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How have your subscribers changed over the last year? We spoke with a range of marketing and subscriptions directors to find out how their subscriber bases have changed over the last year and the ways in which they made the most of the year that “shook the subscriptions world.”
As a weekly print journal reaching 120,00 UK doctors and academics and a website with a global readership, the gold standard of The BMJ’s medical coverage became central to the world’s understanding of the pandemic and ultimately the governmental decisions made. Similar to a number of other publications, The BMJ decided to remove the paywall on COVID-related information. Multimedia innovations such as new podcasts have also democratised content, academic submissions have doubled and editorial standards have remained incredibly high. Their Senior Strategic Marketing Manager, David Allen, charts this journey:
“The BMJ is both a scholarly journal and a medical magazine, combining research and other academic content with medical and science journalism. As the pandemic unfolded, our readers were desperate for reliable information about this new viral disease, about which literally nothing was known. The BMJ decided early on that money should be no barrier to pandemic-related information and launched an online landing page where all its COVID-related content could be hosted free of charge. This made it possible for our users around the world, especially hard-pressed clinicians, to keep on top of the emerging evidence about COVID-19.
“On Tuesday 15 December, The BMJ together with the Health Service Journal called on the government to reverse its decision to allow household mixing over the five day Christmas period, and to review the tier system in order to bring numbers down in advance of a likely third wave. The editorial was greeted as a “game-changing intervention” within moments of its publication. It led the BBC’s news coverage from 10am right through to breakfast the following day, with Fiona interviewed on many television and radio programmes from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and others. Media attention reached as far as CNN’s US broadcasts. Boris Johnson initially described her call to scrap social mixing over Christmas as “inhumane”. But, just 4 days later, on Saturday 19 December, the government u-turned. The editorial was cited during Prime Minister’s Questions and elsewhere by Keir Starmer and others and led to concerted pressure on the government to change its plans. Without this change of heart by the government, the already enormous death toll from covid 19 would almost certainly have been even greater.
“Multimedia innovations in 2020 included new podcasts focusing on a general practitioner audience (‘Deep Breath In”), and a weekly COVID-19 podcast focussed on public health policy and clinical practice. Doors have opened for The BMJ that remained closed to others: the only exclusive interview to be given by UK CMO Chris Whitty, plus a rare exclusive interview with America’s chief infectious disease scientist Dr Anthony Fauci, and a cabinet-level leak of the ‘Moonshot’ project which revealed that the UK government was planning to spend £100 billion on a COVID-19 testing programme.
“In 2020, The BMJ managed a five fold increase in the number of journalistic articles published along with a doubling of academic submissions requiring peer review. Across the journal, usage on bmj.com increased from 29.3 million visits in 2019 to 43.4 million visits in 2020. To have delivered this extraordinary increase in content, as well as greatly increased user engagement, is testament to a very strong team with great leadership.”
Motor Sport Magazine
How do you convince an older print-focussed audience that your content online is just as valuable as the content found inside the pages of a physical magazine? As Samantha Nasser, Subscriptions Marketing Manager of Motor Sport Magazine points out in their journey over the last year, it was important to hold onto the print-focussed base which was more precarious than normal as postal delays in some countries were up to 6 weeks. The repositioning of these print subscribers by putting them in front of free digital editions marked the start of Motor Sport’s new marketing approach. “In positioning it as an addition, and and not a replacement, we were able to mitigate the age-old push-back of ‘surely online content is cheaper as you don’t have to post it to me?”
“It is without a shadow of a doubt that we can say that 2020 is the year that “shook the subscriptions world”. With Motor Sport Magazine having a much more senior demographic, the gauntlet was laid down for how we would convince a naturally print-focussed audience to adapt to online reading when, in some countries, postal delays could be in the region 6 weeks plus, if the copies got there at all.
“Our approach was gentle – we opened-up free access to all print-only subscribers so that they could view the digital equivalent online, as well as access many features in the app and website that they would never have come across before due to their reading preference. In positioning it as an addition, and not a replacement, we were able to mitigate the age-old push-back of “surely online content is cheaper as you don’t have to post it to me?”. This helped expedite our long-term ambition of treating content the same, in terms of pricing structure, for articles consumed either in print or digitally. What you are paying for is the journalistic quality, and not the actual physical product you receive. In presenting digital like this, customers soon began to realise that the website did not just give them the replica of the magazine, but it also unlocked all of Motor Sport Magazine’s content – spanning all the way to when it began in 1924.
“In using free digital editions to sample the magazine with new audiences, we were also tapping into consumers who would enter the Motor Sport Magazine world the other way around – experiencing digital before print. Both tactics were fulfilling our goal to making Motor Sport a product that you consumed via multiple channels, feeding the consumer’s appetite across the board.
“Our approach led to success, and not only did we see a 14% increase in subscriptions year on year, driven by a turbo-charged 70% growth in acquisitions, but our digital subscriptions alone increased 25% across all digital platforms.
“We’re very proud of Motor Sport Magazine’s success and are already strengthening our engagement plan to ensure we retain these hard-earnt subscribers for the long-term. Early indications show a relatively low churn-rate, and long may this continue. It just goes to show that even with challenging market conditions, you can hit upon flecks of gold, and Motor Sport mined this gold to help sustain its valuable position in the motor sport world.”
The Grocer, William Reed Business Media
It has been a year full of Brexit and pandemic shaped obstacles for the grocery industry, but even before these onslaughts William Reed Business Media had been planning to change their paid content strategy. They entered 2020 with a “clear united team mission of converting occasional digital visitors to loyal consumers of content.” Tracy Larner, Head of Paid Content Marketing explains how they got on:
“For 2020 to 2021 the onslaught of COVID has coincided with planned change at WRBM in terms of our paid content strategy for the grocery trade. We’ve had a clear united team mission of converting occasional digital visitors to loyal consumers of our content, introduced metering and developed user journeys. As a result, traffic to thegrocer.co.uk has increased significantly during the year. Our readers are hungry for Brexit or COVID-related information because the grocery industry is so entrenched in our society and the change and effect on the market has been so significant.
“In turn, our registered user base has increased significantly. We have worked to put processes in place to convert these users to paid and this is really paying off for us; taking users on a journey to sample our content before committing.
“The Grocer has a significant and loyal print customer base and our customers have been keen to register their alternative addresses with us to continue to receive print as well as benefit from the perfect partner, their thegrocer.co.uk access. Digital only subscriptions have also increase massively over the year.
“Our user base demographics have not changed significantly over the past year, although we are making greater use of systems to identify and track users to inform decision making and strategy.”
Future’s acquisition of TI Media brought over 30 consumer brands into the publishers’ fold, giving them a presence in a number of verticals, namely wine, golf, TV listings, women’s lifestyle and gardening. Future now owns more than 220 brands globally, many of which are suited the indoor lifestyles we have lived over the last year. Angela O’Farrell, CCO & Sharon Todd, Future’s Magazines & Members Marketing Director tell us how they have optimised the customer journey:
“Future’s brands and content continue to delight our audiences and help connect them with their passions. We recently celebrated great ABC results across our portfolio, with subscription and digital growth driving an excellent set of numbers and demonstrating that — even in the midst of a pandemic — our customers still seek out our brands. These figures are a direct reflection of the dramatic shift in wider consumer behaviour and shopping patterns over the last 12 months which Future was well placed to lean into.
“As pandemic restrictions reduced opportunities for outdoor activities, audiences have increasingly turned to titles that help them make the most of their indoor spaces; be that through home improvement, cooking and decorating, or simply relaxing with engaging lifestyle content. In recognition of the shift towards staying local, we identified key sources of demand and closely tracked central points of purchase, such as local supermarkets, grocery and convenience stores, so that our brands were never out of reach of our audiences. This increased demand for our trusted and valued content has also been reflected in the higher volumes of readers committing to a subscription.” said Angela O’Farrell.
Sharon Todd added: “Promotional activity in our newsstand copies, on our brand sites and through our social channels has driven far greater traffic to our subs ecommerce site magazinesdirect.com. Over the last year we’ve really focused on optimising the site, particularly the offline-to-online customer journeys, and the conversion rate improvements we’ve seen, coupled with the higher audience volumes from our marketing activity, has delivered significant YOY results.”
Latest figures show that the New Statesman has more subscribers now than at any point in the last 40 years. Now attracting around 2 million unique users a month, what has been their main focus over the last year, which has meant they are “reaching more engaged readers than ever before.” Robert Jay, CMO at New Statesman Media Group tells us more:
“New Statesman has reported its highest-paid circulation for 40 years, with subscription revenue up 77% over a three-year period. With the title set to launch a new website in the coming months, registered users on the current site rose by 83% to more than 200,000 from January 2020 to February 2021. It reached the highest level of audience growth since the introduction of a paywall in early 2018, and is now attracting around 2 million unique users a month.
“Martin Ashplant, Chief Product Officer at New Statesman Media Group, has described the focus as being ‘firmly on engagement and communities’, while New Statesman Editor-in-Chief, Jason Cowley said that ‘in this time of multifaceted crisis, our response has been to accelerate investment and focus on great storytelling.’
“In recent months, Philip Collins, John Gray, Chris Deerin, Rachel Cunliffe and Louise Perry have joined the team and we are planning to hire even more outstanding writers. We are reaching more engaged readers than ever before.
“New Statesman has also successfully managed to reduce controlled free and bulk copies by 49%, with actively purchased copies now accounting for 86% of its circulation.
“As The British Society of Magazine Editors Awards 2020 recently said after awarding Cowley with Editor of the Year: ‘In increasingly tribal times, Jason Cowley continues to champion independence of thought and diversity of opinion, challenging his audience and producing a magazine that’s imaginative, unpredictable and always interesting.'”
PPA Staff Writer
Republished here with kind permission of the Professional Publishers Association (PPA).


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The deal includes all product areas available in the 221 Primark stores across Europe including Primark’s 153 U.K. stores with further distribution in Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.
"To date, we’ve seen great presence for our brands in Primark and this is an exciting extension of our successful partnership. Primark is committed to producing quality, on-trend apparel that embraces the core values of our brands," says Paul Bufton, general manager, Warner Bros. Consumer Products U.K. "The retailer is a dominant force on the high street and it welcomes millions of customers into its stores every day, the potential to drive sales and consumer awareness for our brands is incredible."
"This is a very exciting opportunity for Primark to work
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Coinbase has updated its iOS and Android apps to enable new users in the US to enroll via their mobile phones or tablets.
Previously, users could only sign up for the service and link their bank accounts via a desktop browser.
This emphasis on pursuing a mobile-first strategy for an eventual expansion into emerging markets was echoed by Coinbase developer Ankur Nandwani, who told CoinDesk:
Additional updates to the apps include support for older Android devices, instant bitcoin buying for European users and a new customer bonus program that enables new users to obtain 100 bits or around 2 cents.
Banks supported by Coinbase's instant onboarding include Bank of America, Capital One, Charles Schwab, Chase, Citibank, Fidelity Investments, US Bank, USAA and Wells Fargo.
For all other banks, US consumers are able to onboard using deposit verification.
Mobile phone user via Shutterstock
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.


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MDR is the amount paid by a merchant for a digital transaction and it is shared by multiple parties - the bank which issues the card, the acquiring bank which onboards the merchant, the network companies who process the transactions and the players who deploy the payment solution.
As of now, the share of MDR is higher for the issuing entity while the acquiring company gets a much smaller share. Further, with the new rates from the regulator, payment companies fear their margins could be under further stress.
“The financial model for entities who deploy the payment terminals is very tight. In some cases less than 0.1%. This hampers development of payments in smaller cities,” said Amrish Rau, managing director of digital payment company PayU India.
Vishwas Patel, founder of payment gateway company CCAvenue, said the country already has more than 800 million debit cards. What it needs now is many more terminals and for that to happen the lopsided fee structure for issuers need to be made equitable.
On Wednesday, RBI said that for merchants with an annual turnover of less than Rs 20 lakh, MDR is 0.4% and for those above Rs 20 lakh the rate is 0.9%. But payment executives feel that this form of MDR classification makes calculations a bit cumbersome and throws technological challenges. Although it will be smooth for newer merchants, it would be a huge challenge for older ones to classify them, they say.
“For the entire payments ecosystem, a massive migration needs to happen since historically card networks have never categorised merchants in this manner, it is bound to lead to operational challenges,” said Srinivasu from Billdesk.
“I believe the Rs 20 lakh-slab is too low. Many merchants in the Rs 30-40 lakh category started adopting digital transactions only recently and they were showing good traction. But now, with a higher MDR, they might resist card payments,” said Rajeev Agrawal, chief executive of Innoviti Payments which deploys PoS terminals for banks at merchant outlets. Rau from PayU said a lion’s share of their merchants selling goods online generate revenue of more than Rs 20 lakh. Hence, all of them would get clubbed into the higher MDR slab.
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The government’s strict approval process for granting visas to Chinese nationals and clearing investment plans of Chinese firms is now hurting Indian businesses, with projects getting delayed or even scrapped, multiple industry executives told ET.OECD Raises India’s FY24 Growth Forecast a Jot to 6%
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Personal purchases were 11.9% lower year-on-year in June following a 9.5% slump in May – the fall over the first half of the year was 4.9%.
Dealer and manufacturer profitability is also being battered. “The prices of new cars have failed to match headline inflation as intense competition has kept them down,” say SMMT analysts.
June registrations totalled 209,190 (6.1% lower than a year earlier, and the year’s steepest monthly decline). The six-month total was 1,247,479, a fall of 1.56%.
The slowdown is blamed on rising household costs which have dampened consumer confidence.
Dealers say only heavy carmaker investment in consumer incentives and retail bonuses is preventing a more dramatic decline.
The SMMT is to review its forecast totals for the year (currently 2.335 million, down 2.9%) and for 2009 (2.325 million, down 0.4%). The outlook for the second half is gloomy.
Ken Savage, chairman of top 20 Perrys Group, said: “We outperformed the market on volume in the first half of the year, but our profitability was down because our sales staff didn’t want to let deals go.
“The next six months looks very worrying because we think the market will be an awful lot worse. We are seeing the start of retail buyers trading down a segment because they want a more fuel-efficient replacement car. The higher car tax bands will encourage this.”
The half-year sales performance for several carmakers shows significant declines.
In 2007, Honda was 8.48% up year-on-year but is now 7.19% down year-to-date.
A spokeswoman said: “We are suffering the same market conditions as some other manufacturers but we are still pleased with our performance. We now have the new Accord saloon on sale, with the Tourer to follow in September, and our dealers will have the new Jazz by the end of the year. “We are confident of achieving our target of 110,000 registrations.”
French manufacturers, with no UK assembly plants, are suffering badly over exchange rates. New models failed to prevent significant first-half declines for Renault (-14.88%), Citroën (-11.79%) and Peugeot (-9.43%).
Ford was around 10,000 units ahead of Vauxhall but both were down (by 3.72% and 0.73% respectively).
With Corsa and Astra, Vauxhall took the top two best-seller slots for the first time since February 2000, ahead of Ford’s Fiesta and Focus.
Volkswagen was 0.96% higher, but the German premium trio continue to set the pace despite the gloomy economic outlook: BMW was 12.91% ahead, Mercedes-Benz 4.28% up and Audi 3.22% growth. From a low base, Jaguar also improved, up 12.45%.
Some value brands are doing better than the overall market, led by Kia (28.95% up), with rises also for Daihatsu (22.50%), Chevrolet (12.30%), Skoda (6.47%) and Hyundai (3.90%).
|5||BMW 3 Series||6,535|
To see the full June registration figues please see page 41 in the 11 July issue of AM. To subscribe to AM magazine click here or call 01733 468659.


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Intel Arc A750's runs Cyberpunk 2077 at around 60fps at a 2,560-by-1,440 resolution.
The price increase is expected to be above 20% for some processors.
Core HX, Intel's new high-end family of mobile CPUs for power users and extreme gamers, brings true desktop-level performance to the very brawniest laptops. We test-drive our first HX laptop—and the numbers from its Core i9-12900HX are eye-popping.
The company has also postponed a groundbreaking event for the Ohio facility.
The lackluster performance seems to be due to poor software optimizations for the Intel Arc A380 graphics card, an entry-level product.
The Intel Arc A380 GPU seems to be an entry-level card designed for 1080p gaming. The company plans on launching its other desktop GPUs globally later this summer.
Its higher clock speeds give Intel's Core i9-12900KS a solid performance boost over the Core i9-12900K in some scenarios, but its steep price and hot-running tendencies hold it back.
A move to the LGA 1851 socket is predicted for Intel's first tile-based CPU.
For those times when straight "H" isn't enough: Intel's new "HX"-series Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9 CPUs, paired with ECC memory support, are designed for today's absolute most demanding workloads. Here's the skinny.
The late timing for Intel's Arc desktop graphics cards may not bode well for the products since Nvidia's and AMD's next-gen GPUs are right around the corner.
Check out the views with Sonoma Creek.
The team at the Finland-based Siru Innovations formerly worked at AMD, Qualcomm, and BitBoys, a developer of desktop and mobile graphics.
But in the short-term, the company is noticing that demand for PCs has been decreasing on shrinking interest for low-end products and inflationary pressures.
Currently, the first laptop built with an Arc laptop GPU is only on sale in Korea, according to Intel, but more products are set to arrive in the coming weeks.
The top five PC vendors 'will likely record zero shipments to Russia' during this year's second quarter, according to the research firm Canalys.
A new range of NUCs powered by 28W 12th-gen Core processors and Intel Xe GPU.
Fill out a form, attach proof of ownership, and wait for a knock on your door.
Take the scores with a grain of salt. But AMD had to troll Intel by comparing the gaming frame rates of the Intel Arc A370M GPU against a Radeon 6500M chip.
An experiment reveals some 12th-gen Alder Lake stock coolers run quieter with paper and tape.
The company releases the image in today's event talking up the Arc laptop-focused GPUs.


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Global revenues have dropped 51% in Nissan’s first quarter of 2020, compared to last year.
2019 losses tallied over $6 billion and 2020 is looking nearly identical.
Restructuring plans were put into motion last March.
Last year was tough for Nissan and despite leadership changes at the end of the year and restructuring plans, the pandemic has made recovery almost impossible. This is why Nissan is bracing for a second straight year of losses in excess of $6 billion.
Nissan has announced a number of different plans to cut costs so far this year, going so far as phasing out Datsun, and closing plants in Spain and Indonesia. The goal is to cut up to ¥300 billion in fixed costs compared with the 2018-19 fiscal year.
So far in 2020, Nissan’s first quarter has shown a 51% drop in global revenue compared to 2019, according to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required). They’ve now issued a first forecast for the ongoing fiscal year, ending in March 2021, and the numbers are down. They expect revenues of ¥7.8 trillion ($74 billion), a 21% drop, leading to a net loss of ¥670 billion ($6.4 billion).
The medium-term fear is that Nissan won’t get out of the red anytime soon. Nissan’s current and unfortunate situation is a result of Ghosn’s desire for expansion at the expense of new vehicle development. The Nikkei Asian Review (subscription required) says that this lack of new models is turning potential customers away. The ongoing losses and huge spending in 2019 could force Nissan to reduce or cut investments in emerging technologies such as autonomous driving, electric vehicles, and next-generation connectivity. In this case, Nissan would fall even further behind its rivals.
Nikkei says: “Despite sluggish sales due to the coronavirus and a lackluster lineup, Nissan still needs to spend on research and development — raising concerns both inside and outside of the company.”
Nissan wants and needs to avoid trailing its competitors even more. They’ve secured roughly 900 billion yen from loans and bonds since the beginning of the fiscal year. “We’ll need more cash if there is a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak,” a Nissan executive told Nikkei.


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The good news: 350 more customers can buy a Ford GT supercar with the announcement today that production will be extended another two years to build 1,350 cars through 2022. The bad news: If you thought you had one of the sold-out total run of 1,000, your exclusivity factor took a small hit.
Order banks for the additional 350 units, to be built between 2020 and 2022, will open November 8 for the U.S. and select markets around the world. The order window will remain open for 30 days, said Hermann Salenbauch, Ford Performance director. New would-be owners can apply to FordGT.com, and those who applied before can re-submit. The successful applicants will hear back in the first quarter of 2019.


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Google’s new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL flagship phones were released on Thursday, finally giving fans the opportunity to get their hands on the latest and greatest pure Android phones. They’re not without their faults, of course, but overall the phones are terrific new options that are as fast and smooth as anything else on the market. The larger Pixel 3 XL also has the distinguished honor of having the largest display notch on any widely available smartphone to date. That’s right, Apple’s notch from the iPhone X has reached its most massive form on Google’s newest flagship phone.
The notch has had a brief but eventful run over the past couple of [...]
A year after the Misfit Vapor launched, a follow-up Wear OS device might be in the works according to several early retail listings. The Misfit Vapor 2 is a Gen 4 Wear OS device from the Fossil Group with two case sizes and built-in GPS.
The Red Hydrogen One remained a mystery for a long period. Who is the target market? How will it differentiate itself as a device first and camera system secondly? Well at the very least thanks to a leak courtesy of Android Central, the entire device has been seemingly laid bare. more…
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You can criticize Samsung all you want for copying Apple or being incredibly slow on Android software, but Samsung happens to be at the forefront of Android device development when it comes to design and hardware. Or that used to be the case, because this year, it’s not only Apple’s three new iPhones that are going to give Samsung nightmares. So far, it was customary for a new iPhone to launch every September sporting specs that would not be available on Android for at least six more months, and Samsung was fine with that arrangement. But this will be the first year an Android vendor will challenge everyone in the business with a family of device that will have no rival until early [...]


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Demonstrations at Mobile World Congress show the growing momentum toward the launch of faster, more responsive mobile networks in 2020.
A co-creator of the incredibly fun ToeJam & Earl video games wants to finally build the sequel the game deserves, and he's looking to Kickstarter to help make it happen.
Take the art of chilling out at your desk to the next level by installing a heated hammock for your feet.
Due for an upgrade but still on the fence about the new iPhones? Press the play button on today's episode, as CNET Editor Scott Stein brings by the new Apple iPhone 5S and 5C along with some behind-the-scenes look at the testing process. You'll learn about True Tone flash, the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, iOS 7 performance tips, and whether or not you should spring for an upgrade.
Due for an upgrade but still on the fence about the new iPhones? Press the play button on today's episode, as CNET editor Scott Stein brings by the new Apple iPhone 5S and 5C along with some behind-the-scenes look at the testing process.
A phenomenon known as spider ballooning has covered a regional Australian city in silky "Angel Hair" webbing.
Commentary: After rumors of Silent Hills' grisly death swirled on Sunday, Konami confirms that the video game starring Norman Reedus has been axed. CNET's Anthony Domanico is not happy.
We've known for some time that the Red Planet has frozen water and likely once hosted massive oceans, but it turns out Curiosity may not have to dig too deep to wet its whistle.
A simple two-player tic-tac-toe is the first game to officially support Google's Chromecast, but it hints at future possibilities for app-to-TV play.
Having music "on" isn't the same thing as listening to it.


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Datto and Veeam rank among the fastest growing providers of business continuity solutions. Both companies sell entirely through the channel, but their hardware, cloud & strategic alliance strategies are vastly different. Even amid those important business nuances, the companies are on a potential collision course -- both in the IT channel and in the midmarket business sector.
No doubt, both companies know how to attract a crowd. Thousands of Veeam partners and customers are attending this week's VeeamOn 2017 conference in New Orleans. And more than 1,000 MSPs are expected to gather at DattoCon17 next month in Denver.
Admittedly, the vast majority of channel partners and MSPs leverage more than one data protection solution to safeguard customer assets. But if you look at their respective product roadmaps and alliance strategies, it's clear Datto and Veeam will increasingly compete for partner and customer mindshare and market share.
Veeam: Past, Present, Future
Veeam got its start a decade ago promoting backup technology for VMware customers. The company aggressively expanded to support Microsoft Hyper-V environments. Now, the company is attempting to position itself as a business availability platform for multi-cloud and on-premises applications.
The results so far are impressive: Veeam expects to generate about $800 million in revenue this year, and hopes to hit $1.5 billion by 2020, company officials said this week at VeeamOn. All of that revenue involves partners rather than direct sales. There are 47,000 Veeam ProPartners -- but the two categories to watch are (1) 2,900 partners that now offer backup and disaster recovery in the cloud and (2) strategic alliances with partners like Cisco Systems, HP Enterprise, NetApp and Nutanix.
Among the interesting twists here: Veeam doesn't have its own cloud nor does it make its own hardware. Instead, the company focuses entirely on software -- and partners with CSPs and hardware giants. That's in stark contrast to Datto.
Datto: Past, Present, Future
Datto CEO Austin McChord launched the company in his parent's basement and quickly seized on an MSP market crisis and partner inflection point.
Back around 2011, Zenith Infotech had a big installed base of BDR (backup and disaster recovery) appliances across the MSP ecosystem. When Zenith Infotech imploded amid a debt crisis, Datto worked closely with Continuum, among others, to migrate customers toward new BDR solutions. (Continuum itself is a former Zenith business that gained momentum under new ownership and executive leadership in the late 2011 timeframe. Continuum now has its own BDR offering as well.)
Datto bet its entire business on MSPs, raised venture funding, attracted key boardroom leaders from companies like VMware and Xerox, and achieved a $1 billion valuation in 2015. The Datto business model involves hardware appliances that MSPs install and manage on behalf of customers. The data is backed up to Datto's own cloud. The company has also acquired its way into cloud-to-cloud backup.
But Datto's ambitions extend beyond storage, backup and disaster recovery. The company acquired Open Mesh Networking for WiFi and switching technology in January 2017, and also launched Unified Threat Management technology around the same time.
Datto vs. Veeam: The Collision
So, let's sum it up:
- Datto is growing fast entirely through MSP partnerships. The company offers business continuity appliances, networking hardware, WiFi and UTM solutions tied to Datto's cloud.
- Veeam is growing fast entirely through channel partnerships and strategic alliances. The company doesn't make hardware nor does it have a dedicated cloud. Instead the company partners with hardware companies (example: Cisco) and CSPs.
The big question: Whose business model will scale faster?
- Veeam wants to work more closely with CSPs and strategic hardware/data center partners (i.e., Cisco) to take market share from enterprise vendors like Dell EMC, CommVault, MicroFocus and Veritas.
- Datto wants to leverage MSPs in a march from the SMB into the midmarket -- while also extending into networking to counter Cisco Meraki. Yes, the same Cisco (you know the one) with whom Veeam works very closely.
Datto vs. Veeam: Greetings and Salutations
Is Veeam concerned about Datto or even aware of the company? At first glance I'm not sure. All roads ahead for Veeam lead to a showdown against Veritas and the other entrenched enterprise data protection companies. Still, I'll be asking Veeam executives about potential overlap with Datto over the next couple of days here at VeeamOn.
Meanwhile, it's a safe guess Datto is very aware of Veeam. After all, Datto's board/venture capitalists have VMware know-how -- so they're very aware of Veeam's original rise in the VMware sector.
As for partners, I suspect a thousand or so (perhaps more) are here this week at VeeamOn in New Orleans. And 1,000 MSPs (or more) are expected to attend DattoCon17 next month in Denver. How many partners are attending both conferences? Hmmm...
Either way, a midmarket showdown for partners and their customers looms...


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Amazon noted its initial quarterly loss considering that 2015 on Thursday, its income-generating juggernaut stalled by a slowdown in pandemic-induced on the net shopping and a huge publish-down of its expense in an electric powered-car or truck startup.
The Seattle-primarily based e-commerce giant’s inventory fell 9% in following-hours buying and selling.
Amazon described a loss of $3.84 billion, or $7.56 a share, for the very first 3 months of the calendar year. A calendar year back, it noted a profit of $8.1 billion, or $15.79 a share, for the initial quarter. Wall Road analysts expected a gain of $8.35 a share in the most current quarter, in accordance to FactSet.
The ocean of red ink in Amazon’s report came typically from the company’s accounting for a $7.6 billion reduction in value of its inventory investment in Rivian Automotive. Rivian went community in late 2021 and its inventory traded at shut $180 at one particular position. It closed Thursday at $32.18. Ford Motor Co. noted a related generate-down of the worth of its Rivian investment decision Wednesday.
GOP Attaining TWITTER FOLLOWERS: The night time right after Musk takeover, a congressional Twitter shake-up: Republicans obtain followers, Democrats get rid of them
Meanwhile, income at Amazon’s cloud-computing organization, which allows power the on the internet functions of Netflix, McDonald’s and other providers, grew 37% in the quarter. And revenue in its promoting business, where brand names fork out to get their products and solutions to present up to start with when purchasers research on Amazon’s internet site, rose 25%.
Continue to, the slowdown in online expending is real and broad-dependent. Even though in-store product sales rose, March is the initially month to display drop in on the internet income considering the fact that the pandemic began, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks paying created about the Mastercard payments network and survey estimates for other payments designed with funds and checks.
Amazon prospered during the COVID-19 pandemic as homebound people today eager to limit human call turned on the web to buy what they need. But development has slowed as vaccinated Us residents experience much more cozy heading out. According to the e-commerce investigation business Market Pulse, the price of products sold on Amazon past 12 months grew by fifty percent the level when compared to 2020.
Like a lot of others, Amazon is working with stress from inflation and offer-chain concerns. In the past two decades, Amazon’s Chief Monetary Officer Brian Olsavsky said the enterprise has doubled the size of its operations and just about doubled its workforce. He reported labor shortages and a lack of bodily area are no for a longer time significant difficulties, but the enterprise carries on to face a wide range of pressures this sort of as enhanced shipping costs.
Inflation-associated fees included approximately $2 billion of incremental prices when in comparison to very last 12 months, Olsavsky said, introducing that the company also incurred yet another $4 billion in costs connected to productivity loss and other inefficiencies.
“The pandemic and subsequent war in Ukraine have introduced uncommon advancement and problems,” mentioned Amazon CEO Andy Jassy in a assertion. “Our teams are squarely targeted on increasing efficiency and price tag efficiencies through our fulfillment network. We know how to do this and have performed it just before.”
To offset increasing gasoline charges and inflation, the retail huge has included a 5% surcharge to charges it costs 3rd-social gathering sellers who use its achievement products and services. Last quarter, Amazon also hiked its yearly Prime membership cost by $20, a first given that 2018. Regardless of the rate hike, Olsavsky said tens of millions of new Prime members have enrolled throughout the quarter.
Income rose 7% to $116.44 billion, when compared with $108.52 billion in first quarter 2021, symbolizing the company’s sixth consecutive quarter of revenue topping $100 billion. Amazon had projected income among $112 billion and $117 billion. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had been anticipating $116.5 billion.
“Given the pace at which the business enterprise grew more than the past couple of a long time this change is barely astonishing,” mentioned Neil Saunders, running director of GlobalData Retail. “It signifies far more of a publish pandemic reset than catastrophic failure. Nonetheless, the slowdown raises critical inquiries in excess of how Amazon can restore momentum and regain its leadership posture as a person of the principal motorists of on the web growth.”
Amazon said it forecasts sales for the recent quarter to assortment in between $116 billion and $121 billion, under the $125.33 billion that analysts are forecasting.
The final results arrive as Amazon is closing all of its brick-and-mortar bookstores, as nicely as its 4-star outlets and pop up locations, as the on the net retail behemoth reworks its actual physical footprint. The enterprise also faces a developing unionization force from within its workforce.
A second union election is presently underway at a enterprise warehouse on Staten Island, New York, the exact same borough in which workers at a close by facility voted to unionize previously this thirty day period. Amazon has filed objections in excess of the election with the Countrywide Labor Relations Board and is looking for to re-do the vote.
The final final result of a independent union election in Bessemer, Alabama, is even now up in the air with 416 excellent challenged ballots hanging in the equilibrium. Hearings to critique the ballots are envisioned to commence in the coming weeks.
This article initially appeared on United states Nowadays: Amazon suffers unusual loss as COVID on the web searching slows


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On Wednesday afternoon, Nova Scotia issued a news release about changes to liquor laws and third-party delivery services. While there was no press conference associated with the announcement, the release includes some pretty big changes for restaurant owners and customers alike.
Among the changes are the ability for bars and restaurants to deliver cocktails and mixed drinks alongside food, as well as ready-to-drink manufactured beverages like coolers, and increasing the value of a bottle of wine allowed with a home delivery.
The first of these changes is something the industry had been lobbying for over the course of the pandemic. “I can't take full credit, but I would say that it has been something that people have been working on for a while,” says Matt Boyle, co-owner of Dear Friend Bar in Dartmouth and Clever Barkeep in Halifax, and who led the campaign on social media.
While Boyle says it’s a huge win for the industry, there are some constraints to the new rules. The drinks must be single-serve portions (up to 400ml) with no more than three ounces of alcohol each. They must contain multiple types of alcohol or at least one mix-in like simple syrup, soda or juice. “There’s no ABV restriction on the drink,” says Boyle, referring to the alcohol-by-volume measurement. “It just is similar to how you would present a drink at a cocktail bar, where you would say exactly how many ounces of alcohol are in the drink.”
Cocktails also must be made to order, sold with food, labelled and need to be in a “tamperproof container that can be sealed,” according to the release. “You can't just put in a mason jar, but you can put it in many different types of bottles that can get plastic seals that you heat up,” says Boyle. “We came into a hand-canning machine probably two months ago, and it’s just serendipitous that we were able to source some aluminum and be able to seal them ourselves.”
Finally, eligible bars and restaurants must apply by emailing the Alcohol and Gaming Commission at email@example.com. All these regulations mean not many in-house cocktail operations will be ready to go by this weekend—but Boyle says Dear Friend is among the few. “We've been working around-the-clock for the past few days to make this viable for the weekend,” he says. “It is a ton of work.”
Dear Friend will have three of its most popular mixed drinks available in cans this weekend—the Inflatable Pool, Sage Advice and the Channel Surfer—and will expand its offerings as time goes on. Boyle says overall, he was glad the premier Iain Rankin’s government worked so fast to make the change.
“Rankin was saying how he understands that our liquor laws are kind of lagging behind, and that they do need to change. He was very sympathetic for our small segment of the restaurant industry,” Boyle says. “I think that for our segment, it's going to be crucial. I hope that it'll help us weather the storm.”
Tucked in alongside the changes for cocktails were also a few changes in regulating third-party food delivery companies that operate in the province. Previously, companies like UberEats, DoorDash and SkipTheDishes took a fee of between 25 and 30 percent of the order’s price, a big bite into the restaurant’s earnings. Now, that fee is capped at 15 percent until the Emergency Management Act is lifted.
Fees for users are also capped: No more than 15 percent of the total cost of the customer’s order if it’s delivered; 10 percent of the total cost of the customer’s order if it’s picked up; and no more than 5 percent of the total cost of the customer’s order for fees other than delivery fees (like app usage fees).
UberEats didn’t provide The Coast with an interview, but in an emailed statement the company, which made $4.8 billion last year, said it will follow the new rules that have been enacted.
“The service fees paid by restaurant partners help cover the operating costs of providing effective, reliable services to restaurants, delivery people and customers,” says an Uber Canada spokesperson. “But where temporary caps are in place, we are compliant with these measures. Like our restaurant partners, we look forward to a time when restrictions are lifted, enabling restaurants to return to dine-in as a main revenue channel.”
These third-party apps will also now be able to deliver alcohol, provided the deliverer and deliveree are both over 19; the company keeps a log book; and drivers take the Serve Right Server course for $69. While Uber vehicles were something the province essentially bent over backwards to bring to the province, it seems food delivery will be more regulated, at least while the pandemic is still around.


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Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook have shown themselves to be as much as three times more effective in selling tickets than traditional marketing platforms, according to new research from Ticketmaster’s LiveAnalytics research arm.
The data support anecdotal evidence and conventional wisdom, in which ticket purchase-related posts from friends and colleagues on social media were thought to be powerful inducements. The new study, conducted late last year involving surveys from nearly 8,000 U.S. and Canadian buyers of tickets through Ticketmaster, offers the first formal look into the trend since the ticketing giant formed LiveAnalytics in early 2011.
|LiveAnalytics’ research tracks the effects of Facebook and Twitter on ticket buyers.
“This provides some confirmation of what we’re seeing in the market,” said John Forese, LiveAnalytics senior vice president and general manager. “Our clients are searching for any and all best practices in this space, and we’re all still figuring out what’s important.”
Ticketmaster provides the ability to share seat locations and purchases through Twitter and Facebook, including a partnership with the latter in which users can see where friends are sitting on an interactive map.
Also standing out in the LiveAnalytics research: Though social media usage related to ticketing predictably skewed much younger than ticket buyers overall, average incomes were similar. The average household income for customers in the study who bought tickets through social media links was $85,000 a year, compared with $83,000 for all ticket buyers. Additionally, ticket buyers using social media links generally bought their seats earlier relative to the event date, and spent substantially more per ticket, with an average ticket price of $82 for social media purchasers compared with $51 for all buyers.
Still, social media usage indicators in sports ticketing lagged behind concerts in nearly every instance. In particular, 30 percent of concert ticket buyers were influenced by Facebook posts and 30 percent used social media to invite friends to concerts.
There are several theories on what’s driving the higher social media interaction with concerts. Games are perishable, unique commodities, while concerts feature generally the same show as specific tours travel from city to city. Because of that, social media activity surrounding a concert in, for example, Philadelphia has been shown to help drive ticket sales for a subsequent tour stop in New York. Such a dynamic isn’t as prevalent in sports. Also, sports receives extensive amounts of local and national media attention each day, reducing the need for the awareness that social media can provide.
“With concerts, many times a purchaser didn’t even know right away that a show was happening in their town,” Forese said. “So at least for now, we’re seeing concerts as certainly the most social segment, and where you see the most domino effect in terms of one purchase influencing another.”
There was much more equity in the use of location-based social media platforms such as Foursquare. LiveAnalytics said that 16 percent of both sports and concert ticket buyers use their mobile phone to check in to a location-based platform at the event.


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According to a study by the Spanish Furniture Market Observatory (OM) of AIDIMME (Technology Institute for Metalworking, Furniture, Wood, Packaging and Similar), Spanish furniture exports grew during 2017, taking a 43.2% share of National Production. The figure comes as good news for a sector that is continuing its trend of the last 8 years.
As the figures offered by the report show, Spanish furniture sales in foreign markets have grown to 1,885 million euros, accounting for a 43.2% share of furniture produced in Spain in 2017; this takes the foreign trade cover ratio for furniture to 71%. The figure shows the continued growth of the last four years, with 4,363 million euros in turnover, as indicated by the OM.
However, figures for the number of manufacturing companies in the sector are not particularly encouraging: down 1.87% in 2017, with micro-enterprises of fewer than 5 workers being the most affected. According to the report, the fall is due to specific cases of uncompetitive business models and there has been considerable growth in all sections in companies with 6 employees or more, driven along by the current dynamic market situation.
According to the report, the furniture industry remains strong with 6,775 companies employing 60,767 professionals. Most of the companies are located in Andalusia, the Region of Murcia, Valencia and Catalonia.


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Exclusive video: Qantas ups loyalty ante with truffles and wine 02:49
Qantas is upping the ante to win customer loyalty through the launch of a new food range from gourmet producers on its epiQure website.
The Qantas epiQure website, which had been a source for frequent flyers to purchase wine that’s found onboard flights and in the lounges, has been so popular –with orders doubling in the past year – the airline decided to expand the offering to include produce exclusively sourced from winegrowing regions.
Members of epiQure members can earn three Qantas Points per dollar on the Qantas epiQure’s food and wine range, while Qantas Frequent Flyers earn one Qantas Point on equivalent purchases.
The move is the latest from masterclass Qantas to offer its customers more points of engagement as the airline continues to go from strength to strength.
Qantas’ Head of epiQure, Lisa Hudson, said food and wine were second only to travel as an interest of Qantas Frequent Flyer members so it made sense to introduce a food range for Qantas epiQure.
“Good food and quality wine go hand in hand and we’re excited to be offering our members a new gourmet food range to accompany the top quality wines they’re already enjoying,” Hudson said.
Hudson spoke to HM exclusively at the launch on video and click on the image at the top of the page to view the video.
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GTA 5 Turns Ten: Anniversary and GTA 6 Leaks
September 10, 2023
As the tenth anniversary of the iconic game “Grand Theft Auto 5” (GTA 5) approaches, the gaming community is abuzz with leaks and speculations about how Rockstar Games plans to commemorate this significant milestone.
GTA 6 Announcement on the Horizon?
Recent leaks suggest that Rockstar Games might be gearing up to announce their next big title, “Grand Theft Auto 6” (GTA 6). A notable leak from a user named GTA6posts hinted at a potential announcement for GTA 6 in October 2023, aligning with the tenth anniversary of GTA 5. This leak gained traction when a voice note, allegedly from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, was circulated but was later taken down due to copyright issues. The voice note hinted at an imminent announcement for GTA 6 on October 23rd and a potential release in October 2024. That said, there’s no official confirmation from Rockstar Games and the authenticity of the voice note remains questionable.
Fueling Theories and Speculations
Apart from the leak about GTA 6, which will undoubtedly polarize fans’ attention, recent in-game updates in GTA 5 have sparked interest in how will Rockstar go about celebrating its masterpiece’s tenth anniversary. Let’s see them together.
Buckingham Weaponized Conada
One of the most notable additions in the recent update is the Buckingham Weaponized Conada. Priced at $3,385,000, this military attack helicopter can seat two players and brings two .50 caliber miniguns and a pair of missile launchers. The introduction of such a powerful vehicle has led fans to speculate about potential new missions or events that might be centered around it.
Assault on Cayo Perico Adversary Mode
Another significant update is the new adversary mode, “Assault on Cayo Perico.” This mode takes place on the Cayo Perico island and involves attackers going up against defenders in a competitive twist on the Cayo Perico heist. The mode has various defensive structures, bonus objectives, and loot, offering players multiple ways to earn money. The introduction of this mode has raised questions about whether Rockstar is hinting at a larger event or storyline related to Cayo Perico.
New Vehicles and Rewards
The update also introduced the Nagasaki Outlaw as the GTA Online podium car and the Pegassi Toros as the prize ride. Additionally, players can earn the Ammu-Nation baseball tee by completing a Bunker sell mission and the Atomic Rally Spec livery for the Maibatsu MonstroCiti by completing specific missions. These new additions, especially the high-value vehicles and rewards, have led to speculations about special anniversary events or challenges where players can earn exclusive items.
Bonus Rewards and Discounts
The update offers various bonus rewards, such as 3x GTA$ and RP rewards from Ammu-Nation contract missions and 2x rewards from the new Assault on Cayo Perico adversary mode. Additionally, there are significant discounts on several items, including Mk II weapon upgrades and various vehicles. The generous bonuses and discounts have fueled theories that Rockstar is gearing up for a grand celebration, possibly involving special missions or events where players can earn even more rewards.
Community Jobs and Luxury Pajamas
Another update introduced several new community jobs and luxury pajamas for players. While these might seem like minor additions, they have added to the overall excitement and anticipation among the player base, leading to further speculations about what Rockstar might have in store for the anniversary.
These recent in-game updates, combined with the leaks and rumors circulating online, have created a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation among the GTA 5 community. Players are eagerly waiting to see how Rockstar will celebrate a decade of one of its most iconic titles.
The Mysterious T-Shirt Leak
To add to the mix of hints and speculations, a trusted insider recently stirred the gaming community with a leak suggesting Rockstar Games’ plans to commemorate GTA 5’s tenth anniversary. According to the leak, Rockstar intends to introduce a special line of t-shirts in GTA Online, celebrating the game’s iconic decade-long journey.
These anniversary t-shirts, which briefly appeared in GTA Online before being mysteriously removed, carried an alien theme. Given GTA 5’s history with extraterrestrial elements, such as the Mount Chiliad mystery and UFO sightings, fans are speculating a potential alien-themed event or storyline for the anniversary. The shirts might be a teaser, hinting at new missions or a revisit to the game’s longstanding mysteries.
Despite the buzz, Rockstar Games has remained silent about the anniversary plans. This absence of official communication has only made expectations stronger, with the gaming community eagerly awaiting an announcement regarding the celebratory t-shirts and any associated events.
Can We Expect Much?
As expectations rise, the fans can look forward to events that will make their experience in-game even more entertaining. It’s not wishful thinking: Rockstar always celebrated the anniversaries of their most successful game to date in style. Among the most popular and interesting theories we can see these:
- Easter Eggs and Hidden Messages: Over the years, GTA 5 has been known for its intricate easter eggs and hidden messages. Fans have been speculating that recent in-game updates might contain subtle hints or teasers pointing toward the anniversary celebration or even the next game installment.
- Special Events in GTA Online: “Grand Theft Auto Online” has been a significant part of GTA 5’s success. There’s speculation that Rockstar might introduce special events, missions, or anniversary-themed content in GTA Online to commemorate the game’s tenth anniversary.
- Return to Old Locations: Some fans believe that Rockstar might reintroduce old locations from previous GTA titles as a nod to the series’ legacy. This could be in the form of special missions or even flashback sequences, allowing players to revisit iconic moments from the series.
- Anniversary Edition Release: Another popular theory is that Rockstar might release a special “Anniversary Edition” of GTA 5, featuring enhanced graphics, additional content, and possibly some narrative extensions that tie into the upcoming GTA 6.
- In-Game Concerts and Collaborations: Following the trend of live in-game concerts and events in other popular games, there’s speculation that Rockstar might collaborate with artists or bands for a live concert within GTA Online, celebrating the game’s rich cultural impact over the decade.
Rockstar Games has always been known for its surprises, and fans are eagerly waiting to see how the gaming giant will celebrate a decade of one of its most iconic titles.
GTA 5: A Landmark in Gaming History
Offline Game: The World of San Andreas
Released in 2013 by Rockstar Games, Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5) transported players to the expansive and detailed world of San Andreas. Following the intertwined lives of three distinct criminals, the game set a new benchmark for storytelling with its innovative three-protagonist system. Players could seamlessly switch between these characters, each offering a unique perspective on the game’s rich narrative.
Beyond its central plot, GTA 5 was lauded for its breathtaking graphics, dynamic weather systems, and a living city filled with activities, making it one of the most immersive open-world experiences. Its satirical commentary on contemporary society, combined with memorable characters and a diverse soundtrack, solidified its status as a cultural phenomenon. The game’s economic impact was equally significant, breaking sales records and showcasing the vast potential of the gaming industry.
Online Game: The Evolution with GTA Online
GTA Online revolutionized the GTA experience by introducing a dynamic multiplayer mode. This online component allowed players to explore San Andreas together, engage in missions, form crews, and even design their own content. The continuous flow of updates, from new heists to business ventures, kept the player base engaged and transformed the game into a continuously evolving world. GTA Online not only extended the game’s lifespan but also became a significant revenue stream for Rockstar, with its innovative use of microtransactions. The success of this online mode set a precedent, influencing how other major titles approached online gaming, and highlighted the importance of community-driven content in retaining and expanding a player base.
GTA 5: A Decade of Success
GTA 5 has been a monumental success for Rockstar Games, boasting impressive sales and a dedicated fanbase over its ten-year lifespan. The game’s return to the beloved setting of “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” proved to be a masterstroke, making GTA 5 one of the fastest-selling games in history. The continuous updates and content additions to “Grand Theft Auto Online” only further solidified the game’s position as a pop culture icon.
However, as the gaming industry evolves with the latest generation of consoles, GTA 5’s time in the limelight might be nearing its end. With the potential announcement and release of GTA 6, Rockstar’s focus might shift, leading to reduced updates and support for GTA 5. The game’s tenth anniversary could be a bittersweet moment for fans, marking both a celebration of its success and a potential shift towards the future with GTA 6.
While the gaming community eagerly awaits official news from Rockstar Games, the leaks and speculations add to the excitement surrounding GTA 5’s tenth anniversary. Whether Rockstar has grand plans for the anniversary or is gearing up for the next big title remains to be seen. Until then, fans can only speculate and hope for an exciting future for the Grand Theft Auto franchise.


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Winner: Accel Partners
Silicon Valley powerhouse Accel Partners made its first investment in Arlington-based Opower Inc. last fall, further solidifying the smart grid software-maker’s place as serious player in the technology space.
While Accel may not have any Washington-area offices, it is a big name in the venture capital world, with deep pockets and an impressive client list: The firm manages more than $6 billion globally and has helped entrepreneurs build more than 300 successful companies, including Facebook, Groupon Inc., comScore Inc. and Walmart.com.
“We believe Opower has a profound opportunity to leverage the power of the Internet and social media to deepen consumer engagement in the energy world and to use this engagement to drive critical gains in efficiency,” says Peter Wagner, a partner at Accel.
Accel co-led the $50 million round of financing for Opower with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, another Silicon Valley VC giant. New Enterprise Associates Inc., Opower’s biggest investor, also participated. NEA has offices in Chevy Chase, Timonium, Md., and Menlo Park, Calif. Opower officials say they will use the funds to support expansion and product development efforts in 2011.
Opower has dozens of utility companies as customers, including most of the country’s largest energy providers. The company’s software helps utilities and customers track their energy use. Opower announced last June it was opening a West Coast office in San Francisco. The company got a big publicity boost in March when President Barack Obama visited its headquarters.
Last year Opower was named a 2011 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. Judged by 68 of the world’s leading tech pros, the prestigious award recognizes companies on the cutting edge of innovation that are poised to have a critical impact on the future of business, industry and society.


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Urban farming is getting high-tech, thanks to what is being billed as the world's first smartphone-controlled plant growing system.
'Niwa' is a connected growing system that allows users to produce fruit, vegetables and herbs at home, with the help of a mobile app.
The stylish responsive growing system uses a number of sensors and actuators to control temperature, humidity, light and water irrigation.
Users simply plant the seeds and tell the app what they want to grow so that the settings are adjusted accordingly. The progress of the produce can also be tracked via the app and settings can be adjusted if necessary.
The system uses hydroponic technology, meaning no soil is needed to grow the produce. Following a two-year design process, the technology has been integrated with farming expertise and is now listed on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.
"I started Niwa when I realized that thousands of tons of vegetables had to travel so far before getting to the final consumers," says co-founder Javier Morillas. "It made no sense to me."


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In the midst of the current boom in the Cuban leisure and travel industry, it is worth briefly examining the practices of the Publicitur S.A. Communications Agency. The enterprise, which offers comprehensive promotional and publicity services to the Ministry of Tourism and its entities in Cuba and around the world, is responsible for the most important events of this sector, such as the annual International Tourism Fair (FITCuba), the Havana International Trade Fair (FIHAV) and the International Nature Tourism Event (TURNAT).
According to Publicitur President Amalia Rangel, tourism is a responsible branch of communications, which requires active efforts in line with the latest trends and using service providers specialized in producing advertising and promotional materials. Likewise, it is crucial to maintain close ties with different companies and organizations, which enable effective and up-to-date information and communications regarding tourist destinations on the island.
Rangel acknowledges that new information and communications technologies have displaced classic advertising means. “We must reach our market through the language they like to hear and see,” she notes.
Meanwhile, the sustainability of tourism promotion, in addition to keeping up with the most recent global trends, requires a quality product and this depends not only on the natural wonders Cuba has to offer, but also on the welcoming nature of its people, Rangel explains.
Immersed in the 37th edition of FITCuba, held May 3-6 in Holguín, the communications specialist reports that the event demonstrates the extent of efforts on the island to improve the country’s tourist image and promote “the attractive natural, cultural and historical sites of a destination of extraordinary beauty and security, with a cultured and hospitable people.”
Rangel adds that this is the Cuban tourism industry’s most important annual event, with a growing number of specialized participants from a range of countries hoping to take advantage of new business opportunities and ensure the sustainability of others. “It is a time for tourism to provide up-to-date information on its destinations, modalities and products,” she explains.
AN EXTENSIVE ALLIANCE WITH MUTUAL BENEFITS
According to the Publicitur president, certain initiatives, such as EBM Marketing Solutions, a company established in Cuba in 2004 with its headquarters in Spain, must be mentioned when referring to the most outstanding suppliers in the advertising and publicity sector. EBM has provided ideas and modern products to Publicitur in their mutual efforts to promote Cuban tourist destinations.
“EBM and Publicitur maintain common points in tourism development, through a committed working relationship. In other words, the extensive presence of EBM in Cuba has facilitated the understanding of the objectives of the sector and results in more dynamic negotiation and contracting processes. Such was the case of the participation of this foreign company in the production of exposition materials for FIHAV 2016,” Rangel notes.
EMB Marketing Solutions is legally affiliated with the Representation Agency of the Ministry of Culture (RECSA). According to company representative Mirtha Carmona, for more than a decade, EBM has worked to support the Cuban policy of defending the close relationship between culture and tourism, and has understood its essential importance for the dissemination of the country’s identity to the world. Hence, she notes, one of the firm’s main markets for promotional materials is that of tourism sector companies.
Initially, Carmona recalls, a very harmonious process of marketing personalized promotional products was carried out, starting with EBM as supplier, Comercial Lauros de Artex S.A. as buyer and tourism companies as final recipients of these goods and materials.
In this way, materials that reflected the works of Cuban visual artists were developed for hotels. These allowed both for the promotion and identification of a particular hotel through its own brand, and the dissemination of Cuban artistic culture, one of the island’s key national attractions, among visitors.
Using the same concept, EBM provides promotional materials to be sold in the tourist sector. Examples include folders decorated with works by Cuban painters and souvenirs for the National Museum of Fine Arts and shops of the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry and the Artex chain, as well as a digital communications project for the Paradiso Cultural Tourism Agency.
EBM, which proposes marketing specially designed for Cuba, has sustained ongoing working ties with tourism companies in their publicity efforts. This is demonstrated in the diversity of personalized promotional materials it produces (uniforms, flags, radios, umbrellas, coolers, napkins, exhibition media for fairs, tents) for hotel chains and non-hotel services companies, with not only productive but differentiated proposals, according to the standards of each brand.
Carmona emphasizes that FITCuba 2016 offered EBM the important responsibility of decorating the La Cabaña exposition venue, and developing the promotional campaign for the Fair. On that occasion, she highlights, the company offered real-time coverage of the event across social networks, with a strong emphasis on the promotion of Cuba as a tourist destination.
The experienced Spanish firm presented a new catalog of equipment and services related to the latest digital technology, which provide comprehensive solutions to ensure tourists’ connectivity during their stay on the island.
Likewise, the catalog offers light and modern devices, such as wireless chargers for cameras and cell phones, designed to ensure visitor comfort at any tourist site. The novelty and functionality of one of these tools earned it the Design Award in the last edition of FIHAV.
Carmona notes that the current limits on imports suffered by Cuban companies impacts on the sales capacity of EBM products, despite the growing demand.
Given this scenario, the EMB representative highlights that they have been working since 2016 to redirect their commercial strategy, changing the pattern of selling imported products for that of managing the advertising investments of foreign companies interested in making themselves known on the island, as occurred last December with the participation of EBM in the establishment of Turkish Airlines operations in Cuba.


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A customer of ours, Ritchie Industries, Inc., was featured in this month’s US Business Executive magazine.
Ritchie Industries, Inc. – A Solid Reputation for High-Quality Products
Ritchie Industries Inc. (Ritchie Industries) has been manufacturing a product that makes farmers and animal owners alike happier since 1921. Any person who has owned an animal that is stabled outdoors will gladly volunteer that one of the biggest annoyances is carrying buckets of drinking water out to the animals. The Conrad, Iowa-headquartered company offers the solution to this situation with its complete line of livestock, dairy, horse, swine, sheep and goat waterers.
Mike Gerbo, an executive vice president with Ritchie Industries, outlines the company’s history in the industry as follows: “Thomas Ritchie founded the company in 1921 after he patented the first heated automatic watering device. After a number of years, Ritchie sold the company to Lennox Industries, who allowed the brand’s name to lapse, but the company was eventually purchased by C.D. Wilson in the mid-’40s and he revived the company. When C.D.’s son Cliff Wilson Jr. wanted to retire, the company made its final sale to its employees in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan [ESOP] and since then Ritchie Industries has thrived.”
Ritchie Industries has maintained a reputation for quality construction and durability throughout its 90-plus-year history producing heated fountains. From a single horse Stall Fount to CattleMaster fountains capable of accommodating 500 heads of livestock, Ritchie Industries has developed a line of dependable products that continually delivers on the company’s motto, “Fresh water for life.” Gerbo reveals one of the most common things that he hears at industry trade shows is dairy and cattle farmers stating they purchased a Ritchie Industries fountain 20 or 30 years ago and it’s still in great condition.
Only Product Like It on the Market
Ritchie Industries’ products are designed to provide a continuous water source regardless of the weather, and they are so efficient that a unit only costs the owner $15 to $20 to operate throughout a season. Ritchie Industries’ products assure a minimum of standing water, a fresh and clean trough, rapid refill, and the ability to withstand tough environments. The company stands so firmly behind the quality of its construction that all Ritchie Industries fountains come with a 10-year warranty. And the company is continually working to improve on an already rock-solid product.
Gerbo notes that technological advances in plastic in the last 10 years have allowed the company to introduce a revolutionary new product: the hybrid unit. “It has a stainless steel trough that is heavily insulated with foam and plastic, which makes it extremely efficient and durable,” Gerbo proudly continues.
“We’re the only company building a model like it.”
Despite its renowned product and continual advancements, the company was affected by the economic downturn like the rest of the industry, but prepared well in advance to minimize the impact. “In the fall of 2008 we saw where the industry was headed and we predicted internally that business would be off by about 20 percent, which was actually extremely accurate,” says Gerbo. “We made a lot of adjustments to our overhead, and instead of retreating we increased our spending on marketing and advertising and it has paid off extremely well. We’ve not only regained our lost market share, we’ve gained more.”
Ready to Break Open a Huge Market
The company has long been established with dairy and cattle farmers as a premier brand, so Ritchie Industries’ management team made the decision to promote itself in a long overlooked market.
“The equine market in the U.S. is huge; there are roughly 10 million horses and the industry has grown tremendously in the last 10 years,” continues Gerbo. “We aligned ourselves with the industry’s leaders like Clinton Anderson, the leading horse trainer in the country, and have been making great inroads into the equine industry.”
Ritchie Industries also recently launched a marketing campaign with a high-profile public relations firm in Louisville, Ky., to further promote its brand within this new sector. “We’re very excited about our inroads in the equine industry,” maintains Gerbo. “Currently between 90 to 95 percent of all horses are still watered out of a stock tank with a bucket. The market potential is huge.”
With its network of dealers, Ritchie Industries is an industry leader across the U.S. Gerbo additionally estimates that the company’s operations in Canada comprise roughly 12 to 14 percent of the company’s sales annually. The Internet, however, is steering business to the company from places where Ritchie Industries doesn’t advertise. “We’ve sold stuff to Inner Mongolia and Turkey,” says Gerbo. “We’re selling in Japan, Estonia, Holland, Germany, Ukraine … and we’re getting a surprising amount of business from dairy farms in Russia.”
Ritchie Industries has a long history with its vendors and distributor partners and Gerbo maintains that one of the reasons for the company’s success has been its loyalty to its distributors. “We are very protective of the relationships that we have created over the years,” he adds. “We never sell around them, but if someone purchases from us directly from the Internet, we still give the distributor their cut of the sale. It’s the way the Internet should be used.”
The name Ritchie Industries Inc. has been synonymous for well- built heated water fountains in the cattle and dairy industries for over 90 years, and the company’s entry into the equine industry is yet another smart move on the part of a savvy, highly efficient company that is poised for even greater growth.
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Wall Street analysts forecast that Conn's Inc (NASDAQ:CONN) will announce $428.68 million in sales for the current quarter, according to Zacks. Three analysts have made estimates for Conn's’ earnings. The highest sales estimate is $429.90 million and the lowest is $427.41 million. Conn's posted sales of $432.81 million during the same quarter last year, which suggests a negative year-over-year growth rate of 1%. The business is scheduled to issue its next quarterly earnings report on Tuesday, April 3rd.
On average, analysts expect that Conn's will report full-year sales of $428.68 million for the current fiscal year, with estimates ranging from $1.52 billion to $1.53 billion. For the next financial year, analysts anticipate that the company will report sales of $1.60 billion per share, with estimates ranging from $1.59 billion to $1.61 billion. Zacks Investment Research’s sales averages are an average based on a survey of research analysts that that provide coverage for Conn's.
A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on CONN shares. BidaskClub cut Conn's from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. Oppenheimer reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $40.00 target price on shares of Conn's in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. ValuEngine raised Conn's from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 7th. Zacks Investment Research raised Conn's from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $36.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 12th. Finally, Stephens raised their target price on Conn's from $39.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $37.50.
In related news, major shareholder Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C sold 1,600,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.05, for a total value of $54,480,000.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 3.48% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CONN. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its position in Conn's by 269.9% during the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 426,473 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $12,005,000 after acquiring an additional 311,178 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership bought a new stake in Conn's during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $9,452,000. Prudential Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Conn's during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $6,050,000. State Street Corp boosted its position in Conn's by 45.9% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 566,793 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $10,828,000 after acquiring an additional 178,277 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Castleark Management LLC bought a new stake in Conn's during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $6,175,000. 69.40% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Conn's Company Profile
Conn’s, Inc is a specialty retailer that offers a selection of consumer goods and related services in addition to a credit solution for its core credit constrained consumers. The Company operates through two segments: retail and credit. The Retail segment includes product categories, such as furniture and mattress, including furniture and related accessories for the living room, dining room and bedroom; home appliance, including refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers and ranges; Consumer electronics, including liquid-crystal-display (LED), organic LED (OLED), Ultra high definition (HD) and Internet-ready televisions, and home office, including computers, printers and accessories.
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Entries in 'amd' (60)
PC component manufacturer AMD plans to cut seven per cent of its global workforce.
The war of words between Nvidia and AMD is getting nasty.
AMD has announced that it will combine its previously separate business, global operations and sales arms to create a singular organisation
Don’t expect PS4 and Xbox One to hand around as long as their predecessors.
Games that integrate Nvidia’s Gameworks development tools are being deliberately restricted on AMD graphics cards, the latter has claimed.
Hot on the heels of the Nvidia GTX Titan Z, AMD has revealed its own dual-processor GPU behemoth – the R9 295X2.
Despite the perceived decline in the PC games market, graphics cards shipments were up two per cent in Q4 2013.
PC GAMING WEEK: It offers the most powerful single graphics card (GPU) in the world and its x86 chips can be found in both PS4 and Xbox One.
From the arrival of Steam Machines to the digital takeover, we detail everything you need to know about the market in MCV's PC Gaming Special.
PC GAMING WEEK: MCVuk.com is devoting an entire week dedicated to the PC games industry.
AMD graphics card owners are now able to play the Mantle version of Battlefield 4.
The viability of a new free alternative to Nvidia’s new variable refresh rate tech G-Sync has been questioned by the PC hardware firm.
Upcoming PC API Mantle could offer even bigger performance gains over DirectX than previously thought.
As is now clearly apparent, AMD’s supposedly game-changing PC API Mantle has missed its 2013 release.
The two latest competitors into what has turned out to be a very ‘heated’ battle in the PC graphics card market have at last been detailed.
AMD’s new PC graphics API Mantle has received the backing of two new game developers.
The veil has finally been lifted on AMD’s Radeon R9 290X graphics card.
AMD has given the greenlight for a handful of tech sites to publish what are the first official benchmarks for its as-of-yet unannounced R9 290X graphics card.
AMD has yet to officially announce the R9 290 or R9 290X, but leaked performance charts suggest Nvidia’s Titan has been dethroned as the world’s fastest GPU.
AMD’s new top-end graphics card the R9 290X was supposed to launch tomorrow, according to rumour. Those same rumour-mongers now say it won’t.
AMD’s top-of-the-range Radeon R9 290X looks like it’s getting a suitably top-of-the-range RRP in Europe.
American custom PC manufacturer Origin PC has announced that it is to cease offering AMD graphics cards in its machines.
AMD’s upcoming high-end Radeon R9 290X graphics card looks like it will cost more than initially expected.
Graphics card manufacturer AMD spent between $5m and $8m to secure its Battlefield 4 partnership, a new report has claimed.
The next generation of PC graphics cards have at last been announced by AMD.


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Following the actions on International Women's Day in Hong Kong, two Indonesian unions protested at the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 10.00 A.M. They demand justice for workers at the shuttered factory PT Jaba Garmindo in Indonesia, which supplied Japanese retailer Uniqlo.
Former workers of the Faremo International factory in the Philippines reached an agreement about financial compensation in February, after more than three months of continuous picketing. The workers were protesting the closure of their factory that seemed primarily aimed at curtailing the recently established factory union. Bolstered by international solidarity the dismissed workers stuck together and reached a campaign victory.
Major developments in Bangladesh labour crackdown - Important first step taken however crisis not resolved
After months of intense efforts by labour unions, and labour and human rights organisations, all over the world, yesterday, Bangladesh trade unionists, the government and the employers’ organisation announced the planned release of all remaining detained labour leaders. Clean Clothes Campaign, International Labor Rights Forum and the Worker Rights Consortium welcome the announcement as an important first step, but warn that in its current form it still falls short of fully resolving the crisis in Bangladesh.
Five leading apparel companies -- H&M, Inditex (Zara), C&A, Next and Tchibo -- have pulled out as key speakers and participants from the Dhaka Apparel Summit, organized by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). Their decision to withdraw is a response to the campaign calling to an end of the of repression against the labor movement carried out by the Bangladesh government and factory owners over the last two months. These companies represent billions of dollars in annual garment purchases for Bangladeshi manufacturers.
Who We Are
The Clean Clothes Campaign is dedicated to improving working conditions and supporting the empowerment of workers in the global garment and sportswear industries.
We educate and mobilise consumers, lobby companies and governments, and offer direct solidarity support to workers as they fight for their rights and demand better working conditions.
Support our work:
make a donation!


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Samsung rumored to be working on budget Galaxy Home speaker
Samsung revealed the Galaxy Home smart speaker at its Unpacked Event in August. The new addition to the manufacturer’s range of products is expected to feature six speakers, eight microphones, a subwoofer, and Bixby integration. It is believed this premium speaker will be priced at a similar level to Apple’s HomePod, which is currently US$349.
A report from SamMobile claims that Samsung is also targeting consumers on a tighter budget with a cheaper version of the smart speaker. Unfortunately, there is very little information available about this potential additional variant to the Galaxy Home series, apart from its model number (SM-V310) and the fact it will come in black. The already announced premium Samsung smart speaker has the model number SM-V510.
No release date has been given for the Galaxy Home smart speaker (SM-V510), but it is possible Samsung will reveal more at CES 2019. The company has brought AKG by Harman on board to fine-tune the audio, and the speaker's distinctive vase-shape design will certainly help it stand out from an already packed crowd.


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The Redmi Note 8 series is a thousand-yuan new phone released by Redmi at Xiaomi’s Beijing headquarters in August 2019, starting at 999 yuan. After nearly 2 years, the new version of the Redmi Note 8 appeared. On May 16, news broke Kacper Skrzypek found traces of Redmi Note 8 2021 in the FCC.
According to the news, the biggest upgrade of the Redmi Note8 2021 compared to the old model is the processor and fast charging. The former is equipped with a MediaTek Helio G85 chip and supports 22.5W fast charging.
The Redmi Note8 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, which supports 18W fast charging.
In addition, the Redmi Note8 2021 battery capacity is also 4000mAh, the rear main camera is 48 million pixels, the maximum storage space is 128GB, and the new MIUI 12.5 system is pre-installed at the factory.
At present, Redmi Note 8 2021 is a slightly upgraded version of the Redmi Note8. The news broke that this new machine will be on sale in certain markets such as Russia and Europe, and other specifications are not expected to be much different from the old Redmi Note8.
Do not forget to follow us on our Facebook group and page to keep you always aware of the latest advances, News, Updates, review, and giveaway on smartphones, tablets, gadgets, and more from the technology world of the future.


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Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Co. will join forces to build pickup trucks, delivery vans and possibly more, pledging to put old rivalries aside and work together to confront a rapidly changing auto industry.
The pair is set to start delivering medium-sized pickup trucks from 2022, VW and Ford said in a statement Tuesday. The partners are also holding talks for joint work on electric cars, autonomous vehicles and digital services.
“Volkswagen and Ford will harness our collective resources, innovation capabilities and complementary market positions,” VW Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess said. “The alliance will be a cornerstone for our drive to improve competitiveness.”
The collaboration on vans and possibly other areas show how carmakers are pooling resources to better compete with tech giants like Alphabet Inc.’s Google. They are plotting inroads as digital services undermine traditional business models. The partnership will help cut development costs and optimize factory capacity, Volkswagen said.
The tie-up on commercial vans and pickups will improve operating results from 2023, the partners said.
- Ford to develop mid-size pickups for both companies
- Ford plans development, production of joint larger vans for European market
- VW plans joint city van
The auto giants may have more to discuss. VW, the world’s largest automaker has long struggled to grow its main namesake brand beyond niche status in North America, despite successfully conquering key markets like China. Last year, the U.S. accounted for just 5.7 percent of sales of the unit. Likewise, Ford’s losses in Europe and sliding market share last week prompted the Dearborn, Michigan-based manufacturer to map out thousands of job cuts in Europe.
To stay ahead in the sector’s generational shift, Volkswagen has allocated a record 44 billion euros ($50 billion) over the next five years, seeking to use engineering prowess and scale to halt the expansion of new rivals like Tesla Inc. VW will spend spend $800 million to expand its only U.S. vehicle assembly site in Tennessee to produce electric cars for North American buyers as of 2022.
Ford has started an $11 billion restructuring and earmarked a combined $15 billion in investment toward electrified and driverless cars in the coming years.
It’s not the first time VW and Ford team up, with executives from both sides touting past projects like joint ventures in South America and Portugal. Under Diess, who took over as CEO last year, VW has pledged to change an often insular culture and become more open to working with other companies.
The manufacturer’s last major alliance with Suzuki Motor Corp. ended in a London arbitration court before the first joint vehicle was built. Joint work between major global manufacturers is often beset by problems that stem from cultural differences and highly complex supply lines and production plans.
— Christoph Rauwald and Keith Naughton (Bloomberg)


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A video showcasing collar stays has attracted more than 61,000 views on Facebook—more than 10 times the number of shoppers who watch The Grommet’s ...
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Meanwhile, Microsoft was embarking on a national advertising campaign featuring TV, radio, print and online ads. The ads refer to Bing as a “decision engine,” and focus on how Bing quickly gets the information desired to the searcher.
One of Bing’s first TV ads appeared on The Daily Show, a late-night program that appeals to younger consumers. The ad fast-forwards through a series of ads for various products, then concludes with the text: “Getting to what you want faster. It’s what we’re all about.”
The ad runs only 30 seconds, though Microsoft bought two and a half minutes of air time. The program resumes after a voiceover informs viewers they are “getting two more minutes of The Daily Show because of Bing.”
Microsoft declines comment on published reports it will spend $80 million to $100 million promoting Bing. But CEO Ballmer, speaking at the All Things Digital conference in June, said the company plans to spend “lots” on marketing.
As the back-to-school and holiday shopping periods approach, that ad spend increasingly will focus on encouraging consumers to try the Shopping section of Bing-one of six areas highlighted on the Bing home page, along with Images, Videos, News, Maps and Travel-according to Dave Wascha, senior director of Bing Shopping and Cashback, Microsoft’s year-old rebate program that prominently promotes participating merchants in Bing Shopping results. He also says Microsoft promotions will encourage consumers to try Cashback.
Bing and Cashback
Archuleta says Musician’s Hut is going to try Cashback, a product of the 10% jump in traffic from the Bing engine that the e-retailer registered in June. That persuaded him to commit to the expense of feeding data to another marketing program, an investment that hadn’t been a high priority before Bing.
Microsoft, which launched Cashback last year based on technology it acquired when it bought Jellyfish in 2007, pushed to recruit merchants to Cashback in advance of the Bing launch, says Microsoft’s Wascha. He says more than 800 merchants now participate in the program, in which retailers set a percentage discount on each product, and Microsoft sends a check for the discounted amount to consumers who buy through Cashback.
A problem that bedeviled Cashback was fixed in advance of the Bing launch. When a consumer clicked on a retailer’s Cashback offer the next page he saw was a Cashback sign-in screen. Confused consumers often abandoned the purchase. Now a greyed-out image of the retailer’s page appears behind the sign-in box, cueing consumers that they are on the right track.
“The initial interstitial page had a pretty poor performance,” Wascha says. “Now performance is significantly better.”
Despite their aggressive marketing efforts, Microsoft officials downplayed expectations that Bing would quickly gain market share. And Bing made only small gains in its first month. Microsoft’s share of U.S. search queries rose from 8.0% in May to 8.4% in June, while Yahoo fell to 19.6% from 20.1% and Google held steady at 65.0%, according to web measurement firm comScore Inc.
In terms of clicks from paid ads, the results were mixed. Apogee Search followed 10 retailer clients in June and found Google easily bested Bing in terms of gains over the prior month. But web traffic monitor Compete showed Bing’s share of referrals from search ads rose to 5.6% in June from 3.1% in May, and search marketing firm Efficient Frontier reported a 5% increase in Bing’s click share in June over the month before.
“With the launch of Bing and its early signs of promise, the battle between search titans is once again heating up,” says David Karnstedt, president and CEO of Efficient Frontier.
Other early studies indicate consumers like Bing, but don’t see a need to switch from Google.
A July survey of more than 750 U.S. consumers found 59% had heard of Bing and 25% had tried it, reported stock analyst Imran Khan of J.P. Morgan, which commissioned the poll. And while respondents gave Bing high marks, nearly 63% said they were satisfied with their current search experience. “It will be difficult to shift search behavior if people are completely satisfied with their current search engine,” Khan observed.
In a usability test with 12 individuals given two search tasks to perform on Google and Bing, most preferred Bing’s visual design and considered Bing slightly better in terms of organization and refinement options-yet eight of 12 planned to stick with Google. “A little better isn’t enough to get people to switch,” says Nick Gould, CEO of the web design and research firm Catalyst Group, which conducted the test.
These results do not faze Microsoft executives, who emphasize that they are in this race for the long haul, and that Bing will continue to improve. One example: Bing recently began including in its search results Twitter messages from celebrity Tweeters. “This is just the beginning,” says Microsoft’s Wascha. “There’s a ton left to do in the world of search.”
And tons of dollars to be spent by Microsoft and Google as they try to outdo each other through innovation. The unprecedented level of competition and innovation in search that looms on the horizon can only benefit online retailers. l
How Bing is different- and some early SEO lessons
Bing presents search results in a new way. Here are a few of the differences with Google:
Instead of just listing links to web pages, results are organized into categories. A search for “digital cameras,” for example, includes sections such as Digital Camera Brands, Digital Camera Types and Top 10 Digital Cameras.
Hovering the cursor over the right side of a link pops up a box that provides a glimpse of what’s on the page the link goes to. In some cases, links to retailer sites display products and prices in that box. Bing often shows the retailer’s customer service number.