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How Can You Avoid Being Stung by PC Hardware Price Collusion?
Price fixing goes against everything the so-called “free market” stands for. And it’s illegal. Even so, collusion plagues numerous industries. And the PC hardware industry is no different.
PC hardware prices fell for a long time. As new, state-of-the-art of technology arrives on the market, older hardware falls in price. Or, at least it did. Now, unless you source second-hand technology, there is a premium attached to almost every piece of hardware.
But the issue goes much further than that. There is a growing body of evidence heavily suggesting that there is widespread price collusion between several major hardware manufacturers. Let’s look at the evidence and find out if price fixing is rife throughout the industry.
We’re going to focus on the price of DRAM . Toward the end of the article, we’ll briefly look at some other PC hardware examples.
The price of DRAM is rising and has done since early 2010. Using PCPartPicker , we can see that during the past 18 months, the average price of a DDR3-1866 2x8GB kit has risen from under $70 to over $140.
During the same period, the average price of a DDR4-2400 4x4GB has more than doubled, from under $90 to over $180 — a substantial increase for consumers and businesses alike.
We can attribute price rises to two major influences:
- Poor production and manufacturing rates from the major DRAM manufacturers
- Larger proportion of hardware requiring higher quality DRAM
This triple combination translates to higher DRAM prices. Let’s examine the points in turn.
There are three major DRAM manufacturers. Samsung, Hynix, and Micron account for 94.5% of the entire DRAM market. Regarding physical production, if any of these manufacturers experience a poor quarter or two, global production suffers. If more than one manufacturer suffers multiple poor quarters, the result can affect DRAM availability worldwide for at least half a year, and probably more.
Many expected production to rise toward the end of this year and throughout the traditionally quiet period beginning each year. Both Samsung and Micron are transitioning to new, smaller manufacturing processes. However, DRAMeXchange, a TrendForce division, report that “both Samsung and Micron have encountered setbacks related to sampling and yield” regarding new fabrication processes. This directly impacts global supply.
Furthermore, Samsung’s new fabrication facility encountered a number of compatibility issues with a range of hardware, further setting back production on all DRAM manufacturing. DRAMeXchange research director Avril Wu notes that “while the new [fabrications] are being planned as to bring relief to the strained supply situation, they will not be ready for mass production until 2019 at the earliest.”
The only major manufacturer that isn’t transitioning to a new manufacturing process is Hynix. And part of the same DRAMeXchange report explains that they simply cannot expand production due to aging facilities and their existing contractual orders for DRAM.
Concurrent to a global dip in DRAM production, demand is increasing. The latest and greatest generation of smartphone technology primarily uses DDR4 RAM. In addition, global smartphone production continues to rise, jumping from 1.359 billion in 2016 to a predicted 1.459 in 2017. Chinese smartphone manufacturers alone will account for some 629 million units.
But it isn’t only smartphone manufacturing that has a direct influence on DRAM prices. 2017 is a great year for new PC hardware, particularly CPUs. Intel announced a new generation of powerful CPUs , while AMD released their extremely competitive Ryzen CPU line , featuring the beasty Threadripper (read our Threadripper review ). Consumers are ditching their old hardware and upgrading to new CPUs, likely upgrading their DRAM in the process.
Also, server sales continue to increase, sometimes requiring DRAM in staggering quantities. Think about how many servers Google owns. They have terabytes of DRAM spread around the world. And while they are not the only company — nay, industry — that requires such a vast amount of DRAM, powering the entire world’s search requires an incredible amount.
Evidence of Collusion?
The two reasons for price rises laid out above are perfectly reasonable. Annoying in parts for consumers like you and I, but plausible, nonetheless.
However, in 2002, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) began an extensive probe into DRAM manufacturers, under the Sherman Antitrust Act. The DOJ found that five major DRAM manufacturers were colluding as part of an international DRAM price-fixing conspiracy. The manufacturers — Hynix, Infineon, Micron Technology, Samsung, and Elpida — pleaded guilty, all receiving fines.
These companies do collude together.
In fact, accusations of collusion are fairly common. At present, production for all three major DRAM manufacturers is slow, causing global shortages, their profits continue rising. Avril Wu notes that “a large price increase in the PC DRAM market that is not caused by a factory accident disrupting the supply is rare,” adding that “the recent DRAM price upswing reflects the oligopoly.” As the three major manufacturers all-but have the market completely sewn up, it is in their best interest to co-exist, rather than to aggressively pursue market share through innovation, capacity expansion, and price-cutting.
Furthermore, continued protectionism of the DRAM market by the major manufacturers decreases the chance of China breaking the dominant hegemony. During the slight downturn in DRAM prices during 2016, Chinese semiconductor companies attempted to acquire stalling memory manufacturers, but were almost entirely rebuffed.
The presence of Chinese government-backed memory manufacturing businesses is extremely worrying for the incumbent manufacturers. This is worrying for a number of reasons, not least the overwhelming government support and extensive funding for Chinese exports.
So, Is There Collusion?
The pendulum swings both ways. Yes, there is collusion in one sense. The major manufacturers are loath to lose their DRAM market dominance, along with the financial hit that would surely accompany any serious threat from a new major manufacturer. China has created two enormous advanced memory manufacturing parks in the cities of Wuhan and Nanjing, valued at an estimated $54 billion. (That said, Lee Pei-Ing, president of Nanya Tech, the fourth largest DRAM manufacturer, believes it will take at least three to five years before Chinese DRAM positively affects the market through price drops and additional supply capacity.) But the Chinese government’s desire to be entirely self-sufficient for all technology products is evident.
Conversely, the substantial uptick in devices requiring the latest DRAM fabrications, as well as untimely manufacturing switches from traditional PC RAM to NAND flash storage has created the worst scenario possible for consumers.
So while there undoubtedly has been collusion, proving it in its entirety is incredibly difficult.
Other Notable PC Hardware Collusion
As I said, PC hardware price collusion isn’t new news. There are numerous instances throughout recent history where elite manufacturers have conspired to create artificial stock shortages, hold prices at certain profit levels, and more. Here are two recent examples.
In 2008, AMD and Nvidia faced accusations of price fixing and taken to court in a class action lawsuit. The class action alleged that the two manufacturers “conspired to fix, raise, maintain and stabilize prices of GPUs sold in the United States.” The graphics card giants were never directly found guilty in court. However, they settled out of the courtroom for a significant figure. As of 2017, the same GPU manufacturers dominate the market.
In 2012, the FBI confirmed a conspiracy to fix the prices of LCD panels. Amongst other conspirators, AU Optronics Corporation was ordered to pay a $500 million criminal fine, with two former executives receiving three years in federal prison.
The FBI site states “The conspirators sold $71.9 billion in price-fixed panels worldwide. Even conservatively estimated, the conspirators sold $23.5 billion—AUO [AU Optronics Corp.] alone sold $2.34 billion—in price-fixed panels destined for the United States. The conspiracy particularly targeted the United States and its high-tech companies . . . But the harm extended beyond these pillars of American’s high-tech economy. The conspiracy affected every family, school, business, charity, and government agency that paid more to purchases notebook computers, computer monitors, and LCD televisions…”
Can You Avoid High Hardware Prices?
Unfortunately, if you’re just about to build a new PC, buy a new server, or even just upgrade to some faster RAM, you’re out of luck. Prices aren’t predicted to fall until at least mid-2018 when Samsung and Micron begin to increase production capacity. And even then, it could take until 2019 to see any true prices drops as those manufacturers complete their contractual obligations before ramping up production for everyday consumers.
At the current time, waiting for a deal is the best bet . The vast sales of Black Friday and Cyber Monday are on the horizon and usually throw up a deal or three (as well as a few scams to be aware of ). Furthermore, there are traditional sales in the post-Christmas haze, but PC hardware prices are generally unaffected by this (though there are usually one or two decent deals to be found!).
But there are other factors to consider, too. The cryptocurrency mining boom has seen the price of new GPUs skyrocket (and in fact, some consider these demand-based price increases as a form of price gouging, another issue facing consumers). You’ll have to be careful with your purchasing decisions.
Uncovering and fighting against major manufacturers rigging the market is extremely difficult. But eventually, evidence arises, the public finds out, and investigators move to break up unfair practices. But, as we’ve seen, even that doesn’t stop the issue at hand.
Have high DRAM prices hurt you? How about other PC hardware? What should regulators do to stop illegal price increases in RAM? Let us know your thoughts below!


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Another week. Another big win for the Golden Gate Capital.
The private-equity firm will clean up on Signet Jewelers $690 million deal to buy its rival Zale for $21 per share. That’s because Golden Gate is Zale’s top shareholder, holding 11 million in warrants that it had the option to exercise at at $2 per share.
On just its Zale warrants, Golden Gate generated profits of more than $200 million.
Shares of Zale jumped more than 40% Wednesday. Investors also rewarded Signet Jewelers, pushing the acquirer’s stock up 17% Wednesday. Signet estimates that the deal could generate synergies of $100 million within three years.
Golden Gate came to Zale’s rescue in 2010 giving the retailer, which was nearing bankruptcy, a lifeline in the form of a $150 million secured loan. With this loan, Golden Gate acquired its warrants for Zale.
Since then, Zale’s management team has been successfully executing on a multi-year turnaround plan. In January, the jewelry retailer impressed investors with its 2013 holiday sales figures during a year when many retailers fell flat.
Golden Gate’s winnings from this deal dwarf its returns from its 2009 purchase of the retailer Eddie Bauer. Golden Gate bought Eddie Bauer in a bankruptcy auction for $286 million. On Friday, men’s suit retailer Jos. A. Bank purchased Eddie Bauer for $825 million.
Golden Gate is not the only well-known fund in this deal that can call itself a big winner. Activist investor Corvex Management filed a 13D on Signet on Jan. 24 revealing ownership of 6.3 million shares or 7.8%. Among Corvex’s calls to management: accelerate M&A.
Signet appeared to respond quickly to Corvex’s demands, but according to one person familiar with the deal, Signet and Zale had been in talks for several months before Corvex appeared on the scene.
– Ryan Dezember and Lauren Pollock contributed to this post.
Update: This post was corrected to note that Golden Gate generated a $200 million profit on its warrants for Zale. The post originally said that Golden Gate generated a return of 10 times its original investment of $150 million.
This post was also updated to state that Golden Gate purchased Eddie Bauer in a bankruptcy auction for $286 million. This post originally said $286 billion.

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TreeHouse Foods is looking again to sell its ready-to-eat cereal business, an asset the US private-label manufacturer unsuccessfully tried to sell last year.
Just before Christmas, the US Federal Trade Commission blocked TreeHouse’s move to offload the division to Post Holdings, the third-largest breakfast-cereal company in the country, on competition grounds. The regulator argued a sale to Post would lead to “higher prices and reduced quality”.
Speaking to analysts on Thursday after TreeHouse reported its second-quarter and first-half financial results, CEO Steve Oakland said the company resumed efforts to sell the operation.
“We re-kicked off that process,” Oakland said. There’s a tremendous amount of interest in that business. It has benefited from the current environment, so if anything, it’s as attractive or more attractive than it was when we started the first time. We don’t have anything to announce, but we would expect that process to run.”
He added: “We’re starting to see those kinds of deals go through. We’re starting to see people do plant tours, people do due diligence. People are much more comfortable with a Zoom management presentation than they might have been six months ago. I think that process will run over the near-term, and we’ll have something to you as soon as we can.”
For TreeHouse, a sale of the business would be another disposal the company would have made in its bid to streamline its operations in order to pay down debt and boost profits. In January, TreeHouse sold two manufacturing facilities to local peer Rich Products.
Since unveiling a restructuring programme in 2017, the company has closed factories and offloaded a series of assets and the ready-to-eat cereal business is seen as the remaining unit to go.
On Thursday, TreeHouse upped its forecast for underlying earnings per share after a better-than-expected second quarter.
TreeHouse raised its guidance for 2020 “adjusted earnings from continuing operations” to $2.55 to $2.75 per diluted share, up from a previous forecast of $2.40 to $2.65.
The company also said it now expects its 2020 revenue to be “at the upper end” of its guidance of $4.1bn to $4.4bn.
“We are encouraged by both the strength of our operations during this period of elevated demand and the commitment of our employees to supporting our healthy workplace protocols and processes,” Oakland said. “The work we performed related to our restructuring and reorganisation activities has enabled us to flourish during this uncertain time. Our outlook for the balance of the year assumes revenue will remain strong and takes into account higher costs to implement and maintain heightened Covid-19 safety measures. While macro uncertainty remains in the second half of the year, we feel comfortable in raising our full-year adjusted EPS guidance range.”
TreeHouse’s sales rose 3.7% on an organic basis as demand for foods to eat at home “outpaced” lower demand in the away-from-home channels, the company said. On a reported basis, TreeHouse’s second-quarter net sales were $1.04bn, versus $1.03bn a year earlier. First-half net sales stood at $2.13bn, against $2.09bn in the corresponding period of 2019.
The company booked a net loss of $1.5m in the second quarter, compared to a net loss of $171.8m in the second quarter last year. TreeHouse made a first-half net loss of $32.7m, against a net loss of $198.7m the previous year.


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Investing.com -- The number of people making initial claims for jobless benefits in the U.S. surged to their highest in nearly three months as the latest wave of the Covid-19 pandemic took an increasingly visible toll on the labor market.
The Labor Department said that 853,000 people filed initial jobless claims last week, last week, up from 716,000 a week earlier. Analysts had expected a much smaller rise to only 725,000.
The number of people making continuing claims also rose for the first time since September, to 5.757 million from 5.527 million a week earlier. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag.
The numbers come at a time when the coronavirus is running largely out of control in the U.S., with sharp rises in the numbers of deaths and hospital admissions in recent weeks. The U.S. registered over 3,000 deaths from the disease for the first time on Wednesday. Although fatalities are concentrated largely in among (non-working) seniors, more and more parts of the economy are being shut down to protect them and the healthcare system treating them.
The data were released at the same time as other figures showing a slightly larger-than-expected increase in consumer prices in November. Prices rose 0.2% on the month rather than the 0.1% expected, although the annual rate of inflation remained at 1.6%.
Analysts argue that official data are currently understating actual price developments, as prices for food and other high-frequency services are increasing faster, while prices are falling fastest for discretionary services, which are being used less frequently. The rate of rent inflation also continued to fall.
Reflation "can only come on the back of a strong economy with rising purchasing power," said Julia Coronado, founder of MacroPolicy Perspectives and a former Federal Reserve economist, via Twitter. "Initial claims point to more pain on that front."
Reprinted from Reuters. The copyright is reserved by the original author.


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New Delhi. MG Motor has launched the MG Comet EV in India. It is the cheapest electric car in the country which has been launched at an ex-showroom price of Rs 7,98,000. The MG Comet EV rivals the Tata Tiago EV in the Indian market with prices starting at Rs 8.69 lakh, ex-showroom.
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Let us tell you that the design of MG Comet EV is based on the Wuling Air EV sold in China. Although the company has launched many updates to this electric car in India. The MG Comet EV has been built on the Global Small Electric Vehicle platform. This platform is being used by many companies making small electric cars in China.
Also read this news: Flight-hotel spent only Rs 135 in a 7-day foreign trip!
Available in 2 and 4-seater options
The company has introduced MG Comet EV to be launched in India in two and four seater variants. The length of this electric car is 2,599mm and width is 1,505mm, while in the global market the company is also selling it in long wheelbase variant.
Also read this news: ‘Granddaughter born from grandmother’s womb’ 56-year-old woman became the mother of her own son’s child, know what is the whole matter
Features are great too
The MG Comet EV features two 10.25-inch screens, one for the infotainment system and the other for the instrument cluster. Apart from this, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay have been given in the car. This car has been given full LED lighting and charging port in the front. Apart from this, the car also gets safety features like ABS, TPMS, reverse camera, sensors and dual front airbags with 12-inch alloy wheels.
Also read this news: Female teacher fell in love with student, got married after getting gender changed
Booking will start soon
After the launch in India, the company has started preparing to start its booking. The bookings for the MG Comet EV are set to commence from 15th May 2023. At the same time, from April 27, the company has started the test drive of this electric car in select cities.
Also read this news: ‘My boyfriend gave birth to a child, he didn’t know she was pregnant’
Battery, Range and Charging
In MG Comet EV, the company has given 17.3 kWh battery pack. It has a range of up to 230 km on a full charge which is certified by ARAI. The battery used in this car is IP67 rated and comes with protection against water and dust. The company claims that the cost of running the Comet EV for a month comes to just Rs 519, which is equivalent to the cost of a pizza, provided it is driven 1,000 kilometers in a month.
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Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities
On December 20, 2018, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs
In October and November 2018, during the Great Indian Festival season in India, online retail giants — Amazon, Flipkart and Paytm Mall — sold goods worth $4.3 billion (Rs 29,947 cror
We need to move towards a new legal framework for surveillance
The digital paradigm with its arsenal of technologies promises to solve the most pressing social and economic challenges of our time.
The recent proposal of the Karnataka government to open English medium sections in 1,000 primary schools has attracted criticism.
The gagging of free speech and its direct fallout in the form of self-censorship are slowly but steadily moving from being exceptions to becoming the norm in India.
The criminal legal system is built on a hierarchy of offences. This is evident from the punishment accorded to different crimes which range from the death penalty to a fine.
Current trajectories of the network-data complex relying on corporate partnerships cast data and intelligence as purely market goods.
MC11 e-com battlelines drawn across three camps' gives an overview of the various positions countries have adopted on e-commerce and trade, and likely to p


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Hero MotoCorp sales during the month of December 2012 stood at 5,41,615 units as compared to 5,40,276 units during the same month a year earlier. This was a marginal increase but noteworthy all the same specially considering sluggish sales in the country. The entire 2012 has seen diminished sales following higher interest rates, slowdown in the economy and high fuel prices which sent auto company targets haywire.
The festive season of October and November 2012 saw Hero MotoCorp record sales of 1.1 million units and reaching well over the 5 lakh mark. This was significant, specially considering slow-moving sales in December with most buyers wanting to start the New Year on a positive note with the purchase of new vehicles.
Hero MotoCorp sales were dominated by brands of Splendor and Passion along with new models of Maestro and Ignitor. Maestro is targeted to young men while the scooter Pleasure is targeted to women riders. Demand is on the rise and hence the company is keen to increase its scooter capacity.
Suzuki Motorcycles too reported a growth of 24%. For Dec 2012, they sold 33,753 units compared to 27,244 units sold in Dec 2011. Suzuki Motors India Pvt. Ltd., Vice President (Sales and Marketing) Atul Gupta said: “We have received a good response from the market for all our products. The growing customer satisfaction has led to positive word-of-mouth in the market. We will continue to give the best to our customers.”


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The average price of diesel is expected to fall by 5p per litre (ppl) in the next fortnight, while petrol should fall to £1 for Christmas, suggests the RAC.
Diesel is already at a six-year low, with the average price reaching 109.18p on Friday.
The motoring organisation is urging retailers to ‘do the right thing’ and pass on savings in the wholesale price brought about by oil falling below $40 a barrel for the first time since February, 2009.
Britain’s supermarkets and cheapest fuel retailers are expected to start passing on the savings during the next week.
RAC Fuel Watch data shows oil slipped even further following OPEC’s meeting in Vienna on Friday, where delegates dismissed cutting production to stabilise the price.
The end of day price for a barrel of Brent crude fell from $41.80 last Friday to $39.77 on Monday. Twelve months ago a barrel cost $65 and in June, 2014, it was $115.
This led to significant reductions in the wholesale price of both unleaded and diesel, which the RAC believes will lead to a cut of 3p a litre in the average price of petrol and 5p a litre off diesel, taking average prices to around 103p for petrol and 104p for diesel.
At these prices motorists would be saving around £9 on tank of petrol for an average 55-litre family car compared to this time last year, and more than £11 for a tank of diesel.
RAC Fuel Watch spokesman Simon Williams said: “With the price of wholesale unleaded dropping due to oil falling below $40 the climate is right for £1 a litre petrol, all we need is for the supermarkets to do the right thing and embrace the season of goodwill by passing on those savings at the pump to make Christmas that bit cheaper for everyone.
“Motorists have already enjoyed petrol at under £1 as one supermarket cut prices at its 277 nationwide forecourts as part of a three-day promotion at the end of November, but this should now become a common sight across the country.
“If retailers don’t pass on the savings quickly, they will be giving themselves an unpopular Christmas boost to profits by pocketing the extra margin when they should really be passing this on to their customers instead.
“The long-term outlook is for the oil price to stay low. OPEC is not due to meet again until June 2016 so unless an extraordinary meeting is called, it is anticipated production will continue to outpace demand and in turn keep wholesale fuel prices low.”


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Mylan (MYL) said it agreed to acquire South African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare's APNHY thrombosis business in Europe for €641.9 million ($757 million).
The deal will give Mylan access to products that together posted net sales of €231 million ($272.3 million) for the 12 months ended June 30, 2020.
Mylan expects to use cash on hand to pay $312.2 million upfront. And Mylan expects to use the cash generated from Aspen's European operations to pay $446.3 million on June 25, 2021.
The deal immediately should widen Mylan's adjusted profit margins based on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, Mylan said.
Subject to conditions including European regulatory clearances, the companies expect to close the deal this year.
The thrombosis portfolio would be "a significant addition to Mylan's European business," making the Pittsburgh drugmaker the second-largest supplier of these products to patients in Europe, Mylan President Rajiv Malik said in a statement, citing health-care-data provider Iqvia.
The deal with Aspen, Durban, South Africa, also would further build out Mylan's "commercial infrastructure to further expand access to complex injectables," the executive said.
The drugs, injectable anticoagulants, help prevent blood clots.
Under the terms, Aspen will retain responsibility for manufacturing and will supply Mylan with finished products. Aspen has a vertically integrated supply chain located mainly in Europe, the companies said.
In May 2019 Mylan acquired Aspen Pharmacare's Australian business for $130 million.
In July 2019, Mylan and Pfizer (PFE) , the New York health-care giant, said they would combine Mylan with Upjohn, Pfizer’s off-patent branded and generic established medicines business. The new company will be called Viatris. That deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter.
Mylan said the transaction should not affect its target to repay about $1 billion of debt in 2020 or Viatris's commitments to repay debt and meet leverage targets.
At last check, Mylan shares were off 0.5% at $15.73.


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What: We talked to Manny Gonzalez, Senior Director, Multicultural, at Moet Hennessy US, about the challenges of marketing alcoholic beverages to Millennials in the US.
Why it matters: Millennials are a crucial sector of the U..S population, they have a 25% share, and studies have shown they drink less than previous generations. The succesful engagement of millennials is increasingly important for alcoholic-beverage brands.
Why is Marketing to Millennials so Difficult?
Millennials are an elusive segment of the population. Millennials include people born between 1985 and 2000, which results in a wide range of ages, values, and interests. Perhaps this is what makes them the hardest group to market to, and it is increasingly important for brands to understand how to connect with them since they account for 25% of the population.
Perhaps the two most distinctive features of Millennials are 1) their ability to adapt easily to new technologies (and their broad interest in using them), and 2) they like the values of a product to coincide with their own. This means that Millennials are more likely to consume a product that supports a cause they believe in. Millennials are creators; most of them post their own content online, and they like to interact with content that speaks to them.
1. Millennials Don’t Like Your Parents’ Booze
Recent studies have shown young people drink less than previous generations. How is that possible? It might have to do with several factors. To begin with, they are more into “healthy living” than their parents. According to an Eventbrite survey, only 1 out of 10 millennials thinks getting drunk is “cool”, while 4 out of 10 think being drunk is “embarrassing”.
Another study shows millennials are now consuming more cannabis than beer, but the most important reason lies at what we perceive as “drinking less”. According to Manny Gonzalez, senior director, multicultural at Moet Hennessy US, “while millennials in general are drinking less, those millennials that continue to drink are drinking more craft beer, more wine, and more premium spirits”. It’s not a matter of how many millennials are drinking, but rather of what they are drinking.
They’d Rather Try Something New and High-Quality
“Millennials are always looking for something new, they’re always looking for the latest,” explains Gonzalez. “[They are in the] age range where consumers are most promiscuous; in other words, they’re more willing to experiment with different brands, different categories, than their older counterparts,” which is why cocktail bars and mixology parlors are so popular among them.
And even better if the quality of the brands is really high. 20 years ago, young people weren’t used to premium spirits; today there seems to be a close link between premium alcoholic drinks and rarity, which makes them twice as interesting. “If you tell them a single-malt scotch is pure, or is rare, or ‘there are only 100 barrels of this scotch’, they’ll find that appealing because of the exclusivity of that particular spirit,” asserts Gonzalez.
2. Marketers Need to go Where Millennials Are
If they wish to succeed, alcohol marketers need to understand how the landscape has changed. “Twenty years ago bars and nightclubs and restaurants were great channels for alcoholic beverages to promote themselves,” explains Moet Hennessy’s Manny Gonzalez. “Young people went to nightclubs to listen to the latest music and to connect with people. Well, those two things can now be done quite effectively over the internet.”[comillas] Millennial consumers are constantly increasing their purchase over the internet; alcoholic beverage companies need to get smarter at that. [/comillas]
Thus, if millennials don’t go to where you are, you need to go where millennials are. The problem is, in Manny Gonzalez’s words, that “at the end of the day you still have to direct people to the place of purchase“, which in many cases for millennials is the Internet. E-commerce has increased dramatically, but “due to laws and legal restrictions, the alcoholic beverage industry hasn’t been able to move as quickly to online purchase“, says Gonzalez. Then, what alcoholic beverage brands need to do is be present in digital and social media. At this point, everyone knows millennials are very active in digital in social media, and yet, “Some brands are overinvesting in traditional media and not enough in digital media,” points out Gonzalez.
3. Making Mistakes is Easy…
“Because millennials are experimenters, brands need to be careful with what they determine to be a trend“, Gonzalez claims while he recounts how, six years ago, it seemed the vodka trend was going to be around forever, but “One could argue quite easily that vodka trend turned into a vodka fad.”
… Because Millennials See Right Through You
“The second mistake that brands make,” says Gonzalez, “is when they promote a brand or product that lacks authenticity.” A recent study shows 37% of millennials are willing to purchase a product or service that supports a cause they believe in, even if it means paying extra. Brands’ values are increasingly transparent, and young consumers know the difference between fragile values that are only a marketing façade and true support for a real cause. “You’d be amazed at how many brands partner up with super popular personalities and celebrities that the millennial consumer sees right through, they say ‘I can’t believe that X celebrity would ever drink your product.'” Then, it doesn’t matter if brands position themselves in digital media if everyone can see they’re not authentic.
… And They Can Tell When Content is Memorable
Going to digital and social media is not enough. Every brand is targetting millennials right now, in order to really get their attention, content needs to be very relevant to them. One thing that they are very receptive to is storytelling. “Instead of trying to get their message across in a 30-second TV spot, [alcoholic beverage companies] now have the opportunity to do that through videos that they stream through social media like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube,” suggests Manny Gonzalez, “and instead of cramming it into a 30-second ad, they can tell the story the brand wants to tell.”
4. Millennials Embrace Diversity
Not all millennials are created equal. For example, numbers show Hispanic millennials over-index in all social media, as well as in mobile-device use. “We’ve seen for a long time that [Hispanics] were very disappointed in terms of content coming from the traditional Spanish-language media channels, and certainly the English-language media channels,” says Gonzalez. “They discovered that the Internet, through social and digital media, is more inclusive of their interests and lifestyles than the traditional media have been.”
But perhaps the most valuable lesson of all is that, while every person comes from a different place and culture, today young people are united precisely by diversity. “Millennials, unlike their older counterparts, are more embracing of cultural diversity. So a millennial Hispanic is more willing and comfortable being around by Asian-Americans and African-Americans and gay and lesbian people than their parents.” So, in order to really succeed, brands need to understand the millennial embrace of cultural diversity; in a sense, they need to become more diverse themselves.


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San Diego-based High Style Brewing Company has launched Coastal Haze, an alcohol-free beer infused with 10mg of THC extract. Read more
Asahi has launched an alcohol-free Peroni beer in the UK as a response to growing trends for mindful alcohol consumption. Read more
Tesco is set to launch the 'UK's first' non-alcoholic stout in response to the growing demand for no- and low-alcohol drinks from consumers in the UK. Read more
AB InBev-owned Carlton & United Breweries aims to shake up the Australian beer market with the launch of its first non-alcoholic beer. Read more
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2019
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Inflation slows to 7.1% for November, another sign the economy is cooling off. Compared to October, the inflation rate fell from 7.7%. It’s the second consecutive month it has fallen. We’ll be referencing this article by NBC News.
On a year-over-year basis, inflation hit 7.1%, a slowdown from the 7.7% in October and lower than the 7.3% expected by analysts.
It’s the smallest 12-month increase since December 2021, when it was 7.0%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Signs price growth is cooling
Tuesday’s data captures the first sustained decreases in gas prices.
As of last week, gas prices were found to have settled below where they were one year ago. On Tuesday, the national average was $3.24, according to AAA. Prices have already dipped below a $3 average across the Southern and the Plains states, the organization’s data show.
Prices of durable goods such as clothing, electronics and home appliances have also begun to moderate amid slowing demand and increasing supply.
Last week, an alternative measure of inflation that tracks producers of goods and services also showed slowing price growth. Notable were price declines in airline tickets, automobile parts and hotel accommodations.
Prices of used vehicles also continued to fall, although new car prices surged in November to a new high of $48,681 amid stronger luxury sales.
The largest component of core inflation is rent.
The national median rent fell by 1% month over month in November, to $1,356, according to the rental site Apartment List. That’s the third consecutive monthly decline this year, and the second straight month in which the index has broken the record for the largest monthly decline in its history, which started in January 2017.


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MIUI 12.5 update is coming to these phones of Redmi, Poco and Mi.
In May this year, Xiaomi rolled out an update to the new custom skin MIUI 12 based on the Android 10 operating system. The interface of many Xiaomi devices has changed since this new update and users have got the opportunity to enjoy multiple features like new animation, notification bar, floating window etc. But before launching the next MIUI skin, MIUI 13, the Chinese tech giant wants to bring an intermediate MIUI version. As a result, MIUI 12.5, a software update, may arrive on several Xiaomi devices before the end of December.
Jin Fan, head of the brand’s software division, recently announced that a stable update of MIUI 12.5 will be released for users in different parts of the world very soon. Gen also claims that a beta program has already been launched for this custom skin.
What new features will be in the new MIUI update?
According to the report, MIUI 12.5 update may have various fun features like new launcher animation, new power menu, new volume controller, cleaner interface, Android 11 based notification shade etc. That being said, after this update, users will be able to convert any photo in the phone directly to PDF format. In addition, applications installed on the phone can be easily customized.
In the case of devices with Mi brand name Mi 8, Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 Under Display Edition, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 8 SE, Mi 8 Lite, Mi 9, Mi 9 Pro, Mi 9 Pro 5G, Mi 9 Explorer Edition, Mi 9 Lite, Mi 9 SE, Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, Mi 10 Ultra, Mi 10 Lite, Mi 10 Youth Edition, Mi Note 10, Mi Note 10 Pro, Mi Note 10 Lite, My CC9e, Mi CC9, Mi CC9 Pro, Mi 9T, Mi 9T Pro, Mi 10T, Mi 10T Pro, Mi 10T Lite, Mi Mix 2S, Mi Mix 3.
In the case of Poco phones Poco F1, Poco F2 Pro, Poco X2, Poco X3, Poco X3 NFC, Poco M2 Pro, Poco M2, Poco C3, Poco M3.


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British holidaymakers to face crunch on spending abroad as pound slumps against the euro
- Poll revealed families will have to tighten budget over half-term holiday
- Costa del Sol, Spain, is most cost-effective but Tenerife is the least out of six
British families will be forced to spend less on holiday this half-term as the sterling slumps against the euro, a survey has revealed.
Tourists in Tenerife and Ayia Napa, Cyprus, will have to keep a closer eye on their cash than holidaymakers in Spain's Costa del Sol.
Of six popular destinations surveyed by Post Office Travel Money, Spain’s Costa del Sol offers the best value for money.
Budgets: Families going away this half term may have to watch what they spend depending on where they are
Combining the cost of a half-term family holiday package for two adults and two children with meals and drinks for one week, a Costa del Sol break costs £1,108.
The Portuguese Algarve (£1,137) was close behind, followed by Majorca (£1,210).
But budgets will be imperative for families flying to Marmaris in Turkey (£1,395), Ayia Napa in Cyprus (£1,619) and Tenerife (£2,186), where the recent change has shown a greater effect overall.
The Costa del Sol was cheapest overall with the lowest package prices and resort costs, but prices for meals and drinks were also low in the Algarve and Tenerife.
Eating out costs more in Marmaris, but lower package holiday prices make the top Turkish resort less expensive than Ayia Napa or Tenerife.
Cost effective: Nerja in Costa del Sol, Spain, is a destination where families will get more for their cash this year
But the sterling's slump against the euro hit Tenerife harder and families travelling there will have to budget
Families planning a half-term trip to Marmaris will also find their pounds stretch further as sterling currently buys 7.6% more Turkish lira than a year ago - the equivalent of more than £35 on a £500 exchange.
Elsewhere in Europe, while meals and drinks cost only 4% more in Tenerife than in the Algarve, higher half-term package prices push Tenerife into sixth place - 35% more expensive than Ayia Napa and almost twice as much as the Costa del Sol.
Andrew Brown, of Post Office Travel Money, said: 'Our new research proves just how important it is for families to check all costs when it comes to choosing a last-minute half-term destination.
'The combination of low resort costs and cheap packages make the Costa del Sol best value overall, but with holiday prices changing all the time, the Algarve and Majorca are still worthy contenders this half term.'
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Githurai tragedy as residents flee with goods from a lorry involved in an accident.
After a lory got involved in an accident, Residents and Motorists along Thika road enjoyed free shopping. This is after everyone rushed towards the seen and pick atleast what the lorry was transporting.
The lorry That overturned blocked two lanes along Thika road between Thika Road shopping mall centre and Githurai.
“Avoid the area between TRM and Githurai If driving from Nairobi towards Thika…
A lorry has overturned and blocked two lanes. The service lane is also impassable!
Use alternative routes.”
Tambua Africa News reporter along Thika road shared photos, Men and women carrying goods from an overturned truck.


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Apple has announced the new iPhone range, we got replacements for all the existing models. While externally they all look quite similar to the iPhone 12 range, there are a lot of internal differences going on here. For one, every phone in the range saw a significant battery boost, according to Apple at least. This is very good news because it was an area that needed attention.
We also saw a big shift for the Pro phones. While there are some differences, these are all now down to the size of the devices. The cameras on both iPhone Pros are now the same, with the same features and performance. This is great news, as a lot of people want to pick their phone based on size preference rather than on features.
The really good news is that while the iPhones remain one of the more expensive handsets on the market, the price has not really increased and the memory options are much better now. The iPhone Pros can have up to 1TB of capacity, for all your bits and pieces.
So here's out feature outline on the highlights for each set of phones.
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini
The sleek, flat edge design is sticking around but the camera layout has a new diagonal design. The screen is now 20% brighter, with peak brightness of 1200 nits which is a remarkable boost, it should be a big boost for anyone who struggles to see their phone in bright light.
The iPhone 13 has a new internal design though, with more space for a bigger battery. And yes, the notch is now 20% smaller than the previous model.
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is getting a big performance boost, with the A15 Bionic processor. It has a staggering 15 billion transisistors. It's 30% faster in GPU terms than the competition, and 50% faster in CPU performance than its rivals – that's according to Apple, at least.
The camera now captures 50% more light too. The rear, ultra wide has a new, faster sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. It's got a 13mm focal length and a 120 degree field of view.
The camera's also gets a new cinematic mode. It can auto focus to keep track of what's happening on screen. That means you can essentially create movie style focusing, which Apple says the camera will handle automatically. This means, if your subject looks away, the phone will track the focus to another subject in the scene.
Battery life, which is obviously crucial, has been boosted on both phones. The iPhone 13 mini will get a 1.5 hour boost for most users, while the iPhone 13 will see a 2.5 hour bump to each charge.
The price has also remained at $699/£679/AU$1,199 for the iPhone 13 Mini and $799/£779/AU$1,349 for the iPhone 13. Storage will double across both these devices though, which is a big boost for many people. Your options are 128GB, 256GB or 512GB. You can pick Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight or (PRODUCT) RED as your colour scheme.
You will be able to pre-order the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini from September 17 in the UK, US and Australia (and lots more places) they will be on sale in stores on September 24.
- iPhone 13 pre-orders: where to get yours
- These are the best smartphones on the market right now
- Our picks for the best Android phones currently available
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
Apple has also redesigned the internals of the iPhone Pro. This is because of the new processor, and new battery, like the iPhone 13. That battery update is good news, the iPhone Pro will last 1.5 hours longer, and the iPhone 13 Pro will get 2.5 hours more
The notch, like the iPhone 13, has shrunk by 20%, giving you a little bit more screen back.
As rumoured, the iPhone's display will now feature a dynamic frame rate. It can operate at anything from 10Hz, right up to 120Hz. Apple says that the phone will pick the best rate for whatever you're doing. It also monitors your finger, so fast swipes will up the rate, while slower ones will allow it to thottle down. This will help preserve the battery life.
The Pro cameras get an update with new ultra wide, wide and telephoto lenses. The wide sensor is now larger, with 1.9 µm pixels. That means less noise and faster shutter speeds, which cuts down blur. There's also an f/1.5 apature on the wide camera, letting in 2.2x more light than the iPhone 12 Pro (1.5 more than the iPhone 12 Pro Max).
The iPhone 13 Pro will start at $999/£949/AU$1,699, the iPhone Pro Max will start at $1,099/£1,049/AU$1,849. There is also a new 1TB storage option, as the leaks suggested. Other storage options will include 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. The 1TB iPhone 13 Pro Max will cost $1,599/£1,549/AU$2,719. Colour options are Sierra Blue (lighter than the iPhone 12's blue), Silver, Gold or Graphite.
You will be able to pre-order the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max from September 17 in the UK, US and Australia (and lots more places) they will be on sale in stores on September 24.


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Plans to make Sony eReaders available for purchase from independent bookstores in time for this holiday season will not come to fruition despite the best efforts of the American Booksellers Association and others in the book industry. Work is ongoing, however, to provide indie booksellers with the ability to sell eReaders sometime in the future.
In August, Sony held a press conference at which it announced that it was cooperating with ABA, other retailers, and a variety of traditional and digital publishers to make available a universe of reading material in EPUB format compatible with Sony eReaders. At the same time, it was announced that plans were underway to make Sony eReaders available for purchase from independent bookstores in time for the holidays. Those plans were derailed by the fact that Sony won't handle direct orders for small quantities. ABA, which has been working non-stop to broker an arrangement that would enable its members to sell eReaders, stressed that it will be continuing its efforts.
Meanwhile, media reports indicate that eReader may be in short supply overall this holiday season. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Sony had announced orders for its new Daily Edition Reader -- which the company said in August would arrive in time for the holiday -- are now expected to ship December 18 through January 8, and an actual delivery date couldn't be guaranteed.


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Steve Jobs’ legacy is in good hands so far, because folks at Apple are still trying to present great innovative products with every new release event. According to a source cited by AppleInsider, the next generation of smartphone displays could have a new feature that will bring new functionality to the device.
According to the news, a second second patent of a touch screen capable of detecting multiple pressure levels was filed. This technology allows the smartphone to recognize when the user presses harder or slower on the display, so we may have new ways of using the interface. A similar patent appeared last year, but now we have more details on how the technology actually works .
All smartphone manufacturers are currently in a race of creating a friendly interface that will bring more customers and Apple could easily collect the jackpot with this technology. This pressure-sensitive display that understands the difference between a light touch and a hard touch will probably transform the way we interact with our mobile. Even the way we unlock the iPhone could be customized, so it can store the points we push the stronger and easier. Also, we may experience a new generation of mobile games that will use this particular feature.
The new patent details how the integrated pressure sensors can be used with the technology that already exists in order to create an enhanced user experience. According to documents, the new screen would contain at least three pressure sensors in addition to the standard equipment of a multitouch display that can be found today in iPhone or iPad. When pressure is detected by sensors, its exact location will identified using triangulation methods.
Don’t get to excited about the news, there is a specific time frame from the moment any patent is filed and the moment it’s implemented in the device. I think that we’ll not see this feature available for iPhone 6.
image source: www.gizmodo.com


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Alibaba founder Jack Ma meets Donald Trump to discuss small business in America
Tuesday, 10 January 2017 Jack Ma, founder and chairman of China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba, met with US President-elect Donald Trump and discussed plans to help US small businesses sell products to China through the company’s platform. “I think the president-elect is very smart, he is very open-minded to listen. I told him my ideas about how to improve trade, especially to improve small business, cross border trade,” Xinhua quoted Ma as saying at Trump tower in New York after meeting with Trump. ”We specifically talked about … supporting 1 million small businesses, especially in the Midwest of America. Small businesses on the platform selling products — agriculture products and America services — to China and Asia,” he said. They also discussed the China-US relationship, which
On Friday it was announced that Anthony Scaramucci, a hedge fund founder who was a fundraiser in Donald Trump's election campaign, will join the president-elect's White House staff as an advisor and public liaison. In a statement to reporters at Trump Tower this week, Scaramucci said that he will...
Despite Vladimir Putin's recent successes, Donald Trump understands America and its allies remain the most powerful political, economic, cultural, and military... Newsmax - USAlso reported by •Zero Hedge
Washington, Feb 14: US President Donald Trump has defended the ongoing crackdown on criminals under which over 680 people have been arrested, saying it is part... Oneindia - WorldAlso reported by •All India Radio •DNA


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General Motors kicked off the 2014 North American International Auto Show in style Monday, sweeping the awards for the North American Car and Truck of the year with its new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray sports car and Silverado pickup.
The awards have been given out annually since 1994 at the opening of the Detroit auto show. They are selected by a panel of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. This year, the list of eligible vehicles included 28 cars and 18 truck and utility wagons.
Corvette’s victory represents the sixth time a G.M. model has won the North American Car of the Year Award. Corvette previously won the award in 1998.
It was also the fourth time a G.M. pickup won the North American Truck/Utility of the Year Award. The 2014 models were the subject of a recall last week. Silverado was also a winner in 2007.
The finalists were the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Mazda3 for the 2014 North American Car of the Year. The Acura MDX, Silverado and Jeep Cherokee the finalists for the 2014 North American Truck/Utility of the Year.


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Kornit helps Vic Bay weather Storm
Published: 7 June 2021 | No comments yet
(L-R) Chris Govier from Kornit Digital, Vic Bay's Mike Shiller and Steve Harcourt-Wood of Rexx
South African clothing company Vic Bay has installed a Kornit Storm HD6, the third machine it has purchased from the Israeli company.
Vic Bay, which purchases its Kornit equipment via distributor Rexx, thinks that adding additional DTG technology to its arsenal will allow it to increase capacity and meet the rising demand for rapid, reliable, high-quality fulfilment.
The company’s managing director, Mike Shiller, explained that the new system will produce short runs or high-colour graphic designs, demand for which has exploded thanks to growth in its e-commerce operation.
According to Mr Shiller the Kornit machines have enabled his business to scale and meet new challenges, demands, and opportunities. When the pandemic struck Vic Bay launched a new web-to-print operation to help weather the storm. ‘We are now one of the first truly online print-on-demand drop shippers servicing the print and embroidery community here in South Africa, and have seen a dramatic increase in volumes month-over-month since introducing this new web-based operation,’ he said.
‘I would certainly recommend Kornit as the best DTG print system available,’ he concluded. ‘It’s a true testament to their capabilities that some of the largest and most diverse producers worldwide have turned to Kornit for their online businesses, and only use Kornit to imprint apparel.’
The Storm HD6 incorporated the latest full RGB full-colour printing in 1200dpi density, offering clients a ‘photorealistic print’ on garments.
The next instalment of Digital Textile Printer will be published on 24 June, to make sure you receive all the latest interviews, insight and analysis from this booming sector: REGISTER HERE.


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Marketers Put First-Party Data First
By: Staff | Jun 30 2015
Despite struggles, marketers remain focused on improving big data, and those putting money toward such efforts are reaping the benefits. In April 2015 research by the Direct Marketing Association and Winterberry Group, 43% of US marketing professionals said they expected their data-driven marketing (DDM) spending to be higher in Q2 2015 than Q1, and 60.2% of respondents expected DDM revenues to increase during the same period.
However, June 2015 research by Econsultancy in association with Signal found that senior-level marketers in North America weren’t jumping for joy over returns from data-related marketing investments. Just over one-third said these had a strong positive impact. Promisingly, though, was that 47% said that they had some positive impact.
Econsultancy suggested that first-party data could help the group reporting so-so results—along with the laggards, of course. When marketers were asked to compare different levels of data and their effect on desired outcomes, first-party data ranked highest across the board. It was most popular for gaining insight into customers, cited by 74% of respondents. More than six in 10 respondents also said it was the easiest to justify using, drove the highest increase in customer value and the highest campaign lift among data sources—all by a long shot.
Read more at http://bit.ly/1IHPcJZ


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Miami Heat’s star Lebron James has another gig lined up after the basketball season ends—the two time MVP recipient has officially signed on to promote Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins ice cream in Asia where the company has a third of its stores.
According to Huffington Post, “James will promote Dunkin’s brands in China, Taiwan, India and South Korea through advertisements, online media and in-store marketing.” In addition to participating in advertisements the former Cleveland Cavalier will also be expected to make appearances in Asia on behalf of Dunkin’ Brands Inc.
In a statement released by the 27-year-old he expressed his excitement in joining the Dunkin’ Brands team. “I’m really excited about partnering with Dunkin’ Brands and connecting with the huge community of basketball fans,” James said.
Nigel Travis, chief executive for the Dunkin’s brand expressed to reporters in Singapore that the new James deal “is Asia focused and reflects our commitment to Asia,” Travis said to reporters. “Lebron has a strong commitment to building his relationship in Asia so he’s definitely planning multiple trips to Asia the off season this year.”
James is currently a starting forward for the Miami Heat and is in his ninth season with the NBA, since being selected number one draft pick in 2003 by the Cavaliers. –Johnathan Cruse


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Precautions Taken by Food Service Industry Can Help Prevent Norovirus Outbreaks
Most norovirus outbreaks from contaminated food occur in service settings and workers are the major source of these outbreaks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Norovirus is the one of the leading causes of disease outbreaks from contaminated food in the United States and is preventable if the food service industry takes the right precautions, a latest report from CDC reveals.
Infected workers are a frequent source of norovirus outbreaks, dirty hands being the main culprits. The federal regulators suggest that following certain food safety practices can prevent such outbreaks.
Some of the food safety measures include ensuring workers always maintain good hand hygiene on the job and refrain from reporting to work job when they are sick. Single use disposable gloves are recommended to avoid touching ready to eat food with bare hands. Certifying the kitchen managers and training food service workers in food safety practices..
"It is vital that food service workers stay home if they are sick; otherwise, they risk contaminating food that many people will eat," said Aron Hall, D.V.M., M.S.P.H., of CDC's Division of Viral Diseases. "Businesses can consider using measures that would encourage sick workers to stay home, such as paid sick leave and a staffing plan that includes on-call workers."
Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships have grabbed media attention recently but these outbreaks account for just 1 percent of the reported norovirus outbreaks.
Norovirus affects about 20 million people every year and is known to be highly contagious and spreads easily where people gather or where food is being served.
"Norovirus outbreaks from contaminated food in restaurants are far too common." said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "All who prepare food, especially the food service industry, can do more to create a work environment that promotes food safety and ensures that workers adhere to food safety laws and regulations that are already in place."


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WASHINGTON: Picture an economic shockwave: Thousands of workers laid off and supermarket shelves made barren. Auto plants darkened overnight.
Precious supplies of avocados, so dear to American hearts, wiped out, while other fresh fruits and vegetables also rot in trucks, with supplies exhausted in as little as 48 hours.
Fuming over migration, President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Apr 3) reiterated his threat to close the US-Mexico border - among the busiest in the world, across which US$1.7 billion in goods and hundreds of thousands of people travel in both directions every day.
This has drawn a collective gasp from economists, Congress and industry, who fear a catastrophe that could tip the world's largest economy into recession as ties with Mexico, its third-largest trading partner, grind to a halt.
"It comes close to being unthinkable," Daniel Griswold, director of the trade and immigration project at George Mason University's Mercatus Center, told AFP.
He spoke of waves of joblessness, lost business and deepened suffering among farmers who have already been hurt during Trump's multi-front trade wars with China, Europe, Canada and Mexico.
"It would be like erecting a wall in the middle of the factory floor. It would be a complete disruption and it wouldn't be immediately undone if the borders re-opened."
"The losses would be huge and grinding," he added.
Top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Tuesday US officials were working to minimise the economic impact from any closure of the border - including keeping truck lanes open.
On average, more than 17,000 trucks cross into the United States from Mexico every day, according to US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, hauling the lion's share of the US$612 billion in two-way trade recorded last year.
US officials say the port of San Ysidro, which lies between San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico, is the busiest land port in the Western Hemisphere, processing 70,000 northbound vehicles and 20,000 northbound pedestrians every day.
In 2018, the largest US imports were Mexican-made autos and auto parts, which together totaled US$114 billion, according to Commerce Department figures, while just in petroleum and coal products, industrial chemicals and machinery, the United States sent back more than US$70 billion.
NO SEATBELTS? NO CARS
The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement - which Trump is seeking to replace with a revamped version - allowed manufacturers and farmers to exploit continent-wide supply chains, taking advantage of low-cost labor in some regions and high-tech capacities in others.
Auto manufacturers have therefore interwoven their supply chains across North America, with parts produced in one country added in others, meaning motor vehicles may cross borders repeatedly before they are completed.
And halting this trade would do nothing short of drive the US economy into recession, according to Kristin Dziczek, vice president of the Center for Automotive Research.
"We see all production halting within a week," she told AFP, adding that this would result in immediate layoffs.
Just-in-time supply chains mean there are no reserves to fall back on in case of a border closure, according to Dziczek.
"As soon as they don't have one part, production stops," she said.
Mexico provides about 70 per cent of all the wiring harnesses used to transmit power within US-manufactured vehicles and 60 per cent of the seatbelts, meaning American auto plants would be crippled without the Mexican-made goods, she said.
"Want to buy a car without a seatbelt?" she asked, noting that it was illegal in the United States to sell incompletely assembled vehicles.
For each US auto assembly worker, there are seven to nine other jobs in industries directly dependant on auto production and marketing: shipping, rail, accounting, engineering, advertising, she added.
Meanwhile, Mexico is also the largest source of US agricultural imports, sending more than 2.7 million tons of produce northward annually - feeding much of America in the colder months when fresh fruits and vegetables are out of season.
Perishable tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, bell peppers, mangoes and avocados do not languish in warehouses, according to Allison Moore, vice president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas in Nogales, Arizona.
"We're not in the storage business," Moore told AFP. "You're gonna see us run out of product in two days, max."
Research produced with the University of Arizona, a US state that sits atop a fertile corridor of farmland south of the Mexican border, shows that nationwide about 30,000 US jobs are tied just to importing Mexican tomatoes, she said.
"When there's no work at local warehouses, there are gonna be layoffs," said Moore.


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Toronto Raptors fans are gearing up for their biggest game in franchise history and a large group of them are making sure they’ll be properly dressed for the occasion.
Thousands will, of course, be rocking their red, white and black jerseys, but a different group will be wearing a shirt that has a more simple concept. We’re talking, of course, about the New Balance Kawhi Leonard ‘Fun Guy’ shirts. They dropped in Toronto today and the lines stretched around corners and outside of buildings. Just look for yourself at how many people were waiting to get their hands on the new piece of merchandise.
Unfortunately, not all shoppers were able to get their hands on one…
Apparently it didn’t take long for the shirt to sellout online, either. Twitter user LDR. Tweeted that the shirts sold out in just 30 seconds and while we know he’s not verified, New Balance Canada actually liked the tweet.
That was quick!
Kawhi Leonard could already be the best thing to happen to the Toronto Raptors… and New Balance. Expect to see some 'Fun Guy' shirts at tonight’s decisive Game 6 matchup!


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On Friday, California’s most powerful cannabis regulators came together at the Montalbán Theater in Hollywood, where the United Cannabis Business Association (UCBA) and the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA) hosted its second annual policy summit.
Industry stakeholders, including licensees and industry hopefuls, packed the venue to hear what Lori Ajax of the state’s Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), Cat Packer of the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR), and State Treasurer Fiona Ma, among others, had to say about plans to prop up licensed operators, social equity programs, and banking and tax hurdles.
The top priority for industry members and regulators—quashing illegal operators—was apparent even outside the venue, where posters hung for the just launched “Get #WeedWise” campaign. The multilingual public information program aims to curb unlicensed sales by encouraging consumers “to only purchase cannabis from licensed businesses” and warning those who operate unlawfully of the consequences of continuing to do so. Alex Traverso, the agency’s spokesperson, directed the summit’s participants to the state-hosted website CApotcheck.com, where shoppers can easily verify whether the cannabis they procured is from a legal source.


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According to the NY Post, the most terrifying darling of the entire fashion world, Anna Wintour, is writing a memoir about her glorious, power-ridden life. In the original article posted earlier this morning, the daily made it clear that Vogue has denied reports that its fearsome leader was looking for a book deal, but the Post basically shrugged its shoulders at the glossy mag's denial.
The Post seems to have it on pretty good authority that the Vogue editor was in the process of interviewing writers to collaborate with her on the project, and whether or not that's true, they definitely wrote about it and probably accumulated a fair number of page views from flabbergasted fashion news watchers. Fashionista thinks that it's entirely improbable that Anna Wintour would ever undertake such a self-centered endeavor, but I'm not so convinced. Wintour might not match Anna Dello Russo on the narcissistic spectrum, but there's no way she reached such heights without a super-sized dose of confidence.
I'll leave it for time to shed some light on this mystery, but on the chance that the editrix really IS penning an autobiography and is on the market for a writing buddy, I'd like to throw my hat in the ring. I would ghostwrite the bejeezus out of her memoir. Dear Anna: If you're interested, just say the word and I'll send over 20 sample Azzedine Alaia insults STAT.


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FedEx is known for pioneering overnight delivery in the 1970s, and then online package tracking in the 1990s. But in the last few years, the company has been positioning itself to take advantage of the so-called “Internet of Things” phenomenon, in which inexpensive wireless sensors will be able to report on a real-time basis. A FedEx innovation team has been at the center of building businesses that leverage Internet of Things technologies.
The first is called SenseAware, and it allows FedEx customers to know about the temperature, light exposure, relative humidity, and barometric pressure of a package in transit — not to mention its precise location and whether or not it has been opened yet. We talked to FedEx Director of Innovation Michelle Proctor, left, about the development of the offering, which is sold as a subscription-based service.
The idea for SenseAware grew out of FedEx’s work with some of its healthcare clients, Proctor says, whose tissue and blood samples had very particular handling needs, like ensuring that temperatures never rose above a particular level while the samples were in transit. To meet those needs, FedEx assembled a team of more than a dozen people from varied disciplines in engineering, information technology and other specialties. The team used an agile development approach, showing prototypes to customers frequently and making changes based on their feedback during short “design sprints.”
The service they created has two components. The first is a sensor-rich device, about the size of a smart phone, which attaches to the inside or top of the package being shipped. The second part is a companion web site that receives and tracks information about the status of the package. SenseAware can report on the package’s “health” whether the package is on the road or in the air, Proctor says.
“We had not done something of this nature before,” she says. “At the time this was in development, there was a lot of sensitivity around cell phones and their usage on aircraft. Did they interfere or did they not interfere? And so our team and operations crew worked very closely with the [Federal Aviation Administration] and their folks to do rigorous testing on multiple aircraft types.”
After months of testing on its own airplanes, and working closely with the FAA to document the results of the tests, SenseAware was cleared for flight. “It was time consuming, but it was absolutely the right thing to do and something that needed to be done just to prove the safety of the device, that there was indeed no risk with the device flying on aircraft,” Proctor says.
Proctor’s team also worked with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to certify that the temperature and other readings the device reported were accurate. “Working with those people as well to get that certification again (was) time consuming, but absolutely critical to the success of the product and to guarantee the type of quality that you’ve come to expect from the FedEx brand,” she says.
FedEx’s SenseAware offering is also carrier-agnostic, Proctor says. This means customers aren’t tied exclusively to shipping on FedEx planes, but can use more than 25 other domestic and international air carriers including American, Air Canada, Air France, Delta, Emirates, Qantas, Southwest and others.
Since its launch, Proctor’s team continues to refine and add features to the technology. One recently-added feature is a probe that can be attached to the SenseAware device to measure extreme cold, such as items packed in dry ice or liquid nitrogen. And FedEx has been marketing SenseAware as a solution to companies in such diverse industries as aeropsace, antiques and collectibles, consumer electronics, fine art and museum artifacts, gourmet food and beverages, and sophisticated industrial and scientific equipment. SenseAware is now available in 30 countries; Europe and Taiwan were added last year.
For Proctor, the big lessons from the project involved listening carefully to customers, honing in on their pain points, and looking for ways that technology could be applied to make the pain go away. “Keeping our customers in the center of everything we do really was critical to the success of this launch,” she says.


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Tokyo is the top dining city in the world, according to the latest Michelin Guide. With 11 restaurants at three stars, it’s pushed past Paris, the former top dog in the culinary world. Eight of the nine Tokyo restaurants with three starts retained their Michelin ratings year-over-year, and three were bumped up from two stars to three for 2010. Paris has only 10 three-star restaurants in the 2010 Michelin Guide, and New York only has four.
According to Oyvind Naesheim, Nobu Hong Kong’s executive chef, “Tokyo is an unbelievable city for food,” continuing, “The passion and perfection at some top Tokyo restaurants show us why this city is so outstanding in fine dining.”
Two thirds of the 197 Tokyo restaurants listed by Michelin focus on Japanese food, focusing on common styles includingfugu, soba, sukiyaki, tempura and sushi. Three of the 11 three-star spots went to French Restaurants.
In total, Tokyo has 261 stars, more than any other city in the 23 countries that Michelin covers. Look for the list of Tokyo three star restaurants after the jump.
- Esaki, Classic Japanese (new)
- Ishikawa, Classic Japanese
- Joel Robuchon, French
- Kanda, Japanese
- Koju, Japanese
- L’Osier, French
- Quintessence, French
- Sushi Mizutani, Sushi
- Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten, Sushi
- Sushi Saito, Sushi (new)
- Yukimura, Classic Japanese (new)


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Concealed microdot on a Tanzanian vehicle proves it is stolen
Dealerships in South Africa can now also confirm the original identity of used vehicles using microdot technology.
A member from the SAPS HQ International Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit recently noticed that the visible VIN in the window of a Mercedes Benz ML63 parked in Tanzania had been tampered with. The officer had been trained in microdot technology by DataDotSA in 2013 and 14 days prior to seeing the vehicle had presented a course on microdotting in Tanzania.
He removed a DataDot microdot and was able to establish the true identity of the vehicle whereupon he was then able to determine that the vehicle was reported as stolen in January 2014 in Kimberley.
The repatriation process will start in order to bring the vehicle back to South Africa.
Dealerships in South Africa have now also been given the opportunity of identifying vehicles using microdot technology in order to combat huge financial losses and reputational damage.
They simply need to register with VehicleFacts - an online platform which enables them to validate the original identity of motor vehicles being traded in. Registration includes training in physically checking the vehicle for microdots and removal of the microdot in order to check VIN detail. The VehicleFacts platform also assists dealerships in ensuring compliance with the Second-hand Goods Act by recording the microdot particulars on the acquisition and disposal register which is then printable from the VehicleFacts electronic system.
Register your dealership today by calling Oliver on 082-872-7397.
VehicleFacts' press office


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By Roy Wright, President & CEO, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
High-performing impact-resistant shingles can prevent avoidable damage caused by hail attacking roofs. Consumers should have confidence that products labeled as “impact resistant” live up to their expectations. This is the predicate for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety’s (IBHS) groundbreaking work to improve roof performance against hail.
One month ago, IBHS reached an institutional milestone by releasing the IBHS Hail Impact Test Protocol for Asphalt Shingles—a new test method that uses best-available science for predicating performance of asphalt shingles when exposed to hailstorms. This is the first performance scorecard rating of eight asphalt shingle products labeled as impact resistant. By bringing together years of work in the field and in the lab, IBHS continues to be a leader in the hail research space.
IBHS’s new test standard combines the results of lab and field work that advanced industry understanding of hailstone mass, strength, and kinetic energy. Applying those findings allows us to manufacture hailstones in our lab and mimic the way natural hail attacks a roof. We assess damage from the top side of the shingle – the same way a claims adjuster would – and use artificial intelligence along with experts to evaluate the performance range.
Yet this milestone is just the beginning. The IBHS Hail Impact Performance program is poised to drive change and innovation across industries for years to come.
With the performance of eight products now rated and released, three new products are already at the IBHS Research Center in Richburg, South Carolina awaiting testing at the specific request of the relevant product manufacturers. These new arrivals demonstrate our commitment to ongoing testing of new products brought to the market. In addition, we are committed to retest products every two years, ensuring performance scorecards remain up to date and offering manufacturers the chance to improve product offerings based on our results.
Exclusively for the member-companies supporting the IBHS mission, we have provided a data set that expands on what is publicly available and provides greater quantitative insights and relative consumer price comparisons. We answered questions live during a Hail Impact Standard Question and Answer webinar for the IBHS Members as we strive to help put this data to work for the insurance industry.
Roofing manufacturers have actively engaged with our research team throughout the development and release processes and continue to be engaged. Some have been excited to share the results while others look forward to the next round of testing. Each manufacturer has been on our research center campus observing testing, asking questions, and striving to put their product at the top. Since the release last month, we have already had manufacturers back at the research center talking with our researchers and continuing to push for improvement.
IBHS research is inspiring conversations to drive shingle performance forward, and that will pay dividends to the Members of IBHS, to the insurance industry, and to consumers. These conversations, initiated by the performance data, are only possible with the commitment IBHS, and IBHS Members, have made to resiliency. And these very same conversations are stimulating awareness of impact-resistant shingle performance in order to improve shingles and to inform consumers of their options.
Through this new work, we are showing the insurance industry and consumers which products live up to those expectations of resilience.


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Travel from China gets another boost. Brand USA is partnering with NTA to present the Discover America Pavilion at the China International Travel Mart (CITM), November 15–19 in Shanghai. CITM, produced by the China National Tourism Administration, is the largest professional travel expo in Asia, with last year’s fair attracting more than 100,000 visitors and 2,200 exhibitors, the NTA reports.
At the Discover America Pavilion, Brand USA and NTA will host U.S. companies and destinations seeking to enter or expand their presence among Chinese inbound travelers, a rapidly growing market. The number of visitors to the United States from China increased from 157,000 in 2003 to 1,089,000 in 2011, according to the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. Projected visitation for 2014 is more than 2 million, with nearly 3 million visitors forecasted for 2016, NTA reports.
“This will be Brand USA’s first event in China, and we’re eager to showcase the remarkable travel opportunities throughout the United States,” said Brand USA CEO Jim Evans. “We’re also eager to partner with NTA because of their significant experience in this market.”
NTA opened the NTA Visit USA Center in November 2010 to promote travel to the United States by educating both the U.S. and Chinese trade about high-quality product and best practices and by linking them with registered tour operators in the United States.
In the fourth quarter of 2011, Chinese travelers visiting the United States through NTA-registered operators represented $448 million in total exports, a 60 percent increase from the baseline established in 2010.
“We’re pleased to join with Brand USA at CITM,” said Lisa Simon, NTA president. “Combining Brand USA’s marketing power with NTA’s experience in the Chinese market will produce an incredible opportunity for U.S. destinations and businesses.”
NTA notes it has been honored for its work in China three times in the last year, most recently taking the top prize for the 2012 Chinese Tourists Welcoming Award, presented last week by the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute. In December, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded NTA a Certificate of Appreciation for Achievement in Trade for “exceptional contributions to U.S. travel and tourism exports in the China market.” Last May, NTA won the Gold Award in the “My Dream Destination” competition at the World Travel Fair in Shanghai.
Brand USA is the new tourism marketing entity responsible for promoting the United States to world visitors. This week in Los Angeles at the International Pow Wow Brand USA unveiled the nation’s first-ever comprehensive marketing campaign. The campaign employs a fully integrated marketing strategy to showcase the diversity of experiences available to visitors in the United States, NTA reports.
Brand USA was established by the Travel Promotion Act in 2010 to spearhead the nation’s first global marketing effort to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and communicate U.S. entry/exit policies and procedures.


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This is very off subject, but I had to make sure our friends (even our hypercon friends) in Danville know that they can go get a free cup of Starbucks joe today (Nov 4). Here’s the story:
SEATTLE — Seattle-based Starbucks is making fast changes — after being accused of breaking the law with an offer to voters.
Prior to Monday afternoon, Starbucks was promoting an ad that said anyone who says enters a Starbucks on Election Day and says that they voted would get a free cup of tall coffee.
Election officials for the state of Washington told KIRO 7 that rewarding voters with free coffee is illegal.
“No good deed goes unpunished,” said Nick Handy, director of elections.
Handy said there is a federal statute that prohibits any reward for voting.
Starbucks’ good deed can be perceived as paying someone to vote, and that’s illegal, Handy said.
“The way it is written, it expressly prohibits giving any kind of gift,” Handy said.
Handy said the intent of the statue is aimed at special interest groups trying to influence who and how people vote.
To fix the situation, Starbucks had agreed to give a tall cup of coffee to anyone who asks on Election Day.
A statement from Tara Darrow of Starbucks says, “We’ve been excited by the number of positive responses received about our free coffee offer. To ensure we are in compliance with election law, we are extending our offer to all customers who request a tall brewed coffee. We’re pleased to honor our commitment to communities on this important Election Day. We hope there is a record turnout on Tuesday and look forward to celebrating with our customers over a great cup of coffee.”
Story found here.
So, go vote, and then go get a free tall coffee at the Danville Starbucks! Good stuff. This is written under the assumption that Danville Starbucks is participating. If someone goes by there, drop a note here to let others know.
Meanwhile, here’s a picture of a cool Starbucks located in California.


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Taxi-hailing app Uber Technologies is paying $20 million in a settlement with the U.S. government over charges it exaggerated potential earnings when trying to recruit drivers.
According to the report, the charges also include Uber downplaying the costs associated with buying or leasing a vehicle. Reuters reported that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) contends Uber said on its website that drives made greater than $90,000 in New York and $74,000 in San Francisco when the actual amount drivers earned was $61,000 in New York and $53,000 in San Francisco. What’s more, the Vehicle Solutions Program run by Uber provided inaccurate prices for leasing and owning vehicles to use for their Uber jobs.
“This settlement will put millions of dollars back in Uber drivers’ pockets," said Jessica Rich, director of the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, according to Reuters. In a statement, Uber said it was “pleased” to have settled with the FTC.
“We’ve made many improvements to the driver experience over the last year and will continue to focus on ensuring that Uber is the best option for anyone looking to earn money on their own schedule,” Uber said. Uber is paying the $20 million fine and is barred from misrepresenting the earnings drivers can make.
This isn’t the first fight Uber has had with regulators of cities, but it’s been willing to play nice more recently. Earlier this month, it turned over a treasure trove of data on transportation, which may help officials reduce traffic during commutes and improve the flow of traffic. According to a report, the data, which Uber loaded onto a public website, reveals the time it takes to travel between different cities around the country at different times. The data comes from Uber’s logs of trips that millions of riders around the country take every day.


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New research has found that confidence among businesses is currently at its highest point in three years.
The Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Small Business Index reached its second highest reading since the quarterly index began in 2010. The confidence index recorded 15.9 points in the second quarter of 2013, 9.6 points higher than the start of the year.
John Allan, National Chairman of the FSB, said “After five consecutive quarters of year-on-year growth, confidence is moving in the right direction, Small firms want to employ more people and grow their business. They want to export and expect turnover levels to increase. This is all good news, but we must not be complacent.”
The Chancellor is due to deliver the Spending review later this month, and the FSB sees this as an opportunity to build on the confidence levels of small businesses.
John Allan went on to say “The Chancellor must use the Spending Review to build on this optimism. While there are positive signs, inflation and not being able to access finance will affect how quickly, and how much, small firms can grow and create jobs.”


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By the beginning of 2019 people who cannot get a satellite dish installed will be able to get Sky TV over the internet instead.
In the face of stiff competition from Netflix, Sky is making all its premium TV channels and content available online, a move that spells the beginning of the end for the humble satellite dish.
The broadcaster said that using the internet to send content to customers’ TVs will open up more of the market for them, including to people who can’t get a satellite dish installed at their house or flat.
Around 2 million people in the UK can’t get a satellite dish at their home, mostly due to flat leasing rules that prevent dishes being installed on the outside of their building.
“This is a major development for Sky that will open up headroom in existing markets and offer a future way into new markets,” a spokesperson said.
Sky already offers some of its premium content online and this week launched the NOWTV streaming stick that lets customers access entertainment, sports, movies and kids channel packages on any TV.
The plans emerged as the company announced its results for the six months to the end of December.
Alongside positive moves in the SIM Only sector – where Sky Mobile picked up an extra 131,000 customers – Sky saw pre-tax profits rise from £342m to £448m.
While Europe will be the first market to see Sky’s online content, the UK is expected to get it by the end of 2018 or beginning of 2019.
Sky has said that it has no plans to stop broadcasting TV via its satellites.
But if the broadcaster can do everything online, the days of spending vast amounts of investor money to launch satellites into orbit are no doubt coming to a close.


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Singapore – Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), the global leader in lighting, is providing advanced LED technology to two installations at i Light Marina Bay, Asia’s only sustainable light art installation festival. Philips technology is supporting two interactive works: "BEAT" by design and engineer firm Arup, and "iSWARM" by the Singapore University of Design and Technology (SUTD). Philips is also the festival’s Sustainability Workshop Partner.
"As the leader in LED lighting, we are committed to offering lighting solutions which improve people’s lives that are innovative and environmentally sound. i Light Marina Bay provides an ideal platform to work with top designers to showcase the new possibilities that digital and connected lighting deliver," said Mieke De Schepper, General Manager of Philips Lighting Singapore.
Urbanization is making our cities more populous and more numerous. This rise of cities has created competitive desires to establish a strong city identity with a higher quality of life and conditions for strong economic growth. An intelligent, connected public lighting infrastructure can enhance the livability of cities by: creating a resource-efficient city, contributing to the safety and security of all citizens, and establishing an attractive, vibrant image. In these ways, connected digital lighting will play an increasingly important role in our cities.
Philips Hue in "BEAT"
With Philips Hue, the world’s leading personal wireless lighting system, the creative team from Arup demonstrates the potential of programmable digital light sources in ever more meaningful ways through its light art installation "BEAT." Arup’s installation is designed to be inclusive, fun and promote sustainability. When people interact with translucent shapes displayed on the lawn, the installation responds visually, pulsating light and intensifying the colours as more people interact.
Philips LED lighting in "iSWARM"
Participating in the festival for the first time, the team from SUTD created a swarm of luminous "sea creatures" which detect passers-by and respond with changing light patterns, illuminating the waters of Marina Bay.
"Innovations in LED lighting have opened a new frontier of possibilities in green design and ultimately how our cities look and feel. i Light Marina Bay provides an opportunity to bring these possibilities into the conversation through interactive exhibits like the one created by our team from SUTD. Our partnership with Philips enabled us to take the exhibit to the next level, and we hope it makes people think about what light can do," said Thomas Schroepfer, Associate Professor and Associate Head of Pillar Architecture and Sustainable Design at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.
SUTD’s work utilizes 1600 color changing LED nodes along 32 strands of Philips Color Kinetics iColor Flex LMX lighting fixtures. The strands are designed to provide extraordinary effects without the constraints of shape or space.
Both exhibits demonstrate how Philips LED solutions can go beyond functional aspects of lighting such as safety, navigation and sustainability to beautify urban landscapes and increase city identity and pride.
Philips at Sustainability Workshop
Co-presented by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Singapore Green Building Council, and supported by Philips, the festival’s sustainability workshop will feature key industry leaders sharing how their innovations improve and inspire lives in urban cities. The Philips speaker, Mieke De Schepper, will share insights on the changing world of lighting and innovative ways of using light to simply enhance people’s lives where they live and work.
The workshop will be held on 26 March from 9 am to 1 pm at the URA Centre.


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Philadelphian Steve Gallo hopes to become "the Domino's of the video business" with his four-month-old all-delivery video store. Gallo said that his store, Video Express Enterprises, is the only all-delivery video rental outlet in the city. The store delivers popular movies to residents in all parts of the city -- except the north and some parts of of West Philadelphia -- from noon to midnight seven days a week. Customers phone into the store and one of about five employees provides them with a selection of available titles from a computerized list. If a customer is unsure about what they are looking for, Gallo said, the employee will go over each film available until they decide. The store also offers "adult features without causing the degredation of a neighborhood," Gallo said. Gallo or one of his employees delivers the movie and picks it up when the customer has finished with it. Gallo said he started Video Express Enterprises, based in a small office in southwest Philadelphia, with money from his own pocket. He said he realizes that his charge -- $3.99 plus tax per video -- is a little more than many other video stores charge. But he said he believes his store will be successful because it allows customers to stay at home and have their movies brought to them. The business caters mostly to "busy people and people with transportation problems," he said. Gallo said his business did well during the summer months. Ron Watkins, a manager at the Video Library on 40th and Locust streets, said he does not see Gallo's video delivery service as a threat to his store. "People like to come in and browse," Watkins said, adding that "a lot of times the box sells the movie." Gallo's store currently carries popular releases, and Watkins said he expects that customers will be drawn to video stores with more varied collections.Comments powered by Disqus
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