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Infographic: Social media the most effective channel for B2B, 79% of marketers believe
Over three quarters (79 per cent) of B2B marketers believe that social media is an effective channel for marketing, research from Omobono has found.
38 per cent of those surveyed in the research, carried out with Circle Research and The Marketing Society , said they would spend any extra marketing budget on social media, while 39 per cent would turn to apps or optimisation.
However, over half of those surveyed don’t spend a penny of digital budget on mobile channels, with only seven per cent of marketing budget going to mobile for the marketers who do embrace social as a channel.
Francesca Brosan, chairman of Omobono commented: “Social media for business has come a long way in a very short time, and this year's research demonstrates that the B2B community has embraced what used to be seen as a consumer medium to the full. But the changes it, and other digital channels, require, are putting pressures on client skill sets, resources and approach to ROI. Our respondents are undoubtedly up for the challenge however, as so many of them cited the greater complexities of B2B marketing in the digital age as one of the key reasons they feel motivated and excited by the sector.”
Worryingly, only 16 per cent of B2B marketers are confident in their ROI measurement, while 70 per cent say they need help with their digital skills.


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Hotelbeds has announced today a new deal with VisitDallas to drive domestic in-bound tourism to the US city.
This campaign is designed to drive domestic leisure tourism to Dallas, with a particular focus on weekday and long weekend visits. Throughout the promotion travel advisors will be introduced to the incredible opportunities that the Texan city of Dallas has to offer: its wide offer of art, culture and music, sporting events, gastronomic offerings, and the city’s unique culture.
The company strongly believes in Dallas’ potential as a tourist destination, as it has consistently been one of the top producing destinations in the U.S. for Hotelbeds. As a result, the Hotelbeds sourcing team has secured exclusive rates and promotions at local hotels for its network of travel advisors – special offers created to support this campaign and attract US travellers, while helping to drive the city’s tourism recovery.
The campaign, which will run throughout the summer – from early July to the end of September –, will be available through Hotelbeds’ two main distribution channels: Bedsonline, targeting retail travel agencies, and Hotelbeds, focused on wholesale distribution.
Gareth Matthews, Marketing, Communications & CSR Director at Hotelbeds, commented: “It is great to be working with VisitDallas once again to fuel their tourism recovery. Dallas has historically been one of the most consistent performing destinations in our US portfolio and we have a great inventory of hotels that our Sourcing team has spent years developing strong commercial relationships with. Big thank you to Mark Thompson and Liliana Rivera from VisitDallas for their continued partnership and trust in Hotelbeds’ Destination Marketing team to promote their great destination to the travel trade and fuel the recovery efforts.”
Mark Thompson, Senior Vice President Visit Dallas, added: “VisitDallas is honored to partner with Hotelbeds to promote our city to consumers as visitors’ desire to travel increases. We are excited that our hotels are putting together attractive offers for visitors to enjoy and look forward to seeing them exploring our city. Hotelbeds is a longtime partner and friend of VisitDallas and we are thrilled that we can come together through this campaign to support our hospitality industry’s recovery.”

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Connected Television is everywhere lately and often described with such superlative language it’s sometimes hard to to believe it’s real. So how large is the CTV market in 2022 and how far has the technology come in the last 2 years? Here is a quick look at the state of the CTV landscape and its projected trajectory. Is it really the silver bullet your media strategy needs? Probably. But first things first: what even is CTV?
What is CTV?
You’ve probably heard of CTV and OTT used interchangeably and, for marketing purposes, they basically refer to the same thing, but there are differences between the two.
CTV, or Connected TV, refers to the device through which ad-supported or subscription-based content is streamed via a web-connected device linked to a television, or a television connected directly to the internet. A CTV device could be a console (such as Xbox or Playstation) or a ‘stick’ which plugs into your television (like Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, etc.)
OTT, on the other hand, stands for Over The Top, and refers to the content itself, delivered “over the top” of regular broadcast or cable television. As long as there’s an internet connection, OTT provides access to content anytime, anywhere, on any device (i.e., smart TVs, mobile phones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick, Roku) and on any streaming service or network (like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime).
You’re probably familiar with these terms because of your personal experience using them at home, which begins to answer our next question: why is it growing so fast?
Why is CTV growing?
Consumer behavior shifts and a pandemic
A steady consumer shift away from broadcast and cable towards ad-supported and subscription-based streaming had already begun when Covid hit in 2020, but the CTV market growth entered super speed as homebound viewers reassessed their entertainment priorities.
On-demand, ad-supported content grew exponentially as consumers dealt with fluctuating incomes and unreliable work schedules. Today, according to a recent survey by eMarketer, over 53% of video viewing on all devices is on CTVs. That means more people are watching streamed content on CTVs than videos on social media and linear TV combined. Woah.
- 85% of all US households with a television own at least one Connected TV device
- Vizio reports that nowadays less than one-third of all TV viewing is linear (traditional tv) compared to 60% from just two years ago as viewers migrate to streaming video.
- Several major streaming services saw double-digit growth in viewing time, with Netflix, YouTube and Hulu experiencing increases of 26%, 21%, and 13% year over year, respectively.
This shift to longer format video streaming also served as a reminder to small and medium sized business advertisers that non-skippable ads next to premium content remains one of the most impactful advertising tools out there, and while expensive linear television advertising contracts may have been out of budget for many, CTV campaigns offering agile digital impressions delivered on the big screen with CPMs comparable to Google Ads have radically democratized access to television advertising.
Advertisers in the know are increasingly pivoting to this powerful medium, while a recent Criteo survey found 44% of Americans confirm video streaming has influenced purchasing decisions in the last 12 months.
In classic chicken and the egg fashion, increasing consumer interest in CTV led to premium content suppliers massively increasing their CTV inventory which in turn led to more CTV consumer adoption and on and on. Long story short, CTV content is getting richer and better every day, and shows no sign of stopping. That’s good for consumers but more importantly, good for you as an advertiser.
Stringent privacy regulations
But there’s another reason the CTV market just won’t quit, and it’s way less fun than awesome streaming television programming: ad tech privacy regulations. Let’s take a look at the trop three privacy concerns advertisers need to consider and how these regulations have affected digital advertising so far:
- Google’s 3rd party cookie deprecation: 3rd party cookies are basically tags placed on websites as users navigate the web. It’s how a company like Google can follow users around the internet and deliver ads to a particular user from one website (say, a shoe store site) on a completely different website (say, a grocery store site). It’s what allows brands with little-to-no 1st-party data to find potential customers. When Google announced they were eliminating 3rd party tracking from Chrome browsers in 2020, it sent advertisers into a panic - with good reason. Traditional methods of digital targeting, tracking, measurement, and attribution, are largely going out the window which means advertisers who don’t prepare for the transition are looking at a massive amount of wasted impressions and sky high CPMs (Cost per Thousand Impressions.)
- GDPR: The General Data Protection Regulation is one of the toughest privacy and security laws in the world. Any advertiser working in the European market using personalized ads or direct marketing to promote a business will be affected by regulations that are being stringently enforced for both large conglomerates and sole traders, so be careful. In a nutshell, GDPR guidelines require advertisers to ask users for permission every time they gather any type of information and guess what, users don’t want to grant access to that information for free anymore! I know we’re beginning to sound like a broken record at this point, but those behavior shifts lead to - you guessed it - wasted impressions and high CPMs.
Current State of the CTV Market
Back to the sudden popularity of CTV: it’s not just the number one choice for media consumers, it’s also increasingly a favorite for advertisers dealing with all of the crazy changes we just listed. CTV is a powerful ad platform to reach specific audience segments and show ROI, including cost per acquisition. That’s why IPG Magna forecasts CTV ad spending to exceed $5.4 billion in 2022.
So that’s how things have been going lately: fast and furious into a brand new model of digital advertising as advertisers and technology providers find their way around CTV systems. With premium content, blue-chip advertisers, and consumer support, CTVs future looks strong.
2022 CTV Statistics
But what’s the current state of the market? How mature is it really? Here are some numbers to give you an idea.
- Consumers continue to migrate to CTV platforms: A recent Leichtman Research Group survey found over 80% of TV households have at least one connected TV device (a penetration higher than cable TV), with a mean of 4.1 devices per connected TV household. To no one’s surprise young adults are the heaviest viewers of CTV.
- Premium inventory is increasing: The recent roll-out of new streaming providers (like Disney +, Paramount + or Sling) with award-winning premium content has helped supercharge consumer adoption. This increase in inventory also means advertisers have way more premium content and time slots to choose from, which is a win-win for the whole CTV ecosystem.
- Advertisers recognize the opportunity and are backing it up with significant budget allotments:
- Insider Intelligence reports that “CTV ad spending is riding a wave of consumer adoption and platform launches. By 2025, spending will reach $34.49 billion, more than double the 2021 total of $14.44 billion.”
- The Trade Desk found 70% of advertisers say their top priority for 2022 TV investments is linking video investments to business outcomes. That’s why they’er flocking to CTV.
- 45% of advertisers grew their CTV ad budget in the past year and 91% will either maintain or grow the CTV ad spend in the next year. An overwhelming majority of advertisers (92%) viewed CTV as just as effective if not more so than linear TV.
SMEs need to jump in now
Clearly, the opportunity for impactful, disruptive advertising is there, but small and medium-sized businesses are not jumping at the chance to advertise on CTV like they should. As of 2021, only 18% of SMEs were taking advantage of CTV’s flexibility and performance marketing power, while large corporations are buying up CTV air time at cut throat rates.
Too many marketers still believe only Fortune 500 companies can afford to advertise on television and aren’t capitalizing on the reach, targeting, lower CPMs, and real-time reporting CTV advertising has to offer.
Is that you? If you’re ready to give CTV a try, register for free at Vibe.co today!


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Over 1.5 billion Tetra Paks to go FSC
In a first for Europe, over 1.5 billion Tetra Pak cartons will now use paperboard from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests.
18 February 2010
The majority of Tetra Pak cartons in Ireland and the UK can now use paperboard sourced from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests and other controlled sources. This development is a first in Europe, where a major liquid food and drink packaging manufacturer is able to launch such a wide-scale roll out. It means household milk, juice and liquid food brands will be able to sport the FSC logo across many of its packs within the next 12 months. Brands such as Avonmore, Premier, Snowcream, Kulana, Jaffa Gold, Arrabawn, Lee Strand and retail own label products packed in Tetra Pak cartons will be included.
Speaking at the announcement Richard Hands, environment manager Tetra Pak UK & Ireland said: “We know a sustainable approach to business is of critical value to retailers, brands and consumers, and FSC certification demonstrates our commitment to manufacturing to the highest level of environmental performance.”


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Shares of Amazon.com (AMZN) were down nearly 7% in late morning trade on the stock market today, after the No. 1 e-tailer late Thursday crushed analyst earnings estimates but narrowly missed sales views. Its Q2 sales outlook also was a tad light.
Some investors had expected a bigger improvement in profit margins, however, and comments from company executives showed no apparent slowing in the firm's heavy spending on fulfillment centers and other investments. CFO Tom Szkutak pointed out the company has announced three new U.S. fulfillment centers and "a few" outside the U.S., and he said more would be announced throughout the year .
For Q1, the Seattle-based online seller of books, electronics and more said it earned 18 cents a share, down 36% from 28 cents in the year-earlier period but 10 cents above the consensus estimate of 41 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. The profit excludes one-time costs but includes stock-based compensation.
Sales rose 22% to $16.07 billion, vs. views of $16.14 billion. Here is IBD's earnings report.
Amazon sees Q2 sales of $14.5 billion to $16.2 billion. The midpoint of $15.35 billion is a bit shy of analyst views for $15.9 billion. Q2 operating income is expected to weigh in between a loss of $340 million and a gain of $10 million vs. $107 million in Q2 of 2012.
Unlike investors, however, analysts were untroubled and largely postive about the report.
Jefferies analyst Brian Pitz was upbeat about the Q1 results in a research note Friday, praising Amazon's reported worldwide unit sales growth of more than 30%. He said this was generally in line with the Street on tough year-on-year comparisons.
Pitz said that operating income and the company's consolidated segment operating income margin came in better than expected. "This is now the sixth straight quarter operating income has exceeded the high end of guidance, despite continuing investment in new products, geographies and customer experience," Pitz wrote.
Jefferies reiterated its buy rating on Amazon stock and its 330 price target. Shares were trading near 255.70 in the stock market today.
RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney said in a Friday report that Amazon showed "modest" margin improvement. He said Q1 gross margin rose by 2.6 percentage points vs. Q1 2012 to 26.6%, ahead of expectations.
Mahaney reiterated his outperform rating and price target of 330.
RELATED: Amazon.com Faces Issues, Angers Third-Party Sellers.


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UPDATE 2.40pm: Nickel miners continued to enjoy solid share price rises today after the price of the steel-making commodity climbed to a 14-month high overnight.
The latest price spike was prompted by concern that the collapse of an accord to ease tension between Ukraine and Russia might lead to disruptions in global supply that was already curbed by an Indonesia export ban.
Nickel for delivery in three months climbed 2.2 per cent to settle at $18,325 a metric ton at the close of trade on the London Metal Exchange.
Earlier in the session, the price reached $18,350, the highest since February 18 last year.
Prices have climbed 32 per cent already this year.
Western Areas was up 14 cents, or 3.47 per cent, to $4.17 at the close while Panoramic Resources was up 1.5 cents, or 2.36 per cent, to 65 cents.
Mincor Resources, which released a bullish quarterly report this morning, was up 5.5 cents, or 6.18 per cent, to 94.5 cents at the close.
Meanwhile explorer Poseidon Nickel continued its recent steady climb to be up 1.4 cents, or 14.58 per cent, at 11 cents.


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Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Indian largest online marketplaces have once again started their End of Season Sale.
This is the yearly sale that allows customers to shop for top international and national brands of clothing, footwear, jewellery, bags, watches, home, kitchen and furnishings and a lot more.
Fashion portal Myntra had recently carried out its sale. Calling it an ‘end of reason sale’, Myntra offered up to 80 percent discount on thousands of products.
While many e-commerce sites are still running the clearance sale, a couple of most sought after online shopping portals are offering this:
Amazon: End of season sale, upto 70 percent off
Jabong: The big brand sale, upto 70 percent off
Snapdeal: 2016 Fashion sale where you can get several good offers
Flipkart: Get good deals on electronics, have your pic on the festive sale
Shopclues: You can get good deals like Super saver bazaar, high voltage sale


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Posted by Jeevan Jayaprakash
In this issue, we look at rumours that suggest that AR is set to be a key feature of this year’s iPhone, Google’s machine learning show of strength and finally, the news that Foursquare is set to share its gold mine of location intelligence.
Have a great week,
Hi Mum! Said Dad.
UBS analyst suggests that augmented reality could take a central role in the next iPhone
We have previously brought you some interesting comments regarding AR that have been made by Apple CEO, Tim Cook. If your memory is a little hazy, here is a quick refresher of some of the things that he has said about AR over the course of the last year: “I regard it as a big idea like the smartphone. I think AR is that big, it’s huge”, “[AR] is a core technology, not a product per se” and last but not least, “Augmented Reality will take some time to get right, but I do think that it’s profound”.
That last comment in particular is somewhat of a nod towards Apple’s tendency of shipping features/technology only once they are confident that their implementation is the industry gold standard. This has given Apple the reputation of being a relatively late adopter of technologies (or maybe Google/Android device manufacturers just move ridiculously fast to satisfy its demanding user base of early adopters). For example, Android devices have beat the iPhone to NFC, fingerprint readers, mobile payments, wireless charging, curved displays and more recently to in-built AR capabilities (see Google Tango).
However, according to Steven Milunovich from UBS, it seems that Apple feels confident enough to go to market with its take on AR later this year with the new iPhone. Milunovich states that Apple apparently has over 1,000 engineers working on AR technology in Israel. Rumours suggest that Apple’s proposition will not be too different to Google’s Tango and will feature “moderate 3D mapping and possibly an AR software development kit” as a starting point. The former could herald an era of ‘3D selfies’ that can be rendered into games and apps whilst the latter, in typically Apple fashion, will allow for tightly controlled, third party AR content creation that will work in synchronised harmony with its hardware.
Apple’s intervention could lead to a profound change in the way we talk about AR.
Google announces machine learning API for recognising objects in video
Google has augmented its portfolio of cloud machine learning models with the addition of an API that will allow developers to parse and search videos. The Cloud Video Intelligence API will allow developers to search for nouns such as “human” and “dog” as well as verbs such as “swim” or “fly” in videos. The API is also able to identify when entities appear and is able to return every shot in which said entity appears. Prior to this, the contents of videos required manual tagging by humans, so this is quite a big deal.
According to Google, the API is largely targeted at large media organisations and consumer technology companies who are looking to build media catalogs or better manage crowd-sourced content. Fei-Fei Li, chief scientist of artificial intelligence and machine learning at Google Cloud, said “We’re beginning to shine light on the dark matter of the digital universe” during her demonstration of the technology on stage at the Google Next Cloud conference.
With the arrival of the Cloud Video Intelligence API, Google has added to a rather impressive toolbox of ‘ready to use’ machine learning models including Vision, Natural Language and Translation APIs.
Google are very much positioning themselves to go head to head with Microsoft and Amazon’s cloud businesses.
Foursquare to share its ‘superpower’ with the world
Foursquare has spent years collecting location data from millions of people across the world — they have benefitted hugely from the trust that consumers have in the service they provide. This trust has meant that they have been able to glean some incredible insights such as when American start craving Filipino food and how store closures impact Americans’ shopping habits.
The proprietary technology that underpins this ability to understand where phones, and therefore, where people go, in the real world in real-time, is now being opened up to enterprises, marketers and software developers via a software development kit. The Pilgrim SDK allows its users to send messages based on people’s real world activity such as when they enter a store or when they are about to undertake a particular activity.
So, why is this a game changer? Well, there is no additional hardware (yes, beacons we are looking at you) or software required. The SDK also integrates with popular solutions such as Localytics and Urban Airship meaning rolling it out for live products should be painless. It also leverages Foursquare’s powerful Places database that features 93 million ‘Places Shapes’, which are essentially time-sensitive geofences based on signals like Bluetooth and Wifi (think of it is a blob that intelligently adjusts based on historical footfall data). It is worth mentioning that the Places database is used by the likes of Snapchat and Twitter.
We are certainly looking forward to having a play with this!
Originally written as part of Hi Mum! Said Dad’s Weekly Digest.
If you would like to receive our Weekly Digest straight to your inbox, please drop us an email at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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AMSTERDAM: A new, international PR and guerrilla marketing agency
has opened its virtual doors, serving the European and US markets from
its Amsterdam base.
The Fish Can Sing is jointly headed by Dan Holliday, a former board
director at Hill & Knowlton's London office, and Howard Beale, a
founding partner of BlueberryFrog, the PR and guerrilla marketing arm of
Amsterdam ad agency StrawberryFrog.
The agency's mission is to use both news and non-traditional media to
help consumer brands communicate to increasingly unpredictable
A number of specialists in consumer/lifestyle media have come on board,
including Richard Benson as creative director, who is the former editor
of the UK's edgy style magazine The Face.
Planning a virtual presence throughout Europe and the US via a network
of agency affiliates, The Fish Can Sing has plans to open a
brick-and-mortar agency in New York next year.
Even before its official launch, the agency has secured two heavyweight
clients: Motorola and Microsoft.
"We've always thought that the traditional structure of a PR agency made
PR the poor relation to advertising," said Holliday. "That's because
there is not enough specialization. Our people have experience with the
consumer brands, the news media, and the lifestyle magazines, and are
very comfortable with brands."


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FDA is right: GMO foods are safe, and no labeling is necessary
January 24, 2013
When the Food and Drug Administration issued a statement in 1992 that genetically modified (GM) foods are safe and no additional labeling would be required, a firestorm erupted.
The policy developed under the reigns of Commissioner David Kessler, MD, who'd won kudos from the media as being a "tough cop on the beat" applied to all foods where scientists genetically engineer a plant or animal as they transfer a gene from one organism to another using recombinant DNA methods. It established two fundamental principles:
First, GM foods must be safe. They cannot be scientifically different from their conventional cousins in any way, including nutritional content.
Second, they do not require any consumer labeling. The FDA reasoned that a "GMO Free" label would imply the product was safer than a conventional one; such a "false and misleading" statement would violate criminal sections of the FFDCA and as a practical matter, senior food executives tend to avoid the risk of living at Fort Leavenworth.
Scientists hoped for a wide range of outcomes: GMO foods would provide resistance to pests and/or tolerance to herbicides; as the world warms, GMO foods would also require less water; vitamin A added to GM rice could prevent millions of cases of blindness in Africa; GM potatoes would absorb less fat when fried and create less acrylamide when cooked at home or in a factory.
Today, about 90 percent of soybeans, corn, canola, sugar beets, high fructose corn syrup, cotton, and alfalfa contain GMOs. Importantly, although Americans consume thousands of foods with GMO ingredients, our diets actually expose us to very to little of the engineered gene. Commercial food processing removes just about all traces of the GM ingredients.
Economic self-interest and lifestyle concerns guide the opponents. After all, the all-natural and organic industries would boom if labeling were allowed. Others argue that the public "has a right to know" their food contains trace amounts of GM ingredients. In my view, consumers have a right to know their food is safe and FDA should reserve labeling to convey serious health information.
As it turns out, one of the nation's largest and most aggressive food advocates, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, supports the FDA's decision. Several weeks ago, the "Green" movement in the EU was shocked when one of its founding members very publicly changed his mind and said he was wrong about safety and labeling. He was burned at the stake for his candor.
Consumers who want to avoid GM foods still have a choice: They can buy any food certified as "organic" under federal standards, as federal organic regulations prohibit the use of GMO ingredients.
Jeff Nedelman has more than 30 years of experience in various industries, including a stint as a Chief of Staff to a U.S. Senator and chief lobbyist for the nation's largest food trade association. In all those years, Jeff has learned that the shortest distance between two political points is not a straight line.


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Is 'Quadroid' the new 'Wintel'?
Quadroid, like Wintel, could pose profit, consolidation challenges for manufacturers
Computerworld - "Wintel" is the term that for years defined Windows-based computers running Intel chips. Now a similar expression is emerging for smartphones: "Quadroid."
Quadroid is a term that refers to the Qualcomm chips used inside smartphones running the Android mobile operating system. The term, recently coined in a report by consultancy PRTM, could catch on, largely because Qualcomm provides 77% of the chips used in Google's Android phones. And the Quadroid alliance is expected to grow.
Like Wintel has been for PCs, Quadroid could push down profit margins for smartphone manufacturers, some analysts said. That might seem like a good thing to consumers but may not be so good for many phone makers.
Android itself is getting bigger each quarter. A dozen phone manufacturers worldwide have produced more than 90 different Android phone models. The platform is growing fast, having increased to 25% of all smartphones in the third quarter, up from nearly 4% in the third quarter of 2009, according to market research firm Gartner. Many analysts believe Android will be the No. 2 smartphone operating system by the end of 2010, behind Nokia's Symbian.
PRTM recently issued a report that called Android a "game-changer" for its sizable market share and fast growth. Android's role is enabled partly by a "warp speed" cycle time for starting and finishing a new phone design using Qualcomm chips inside Android phones. Cycle time is critical to how a manufacturer can improve its gross profit margin.
In 2008, PRTM noted, Qualcomm's QSD8250 chip set and Android's Donut 1.6 release led to an average product cycle time for various manufacturers of eight months. By late 2009, the cycle time was dropped to 4.5 months with the Qualcomm MSM7227 chip set, used with Android's Eclair 2.1 release, PRTM said.
May not be a win for phone makers
In its report, PRTM questioned whether the Quadroid combination could become the new Wintel, which is not necessarily a good thing for phone manufacturers. "Over the years, Microsoft and Intel have captured far more value than the makers of the PCs," PRTM's report said. "Will Quadroid become the new Wintel?"
PRTM believes that the emergence of Quadroid and other factors will drive down gross profit margins for handset makers to new lows -- in the 8% to 10% range -- that major PC makers such as Acer or Lenovo have seen. "Some handset companies may not survive," PRTM said.
Many analysts have predicted that a number of factors will lead to fewer major phone manufacturers, perhaps only three to five.
Dan Hays, a partner at PRTM, said in an interview that it is natural for industries with multiple players to consolidate down to a few. With Quadroid, he said, "it's becoming hard to tell one Android-based phone from another, and while app developers love that fact, it raises the bar for the minimum features a phone needs to do well. Standardization on Quadroid is driving in the exact same direction as occurred in the PC industry. It's increasingly difficult to tell one laptop from another, and the makers are fighting it out on price and have to be operationally excellent."
Jack Gold, an analyst at J.Gold Associates, also predicts smartphone vendor consolidation, although not right away. "Will all the Android vendors ultimately survive? Probably not, but I don't expect to see much fallout for the next two to three years." He said the market is growing too quickly to eliminate smartphone makers. After another two years, however, "there very well could be that fallout and/or acquisitions and mergers, but that is the way of tech."
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Nenad Cetkovic, COO, Lengow, examines changes amongst global marketplaces and how ecommerce China is reshaping retail in Asia.
On the global ecommerce stage, marketplace generalists are revolutionising the landscape and shaping the contours of new economic models that are ultra-powerful, ever-present and omnipotent. Fuelled by mergers, acquisitions and take-overs, fund-raising and investments, Amazon, Alibaba and Tencent are competing on the field of innovation and technology to improve their retail offer. European retailers are doing their best to stay in the game.
The first world conference on cross-border ecommerce was held earlier this year on 9 February in Beijing. It demonstrated the need to organise, structure and harmonize the transactions between countries in the ecommerce world. Because the vast majority of online shoppers are no longer hampered by borders when searching for the best product, according to Forrester international transactions will surpass domestic transactions by 2022. 2018 will therefore be a year of restructuring, consolidation, partnerships and strategic alliances in order to facilitate and streamline the access to international markets and open up the channels of global ecommerce trade. Across the globe, the major ecommerce players are consolidating their commercial proposition as well as their cross-border services; eBay has partnered with Linca Industrial in China on the construction of an industrial park dedicated to ecommerce, FedEx is rationalising its business units to provide better access to international markets, JD.com is opening offices in Paris, London, Milan and New York aimed at helping foreign brands penetrate the Chinese market.
Also worth calling out is the financial fire-power of marketplaces, which were proved once again in 2017, when the volume of global online sales reaching $2,290bn of which approximately 50% originated from just a handful of marketplace generalists which alone generated revenue of $1,470bn. Towering above others in the ranking of global online sales were Alibaba, Amazon, eBay and Tencent.
In the West, Amazon started its international expansion in 2000 and now dominates in North America and Europe and is pushing ahead with a growth offensive in India and Australia.
In Asia, with historic growth rates slowing, Alibaba and JD.com are now competing outside of their traditional borders. Alibaba is setting out to conquer global e-trade and is establishing its presence in Europe and South East Asia. This growth strategy started in 2016, with the investment in Lazada, the South Asian marketplace in which Alibaba has just pumped a further $2bn. In North America, Alibaba, is under negotiation with the food distributor Kroger, which has more than 2,770 stores in the USA.
With the intention to further develop its international ambitions JD.com has partnered with Tencent, owner of the WeChat platform and recent investor in Snap Inc, Spotify and even Flipkart. JD plans to open up an ecommerce platform in France in 2019, and then move on to the UK and Germany.
CONSOLIDATION THROUGH PHYGITAL & DATA
It’s not just the expansion into new geographies that has been undertaken by these leaders, the perception of ecommerce has also changed dramatically since the acquisition of Whole Foods by Amazon, the largest acquisition in its history, and the alliance of Alibaba with the Bailian Group supermarket chain in 2017. Online to offline (O2O) has become the growth engine of ecommerce platforms and the grocery sector has been hit hard.
While 84% of Alibaba’s revenues are generated through ecommerce platforms, the business strategy hasn’t been a constraint to growing offline. In 2017, the company invested heavily in traditional bricks-and-mortar retail chains and more recently in the hyper connected supermarkets of Hema. A strategy which has been further strengthened and reinforced by its’ joint investment with French retailer Auchan of $2.9bn in Sun Art Retail Group. “New Retail” is now the absolute priority. It’s a concept that doesn’t care about the channels used and which redefines holistically the way in which it wants to interact with customers, using technology and capitalising on pervasive use of data. Stores and online have had to become one. By managing the stores using technologies originally developed for online, via its subsidiaries Alipay and Cainao, Alibaba controls the entire end-to-end process as well as the customer master data, a field in which the Group is investing massively. Data and AI will together facilitate these developments, as witnessed by the significant investments incurred by Amazon, Alibaba, or even Tencent.
Alibaba has announced it wants to spend $15bn to improve the customer experience, in particular through the Academy Alibaba Damo, the acronym for “discovery, adventure, momentum and outlook”. This project includes opening seven new research laboratories in China, the United States, Russia, Israel and Singapore. JD also plans to launch its first European research centre in Cambridge in 2019 focused on artificial intelligence and big data. This will be the second research centre to be opened outside of China.
Artificial Intelligence is also a priority for the Chinese government, which wants to make the country a pioneer in AI and is investing €13bn in AI between 2016 and 2019.
In Europe, there is no intention to imitate Amazon or Alibaba, it is already too late. Defensive partnerships focused on achieving a critical mass are multiplying. Equally we’re seeing alliances between physical retailers and web pure-players. For example, France’s Groupe Casino signed up with British online retailer Ocado as it looked to speed up the execution of its deliveries.
On the other hand, major retailers are seeking out alliances with the giants, witnessed by the supermarket chains Monoprix (France) and Morrisons (UK) tying up with Amazon.
Carrefour has also launched a strategic partnership with Tencent. “The objective will be to share the expertise of Carrefour in retailing with the technological know-how and innovative capabilities of Tencent,” announced the French group. Auchan meanwhile has partnered with Alibaba.
The stakes are high and the differences between China and Europe can widen still further when one considers that Europe is moving towards increased regulation with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) act but also via various laws and initiatives concerning e-privacy. Faced with the domination exercised by Alibaba or Amazon, could the answer be the creation of a European ecommerce platform? Such a proposal was submitted by the President of the El Corte Inglés chain during the e-Show in Barcelona and needs to be taken seriously.


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The Wall Street Journal reports today on the most recent meeting of the Federal Reserve. They’re still planning to raise interest rates in December, but “many participants” are worried about weakness in inflation:
Minutes of the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 meeting, released Wednesday with the usual three-week lag, indicated that officials thought persistently weak inflation could stay below their 2% annual arget for longer than many expected, raising questions about the pace of rate increases next year.
….After touching the Fed’s 2% annual target earlier this year, inflation has been weak for seven consecutive months, according to the Fed’s preferred gauge, the Commerce Department’s personal-consumption expenditures price index.
….For much of this year, Ms. Yellen and other Fed officials said the shortfall in inflation could be caused by transitory factors, like a drop in pricing for wireless phone plans and subdued growth in health-care prices. But in the weeks since their last meeting, some have questioned how transitory the price weakness may be.
….There is also “some hint” that after many years of low inflation, inflation expectations may be drifting down, and “that would be a very undesirable state of affairs,” she said.
I don’t have anything new to say about this. I’m just reproducing it to revel in the sheer novelty of the writing. Until just a couple of years ago, can you even imagine a front-page Journal article describing 1-2 percent inflation as “weak” six times in less than a thousand words? It would have been low or steady or well-controlled, all of which sound like good things. But never weak, which sounds like a very bad thing.
And yet, it is bad. Low inflation makes it hard to maintain low interest rates when you need them. If the inflation rate is 1.6 percent, then a zero percent interest rate is effectively -1.6 percent in inflation-adjusted terms. That’s it. That’s as low as you can go. The Fed may think this isn’t a problem right now, but when the next recession hits it will be.
In theory, a central bank can engineer any inflation rate it wants. In reality, politics makes this asymmetrical. We’re willing to tolerate a recession of almost any size if we need to reduce inflation, but we’re not willing to tolerate money creation of any size if we need to raise inflation. This is perverse, but there you have it.


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Subaru unveiled the 2015 Legacy at this year's Chicago Auto Show, and while the company was happy to tell us all about its new platform and features, it kept pricing a secret until now. The new all-wheel drive sedan arrives at dealers this summer with a starting price of $22,490, which includes its $795 destination charge, a $400 increase over last year's model with the CVT.
2015 Subaru Legacy: Chicago 2014
- Chris Bruce
- Feb 13, 2014


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The remodel of the CenturyLink Field Pro Shop is now complete and Steve Zakuani was on hand to help officially open the store to the public.
Single match tickets for the 2015 season are now available.Buy Now
S2 kicks off in USL action in 2015 at Starfire Sports.Read More
Nominating yourself, or someone you know, for Alliance Council.Read More
Sign up to receive the latest Sounders FC news, offers and promotions.Sign Up Now


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- Netflix is discontinuing its $11.99 monthly ad-free plan, forcing subscribers to modify to dearer plans.
- The Fundamental plan has already been phased out for brand spanking new and returning subscribers, leaving solely the ad-supported and dearer plans.
- The transfer means that Netflix needs customers to join ad-supported or dearer plans, doubtlessly to companion with advertisers and monetize reside content material like WWE.
Netflix plans appear to be in fixed flux. A brand new plan is all the time popping out, or an current one is being retried. Sadly, immediately’s information revolves across the latter. Netflix has revealed to shareholders that the $11.99 monthly ad-free plan will not be accessible to subscribers, forcing them to leap to a way more costly plan in the event that they want to proceed streaming with out adverts. This comes sizzling on the heels of the streaming big asserting a $5 billion deal to be the unique house of WWE’s Monday Night time Uncooked, so there may very well be a connection between elevated spending and dropping considered one of its extra reasonably priced plans.
Netflix stated, “In This fall‘23, just like the quarter earlier than, our adverts membership elevated by almost 70% quarter over quarter, supported by enhancements in our providing (e.g., downloads) and the phasing out of our Fundamental plan for brand spanking new and rejoining members in our adverts markets.” Increasing on that, the corporate stated that it intends to kill the plan within the UK and Canada in Q2 2024 after which intends on “taking it from there.” For the reason that plan was already phased out to new subscribers in these markets, we’ve to imagine which means subscribers who have been grandfathered into the present plan will not be capable of use it and will likely be compelled to join the cheaper ad-supported plan or, the dearer ad-free Normal plan.
These on the ad-supported Netflix plan are in for some thrilling new options.
The Fundamental plan has already been phased out for brand spanking new and returning subscribers, leaving simply the ad-supported plan for $6.99, the Normal plan for $15.49, and the Premium plan for $22.99. In response to a Netflix US support page, “The Fundamental plan is not accessible for brand spanking new or rejoining members. In case you are at present on the Fundamental plan, you may stay on this plan till your plan is modified or your account is canceled.”
Nonetheless, with the corporate “retiring” the plan, it is doubtless that members already signed up should change as soon as the corporate rolls out its plan in america, although there is no date for that transfer simply but.
It is clear that Netflix needs customers to join its ad-supported or dearer plans, and this transfer is pushing the corporate additional in that path. Based mostly on the 70-percent improve in adverts memberships cited above, evidently there’s some huge cash on the desk for Netflix to companion with advertisers, and transferring into reside content material with the WWE deal would make having adverts as a part of its providing make much more sense, since exhibits like WWE are sometimes scripted round advert breaks.
We’ll need to see how this impacts Netflix’s subscriber numbers, although the corporate has been by way of value adjustments up to now and even weathered the account sharing crackdown, a transfer like this may occasionally not make a lot of a distinction in the long term.


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2019 En Primeur UpdateThe fate of the 2019 En Primeur campaign, uncertain until now due to Covid-19, is beginning to look a little clearer this week, with two significant pieces of news.
Perhaps the most immediate sign we’ve had is initial barrel scores from James Suckling who, as ever, likes to be first to the EP punch. Tasting barrel samples delivered to his Hong Kong wine bar, Suckling has reviewed a little over 400 wines and given his pronouncement on the vintage as one of very high quality that is likely to make for good early drinking.
There are some notable absences among his review, no first growths, no St. Emilion class A’s, no Montrose, no Pontet Canet, none of the Leovilles, neither Pichon Lalande or Pichon Baron, no Lynch Bages … Lafite Rothschild has been added in the last 24 hours so we can expect more additions. In a sign of the times his Lafite Rothschild review comes complete with a video of his Zoom tasting with representatives of the Chateau!
The release of tasting notes and the shipping of barrel samples is the first solid indicator that the release of the 2019s will be happening if not as planned then at least almost on schedule, and confirms expectations that this is another strong vintage. Suckling comments that “Most of the dozens of winemakers and wine merchants in Bordeaux I spoke to say they will release prices for wines in June”.
Perhaps of more interest to buyers is the follow up comment “all agreed that prices have to come down. Price decreases from 2018 futures mentioned range from about 10 percent to 40 percent.”
Discounts on this scale would be attractive in and of themselves, but given that we also expect most of these wines to be above 14% alcohol and be exempt from tariffs too this could be the most attractive En Primeur vintage since the release of the 2008’s.
Also in News
A closer look at one of the Rhône's smallest appellations


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With few physical changes expected in the next iPhone, it's become emblematic of a problem with the broader smartphone industry: It's just not that exciting anymore.
Lots of TV shows are arriving on Netflix, including the fifth season of "The Walking Dead." Find out what else is being added and which titles are disappearing soon.
Hours of live "Force Awakens" reveals introduce more toys and other "Star Wars" products than you can shake a lightsaber at. Here, a look at some of the newest stuff this side of the galaxy.
Amazingly, this fine phablet is new, not refurbished. And because it's unlocked, you can take it to the GSM carrier of your choice. Plus: free albums from Google Play!
For Road Trip 2015, CNET takes a look at the tech revolution helping historians in Israel reveal more about our past.
Technically Incorrect: In a series of tweets, Markus Persson says he's never felt more isolated.
Wedged between techie territories like Palo Alto and Menlo Park, this once down-and-out California town is trying to turn itself around while still keeping its identity. We paid a visit on Road Trip 2015.
The device will launch in Europe early next year, and the company also showed off new speakers and talked up a streaming gaming service.
Note to Sony: Putting a period in the middle of your product name probably isn't a good idea.
Technically Incorrect: Is it really about reflecting a new Google reality? If so, which one?


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Wall Street chatter about the outlook for Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc. is heating up, sparked by the recent sale of millions of dollars of HOG stock by company insiders.
Investors typically get spooked when a company’s insiders start selling their stock shares in droves. The natural fear is that the insiders know something about the outlook of the company, and if they are cashing in their chips, they must know that the stock has peaked for the foreseeable future and will soon decline.
However, sometimes insiders sell their stock for personal reasons that have nothing to do with their perceptions about the future of the firm. And sometimes the speculators are just plain wrong.
Regardless, speculators took note when company insiders Tonit Calaway, Joanne Bischmann, John Baker, John Olin and Matthew Levatich, all Harley corporate officers, sold a combined $2.6 million in Harley stock shares on April 27.
On May 1, Harley vice president Paul Jones, directors Sara Levinson and Barry Allen and chief accounting officer Mark Kornetzke sold a combined $819,552 in Harley stock.
That’s more than $3.4 million in Harley stock being sold by company insiders in less than a week.
Harley chief executive officer Keith Wandell added fuel to the speculation when he sold $2.6 million of his Harley stock on May 6. Wandell also exercised an option on $1.1 million in Harley stock on May 6.
Keep in mind, Harley’s stock increased from $34 to a 52-week high of more than $54 per share over the past six months. After the recent speculation over the sales by the insiders, Harley’s stock value dropped to about $47 per share.
So, is Harley’s sweet ride over?
Maripat Blankenheim, Harley’s director of external communications, pooh-poohed such speculation.
“Since the beginning of the year, Harley-Davidson CEO Keith Wandell has sold 31,907 shares to cover the tax withholding on the vesting of 77,066 shares of restricted stock. He continues to hold these vested restricted shares, net of the shares withheld for taxes. Mr. Wandell currently holds 79,508 shares of common stock as well as 123,905 shares of restricted stock, totaling 203,413 shares. Employees choose to exercise options and sell shares at varying times and for varying reasons – including financial planning and portfolio diversification. The recent stock activity by company executives reflects their desire to diversify their portfolios after three years of relatively low stock prices,” Blankenheim said.
“All Harley-Davidson senior executives continue to hold more shares than are required under the company’s stock ownership guidelines. As a group, the nine executives hold 385,794 shares of common and restricted stock as well as 718,845 vested and exercisable options,” she said.
Harley’s company stock ownership guidelines require members of the executive leadership team and other senior executives to hold an interest of between 15,000 and 200,000 shares, depending on their position in the company, Blankenheim said.
Wandell is not flinching. He said the company expects to ship 245,000 to 250,000 motorcycles this year, with an increase in its sales to “outreach” customers, which include people under the age of 34, as well as women, Hispanics and blacks.
“We continue to be encouraged by the strong trend at retail and in earnings over the past several quarters. Our first quarter performance reflects the outstanding appeal of our products, the ongoing results of our transformation strategy, the efforts of our dealers and employees, and improving macro-economic conditions in the U.S.,” Wandell said.
Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes.


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Thailand on the Verge of Becoming a Cryptocurrency Hotbed. Bitcoin, Blockchain, Finance, News, Regulation.
Verge [XVG] - A wounded cryptocurrency in the marketSee the latest news, updates and events for Verge (XVG) at Crypto Reader.Transactions can take hours, they are becoming increasingly expensive and.
Why Verge Could Be the Next Bitcoin - News, Price, EventsVerge known with the coin symbol XVG is a cryptocurrency with a public ledger focused on privacy and is verified by a blockchain technology.
Bitcoin Rebounds to $8,100 as Verge Plummets 37% afterCointelegraph covers fintech, blockchain and Bitcoin bringing you the latest news and analyses on the future of money.
Why bitcoin is on the verge of a breakout: In one chartBitcoin was the leader of all other cryptocurrencies and its.
What is ETHER doing anyway? #Bitcoin #Verge » CoinIn a Cryptocurrency raking issued by a research institute at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China, the crypto don, Bitcoin was not really.The Verge price, for example. looking to recover their lost ground against Bitcoin first and foremost. For Verge. the latest news in crypto along with.
Verge (XVG) - Bitcoin News & Exchanges
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Verge Coin News, Price & Latest Updates
Bitcoin's Price is on the Verge of Breaking Out to NewThe cryptocurrency Verge (XVG) has again fallen victim to a hacker attack.The upcoming news for Verge Coin include the Wraith feature, which was expected in the last months of 2017.
CoinJournal brings you the latest Bitcoin, cryptocurrency and blockchain news.
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Bitcoin May Be on the Verge of another Massive Bull Cycle - Crypto.Tags: adoption, altcoin news, bitcoin news...
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Bitcoin Cash trading volume drops 23.56% in the last 48 hours.
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[XVG] Verge - Speculation & Discussion - Bitcoin Forum
A little over a month after being subjected to a 51% attack, the network is once again at.Verge (XVG) (formerly DogecoinDark (DOGED)) is a decentralised, open-source cryptocurrency forked from Dogecoin in October 2014 and re-branded as VERGE in February 2016.Be the first to know with bitcoin news delivered to your inbox.


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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that HP expanded its recall of the batteries used in some of its notebooks and mobile workstations due to "fire and burn hazards."
HP announced the expanded recall in January. Because of the U.S. government shutdown--which at 34 full days was the longest in American history--the CPSC wasn't able to discuss it on its website until March 12. Now that it has, more people should know about the recall.
The original recall was announced in January 2018 and affected 50,000 battery units. The CPSC said HP received "eight reports of battery packs overheating, melting, or charring, including three reports of property damage totaling $4,500 with one report of a minor injury involving a first degree burn to the hand."
Since then, according to the CPSC, HP received "eight new reports of battery packs in the U.S. overheating, melting, or charring, including one report of minor injury and two reports of property damage totaling $1,100." So the recall has been expanded to "about 78,500" battery units that consumers need to have replaced by HP.
Here are the affected products listed in the expanded recall:
"The batteries were shipped with or sold as accessories for HP ProBooks (64x G2 and G3 series, 65x G2 and G3 series, 4xx G4 series), HPx360 (310 G2), HP Pavilion x360 11inch Notebook PC, HP 11 Notebook PC, HP ZBook (17 G3, and Studio G3) mobile workstations. The batteries were also sold as accessories or replacement batteries for the HP ZBook Studio G4 mobile workstation, HP ProBook 4xx G5 series, HP ENVY 15, HP Mobile Thin Clients (mt21, mt22, and mt31), or for any of the products listed above."
The CPSC said the batteries were "shipped in notebook computers and mobile workstations sold from December 2015 through April 2018 for between $300 and $4,000 and were also sold separately between December 2015 and December 2018 for between $50 and $90." HP has set up a site with more information about the recall process.


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Indian automakers plan to expand their presence in the Russian market, which is currently limited to tractors and other agricultural equipment. This was stated by President of the Indian Chamber of International Business Manprit Singh Nagi on the sidelines of the Made in Russia export forum.
“They are now studying the market. For example, Mahindra [Mahindra Group] – they are already on the market in the region with tractors and other agricultural equipment, so they are already trading with Russia and neighboring countries‘ said Manpreet Singh Nagi.
Speaking about passenger transport, he noted that “such opportunities [по поставке автомобилей на российский рынок]” is now available, and Indian automakers are really planning to offer their cars in Russia.
“But when this will happen is hard to say, because this is a matter of commerce.”, added Manprit Singh Nagi.
The most famous automakers in India are Mahindra Group and Tata Motors. The latter is known for its Tata Nano microcar, which for some time was considered the cheapest car in the world. On July 17, 2009, the Nano went on sale in India for $2,500 for the base version.


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As announced last week, the NFDA has started to produce a series of information sheets regarding the EU referendum where we will look at the facts and analyse possible consequences of staying in or leaving the EU.
This week we will speak about trade, which represents one of the biggest topics of the debate. The main question is how would the UK’s import and export industries survive in the wake of Brexit?
When listening to the views of the ‘in’ camp in regards to free trade, the rhetoric is clear. The UK will not generate the same types of trade agreements that is currently privy to form outside of the EU.
The EU is a single market in which no tariffs are imposed between member states. According to the Office for National Statistics’ UK Trade Analysis (August 2015), seven of UK’s top trading partners are part of the EU. Moreover, as reported by Sky News, “More than 50 per cent of our exports go to EU countries”.
Those in favour of remaining in the EU, will also highlight the benefits that the UK receives from trade deals between the EU and other world powers. For instance, “The EU is currently negotiating with the US to create the world’s biggest free trade area” (BBC) something that Europhiles consider “highly beneficial for the UK”.
In a recent visit to the UK, American President Barack Obama stated that it could take a long time to get a new trade relationship with the UK in case of Brexit, adding that the first priority for the US would be to complete ongoing talks on a trade deal with the EU. The ability for the EU to be able to create such trade agreements is based on its consumer market and percentage of world GDP. The EU currently holds 23% of world GDP, whilst the UK has 3.5%.
In October 2015, US trade representative Michael Froman stated the UK would face the same tariffs and barriers as China, Brazil or India if it votes to leave. Thus, those looking to remain within the EU will state that leaving the EU will ensure Britain loses some of its negotiating power, especially considering that the US is the biggest export market after the EU (April 2016).
A further point often made by the remainers is the fact that trade with the EU would be pinned on existing regulations, which countries such as Norway still need to adhere to, even though they are not EU members. ‘If Britain were to join the ‘Norwegian club,’ comments The Economist, ‘it would remain bound by virtually all EU regulations, including the working-time directive and almost everything dreamed up in Brussels in the future.’ The real sticking point here is that the UK would no longer have any influence on what those regulations said or required – this is arguably more a loss of sovereignty than the current situation.
Finally, those wanting to remain in the EU point towards the expectation that the EU will want to make life hard for Britain when negotiating trade agreements in order to discourage further breakaways.
On the other side, those in favour of leaving the EU point towards this move as a sovereignty gain. The UK would be free to establish its own trade agreements, this would allow the UK to negotiate trade agreements freely with those countries outside of the EU, especially in emerging economies, at a pace that the UK wants. Eurosceptics are here quick to point to the EU’s known slow negotiations.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage, believes Britain could follow the lead of Norway, which has access to the single market but is not bound by EU laws on areas such as agriculture, justice and home affairs.
Eurosceptics argue that the vast majority of small and medium sized firms do not trade with the EU but are still restricted by a huge regulatory burden imposed from abroad and while the value of UK exports to the EU is growing, the percentage share of UK exports going to the EU is declining, as the UK increases its trade with other countries outside of the EU.
A study by the think-tank Open Europe, which wants to see the EU radically reformed, found that the worst-case “Brexit” scenario is that the UK economy loses 2.2 per cent of its total GDP by 2030 (by comparison, the recession of 2008-09 knocked about 6 per cent off UK GDP). However, it says that GDP could rise by 1.6 per cent if the UK was able to negotiate a free trade deal with Europe – i.e. to maintain the current trade set-up – and pursued “very ambitious deregulation”.
Pro-exit campaigners argue that it would be in the interests of other European countries to re-establish free trade with the UK. In 2015, the UK ranked third in Germany’s trading partners in Foreign Trade for exports, ninth for imports and second after the USA for Foreign Trade Balance (Exports – Imports).
Whilst former Iceland’s PM, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, refused to comment on whether the UK should leave or stay in the EU during a Telegraph interview, he did comment that “the UK is one of our [Iceland’s] most important trading partners and whatever [the UK decides] to do [Iceland] would like to have a free trade deal with [the UK], whether through the EEA or independently”.
In a statement made by French president, François Hollande (March 2016), he warned that if Britain left the EU, everyone in Europe would feel the consequences for the single market, trade and economic development. This is an argument often fostered by Brexiters, ‘they need us, more then we need them’.
On assessment of the two sides arguments in regards to trade in/outside of the EU, it would be illogical to suggest that a Brexit would result in ceased trade between the UK and the EU. It is highly probable that a favourable trade agreement would be negotiated providing commercial advantages for both sides.
However, time scales and costs of this trade agreement that are unclear, as well as the success to which the UK would be able to make trade agreements with other nations, such as America, India and China.
Exporters will face additional costs when trading with nations that the UK no longer has a free trade agreement with and will likely, have to continue to comply with the EU’s rules of origin regulations such as Norway and Switzerland.
As the CBI explains, the European Union remains a growing global market and will remain an important market for the UK. Moreover, 80% of British businesses that trade overseas do so with the EU (data provided by UKTI, Trade Statistics 2013). This is unlikely to change in the event of a leave win.
Whilst free trade is often assessed in terms of larger firms, when small businesses look to begin trading outside of the UK, the EU is often the first port of call for expansion. This is due to the free trade access granted by the Single Market. For small and micro businesses, the cost of tariffs, as well as bureaucratic processes, in a post EU landscape, may be too time consuming and burdensome to warrant expansion. Therefore, with these types of businesses trade with the EU may slow and decline. However, it can also be argued that EU ‘red-tape’ is already a burden that prevents some smaller businesses from trading beyond the nation state.
Ultimately British business (and Government) will continue to look to maximise new global opportunities whether inside the EU or outside. It is not an either/or choice. As one commentator at the FT stated ‘countries like Germany have successfully boosted trade with China as members of the EU – there is no reason the UK cannot do the same.’ Likewise, there is no reason the UK could not create trade links with countries such as China from outside of the EU.
The argument is perhaps less about what will be achieved then at what cost and when?
The EU undoubtedly offers a much larger market for other countries to trade with. The EU economy is currently worth £11.8 trillion with a 500-million-person market (CBI facts, November 2015), this does make the EU a priority for trade agreements which the UK alone cannot necessarily match.
Whilst the UK is undoubtedly a high provider of exports to many EU countries, there is concern that the EU would make a trade agreement difficult or costly for the UK following a Brexit, to deter other members from leaving and it must be considered how high on the agenda a one-to-one nation trade agreement would be for countries such as China and America? The point is not to say that trade agreements would not be met. They most certainly would but would the time lapse of these commencing be too detrimental for the UK to come back from? Only the reality of the event and time, would tell.
Next week we will look at what possible agreements the UK could form in case of Brexit.


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Business advice centre set to launch at university
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has unveiled details of a new business advice centre to be hosted by Birmingham City University (BCU).
The new centre will offer free help and support to companies from across the region, including advice about how to secure millions of pounds in government grants.
Street announced the project alongside Nassim Belbaby, director of Birmingham City Business School at BCU.
Street said: “The Business Advice Centre is an exciting addition to Birmingham City University’s offering for the business community.
“We are announcing a real piece of generosity for the community.
“BCU are committing to a new facility that the Business School will run to provide support for small businesses.
“These businesses can come along and get practical advice, from all the academics and experts, about the real issues that they face.
“Birmingham City Business School has a rich source of resources that can help companies to secure government cash grants and obtain advice to grow their sales.”
Belbaly said: “We have staff with the expertise to provide practical support, for example through the application process for Innovate UK grants. We can also assist with market research, taxation and accounting.
“Sharing knowledge to meet the respective needs of the business community and of our students is at the core of our purpose. The Business Advice Centre will make it easier to achieve this goal.”
The Business Advice Centre will be opened on November 4 and will be based at the Business School within the University’s Curzon Building.


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Synthesio Names Catriona Oldershaw Director of UK unit
Experienced Marketing and Communications Expert to Focus on Expanding Synthesio’s Presence in the UK
Synthesio, a European-based international web monitoring and research company, has just announced Catriona Oldershaw as its UK Director, effective immediately. Ms. Oldershaw brings to Synthesio 15 years of experience in the marketing and communications sectors and will be in charge of UK relationships.
Synthesio CEO and Co-Founder Loic Moisand said, “Catriona has a strong background in developing new business within digital marketing agencies. I’m confident Catriona will hit the ground running and bring a strong knowledge of the UK market to best serve Synthesio’s ambitious goals”.
Catriona Oldershaw has a track record of working in the Technology and B2B sectors. She has previously held senior account management and marketing roles at Buckingham Design Associates, Metia, AvantGo, and Telecom Mobile in New Zealand.
Social media is becoming increasingly important for brands as they realise the risks and potential of engaging with consumers online, and the necessity of knowing what consumers are saying about them. Synthesio allows international brands and agencies to monitor their online reputations, what people are saying about their brands and why, as well as to discover influential sites and people. Originally from New Zealand, Catriona Oldershaw is expected to be a fitting addition to the international team.
For additional information contact:
Synthesio (www.synthesio.com) is a web monitoring and research company that monitors online conversations in 30 languages and over 120 countries for international brands and agencies. Founded in 2006, they deliver high-end solutions with real-time dashboards and in-depth reports. With their proprietary technology plus a team of international native knowledge experts, the combine technology and human analysis for a comprehensive understanding of companies’ online reputations.


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900 sq. km of forest cover destroyed in Brazil's Amazon rainforest in May alone, equivalent to 126,000 football fields
Figures based on satellite data published Friday by the national space agency, INPE, showed a total of 900 square kilometers (347 square miles) of forest cover in the Brazilian Amazon was destroyed last month -- equivalent to more than 126,000 football fields. Experts say the destruction is mainly driven by farming and ranching in Brazil, the world's top producer of soy and beef.
1900 sq. km of forest cover destroyed in Brazil's Amazon rainforest in May alone, equivalent to 126,000 football fields
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A proposal to extend anti-dumping duties on footwear from the Far East has incensed the industry. Voice your opposition by joining our campaign to Dump the Duties.
The UK footwear industry is facing a new year of crippling anti-dumping duties on leather footwear imported from China and Vietnam if the EU’s proposal to extend the duties, at 16.5% and 10% respectively, for a further 15 months gets the go-ahead from a majority of member states later this year.
The sector has already been forced to raise prices of footwear to the consumer by an average of 10% and take a hit on margin since the duties were introduced three years ago, according to the European Footwear Alliance (EFA).
The footwear sector has been one of the hardest hit sub-sectors in the downturn, with the collapse of chains such as Stead & Simpson, Faith and Shoe Studio Group. While their difficulties cannot be blamed on duties alone, these have surely been a contributing factor and have also had a knock-on effect on employment through the supply chain.
Last week, Drapers kicked off a Dump the Duties campaign, in conjunction with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and with the support of the British Footwear Association (BFA), urging the EU to abolish its plans to extend the duties by 15 months. The proposals have incensed the industry, which is concerned the tariff extensions could roll on indefinitely.
Andy Rubin, chief executive of branded supply group Pentland Brands, says: “The anti-dumping duties are intended to protect EU footwear manufacturing, but a large proportion of the product being bought from China is not even being made in the EU.
“We are not talking about premium, high-end footwear that can be made in the EU, but commercially priced sports and fashion shoes. The net effect is to restrict choice and value for EU consumers at a time when they are feeling the effects of the downturn.
“Anti-dumping duties are anti-competitive in a supposed free market economy,” says Anthony Smith, chief executive of value footwear chain Shoe Zone, which rescued Stead & Simpson from administration in 2008. “The tax does not make us buy more from Europe and therefore defeats the object.”
David Rist, managing director of comfort brand Hush Puppies, which manufactures footwear in the Far East, says: “From a product point of view, brands have to manufacture in the Far East to be able to bring the right designs and technology to the end consumer. Europe is ruled out because of the high price of manufacturing.”
Other retailers point out that European factories are not geared up to deal with their huge volumes either.
Compounding the pressure on the footwear sector is that the value of sterling remains weak against the euro and dollar. This means footwear firms are unable to offset the duty costs as easily.
On November 10, 27 member states will vote on whether to extend or abolish the duties.
Need to know: anti-dumping duties
What are anti-dumping duties?
Dumping is said to occur when a product exported by one country to another is priced lower than it is domestically. This is considered as unfair trade and duties are imposed to penalise the exporting country.
Why were these footwear duties imposed by the EU?
In 2006, the European Commission decided that imports of leather footwear were being dumped on the European market. The Commission imposed duties of 16.5% on Chinese footwear and 10% on Vietnamese footwear, promising they would only last two years. Two years became three years and then there was a 15-month extension. Now the threat is for a further 15 months of duty.
What products are affected?
Any leather footwear, be it stilettos, men’s formal shoes, hiking boots or kids’ shoes are hit by the duties. Even though many of these products can no longer be made cheaply in Europe, they are still subject to the tax.
How much extra cost will the duties inject into the supply chain?
The importer or retailer has to pay the customs authorities where the footwear lands. The duty is levied on the cost of the import, and on average a pair of leather shoes from China costs about £9, according to the EU. So the average duty you pay is about £1.50 per pair. A group of footwear companies recently said that together they had paid out more than £700m in anti-dumping duties since 2006.
Who benefits from the duties?
In theory, European producers of footwear will be protected from Chinese and Vietnamese competition. But in practice, the real beneficiaries are countries like India and Indonesia which get the business that China and Vietnam loses. European footwear producers will see no change to
their orders, as they serve a different customer who will pay upwards of £70 or £80 for a pair of shoes.
Who loses out?
The consumer, and particularly the low-income consumer who has to bear the burden of this unjust tax. Low-income consumers rely on Chinese and Vietnamese imports to be able to afford leather footwear. Retailers believe it is akin to asking the poorest people in society to subsidise wealthy factory owners in Italy and Spain.
When will the decision whether to reimpose the duties be taken?
There are two possible dates, either November 10 or November 19. The decision will be taken by a vote of European member state trade experts at a meeting in Brussels. As there are 27 member states, 14 are needed to vote down the extension.
How can I make my voice heard?
The person responsible for taking this decision is the commissioner for trade, Catherine Ashton. The people who can influence the commissioner are your local MEPs. The BRC and the BFA can help you contact your local MEP, so do not hesitate to contact firstname.lastname@example.org or email@example.com for further information.
Alternatively, you can locate your local MEP by entering your postcode at www.writetothem.com.
Send a letter to your local MEP
Below is an example of the type of letter you should write to your local MEP in support of our campaign. Please add your own words and experiences too.
I am very concerned about the prospect of another 15 months of European anti-dumping duties being imposed on imports of leather footwear from China and Vietnam.
As an importer/retailer/footwear producer the cost of these duties to my business amounts to and
in this economic climate will have a serious impact on our ability to invest in our products and people. I am already struggling to survive as consumers are simply not buying these days. Why is the EU further penalising me? If the duties are extended I may well have to shed staff or cut back on future investment.
As my elected representative, I would urge you to call on the EU trade commissioner to scrap these plans and help hard-pressed UK businesses.


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International Conference on African Textile Industry is being held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, starting from October 19, 2015. A press release issued by Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute stated that participants include investors engaged in cotton, textile, tailoring and stakeholders. Holding the conference in Addis Ababa will benefit Ethiopia to share experiences in textile and garment industry.
Through this conference, the country can also display its potential in the sector and also bring in foreign investors and buyers. Based on the conviction that only by sustainable development the livelihoods of future generations and vital resources can be protected, Aid by Trade Foundation started and initiative, ‘Cotton made in Africa’, which was established in 2005.
The long-term aim is to further develop the value chain in those countries where raw materials are produced in order to generate maximum added value. This goes beyond supporting sustainable cultivation of agricultural and forestry products.


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You are here
ELIZABETH, N.J. -- Wakefern Food Corp., the merchandising and distribution arm of ShopRite supermarkets, and MasterCard Worldwide said yesterday that all 230 stores operating under the banners of ShopRite and PriceRite (a wholly owned subsidiary of Wakefern) in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island have begun accepting the contactless payment solution MasterCard PayPass.
Wakefern and MasterCard Worldwide, based in Purchase, N.Y., said the project is the largest deployment of PayPass in supermarkets to date. A MasterCard Worldwide spokesman told Progressive Grocer that other recent rollouts of the solution were to 87 Spartan Stores in January; and to 171 Meijer locations in August 2005, which was the first such deployment.
"At ShopRite we strive to provide our consumers with a quick and convenient shopping experience," said Wakefern director of corporate communications Karen Meleta in a statement. "We understand our customers lead very busy lives, and believe the implementation of MasterCard PayPass will help us cater to their lifestyle."
"MasterCard PayPass is helping to revolutionize the supermarket industry by enhancing the level of customer service for the more than 4 million consumers who shop at ShopRite each week," said T.J. Sharkey, group head, national accounts, U.S. Commerce Development, MasterCard Worldwide.
PayPass users tap their PayPass-enabled card or device on the PayPass reader to pay for items. Purchases under $25 don't require the customer to sign the receipt.
ShopRite said it still accepts traditional magnetic-stripe payment cards.
There are currently almost 13 million PayPass cards and devices in use, and the solution is accepted at 46,000 merchant locations worldwide, among them participating 7-Elevens, CVS drug stores, McDonald’s, and Regal Entertainment Group theaters.


text: Agilent Technologies Inc. announced that Alain Couder, executive vice president and COO, has decided to leave Agilent to be CEO of another company. Bill Sullivan, senior vice president and general manager of Agilent's Semiconductor Products Group, will become executive vice president and COO. . . . Stephan H. Schmidt, general manager at LPKF Laser & Electronics USA, has been named vice president and secretary and was elected to the company's board of directors. He will also remain general manager. . . . Axcelis Technologies Inc. has opened its Advanced Technology Center, a new 140,000-square-foot facility dedicated to next-generation semiconductor process development, product demonstration and customer training. Axcelis invested $31 million in the new building, located adjacent to corporate headquarters in Beverly, Mass.


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CHICAGO — As a direct result of the Illinois legislature ending its three-year spending plan impasse Thursday, the Illinois Lottery announced it resumed sales of its Mega Millions and Powerball tickets the same day, according to a news release from the lottery.
Illinois Lottery Acting Director Greg Smith said in a statement, "The Illinois Lottery is pleased to announce that sales of Mega Millions and Powerball have resumed. We appreciate the loyalty of our players and retail partners as we continue our mission to fund K-12 education."
The Illinois Lottery suspended ticket sales Wednesday, June 28, as state lawmakers struggled to come to a consensus on a budget. Payment was also delayed for those who won more than $25,000 off Illinois tickets.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.


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OAAA to Hold Event During Advertising Week
Aug 23, 2004, 12:00 AM
The Outdoor Advertising Association of America is holding an Outdoor Creative Seminar and Nontraditional Outdoor Media Forum during Advertising Week in New York City. The events are a chance for members to hear from industry experts, exhibit products, and showcase the latest in outdoor advertising. The two concurrent sessions will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 21. The Outdoor Creative Seminar will be held at the Millennium Broadway Hotel and the Nontraditional Outdoor Media Forum at the Metropolitan Pavilion.


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LG Nexus 4 might come in white as well, price revealed
0. phoneArena 25 Oct 2012, 06:56 posted on
Only minutes after we found out that the LG Nexus 4 can be pre-ordered in the U.K. through Carphone Warehouse, we came across this spy shot of the retailer's inventory system. The image reveals that in Old Blighty, the smartphone will cost about...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here


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If there’s one subject that has been dominating the news in Britain of late, it’s Brexit.
News on Brexit is changing all the time. But at the time of writing, it looks like Britain could leave the EU on 31 October 2019 without a deal. Meaning, there would be no agreements in place about the future relationship between the UK and EU.
Whatever the outcome, Brexit is likely to impact our economy – we’re just not sure as to what extent just yet. Many industries are likely to feel the brunt of Brexit, with the motor trade sector being no exception.
If you own a motor trade business, then depending on your trade, you’ve probably had Brexit on your mind. You may have even started to think of ways in which you can protect and future-proof your company, depending on the outcome.
We can’t stop Brexit from having an impact on your business, but we can help you to protect your assets with motor trade insurance. Motor trade insurance
– also known as traders insurance – provides cover for your motor trade businesses and assets. We can arrange cover for part or full-time traders, mechanics, valeters and more.
The potential impact of Brexit
The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT), one of the biggest and most influential trade associations in the UK, believes
that a ‘no deal’ Brexit would have a devastating impact on the sector as well as the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports. Specifically, it says, it would put an end to ‘frictionless trade,’ add billions to the cost of importing and exporting, and put thousands of jobs at risk.
Let’s take a look at some of the key areas it’s likely to impact.
SMMT isn’t just scaremongering. In April, UK car production plunged 44.5%
as factories shut down for the EU exit that never happened, proving the impact that economic uncertainty can have.
One Oxford University study cited by the Guardian
predicts that a no-deal scenario could cut car production in Britain by nearly half by the mid-2020s, with plant closures leading to job losses across the country.
The same study revealed that car production has already decreased by around 9% since the EU referendum in 2016. Volumes have dropped from over 1.7m to less than 1.5m a year, but this could fall to around 900,000 a year if Britain leaves the EU without a deal.
Imports and exports
The outlook is no less gloomy for car imports and exports, says the SMMT
. A no-deal Brexit would in fact “trigger the most seismic shift in trading conditions ever experienced by automotive, with billions of pounds of tariffs threatening to impact consumer choice and affordability,” it explained
Automotive is currently the UK’s largest single biggest exporter of goods, accounting for 14% of total exports. Exports data
shows that the EU makes up over half of all UK-built vehicle exports, meaning it’s our biggest trading partner – but this could all change if we leave without a deal.
Not only will higher tariffs be imposed (with the costs likely to be passed on to consumers) but it could also cause severe disruption to supply chains, and damage the UK’s reputation as a stable investment destination.
Figures cited by Car Magazine
show that investment in the UK’s car industry has already plummeted by 70%. Only £90 million was invested in the first half of 2019 – compared to the £2.7 billion
annual average recorded over the last seven years.
Without the auto sector, it’s likely the UK would lose its hard-won status as the world’s 10th largest goods exporters and fall to 14th place.
Car prices and sales
Brexit will impact every single car manufacturer, explains Car Magazine. Increases in tariffs in a no-deal scenario may very well have a knock-on effect and increase the price of new cars.
Porsche told the BBC, for instance, that it might have to increase the list price of cars by up to 10%. This is due to customs duties and other ancillary fees associated with dealing with a country out of the EU’s trading zone.
Car Magazine cited market analysis company LMC Automotive as saying that a no-deal outcome will hit already-weakening car sales. The firm believes that both car and van sales would continue to decline, bottoming out at 2.55 million by 2020 compared to three million in 2016.
If – and it’s a big ‘if’ – we left the EU with a free-trade agreement that involved a decent transition period, LMC Automotive says this will be enough to stop the ‘sales slide’ in 2020 and boost demand to 2.81 million by 2021.
Is it all doom and gloom?
As you can see, Britain leaving the EU without a deal could go on to impact numerous areas of the motor industry. If a deal and trade agreements are made, then it could be a much brighter picture for the sector.
There are some potential positives we can pick out from this, though. For instance, a decline in new car sales and the increase in new car prices could drive demand in the used-car market. But only time can tell – so for now, we have to sit tight and see what the outcome will be.
In the meantime, if you want to protect your business and assets with insurance that reflects your unique needs, speak to the experts at Insurance Choice.
Motor trade insurance from Insurance Choice can include:
- Car deal at-home policy
- Minder insurance policies for trades including repairers, repossession agents and valeters
- Road risk only cover
- Full trader policies for car dealers at premises, and vehicle importers and exporters
- Cover for traders specialising in sports, prestige and imported cars
We supply cover for motor traders over 25 years old and we will consider criminal convictions.
Protect your business with competitively-priced motor trade insurance from Insurance Choice. Get a quote today


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Amazon and Facebook set records for lobbying spending in Washington
Amazon.com along with its subsidiaries and parent company Facebook set records in lobbying spending in Washington last year with spending at least $20.3 million and $20.1 million, respectively, according to disclosures filed Thursday evening and prior filings aggregated by OpenSecrets.org.
The e-commerce giant AMZN,
and Meta Platforms FB,
then known as Facebook, had set records in 2020 with their lobbying spending of just under and above $19 million, and now their 2021 spending has topped those totals.
Amazon and Meta rank among the leaders in lobbying spending among the nation’s five largest tech companies by market value, outspending other giants. Parent Alphabet Google GOOG,
and its subsidiaries shelled out at least $11.5 million last year, Microsoft MSFT,
spent $10.3 million, and Apple AAPL,
paid $6.5 million, according to their disclosures.
Big Tech’s spending came as the companies increasingly find themselves in the crosshairs of U.S. lawmakers and regulators on a range of issues, with Republicans and Democrats questioning the power of Silicon Valley companies.
But investors in tech giants generally don’t look so scared of Washington, as four of the companies’ five stocks have topped or roughly matched the S&P 500’s 16% rise over the past 12 months. . Alphabet’s shares are up 41% during this period, Microsoft is up 34%, Apple is up 20% and Meta’s stock is up 16%. Only Amazon shares have underperformed the S&P, losing 10% over the past 12 months.
See: Senate panel approves antitrust bill targeting Apple, Google and Amazon
And read: Big Tech is heading into “a year of thousands of tiny tech paper-cuts,” but what antitrust efforts could make them bleed?
Amazon’s fourth quarter disclosure shows it lobbied on a wide range of issues, including counterfeits, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, cannabis reform, telehealth, drones, immigration highly qualified and postal rates. Meta’s fourth-quarter filing says it focused on issues including election integrity, disinformation, privacy, immigration reform and artificial intelligence.
Amazon and Meta’s annual spend is poised to eclipse the most any of the Big Five tech companies has ever disclosed spending on lobbyists in a year – the company’s total of $21.9 million parent of Google Alphabet in 2018, which was then followed by a major overhaul of the search king’s influence operation in Washington.
Now read: Amazon has mostly avoided antitrust scrutiny, but that could change in 2022
As well: Facebook’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp are antitrust targets, but its metaverse mergers could be victims