to a trickle.
“I don’t see it as cannibalizing our views in any way on our site,” Bellcishta said. “What we’re doing on LinkedIn is reaching new people, not having our existing directed to our LinkedIn page.”
CNN’s Farkas echoed Bellcishta, saying that there was “only upside” to building out CNNMoney’s presence, as the audience gains were entirely incremental.
“All the social media networks are passionate about video and monetizing it, and we don’t need to worry about monetizing,” he added. “We want to be seen as one of the premium-content providers on those platforms. At some point, the monetization part will figure itself out.”
Which might remind you of a certain group of cartoon gnomes.
Homepage images courtesy South Park, Hulu
‘He thought I was accusing him of being racist’: Confessions of a comms pro on working with out of touch leadership
The [CEO] and one of the other co-founders felt the need to point out that they mentor black people and donate to black-focused charities. 'It wasn't about them, but they were making it about them.'
As economic uncertainty grows, senior media buyers expect decent upfront pricing options across linear and digital
TV sellers face a steeper uphill climb to sell billions of ad time in advance, as market indicators look increasingly gloomy. But that's not stopping one seller from seeking aggressive pricing and volume gains.
Member ExclusiveMedia Briefing: Publishers and media unions are still haggling over office-return plans heading into the summer
In this week's Media Briefing, senior media reporter Sara Guaglione reports on how unions at some major media companies are pushing back against publishers' return to office mandates, with The New York Times Guild seemingly netting a victory on Wednesday.
SponsoredHow marketers and retailers are unlocking the true value of retail media
Ben Kneen, senior director of product management, Xandr It’s a challenging time for retailers in the advertising industry. As they cope with supply chain woes and inflation-related pressures, they seek high-margin revenue streams amid evolving privacy regulations and massive shifts in identity solutions — including IDFA, the deprecation of third-party cookies and more. In light […]
How Microsoft plans to storm adland: ‘Attribution, CTV, in-game ads and potential M&A’
Microsoft Advertising VP Rob Wilk explains how it plans to burnish its $10bn ad business
Inside Hearst UK’s multi-pronged approach to third-party cookie replacements
Hearst UK's Ryan Buckley and Faye Turner are testing everything from 50,000-person panels to clean rooms.


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The chip maker wants Meizu to sign a patent license agreement for technologies related to 3G and 4G, but the device vendor is pushing back.
With PicOS 2.7.1, Pica8 is bringing fast networking to white-box switches powered by ASICs from Cavium and Broadcom for SDN environments.
Some 90% of consumers who have a problem setting up a new technology product will return it within 7 days if it is too tough to install.
At the ISC 2016 show in Germany, the companies are introducing new cooling technologies and showcasing OEM systems that use liquid cooling.
The next generation of the wireless technology will offer twice the speed, four times the range and 800 percent more capacity of the current standard.
Elastifile's CEO says the company brings "a new level of flexibility to enterprise-grade storage," bucking the trade-off between resiliency and agility.
The two companies will build offerings designed to help organizations protect their valuable assets from attacks by cyber-criminals.
Logitech adds 15 new members to its program, which is designed to expand the company's collaboration capabilities through partnerships.
Officials with Polycom say the new offer puts the price tag at $1.66 billion, still less than the $196 billion being offered by Mitel.
Of the 40 Android flaws that Google patched this month, eight are rated as critical, with issues with Qualcomm drivers topping the list.
EMC investors at a special meeting July 19 will be asked to approve Dell's planned $67 billion acquisition of the world's largest storage vendor.
A Delaware judge said the CEO and his partner underpaid when it bought the company for $25 billion, giving legitimacy to arguments made by opponents.
Brian Krzanich canceled a planned fundraiser for the controversial presidential candidate, then tweeted that he isn't endorsing anyone in the race.
The money will be used to expand the company's presence worldwide and to grab market share in the fast-growing SD-WAN space, CEO Amir Khan says.


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Big push given in the Budget to the infrastructure development and renewed emphasis on rural & agriculture sector with substantially higher outlays, as also the 25.4% increase in central capital expenditure during the financial year 2017-18 will have ripple effect on the economy as a whole, including auto sector.
NEW DELHI: The Union Budget 2017 falls short of that expectation in that there are no specific budget proposals giving relief to the auto sector or, for that matter, manufacturing sector.
However, big push given in the Budget to the infrastructure development and renewed emphasis on rural & agriculture sector with substantially higher outlays, as also the 25.4% increase in central capital expenditure during the financial year 2017-18 will have ripple effect on the economy as a whole, including auto sector.
Another comforting fact is that the Fiscal Deficit for the year 2017-18 has been pegged at 3.2% without compromising on the outlays for various sectors and economic growth.
Commenting on the Union Budget 2017, John Paul, President, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), said, “The Union Budget 2017 falls short of our expectations in that we, in auto retail business, were anticipating slew of measures, including higher depreciation rates for motor vehicles and incentives for scrapping of old vehicles. These measures will have not only given boost to the struggling auto market, but will also have had a significant positive impact on environment and road safety due to renewal of vehicle parc and modernisation of road transport fleet".
He further added, "We were also expecting an announcement for reduction in transaction charges payable by merchants in case of payments received through credit cards, which would have gone a long way in promoting the widespread use of credit cards and less-cash economy. However, outlay of Rs. 2.41 lakh crore for the transport sector, including 1.31 lakh crore for the Railways and Rs. 64,900 crore for the highways development; provision of Rs. 10 lakh crore for agri credit; and higher allocation of Rs. 1,87,223 crore for the rural sector, including provision of Rs. 48,000 crore for the MNREGA; sops for the affordable housing; and a small reduction in personal income tax are some of the positive measures, which will indirectly benefit the auto market. We hope, the Union Finance Minister will consider our suggestions for increased depreciation for motor vehicles and incentives for scrapping the polluting and unsafe old vehicles before the Finance Bill is passed by the Lok Sabha.”


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Adweek's annual #Brandweek summit will explore the ideas behind breakthrough successes, discuss solutions to pressing challenges and explore new opportunities in the Metaverse. Join leaders from Alo Yoga, Hyundai Motor America, Frito-Lay and more, Sept. 12–16 in Miami. Sign up early to save.
In 2019, deliberating Adweek’s Agency of the Year, the jury noticed something about McCann’s work that was submitted: there seemed to be a lot of work that leaned into purpose. The agency’s signature campaign for Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller was well-known and high-profile. But other work for brands like L’Oreal, Mastercard, Ikea and GSK proved that purpose and commerce could live in harmony.


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Calling all anime enthusiasts in India! Get ready to witness the spellbinding magic of the BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King Hindi dubbed version as it enchants screens on Netflix India. Prepare to be captivated by this highly anticipated anime blockbuster, set to release on June 16th. What’s more, Netflix has granted the fervent wish of fans by unveiling a BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King Hindi dub version, ensuring an immersive experience like never before. With its action-packed narrative, breathtaking visuals, and a fresh adventure awaiting our heroes, Asta and Yuno, this release promises to be an unforgettable journey into a realm where dreams and magic intertwine.
Unveiling the Hindi Dub Trailer
Netflix India recently released an exhilarating trailer for the BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King Hindi dubbed version, igniting anticipation among fans. The trailer showcases the awe-inspiring animation, intense battles, and gripping storyline that have made “BLACK CLOVER” a global phenomenon. With the addition of Hindi voice acting, this trailer offers a glimpse into the thrilling adventure that awaits viewers.
The BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King Hindi dubbed version trailer features the iconic voices of Asta, Yuno, and other beloved characters, bringing them to life in a language familiar to Indian audiences. This development is a significant step towards inclusivity in the anime sphere, as Hindi-speaking fans now have the opportunity to immerse themselves fully in the enchanting world of “BLACK CLOVER.”
“BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King” Hindi Dub on Netflix
Netflix’s recognition of the global appeal of anime is exemplified by the inclusion of a BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King Hindi dubbed version, showcasing their commitment to reaching a wider audience. With Hindi being the fourth most spoken language in the world, this move holds immense potential to introduce “BLACK CLOVER” to millions of new fans. By satisfying the existing fanbase and paving the way for more Hindi dubbed anime in the future, accessibility is enhanced, and the viewing experience is diversified for Indian anime enthusiasts.
The announcement of the BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King Hindi dub has sparked tremendous anticipation within the Indian anime community. Fans eagerly await Friday, June 16th, when they can embark on Asta and Yuno’s fresh journey in their preferred language. The availability of a Hindi dub not only creates excitement but also opens up new possibilities for the future of anime localization in India.
Whether you prefer the original Japanese audio with English subtitles or the Hindi dubbed version, Netflix India has it all. Starting June 16th, join Asta and Yuno on their magical journey on Netflix India. Don’t miss this chance to experience the captivating world of “BLACK CLOVER” in a language that resonates with Indian viewers. Get ready for an enchanting experience!
The release of the BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King Hindi dub version on Netflix India marks a significant milestone for the Indian anime community. With its visually stunning animation, gripping storyline, and inclusion of Hindi voice over, the movie promises to deliver an unforgettable anime experience. As the popularity of anime continues to grow in India, the availability of more Hindi-dubbed anime may become a reality, further enriching the viewing options for Indian fans. Get ready to embark on an epic adventure when “BLACK CLOVER: Sword of the Wizard King” premieres on June 16th!


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Parnika Bhasin Pande takes over as the Head – Signum Hotel Academy
Signum Hotels, a fast-growing hotel management company has announced the appointment of Parnika Bhasin Pande as Head – Signum Hotel Academy.
An alumnus of IHM Kolkata, Parnika has previously worked with hotel chains such as Taj, Oberoi, Sheraton, and Le Meridien. She has imparted hospitality trainings at institutes such as Frankfinn Air-Hostess Academy along with Hotel Management colleges. Parnika has also undertaken soft skill trainings for reputed brands across sectors such as telecom, entertainment, retail, and apparel.
At Signum Hotels, Parnika will lead the Company’s soon-to-launch hospitality education initiative, Signum Hotel Academy.


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Umango recently concluded an impactful series of sales and technical training sessions, heralding a new era in the market. These sessions revealed groundbreaking developments, showcasing how new Umango dealers are not just upgrading from outdated capture products but are also seizing untapped client opportunities that were previously out of reach.
The sessions uncovered a pivotal insight: up to 70% of previously unexplored business prospects are now within grasp with Umango. Until now, these opportunities remained dormant due to their high cost and the complexities associated with project management.
Participants unanimously agreed that Umango presents solutions that are only 20% as complex as competing products while introducing innovative features that unlock entirely new client markets. This marks an exciting juncture to embrace advanced capture technology and harness Umango to generate new revenue streams, for example:
- Game-Changing Insights: Recent Umango sales and tech training sessions revealed that new dealers are not just upgrading but also tapping into previously unexplored client opportunities.
- Accessible Opportunities: Up to 70% of untapped business prospects are now within reach, previously hindered by costliness and complexity.
- Simplified Solutions, Innovative Features: Umango offers solutions at 20% of the complexity of competitors, opening new client markets with innovative features.
- Elite Tier Advancements: Participants were amazed by Umango’s Elite tier, especially its Ask AI capabilities for smart decision-making and rapid content processing.
- Immediate Impact: Participants are eager to leverage Umango’s capabilities, generating fresh pipelines of opportunities and interest among both existing and potential clients.
The implications of these advancements extend far beyond individual benefits. Participants were enthusiastic about applying their newfound knowledge to enhance customer experiences, resulting in immediate interest and fresh streams of opportunities for Umango. This presents a chance to re-engage existing and potential clients, showcasing Umango’s remarkable capabilities.
“In a world where precision and efficiency are paramount, the ability to read MICR codes is not just an enhancement but a significant expansion of capabilities. By recognizing the unique patterns in MICR codes, this feature unlocks new possibilities in document processing, further expanding its capabilities and setting a new standard in the industry.”
Andrew Wade, Umango


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Indian e-commerce sales in 2016 clocked $16 billion mainly due to capital dumped by foreign players and the growing internet access, according to Morgan Stanley. Online sales in India is expected to touch $120 billion by 2020.
Gauging the market size, Seattle-based retail giant Amazon after losing its market share in China is now turning every stone in the Indian market. It has been heavily investing on artificial intelligence, data analytics, machine language to its increase customer footprint and reduce seller pain points. Notably, all these products and services have been built in India.
With a team of data research scientists who have capabilities in machine and deep learning, computer vision and natural language processing, India continues to remain the largest development centre outside of USA.
Dale Vaz, CTO, Amazon India cites the growing mobile internet traffic is gradually outweighing desktop traffic but bad internet connectivity across the country led the technology team to develop Micron-light mobile apps to suit low end smartphones.
“We introduced near-automated sign-ups for first-time mobile users, revamped our daily deals offering, removed elements which were too heavy for low end users. The app was reduced from 17MB to 2MB.”
He says that over 80% of their traffic comes from mobile devices. The app also detects the customer’s location to shows widgets and offers services depending on the network strength and location. “Someone sitting in Delhi may not realize but another person in the interiors of Haryana will face issues due to page load time if too many elements are included. But, we let customers choose which app they prefer.”
Also, considering the humungous data that Amazon India churns every second, they also built a Data Mart which holds data sets on customers, their preferences, selling history, seller’s details, and market trends on products.
“With this, we help sellers who have lesser experience in advertising online in putting the ads on select items. Our systems analyse customer buying data and pitch items to them which will be relevant. It also provides insights back to sellers and brands based on customer buying patterns.”
Amazon India is also relying on artificial intelligence to find out vendors selling overpriced items, incorrect details and even pick out fake reviews on sites.
“For instance, a genuine customer who is looking to buy visits Amazon site or app multiple times, views more than 4 products, looks at details of the products and then makes a purchase but certain users just come right in, open one page, book same product multiple times and then choose CoD. In such cases, we block the order to avert faruds.”
Leveraging on machine learning, the team is also enhancing its delivery service. “Many a time, end users do not register the exact delivery location which delays the order. Unlike in the US where you have data sources like USPS (United States Postal Service), last mile delivery is difficult in India,” says Vaz.
To tackle this pain-point, Amazon India built a model that looks into location data points of all customers and depending on the accuracy of the address, they provide a delivery address ability score between 0 to 100 to indicate a good address. Over time, depending on data collected from delivery agents and users, the score for each address improves leading to faster delivery.
Amazon started their India operations four years back in India and has grown 124% yearly and in Q2, 2017, they posted an 88% Year on Year growth.
In the coming quarters, Amazon India plans to increase its reach in Tier II & III towns and register more SMEs online. “75% of our traffic comes from lower tier geographies. Last Diwali, 97% of India pin codes placed at least one order. Over 50% of our seller base too comes from Tier II and below geographies,” says Terry Hanold, VP, International Technology, Amazon. He adds that the offline SMEs who have never sold online will be their next target.
“Our unique suite of seller services including Selling On Amazon, Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA), Easy Ship, Seller Flex etc. helps SMEs sell more and earn more money. We started with over 100 sellers in 2013 and today this base has grown to more than 2 lakh sellers.”
- Amazon drags Future Group to Singapore Arbitration forum
- Amazon sees discretionary spending coming back for festivals
- CCI dismisses case of abuse of dominance against Amazon
- TikTok gets an Amazon-sized scare
- Amazon, RIL's e-pharma plans alarm chemists
- Amazon rolls out online pharmacy service in Bengaluru


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The first truck of the new food truck empire has arrived in Fort Worth, Texas.
The trucks are named Lion and Lion’s Paradise.
The truck is named for the lion that lives in the lion enclosure at the zoo.
It’s also the name of the first restaurant in the U.S. to serve lion meat.
A lion’s appetite for meat has led to an explosion in popularity.
The food truck was created by chef James Ritter and his wife, Kristin Ritter, in December of 2017.
The Ritters started by making chicken kung pao, a meatloaf with lamb.
The couple has since expanded their business and opened a restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana, with partner and chef Kevin Mancuso.
In the fall of 2018, they opened Lion and Lamb’s Paradise, a second restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which has since opened.
The trucks name, Lion and Laughter, was chosen after Ritter was inspired by a recent video he saw of the lion eating lamb at a restaurant called Lion and Friends.
He decided to name the food truck after the Lion and friends, and said the name is meant to represent his sense of humor.
“Laughter and sadness are really the two things that we’ve always been interested in, and I really love animals,” he said.
“I’ve been looking for ways to use humor to express that and also make something that’s more meaningful.”
The food trucks have a long history in the city of Fort Worth.
In 2017, Ritter created a chicken kongpao at the restaurant that was inspired from a video that he saw about a lion eating the lamb.
The food truck also has a Lion and the Lamb Burger, a pork buns with a lamb patty and a grilled cheese sandwich, as well as a variety of sauces.
The Ritters say they have found the perfect combination of ingredients to create an authentic and delicious food experience, which is why the food trucks are called Lion’s and Laughs.


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Could we be seeing the beginning of a revolution in warehousing with the continued development of additive manufacturing?
A programme on BBC Radio Four – In Business¹ – discussed the development of 3D printing. The programme visited Loughborough University where they are developing systems to enable companies to produce building components and ultimately to build large building structures utilising this technology. EADS an aerospace company is producing aircraft parts as is BAe systems and Renishaw has begun to utilise this technology to produce dental frameworks.
The process is better known as “rapid prototyping” where one-off items are produced from fused plastic or metal powder, using computer-controlled lasers.
The principle of 3D printing technology is not that complicated. The 3D printer works basically the same as a conventional printer. Traditional printers transfer a digital file to an inkjet printer. A layer of ink is sprayed onto the surface of the paper to form a two-dimensional image. 3D printers transform data into a 3D object by adding material layer by layer. When printing, powder or other materials will be ‘printed out’ and added layer by layer. The biggest difference between traditional printers and 3D printers is that the “ink” it uses is a raw material and forms layers to build a 3D object. Not only is the material used lighter but it also produces less waste.
According to Neil Hopkinson, senior lecturer in the Rapid Manufacturing Research Group at Loughborough University, speaking on the programme, this system “could make off-shore manufacturing half way round the world far less cost effective than doing it at home, if users can get the part they need printed off just round the corner at a 3D print shop on the high street. UPS have already opened a number of 3D printing stores.
Rather than stockpile spare parts and components in locations all over the world,” he argues, “the designs could be stored in virtual computer warehouses waiting to be printed locally when required”.
This is true Just in Time technology with very little storage needed unlike in today’s JIT supply chain where at least one party in the supply chain has to hold a quantity of stock.
There will need to be a requirement to store raw materials to produce the parts however this will require far less space in the warehouse and much less capital tied up in inventory and buildings.
Those costly items stored in spare parts warehouses all over the country for months, even years at a time, just waiting for a breakdown to occur, could become a thing of the past. This will of course depend on how quickly these parts can be produced. Currently the process can range from 5 hours for simple items to two days however as the technology advances, this time will reduce significantly.
Engineers may, in the future, be able to produce the part required for a breakdown in the back of their van, given an available power source and a digital file.
The coming age could be that of mass customisation and individualisation as opposed to mass production according to Will Sillar from Legerwood speaking on the same programme.
Companies will be able to release capital to spend in other areas and will become far more environmentally friendly as the products will be made in a single material which makes disposal far easier.
3D printing technology has the potential to significantly affect warehousing in the future. This effect is likely to be on warehousing in some types of industries but not all. It is improving flexibility and providing solutions for companies and on a manufacturing level, 3D printing technology can be used in small manufacturing and high value customized production.
Nowadays, 3D printing technology has been adopted by the military sector because of its ability to build lightweight small parts and it is cost-efficient. Also, due to its convenience, Maersk has recently applied 3D printing technology to produce spare parts on board its ships. Although they are all manufacturing low-volume products at present, this technology will have an impact on their warehousing operations in the future.
According to a report produced by PWC (2014)³, there are about 67% of companies who are adopting 3D printing technology in some way with a further 25% of companies planning to adopt this technology in the future.
Warehousing could be revolutionised with 3D printers replacing some but not all of the stock stored.
According Mark Patterson of DHL² there are however implications for the digital supply chain since the intellectual property resides in the file from which the object is printed rather than the product itself. This means that in future, companies will need to really examine this data chain to ensure that the information it contains is securely transported and managed. – See more at
¹ BBC Radio Four “In Business” Broadcast at 8:30PM Thu, 28 Jul 2011
Gwynne Richards is a Director of Apprise Consulting Ltd, a supply chain and logistics consultancy and training company. www.appriseconsulting.co.uk
Genli Lu is a Masters graduate from the University of Warwick


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Over the past year, Club Solutions Magazine has shined a spotlight on a variety of rock star health club operators, each with their own unique story. Here, we share insights and takeaways from 2022’s top-read cover stories.
March 2022: Xponential Fitness
Overview: Since its foundation, Xponential has become the top curator of boutique fitness brands worldwide, with verticals spanning Pilates, yoga, indoor cycling, barre, stretching, rowing, dancing, boxing, functional training and running. In addition to its 2,100-plus existing locations, 4,400-plus licenses have been sold. The company’s brands can be found in 48 states and 12 countries (at the time of the article’s publishing). In the cover story, we discuss Xponential’s journey to becoming a publicly-traded company and investments in initiatives such as XPASS, a cross-brand subscription featuring dynamic pricing.
Takeaway: Although Xponential’s IPO got off to a rocky start in the midst of the pandemic, the company has since increased its stock price significantly. On November 10, the company reported in its third quarter of 2022 report that revenue was up 56%. In addition, North American system-wide sales increased by 37% compared to the third quarter of 2021, to $264.8 million. Between Xponential and Planet Fitness’ success as publicly traded companies, this showcases fitness brands can be a wise investment, whereas in the past they have struggled to get eyeballs.
April 2022: Assaf Gal
Overview: Assaf Gal and his family moved from Israel to the U.S. when he was two years old, providing him with a unique perspective on what it feels like to be different. This experience has guided his approach to leadership and creating inclusive environments, which he carries out across his three Crunch facilities in New York. In the cover story, we discuss lessons Gal gleaned from a previous solar light business regarding the importance of creating systems and delegating, how to truly activate core values, why it’s important to have a thirst for knowledge as a leader, and more.
Takeaway: When it comes to establishing culture, Gal explained it’s a leader’s job to reinforce, reinforce, reinforce. Putting mission and vision statements up on a wall is not going to cut it. “As I like to remind my management team, there’s always an opportunity to reinforce,” he said. “We have many chances daily, whether we are commending, coaching, role playing, running a meeting, interacting with a member and anything in between, to utilize shared language and label these interactions through the lens of our core values and beliefs. Once you feel like people are sick and tired of hearing you, they’re just starting to hear it.”
June 2022: BFit
Overview: BFit is a local chain of four gyms based in Evansville, Indiana. Like most facilities, customer experience is extremely important to the leadership team. However, in the cover story it’s revealed that for BFit this starts with the employee experience and trickles down to the member, versus the other way around. Tactics discussed include the brand’s emphasis on language, prioritization of employee feedback and commitment to effective communication.
Takeaway: At BFit, everything really does stem from the employee experience. “We believe everything starts with the employee,” said Wayne Ellis, a partner and the CEO of BFit. “If you want an exceptional member experience, that only happens through a group of people working together to make it happen. The one thing we hear very often is we are a family. And it’s through truly caring about each other that leads to an environment where we all truly care about the members and their experience at the gym each day.”
August 2022: Gainesville Health & Fitness
Overview: Gainesville Health & Fitness (GHF) in Gainesville, Florida, was founded by Joe Cirulli in 1978. Ever since, the brand has maintained standards that go above and beyond. In the cover story we highlight how the storied brand has maintained these standards across three locations by sticking to who they are, hiring good culture fits and being committed to five-star customer service.
Takeaway: According to Cirulli, the importance of good people in the form of staff can never be understated. “The biggest thing in our organization is the people,” he said. “You can have the Taj Mahal of a club. But if the people are jerks, that isn’t going to matter. So, to me, everything is about having the right people in the organization and treating people fairly.”
October 2022: 24 Hour Fitness
Overview: Karl Sanft was named president and CEO of 24 Hour Fitness after serving as the brand’s COO for three years, and as a long-standing member for almost three decades. In the cover story, we discuss Sanft’s vision for the brand after a tumultuous two years in the fitness industry, including the aim to invest in 24 Hour Fitness’ portfolio of 300 gyms across the U.S. through capital upgrades, the transition of many of its clubs from limited operations back to 24/7 service, and its focus on creating a more frictionless experience for customers.
Takeaway: According to Beth Smits, the senior vice president of operations and services at 24 Hour Fitness, consumers are seeking feedback regarding if what they’re doing is actually working. “We’re using Evolt and InBody scans so we can show the member they’re gaining results,” explained Smits. “And results can mean a lot of different things. It doesn’t have to be losing weight — it can also be getting stronger or building more muscle mass. Members want to know if the work they’re putting in — recovery work, mindfulness work, movement — is making an impact. It’s about setting goals and gamifying and measuring results, which makes members want to come back and be sticky to fitness.”


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Microsoft has introduced the subsequent wave of titles headed to Xbox Sport Move, and June has fairly a couple of video games in retailer for subscribers through the first half of the month.
For Honor: Marching Fireplace Version kicks issues off on June 1. That is the complete Ubisoft swordfighting sport plus the Marching Fireplace enlargement, and it will be out there for console, PC, and the cloud. Subsequent up is the preventing sport Ninja Gaiden: Grasp Assortment for console and PC on June 2. This contains three Ninja Gaiden video games and “the entire beforehand launched sport modes and DLC costumes for every title are included on this one set.”
Then on June 7, Murderer’s Creed Origins arrives for console, PC, and the cloud, and Ubisoft has mentioned it is trying right into a 60fps replace. Moreover, space-combat shooter Refrain arrives for Sport Move subscribers on June 7 for console, PC, and the cloud.
June 7 additionally sees the console, PC, and cloud launch of the difficult action-puzzle sport Disc Room, through which you attempt to keep away from rooms filled with lethal spinning discs. Spacelines From the Far Out, a co-op administration sport about airways in house, will get a day-one launch for console and PC on June 7
Microsoft normally proclaims Sport Move releases in two waves, one every for the primary and second half of the month, so examine again with GameSpot halfway by way of June to see what’s coming within the second group. The Microsoft and Bethesda showcase takes place June 12, and it is anticipated that the occasion could have Xbox Sport Move information.
Xbox Sport Move For June 2022 (First Half)
- For Honor: Marching FIre Version — console, PC, cloud
- Ninja Gaiden: Grasp Assortment — console, PC
- Murderer’s Creed Origins — console, PC, cloud
- Refrain — console, PC, cloud
- Disc Room — console, PC, cloud
- Spacelines from the Far Out — console, PC
GameSpot could get a fee from retail gives.


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The Federal Trade Commission has sent comments to the Department of Commerce, outlining a list of concerns about the security and privacy of connected and embedded devices, saying that while many IoT devices have tangible benefits for consumers, “these devices also create new opportunities for unauthorized persons to exploit vulnerabilities”.
In a long response to a request for comment on IoT benefits and problems by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a unit of Commerce, FTC staff members said that there are many benefits offered by IoT devices. The comments cite smart meters, connected cars, and connected health care devices as examples of devices that bring many convenience and other benefits for users. However, the FTC says all of these advances bring with them attendant privacy and security risks.
One of the key security problems that researchers have cited with IoT devices is the impracticality of updating them when vulnerabilities are discovered. Installing new firmware on light bulbs or refrigerators is not something most consumers are used to, and many manufacturers haven’t contemplated those processes either. The FTC said the lack of available updates is a serious problem for consumers and businesses alike.
“Although similar risks exist with traditional computers and computer networks, they may be heightened in the IoT, in part because many IoT chips are inexpensive and disposable, and many IoT devices are quickly replaceable with newer versions. As a result, businesses may not have an incentive to support software updates for the full useful life of these devices, potentially leaving consumers with vulnerable devices. Moreover, it may be difficult or impossible to apply updates to certain devices,” the FTC comments say.
“IoT devices are capable of collecting, transmitting, and sharing highly sensitive information.”
The lack of security patches is a major issue for connected devices, as many of them are left easily accessible online and can be found by attackers. Researchers in recent years have demonstrated any number of attacks against connected medical devices, home monitoring equipment, and industrial control systems. Many of these devices come with hard-coded passwords or credentials that can be discovered quite easily, and if the device is connected to a larger home or business network, can give an attacker an easy foothold for further attacks.
“First, on IoT devices, as with desktop or laptop computers, a lack of security can enable intruders to access and misuse personal information collected or stored on a device. As IoT devices offer new opportunities for consumers to monitor their daily activities, access content, and interact with the world, these devices also create new opportunities for unauthorized persons to exploit vulnerabilities that can facilitate identity theft or fraud,” the FTC said.
The commission staff also cites bugs in medical devices or connected vehicles as potential risks to physical safety for users. Researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek have shown this to be a reality already, with their work on security issues with connected cars.
In addition to the security problems with IoT devices, the FTC expressed concerns about the privacy issues they raise, as well. Many connected devices collect information about their usage, environments, and users, which is then used by vendors for any number of purposes.
“In one FTC analysis, staff found the presence of numerous third parties in apps connected to IoT health and fitness wearable devices. A number of those third parties collected data such as persistent device identifiers, workout routines, eating habits, length of walking stride, medical search histories, zip code, gender, and geolocation,” the FTC comments say.
“As this analysis demonstrates, IoT devices are capable of collecting, transmitting, and sharing highly sensitive information about consumers’ bodies and habits. These privacy implications may increase if consumers’ health routines, dietary habits, and medical searches are combined with offline sources and across devices.”
That data collection–some of which is done without users’ real knowledge of its purposes–is one of the main concerns that privacy advocates and security researchers have raised with IoT devices. The FTC staff said the IoT presents vendors and data aggregators with a prime opportunity.
“The massive volume of granular data collected by IoT devices enables those with access to the data to perform analyses that would not be possible with less rich data sets,” the comments say.
The FTC staff also includes a number of best practices for security and privacy with IoT devices, such as building security into devices from the outset, oversight of downstream vendor contracts on data collection and privacy, and data minimization practices.


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With the government’s Recovery Loan Scheme coming to an end, what will the lending landscape look like for businesses in the next half of 2022?
The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) was the cornerstone of the UK government’s help for businesses through the pandemic. Lenders were encouraged to agree on finance at favourable rates thanks to the government backing a percentage of the loan.
As the immediate threat of Covid has waned the details have changed, but essentially, the scheme stayed in place until 30 June 2022. Andrea Reynolds, Founder and CEO at Swoop says that from the financial industry’s point of view, the end of the scheme will not make a huge impact:
“The end of RLS means that things will change, but there are no sudden shocks here. Many lenders quietly closed their books on RLS long before they reached the deadline. There has been a feeling that businesses which needed the money would’ve already come forward, so actually finding loans under RLS in the last couple of months has been getting more difficult.”
Rhys Cunnah, Head of Unsecured Lending at Swoop says that RLS has become less relevant to businesses:
“In the early days of the pandemic, there was understandable panic about where funding would come from. Today, we are seeing that there are more options open to businesses that want to borrow. RLS products, where available, may not have been the right fit for businesses and they may not represent the best deals for borrowers. We expect that a number of RLS customers will want to refinance when the outlook settles.”
Andrea says that the future of funding is likely to be around innovative products that answer specific needs and represent value for money:
“Customers have more choice and rather than applying for a loan may be more likely to consider alternative funding, such as merchant cash advances or invoice finance.”
Have the banks ruined their chances with customers?
“The banks that will do well will be those that embrace new ways of borrowing that have been pioneered by challenger banks and disruptive lenders. Banks know that they must match these disruptors for speed of decision and processes. Many banks have a great range of products but they are not meeting the customers’ need for speed as well as digital upstarts.”
The future of finance, says Andrea, is in niche products that suit customers’ needs better:
“Businesses that need money often go to their banks first, but they are not always the best place to go as competition is fiercer in the rest of the market: customers want money cheap, they want flexibility and they want a decision fast – all of which they can get without going to a traditional bank. The only thing that stops people from finding them is knowledge, which is why Swoop has worked hard to present customers with all their options in one place and make it easy to apply. Banks are currently enjoying being the first port of call for borrowing, but need to work hard to match the new lenders for speed, agility and flexibility.”
Find out more about borrowing to finance your business here


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How Smoke Lab is spicing up at-home drinking with the first-ever premium homegrown vodka
Varun Jain, CEO, NV Group. image courtesy: NV Group
NV Group’s Varun Jain is the man behind the product. Launched in 2019, Smoke Lab Vodka has created ripples in India and expanded to international markets as well despite the raging pandemic. However, to target the right consumer base, Smoke Lab requires focused retail partnerships, promotions, and visibility in terms of shelf space.
As chilling at pubs and bars becomes a distant dream, people are taking to home-drinking sessions in a big way. This has led to new preferences among consumers, who may not be adept in mixing complicated cocktails, but are trying new brands for sure. Here, premiumisation is a key trend cutting across alco-bev categories. Primarily driven by the urban population, the move towards expensive or rather better liquor has been a driving force for a


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It is increasingly becoming clearer that the Google Nexus 6 release date is not going to happen in 2014. In fact, it is being suggested that the company has dropped plans to release Nexus 6 completely. In such a case, it is advisable to know about your alternatives. The LG G3 will be one option this year. It is likely to be launched as a real powerhouse and the smartphone is expected to position itself as one of the most powerful Android handsets available in the market. It is expected to be equipped with top-notch specifications and features. LG G3 smartphone is expected to have Qualcomm’s latest quad-core mobile processor as well as a high screen resolution. The smartphone is also assumed to be having a screen size of 5.5 inches apart from a Quad HD (QHD) resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. It would be powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor under the hood, clocked at 2.5GHz and paired with a hefty 3GB of RAM. The smartphone would also sport a 16-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter.
Meanwhile, the Moto X+1 would be another option to look out for. The smartphone is likely to have a quad-core Snapdragon chip along with a 5-inch screen size in 1080p resolution and a 13MP main shooter. It is expected to be powered by Android 4.5. The smartphone would be releasing in September or October 2014 and would be priced at not more than USD400.


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How pictures spoke volumes and raised $1.5m for breast cancer charities
On 9 September 2010, Samsung Electronics Europe launched Everyone Is Art, a campaign set within a five-year corporate and consumer pledge called More Than Talk, which helps breast cancer charities throughout Europe. An eye-catching and interactive PR campaign was created to support this activity with the message to be breast aware.
Everyone Is Art was an invitation for people all over Europe to feature in the first giant collaborative artwork to raise awareness of women and men affected by breast cancer.
By visiting the everyone is art website, members of the public were able to upload photos of themselves or loved ones, together with information about how or why their lives had been touched by breast cancer. From these, 1,096 images were used by British artist Samira Harris as a medium to recreate Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’. The number 1,096 was chosen as this is how many women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Europe each day.
A call to action was issued to every news, women’s and health contact in the UK and Europe, encouraging men and women to contribute photos. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr and Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s social media channels were also utilised to ensure vital online publicity.
Of the 1,096 images that were chosen for the final piece of art, 20 photos were shown on the world famous Samsung big screen at Piccadilly Circus throughout October. The faces of celebrity supporters, including the actress Olivia Grant and fashion writer Henry Conway, appeared alongside European breast cancer campaigners and were seen by 12 million tourists and commuters passing through Piccadilly Circus.
A media generating event was planned on 14 October 2010: Samsung’s European Breast Cancer Awareness Day. The Royal Exchange in Central London hosted the event without charge. On this date, the final artwork was revealed while celebrity and key ambassadors of the campaign enjoyed a performance from pop-sensation Alexandra Burke. Of the celebrities and hosts in attendance, not one requested a fee. Only Alexandra Burke required a greatly reduced performance fee.
Throughout the campaign, substantial money was raised through sales of Samsung’s pink ribbon electronic products. Further fundraising took place at the celebratory event with a silent auction and sale of Everyone Is Art.
Everyone is Art, the Piccadilly Circus activity and the celebratory event generated 163 pieces of print, online and broadcast coverage in the UK and Europe with a combined circulation of 376,614,898.
Highlights included a four-minute segment on Sky News, a full page in OK! Magazine and half a page in the Evening Standard.
On 14 October 2010, Samsung presented $1.5m to 25 European breast cancer charities, providing crucial support to breast cancer awareness, prevention, campaigning and fundraising.
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Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase said it posted a net loss of $430 million in the first quarter of 2022.
Coinbase’s letter to shareholders said the company brought in $1.16 in revenue during the period, well below the $1.59 billion in operating expenses, which translates to a loss of $430 million. The Q4 2021 net sales figure is $2.49 billion, as previously reported by The Block.
“The first quarter of 2022 continues the downward trend in both crypto asset prices and volatility that began in late 2021. These market conditions directly impacted our Q1 results.” the company said. “But, we enter this market with foresight and preparation, and are as excited as ever about the future of crypto.”
Trading volume reached $309 billion during the period, down from $547 billion in Q4 2021.
Additionally, Coinbase reported monthly trading users at around 9.2 million, according to the earnings release. Coinbase said in its letter that this drop in user numbers was anticipated.
In the letter, Coinbase added that “we believe these market conditions are not permanent and we remain focused on the long term.” The company said future plans include continuing to invest in its wallet and NFT-related services.
Shares of Coinbase have experienced significant volatility in recent days amid broader turmoil in the US stock market. In the NFT space, Coinbase began rolling out beta access to its marketplace in late April.
The price of $COIN is falling as of press time in after-hours trading, falling to $62.82 after Tuesday’s close, down 12.6% to $72.99.


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Google released Cardboard for iOS to the App Store on Friday, officially bringing the company’s ultra-cheap virtual reality to iPhones.
The free app, which works in conjunction with a DIY mount costing about $20, is available for the iPhone 5 and above, and early reviews report a smooth experience. Google also unveiled at the annual I/O 2015 developer’s conference this week several other new changes to Cardboard, including supporting phones sized up to six inches.
Cardboard, unveiled last year at I/O 2014, was originally designed for Android phones and available on only Google Play — though that didn’t stop iPhone users from coming up with creative ways to use Cardboard with their iPhones.
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Welcome to the apps this week, the weekly TechCrunch series that brings the latest recovery to mobile OS news, mobile apps and the overall app economy. The app industry is as hot as ever, with a record 218 billion downloads and $143 billion consumers spending worldwide in 2020. Last year, consumers also spent 3.5 trillion minutes using the app on Android devices alone. In addition, in the United States, the amount of app usage has increased before spending time watching live TV. Currently, Americans watch 3.7 hours of live TV per day, but now spend four hours per day on their mobile devices.
Applications are not a way to pass idle time – they are a big business. In 2019, the combined value of mobile-first companies was 544 billion, 6.5 times more than without mobile focus. In 2020, investors poured $73 billion in capital into mobile companies – a figure that is up 27% year-over-year. This week we are looking at the App Store Bill in Arizona, the trend of animating family photos and what is more for Twitter’s clubhouse competitors, among other things.
The Arizona House of Representatives passed a bill this week (HB 2005) that could significantly affect Apple and Google’s grip on the App Store market. Unlike a similar system recently enacted by the North Dakota Senate, this new bill does not force app stores to provide developers with an alternative way to distribute their apps. Instead, it emphasizes giving developers the right to use third-party systems that can deduct 15% -20% from Apple and Google’s app sales, in-app purchases and subscriptions. Apple and Google lobbyists fought the bill even before it officially introduced by Arizona State Rep. Regina Cobb. Cobb says he has organized Apex’s biggest competitors, such as Epic Games, Match Group, Spotify and Tile, to fight Apple’s control – he approached a lobbyist representing Match Group and the App Coalition for App Fairness (CAF) application ecosystem.
The CAF also supported the North Dakota Bill, and assisting with legislation in other states, including Minnesota, Georgia and Hawaii. Some legislators may oppose the bill as a further federal issue, and there are concerns about how the state will be able to implement such a policy. The Arizona Bill still needs to pass legislation through the Senate (and could be vetoed by Governor Doug Ducey) to become law. If passed, it would make Arizona an attractive place to establish app business and lay the groundwork for similar legislation to pass in other states.
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