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As it assesses its future in the distribution landscape, ATPCO has acquired Routehappy to rethink its customer experience around merchandizing.
Though the two companies announced a product partnership last year, the purchase further allows ATPCO to leverage Routehappy’s tech and rich content platform alongside its traditional trove of airfare and pricing data.
“Airline merchandising is rapidly evolving, as rich content is more widely adopted across both NDC and traditional distribution models. As an industry, we want travelers to be able to see, and trust, the differences between flight options,” says Jerry Foran, chairman of the board of ATPCO and head of product delivery, revenue management at British Airways.
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“This acquisition is another example of how ATPCO is executing on its promise to fuel the future of airline distribution.”
Under ATPCO, Routehappy’s four rich content types - Scores, Amenities, Universal Product Attributes (UPAs) and Universal Ticket Attributes (UTAs) - will become an industry standard to increase adoption of rich content.
“Our acquisition of Routehappy drives strategic innovation, reduces complexity and delivers network economics to the entire distribution ecosystem. Routehappy has created an offering that solves many of the challenges that airlines encounter in delivering consistent messaging, branding and merchandising through multiple distribution channels,” says ATPCO president and CEO Rolf Purzer, who assumed the role in February of last year.
New Distribution Capability (NDC): It’s Only Just Begun
“By aligning Routehappy’s complementary rich content with ATPCO’s fare and pricing data, airlines can ensure consistent and differentiated offers for their products in every sales channel.”
More than 430 airlines use ATPCO’s fare and pricing rules content to achieve 87% of worldwide ticket sales. The acquisition of the New York-based Routehappy - founded in 2011 and which counts Expedia, Google and Sabre among customers - is its first in its 53-year history.
Routehappy will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of APTCO, and CEO Robert Albert will continue to lead the company as a strategic business unit. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.


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Online scams no more remain confined to fake websites. Rather the scammers have even exploited legit websites to execute their malicious purposes. Recently, GoDaddy has taken off thousands of such scam subdomains suspiciously associated with legitimate websites.
GoDaddy Takes Down Scam Subdomains
As revealed by Palo Alto Networks, GoDaddy has taken down thousands of scam subdomains linked to otherwise legit websites. These subdomains remained linked to the victim sites without the consent or knowledge of the site owners. They have disclosed the details in a blog post.
Allegedly, GoDaddy has removed more than 15000 subdomains involved in scam campaigns. The web pages linked to these subdomains lured users to buy their products.
The researcher first spotted the scam roughly two years ago. He became curious to dig out the details upon noticing the similarity among these sites.
“Over two years I had watched some of these sites and could identify a template being used that slowly morphed over time, selling different products, and always using different URLs to mask their intentions, but visually appearing quite similar.”
The scam campaigns tricked the users by phishing emails that redirected the recipients to the scam web pages apparently linked to legit websites. This caused the users to believe their scam.
The sites also displayed endorsements from celebrities and popular entities, such as the Shark Tank TV Show, Stephen Hawking, Jennifer Lopez and more. The products sold at these websites included things like brain enhancement pills, weight loss products, and CBD oil.
GoDaddy Reset Passwords Of Hacked Customer Accounts
Reportedly, the researchers, as well as GoDaddy, also spotted several compromised accounts while investigating the scam.
“These efforts allowed us to map out thousands of compromised servers and abused domains and hundreds of compromised accounts.”
As a security measure, they have reset passwords of these accounts to observe the possible existence of potential malware.
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Walmart WMT posted blowout first quarter results, as it flexed its growing e-commerce muscles during the coronavirus pandemic. But WMT shares have lagged the market and its industry over the last three months and have stalled heading into the release of its second quarter fiscal 2021 financial results that are due out before the opening bell on Tuesday, August 18.
The E-Commerce Push & COVID-19
Walmart has rolled out more delivery and pick up options, as it continues to expand its overall digital business. This includes the acquisition of and partnerships with many smaller online-focused retailers—such as one of its more recent moves to team up with secondhand clothing firm ThredUp.
The largest U.S. retailer also recently announced a same-day delivery partnership with Instacart, which helps expand its efforts to compete against Amazon AMZN, as well as peers like Target TGT and Costco COST.
With this in mind, Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce sales jumped 37% in its fiscal 2020 and 40% in FY19. And the coronavirus, which forced large swaths of the economy to stop and ‘non-essential’ businesses to close, helped its U.S. e-commerce sales skyrocket 74% in Q1.
This helped drive 10% comps growth and an 8.6% jump in overall quarterly revenue—its largest climb in over a decade. Walmart’s strong top-line growth did coincide with higher costs associated with the pandemic. Higher wages, benefits, heightened sanitation measures, and more added up to nearly $900 million in incremental costs related to the coronavirus.
WMT also noted that gross margins were negatively impacted by a shift to sales in lower-margin categories. And the company withdrew its fiscal year guidance amid the increased uncertainty.
WMT stock is up 6% in the last three months, against its industry’s 26% climb, and it’s moved sideways over the past month, while the retail space climbed 6%. This might indicate that Wall Street thinks Walmart will have a hard time topping its Q1 results that include the early days of the coronavirus.
With this in mind, our current Zacks estimates call for its adjusted Q2 earnings to slip 4% to $1.22 per share, on 2.8% higher sales. This would come in well below Q1’s revenue growth, which included the three-month period ended on April 30. Therefore, Walmart’s big coronavirus boost is likely already well in the rearview.
Wall Street is also waiting on the official launch of its new Amazon Prime-style membership called Walmart+ or Plus. The service has reportedly been delayed multiple times and Walmart has spent heavily to deal with increased coronavirus-based costs and demand.
Walmart is a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) right now that might have to really impress in order to break out of its current range. That said, the chart shows us that WMT shares are up 45% in the last two years, to top its industry. Meanwhile, Walmart’s 1.65% dividend yield comes in just below the S&P 500’s average and it trades at a slight premium to the index.
In the end, investors might want to hold off on Walmart stock until after its report for more clarity on what’s to come. But of course, WMT has a lot going for it in the long run, as it expands its business, which includes a push in India through Flipkart.
And let’s not forget that brick-and-mortar is hardly dead. For instance, e-commerce sales accounted for 11.8% of total U.S. retail sales in the first quarter of 2020, up from 10.5% in the year-ago period.
These Stocks Are Poised to Soar Past the Pandemic
The COVID-19 outbreak has shifted consumer behavior dramatically, and a handful of high-tech companies have stepped up to keep America running. Right now, investors in these companies have a shot at serious profits. For example, Zoom jumped 108.5% in less than 4 months while most other stocks were sinking.
Our research shows that 5 cutting-edge stocks could skyrocket from the exponential increase in demand for “stay at home” technologies. This could be one of the biggest buying opportunities of this decade, especially for those who get in early.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Target Corporation (TGT): Free Stock Analysis Report
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report
Walmart Inc. (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): Free Stock Analysis Report
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] More than half of all U.S. consumers that have tried
] following diets that eschew carbs such as bread and sugar
] have given up, a survey released on Wednesday found, and
] interest in the popular regimens appears to have
Been watching for it...
Yahoo! News - Americans Abandoning Low-Carb Diets -Survey


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Popular Japanese clothing retailer UNIQLO has announced it is opening its first Western Australian store.
Due to open in autumn/winter 2018 in Plaza Arcade in the Murray Street Mall, UNIQLO’s first West Australian store will feature a 1290-square-metre-floor and carry its full line-up of men’s, women’s, children's and baby apparel.
Since opening its first store in Japan in 1984, UNIQLO has expanded around the world and earned a global reputation for well-priced fashion staples. The retailer opened its first Australian store in 2014 at Melbourne’s Emporium.
UNIQLO Perth will be the retailer’s 15th Australian store and joins existing stores in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
UNIQLO Plaza Arcade will be at 185–191 Murray Street, Perth and is due to open in autumn.


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| New Delhi |
Published: June 10, 2020 4:32:16 pm
“We are seeing the biggest traction in the Rs 32,000 to Rs 52,000 price bracket which covers the mainstream laptop segment,” Shailendra Katyal, Executive Director and Head of Consumer PCSD, Lenovo India told indianexpress.com. “In this segment, there are good plug-and-play solutions with decent speed, large displays, and good RAM.”
Katyal says the surge in demand comes from those who are upgrading their laptops to be used for work from home purposes, which is the new segment that never existed before. This has resulted in a spike in sales of laptops in the mainstream segment. “People are moving up the value chain in terms of buying a full solution and not settling for entry-level products,” he said.
Katyal expects to see a lot of changes in the PC segment as a result of COVID-19. He says the unprecedented surge in people working from home as well as students attending online classes will eventually prompt an increase in sales of laptops. “A lot of people now realise that if they had bought a product two to three years back, that device won’t be fully sufficient for work from home or learn from the home requirement,” he said. Katyal said the pandemic will likely increase the penetrations of PCs India, which is still on the lower side.
Although Katyal does see a spike in sales of laptops in India due to the coronavirus lockdown, he fears the negative outlook in the economy may slow down the demand for PCs. “The negative factor may start coming in later when the full economic impact of Covid-19 comes in. There could be a slowdown in the longer run,” he adds.
In India, PC shipments for the first quarter reached only 1.8 million due to the nationwide lockdown, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. In fact, the traditional PC market, which comprises desktops, notebooks, and workstations, declined by 16.7 per cent year-on-year. Lenovo secured the third position with a market share of 20 per cent.
Katyal said while the supply chain is back to normal in China, the bigger issue the company currently faces is handling logistics. “The large part of this category is imported, he said, adding that while most brands have local manufacturing, the percentage contribution of local manufacturing is low in our industry.” According to Katyal, supply lead times have increased from two weeks to four weeks but he was optimistic that it will be under control soon.
Tapping into new emerging demand for laptops in India, Lenovo has introduced the IdeaPad Slim 3 in the market. Available in 14-inch and 15-inch screen sizes, the IdeaPad Slim 3 is a thin-and-light machine, featuring Intel’s 10th generation processors, hybrid storage, Wi-Fi 6, and more. The notebook starts at Rs 26,990 and goes up to Rs 40,990. Interestingly, the launch of IdeaPad Slim 3 comes a day before the release of Xiaomi’s first laptop in India.
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Atlantic Marketing Company in Stonington, Conn., will be representing Sea-Dog Line, a leading manufacturer and importer of marine equipment and accessories.
Based out of Everett, Wash., Sea-Dog started in the early 1930s by Hans Bronson Sneve, who showcased his wares on the M.V. Sea-Dog, also known as the "Boat-Show-Boat", one of a twin pair of 55-foot cruisers built by Stephens Bros. of Stockton, Calif.
Sea-Dog has won more than 12 National Marine Distributors Association awards during the last 10 years from product manufacturing to customer service, according to the company.
"We are excited to have Atlantic Marketing represent the Sea-Dog line in the Northeast," Sea-Dog president Brad Nysether said. "With over 5,500 items in our assortment, it takes top-notch representation to make sure our customers have the right products for their business model or application."
"We are pleased to be able to offer our dealer customers the opportunity to add quality Sea-Dog products to their assortments in time for the 2010 boating season," Atlantic Marketing president Brandon Flack said.


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On December 6th, the Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA) presented the 2012 Best Exporter award to Vrsac-based Hemofarm, which markets its products in 30 countries on three continents. On that occasion, SIEPA also presented awards in four more categories.
The SIEPA award in the SME category went to Kragujevac-based Gomma Line, which produces rubber and technical parts for motor vehicles and exports them to the markets of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Germany, France and former Yugoslav republics.
Special awards in this category were presented to the following companies: Kuc Company from Kragujevac - the manufacturer of milk and dairy products, Metech from Smederevo - the exporter of semi-finished products made of all types of sheet metal, Ming from Belgrade - the exporter of products for the railway and automotive industries, Termovent SC from Temerin - the manufacturer of industrial armature, and Wizard from Belgrade - the exporter of wooden packaging.
Kirka-Suri from Belgrade won the award in the Best Export Product category for its steam boiler plant powered by wheat hay, which is the first product of that kind in Serbia.
Topola-based Podrum Aleksandrovic, which managed to export its wines to China this year, won the award for conquering a new market.
A special award for the best woman entrepreneur, which SIEPA presents for the second time, went to Lidija Nikolic from Knjazevac-based S.C.S. Plus, which produces seats, rests and bodies of compressed beech veneer and exports them to Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Sponsors of this year's SIEPA Exporter of the Year awards ceremony are: Komercijalna Banka, which presented Gomma Line with a check for EUR 10,000, DHL International Beograd, which will provide EUR 10,000 worth of freight transportation services to Podrum Aleksandrovic, and Orange Studio, which will design a EUR 10,000 promotional marketing campaign for Kirka-Suri.
This year's awards ceremony was held at Metropol Hotel and was attended by Finance and Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic, German Ambassador to Serbia Heinz Georg Wilhem, State Secretary Jasna Matic, Ivana Petrovic from the Serbian Association of Exporters, and SIEPA Director Bozidar Laganin.


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Amazon’s Generative AI Push: All Divisions Engaged in Innovative Projects
Amazon is heavily focusing on generative artificial intelligence (AI) across its various divisions. CEO Andy Jassy stated that every team within Amazon is working on building generative AI applications to enhance customer experiences. While Amazon will build some of these applications in-house, they expect most of them to be developed by other companies on Amazon Web Services (AWS).
AWS provides services and infrastructure to help customers power generative AI apps. For instance, the AWS CodeWhisperer system suggests code snippets to speed up developers’ workflows. Amazon is also exploring ways to use generative AI in consumer-facing products and services, including their stores, AWS, advertising, devices (such as Alexa), and entertainment businesses.
Amazon’s consumer-focused generative AI efforts may be unveiled when the company reveals new devices on September 20th. They might introduce Alexa-powered products or even their own gen AI chatbots on their storefront, similar to what Google and Microsoft have done. Generative AI is becoming a key area of investment and focus for Amazon to enhance its operations and customer experiences.


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Talison to restrict supply of lithium
The head of the world's biggest lithium producer says global demand will not be enough to justify new mines until the second half of the decade.
For that reason, Talison Lithium chief executive Peter Oliver said the company, in the midst of expanding its Greenbushes mine south of Perth, would not run at full capacity once the expansion was completed in the first quarter of next year.
He said he believed that many new lithium projects proposed worldwide would require higher prices than the market was demonstrating to be viable. That included Talison's Salares project in Chile, which it acquired through its takeover of Toronto-listed Salares Lithium.
Lithium has long been used in consumer electronics but in the past couple of years it has attracted investor interest because lithium ion batteries power many electric and hybrid cars.
Talison is doubling production capacity at Greenbushes to 740,0000 tonnes a year of lithium concentrate, or 110,000tpa lithium carbonate equivalent. It is also investigating building a chemical plant in Australia to produce battery-grade lithium.
Elsewhere in WA, Galaxy Resources produces lithium from its Mt Cattlin project near Ravensthorpe, while Reed Resources and Mineral Resources are jointly developing the Mt Marion lithium project, 40km south-west of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
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MBNA’s Nic Travis says programmatic advertising has made media buying more transparent, while focusing on audiences – particularly on Facebook – removes the uncertainty of cross-device tracking.
Marketers from Instagram, Taylors of Harrogate, Microsoft and Eat share their thoughts on what it takes to get the most from their team.
As Newsworks releases new research today (July 13) that claims adding print newspapers to a multi-channel marketing campaign can boost ROI threefold, the newspaper industry has been encouraged to better communicate what it can offer marketers.
We arm you with all the numbers you need to tackle the week ahead.
P&G is seeking to grow the categories it operates in as it pursues volume growth, utilising its increased marketing spend to do so.
The supermarket says its loyalty scheme, Asda Rewards, is acting as a “key revenue driver” for the business.
Marketers should borrow from the ‘duck-rabbit illusion’ when thinking about what their marketing plan is trying to achieve to ensure direct marketing activity isn’t compromised by an injection of emotion and brand-building campaigns aren’t undermined by focusing on product.


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You can now buy a Windows 11 license from Microsoft directly. Instead of updating from a version of Windows 10, Microsoft now allows you to buy a license for Windows 11. It also lets you download it directly from the company’s website.
The modification seems to have happened in May 2022, according to PCMag. But because Microsoft didn’t issue a press release or communicate the change, it escaped notice.
Since its release in October 2021, Windows 11 has been pre-installed or available as an upgrade for many PC users. However, DIY PC builders have been required to download a version of Windows 10 before upgrading from within that OS.
READ MORE: Samsung GAlaxy Foldables Are Coming
Download Microsoft Windows 11
The cost of a Windows 11 Home download can be added to an online basket and purchased.
The Pro version of the operating system is not immediately apparent. But it may be accessed on another page on the Microsoft website. The cost of Windows 11 Pro is $199.99 (£219.99), which is the same as that of Windows 10 Pro.
PC manufacturers should save time now that they may buy a Windows 11 license rather than having to obtain one through the prior OS.
Some of the essential specifications for DIYers to install Windows 11 include a minimum nine-inch 720p monitor, a minimum 1GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.
Additionally, Windows 11 update 22H2 delivers additional protection against malware and more control over security measures.
The current downloads use build number 21H2, and users should be informed when build number 22H2 is available to download, according to information we obtained from a Microsoft store representative.


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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on Thursday became the third-richest person in the world, after his net worth rose to $32 million more than business tycoon Warren Buffett. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Bezos is now worth $65.05 billion (Rs 4.36 lakh crore), after a rise of $5.4 billion (Rs 36,252 crore) in his fortune this year.
Bezos’ wealth comes largely from Amazon’s success – the company posted its highest net income in April. In particular, its delivery and cloud services, as well as gadgets such as the Kindle and Echo contributed to its gains, Bloomberg reported.
On the other hand, Buffett gave away $2.2 billion (Rs 14,000 crore) worth of his stocks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation this year. The world’s richest person is still Microsoft’s Bill Gates, with a net worth of $89 billion (Rs 5.9 lakh crore), followed by Spanish magnate Amancio Ortega, who controls $73 billion (Rs 4.9 lakh crore).


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Consumerist reports that a North Carolina family went on a very scary shopping trip on Tuesday, after Durham police say a man knocked on their door to ask for money, and then forced them at gunpoint to take him shopping at Target.
ABC-11 reports that the suspect knocked on the door of a house around 7 a.m. and asked for money. One of the residents gave him some, but then the man allegedly showed a gun and ordered the parents and their two kids into their car. He’s accused of forcing the man to go to an ATM and take out money, then to a convenience store, before directing him to drive to Target. Once there, he allegedly made the victims enter the store with him, and had them buy a bunch of clothing and gift cards.
One of the victims was able to alert a worker in the store who called 9-1-1. Police officers happened to be in the store’s parking lot when the call came through, and arrested the suspect without incident.
The suspect has been charged with several counts of second-degree kidnapping and robbery with a dangerous weapon in this incident, and has also been charged with committing a string of other armed robberies and kidnapping in the past few days. In one of those incidents, he also allegedly forced victims to withdraw money and drive him to a convenience store.


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Here's something you don't hear very often: Lenovo, the Chinese computer manufacturer has announced it will open a production line in the US where it will build some of its signature Think-brand notebook and desktop systems. The company is starting small, plunking down $2 million to expand its existing order fulfillment and distribution center in Guilford County, and expects to employ 115 workers once the manufacturing facility opens next year.
Although the vast majority of its machines will likely continue to be built at their plants in China and Mexico, the new facility is reportedly intended to satisfy stateside customers who "demand for flexible supplies and product customization." An added benefit will be to raise Lenovo's profile in the U.S., where it ranks fourth in market share by shipment. But Lenovo says the effort will be the start of something bigger, rather than a one-time made-in-America publicity effort.
Lenovo North America President David Schmoock said that "having a facility here in a home country is a differentiator that people will value." He also likened the move to environmentally-friendly standards, telling the Wall Street Journal that "being green is not necessarily the lowest-cost option for a lot of companies, but you do it because your customers and partners value you being green."
American rivals including HP, Dell and Apple no longer produce any machines in the United States.
Google also dabbled with US-manufacturing recently, announcing plans to build its Nexus Q streaming media player in San Jose, California. Those plans were short-lived, however, as the project was put on indefinite hold before the device's commercial launch in order to "work on making it even better."


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Area AT&T stores selling the iPhone
- 3801 Clemson Blvd., Anderson, SC 29621, (864) 226-3933
- 108 E. Franklin St., Hartwell, GA 30643, (706) 856-6850
- 1451 Woodruff Road, Greenville, SC 29607, (864)288-9811
- 3209 N. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC 29609, (864) 370-0750
- 515 Bypass 72 N.W. Greenwood, SC 29649, (864) 223-4927
- 264 Big A Road S., Toccoa, Ga. 30577
Apple's new iPhone will burst into stores in Anderson and across the country today at 6 p.m. but won't stay in the stores very long.
At 6 p.m. Thursday people were already waiting outside of area AT&T stores in order to get their hands on Apple's newest technological miracle.
The iPhone is an all-in-one communication and entertainment device that contains: what Apple refers to as their best iPod ever; Web browsing capabilities to send and receive e-mail, view maps and surf the Web; and a camera that allows the owner to send, receive and take digital images.
And, of course, it is a phone, too. It comes in a compact, 3.5-inch package that weighs less than
But the little phones come with a hefty price tag. A 4-gigabyte version will cost $499 and the 8-gigabyte version will cost $599, these prices do not include the cost of a two-year service contract either.
Chris Merritt said he started saving for an iPhone after announcements about the product were made last year. Last night he parked his sport utility vehicle outside the AT&T on Clemson Boulevard in Anderson, took Friday off of work, and isn't planning on leaving the parking lot until he has a new phone.
At 6 p.m. he said he had already been there a couple of hours and was the first one there, but two more people arrived soon after him.
"I've always been a real big Apple fan," Mr. Merritt said of why he wants an iPhone so badly. "I use Apple computers and stuff and they've been hyping this phone up for so long."
Mr. Merritt said he didn't expect the wait to be too bad, a couple more of his friends were coming later in the evening with a couch and a television to pass the time.
AT&T is the exclusive service provider of the new iPhones and they must be purchased with a two-year AT&T contract. Only Apple and AT&T stores will carry the iPhone, at least to start, and as there are no Apple stores in South Carolina, AT&T also has exclusive distribution in the state.
Aside from information provided on their Web site and in advertisements, Apple is keeping the new product wrapped in a veil of secrecy. Most retail employees still have not seen the phone, even though they have received hours of training about the product using computer simulations, said Della Bowling, iPhone public relations director of the Carolinas. She said she is confident employees will be able to show customers how to use their new phones and answer all of their questions.
Ms. Bowling said the phone is definitely worth all the hype.
"It is going to exceed expectations," she said. "It's all in the little details."
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SINGAPORE, 28 October 2020: Singapore and Germany have agreed on a Reciprocal Green Lane arrangement for essential business and official travel between the two countries.
A Joint press statement, made by the ministries of foreign affairs of the two countries, 23 October, affirmed the RGL would enable essential travel for business or official purposes via direct flights between both countries.
Eligible applicants, who are resident in Germany or Singapore, will need to comply with Covid-19 public health measures mutually agreed on by both countries. The two countries agreed that the RGL could serve as a model for similar arrangements between Singapore and other European Union countries.
Operational details of the RGL, including the procedural requirements, health protocols, and application process, will be announced in due course the media statement explained.
Singapore has signed RGLs with various countries including Brunei, Malaysia, Japan, China and South Korea that have varying conditions on testing and stay-home or quarantine requirements. It has also agreed in principle to establish the first open travel bubble with Hong Kong for all categories of travel without the need for quarantine or stay-home requirements. The dates of the travel bubble launch with Hong Kong have yet to be announced.
Air Travel Pass
The Air Travel Pass is available in Australia (except Victoria), Brunei, New Zealand and Vietnam.
It allows short-term visitors from the countries listed to visit Singapore for leisure, business and official purposes. Visitors must have spent 14 day consecutive days in the departure country before coming to Singapore. They can visit Singapore for up to seven days.
However, border restrictions are still in place in Australia, and travellers must apply for an exemption to leave their respective country. New Zealand meanwhile advises its citizens to avoid travelling.


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If you have long worked in the UK retail industry, you will know that it has faced a challenging few years, with all but ‘essential’ shops having kept their physical doors shut for lengthy periods during the COVID-19 pandemic, before rising energy costs started to bite as well.
However, even just looking at the security aspect, it is clear that many retailers are continuing to have a tough time.
What follows is an informative rundown of various security threats still blighting the industry, but also a few pointers for how these issues can be handled without dragging down British retailers’ operational prowess.
Theft of physical items
While physical goods stocked by your company can obviously be stolen even when kept for lengthy periods in a warehouse, they can be especially vulnerable to theft when left on shelves at bricks-and-mortar retail premises which members of the public can visit.
Fortunately, though, there are still various means of countering this theft threat. For a start, you could arrange for CCTV video monitoring equipment to be installed at the site, allowing a security specialist to remotely keep watch over it through a network of onsite cameras.
Even something as seemingly rudimentary as putting up ‘shoplifters will be prosecuted’ signs can work surprisingly well at deterring would-be thieves.
As online shopping has grown in popularity, retail businesses have bulked out their e-commerce infrastructure to suit. However, this trend has thrown up new security challenges, as it has given many criminals new avenues for bypassing companies’ defences.
One classic example of a cyber attack is phishing, a form of social engineering where attackers send emails purporting to have originated from reputable individuals or organisations — the ultimate aim here being to induce recipients to reveal sensitive details like credit card numbers.
However, many other types of cyber attack abound — including distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on companies’ servers and hacking into physical point-of-sale (POS) systems.
Retail employee impersonation
Of course, retail personnel are often targeted by phishing attempts because these people have privileged access to sensitive data within the organisation. As retail workers also see it as good practice to be helpful, social engineers can take advantage of this.
They might do this by impersonating executives or, if the retail organisation has multiple locations, employees visiting from one of the other locations. The targeted employee could then be asked to do something for which they actually lack authorisation from a genuine manager of the company.
It’s easy to see why this trick can work if the company has an especially large network of stores with hundreds of employees between them, as many of a store’s employees might not be familiar with specific workers from other stores within the same network.
Risks arising from third-party infrastructure
When people buy from your retail organisation, how do they pay? You might be understandably eager to keep this payment process as streamlined as possible — since, otherwise, too many potential customers of your business could be put off buying from it.
You might have gone as far as implementing a payment system from a third-party vendor. After all, if they have done all the hard work of figuring out how to strip supposedly superfluous flab from the payment process, why should you have to do that work yourself?
However, one big problem here is that many potential layers of security — like two-factor authentication — will have been left out of the system as well. Hence, cyber criminals could too easily exploit it and leave your business in the lurch.
Of course, natural disasters — like severe storms and floods — have always been a possibility and therefore a threat, and not just to retailers. However, climate change has made freak weather occurrences increasingly common in recent years.
Extreme weather patterns can hamper the safety of your company’s consumers and employees, not to mention throw supply chains into disarray. However, natural disasters can also damage physical infrastructure on which your business heavily relies.
For example, they often cause power cuts — with adverse implications for those retail outlets, like food stores, that stock perishables.
Injuries to employees and customers
A retail business that sells its goods only online is obviously unlikely to pose any major risk to customers’ physical health. However, employees of your business could still potentially pick up injuries as a result of, say, slipping on a wet floor of a warehouse where they work.
Now, a wet floor isn’t exactly what you might call a security risk. However, if you are nonchalant on the security side of things, there can remain the risk of violence being inflicted upon workers and — if your company indeed has a bricks-and-mortar presence — customers.
You can reduce this particular risk by hiring security guards who can deter people from committing acts of violence on a shop floor and will know what to do if this violence does happen.
In recent years, more retailers have had to reassess their logistics arrangements to figure out how to adjust them in light of daunting geopolitical developments.
Perhaps your own business has recently closed stores or even abandoned entire markets due to operational challenges brought about by — for example — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Many aspects of the retail sector — including manufacturing, supply chains, and international trade — have been negatively affected by contemporary issues.
How can retailers overcome a wide array of security challenges?
With the world having become more volatile, you could easily wonder how your company would be able to continue confidently meeting its security responsibilities.
However, you could take inspiration from those companies that have handed many of their own security duties over to specialist security firms like All Time Security.
The security services that we offer for UK retail outlets on the high street and in shopping parks and shopping centres include manned security guarding and CCTV remote monitoring. To learn more about these retail security solutions and how your UK-based business could utilise any of them, please get in touch with us by phoning 01494 511222.


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Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopolous” on Sunday that she doesn’t think that a recession is “inevitable.”
“Well, I expect the economy to slow. It’s been growing at a very rapid rate as the economy — as the labor market has recovered and we have reached full employment. It’s natural now that we expect to transition to steady and stable growth, but I don’t think recession is at all inevitable,” she said.
“Chair Powell, clearly inflation is unacceptably high. It’s President Biden’s top priority to bring it down and Chair Powell has said that his goal is to bring inflation down while maintaining a strong labor market. That’s going to take skill and luck, but I believe it’s possible. I don’t think a recession is inevitable,” Yellen said.
When asked if a recession is likely, the secretary said, “Well, I think consumer spending remains very strong, there’s month-to-month volatility, but overall spending is strong although patterns of spending are changing and higher food and energy prices are certainly affecting consumers and making them change their patterns of spending, but bank balances are high.
“It’s clear that most consumers, even lower income households, continue to have buffer stocks of savings that will enable them to maintain spending so I don’t see a drop off in consumer spending as a likely cause of the recession in the months ahead and the labor market is very strong, arguably the strongest of the post-war period,” Yellen said.- READ MORE


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10 hrs ago
Nissan remakes Rogue, for the better
Your Take contributions have not been reviewed for accuracy by USA TODAY. Contributors agree to our Terms of Service and are responsible for the content of their videos and photos.
14 hrs ago
Globe and Mail
Off-road, Jeep Compass is awesome. In town, ugly
I sat down in my 2014 Jeep Compass Limited tester - and it creaked. Like an arthritic square dancer getting up to do-si-do, it emitted a groan the moment I stepped into it.
Fri Dec 20, 2013
Ad Watch: Finalists for 2014 Automobile Advertising of the Year Award
It was a good year in the world of automobile advertising, with plenty of memorable clips throughout 2013.
The Winnipeg Free Press
2014 Jeep Cherokee leaves competition in the dust
The 2014 Jeep Cherokee has serious off-road ability in some trims, but Jeep is also offering front-wheel-drive and four-cylinder Cherokees for less-adventurous owners.
Thu Dec 19, 2013
Car Sales To Improve Nearly 5 Percent From Last Year; Kelley Blue ...
December is projected to bring the 2013 total above 15.63 million units, an 8 percent improvement from 2012.
2015 Honda Fit Shows off its Backside Before Detroit Debut
Honda has announced that the U.S.-spec 2015 Fit will make its official debut next month at the 2014 Detroit show, and has released a teaser image showing the compact car's rear end.
India Auto News
Toyota Fortuner dominates the Rs 15-25 lakh SUV segment
Toyota Fortuner, one of the most expensive models in Toyota lineup is an undisputed market leader.
Wed Dec 18, 2013
Honda bets big on small Vezel crossover, eyes turbo for U.S.
Honda Motor Co. is ready to take a run at one of the U.S. auto industry's fastest-growing segments: compact, sporty crossovers.
Tue Dec 17, 2013
Year in Review: the cars we bought
A snow storm seems like the perfect occasion to review the cars we bought of late in Massachusetts.
Sun Dec 15, 2013
Commodore up for Wheels' car of the year
Holden may have decided to stop production in Australia, but its current-model Commodore remains in contention to take out the nation's top motoring accolade.
Sat Dec 14, 2013
Scam Artists Target Elderly Drivers In El Cerrito Shopping Centers
Shoppers reported three incidents Friday involving scam artists attempting to trick drivers into thinking they hit them with their cars.
Fri Dec 13, 2013
New Yorkers with large families face limited auto options
Logistical issues in particular seem to crop up in ways that people with smaller families take for granted.
The Globe and Mail
Negative equity woes? Sparkling car sales sweeteners ease the pain
Here's a sign that the frothy deals being offered on new vehicles are not just tempting for Canadians, but stunningly attractive and almost irresistible: nearly one of every three Canadian trade-in vehicles is worth less than the amount owed on the outstanding loan.
Thu Dec 12, 2013
Best hybrid you can buy?
Honda does a lot of things very well. Small cars like the Fit and Civic; the CR-V crossover; minivans; racing cars; the Accord, of course; and let's not forget those motorcycles.
Wed Dec 11, 2013
The Auto Channel
First The Civic, Now The CR-V: Honda's 1.6 i-DTEC Engine Once Again...
Dec 11, 2013: In a rigorous independent test on UK roads over more than 500 miles, the CR-V achieved an incredible 77.86mpg, almost a quarter more than its official quoted figure of 62.8mpg, sipping just 29.75 litres of fuel.
US: AWD popular with safety concerned clients
All-wheel drive is gaining traction among car buyers looking for safer handling, and as well for those shopping for crossovers and luxury vehicles.
Tue Dec 10, 2013
All-new Honda Ridgeline Pickup to Debut Within Two Years
Honda also confirmed that production of the current Ridgeline built exclusively by Honda Manufacturing of honors after its spring 2005 debut, the next-gen Ridgeline is being designed and developed by Honda R&D Americas, Inc. at its "The next generation Ridgeline will build on Honda's role in creating new value with a new take on advancing form and ... (more)
The Auto Channel
Ford Mustang Winner of the Cars.com 2014 Shoppers' Choice Award
Dec. 10, 2013: Cars.com, the premier online resource for buying and selling new and used cars, has tallied the votes, and determined that the Ford Mustang is the winner of its Shoppers' Choice Award.
Sun Dec 08, 2013
All-wheel-drive vehicles increasingly popular with safety-conscious buyers
Wayne Wilcox works at American Axle. The company has a solution to improve fuel economy on all-wheel-drive vehicles.
The Car Connection
Good First Cars: 5 Tips On A First-Time Car Purchase
Buying a car for the very first time can be intimidating, but it doesn't need to be.


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Cable changed the game in the 1980's; now, the flood of new streaming services from big players is doing the disrupting, writes The New York Times.
The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has found that Microsoft’s contracts with European Union bodies do not fully protect data. While the investigation is ongoing, early findings reveal “serious concerns over compliance of the relevant contractual terms with data protection rules,” the EDPS states.
Twitter experienced major log-in issues on Monday. Users across the globe reported problems with the platform.
With the SVOD set to launch Nov. 1, its original content is "iffy," and licensed content is "nonexistent," notes Quartz, adding that "Apple will spin it as a success no matter what, but the truth will be harder to discern."
Oliver segued into a sardonic promo for the coming SVOD during a segment on the NBA's troubles with China..
Entertainment company is exploring various ways to split off the premium cable channel, including a spin-off or sale, in order to reduce it debt load and allow shareholders to invest directly in either of the businesses.
Amazon has unveiled several new features that provide more privacy protections to Alexa users. These include auto-deleting of recordings and preventing Alexa from turning on at unexpected times.
"By this time next year, AT&T's WarnerMedia division, Comcast's NBCUniversal, Walt Disney, and Apple will all have released sinewy new streaming video services, taking on the existing ones from Amazon.com, CBS, Hulu, and Netflix... Even the ultimate winners are expected to limp into the future bloodied and battered," writes Bloomberg Businessweek.
The piece explores the big players' escalating battle to win consumers' attention and dollars, including the push to churn out cheap, mediocre content along with super-premium offerings like "Game of Thrones."
Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss became early Bitcoin investors after winning millions in a settlement with Facebook. Now they want better regulation of digital coins, echoing a “crypto needs rules” advertising campaign their New York-based Gemini cryptocurrency exchange initiated in January.


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Tesla empire shaken because of Elon Musk’s conservatism?
CNBC reports that electric vehicle maker Tesla has just been dropped from the S&P500 ESG index. Meanwhile, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and even oil and gas multinational Exxon Mobil are still on the list.
The S&P500 ESG index uses environmental, social and governance data to rank and evaluate companies for investors. The criteria includes hundreds of data points related to how a business impacts the environment and treats its shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, and partners.
A representative for the ESG index said Tesla had “lack of a policy to keep carbon low” as well as a “code of business conduct”. In addition, the scandals surrounding racial discrimination, poor working conditions at the Fremont, California factory, as well as investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also negatively affected the economy. Tesla data points.
“It is possible that Tesla is helping the United States gradually limit fuel-powered vehicles, but in terms of the ESG index, the company is lagging behind its competitors,” an ESG representative said.
Tesla shares continue to fall 6% today due to being excluded from the S&P500 ESG index
Instead of accelerating the transition to sustainable energy as promised, in February this year, Tesla was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency after years of violating the Clean Air Act and ignoring tracking. emissions. Last year, Tesla ranked 22nd in the top 100 polluting companies, while Exxon Mobil ranked 26th, according to the U-Mass Amherst Institute for Political Economy.
In Tesla’s first-quarter filings, the company also revealed that it was being investigated for its waste disposal process in California, and had to pay a fine to German authorities for failing to meet its responsibility in collecting waste. used battery recovery.
At the same time, the California Department of Employment and Housing (DFEH) also sued Tesla for harassment and discrimination against people of color at the Fremont car factory. The agency said it has found evidence that Tesla regularly downplays the role of black workers, assigning them dangerous tasks, exhausting labor and even “retaliating.” if these employees react.
DFEH quotes workers of color as saying they hear slurs and racial slurs as often as 50 to 100 times a day. In which, factory supervisors and managers are the most “active” participants.
These workers also angrily spoke out about a series of seriously offensive drawings on the walls of restrooms, lockers, benches, work areas, lunch tables and separate staff areas.
“For many workers of color and African-Americans, the pressures of racial discrimination are increasing, with a high risk of conflict. This distinction is really blatant, blatant, and it is useless for workers to complain. Gradually, they couldn’t stand it anymore and were forced to quit their jobs,” DFEH said.
In response, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that this list of the S&P 500 has “lost its integrity”. He even publicly reacted harshly on his personal Twitter page: “I increasingly suspect that ESG is the embodiment of the Devil.”
“The ESG Environmental, Social and Governance Report does not measure the scope of positive impacts, but only focuses on the values of risk. Perhaps individual investors, who trust ESG funds, do not know that their money may be used to buy shares of companies that pollute the environment, “said a Tesla representative.
Along with that, Tesla also confirmed that automakers can still achieve high ESG ratings even without reducing greenhouse gas emissions and continue to produce cars with internal combustion engines.
Elon Musk publicly reacted harshly on his personal Twitter page after Tesla was excluded from the S&P500 ESG index
According to CNBC, Tesla shares fell more than 6% today amid a massive market sell-off. Since the beginning of this year, Tesla shares have dropped more than 30%, in which, Elon Musk’s decision on the social networking site Twitter is believed to be a prerequisite for Tesla to sell off so much.
According to the Telegraph, there are many reasons for Elon Musk to buy Twitter, but along with that are the downsides that Tesla has to suffer. Gaining control of the new social network will drain Musk’s time, effort and money, at a time when the global electric vehicle industry is in need of a breakthrough.
“The Twitter acquisition has become a negative factor for Tesla stock,” said Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.
In trading on April 26, Tesla’s market capitalization evaporated a record of about $ 126 billion as the electric car company’s shares fell 12%. Bloomberg said that Elon Musk’s preparation to complete the acquisition of Twitter, and the intention to mortgage Tesla shares, is the cause of investor panic. Previously, this world’s richest man also sold off $ 4 billion of Tesla shares after reaching an agreement to buy Twitter for $ 44 billion.
The deal has raised concerns about risks to Tesla, the company of which Musk has been CEO since 2008 and is currently the largest shareholder. Investors worry that once he has Twitter in hand, Musk will distract from work at Tesla.
Elon Musk is taking a risk by using Tesla stock as collateral
“Musk is taking a risk by using Tesla stock as collateral. The sudden drop in the shares of this electric car maker will cause a lot of discomfort to the market,” said Russ Mold, AJ Bell expert.
In addition, Tesla’s share price declined partly due to inflation in the US, the COVID-19 pandemic in China (where Tesla’s factory is located) as well as the policy of raising interest rates by the US Federal Reserve.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: genk.vn – Read the original article here


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The Samsung Style Report has a horrible name, I think we can all agree on that. It also, however, highlights some tech that Samsung should consider bringing over to this hemisphere. Showcased recently at KES2008, we have little doubt that the Style Report will only be released in the Asian region but this is the kind of handset that could really do well here, if well-subsidized. Sure, we don’t have DMB here which would greatly detract from one of the biggest selling points of this handset – the external touchscreen capable of displaying videos and DMB TV – but throw a MediaFLO chip in there and younger AT&T customers would likely be fighting for position in line. Spec highlights:
- 2.2-inch color external touchscreen display
- 2.2-inch internal display
- ‘Personal UI’ desktop customization
- 3-megapixel camera
- Quad-band GSM
- T-DMB TV tuner
The price point will be somewhere north of US $500 when the phone is released in South Korea which would likely give it a subsidized price in the US of well under $200 if Samsung did bring the phone to the US via a carrier.


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The innovative technology will increase the battery life of the smartphone by more than one and a half hours.
New Xiaomi technology increases the autonomy of the smartphone / photo Unsplash
With each new generation of smartphones, manufacturers are trying to attract new audiences with top-end processors and huge displays. However, it all fades into the background if the gadget have to charge every day,
Why don’t we see any significant changes in the battery world? This question was somehow asked by Xiaomi and today they announced the creation of a revolutionary technology that allows installing large-capacity batteries in mobile devices while maintaining the same dimensions.
According to preliminary estimates, this will increase battery capacity by 10% and battery life by over an hour and a half.
However, it should be noted that this figure is conditional and the final result directly depends on other factors (aspect ratio and pixel density for the display, processor power, etc.).
The company says the new technology will make its mainstream use in the second half of 2022. For more information on creating a successful technology, you can read the link,
Conventional battery (left) and developed by Xiaomi (right) / Photo by Xiaomi
Earlier it was reported that the new generation of Xiaomi smartphones Get a very unusual camera. We are talking about the Xiaomi 12 series, which according to the rumors will be presented on December 28.
The main camera block of the Ultra version is expected to receive eight holes of different sizes and shapes at once. Of course, not all of them will be occupied by an image sensor, but such a composition is still commendable.
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DisplayMate Technologies put their researchers to work the moment that Samsung had announced the world's first Smartphone with a curved display, the Galaxy Round. After weeks of testing, the researchers have concluded that curved displays could be the key to outdoor visibility, thanks to reduced reflectiveness (since the display is curved inwards) which translates to enhanced contrast and visibility outdoors, apart from increasing your privacy. This in turn allows the device to reduce the brightness of the display, thereby saving battery.
Introducing a slightly curved cylindrically concave screen is a very important and major innovation in Smartphone display technology - very far from being a marketing gimmick as has been widely reported. The Galaxy Round screen curvature is very subtle, just 0.10 inches away from flat, which is similar to the slight curvature in a handheld magnifying mirror. But that small curvature is the key to a series of optical effects that result in significantly reducing interference from reflected ambient light by a large factor. It substantially improves screen readability, image contrast, color accuracy, and overall picture quality, but can also increase the running time on battery because the screen brightness and display power can be lowered due to the reduced light interference from ambient light reflections. To see this for yourself and understand the size and importance of this effect, turn off the display but hold your Smartphone as if you're using it and then walk around your normal environment, both indoors and outdoors.
Read the complete research results by following this link.
The Samsung Galaxy Round is presently a Korea exclusive, with little or no likelihood of seeing a global release.


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Industry experts say a supply management system similar to Canada’s might be the only way to solve a deepening U.S. dairy crisis.
An oversupply of milk, declining prices and rising production costs are impacting conventional and organic producers alike, driving many farms out of business, while straining even the best-run operations.
The situation poses a major threat to rural communities and economies throughout the U.S., as all kinds of business from machine shops to grocery stores rely heavily on the presence of vibrant, healthy farms in their respective areas. Analysts discussed the situation during a nationwide conference call, “Real Solutions to the U.S. Dairy Crisis,” hosted by Family Farm Defenders and the National Family Farm Coalition.
“We need something that will really solve this problem,” said Sarah Lloyd, a dairy farmer and special projects coordinator with Wisconsin Farmers Union. “Wisconsin is losing one-and-a-half farms per day. People are choosing to get out because they can’t do it.”
Under the Canadian system, farms are subject to quotas that dictate the amount of milk they can produce, which keeps prices stable.
Willard Peck, co-owner of Welcome Stock Farm in Northumberland, said the debate over supply management versus the U.S. supply-and-demand system has raged for years. When times are good it quiets down. At times like this, when farms are hurting, it becomes a hot-button topic again.
The price farms get for milk always goes in cycles, but the current low has lasted for an unprecedented long time, heading into its fourth year, making it difficult for many farms to survive.
Peck said he understands the benefits of supply management, which he believes also has major drawbacks. “It’s a real detriment to the next generation to enter farming because you can’t grow,” he said. “That’s kind of anti-American.”
Some of Saratoga County’s most successful family-run farms have increased herd sizes over the years, in order to generate more revenue, so sons and daughters can join the business. “That’s been a downfall in Canada,” Peck said. “You’re limited on the amount of milk you can make. It’s a roadblock to entry into the business.”
But dairy analysts say the status quo is no longer acceptable in America and that major policy changes are required. The Farm Bill, which Congress is now working on, does not adequately address the crisis dairies are faced with, they say.
“We are seeing a lot of hardship, especially among younger farmers trying to transition into organic and those with high levels of debt,” said Ed Maltby, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Association executive director.
Organic milk fetches a higher price than conventionally-produced milk, which prompted many farms to change practices in recent years. But that generated more supply, which created the same situation traditional dairies are now faced with — too much milk, not enough demand.
Many factors outside the individual farm’s control affect their bottom line.
Until two years ago, European Union farms operated under a supply management system similar to Canada’s. When quotas were lifted, farms began making more milk, which contributed to excess on the world market. This in turn hurt U.S. exports, which America’s dairy industry relies heavily on.
Quite possibly, a radical policy change is unlikely during a mid-term congressional election year. So farms might be left to make do the best they can by cutting costs, and hoping global economic conditions take a turn for the better.
With approximately 9,000 farms, dairy is the largest sector of upstate New York’s agriculture industry. As it struggles, the entire region is impacted, Peck said.
“It’s a critical period,” he said. “Farms don’t sit on their money. They invest in their business. They buy machinery and improve technologies. When there’s no extra money it hurts the local equipment dealers, feed companies and veterinarians as well, and people who work for them.”
“Every dollar farms take in is multiplied seven times,” he said. “Vast areas across New York are comprised of farms. It drives the upstate economy. When that fails, the entire economy suffers.”
Source: Saratogian Business


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Cosplay veteran NipahDUBS is bringing our favorite characters to life with impressive crafting skills and a charming smile.
Bloodious Games’ upcoming psychological horror game, Madison, is coming to current and next-gen consoles. Prepare for something sinister.
Indie Developer 2for2’s puzzle adventure, Kapia, is preparing to launch into its story tomorrow. Prepare for a funky apocalypse.
Weird West will be coming out in a couple of months, so Devolver Digital is giving players an in-depth look at the game.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is just a few days from release, and this trailer hopes to tide you over until then. Plenty of new stuff!
Cogwheel Software’s 2D horror game, Hidden Deep, has come to Steam Early Access. Dare to delve beneath the ocean.
How much time are you willing to sink into Elden Ring? That is entirely up to you, but you can beat the story in about 30 hours.
It’s hard to find players complaining about Hitman 3’s gameplay, it’s just that solid. So why are its Steam reviews so poor?
On January 24, 2022, NetEase, known for its mobile games, has announced the creation of a new studio geared towards console gaming.
There could be a new Little Big Planet in the works- and it might have been discovered in the most particular way.
The strike at Raven Software ends for now but is this is a good-faith gesture? There is something workers want in return.
Watch Dogs: Legion still has new content to look forward to, it just might not be as “fresh”. No new updates are coming.
Xbox celebrates the year of the Tiger and the Lunar New Year in a bold new way that many may want to take part in.
I am Hero: AFK Tactical Teamfight has some similarities to Riot Games’ Teamfight Tactics – perhaps too many? A jury will decide.
Guerrilla Games reveals details about Horizon Forbidden West in an interview with an Italian website- and the details are quite interesting.
Every game has bosses that are difficult to defeat, whether you’ve been playing for years or are just starting started. A list of ten of the most challenging boss battles in video game history has been put together for the benefit of players worldwide. Each of these challenges has a distinct difficulty level, and each … Continued


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NEW ORLEANS -- You've seen the TV commercials for drugs that promise to relieve allergies, banish migraines, grow back your hair, prevent heart attacks, relieve herpes.
Then comes the stern voice droning on about possible side effects, from annoying diarrhea to startlingly dire problems like birth defects, addiction, liver failure, heart damage.
Average consumers watch nine TV commercials every day for prescription drugs, and new advertising research says they're not happy about it.
"People really dislike these ads," Beth Miller of the advertising agency Campbell Mithun Esty told a meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.
Consumers used words like "trite," "boring" and "goofy" to describe some ads, telling Miller they were tired of healthy-looking "patients" wandering on the beach or windsurfing through wheatfields to sell medication.
But Miller mostly blames all that negative side-effect information. For fairness, the Food and Drug Administration requires the commercials to disclose potential risks of prescription drugs, so vulnerable patients aren't deluded into hoping for miracle cures.
"All of these warnings are confusing consumers," said Miller, who wants prescription ads to become "a little less like sitting in a classroom and getting lectured."
"We don't want consumers saying, 'Look at all that bad stuff -- I'm going to go get some ginkgo and hope for the best,"' instead of taking an effective prescription, she added.
Ads do sell lots of drugs or companies wouldn't buy them, Miller acknowledged.
In the first half of 1999 alone, companies spent $905 million on direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads, a 43 percent increase over the same period last year, according to the industry research company IMS Health.
But Miller contends the ads generate far less recognition than all that money should have bought. Just a third of consumers accurately remembered what an advertised prescription treats, concluded her survey of 1,000 consumers and follow-ups with focus groups.
In contrast, she found 80 percent consumer awareness from ads for nonprescription drugs -- shorter, snappier ads that do not have to include sobering side-effect warnings.
Some $75 million in ads for prescription Zyrtec that showed smiling allergy sufferers scaling mountain peaks struck a chord with only 38 percent of consumers, Miller said. The cholesterol drug Pravachol, with $60 million in ads, generated just 27 percent consumer awareness. Less than one in four consumers recalled the heartburn drug Prilosec despite $50 million in ads.
She did find some big successes: Sixty percent of consumers knew Claritin, the most-advertised drug, treats allergies. Eighty percent recognized the anti-impotence pill Viagra.
Some doctors and pharmacists reacted skeptically. "The ads have to give balanced information," a University of Michigan pharmacist told Miller.
And lots of patients demand that their doctors prescribe the latest drug seen on TV. A University of Mississippi survey of 200 doctors, to be presented later this week at the pharmaceutical meeting, found that five patients a week ask the physicians for an advertised drug -- and doctors prescribe it 30 percent of the time. Yet less than half the doctors think information in the ads is mostly accurate.
But some drug makers are considering turning to commercials that merely urge disease sufferers to "ask your doctor about the latest treatment" or call a drug company for information, said Ron Corey of Pharmacia & UpJohn. If a drug's benefits aren't touted in ads, side effects don't have to be listed.
Indeed, a new Pfizer Inc. commercial shows couples dancing romantically and simply says, "Ask your doctor about Viagra." "It's just less difficult to do this way," Miller said.
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High-Speed Bluetooth, or Bluetooth 3.0 as it's also known, was designed to elevate Bluetooth connections to higher speed applications. It works by using classic Bluetooth to connect to devices, then Wi-Fi to deliver speeds of up to 24Mbps.
The availability of High-Speed Bluetooth via combo chips with classic BT improves its chances of success. However, a new potential alternative -- Wi-Fi Direct -- allows peer-to-peer connections between Wi-Fi devices.
If Wi-Fi Direct succeeds it could eliminate the need for Bluetooth 3.0 altogether, according to the latest market study by In-Stat.
"Standard Wi-Fi is increasingly common in many Bluetooth target markets," says Brian O'Rourke, Principal Analyst at In-Stat.
Until recently, lack of peer-to-peer connectivity was the most significant weakness of Wi-Fi in those markets. Wi-Fi Direct addresses that weakness and, because there is significant application overlap in PCs and mobile phones, it is a very real threat to the long term viability of Bluetooth 3.0.
In-Stat's latest market study found the following:
- Classic Bluetooth technology will remain dominant in phones indefinitely.
- Sony PS3 and Nintendo Wii game controllers have Bluetooth.
- Bluetooth 3.0, a new high-speed standard that combines Bluetooth with Wi-Fi, entered into the market in mobile phones in 2010.
- The Bluetooth USB adapter market will remain robust due to Bluetooth's lack of ubiquity in the mobile PC space and low penetration of desktop PCs.
- Personal media players, game consoles, and game controllers are the main drivers of Bluetooth growth in consumer electronics (CE) devices.
- Growth in industrial and medical markets will be driven by Bluetooth Low Energy.


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Making Money in a Sustainable And Eco-friendly Way
In an era where businesses like BetWinner casino flourish in the digital space, there's a growing consciousness about the environmental footprint of our financial endeavors. While profitability remains a core objective, there's a noticeable shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly ways of earning. This article delves into the methods individuals and corporations are adopting to align their financial aspirations with environmental responsibility.
The Rising Trend of Green Entrepreneurship
In a world increasingly aware of its ecological footprint, there's a beautiful trend blossoming: green entrepreneurship. Think of it like merging business savvy with a love for our planet. It's all about dreaming up money-making solutions that not only fatten the wallet but also tread lightly on Mother Earth.
Back-to-Earth Materials: A lot of businesses today are having an "aha!" moment. Instead of the usual stuff, they're picking materials that, after serving their purpose, return to the earth. These biodegradable options are a game-changer, significantly cutting down the mountain of trash we dump into landfills.
Conscious Couture: Enter the world of sustainable fashion — where looking good doesn't have to harm our planet. New-age brands are stepping up, crafting stunning pieces from recycled and planet-friendly materials. It's like wearing your eco-badge with pride!
Clean Energy Solutions
Sunny Side Up Ventures: The sun's not just about tan lines and beach days anymore. The solar enterprise arena is buzzing. Whether it's setting up sprawling solar panels or handy portable devices that borrow sunbeams, businesses in this sector are shining bright.
Winds of Change: There's something in the air, and it's not just a breeze. Entrepreneurs are catching onto the power of wind. Localized wind energy solutions are on the rise, turning gusts and gales into green power. It's innovative, it's sustainable, and it's the future we're all rooting for.
Investments With an Eco-conscious Approach
Ever noticed how the financial landscape is slowly turning shades of green? Yup, in the bustling realm of finance, there's a fresh wind blowing. More and more folks are keen on parking their money where it doesn't just multiply, but also nourishes the planet.
Picture the usual bonds, but with a green cape on. These aren't your everyday fixed-income instruments. They're passionately dedicated to projects that hug the climate and embrace the environment. And guess what? It's not just a niche thing anymore. Governments and big corporate names are hopping on the bandwagon, offering these bonds like hotcakes.
Now, here's where the heart meets the wallet. It's not just about seeing dollar signs grow. It's about investing in companies or funds that have a mission — a clear, measurable aim to sprinkle some environmental goodness. So, while your bank balance smiles, you also get the joy of knowing you're making the world a tad bit better with each investment.
Digital Solutions Minimizing Carbon Footprints
Isn't it amazing when technology and Earth-loving initiatives shake hands? Thanks to the digital revolution, we've discovered some pretty neat ways to keep both our pockets and our planet green.
Remote Work & Digital Nomadism
Gone are the days when the daily grind meant a daily commute. Working from your comfy couch or a beach in Bali? It's more than just a lifestyle choice. By ditching traditional office spaces, we're saying "bye-bye" to high energy bills and the bustling office energy consumption. Plus, with fewer cars hitting the road every day, we're blowing fewer carbon kisses into the atmosphere. It's a win-win!
The online world is a bustling marketplace of skills and entertainment. Whether you're diving into an e-course, consulting with an expert halfway across the globe, or binge-watching the latest web series, remember: it's not just convenient. Offering these services digitally chops down the need for physical spaces and resources. So, while we're getting smarter or having fun, we're also being kinder to our Earth. Quite the deal, isn't it?
Sustainable Agriculture & Organic Farming
There's a revival in the fields with Sustainable Agriculture & Organic Farming. As folks globally fill their baskets with organic produce, farmers are embracing techniques like crop rotation and polyculture. These methods not only rejuvenate Mother Earth but promise better yields. Moreover, the bond between consumers and growers is strengthening through community-supported agriculture. This approach ensures farm-to-table freshness for consumers and stable earnings for our hard-working farmers.
Recycling And Upcycling Ventures
In today's eco-conscious era, there's an adage that resonates: waste not, want not. Through Recycling and Upcycling Ventures, what was once tossed aside is now being transformed into treasures. Be it artsy creations from discarded materials or stylish furniture crafted from old pallets and fabric remnants, the entrepreneurial world is showcasing that with a touch of creativity, the possibilities are endless.
Education And Consultancy in Sustainability
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About two years ago, Kevin MacDonald, a former RFID engineer for Sun Microsystems, was sitting at dinner with his wife and her friend, when the friend started describing her day.
As a hospital pharmacist, she told him, she’d sometimes have to spend an entire workday manually sifting through stacks of hospital “kits,” which include drugs and supplies, to make sure they were complete and up to date.
“It seemed absurd to me that someone that highly educated and highly compensated would be manually sorting through hundreds of items and expiration dates,” MacDonald said.
Given his background in RFID technology, he figured there had to be a more efficient way to track the inventory. And after nine months of working out the details, he launched Kit Check last April. The company attaches RFID tags to each item in a kit to automate the tracking process so that a pharmacist can scan an entire kit for missing and expired items within seconds.
On Tuesday, the startup said it had raised a $10.4 million Series A round to build out its sales and delivery teams and develop the infrastructure to meet increased customer demand. The round, which follows $100,000 in seed funding raised through its participation in the Rock Health accelerator, was led by New Leaf Venture Partners and included Sands Capital Ventures, Easton Capital Investment Group and LionBird.
At hospitals across the country, pharmacists are responsible for maintaining kits of drugs and supplies necessary for various procedures. The contents vary between hospitals, but the different kits – from those for anesthesia to eye surgery – could include up to 100 different items that need to be checked regularly to make sure the drugs haven’t expired and that all the items are in place. What makes the process especially labor-intensive, said MacDonald, is that two different individuals in pharmacy need to manually check and re-check the kits. His firm estimates that kit checking costs hospitals $2 billion a year in labor and that Kit Check’s solution is 90 percent faster than the typical manual process.
Kit Check isn’t the first company to automate kit checking with technology, but McDonald said that while competitors, which include MedKeeper and McKesson, may use barcodes, Kit Check uses RFID tags, which enables hospitals to track items more quickly and comprehensively. With barcodes, pharmacists still need to touch each item in a kit to scan them. But with RFID technology, hospital workers can put an entire kit into an oven-like container MacDonald said some call the “magic box” to track items.
By freeing pharmacists from the time-consuming kit checking process, MacDonald said they’re able to spend more time with patients and potentially save hospitals money by recommending more cost-effective drug options and doses. Kit Check’s technology is currently being used in seven hospitals and the company said it would add nine new clients in the next month.


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Shares of menswear retailer Tailored Brands (TLRD) jumped on Tuesday following positive comments from an executive in MR magazine. The company has suffered slumping comparable sales through the first half of 2017, with the core Men's Wearhouse brand particularly weak. The executive's comments suggest that business has started to pick up in the past month. As of 12:43 p.m. EDT, Tailored Brands stock was up about 14%.
Comparable sales declined by 1.1% in the first half of 2017 for Tailored Brands. The Men's Wearhouse brand suffered a 2.6% decline, while Jos. A. Bank saw comps jump 5.7%. The acquisition of Jos. A. Bank has been an unmitigated disaster, with the company's attempts to end the brand's highly promotional strategy leading to an exodus of customers. That comparable sales increase is less impressive given the steep declines suffered since the brand was acquired.
Scott Norris, brand president of The Men's Wearhouse, has some good news for investors. Talking to MR magazine, Norris said that the business has turned positive over the past five to six weeks. This return to growth is despite warmer-than-usual weather in September and October in some parts of the country.
Norris talked up the core advantage that The Men's Wearhouse has over the competition: "We carry a lot of fitted suits, but our real advantage is a tailor in every store and a wardrobe consultant who can dress the customer from head to toe. Guys can buy suit separates anywhere, but few places provide a great experience buying a perfect-fitting suit at our prices."
Shares of Tailored Brands are still down about 75% since peaking in mid-2015. A turnaround for The Men's Wearhouse brand is certainly a positive, but Jos. A. Bank's depressed sales continue to be a drag on the company's bottom line.
Tailored Brands is expected to report its third-quarter results sometime in December. Investors will need to wait until then to see if these positive comments translate into improved results.


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UPS plans to hire about 100,000 seasonal employees again this year to handle its expected increase in package volume throughout the holiday season, the company announced Monday. » Read More
By: Lauren Thomas
Six in 10 people are worried about tariffs impacting holiday shopping, Coresight Research finds in a survey. » Read More
If spending is any guide, this country's patriotic spirit is alive and well, with Americans coughing up nearly $7 billion on food for the grill this July 4.
Nordstrom said it now expects its diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2018 to fall on the low end of a prior range of $3.27 to $3.37.
Bank of America downgraded Macy's after the department store reported disappointing holiday sales and cut its earnings outlook for 2018.
Macy's says same-store sales during November and December were up just 1.1 percent. The department store chain cuts its sales and profit outlook for fiscal 2018.
Kohl's on Thursday reported holiday sales growth that paled in comparison to its results in 2017, sending shares tumbling.
Target's 5.7 percent rise tops expectations and is a jump from the 3.4 percent growth during the 2017 holidays. But its shares are falling as the entire retail industry slumps.
In the wake of a strong holiday spending season, it may take borrowers years to pay off their purchases.
Among retailers competing for customers, the winners of 2018 beat their rivals by providing faster delivery, better shopping options and the trendiest products.
Americans are expected to spend close to $30 billion on gift cards this holiday season. Here's how to make the most of all that value.
Most retail stocks rallied the day after Christmas. But not all retailers have a reason to celebrate, and J.C. Penney is one of those with a bleaker outlook.
Sales in the U.S. from Nov. 1 through Christmas Eve were up 5.1 percent to more than $850 billion, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse.
Amazon's fourth-quarter guidance sent its stock plunging, but the company now says it sold a record number of items over the holiday season.
If a holiday return is on your to-do list, mark your calendar. At many stores, return deadlines vary by category.
By this time last year, $93.9 billion had been spent online since Nov. 1, said Adobe Analytics, which tracks web transactions of 80 of the top 100 internet retailers in the U.S.
It's almost here. Super Saturday is expected to be the second-busiest for traffic at stores this holiday season, trailing only Black Friday, according to retail tracking firm ShopperTrak.
Ho ho ho! The automaker is getting in on a decades-old tradition started by the North American Aerospace Defense Command in the 1950s with its own Christmas Eve Santa tracker.
Do you prefer reading an e-book or a physical version? It might be a surprise, but for most people, old school print on paper still wins.
Bed-in-a-box start-up Casper has reached a $1 billion valuation by shaking up the online sales of the mattress industry. But its push into sleep health and a deal with edibles company Plus and John Legend for CBD gummies is no gimmick.
D.A. Davidson initiated coverage of American Eagle with a buy rating and a $21 price target, saying the retailer is the "denim destination" in an up-trending denim market.
Invest in You: Ready. Set. Grow. is focused on improving Americans’ money knowledge of saving, spending and investing.
The nexus of technology -- cloud, social, mobile and data -- are transforming user behaviors and creating new businesses.
Automation, AI and machine learning will radically influence the relationship between employers and their workforce.


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PARAMUS, NJ — After a year and a half off the market, beloved toy chain Toys 'R' Us has made a comeback in Paramus.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Wednesday, November 27 at New Jersey’s largest mall -- the first location in the U.S. The opening comes just 48 hours before the biggest shopping event of the season, Black Friday.
“What an exciting day for all Toys ‘R’ Us Kids, which I include myself as one,” said Paramus Mayor Richard LaBarbiera. “I could not think of a better time, the eve of holiday shopping season, or place – Paramus – the center of the retail universe, for the return of Geoffrey and the reopening of the toy giant, Toys ‘R’ Us. Paramus being chosen as the first location for its revival is a testimony to the strength and vitality of Paramus’s market in today’s uber competitive retail marketplace.”
The Toys ‘R’ Us location at Westfield Garden State Plaza is one of 10 locations that will open by the end of 2020; a second opening is slated for the first week of December at The Galleria, a shopping mall in Houston, Texas. Unlike the iconic toy store’s traditional “big-box” concept, the new one has been reimagined to yield a more intimate feel for children.
The opening of the new Toys ‘R’ Us concept comes after it went into liquidation a year ago after the chain – which produced in excess of a whopping $7 billion in annual profits throughout its 700-plus stores throughout the country – filed for bankruptcy in 2017. Tru Kids, Inc., which does business as Tru Kids Brands, owns both the Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us brands and became established in January 2019 following its takeover of the Toys ‘R’ Us intellectual property in October 2018 and its lenders’ cancellation of a bankruptcy auction.
“Toys ‘R’ Us is a more than 70-year-old brand,” said Richard Barry, president and chief executive officer of Tru Kids Brands. “It’s loved by consumers in the United States. We’ve been out of the market for a year or so here, but we had the amazing opportunity to paint a new piece of canvas and completely reimagine the Toys ‘R’ Us brand and the Toys ‘R’ Us experience. We don’t get that option too many times in life to be able to completely reimagine an incredible historic brand, but we got to do that and I think we created something which is truly magical.”
The Paramus location is roughly 6,000 square feet and boasts experiential retail with interactive play areas such as the Nintendo Switch, Nerf, which houses its line of Zombie Strike toy guns based on the Zombie Apocalypse craze, and a kinetic sandbox in the Paw Patrol area of the store, among its many other toy lines from LOL to Monster Jam and Rainbow Surprise.
“I’m super excited about the assortment we have in the store,” said Barry. “If you look at things that are really inspiring kids’ minds today, last weekend we saw Frozen 2 launch in theaters. We’ve got the AMC theater right down the street from us here – $250 million box office. So movie properties like Frozen 2 and Star Wars are going to be driving toy sales this year. But we also have throughout the store other amazing brands. We have Paw Patrol, one of the hottest kids TV shows overall. A lot of great products in there, the fire truck and the adventure play set. Lego has a whole bunch of really great stuff. There are things like Baby Shark, which is super hot. Blinger, which is a toy that you can bling your hair or your handbag or accessorize different elements. Throughout the store depending on whether how old your kid is and what they’re into, we’re going to have everything for them.”
On Wednesday morning, children climbed up the steps of Geoffrey the Giraffe’s Tree House, excitedly sounding the bell as they reached the top. Others posed gleefully for pictures with the toy chain’s cuddly, affable mascot as more kids were dispersed throughout the new store testing out the new Nerf guns or playing inside Geoffrey’s Magical Mirror, a kid-sized dome in which they mimicked the moves of their favorite giraffe on a digital screen clad in scuba-diving gear on a sunny beach.
Shoppers that morning got an early-start to their Christmas shopping. Joanna Poon, of Paramus, checked out the new store with her 2-year-old grandson, Lucas.
“We are here every morning actually,” she said as she followed her grandson around whom she said didn’t want to leave the store. “We go the Lego and Disney stores. This is just one more place for him to come.”
Janessa DeJesus, of North Haledon, had her hands full with Barbie and Frozen dolls and a copy of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” one of the many classic children’s books that were stocked on the shelves, which also included a slew of Dr. Seuss books, “Madeline,” “Corduroy,” and “Guess How Much I Love You,” which Barry gifted his daughter with in the 1990s.
“To actually be back in a store that we grew up with as children, it was awesome,” said DeJesus. “I saw it was opening today and I was like, ‘I’m going to get in there and check it all out.’ It’s beautiful.”
“Everything reminds me of the Toys ‘R’ Us from back in the day, so I’m glad it’s being brought back, it’s really fun,” said Niyoki Beasley, a mother who was browsing the store with her husband and two kids. “We’re trying to do a little Christmas shopping today, start the season off early. It’s more interactive when they get to touch the toys and feel the toys versus buying them over the Internet.”
In the event the store, which has 1,500 items on-site, doesn’t carry a particular toy, shoppers can walk over to one of the store’s digital touchscreens, choose a brand, scan the QR code and the toy is delivered to ToysRUs.com from Target Corp, an online retailer.
But that didn’t seem to be the case on Wednesday. Stephanie Riley, the vice president of Retail at Toys ‘R’ Us at the Paramus store, said Juno, My Baby Elephant — the peanut-throwing learning toy with over 100 lifelike sounds and movements — was swept right off the display.
“We’re so excited to be back,” she said. “We’re getting such a warm welcome.”


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Beer market of Kazakhstan acquired both traits of East European countries and South Eastern Asia taking a transitional position between them by many criteria and consumption style. Yet there is a positive trend in beer production which differs Kazakhstan from most of the neighboring countries. The market has remained consolidated in the hands of two international players because of its small size. However, it faces dynamic processes such as fast growth of draft beer sales, up and downs of regional companies and Carlsberg Group’s ultimate expansion. Excessive mainstream segment has declined over the recent years, yet, Zhigulevskoe and national brands with regional links have yielded their positions to a range of new products. In our review special attention was paid to regional analysis of the markets. In 14 regions of Kazakhstan we compared the companies’ positions, the market price segmentation and DIOT channel development. Besides we have compared the beer market of Kazakhstan to neighboring countries. ...
Beer market of Russia 2018
- General market picture
- Foreign trade setting records
- Demography as challenge to branding
- Aged consumer
- Declining of youth brands
- Nostalgia on trend
- DIOT feels at home
- 5.0 Original is the new face of import
- Positions of Market Leaders
- Carlsberg Group
- AB InBev Efes
- AB InBev
Ukrainian beer market 2018
- Better than yesterday
- Performance by value
- Positions of Ukrainian brewers
The beer market dynamics in Russia is approaching zero, yet major brewers are divided into those who developed considerably in 2017 and those who considerably reduced their volumes. For instance, company Efes has managed to substantially extend their sales due to restrained pricing policy and activity in the modern trade. Heineken has also demonstrated an excellent performance promoted by significant increase of advertisement budgets launching a non-alcohol sort of the title brand and unusual activity in the economy market segment. Carlsberg and AB InBev have been focusing on margins and lost a market share of their inexpensive brands. Serious dependence on PET package and mass enthusiasm about Zhigulevskoe have negatively impacted the most of big regional brewers, that have been for the first time pressed by the leaders in the key sales channels, especially in Volga and Central regions. In the small business there has been a noticeable slowdown in appearing of new restaurant breweries, yet the number of craft breweries has been growing rapidly. In 2018, the beer market is likely to grow a little, while the share of AB InBev Efes may decrease due to the integration. ...
Foreign investors may flatten Vietnam beer market
The lucrative potential for profits explains the avid interest and arrival of international brands in the Vietnamese marketplace over the six years running up to 2014 the study concludes.
At the end of 2014, Thai Beverage (ThaiBev), a large liquid refreshment company based out of Thailand first tendered an offer to acquire a 40% minority stake of Sabeco, the largest beer brewer and distributor in Vietnam.
According to the ‘Vietnam Beverage Report 2015’ published by VIRAC, Sabeco was the largest brewer in Vietnam commanding a 34% market share by volume and 46% by revenue.
For 2015 Sabeco reported a year-on-year increase of 28% in its net profit to US$159.5 million (VND3.6 trillion). Its revenue grew 10% for the year to US$1.2 billion (VND27.16 trillion), principally from beer sales.
Meanwhile, another Thai corporation, Singha, has also signalled its interest in acquiring a controlling stake in government owned brewer Sabeco, best known for its iconic Saigon beer brand.
The Vietnam government now holds a roughly 89% stake in Sabeco, with Dutch brewer Heineken the second largest stockholder at 5% of the outstanding shares.
Sabeco last May announced plans to sell 53% of its current outstanding shares at public auction later this year, which has also garnered the attention of other well-known brewers such as Japanese Asahi and Kirin and London-based SABMiller.
Along with Sabeco, a variety of other distillers in Vietnam have also been getting attention of foreign investors. At the end of 2011, Huda Beer (Hue Beer) was acquired by Carlsberg, one of the largest foreign brewers in the Vietnam market.
The internationally recognized Danish beer brand, Carlsberg, first stepped foot in the Vietnam market in 1993 when they joined in a venture with Viet Ha Beer Company.
Later, in 2007, Carlsberg acquired a 30% stake of Ha Long Beer Company and became a strategic partner of Habeco, a corporation as of 2015 holding a 19% market share of the Vietnamese beer market as the second-largest brand.
The investment of international firms will bring a lot of advantages for the domestic beer businesses including abundant financial resources and advanced technology concludes VIRAC.
However, many leading market analysts are not convinced this is a good thing and have voiced legitimate concerns that after the acquisition by foreign investors of these domestic beer brands, the profits will be taken abroad.
This is a point far too often overlooked—all of the foreign direct investment that flows into Vietnam will eventually flow back out along with the profits—for distribution to foreign shareholders and other overseas owners.
When that day of reckoning comes, many touting so called benefits of foreign investment will be in for a very sobering experience, they say, and the nation may finally confront the stark reality that domestic ownership was better.
The ‘Vietnam Beverage Report 2015’ draws an all-around rosy picture about the overall liquid beverage market in Vietnam, including the beer industry.
It focuses primarily on analysing the beer, soft drink and the hard liquor segments. In addition, the report provides a forecast for the near future of the various segments and clarifies several potential threats to foreign investors.
All leading producers and main suppliers in the market such as Sabeco, Habeco, Tan Hiep Phat and foreign invested companies like Coca-Cola Vietnam or PepsiCo are touched upon in the analysis.
But the report falls short when it comes to addressing issues affecting the beer industry in any substantive way say many analysts. For example, it fails to address the need for the Vietnam government to preclude beer brewers from also distributing their own beer.
If a foreign investor is allowed to acquire a controlling stake in Sabeco later this year in a public auction, what regulations are in place to prevent that foreign brewer and distributor from also controlling which beers end up at which bars, restaurants and stores?
Without adequate regulation in place, this means that much of the interest by foreigners in acquiring Sabeco might result from the fact they could purchase an established brand while effectively, and legally, shutting out and flattening all of the other domestic and foreign competition.
4 Июл. 2016


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THE countdown is well and truly under way to CDX 2020 – so save the date now and book your free ticket!
Returning to Farnborough International on April 28 after the venue proved such a success for 2019’s event, CDX, which is free to attend for dealers, is brimming with best practice workshops, top insights from industry leaders at our Live Stage sessions and suppliers offering the latest products and services – all geared to helping dealerships make more money and stay ahead of the competition.
We have four headline partners each year and half of the slots for 2020 have already been snapped up, with lead management software experts Codeweavers and vehicle advertising giant eBay Motors Group quick to get on board with the most important conference and expo dedicated to the UK retail motor industry.
Codeweavers commercial director Shaun Harris said: ‘We’re proud to be a headline sponsor at CDX 2020 – undoubtedly one of the best automotive shows in the UK.
‘We particularly like the way suppliers are all under one roof, making it so much easier for retailers to keep in contact with key suppliers and find out all about their latest products. 2020 is set to be a massive year here at Codeweavers.
‘Our vision is clear and we want our retailers to make buying a vehicle a joyful experience! We will be explaining in more detail how we are going to help achieve this at CDX 2020.
‘We will be presenting some exciting solutions at CDX 2020 that will really help retailers sell cars through multi-channels, allowing customers to buy a car any way they want to.
‘We’re sponsoring the Business Hub too, as we love the idea of an area where retailers can network. We realise that business doesn’t stop when retailers are at CDX 2020, so it provides the opportunity to take important phone calls and catch up with work.
‘CDX really does have something for everyone. In just one day, a retailer gets to meet all their suppliers, share industry insights, network, take part in best practice workshops and discover the latest trends.’
eBay Motors Group was launched in November as a platform combined from eBay Motors, Gumtree Motors and Motors.co.uk, creating one of the UK’s biggest vehicle advertising services that will come to market in January 2020.
As well as attaching its name to CDX 2020 as a headline partner, it will also be sponsoring the VIP Lounge, which will cater for special guests, with specialist talks and networking plus a breakfast briefing.
Space is already being snapped up by exhibitors, too, with shell scheme stands and floor space areas available in various sizes.
Shell schemes include a plain fascia panel with company name, carpet, spotlight and a power point.
For more information about taking a shell stand or floor space, get in touch from January 2. Call the sales team on 023 9252 2434 or email them on [email protected]