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Austrian Online Tutoring Platform GoStudent Raises $340M In Series D Funding Round
GoStudent, a Vienna-based EdTech platform where K-12 students (and their parents) can find and engage with one-to-one video-based tutors in a variety of subjects, has raised $340 million (300M Euros) in its Series D round of funding led by new investor Prosus, an Amsterdam-based consumer internet group.
The round also saw participation from Deutsche Telekom, SoftBank, Tencent, Dragoneer, Left Lane Capital and Coatue.
With the new financing, the company plans to expand its services internationally, also expand its offerings through M&A, and increase market share in existing geographies.
According to the company’s statement, the latest round has made it the highest valued K12 EdTech company in Europe with a valuation of €3B.
Co-founded by entrepreneurs Felix Ohswald and Gregor Muller in 2016, GoStudent offers a digital learning platform for online teaching and paid individual courses for all school subjects. The startup aims to help students reach their full potential and replace traditional tutoring through online teaching.
GoStudent employs more than 1,300 people and works with over 15,000+ tutors. Currently, the EdTech unicorn is serving customers in 22 countries and over 1.5 million tutoring sessions are booked each month.
Commenting on the funding, Co-founder and CEO of GoStudent, Felix Ohswald, said in a statement, “Education has seen a whirlwind of change, from remote classrooms to increased academic ambitions, and we believe there is a big opportunity to transform how students learn all over the world by expanding access to quality education. We are thrilled to receive support from both new and existing investors as we continue to revolutionize education worldwide.”
The company claims to have expanded to 16 countries, including Canada and Mexico, and opened 19 international office locations. Additionally, it has also grown its team by more than 1K employees and +10K tutors and plans to increase its team further by the end of 2022.
Co-founder and COO of GoStudent, added, “Our goal is to disrupt traditional perceptions of the tutoring industry by demonstrating to parents the advantages of choosing a carefully selected online tutor, in turn significantly improving the student learning experience.”
The start-up acquired the all-in-one school communication app Fox Education last year in September. To enhance the learning experience of K12 students, GoStudent also plans to acquire ‘best-of-breed’ K12 education services and products to create a streamlined learning experience.
The latest investment comes just seven months after GoStudent became Europe’s first EdTech unicorn, raising a Series C round of €205 million in June 2021. The start-up’s new funding brings its total raised to more than €590 million.
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New Supply Chain Due Diligence Laws Necessitate Greater Traceability
This article was originally published on TotalRetail.
The call for brands and retailers to fortify their supply chains with robust traceability solutions has never been more urgent. Countries across the globe have enacted tighter due diligence laws to prevent child labor, poor working conditions, and environmental abuses, ranging from the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, to the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG), and a new Canadian law that just went into effect this year aimed at eradicating modern slavery. These mounting regulations have made it abundantly clear that a superficial understanding of an enterprise's supplier base is no longer sufficient. Companies are now expected to have a comprehensive and documented list of every link in their supply chain.
To comply with these forceful new supply chain laws, brands and retailers must implement comprehensive due diligence processes to ensure thorough risk assessments, effective mitigation measures, and robust monitoring systems. Businesses must scrutinize every tier of their supply chain, from raw material sourcing to final product delivery, ensuring that each segment adheres to stringent human rights and environmental standards. This requires a shift from traditional supply chain practices to a more transparent, multitier approach. Companies will need to invest in technologies and platforms that offer real-time visibility and traceability across their entire supply chain, enabling them to quickly identify and address any areas of concern.
In the near future, this traceability will need to extend to the component level for every item on the bill of materials at all tiers, underscoring the necessity for advanced digital platforms to manage these intricate processes. Such platforms offer more than traditional record-keeping; they enable real-time visibility and documentation, which is critical for adhering to rigorous standards of new global due diligence laws. Such technologies allow for swift identification and remediation of supply chain inefficiencies, underscoring a company's commitment to ethical practices.
Artificial intelligence-powered traceability solutions provide detailed insights from the procurement of raw materials to the distribution of finished goods, creating the documentation and assurances that are key to complying with global due diligence laws. Traceability tools allow companies to identify and map intricate relationships between various entities in their supply chain, ensuring greater transparency.
Furthermore, a raw material traceability dashboard can categorize purchase orders based on risk levels, offering granular insights into the country of origin, entities involved, and various supply chain tiers. This feature is critical for identifying and mitigating potential risks in the supply chain, enabling companies to proactively address issues before they escalate into larger regulatory or reputational problems. A robust vendor compliance program includes an extensive audits module that collects vital data about suppliers. This module should cover a range of aspects, including environmental audits, technical audits, CSR, labor standards, and more, ensuring that every supplier and raw material provider in the chain adheres to the ethical standards expected by regulators and consumers alike.
Investing in traceability solutions is a strategic necessity, pivotal not only for adhering to new regulations but also for defining a brand’s values in a market that increasingly prizes transparency and ethical practices. The companies that respond proactively to this call will be the ones leading the charge in the future of sustainable business, while gaining a competitive advantage by securing the trust of their customers. The message for brands and retailers is clear: The time to reinforce your supply chain with robust traceability solutions is now.
Stephane Boivin is the co-founder of Pivot88, the trusted SaaS provider of quality, compliance, and traceability solutions to brands and retailers around the world.
Stephane Boivin is the co-founder of Pivot88. During his more than 25 years working in the supply chain industry, he has held executive positions at companies including Toyota Industrial Group, Deloitte Consulting and Ryder Logistics, and spent over 15 years working in Asia within quality management processes.

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Yesterday, the world’s social media feed was inundated with black squares instead of pictures. And no, it wasn’t because your Internet connection was taking its sweet time downloading the pictures. It was part of a movement called #BlackoutTuesday. According to Rolling Stone, the original idea was called #TheShowMustBePaused, and organizers asked the music industry to participate in a social media blackout, using June 2 as a day of reflection and the simple black squares posted by artists, labels, brands and celebrities as “an expression of silence in solidarity with protestors and people of color.”
But the movement received some backlash since the hashtags associated with the movement were confused with #BlackLivesMatter. And while many companies, such as TikTok, pledged money to various non-profits that offer aid to black communities, many in the music industry felt that the message of #TheShowMustBePaused was lost. On the protest’s Twitter account, creators Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang clarified that the purpose of #BlackoutTuesday was to “intentionally disrupt the work week” and put a “pause” on business as usual:
It is a day to take a beat for an honest, reflective and productive conversation about what actions we need to collectively take to support the Black community. The music industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry that has profited predominantly from Black art. Our mission is to hold the industry at large, including major corporations [and] their partners who benefit from the efforts, struggles and successes of Black people accountable. To that end, it is the obligation of these entities to protect and empower the Black communities that have made them disproportionately wealthy in ways that are measurable and transparent.
Fans of the vintage video game company Atari will be pleased to hear that after nearly two years of production delays, those who helped fund the new VCS console through Indiegogo will finally get to play this summer. The $390 device was first unveiled in 2017, but due to scarcity of certain parts had to be put on hold multiple times while developers found alternatives.
For those trying to fill the time gap while they wait for their new consoles, a new game called “Arcana” is now available on Instagram, of all places. The Los Angeles Times reports that the game uses an alternate-reality gaming format and invites players to solve the mystery behind the real-life murder of Marion Parker in 1927. But its makers took this “true story” and rewrote it to reflect the current times. Puzzles are posted as images, sometimes hidden in the background of selfies or in the frames of Instagram Live dance party videos. But all are “meant to reflect the increasingly fragile mind of a young woman in quarantine.”
Some people feel that more electronics during quarantine isn’t the way to go. Raisa Bruner, writing for Time Magazine, has found a “strangely comforting echo” between the current circumstances and the staid lives of Jane Austen’s early 19th century heroines. Besides the obvious parallels between Austen’s characters and the lives many of us are living right now—long, solitary walks, family dinners, reading, sewing, reminiscing—Bruner has found that Austen’s novels also show strength of spirit in their characters, demonstrating a patience, generosity and feeling of content that have inspired her to cherish her life in quarantine despite the urge to return to modernity.
Bruner’s penchant for a simpler lifestyle is also being felt by the world of advertising. This time last year, companies were spending millions creating commercials for their summer sales. But according to The New York Times many companies “have cut back on the big-budget commercial productions out of necessity, with filming largely shut down.” And the shift to smaller, remote crews and online appearances by celebrities could seriously cut down on the number of commercials you see on TV.
“You might see ads that feel more like they’re talking to you, and you won’t see as many of them—not those big, expensive ads over and over again,” said Jane Clarke, CEO for the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement. “In the new mediascape, big-statement, big-budget TV commercials could become something of a rarity,” added Edward E. Timke, an advertising expert at Duke University.


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According to FutureSource Consulting, Google's Chromebooks achieved 51% share in the K-12 educational market. Historically, Apple has long been the market leader in educational sales — which may have been a key factor in surviving Apple’s 1990’s collapse as school districts were reluctant to leave the Mac platform. But today is a brave new world, full of tablets and mobile devices. Laptops and desktops are not what they were in the educational space. Say what you will about Unions and school districts spending every dime they get, budgets for technology are simply squeezed, and Apple is feeling the blow.
Google's Chromebooks offer a near 100% cloud-based experience, for dirt-cheap hardware prices. Chromebooks are not for music or video editing classes, but it would be silly to suggest Google does not have their eyes on a larger desktop prize. In the educational market, Apple has left space under their pricing umbrella, and it will eventually hurt Apple in the education market, if it hasn't already.
This weekend was more frustrating than most. I was going to show my wife some pictures I had taken on my iPhone. But within reach was my iPad. I picked up my iPad, opened the Photos app and my pictures were not there. What? Hmmm. So began the weekend hunt to figure out why.
First you must understand I try to avoid using iCloud (or anything that involves a third-party “learning about me”) as much as I can. For Books, for Podcasts, for Messages, for Notes, Music and Video I am unable to avoid using Apple’s syncing services. However, for Photos, Contacts, Calendar and Mail, I have some other options. For the later three I have my own hardware running OS X Server. But for photo syncing I want to continue syncing locally — between my Mac and iOS devices — when on the same Wi-Fi connection.
In 2007 when we were first introduced to the original iPhone and iOS, many questions arose. Did it mean the end to OS X? Was iOS the “future” for Apple? Why did Apple create iOS instead of a mobile version of OS X?
“The Apple car windshield will crack easily, but the car will still function.”
— or —
“Apple Car will be compatible with most roads, but will require its own proprietary fuel.”
It was back in February of 2015 that rumors of Apple developing their own car exploded into the news, and the jokes quickly followed. And while the stream of rumors – and jokes – have died down, Apple certainly has not. Apple’s car program appears to be moving ahead at a rapid rate.
Apple recently hired Doug Betts of Fiat Chrysler, a manufacturing executive who led their global quality team. Apple has also hired hundreds of Tesla workers and many executives from within the auto industry. Apple’s continual hiring stream while spending hundreds of millions in vaguely answered for R&D spending, hints to a major car program, but there is another highly visible area where Apple is making room for their own car — Apple’s own retail stores.
A good CEO knows that if their company rests on its success, impending doom will soon be at their doorstep. IBM became distracted and complacent. Microsoft believed it was invincible with over 90% market share. Thank goodness Tim Cook and Apple think differently.
Cook knows that despite all the success and glory with the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and the resurgence of the Mac, if Apple stands still history shows that Apple’s fate is certain — decline. While IBM and Microsoft are still with us today, they are not the companies they were at the peak of their success. The question is how Apple will maintain its success into the next decade.
What is in an Apple patent? Usually, not much. Apple applies for hundreds of patents for all sorts of unusual and strange technologies, but Monday the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple a patent that could change the way we view the world – literally. But is the patent a rehash of something old, or does Apple really want this Kodak goodness for a future device?
It started earlier this month, when actress Jennifer Lawrence’s iCloud account was hacked and nude photos of herself (she stored in iCloud) made their way across the internet. In Tim Cook’s interview with Daisuke Wakabayashi at the Wall Street Journal he said iCloud is completely secure and that hackers guessed the right answers to a series of questions to get into Lawrence’s iCloud account. Lesson: Make sure your passwords and security questions are not obvious and easy to guess.
On Wednesday (17-Sept-2014) Apple released its newest mobile operating system iOS 8. By default iOS 8 has encryption turned on. This means data stored on an iOS 8 device is encrypted, as well as the transfer of that data, to and from iCloud. This is the first time encryption has been turned on by default. In response to Apple's beefed up security measures Google has announced it will also encrypt data by default with its next operating system release — Android L — to ship next month. However, with Google's Android, only those buying a new device with Android L will ever receive the encryption, as Android hardware makers do not upgrade older Android versions on sold on their devices — Apple does, and iOS upgrades are always free.
At WWDC, Apple unveiled many new iCloud features. One of those features is iCloud drive. Users will be able to store files on iCloud directly from the Finder with multiple layers of folders. They will also be able to store photos on iCloud. Hopefully, iPhoto and Aperture will integrate iCloud in their next updates.
When users start to store more files in iCloud, the demand for better storage payment options will rise. Apple already addressed these demands at WWDC as well with a new pricing model. The following chart compares the new iCloud pricing against the old iCloud, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box. Also noted is how much one gets for free and the price per year for 20GB, 50GB, 100GB, 200GB, and 1TB.
It’s big, it’s powerful, it’s fast, and it’s coming soon — now being revealed even sooner. No, this isn’t the world domination 4.7-inch iPhone 6 I’m talking about, it’s OS X (10.10), and it’s sure to knock the socks off developers and users alike.
Certainly, if an iPhone 6 (what T-GAAP believes will be called iPhone Air) arrives at WWDC, virtually all media attention will be cast upon the svelt device, relegating Apple’s iOS and OS X operating software magic to section b, page 14.
Apple cleaned up iCloud’s many syncing bugs with iOS 7 and OS X version 10.9. Not all of them are gone, but enough to make it reliable. Now that iCloud is a stable solution, developers have been adding iCloud features to their software. As iCloud continues to grow in popularity, users will be asking for more features.
There are lot of features that Apple could add to iCloud. What are the most important ones? Which features will have the most impact on the users? Here are three features that would have the most impact.


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Gun retailers a potential bull’s eye for investors
Scott is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
When times are tough, where can you find a business sector that hits the financial bull’s eye? Look no further than what you usually use to hit the bull’s eye: Guns and ammunition.
According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, the gun business was excellent in 2011, with no change expected in 2012:
“The $4 billion firearms and ammunition industry stands apart from other industries that are struggling in the slow economy. Demand for guns has continued at a robust pace since late 2008. NSSF estimates the industry is responsible for approximately 180,000 jobs and has impact on the U.S. economy of $28 billion.”
The popularity of guns in America makes for good business.
It’s estimated that there are 270 million privately-owned firearms in America - nearly 89 guns for every 100 people in the country.
What prompts the hotter-than-a-three-dollar-pistol good business news is the bad news about the Colorado Dark Knight movie house shooting and the Wisconsin Sikh temple massacre. It’s not so much the incidents themselves, but what follows that has buyers scrambling to purchase.
Gun sales are robust because of gun control political rhetoric that follows incidents like the Colorado and Wisconsin shootings. When people who are concerned about self-protection hear gun-control talk, they beeline to a firearms dealer to beat regulatory restrictions.
According to Gallup, opposition to gun control is at unprecedented levels suggesting Americans are ready to buy more guns.
Since there’s a limited number of publicly-traded gun manufacturers, profiting from them could be difficult. The Motley Fool recently reported on three of them, but investing in one of these solid-performing companies means you hitch your wagon to a one-gun-brand star. If you want to take advantage of the surge in gun sales irrespective of brand and company, then look at the retail sector for a company selling firearms from several manufacturers.
Even here, however, the number of publicly traded retailers isn’t that large. Many of the big gun retailers, like Hyatt Guns and Gunrunner as well as the iconic L.L. Bean in Freeport, ME and tourist-destination Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO, are privately held.
Publicly-traded gun retailers include Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), which is the largest firearms retailer in America, Sears and its K-Mart division (NASDAQ: SHLD), Big 5, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Cabela’s (NYSE: CAB).
While Wal-Mart is the number one retailer of firearms, sales are restricted to rifles and shotguns – the company stopped carrying handguns in its stores in the early 1990s in part to gain acceptance in communities such as New York City where antipathy towards firearms, especially handguns, is high.
Sears is less a destination firearms retailer than the place you go for a mattress or power tools, and its discount-retailer K-Mart division, is closing a large number of stores after a poor 2011.
Big 5 and Dick’s are traditional sporting goods retailers that feature a broad array of merchandise from bowling balls to team uniforms in addition to firearms. Not the serious gun purchaser’s first choice.
That leaves Cabela’s, a 37-store chain with locations in the U.S. and Canada and 2011 revenue of $2.5 billion. Regarded as a destination retailer for hunters, Cabela’s is a full-range gun retailer offering handguns, rifles and shotguns as well as specialty firearms in all price ranges from domestic and international manufacturers.
Additionally, Cabela’s Gun Locker is a go-to place for high-end, antique and one-of-a-kind firearms. If you’re in the market for a Beretta 12 gauge trap gun and you are comfortable dishing out $3,200 for it, the Cabela’s in Hamburg, PA has it for you, but not over the Internet since by law gun sales must be finalized in person, which means customers have to go to the store.
In my never-ending quest to bring you boots-on-the-ground research, I was in the Lacey, WA Cabela’s three weeks ago, and the gun counter was doing a brisk business with nearly every clerk helping a customer fill out a background-check form, which they only do when a gun has been purchased. Those customers also had shopping carts filled with non-gun merchandise – lots of non-gun-related merchandise.
As reported in The Daily Olympian (Olympia WA), for the second quarter of 2012 Cabela’s earned $33.9 million, or 47 cents per share, compared with $21.7 million or 31 cents per share for the same quarter in 2011.
The company is proceeding with expansion plans, albeit cautiously and with an emphasis on smaller stores that will increase profitability. A typical Cabela’s is in the range of 200,000 sq ft, while the store in Union Gap, WA slated to open this October will be 40,000 sq ft.
Per The Olympian report, company CEO Tommy Millner acknowledged in a conference call with analysts that Cabela’s had experienced stronger gun sales as a result of the Colorado shooting tragedy.
Scott St. Clair does not own, nor has he ever owned, shares in any of the companies mention in this entry. He does own, however, a pretty nifty German-made H&K P30 hand gun, the only semi-automatic that is fully functional left-handed and right-handed. And he perfectly fits the demographic described in this entry. The Motley Fool has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.If you have questions about this post or the Fool’s blog network, click here for information.


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The Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe (RBZ) issued guidelines in a circular that detailed cryptocurrency activities taking place within the country are now banned. The RBZ further stated that domestic digital currency operations had sixty days to become compliant. Local reports now reveal the Zimbabwe-based cryptocurrency exchange Golix plans to take the central bank to court for banning digital assets, as the firm emphasizes that the RBZ has no authority to ban cryptocurrencies across the country.
Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe Faces Legal Backlash
Last week cryptocurrency enthusiasts and businesses in Zimbabwe got some bad news as the central bank decided to ban all digital currency activities. The RBZ warned about the ‘risks’ involved
with cryptocurrencies and told financial institutions not to deal with digital asset businesses.
Resource: Read full news here.
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According to reports, Aditya Chopra, chairman of YRF, refused to settle for a digital release for the studio's upcoming projects, as he believes they are meant to be enjoyed on the big screen.
Aditya Chopra | Twitter
Yash Raj Films (YRF) has reportedly turned down an offer from Amazon Prime Video for a digital release for its roster of upcoming releases. According to Bollywood Hungama, the production banner was offered over Rs 400 crore for this deal.
A trade source told the outlet that many streaming giants are eager to collaborate with YRF and include it's new projects in their libraries. However, Aditya Chopra, chairman of YRF, is steadfast in his belief that the these films are meant for the big screen experience.
The trade adds that during the second wave of the pandemic, when there was no clarity over then cinemas in Maharashtra would reopen, Amazon Prime Video had approached YRF to release four of its films.
In spite of the massive sum, and the profit that would have followed, Chopra turned down the offer.
The source further tells Bollywood Hungama that Amazon Prime was willing to bargain with Chopra and take on any of the studio's four films, if not all. They were aware that Chopra did not want to part with Akshay Kumar-led Prithviraj or Ranbir Kapoor's Shamshera, so they presented a counter offer for films like Bunty Aur Babli 2 and Jayeshbhai Jordaar.
The source also notes that Chopra did not sell Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra's Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, which did not fare well at the box office, so it would have been impossible for Amazon Prime to grab Jayeshbhai and Bunty Babli.


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Microsoft has completed its Hotmail.com to Outlook.com migration and now is claiming 400 million active Outlook.com Web mail accounts.
All About Microsoft
Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley's blog covers the products, people and strategies that make Microsoft tick.
Mary Jo Foley
Mary Jo has covered the tech industry for more than 25 years for a variety of publications and Web sites, and is a frequent guest on radio, TV and podcasts, speaking about all things Microsoft-related. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008).
Microsoft has released to the Web the final version of its latest free WebMatrix tool bundle, which includes tighter Windows Azure integration.
Microsoft is believed to be building a Windows Azure-hosted desktop virtualization service that could be available on a pay-per-use basis.
A new version of the official Facebook app, plus Skype video messaging for Windows 7 are now in the testing pipeline, according to Microsoft officials.
Microsoft now has seven $1 billion businesses that are part of its Server and Tools unit.
In its quest to go head-to-head with Amazon on the cloud front, Microsoft is adding even more enterprise networking capabilities to its Windows Azure cloud platform.
Microsoft bought Yammer last summer and already has deployed the technology widely in-house as part of the company's Intranet makeover.
Microsoft is poised to launch an app-comparison program designed to sway Android phone users that Windows Phone 8 is worth another look.
What do Azure and Yammer have to do with how Microsoft is changing the way it is developing, testing and delivering its Office products? More than many think.
Microsoft is broadening availability of its Surface Pro PC/tablet hybrids during May and June, officials are saying.


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The French labour minister accidently confirmed on a local radio show that GM and Peugeot Citroën (PSA) have started initial talks about a joint venture.
Tag Archives: Joint Venture
Bajaj Auto has scrapped plans for a Joint Venture (JV) with Renault-Nissan for the Ultra Low Cost (ULC) car project. The company will now only have a simple arrangement for acting as the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for the car with the Renault-Nissan
This is a rare occurrence. To me these guys were competitors and not potential partners or never have I envisaged a concept of them coming together before.
State-run Indian Oil Corporation plans to set up the country’s 2nd hydrogen fuel-dispensing station in the vicinity of the Commonwealth Games Village
As Mahindra & Mahindra(M&M) vehicles - Scorpio and Xylo prepare to enter the American market, the company is aiming to step into China also, which is the world's second largest automobile market after the US and is three times bigger than the
Fiat’s Ranjangaon (Pune) plant with the capacity to produce 3.33 lakh engines a year, can produce a much larger volume of engines than the company and its joint venture partner Tata Motors would need in the near future. The company has decided to utilise
First Automobile Works Ltd, a Chinese company, is ready to invest in West Bengal along with an Indo-Russian Joint Venture, Ural India Ltd. Ural India is a joint venture between Uralaz of Russia and Kolkata based Mitijug group. They plan to launch heavy
Kinetic motors to form a joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra for manufacturing two wheelers. Kinetic motors have been going under losses for quite a few years now. This quarter they incurred a net loss of INR 18 crore which is marginally less than


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February 5, 2011 by staff
Superbowl Snacks, (Health.com) – More than 100 million people are expected to listen to the Super Bowl XLV this weekend, but only some of them are football fans. Thank you to pregame hype and production values of Hollywood quality, Super Bowl has become the main attraction for many viewers.
But these ads blockbuster bad for our waistlines? Food and beverages are expected to represent approximately one third of the ads to be broadcast during Sunday’s game, according to Advertising Age. (Car companies take another third or so, with the remainder split between sites, movie studios and retail chains.) Viewers and partygoers – including millions of children – can expect to see ads from Doritos, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Snickers, and Budweiser.
Health.com: 25 health food snacks you should never eat
In other words, a high proportion of small ads are pitching soda, snacks and other junk foods loaded with calories, sugar, sodium and fat.
“Studies show [that] if you see an advertisement for a product and try it for the first time, you like it more if you have not seen the ad,” said Jennifer Harris, Ph.D., director of marketing initiatives at Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, New Haven. “It is really shaping our preferences, and the trigger us to eat more.”
Yes, advertising works
Humor, suspense, and sxy people digging into bags of Doritos supersize have become a staple of Super Bowl ads. It’s the oldest trick in the book: Make a product or brand attractive and appealing in the surrounding stuff with attractive and appealing.
It is tempting to believe that this strategy will not work on you. In the real world, almost everyone agrees that people who consume lots of soda, junk food and beer are often overweight and unhealthy – not exactly what is shown on the screen. And yet we give in to the ruse.
Health.com: 11 Healthy Super Bowl Snacks
“We know the effects of excessive snacks are very harmful to health. If you drink lots of beer, you’re not going to get all the pretty women,” said Frederick J. Zimmerman, Ph.D., economist and Professor of Health Services at UCLA School of Public Health. “This may seem obvious, but these images affect us at a subconscious level.”
Zimmerman believes that the real culprit behind the obesity epidemic is not high fructose corn syrup, sodium or saturated fat, per se, but rather the pervasive marketing that makes food ingredients containing the call Americans.
In his research on the health effects of television on children (and more recently adults), Zimmerman found that the number of ads people see is more closely related to risk of overweight or obese than the total time that they spend watching television.
Health.com: How junk food marketed to children
And unconscious impact of Super Bowl ads could even be higher than that of advertising every day, because the ads are part of the show, “said Harris. “If you see an advertisement trying to give you information, you know exactly what he does,” she said. “But if you are simply entertaining, you are not looking at it in that way, which is probably making it more efficient. ”
The power of advertising has largely had a negative effect on our health, but in theory that it might be exploited for good, “said Jonathan H. Whiteson, MD, who has seen the fallout from the obesity epidemic firsthand as director of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation in Central New York University Langone Medical.
“We are led to the trough – or really the burger and beer,” said Whiteson. “If companies fruit and tap water were advertising companies, we go in that direction instead.”
Can you make advertisements hungry?
Research suggests that television commercials may prompt you to eat. Advertising triggers an “automatic response eating” can make you eat more “big food that is in front of you,” said Harris.
Health.com: How to reduce cravings http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0 benefits, 20394811.00 html.
This effect has been demonstrated in an experiment that Harris and his colleagues at the Rudd made in 2009. The researchers randomly assigned 98 young adults into three groups and each group showed an episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Participants were informed that the study focused on the impact of television on mood.
Groups watched the episodes were identical – except for the commercials. One version contained ads for junk food (like sweets, sodas and fast food) that emphasized “fun and excitement”, another version had ads for nutritious foods (like oatmeal and OJ), and a third version does contain no advertising of foods in all. (The three versions have non-food commercials as well.)
After seeing the show, the study participants were moved to another room where they were told they could eat all they wanted from an array of snacks, ranging from health (vegetables and dip) not so healthy (cookies). Participants who viewed advertisements unhealthy snack eaten the most food – although they said they did not feel hungry.
Volunteers in experiments like these generally do not think that advertising can influence their behavior in this way, “said Harris. “Most people believe they have more control over what they actually do,” she said. “Once people know they are influenced, then they are better able to control behavior. “
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“The focus is going to be very keyboard centric,” BlackBerry CEO John Chen told Reuters in a new interview published today. For over a year now, BlackBerry has been trying to push consumers smartphones that have looked and felt more like an Apple iPhone or your average Android device than a traditional BlackBerry devices of yore. Devices like the BlackBerry Z10, the Z30, and the upcoming Z3 are all flat, candy bar style phones with nothing but big touch screens, forcing users to instead tap away on a screen to get work done. [...]
There’s one thing we know for sure: Apple will definitely make an iPhone 6. There’s another thing we know mostly for sure: Apple will probably be releasing it sometime between now and 2015. Other than that, it’s all rumor and speculation, but that doesn’t stop us from scrutinizing every new ounce of possible information for some bit of truth or insight.
Today’s no exception. A report out of Jappan’s Nikkei newspaper says that the timetable for the iPhone 6’s production pegs its release window as slated for this September. If [...]
Editor’s Note: This article is part of our Founders Series where we get insights and analysis from founders of various different companies in the tech industry. Craig Vodnik is a co-founder and the vice president of operations at cleverbridge – a global full-service e-commerce provider for more than 300 international software and SaaS corporations like Acronis, Avira, Dell, Malwarebytes and Parallels. He is also the author of “Building Keystones,” a digital e-commerce [...]
Los Angeles-based Vulfpeck is a funk band, but you wouldn’t know it by listening to the group’s latest album, Sleepify.
That’s because the entire album is silent.
It contains ten tracks, each about thirty seconds long. Not one contains a single note, or sound, or anything.
According to CNET, the group earns half a cent each time a track is played, equalling up to about five cents per album stream.
And if you keep the album on repeat while you sleep, as Vulfpeck asks, you could ultimately [...]
Well, it’s finally happened: Microsoft followed through on yesterday’s predictions and formally announced Office Suite for iPad.
And unless you have or intend to get a subscription to Office 365, there’s really no good reason to download it.
But before we dive into that, let’s cover the basics of Microsoft’s announcements today. As expected, the company pulled back the curtain on a touch-optimized version of its premier productivity software applications, including Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and all the rest of the [...]
About a year ago I pre-ordered the Automatic Smart Driving Assistant after seeing it talked about on Twitter, a number of months past and then in early August it finally showed up on my doorstep. My early experiences with the Automatic were very positive, the Automatic is easy to install into your car and getting it connected to your smartphone isn’t much more difficult. And now, after using it for quite some time I can say the Automatic has definitely been a worthwhile purchase, my driving habits have improved which means [...]
That long-awaited Amazon streaming box may finally be making its way to your TV.
The folks at Re/Code got their hands on an invite to an April 2 event, sent by Amazon VP Peter Larson. We’ve embedded the image to the right.
As you can see, Amazon plans on talking about its “video business” at the event. This could go a few different directions.
The first and most obvious reason for the event is the Amazon streaming box. There were rumors that the [...]
This week, President Barack Obama has outlined his proposal to put a stop to the bulk collection of phone metadata. According to a post on the Verge, the president’s proposal will ultimately end the NSA’s routine collection of metadata, and instead the data will be held by the phone companies themselves. To acquire any specific records, the government will have to obtain permission from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
The difference here, of course, is that now the data won’t simply be collected by the government en [...]


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Global lifestyle brand and retailer Cole Haan is joining forces with renowned street culture icon, Jeff Staple, to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of his Staple Design brand. On Tuesday, August 10th, Cole Haan is launching their new 2.ZERØGRAND Stitchlite™ x Staple Design sneaker in celebration of the occasion.
“Working with Cole Haan represents an opportunity to show the world how far Staple Design has come in this — our 20th year of existence. To me Cole Haan is at the perfect intersection of innovation, sophistication and design. I am extremely proud that Staple can now be a part of its storied history,” commented Jeff Staple, Founder of Staple Design.
Priced at $300 the Cole Haan 2.ZERØGRAND Stitchlite™ x Staple Design will be available exclusively on ColeHaan.com and in select Cole Haan stores.


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Collin Villari, an actuarial science major at the university, has stopped using vape products after hearing about the recent cases of lung illness that have been linked to the vaporization of nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis.
Villari likes to use cannabis occasionally to relax and give himself a mental break. He has never been a heavy user and turned to vaporizing THC distillate as an easy and discreet method of consumption.
Villari would vape with his brother Brett, 17, who got the cartridges from a connection at his high school. Villari figured that vaping was a healthier alternative to smoking, until recently.
“The scary part about it is we don’t know the long term effects,” Villari said. “I don’t really do that stuff anymore.”
Villari stopped before experiencing any ill symptoms, but in the past few months, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has identified over 800 cases of lung illness and twelve confirmed deaths that have been linked to vaping black market THC distillate.
THC distillate is a highly potent form of cannabis that is processed into a concentrate that is able to be vaporized at low temperatures in the form of disposable cartridges. It’s purported benefits are a smoke that is free of carcinogens and an almost instant effect after consumption.
From licensed dispensaries, it can cost upwards of $60 for a cartridge containing half a gram of distillate. Such high prices have given way to a robust black market that reaches everyone from medical patients to high school students like Villari’s brother.
Jeff, 24, a recent graduate of the university, sells his cartridges, or “carts,” as they are referred to on the black market, by the full gram: double the concentrate for half the dispensary price. The black market carts are an economical option for students, professionals and young parents, who are among Jeff’s clientele.
In states without legalized marijuana, the black market can be the only available supply of cartridges, and according to Jeff, demand has remained high.
Unlike distillate that comes from licensed distributors, the supply chain for black market carts carries an air of covertness. When asked where his cartridges come from, Jeff relayed an answer that has become the go-to answer for suppliers: “somewhere in California.”
The brands that he carries have names like “Irie Roots Extracts” and “Dank Vapes,” with professionally printed packaging that suggests that they come from licensed distributors and out of reputable labs. They come in a variety of flavors, and the box even includes THC percentages and terpene content — an advanced flavor profile.
However, a look into one of these brands reveals something far more insidious. A search for “Dank Vapes” produces multiple websites that use the brand’s name. One, “Dankvapes.org,” presents as an online merchant, a “USA Veteran owned company” that like many others, claims to be the official website. The site appears to offer worldwide delivery of pre-filled cartridges, the first red flag, since licensed dispensaries do not ship to states without legalized marijuana.
A spokesperson reached at the website said that the company is based in California. However, according to information on the domain registrar “godaddy.com,” the site is registered to the company “NameCheap, Inc,” based in the country of Panama.
“Dank Vapes,” as a producer of legitimate cannabis distillate, does not exist. It is an example of a type of brand fabrication that defines this black market. On eBay, a search reveals what the real “Dank Vapes” might be. Shipping from China, ready-to-fill cartridges and packaging with professionally printed branding are available at wholesale, at around a dollar a piece in quantities of a thousand.
“You never know with these,” Jeff said. “The brand doesn’t mean anything, the packaging doesn’t mean anything. It’s a black market.”
The cartridges with this label often pass through suppliers, dealers and customers with an almost pathological assurance that their cartridges are the “real” “Dank Vapes.” In recent years, the number of different brands being passed off as THC distillate manufacturers has skyrocketed. Attractive names, with vivid, pastel-colored packaging, are enough to earn a following.
Mike, who sells cartridges in Delaware, often hears of new brands for the first time from his customers when they make requests. “Gushers,” “Emerald,” “TKO,” “Brass Knuckles,” and of course, “Dank Vapes.”
Mike keeps up with shifting demand for brands that will cycle in and out of fashion over the course of a few months. The “illusion of choice” between a better or healthier vape cartridge, is perpetuated through increasingly clever packaging: new flavors, more medicinal names, fabricated testing results and switching away from brands that gain a bad reputation.
Underneath all this, what Mike refers to as “the game,” the contents of the liquid inside remains a mystery.
“People are buying these empty cartridges, filling them with God knows what, and then selling them at a low price,” Mike said.
A “Dank Vape” cartridge is among those identified by the New York State Department of Health to contain high levels of vitamin E acetate, an additive that is suspect in the recent cases of vaping-related illness.
Both Jeff and Mike reported that they have stopped using the cartridges they sell after experiencing adverse symptoms themselves.
“You’re heating up some sketchy liquid and you have no idea what it is. It can’t be good for you,” Jeff said.
Cheap or “bulk” distillate is sometimes referred to as “hot dog water,” in reference to the typical low quality and mysterious origins of the liquid. The liquid itself is often cut with a variety of additives to make the substance appear to be a more desirable color or a thicker viscosity.
Commonly found additives like propylene glycol or vitamin E acetate are often widely available, approved for topical or ingestional use by the Food and Drug Administration. However, when it comes to vaporizing and inhaling these compounds, there are few regulatory guidelines and almost no research to look into.
Ultimately, we still don’t know how safe vaping is, let alone the safety of the virtually endless list of chemicals that may be used to cut the distillate.
Part of the reason that many people still forgo the health risks and choose to buy off the street is because black market cartridges have become so cheap.
A full cartridge can last a user weeks or even months, and Villari and his brother would often split the cost of a single cartridge between them. In Delaware, black market distillate has become a big business, and economies of scale have pushed the prices down even further.
There are individuals who are pushing thousands of pre-filled cartridges that they may get from an out-of-state supplier for as low as $5 a piece, according to Mike. Low prices from a flooded market and a culture that has already been predisposed to vapes as a healthy alternative, have suddenly put THC vaporizers containing questionable content into the hands of college students, high school kids, moms and medical patients.
“People are looking for cheap, cheap, carts,” Mike said. “How can you put real valuable liquid inside for those prices? You can’t.”


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The website ProPublica has done the homework — which in this case means its team has crunched the numbers. Their math confirms what many already suspected: Doctors who accept payments from pharmaceutical and medical device companies do tend to prescribe more brand name drugs and devices as opposed to less costly generic options.
ProPublica, a highly respected investigative journalism newsroom for the digital age, has been tracking payments for six years. With the 2010 Affordable Care Act, drug companies now have to report their payments. These are publicly accessible via the site Dollars for Docs. ProPublica has also tracked patterns in MedicarePart D, the prescription Drug Program. Then the team matched the payment records on payments with corresponding data on doctors’ medication choices in Medicare’s prescription drug program.
Here are the crib notes:
- Doctors are paid for promotional speaking, consulting, business travel, meals, royalties and gifts. Even doctors who only accepted meal tickets tended to favor brand name RXs.
- Doctors who received payments were between two and three times as likely to prescribe brand-name drugs at exceptionally high rates as others in their specialty.
- Among cardiologists who wrote 1,000 or more prescriptions for Medicare patients, nearly nine in 10 received payments from a drug or device company in 2014
- Among internists and family practitioners who wrote 1,000 or more prescriptions for Medicare patients, seven in 10 accepted payments
- One NJ doc got close to $67K from companies in one year. “[His] brand-name prescribing rate was more than twice the mean of his peers in internal medicine,” ProPublica says.
- Where you live may affect how likely it is that your doc takes payouts from pharma. Twice as many doctors in Nevada, Alabama, Kentucky and South Carolina accept payments than do docs in in those crunchy states Vermont, Wisconsin, Maine and Minnesota.
- For some patients, generics are not a viable alternative. Notable among them are HIV/AIDS patients and those with complicated conditions for whom generics haven’t been successful
- For most patients, generics are as effective as brand name drugs
Visit Dollars for Docs to see whether your doctor or hospital has accepted payments, how much and from whom. Just enter your doctor/hospital’s name and state, and the site spits out the facts.


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In a new survey, a majority of small business owners think that another recession is coming, and soon. Over half of small business owners surveyed believe that the recession will happen in the next year.
Likely using their business sense that made them successful and looking at the overall big picture (which is painted nicely over a big pile of excrement), small business owners are not all that optimistic about the coming year. The latest CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey is highlighting concerns of United States entrepreneurs. As the mainstream media continues to whitewash the precarious situation the national and global economy is in, many are slowing realizing just how disastrous the next crash or recession will be; and part of the apocalyptic future will be because the media refused to tell the blatant truth about how bad the debt crisis and everything bubble truly is.
This was the first time in the two-year-plus history of the survey that small-business owners were asked for their recession forecast, but the broader survey trends over time indicate more caution on the part of entrepreneurs as multiple readings of small-business sentiment has declined, reported CNBC of their own survey.
“While a slim majority of small-business owners see a recession ahead, there’s little sign that they think it’s imminent,” said Jon Cohen, chief research officer at SurveyMonkey. “The small-business index has tapered off from its peak in Q3 2018, but it certainly hasn’t hit a wall, and several of its core components remain strong,” Cohen said. And perhaps that’s part of the problem. Even some of the elitists who wield power over others have come out with warnings that a recession is nearing and that they [your political overlords] won’t be able to stop it or even help you out.
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at SHTF Plan


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You know that a trend has officially gone mainstream when it arrives at McDonald’s, which is exactly where the plant-based Beyond Meat burger landed this week. As the fast-food chain announced last week, it will begin a 12-week test on Monday of a sandwich it has cleverly dubbed the P.L.T. (Plant. Lettuce. Tomato.) in 28 restaurants in Ontario. The P.L.T. is made with Beyond Meat’s patty and “has been crafted exclusively by McDonald’s, for McDonald’s.”
As Ann Wahlgren, McDonald’s VP of Global Menu Strategy, explained in a recent article on the McDonald’s website, the company has been keeping a close eye on the rising interest in meat alternatives in recent months, and believes that now is the right time to test its own plant-based burger in one of its major markets.
Here’s how McDonald’s describes the P.L.T., in case you’re in Ontario and are considering trying one:
The McDonald’s P.L.T. is a delicious, juicy, perfectly dressed plant-based burger on a warm, soft, sesame seed bun with the iconic McDonald’s taste customers have come to love from McDonald’s. Featuring a plant-based patty with no artificial colors, artificial flavors, or artificial preservatives, it’s a great-tasting “open wide and sink your teeth into it” sandwich. The P.L.T. will be priced at $6.49 CAD plus tax.
Wahlgren says that McDonald’s is in “learning mode” when it comes to offering plant-based meat alternatives, but if the test is successful, expect to see the P.L.T. at more locations in the near future. After all, Burger King has already rolled out its meatless Impossible Whopper nationwide, so McDonald’s is already playing


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Savannah attracts more national meetings
Savannah's convention bookings fell in 2010
The list of 10 largest conventions booked each year in Savannah usually is peppered with the word "Georgia," but not so in 2010.
Only two of the largest conventions booked in 2010 for this year or later are Georgia groups; the rest are national.
"In the old days, our top 10 list would have lots of state stuff - Georgia, Georgia, Georgia," Joe Marinelli, president of Visit Savannah, said Friday during the organization's monthly board meeting.
And while tourism officials love Georgia convention business, they're happy the city also is beginning to attract more national groups.
"That's still our bread and butter," Marinelli said, but "the visitor spending goes up substantially" for visitors from far away, who frequently fly and rent cars or taxis.
The top 10 list of definite bookings in 2010 included the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, scheduled to bring people from all over the country to take 14,300 room nights in November.
Convention booking room nights fell 57 percent in 2010, to 11,100 room nights from 25,700 room nights in 2009, but overall room nights were up 13 percent.
That's because sports bookings increased 63 percent, single-hotel bookings increased 52 percent and group tour bookings increased 15 percent.
Marinelli said convention bookings were down because they're typically made years in advance and 2010 was still feeling the effects of the slowed economy.
"What happened last year is a result of the slow economy in 2008 and a difficult economy in 2009," he said.
He said bad weather in December in other parts of the country also kept some groups from finishing their plans.
During Friday's meeting, outgoing board chairman Rick Monroe, owner of Monroe Marketing, passed the gavel to the new chairman, Steven High, director and chief executive officer of the Telfair Museum of Art.
High said his priorities will include increasing the group's effectiveness and building on the area's cultural assets.
He suggested shaking up the way the group meets, with four meetings this year devoted to more typical business and four devoted to specific topics, such as "why we're here, what we hope to accomplish and how we can get there."
The "idea" meetings will require the board members to "participate, be engaged, have a dialogue and work together," he said. He also suggested taking off every third meeting.
"You don't have to meet just to meet," he said.


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Samsung's halt of Galaxy Note 7 hurt third-quarter GDP: finance ministry official
- Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.6%
- Bond yields slip on U.S. jobs data, euro steady before Italy vote
- Alibaba (BABA) Founder Jack Ma Discuss Plans to Retire; 'I Don't Want to Die at the Office'
Employees walk in the main office building of Samsung Electronics in Seoul, South Korea, January 6, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
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SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's decision to scrap its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone likely erased 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points from third-quarter GDP growth in quarterly terms, a finance ministry official told Reuters on Tuesday.
The official, who declined to be named as he was not authorized to speak to media on the issue, made the comments just hours after the Bank of Korea estimated third-quarter GDP growth at 0.7 percent from the previous three-month period.
(Reporting by Christine Kim; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
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Where are the glamour shots?
And the fifth remaining Glamour Shots is in El Paso — the last location west of the Mississippi. El Paso is the only city in the world where it’s likely that a majority of millennials have a glamour shot. A glamour shot was not subtle.
What happened to glamour shots portrait studio?
While the portrait studio business overall remained stable — census figures showed modest growth in the industry from the late ’90s until the 2008 recession — many of the 350 Glamour Shots stores folded by the end of the 20th century, unable to escape their association with the outdated style.
How old is glamour shots?
She has defied major shifts in technology and fashion to sustain her business for nearly three full decades. Now 65, she opened her Glamour Shots in 1991. Ms. Campbell moved to the U.S. from Antigua, Guatemala, on a student visa at age 16, and spent her first night on a restroom bench at the Houston airport after missing a flight connection.
What happened to glamour shots in Paramus?
Another Glamour Shots store owned by Mr. Eng in Rockaway, N.J., closed just last week. Mr. Eng said the mall ownership was not being flexible on rent. But he’s still optimistic about Glamour Shots — Mr. Eng is already evaluating options for a new Glamour Shots at malls in Paramus and Cherry Hill.
Who is Karol G from Las Vegas Strip?
The biggest stars in the Latin music industry took over the Las VegasStrip on Thursday night, but it was a newcomer who made one of the night’s biggest splashes. Karol G, real name Carolina Giraldo Navarro, grabbed the spotlight with her showstopping performance and heart-stopping sartorial choices.
Does glamour shots still have a place on Staten Island?
Louisville, Ky., still has a store. And Staten Island has one, owned by Cara Lovello, who uses her popular Instagram account where she showcases her makeup artist skills, to direct followers to the Staten Island Glamour Shots handle. A makeup station in Glamour Shots in El Paso. Credit… Two stores remain at malls in Bridgewater and Freehold, N.J.


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Chris Ronburger, a 19 year old cafeteria worker with Down Syndrome and autism, has begun his own business, arranging selling vending machines that sell comic books. Philadelphia local CBS News team runs the story….
Not quite the first of its kind, Japan has had quite a number of late, but it’s not a common idea for the states since the sixtues.
- The Daily LITG – 19th October 2018 – Happy Birthday Jim Starlin - October 19, 2018
- Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man Shakes You Down For Another Dollar - October 18, 2018
- Return of Wolverine #4 Slips Into January 2019 - October 18, 2018
- Ch-Ch-Changes: Vault Of Spiders #2 Adds Scott Koblish, Mark Bagley and More - October 18, 2018
- Sara Pichelli Replaced on Fantastic Four #4 by Stefano Caselli - October 18, 2018


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The billionaire revealed yesterday that Virgin Hotels is to open a 225-bedroom high-end hotel at India Buildings in Victoria Street in 2020.
He said he was “thrilled” about the development and hailed it as “our flagship hotel in Europe”.
But Sir Richard, whose grandparents came from Edinburgh, went on to speak about a possible expansion of the Virgin business here beyond the hotel announcement.
He said: “We have also got Virgin Trains coming to Edinburgh and maybe we could use that to help promote the hotel.
“We also have Virgin Money offices in Edinburgh. Maybe we could even look at getting a direct flight to the US.”
The idea was welcomed today by city leaders, Edinburgh Airport and the business community.
There are currently direct flights from Edinburgh to seven US airports - Washington, Chicago, New York JFK, New York Newark, Stewart, Providence and Orlando.
City council economy convener Gavin Barrie said: “It would be fantastic if Virgin airlines were flying to the US from Edinburgh – a great addition to the routes and great connectivity with the Virgin Hotel. I’m sure it would be well used and well liked and it would mean more competition which is good for the public.”
A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “We’re always delighted to welcome any airline that wants to bring passengers to our fantastic city.
“Flights to America have grown significantly in the past few years driven by the increasing number of Americans choosing to visit Edinburgh and Scotland.
“Virgin is a great brand and we look forward to working with it again to improve Scotland’s connectivity.”
Business expert Graham Birse said a new direct Virgin service across the Atlantic would be a boost for Edinburgh. “The more direct routes we can have to North America the better in a post-Brexit Scotland,” he said.
“The exchange rate at the moment is very attractive for visitors from North America coming to Scotland.
“Direct flights mean travellers don’t have to go through the bottleneck, inconvenience and grime of London and can come straight to a much more refreshing and attractive capital.”
He said in launching a new route from Edinburgh, Virgin might well opt to go to a US city not already served from the city.
“I think the golden age of luxury aviation has probably gone now unless you can afford to go up at the front of the plane. But Virgin as a brand is regarded with affection as a pioneer of North American travel at affordable fares and with high quality service.”


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Soft drinks giant Coca-Cola has launched a new variant of its Minute Maid juice brand. Minute Maid Pulpy was unveiled in Kenya on Thursday by Mr Peter Njonjo, the general manager of Coca-Cola East Africa.
Speaking during the lannch at the company’s headquarters in Nairobi, Mr Njonjo said the juice would boost its sales. “This is affirmation of our commitment to continue leading innovation in the non-alcoholic ready to drink category,” he said. “We are not only targeting a large market, but also looking at how we can improve the Kenyan economy by creating jobs.”
Made from orange pulp, which five years ago was viewed as a by-product of orange juice concentrate, Minute Maid Pulpy is packaged in a returnable glass bottle. The company launched the Pulpy juice in 2005 in emerging markets.
In 2010 Minute Pulpy Orange reached $1 billion in global retail sales, Mr Njonjo said, uoting the company’s global figures, and become Coca-Cola’s 14th billion dollar brand. Pulpy is available in 18 countries, across three continents, including Asia, Africa and South America.
The company targets at least 25 countries by the end of 2012. Coca-Cola Kenya Marketing Manager Catherine Mudachi said the product is produced at Coast Bottlers in Mombasa. The production line in Mombasa was part of Coca-Cola’s Sh5 billion expansion plan announced last April over a period of two years.
“The juice is available in Nairobi and Mombasa, but we want to cover the whole country by the end of the year,” she said. Mr Njonjo added that the company was not only focusing on the market, but also working with small-scale mango and passion farmers to bring 54,000 farmers into its supply chain while doubling their incomes. The juice will retail at Kshs35.


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The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) saw a record number of companies setting up their businesses in the free zone in 2020.
From January to December last year, new business registrations reached 2,025, the highest in five years, DMCC said.
In March 2020, DMCC rolled out a business support package, said to be the largest ever commercial offering by the business hub. The incentives include discounts and waivers for existing and new companies looking to set up their business at the zone.
“DMCC’s strong performance is primarily due to the business support package launched in March 2020 that saw interest from companies in 149 countries,” the free zone said.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman and CEO of DMCC said the number of registrations is proof of DMCC’s strong performance last year and Dubai’s appeal to the investor community. He added that he is optimistic about this year despite the “countless challenges” everyone is facing.
“2020 was a year like no other, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting every society, business and country. Despite the countless challenges at our doorstep, the UAE’s visionary leadership and prompt and decisive actions meant that our economy remained resilient throughout,” said Sulayem.
“We know that 2021 will not be without its obstacles, but we are optimistic about our growth trajectory and our continued ability to attract foreign direct investment to the emirate,” he added.
DMCC is a hub for thousands of businesses from across industries, including gold and base metals, energy, agriculture and financial services.
It is currently expanding its offering, with the construction of Uptown Dubai district, which will showcase a 340-metre tower with 188 luxury hotel rooms and suites, restaurants, conference facilities, offices and residences.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.
© ZAWYA 2021


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If you’ve been struggling to increase traffic to your site and increase average order values, it’s possible that your bounce rate is too high.
As we finished yesterday with the snapping of cameras, strong handshakes, hugs and boxes of chocolates in the foyer it really brought home just how much our workshops are made brilliant due to the people that attend them.
Aspin is pleased to confirm that we will be holding our fourth workshop of the year, on October 10 2018, in Oxford. Since our first event last year, we’ve welcomed over 200 attendees across a diverse range of businesses to our workshops. For those of you unsure of whether you would benefit from such an event, we’ve put together a set of questions to help you out…
“A must for anyone interested in a B2B eCommerce website, efficiency and growth” – Success at the third Aspin workshop of 2018
So far this year we’ve travelled to Oxford and ventured up the M1 to Nottingham for our B2B eCommerce workshops. Wednesday, June 13, and the Aspin team were back for the third installment – in Oxford.


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Speaking on a conference call following the publication of Tesco’s full-year results this morning, Lewis said: "We don’t welcome inflation – but the reality is there is pressure there. In Q4 we saw inflation around 0.5 – 0.6%. But we’re passing on less inflation into the marketplace than any of our competitors."
Data from IRI released this week showed that while inflation had started to make itself felt in the UK grocery sector, this was almost entirely as a result of fewer items being sold on promotion, with base prices not yet going up. In its results statement, Tesco said it had reduced the proportion of goods sold on promotion to 32%.
Despite this, Lewis said the number of products bought in the average shopping trip was going up, and that this was the biggest reason for the 0.9% like-for-like growth in its UK sales – the first such growth since 2010. "The thing that has grown most of our business is increasing the volume in the basket," he said. "That’s where our price reductions have really started to take effect."
While Lewis had sought efficiencies across the business, including staff, with the aim of cutting costs by £1.5bn, he said that this had not affected the customer experience. "We’ve created a lot of jobs that are much more customer-facing," he said. "The number of hours we’re able to offer our colleagues that are customer facing are up year-on-year."
Phil Dorrell, consultant at Retail Remedy, said the results showed Tesco was a "retailer with its finger on the pulse", and highlighted the introduction last year of Tesco’s "farm brands" as adding to the value for money it offered consumers.
But he warned that Lewis’s cuts, such as to 24-hour store opening, and stacking shelves in the evening rather than overnight, were not without risk. "We are spotting cracks in store standards and availability as a result," he said. "Lewis must be careful not to cut too deep too quickly."
And Philip Benton, senior analyst, Euromonitor International, warned that while positive at face value, the results reflected a complex economic picture.
"Tesco posting their first full-year increase in UK like-for-like sales in seven years is as much to do with a rise in UK inflation as it is Tesco’s restructuring plan," he said.
"The cooling of the UK supermarket price wars has enabled Tesco to increase their value sales, as well as volume sales, but this will likely be a result of inflation costs having been passed on to the consumer."


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At 18 years old, Harry Hambley has become more than just an Instagram sensation. The Cardiff, Wales native has established himself as one of the most popular webcomics on the internet, using positivity and comedy to build his brand. Hambley, better known as Ketnipz, signed exclusively with The Art Plug earlier this year, and is now known around the world.
Monsieur Marcel, a lifestyle art publishing company, will be releasing limited edition prints by Ketnipz in a series titled "Comfort Food" - featuring the Bean in various food dishes. Each print will be available in two sizes (11x14 and 24x24 inches). The 11x14's are an edition of 50 and the 24x24 inches are an edition of 10. They will be released on Thursday, May 24th at 10am PST at www.monsieurmarcel.net.
The next Ketnipz pop-up store will take place at 393 Broadway in New York City on June 1st/2nd, and will be a cluster of the artist’s most recent creative endeavors. Inspired by the idea of expression through customization and craft, the show will revolve around typical art forms, and how they bleed into everything else. It is also all about collaboration this time, as Ketnipz works with two separate companies to create unique items of clothing and artwork. Working with the up-and-comic denim repurposing company, AndAgain, both brands have come together to create 6 bespoke pieces of apparel, with a strong focus on re-imagining worn-out jeans. Then, through working with The Art Plug, Ketnipz will present 8 original pieces of art, along with a limited run of prints. There will also be a small line of custom t-shirts to celebrate the event, and donuts to celebrate National Donut Day.


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Who is the biggest enemy of Microsoft? Microsoft chairman gates gives clear answer: IBM rather than Google.
Gates in attendance will be on the opening day of the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas tonight (CES) before had an media interviews, he made IT clear that, Microsoft’s worst enemy is not aggressive IT rookie Google but "big blue" IBM.
When asked whether Google Microsoft 30 years history of the biggest threat, gates directly answer "no". He explained: "up to now, the company is the largest computer IBM, their staff is four times the number of Microsoft, revenue also more than Microsoft. IBM is our biggest competitor, but the media ignored."
Gates said, Microsoft’s Office 2007 Professional competitors include SONY, apple computer, nokia, etc, but people always like to focus on the Google body. He said: "I’m not going to change the media interest. (they think) Google is top challenger, apple computer component. This for nokia, SONY and other companies to unfair." Gates also put Google’s search technology and "defeated by" Netscape browser and from the Java language development to for a class.
IBM’s IT services and software and hardware in determining the future network service how collaborative work, to Microsoft caused great threat. In addition, IBM and Toshiba SONY development cooperation CELL microprocessor has been used in the PS3, SONY’s PS3 is Microsoft’s enemy psu on Xbox 360.


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The Saint John Sea Dogs unveiled all of their 2016-17 ticket packages early Wednesday morning.
Along with officially announcing the team’s new ticket scheme, a variety of flex packages were unveiled.
"We've made a lot of changes to our ticket structure this season," said president Trevor Georgie in a press release. "We're really happy we can offer fans a variety of options that can meet their ticketing needs, and allow as many of our great fans as possible to see as many games as they can."
The team’s new ticket pricing setup caused a lot of commotion last week when the Harbour Station website gave fans their first look at it. “When purchasing single-game tickets, twenty-nine of the 34 home games will be the same price or less expensive than last season in most price points,” according to the Sea Dogs.
As expected, the dynamic pricing model will see Saint John’s 34 home games divided into premium (five games), regular (19) and best value (10).
Student ($13) and youth ($8) will be the same price for all seating areas for all 34 home games.
The Sea Dogs also announced several new, smaller flex packages that will allow fans to save money and time. Details on the Flex 20, Flex 10, Flex 10 Student and Home Opener 6 packages can be found on the team’s website.
According to the release, “the Flex 34 Season Ticket Package will be discontinued later this month. This will not impact fans who have already purchased a package for this season. These fans are still considered Season Ticket Holders.”
On Tuesday, the team announced an impressive Kids Pass package, which will allow season ticket holders to purchase a season pass for children aged 5-12 for just $35.
As we wrote last week, the Sea Dogs are putting an emphasis on adding value to season tickets and other packages, creating more savings for those who purchase.
Fans will also receive a $1 discount when purchasing online rather than at the box office.


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Looks like A. Rod is back in the gym, but not the kind you would expect.
Former New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez is now a gym owner. Rodriguez purchased the UFC Gym in Kendall, Florida, according to the Miami Herald.
Rodriguez has also gained development rights to continue opening more UFC-branded gym’s in the Miami area.
“As a Miami native, I am thrilled to now expand the UFC GYM brand across Miami,” Rodriguez said in a statement, reported by the Miami Herald. “The UFC GYM brand represents the best in fitness. Starting with our Kendall facility, all of our members will have the opportunity to transform their lives with some of the most innovative training techniques utilized by the best athletes in the world.”
This is the sixth UFC Gym to open up in Florida, other locations include Winter Springs and Fort Lauderdale . The MMA-inspired gym has over 150 locations in the United States and recently went international to Dubai. The family friendly facilities offer training for kids to adults, including various group fitness classes and personal training.
While this is Rodriguez’s first US gym-business venture, he first joined the fitness industry in 2011. Rodriguez, along with 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov, own high-end luxury gyms in Mexico, called Energy. Needless to say, the 24-foot octagon and mixed martial arts training at UFC Gym make this a new world for the former Yankee.
UFC Gym Kendall is located at the corner of Kendall Drive and 107th Ave in Miami. Membership rates start between $49-$89 per month, depending on the plan.
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‘If You’re Watching This…We’re Dead’
If you try to go to the website of Exogal, a high-end digital electronics manufacturer, you’ll end up at a YouTube video titled, “If you’re watching this, we’re dead.” The video consists of Exogal CEO Jeff Haagenstad looking directly into the camera and explaining to viewers that the company has died..and why that happened. It’s a cautionary tale for all manufacturers who are universally buffeted by supply chain issues – especially the worldwide, multi-industry chip shortage.
See more on how the supply chain took down Exogal
“How did we die? In kind of a tragic and uniquely pandemic way,” a somber, if somewhat cheeky, Jeff Haagenstad answered rhetorically at the beginning of the 3-minutes, 39-second video where he lays out his explanation of what killed Exogal. He introduces himself as the “ex-CEO” of the company as he launches into what is likely a description of a nightmare that, to varying degrees, most manufacturers are currently facing – especially the secondary and tertiary ones with typically more limited resources.
Haagenstad knows that for many in the industry, this will seem like an abrupt action. But as is usually the case, he tells the story of how this situation has developed over the course of the pandemic, a two-year saga.
Tech Industry Manufacturers Can Feel Exogal’s Pain
“There’s no way this can last for 2 years,” Exogal’s owners initially thought. But they were wrong…it did last two years.
Those in manufacturing will feel Haagenstad’s pain. The extraordinary challenges of supply chain issues, especially the chip shortage, was one of the factors that recently led to Onkyo Corp. shuttering and bankrupting two of their divisions.
Those not in manufacturing will get a rare opportunity to peek behind the curtain of how products are made. I don’t want to give the whole video away, you should hear the story from Haagenstad’s perspective in his own words [see the video below]. But the CEO does a good job of explaining how small manufacturers like Exogal use credit lines to buy parts. (By the way, this is true of medium and large manufacturers as well.)
Credit Lines, The Grease that Keeps the Gears of Commerce Turning
Credit lines are the lifeblood of small manufacturers. They’re difficult to get, and difficult to keep active. These credit lines allow us to buy parts, then you build stuff, sell it, and pay back the line. It’s like a revolving charge account at a department store.Jeff Haagenstad, YouTube video explaining how the supply chain killed Exogal
As Haagenstad explained, manufacturers – large and small alike – rely on credit lines to buy the parts that they use in the manufacturing process. These parts are then used to build finished goods – the products to be sold to dealers and/or end-users. When those products are sold, revenues are generated, the profits of which are used, in part, to pay off the credit lines used to buy the parts in the first step. Rinse, and repeat.
And Suddenly…Everything Changed
This is the way the electronics manufacturing world has turned for many decades. As long as the supply chain is running smoothly, then everything works out just fine. Then, in comes 2020, and with it the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. And suddenly…everything changed.
Do you get a sense of where this is going?
With the parts shortage killing their ability to build and sell products, the company was ultimately forced to shut down. They can’t pay their bills. They can’t pay their rent. Their creditors’ patience ran out and everything was repossessed. “We were evicted. We owe people money. I get yelled at a lot.”
Exogal IP is Intact…and Available
But…not everything is gone. Haagenstad says they still possess their intellectual property (IP)…they still have all their code…and they still have all their designs and design files. Basically, they still have all the core elements they “need to reconstitute the company if someone wanted to fund the effort or purchase those assets.”
Interested in acquiring Exogal’s IP? Reach out to: email@example.com.


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Mumbai, May 16: ICICI Bank has won an award from The Asian Banker Excellence in Retail Financial Services programme for the bank"s outstanding performance in its remittance business in 2007.
The bank received the award at The Asian Banker Excellence in Retail Financial Services 2007 Awards ceremony, held in conjunction with the region"s most prestigious retail banking event, the Excellence in Retail Financial Services Convention. The ceremony was held at The Westin Grande Sukhumvit hotel in Bangkok on the evening of 16 May 2008. About 150 senior bankers from award-winning banks in 23 countries across the Asia Pacific, the Gulf region and Central Asia, attended the glittering event, a first class celebration of the region"s best retail bankers that recognises their efforts in bringing superior products and services to their customers.
The awards programme, administered by The Asian Banker and refereed by prominent bankers, consultants and academics from around the world, is the most prestigious award of its kind. The scorecard used to determine the winners and the position of the different retails banks in the region is attached.
ICICI Bank retains the Excellence in Remittance Business award for the second year in a row.
ICICI Bank has won the 'Excellence in Remittance Business 2007' award in The Asian Banker Excellence in Retail Financial Services programme. The new product category was introduced to the Awards programme in 2006 to recognise the bank with the strongest proposition and most notable achievements in its remittance business across the Asia Pacific region.
ICICI Bank"s strong hold on the market and the exemplary growth it had enjoyed despite the onset of sharp business and market challenges from domestic competitors, licensed and unlicensed non-bank remitting houses and regulatory restrictions on foreign market expansion is a significant achievement. It has maintained exemplary growth and seen substantial increase in remittance customers domestically and internationally.
The bank stood out amidst intense competition with over a quarter of local market share.
In this year"s programme, ICICI Bank was ranked against three other banks with strong remittance programmes, and each a dominant player in its respective market based on market share and growth rates. The bank has claimed over a quarter of local market share in 2007, and has shown substantial remittance customer increases domestically and internationally, with attention to both affluent and non-affluent demographics.
Leveraging customer willingness to pay for convenience and speed reliance on currency conversion revenue, ICICI Bank has introduced a slew of timely fee-based premium products and services in 2007. The bank"s instant online remittance fee product has become the single largest channel in its key UK and Canadian markets and has exceeded contributions from its biggest branches three months after the launch. Significantly, ICICI Bank has also opened a new instant call-in remittance service, expanding fee and cross-selling opportunities.
Over 150 banks and financial institutions in 23 countries across Asia Pacific, the GCC region and Central Asia were evaluated as part of the Excellence in Retail Financial Services programme.
"This year over 150 banks and financial institutions in 23 countries across the Asian region were evaluated as part of the Excellence in Retail Financial Services programme," said Mr Phillip Strause, chairman of the Excellence in Retail Financial Services programme and an International Resource Director for The Asian Banker.
The award evaluation process uses a comprehensive methodology to evaluate the strength of individual banks" retail banking businesses that involved extensive research and probing interviews, and taps the combined experience of a team of experienced researchers. The process also incorporates an AC Nielsen customer perception survey to gauge the strength and reputation of retail banks in the different countries.
Mr Strause has close to 40 years" experience working with commercial banks, investment banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and other specialised financial institutions, further added: "The Asian Banker Excellence programme was instituted in 2001 on the premise that an outstanding player in the retail financial services industry should build business franchises that are sustainable, competitive and profitable over a period of time".


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ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Shoppers packed local shopping centers and malls Saturday,cashing in on gift cards and post Christmas specials.
"There's a lot of good deals. A lot of half-off sales trying toget rid of overstock I guess," shopper Eddie Loya said.
"[It's] not as good as Black Friday, but they're good enough,"shopper Stefany Olivas said.
Judging by the size of the crowds at Albuquerque's CottonwoodMall, lots of shoppers thought the sales were good enough.
Signs advertising deep discounts attracted shoppers to localstores.
The big crowds mean a lot of work for store employees, butmanagers told News 13 it's not a problem at all.
"Business is good. Parking lot was packed, jam-packed today.
Today is actually the day I parked the farthest believe it ornot of all the days that I've worked," Matt Dyer with Pro-Imagesaid.
Four and a half years after he went to prison, former state senate leader Manny Aragon is out.
A suspected meth kingpin the FBI thought might be hiding out in New Mexico has been captured.
The popular Capulin Snow Play Area near Sandia Peak will be closed for the second year in a row.
While the roads were looking clearer late Thursday afternoon in the Albuquerque area, they could get dangerous again as temperatures drop later in the evening.
New details were released Thursday in Albuquerque's latest police shooting.
The southeast part of the state is getting hit hard with winter weather.


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Canon Europe, has announced a distribution agreement with 3D Systems, a global provider of 3D printing technology.
3D and Additive Manufacturing, Birmingham, April 28
3D printing and additive manufacturing equipment is becoming increasingly more affordable and versatile, entering a number of different industries and as a result driving UK manufacturing into the future. Join us for our 3D and Additive Manufacturing conference in Birmingham to learn from industry leaders about the best ways to invest in 3D printing.
Under the arrangement, Canon will market, sell and support 3D Systems’ advanced manufacturing 3D printers, including the ProJet 1200, 3500 series, 4500, 6000 and 7000 in the UK and Ireland, with a view to rolling out across Europe.
Through the partnership, customers will have access to 3D Systems’ advanced 3D printing technology.
Focusing on prototyping for rapid product development, Canon will offer the 3D printers to its customer base in the UK and Ireland, across the engineering, manufacturing and architectural market segments.
Enabled by advances in technology and driven by demand from the manufacturing sector for increased production efficiencies and customisation, the 3D printing market is growing rapidly. Research and advisory company, Gartner, has predicted that end-user spending on 3D printers is expected to increase from $1.6bn in 2015 to around $13.4bn in 2018.
Jeppe Frandsen, head of Production Printing Group, Canon Europe, said: “At Canon we’re continually assessing new market opportunities where we believe we can make a difference to our customers. It’s clear that, because of the potential business benefits it can deliver, 3D printing is one such opportunity.
“Not only does this add to an extensive technology portfolio that few can match, but we also believe we can deliver an exceptional sales and service experience to fully support our customers in this innovative and dynamic area of the market.”
Frandsen continued: “This partnership, together with Canon’s own significant investment in R&D, reflects both our long term commitment to 3D printing and our ongoing dedication to deliver advanced technology and support to our customers to help them improve the performance and profitability of their businesses.”
“We are excited to team up with a proven and experienced partner like Canon Europe to expand our distribution across the UK and Ireland,” said Michele Marchesan, Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, 3D Systems. “Canon is a trusted provider of industry solutions with strong service and support, and we are thrilled to extend our advanced 3D printing technology to a wider range of customers and applications.”
Canon will start selling printers from the 3D Systems advanced manufacturing portfolio in the UK and Ireland at the beginning of March.


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U GRO Capital launches GRO Micro; expands network by 25 branches
By Edil Corneille
Today, Mumbai-based U GRO Capital, a BSE listed, sector-focused small business lending FinTech platform, announced the launch of ‘GRO Micro’, a dedicated distribution channel to aid lending services specifically for the unorganised micro businesses based in non-metro markets. The company announced that it has expanded its distribution network by adding 25 branches across 5 states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Telangana, and Rajasthan.
Under ‘GRO Micro’, the aim is to offer small ticket loans – secured against property, as well as unsecured loans, to micro-businesses to help them in sustenance and stability in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era; meeting working capital needs to fix broken cash flows; and catering to business expansion requirements.
Based on its internal research, the company found that there exists an opportunity to connect with over 5 million MSMEs in target markets, away from the urban centers. These small businesses in Tier 2 and 3 regions face a lack of formal capital infusion due to insufficient database and unavailability of requisite documents. This sector alone presents a huge market opportunity prompting the company to launch a dedicated vertical called GRO Micro to cater to these businesses.
U GRO Capital aims to bridge the credit gap by providing its customised lending services. It has a technology-enabled underwriting model, for which it has filed a patent. The company plans to combine this model with its deep digital architecture, facilitated by its capabilities in AI/ ML leveraging traditional and alternate data sources, to offer credit in a quick and convenient manner.
Shachindra Nath, Executive Chairman and Managing Director of U GRO Capital stated, “U GRO Capital is built on the philosophy of ‘solving the unsolved credit gap’ of small businesses. With the launch of ‘GRO Micro’ and expanding our physical network we have taken a significant step in our bid to reach out to the unserved and underserved small businesses. Under this initiative, we aim to reach out to over 5 lakh small businesses across 5 states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Telangana and Rajasthan to begin with. We intend to carry our experience from these locations and expand our network by a further 75 branches by the end of FY ’22. We are confident that this initiative will support the Government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ program.”
With GRO Micro, U GRO Capital now has an extensive network of 34 branches and presence in 8 states across India. GRO Micro caters to a wider spectrum of SME borrowers.
Other Related News
April 19, 2024


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Jane Singer – Investor Relations
The Children’s Place Retail Stores, Inc. (PLCE) June 2008 Sales Call July 10, 2008 7:30 AM ET
This is Jane Singer for The Children’s Place Retail Stores, Inc. Welcome to our prerecorded sales call for June 2008.
I would like to remind participants that any forward-looking remarks made today are subject to the Safe Harbor statement found in this morning’s press release. The company undertakes no obligation to publically release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
For the five weeks ended July 5, 2008, The Children’s Place Retail Stores, Inc., reported total sales of $123 million, a 23% increase over last year sales of $99.7 million. June comparable store sales increased 16% compared to a 4% decrease last year. Comps were positive every week of the month. Week 2, the week that our semi-annual Monster sale started, was the strongest. Week 5 was the weakest, as we did not anniversary the Fourth of July promotion from last year.
Year-to-date, total sales for 2008 were $632. 6 million, a 16% increase over the same period last year. Year-to-date, comparable store sales increased 8% on top of a 2% increase in the same period last year. During the month, we closed two stores, so as of July 5, 2008, we owned and operated a total of 903 stores.
Our 16% comp for June reflects a 7% increase in transactions and a 9% increase in average transaction size. Average retail units per transaction and traffic were all positive for the month. Outlets comp’d in the positive mid 20s, largely driven by sales of spring merchandise. Mall stores comp’d in the low double digits. E-commerce sales continued to show strong growth during the month, increasing approximately 80% compared to last year.
All regions comp’d positive, led by 20 to 30% comps in metro New York, the Northeast, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. All departments comp’d positive for the month. Boys were strongest with a comp in the low 20s, girls and accessories comp’d in the low teens, newborn comp’d in the low single digits.
The full Fall One line sets today, five days earlier than last year. This year’s assortment contains more wear now merchandise including shorts, skorts, short-sleeve products, and light-weight sweaters. Fall Two will set August 5, just prior to the peak back-to-school shopping weeks.
Marketing efforts to support the back-to school line include a high-impact campaign that will hit the newsstands mid-July and two direct mailings. A 16-page magalogue being mailed to customers this week has a circulation of 3.3 million, compared to a 4.4 million circulation last year. A second magalogue targeting new customers and high-value prospects will mail in early August. This represents a strategic shift to move the bulk of our direct mail efforts closer to the prime back-to-school shopping weeks.
Thank you for your interest in The Children’s Place. Our next monthly call will be held on Thursday, August 7, 2008, when we will review sales results for the month of July.