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Following a real marathon to deliver before the next EU elections, EU institutions have agreed on the first ever ambitious measures to address both land and sea-based plastic pollution. Seas At Risk considers the recently adopted measures as a first step in the right direction.
After months of intense negotiations, the EU has agreed much-anticipated laws to slash single-use plastics in the EU. The agreed text is a significant step forward in tackling plastic pollution, but does not fully address the urgency of the plastics crisis, according to Rethink Plastic and Break Free From Plastic.
“The EU deserves praise for being the first region to introduce new laws to reduce single-use plastics and slash plastic pollution in our fields, rivers and oceans. What’s less laudable is that the plastics lobby – backed up by some governments – was able to delay and weaken the ambition,” said Meadhbh Bolger, resource justice campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe on behalf of Rethink Plastic. “Citizens across Europe want to see an end to our throwaway culture and politicians have taken the first step. The time is ripe for Europe to transition away from single-use plastics to reusables.”
The final measures adopted  include:
- Bans on several single-use plastic items including plates, cutlery and expanded polystyrene food containers and beverage cups
- Ensuring manufacturers pay for waste management and clean-up of several single-use plastic items, including cigarette butts and fishing gear
However, the agreement falls short of what is needed to fully tackle the plastics crisis in key areas including:
- No binding EU-wide target to reduce the consumption of food containers and cups, and no obligation for EU countries to adopt targets
- A delay of four years on ensuring 90% of plastic bottles are collected separately – from 2025 to 2029
“The new laws are a significant first blow to the plastic pollution monster” said Delphine Lévi Alvarès, European Coordinator of the Break Free From Plastic movement. “However, their impact depends on the implementation by our national governments who must immediately adopt ambitious targets to cut single-use plastics, and ensure producers pay for their pollution. The public call to stop plastic pollution is loud and strong, it is unacceptable to ignore it.”
Tomorrow, December 20, national Environment Ministers are expected to sign off on the agreed Directive. Member States will have two years to transpose it into national laws, which should come into force at the beginning of 2021 at the latest.
 The measures adopted include:
A EU-wide ban of single-use plastic cotton buds, straws, plates, cutlery, beverage stirrers, balloon sticks, oxo-degradable plastics, and expanded polystyrene food containers and beverage cups
Extended Producer Responsibility schemes meaning manufacturers (including big tobacco companies and top polluters from the packaging industry like Coca Cola, Pepsico and Nestle) pay for the costs of waste management, clean up and awareness-raising measures for certain single-use plastics including plastic cigarette filters – the most littered item in Europe (by January 2023 for most items)
A possibility for EU countries to adopt market restrictions for food containers and cups for beverages
An obligation for EU countries to reduce post-consumption waste from tobacco product filters containing plastic
For fishing gear, an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme and a requirement for Member States to monitor collection rates and set national collection targets
Ensure all beverage bottles are produced from 30% recycled content by 2030
Labelling on the presence of plastics in a product and resulting environmental impacts of littering, and on the appropriate waste disposal options for that product
What’s not so good:
No binding EU-wide target to reduce the consumption of food containers and cups, and no obligation for EU countries to adopt targets either; instead, countries must “significantly reduce” their consumption, leaving it vague and open
A delay of 4 years in achieving the 90% collection target of beverage containers, from 2025 to 2029, with an intermediary target of 77% by 2025
Allowing for EU countries to choose to achieve consumption reduction and certain EPR measures through voluntary agreements between industry and authorities
A 3 year delay to make sure plastic drinks containers have their caps/lids attached to the containers – from 2021 to 2024
These measures apply to all single-use plastics listed in the Directive’s Annexes including bio-based and biodegradable plastics.
Posted on: 19 December 2018


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recycled:Original title: Single Lee○▪: China-US public opinion should not make the victory of the United States of the United States of America, Meet, said in the invictive Fox TV in the United States, the United States and the United States have reached an agreement•▪=, agreed to stop the trade war. This is the additional clear information of the United States to stop the China-US trade warfare▲…-□. In order to appease some of the radical US public opinion▪◁, Mnchi said some if China did not abide by the promise, the Trump government has the right to releasten tariffs in Chinas products. Sino-US joint declares that there have been some complaints about the “suffering▷▼…” in China and the United States. Some hostages on the Internet have asked: At the beginning•▪•, our officials and mainstream media toughly expressed “never compromise”, but now I decided to increase the import of imports from the United States, and there is also in intellectual productio▪-☆….
Original title: Xu Shaochuan Ren Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Party Committee member☆…, Standing Committee Guangxi Daily, March 27, the central government approved, Xu Shaochuan Ren Hui, member of the Party Committee of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Standing Committee. Source◆●☆: Guangxi Daily Client According to the official website of the State Administration of Safety, Xu Shaochuan=▽, male, Manchu○…•◆, Hebei Fengrun, born in July 1963, June 1984◁▼△=, Joined the Communist Party of China, participated in September 1982○▪. Graduated from the School of Management Science and Engineering, University of Petroleum University, and graduate degree•□-. September 1979 to September 1982, Tangshan Agricultural School studying; from September 1982, in October 1983, he served as Secretary□=★■, Agricultural Technician○▽◆, Yangguanlin Township, Fengrun County◇▪☆, Hebei Province; ▽••.
Original title: What is the last look of the “301 investigation of the Chinese calendar▽□▪” 301? Source: WeChat public account “Da Baun News” On March 23, the Ministry of Commerce intends to increase tariffs on some of the products imported from the United States to balance the loss of imported steel and aluminum products to Chinas interests◆-△•. Since then★▲•, China-US trade war is officially started. The Trump Government moves mainly based on the 2017 US ★-□”301 survey” in China. Dashibai News (WeChat ID◇▪☆: Dabaixinwen) learned that since 1991, this is the sixth ☆◇▼■”301 survey” initiated by China. What did the top five due to? How is the result? Be a focus of people s attention●□▪. The United States has launched the “301 survey▽=▲” in China in April 1991…-•▽: Chinas intellectual proper?recycled cotton!
textile solution upcycled marine plastic

domain: news


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Sears Holdings Corp. is suing its own chairman and ex-CEO, Eddie Lampert.
The Illinois-based company — which formerly owned Sears and Kmart — filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York. It alleged that its controlling shareholder, chairman and CEO illegally siphoned billions of dollars of assets as the retailer spiraled into bankruptcy. (The company’s unsecured creditors first took steps to sue Lampert in January.)
“Eddie Lampert… in concert with and assisted by other defendants, transferred billions of dollars of the company’s assets to its shareholders for grossly inadequate consideration or no consideration at all,” the lawsuit read. “This complaint is brought to make Sears whole for these thefts of its assets.”
About two dozen defendants were targeted in the suit, including the billionaire executive and his namesake hedge fund, ESL Investments Inc. It also named Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who was Lampert’s college roommate at Yale University as well as a former investor and member of the Sears board of directors.
In a statement to FN, ESL wrote that it “vigorously disputes the claims in the debtors’ complaint,” reiterating that the allegations were “misleading or just flat wrong.”
“The complaint completely ignores that the company’s market value ranged between $2.5 billion and $5 billion during the period when these transactions took place,” the firm wrote. “ESL was a constant source of financing for Sears Holdings over many years, including through the extension of $2.4 billion in various secured financings to the company. These financings and other transactions involving Sears’ assets were undertaken to facilitate the company’s continued operations and implement its transformation plan.”
Sears’ debt holders have been vocal about blaming the retailer’s demise on Lampert, whom they claimed worked for his own gain rather than in the interest of the business.
The lawsuit called out the sale of profitable stores to real estate firm Seritage Growth Properties, of which both Lampert and ESL had ownership stakes. The stores — which were significantly undervalued by hundreds of millions of dollars — were then leased back to Sears. (Other assets that were sold off included Sears Hometown & Outlet Stores in 2012 and Lands’ End in 2014.)
“In an effort to create a false record to cover up their asset-stripping, at Lampert’s personal direction, Sears employees repeatedly produced financial plans reflecting fanciful, bad-faith predictions that the company would experience an immediate and dramatic turnaround from deep and mounting losses to sudden profitability,” the lawsuit reads. “Had defendants not taken these improper and illegal actions, Sears would have had billions of dollars more to pay its third-party creditors today and would not have endured the amount of disruption, expense and job losses resulting from its recent bankruptcy filing.”
Sears filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 15 after years of faltering sales and trimming its store count. When Sears and Kmart merged in 2005, the retailer had about 3,500 stores across the country and upwards of 300,000 workers. Last year, it was down to approximately 1,000 locations and 89,000 employees.
“Sears was suffering billions of dollars of losses annually and had not generated positive cash flow from operations for years,” the lawsuit added. “Sears, once one of the country’s dominant retailers, was falling further and further behind its competitors in a rapidly declining retail market.”
Lampert, who took control of the business in 2005 and still serves as chairman, struck an eleventh-hour deal in February to keep the 126-year-old company alive, promising to continue operations at 425 stores and save the jobs of 45,000 employees. He offered to return the retail chain to a position of profitability under a new entity called Transform Holdco LLC.
Why Sears’ Hometown & Outlet Stores Rejected Ex-CEO’s Offer to Buy Remaining Shares in Company
How Can Sears Stay Viable in the Long Run?


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Natchez CVB: Flood will have little impact on city
by For the MBJ
Published: April 28,2011
NATCHEZ — The Natchez Convention & Visitors Bureau is fielding inquiries from travelers about the impact to the area from the rising Mississippi River, which is expected to see an historic flood. The CVB says with the exception of Natchez-Under-the-Hill, the city would not be impacted.
The CVB reports a number of travelers with vacation plans that include a stay in Natchez, Miss., have expressed their concerns about the rising Mississippi River and how it could affect their travel plans. The river is expected to crest at an unprecedented level over the next month according to the National Weather Service, which could make travel difficult in some low lying areas of Mississippi and Louisiana.
Natchez, however, is situated on a bluff over 200 feet above the river, and will not be affected by the flooding.
“A portion of the area below the bluff will certainly be affected by the flooding,” said director of tourism Connie Taunton, “but it won’t interfere with any tours, events or businesses that visitors come to Natchez to enjoy.”
The Natchez-Under-the-Hill area will feel the effects of the high water, and whether that area will be accessible or not is yet to be determined. Under-the-Hill Saloon, The Magnolia Grill and the Isle of Capri Casino are the only retail operations that might be in jeopardy, the CVB reports.
Source: Natchez CVB
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The European central bank will conduct its press conference on January 24 at 15:30 MT time.
5 important things this week will bring us!
5 important things you need to know about this week!
RBA Governor Mr. Lowe Speaks (Tue, 01:00 MT time) – traders will get clues on the current economic situation to forecast the further direction of the AUD.
NZ Retail Sales (Wed, 1:45 MT time) – the forecast is encouraging. A chance for the NZD to recover.
Canadian Core Retail Sales (Wed, 15:30 MT time) – the forecast is unknown. Will the CAD get support in times of NAFTA uncertainties?
Jackson Hole Symposium (Thu, Day 1) – a big event where representatives of the financial markets and central banks meet. Clues on the economic conditions are anticipated.
US Core Durable Goods Orders (Friday, 15:30 MT time) – the forecast is encouraging. Chances for the USD to regain previous highs.
US-China talks are resumed. Parties will meet on Aug 22 and Aug 23 to discuss trade disputes. Let’s see whether they agree on something new.
Brexit negotiations are in the arena again. UK Brexit secretary will go to Brussels this week to continue negotiations with the EU. On Thursday, the UK will begin publishing plans on how to keep the economy afloat next March if no trade deal is achieved.
Some news on the NAFTA deal is in place this week. The forecast is cloudy. Any impact on markets is anticipated.
In December, American home sales slipped to their lowest value for three years…
UK employees’ pay surge reached another 10-year maximum and employment rallied by much more than anticipated for the three months to the end of November due to the fact that the UK labor market was still firm notwithstanding other signs of an economic…
Safe havens such as gold and Japanese yen declined as investors sentiment was boosted by eased geopolitical tensions…
On Tuesday, the euro tacked on because market participants waited for reports on inflation and growth in the euro zone, while the Japanese yen went down after Japan’s major bank told it would be more flexible in its huge stimulus program…
On Tuesday, the evergreen buck dived because the common currency bounced off and the UK pound managed to ascend to the day’s maximums reacting to reports that British Prime Minister Theresa May is going to take control of Brexit talks…


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Miss Kay coming to Chattanooga July 27 #DuckDynasty
“Duck Dynasty” doyenne Kay “Miss Kay” Robertson will be the guest celebrity for this year’s She: An Expo for Women, scheduled July 27-28 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The expo is presented by the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Miss Kay will appear onstage July 27 and will give a presentation titled “Faith. Family. Ducks — In That Order.” “We are very excited to bring Miss Kay to Chattanooga,” said Chattanooga Times Free Press President Jason Taylor. “When polling our readers and Facebook fans on who they wished to see at She this year, she was overwhelmingly the No. 1 choice.”
The A&E megahit features the Robertson family, a close-knit Louisiana clan that has made a fortune producing and selling duck calls. Miss Kay watches over the family and does most of the cooking. She is best known for her banana pudding, fried deer steak, crawfish pie and sticky frog legs. The She expo is a two-day event featuring more than 150 vendor booths offering new products and services for life and home. Vendors will be on hand providing food, information and entertainment. Sponsor Memorial Hospital will again man its “Oasis of Health,” providing free health screenings.
There will also be a fashion show featuring breast cancer survivors, presented in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Relish, a national food magazine, will return to the expo for cooking demonstrations, and new this year will be a Pampering Pavilion, where attendees can get mini-massages, pedicures and/or manicures. “It’s a weekend event that is a great opportunity to shop, hang out with family and friends and see top-flight celebrities,” said Lyndsi Lane, Times Free Press marketing manager. “It’s become a place for grandmothers, mothers and daughters to hang out together and find things that relate to them.” More celebrity guests will be announced in coming days.


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The New York Times just can’t help itself! This time they pulled conservative powerhouse Mark Levin’s #1 best-selling book, Rediscovering Americanism, from the #1 spot.
The Blaze reports:
Conservative radio host Mark Levin’s newest book, “Rediscovering Americanism,” has killed its competition. But that didn’t stop the New York Times from snubbing Levin and his book on the paper’s coveted best-selling book chart.
Levin’s book, released on June 27, has already sold more than 115,000 copies — a feat that is rarely attained in the publishing industry.
Levin’s staggering sales put him number one on the Times’ best seller’s list for hardcover nonfiction for the book’s first two weeks, but the newspaper dropped Levin one spot this week, despite the book’s sales being through the roof.
Who did the Times’ put above Levin? Progressive darling scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson and his latest book, “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.” The book, which has been on the best selling list for 11 consecutive weeks, has been in the list’s top five since its release, but was topped by Levin’s book when it finally hit shelves.
However, according to Levin, his book is still the best-selling nonfiction book according to Nielsen BookScan, which tracks book sales. In fact, Levin said on his radio show last week that Nielsen shows his book as the number one best-selling hardcover nonfiction book by more than 2,500 sales.
“That’s not a minimal amount,” Levin said Wednesday.


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An anonymous reader writes: Sony is expected to fire the opening salvo in the next-generation console war on 20 February. But can the launch of new console hardware rescue the struggling gaming industry?
"You're a creature of the night, Michael. Wait'll Mom hears about this." -- from the movie "The Lost Boys"


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Forfeiting profits is a worst-case-scenario for companies accused of trademark infringement. The possibility of turning over profits certainly is a threat that trademark defense teams want to avoid. The United States Supreme Court will be deciding a case that will provide clarity on when a disgorgement of profits is warranted thereby resolving a split in the Circuits. Specifically, the Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on January 14, 2020, on whether a finding of willfulness is required to obtain an award of profits.
Fossil Inc., a manufacturer of handbags, watches and other fashion accessories, is in a long-running trademark battle with former business partner Romag Fasteners. The two companies once had a business agreement in which Romag Fasteners supplied magnet fasteners for Fossil’s handbags. Fossil was supposed to buy these fasteners from Romag’s sole authorized manufacturer in China, Wing Yip Metal Manufactory Accessories. However, Romag’s contract manufacturer in China allegedly used counterfeit parts, not authorized Romag fasteners, in Fossil brand handbags. Romag alleges that Fossil “did nothing to guard against the known risk of counterfeiting” by taking steps to assure that its contract manufacturer was using legitimate, authorized Romag components.
In 2014, the US District Court for the District of Connecticut ruled that Fossil infringed upon Romag Fasteners’ trademarks. While the jury initially granted the plaintiffs’ request for an award of $6.8 million in profits, the District Court struck that award because “a finding of willfulness remains a requirement for an award of defendants’ profits in this Circuit.” Fossil claims that the infringement was accidental and, thus, no profits award is warranted. The District Court agreed that the infringement was not willful and, thus, Romag was not entitled to Fossil’s profits as an award. The case (and a related patent case) have made their way through the appeals process, with the Federal Circuit continuing to deny Romag’s request for profits.
A Supreme Court ruling hopefully will clear up confusion about whether or not companies can be forced to forfeit profits for non-willful trademark infringement.
The Lanham Act allows courts to award profits, in addition to other penalties, in trademark infringement cases. But the circumstances under which profits can be awarded vary depending on the jurisdiction. Currently, the Second, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth and DC Circuits require a finding of willfulness before considering whether a profits award is appropriate. The First Circuit requires willful infringement only in cases in which the disputing parties are not direct competitors. The Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eleventh Circuits generally include willfulness as one factor to consider in their overall analysis of whether to disgorge profits.
In fact, Fossil argues in its reply to Romag’s petition to the Supreme Court that “these differing standards in practice produce similar results: even where willfulness is “important” but not a prerequisite, the overwhelming majority of decisions upholding defendant’s profits awards involve intentional, willful misconduct. And ‘important factor’ courts almost never award profits absent willfulness.”
Both sides have their supporters in the legal community. The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) filed an amicus brief supporting the concept that willful infringement is required to award profits in trademark infringement cases. However, the American Bar Association (ABA), International Trademark Association (INTA), the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) say such a hard-and-fast rule is not needed. In its amicus brief, the ABA argues that “trademark law tends to favor flexible legal standards over bright-line rules.”
The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Jan. 14.


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Laguna Beach businesses got a boost Tuesday from city officials.
The City Council unanimously approved a summer moratorium on the enforcement of a ban on displays outside local stores. The action was taken in response to entreaties from business owners to help them combat the lackluster economy.
"A lot of us need something to get us through the summer," said Heidi Miller, owner of Tight Assets on South Coast Highway. "Outdoor displays make a huge difference in my business. Last weekend, knowing I was going to the council, I asked my customers what brought them into the store. I'd say that 90% of them said it was the displays."
The council approved displays only on private property, unenclosed areas in front of the shops, within the footprint. Displays are limited to 10 square feet and must not impede safe passage by pedestrians.


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Direct selling FMCG company, Amway India has refurbished its home care brand, Amway Home, replete with new product formulations, packaging, and a new brand identity logo to strengthen its presence in the fairly untapped and high potential home care segment.
The repositioning exercise is essentially targeted at educating consumers about the environmentally sustainable practices used by the company with its new tagline â€˜Powerfully Green for a Safer Cleanâ€™.
The new range of home care products for laundry, surfaces, and dishwashing have been developed using formulations that make them entirely biodegradable. The company also claims to be the first in India to manufacture products certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
While Amway is looking to engage with a growing number of environmentally conscious customers, the premium pricing range of these cleaning products might end up limiting its reach and intended customer base.Â However, for Ajay Khanna, AVP, Marketing, Amway India, this premium pricing is only a mind block, and there is a large customer base that is sensitive to the environment and demands superior cleaning.
William Pinckney, MD & CEO, Amway India also echoes similar thoughts. According to him, Indians have evolved in their buying habits since the time the brand came to India in 1998, and the premium tag associated with the company doesnâ€™t bother him since Indians today are willing to shelve out money to buy high quality products.
Being a global brand with a presence in several countries across the spectrum, significant customisation and localisation has gone into Amwayâ€™s global product portfolio to make it better suited and more relevant to the Indian buyer. While the companyâ€™s goal has centred on promoting global products in India, it has also developed indigenous, local products.
Pinckney points out that India is a country of many firsts for Amway. It is the only country where Amway offers value products and products in various sizes and SKUâ€™s to appeal to customers at different price-points. In terms of product categories, Amwayâ€™s personal care brand, Persona has products like coconut hair oil and disposable razors that have been developed specifically for India. On the cosmetics front, while the company has a super premium brand, Artistry, it has also launched another local cosmetic brand, Attitude, at a lower rung of the price ladder ( at one-third of Artistryâ€™s price range) so as to provide a greater choice to the value conscious Indians.
This unwavering focus on the Indian market seems to have worked well for Amway, at least from what the numbers indicate. In 2011, Amway India clocked an annual turnover of Rs 2,130 crore, a figure that Pinckney estimates to go up to Rs 2,500 crore in 2012 on account of its strategic initiatives. While not the biggest contributors, India is one of the fastest growing markets for the company and is the seventh largest affiliate in the world. â€œMy goal is grow between 10-20 per cent a year. By 2020, India will be among the top three markets of the world for Amway,â€ confidently asserts Pinckney.
At present, Amway India offers over 130 products in five categories — personal care, home care, nutrition and wellness, cosmetics and great value products. While Tamil Nadu is its biggest market in India, in terms of product categories, the nutrition category tops the charts with a 50 per cent share followed by the beauty segment at 10 per cent, and home care at around 7 per cent. With the increased focus on home-care, Pinckney expects its share to rise to 10 per cent. The company is also planning to launch a new range of cosmetics for India around August this year.
Strategy: Distributors doubling up as marketers
While Amway has a manufacturing plant in Himachal Pradesh, it is also planning to set up a new manufacturing facility in India, at an investment of around Rs 400 crore to produce nutrition and beauty related products. According to the company, 97 per cent of its product portfolio in India is manufactured within the country.
From a marketing and communication standpoint, barring a few television commercials, Amway hasnâ€™t been too aggressive in terms of mass media advertising.
According to Khanna, being a direct selling company, it relies more on live-demonstrations and consumer engagement activities by its sales force to drive awareness and build a consumer connect, as opposed to using the press. He explains that while Amway has used the mass media platform for its health, and to some extent, beauty products to build recall and inform consumers about the need for supplements, home care brands do not require such concept selling.
Short films, highlighting the product features and usability have been made, which will be used by the 5.5 lakh active distributors across the country to drive awareness about the new environment-friendly offerings.
Pinckney also feels that educating customers through the companyâ€™s business sellers results in a loyal customer base and works best for its distribution model, even though it takes longer than using a conventional marketing medium.
However, he agrees that the company is increasingly starting to look at the digital platform, especially the social media to attract the younger target audience and has also ventured into online trading.


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Canadians are doing more clicking and shopping than ever before, helping e-commerce sales grow more than five times the pace of overall retail sales in 2012 compared to a year earlier, according to new data from Statistics Canada.
Still, our online shopping penetration remains well below our neighbours to the south, which experts say shows Canadian retailers could be doing more to boost their online revenues.
The data released on Tuesday, shows e-commerce sales from Canadian retailers reached $7.7 billion in 2012, the latest data available. That’s an increase of 16.3 per cent when compared to $6.6 billion in 2011.
The statistics include items purchased by people in other countries but not Internet purchases from non-Canadian retailers, StatsCan says.
It also says e-commerce sales accounted for 1.5 per cent of total retail sales, which hit $502.6 billion in 2012. That’s up 2.9 per cent from $488.3 billion in 2011.
While Canadians may be known for spending a lot of time online, our ecommerce sales are still a lot lower than in the U.S. where ecommerce accounted for 5.2 per cent of total retail sales in 2012, StatsCan says.
“We are underserved by domestic ecommerce,” he says, noting that some of our largest retailers like Shoppers Drug Mart don’t sell online, while Canadian Tire has only just started offering consumers the chance to order products online and have them shipped to a nearby store.
Amazon.ca has been ramping up its online store, adding more than a million new products to its Canadian website in recent months, including items such as car parts, musical instruments and wireless products.
Stephens says Canadians are also well served by bricks and mortar stores, because our population is dense, concentrated within a couple hours of the U.S. border.
“Either stores are doing such a great job of serving us through physical locations, or we’re not being serviced properly by ecommerce,” Prophet says. “I think it’s a bit of both.”
It’s less surprising that Canadians aren’t spending at the same rate online as Americans when considering the pickup in the U.S. economy in recent years. Also, Americans are spending a bit more time online than Canadians for the first time in years.
A recent comScore survey shows Americans spent an average of 36.2 hours online each month, based on data from the fourth quarter of 2013, more than 10 other countries surveyed. The United Kingdom was just behind them at 36 hours, while Canada came in third at 34.6 hours. The average among countries including China, Russia, Germany and Brazil was 24.2 hours per month. Canada did rank first for average monthly visits, the survey shows.
A 2012 comScore survey showed Canadians were the most active online among, surfing the net for about 45 hours a month, well ahead of the U.S. at 38.6 hours per person. Back then, comScore said Canada represented “a fertile ground for digital marketers and advertisers.”
The latest StatsCan data from 2012 says about 40 per cent of the ecommerce sales came from electronic shopping and mail-order retailers in 2012, up from 38.6 per cent in 2011.
Another 34.8 per cent were from motor vehicle and parts dealers, which is actually down from 36.5 per cent the previous year.
The remainder of retail ecommerce sales came from electronics and appliance stores (7.1 per cent), clothing and accessories (4.5 per cent), sporting goods, music and book stores (2.6 per cent), and “other” retailers (10.6)
The report only includes Canadian retailers. Last fall, StatsCan did a report including wholesale trade, manufacturing and retail businesses. It showed Internet sales for these businesses rose 12 per cent to $136 billion in 2013, up from $122 billion a year earlier.
Sales in all three categories accounted for 61 per cent of the value of ecommerce sales, driven by large companies of more than 100 employees. It said about 13 per cent of companies sold goods or services over the Internet in 2013, up from 11 per cent in 2012.


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Wearable technology was once a thing of science fiction movies, but over the last few years, the amount of wearable tech on the market has rapidly increased. In fact, 2017 has been predicated as the year of wearable technology and as these items become increasingly popular and more innovative, businesses are left playing a game of catch up.
As a business owner, you may be wondering if investing in payment systems compatible with wearable tech is worthwhile, or if this is just a gimmick that will quickly phase out. However, with a quarter of payments now being contactless, it seems that they are here to stay. To ensure business is booming, prepare for a contactless future.
Smart watches have taken off across the globe, with functionality including health monitors, exercise trackers and payment methods. But now, researchers have gone one step further. As well as watches, contactless technology is now being incorporated into bracelets and rings, all of which allow you to pay via contactless methods. Unlike more traditional payment methods, wearable tech is innovation ready, and can be transformed with a software update, making a contactless card terminal for your business a solid investment. Contactless is also convenient for businesses and customers alike, with faster more efficient transactions.
If you thought contactless technology was just for credit/debit cards and mobile phones, think again. Across the globe, innovators have been developing clothing with incorporated NFC (Near Field Communication) chips – the piece of tech that makes contactless payments possible. For stylish business owners, there are suit jackets with chips embedded in the sleeve, or for cold winter days, how about a contactless scarf or gloves? There are also fobs you can attach your keys, so you can still buy lunch even if you forget your wallet.
Cards and Apps
The number of mobile phone apps offering payment services is continuing to rise, with customers now using app-only banks and wallets. This is a trend that appears to be here to stay, leading to speculation about the future of traditional payments. While cash is gradually becoming a thing of the past, developers are ensuring that cards are here to stay by creating an all-in-one card that stores information from all of a customer’s credit and debit cards, as well as futuristic credit cards that can dissolve when falling into the wrong hands.
From the rise in wearable tech to innovative credit and debit cards, it seems that contactless payment methods are here to stay. As such, invest in a contactless system to ensure that your business can compete.


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American Airlines has launched a new partnership with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to test mobile identification. Customers with TSA PreCheck can now walk through the airport with just their phone and face.
Launched at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), American Airlines AAdvantage members who are enrolled in TSA PreCheck can choose to use their American Airlines Mobile ID at select TSA PreCheck checkpoints to have their identity verified. The experience is now available at all DFW TSA PreCheck locations, with plans to roll out to select TSA PreCheck checkpoints at Miami International Airport (MIA), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) and later this year.
“We are committed to making it easier for our customers to travel, and airport waypoints offer significant opportunities for innovation,” said Julie Rath, vice president of customer experience, loyalty and marketing for American. “By simplifying the process of identity verification and other points at the airport, we are helping our customers trade stress for convenience and saving time, and propel the travel industry further down the path to ‘a truly seamless customer experience.”
Prior to travel, American Airlines customers with TSA PreCheck who choose to participate in this program must download the Airside Digital Identity app to an iOS or Android device, then take a photo of their face, scan their driver’s license or passport with the app, and enter their American Airlines AAdvantage number. The app then verifies customer information using Thales-powered mobile ID technology against records from each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or the NFC chip embedded in the passport. The app also securely stores the customer’s American Airlines Mobile ID on their mobile device until they choose where and when to share it.
At security checkpoint, customers simply present a QR code on their phone and consent to share their American Airlines mobile ID with the TSA. After sharing their mobile ID, customers look at a camera at the TSA PreCheck checkpoint. The TSA’s computer system then matches the customer’s encrypted image with their American Airlines Mobile ID. According to American Airlines, the entire process at the airport usually takes less than five seconds.
Once verified, the TSA erases the encrypted digital ID from its checkpoint readers and customers keep their digital ID on their device until they are ready to use it at another checkpoint, such as an airport lounge.
The launch was informed by earlier digital ID trials that American introduced in 2021 for contactless bag drop and Admirals Club entry at DFW. US customers participating in these trials have the option of using facial recognition technology instead of presenting a government-issued ID, boarding pass or co-branded credit card to check baggage or enter the living room. Since a passport or driver’s license is accepted, this trial provides broad accessibility for travelers to experience that easy next step in travel and offers a scalable solution for future national security touchpoints.
“We are grateful for the collaboration and support of our stakeholders in moving the industry forward to deliver innovative security screening solutions to help customers travel safely,” said Kriste Jordan-Smith, Director Federal Security, DFW Airport, for the TSA. “We will continue to take an agile approach to developing a stress-free and secure travel experience for TSA PreCheck passengers, and we look forward to expanding this technology in the future.”
Going forward, American will roll out similar technology to additional kiosks, baggage screening and domestic gates. U.S. customers can already verify their identity through face matching provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at several international gates today.


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Around 43 hours elapsed between me closing my front door after a few drinks with friends last Friday night, and opening it again to the UberEats driver on Sunday evening. Should I be embarrassed? It wasn’t even a guilty pleasure – bragging about staying in is now the new going out.
Two consecutive days of blank space on the calendar would have sparked panic this summer, when every second not spent Making The Most of the sunshine was one wasted. But now we’re burnt out, spent up, and TV has got seriously good again, it’s not just over-exerted introverts who’ve spent September social-downsizing and happily cancelling plans.
Childhood punishments (going to bed early, not leaving the house) are openly discussed as adult goals – even Kate Moss has quit partying and been raving about the benefits of binge-sleeping, while Fearne Cotton shared an Instagram post on Monday of the books helping her live the “in bed by 9:30pm granny dream”.
And the joy of not going out is not confined to those of us nearer 40 than 30; 82 per cent of 18-30 year-olds have cancelled plans with friends in favour of an early night and hangover-free morning, according to research released last week by Egoflex. A mattress firm no doubt has a vested interest in bigging up the merits of lounging-around – but then, so do many others.
Not pubs, sure, which are closing at a rate of 18 a week. Or the nation’s nightclubs, half of which shut down between 2005 and 2015. High street chains giants aren't happy, either, amid the biggest year-on-year drop in footfall for nearly a decade. And best not ask Jamie Oliver what he thinks of the ‘casual dining crunch’.
But wherever there’s a movement, there’s a market, and if we’re spending less on going out, perhaps it’s because canny companies have worked out how to give us what we want, when we want it, without even making us leave the house.
A report by American news site, Vox has cleverly christened this the ‘homebody economy’; namely, the booming on-demand streaming services and delivery apps that keep us spending in, and on, the comfort of our own homes.
Over a quarter of us are currently signed up to a subscription box service (whether for ourselves or as a gift for someone else), which will post just about anything – fresh flowers, fancy socks, flat wine bottles! – through our letter boxes on a rolling monthly basis, so we never need to remember anything again. A Royal Mail report, earlier this month, forecast it to be a billion-pound market by 2022.
Of course, we think we’re staying in to save. As Anna, a 40-something mum-of-two is fond of pointing out, three courses, a coffee and a cocktail in a non-flashy, neighbourhood restaurant will now “set you back the price of a winter coat”. And that’s before paying the babysitter.
But the desire for home-delivered meals grew 10 times faster than for appetite for dining out last year, and according to analysts NPD, the average bill for delivered food is only £1 lower than for a meal eaten on the premises.
JustEat reported that 10.5 million customers collectively purchased some £1.9bn worth of takeaway in 2017, while UberEats riders brought Parliament Square to a standstill on Thursday in a protest that their pay is going down despite orders going up. Business reports on Friday suggested Uber was in early talks to acquire its main rival, Deliveroo, as the battle to become the Google of food delivery apps intensifies.
“Deliveroo also does booze – why would you leave the house at all?” asks Esme, a 30 year-old working punishing hours in publishing, while spending all her disposable income renovating her first home with her boyfriend in south London, where she’ll probably then spend all of her time. Not going out doesn’t necessarily mean not drinking, it just means doing it at home: “Being forced to buy further out of town plays a part, who wants to commute for an hour home from the pub/club?”
Not if you can bring the bar to you. Nadia McCowan Hill, wayfair.co.uk’s style adviser, says searches on the website for retro bar and drinks trolleys are up by 540 per cent year-on-year, while many high-end kitchens now come complete with sunken ‘champagne baths’, probably to complement the high-end home cinema trend.
For those stuck with a fridge and a flat-screen, part of the beauty of the homebody economy is curating your perfect evening of home entertainment without having to queue, or compromise, or interact with strangers. Hello, rocketing rates of social anxiety.
Netflix was the original anti-social-enabler, credited with creating the ‘binge-watch’ when it launched in the UK in 2012. Its profits are hazy (it actually got a tax rebate last year, as it funnels most of its revenues through the Netherlands) but nearly 40 per cent of UK households now subscribe to either its streaming service, Now TV or Amazon Prime Video. (Some, ahem, have all three.)
Amazon often cross-pollinates discounts on movie rentals with snack orders from its Prime Now service, which promises to deliver thousands of groceries within a two-hour window, like Ocado on speed.
Although they are cagey about customer numbers, since Prime Now launched inside the M25 in 2015, it now covers more than 30 per cent of the UK population, from Surrey to South Yorkshire – where, PR manager Jess Turner tells me, one lucky user received the Amazon Echo they’d ordered in 16 minutes from click to delivery.
In the name of research, I placed an 8.24am order a few things I’d forgotten from my last, rather more sedate online shop: an eclectic mix of bin bags, Jalapeno houmous and a bottle of Campari, to get me over the £15 minimum spend.
The first available slot is 10am-12pm, and for a £2.07 delivery fee (on top of an existing £79-a-year Prime membership) my odd shop is at my door by 11.35am. “What a time to be alive,” deadpans a friend when I send pictorial evidence – but it's perhaps a good job I wasn’t after an emergency aperitivo for breakfast.
Bevy, a courier app which bills itself as a beverage butler, does an even brisker trade, promising to deliver impulse-bought booze, mixers, e-cigarettes, snacks (plus a female aphrodisiac called ‘Pounce’, if it’s that kind of night in) within 30-60 minutes in central London.
“Late July, early August is dead, as everyone’s out or on holiday,” says co-founder, Kevin Covar. But now they’re back in business, and the bulk of their 7-9pm orders come from the ‘can’t be bothered to pop to the shops’ crew, who are settling in for the night, and “often answer the door in their PJs.”
Ah, posh PJs. Did a night in even happen if it didn’t feature a Diptyque candle, South Korean sheet mask and highly instagrammable Desmond & Dempsey sleepwear? They would probably like you to think not.
Homes themselves, meanwhile, are even more fashionable than fashion - Orla Kiely’s clothes line bit the dust on Monday, but the candles, towels, clocks and bedsheets will keep filling the John Lewis website.
So-called ‘rentysomethings’ may have to share houses, but they still shell out on home comforts, and following the success of H&M Home and Zara Home, more high street brands are after a slice of the interiors pie. River Island’s new RI Home range launches on Tuesday, while according to Drapers, Asos has been busy recruiting designers to deliver its own-brand collection of textiles and ceramics next year.
Besides having spent all her cash on her own home, Esme has one final thought on what’s keeping her in: her Fitbit addiction. A bit of a puzzle, given not going out must make it harder to reach 10,000 steps?
“I think when you track sleep there’s less incentive to go out; I feel furious when I mess up my week’s goal,” she clarifies, with the zeal of an obsessive who now ‘logs’ naps. “Bed wins.”
Soon, there may be enough homebody services to mean she never needs to leave it at all.


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Pikmin 4 Has Finally Been Revealed
After ten years.
Years after we last heard about it, Nintendo has finally revealed that Pikmin 4 is real and coming in 2023.
Announced during today's Nintendo Direct, Shigeru Miyamoto took to the stage to announce the new game, that will arrive an entire decade after the release of Pikmin 3 on the Wii U.
It's been a very long, very quiet road for Pikmin 4. As far back as 2015, Shigeru Miyamoto said the game was "very close to completion". By 2016 it had fallen down the list of priorities, and in 2017 it was still progressing – but we hadn't heard anything else about the game until today.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.


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Halo Notes from Bungie
8:49 AM | Eddie Park | Comment on this story
The recently-released media of Halo in action was less than brilliant in the eyes of some fans, causing them to wonder what was going on in the development cycle. Halo.Bungie.Org decided to look further into the matter by questioning Bungie's Community spokesperson Matt Soell on the subject.
Soell does his best to resolve possible fears about Halo's development. He's quick to point out that the new movies were actually put together by the Microsoft PR department, and also notes that a lot of Halo's finer details were left out of recent media shots.
The issue of multiplayer is also addressed:
[HBO]: John Howard made some pretty frightening comments to the effect that there might not be a multiplayer aspect to Halo (unless Gamespot completely misquoted him) - How possible is this, and what happened?
[MS]: I think John was attempting to follow the long Bungie tradition of not promising a whole lot when things aren't 100% definite.
There are some important Xbox networking questions that don't have definite answers yet. Until we get those answers, we don't want to make promises about networking.
We're still working on multiplayer (and I would amend John's comments so they read "there are two people working FULL-TIME on multiplayer"). We're just waiting for some answers before we shoot our mouths off.
halo.bungie.org - Interview with Matt Soell
For those who viewed the recent Halo media releases and wondered what was going on, or for those that are looking for more Halo details, be sure to read the rest of the interview.
Halo - Official Site
Halo: Combat Evolved
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Getting Ahead of Holiday Shortages This Season
Christmas is just a few months away. Usually, retailers make the biggest sales during this period, accounting for up to 19% of their annual sales.
However, things will be a little different this holiday season, thanks to the post-pandemic effects. The world economy is coming from a standstill to a full sprint. There is a visible strain across all trading cycles, starting from manufacturing to supply chains. So, what should you expect? How do you prepare for the inevitable holiday season shortages? Here are expert insights into the 2021 holiday season shopping and supply trends.
Holiday Sales Are Projected to Grow at 7%
With many states having more relaxed COVID-19 restrictions than last year, it will be the first time for many since the pandemic that shoppers will be planning gatherings with friends and family and exchanging gifts. For this reason, most shoppers are eager to splurge on Christmas gifts, electronics, jewelry, and new clothes, increasing demand for gifts and other holiday essentials. Research experts such as Deloitte forecast a sharp spike in year-over-year purchases at a growth rate of 7%, compared to last year when shoppers spent only $800 billion. MasterCard SpendingPulse also projects holiday retail sales to rise by nearly 7.4%, spiked by a rebound in in-store purchases. The growing consumer demand also has a hand on this.
Constraints in the Supply Chains
Thanks to disruptions in the supply chain, big fashion brands such as H&M and Boohoo are staring down at reduced profits this holiday season. Supply constrictions started way back in March 2021, when the country recorded the highest number of imports, post-pandemic.
The same issue extends to fulfillment facilities across the nation. Some can’t meet consumer orders due to missing products on shelves or congestion at ports and transportation routes. That means businesses that didn’t foresee this supply chain disruption will likely have their products stuck on boats or overseas warehouses, and shortages and shipping delays.
Be Prepared for Less Deep Discounts and Sales
Many of us love to shop at last the last minute, hoping for huge discounts and better prices. However, this won’t happen this time around. The holiday season shortages will take a toll on getting great discounted deals for many people. Consumers should be prepared for fewer deep discounts on peak shopping days such as Black Friday. And the global supply chain disruption could also result in higher prices at the check-out counter on a variety of products.
Shop Online Early to Mitigate Shipping Delays
There are delays in the manufacturing due to the pandemic and the delivery processes of many holiday goods such as toys, sneakers, and electronics. Consumers should anticipate their e-commerce orders to take longer than usual before getting fulfilled. Be sure to plan early to avoid delays in gifts and holiday necessities.
For more budgeting and shopping tips, visit our Financial Education hub, Banzai.


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While the road toll for riders in New Zealand has been improving, things have been going the other way across the ditch. Theres been a massive surge in popularity of scooters over there. Unfortunately, many of the new riders dont seem to understand the importance of wearing proper protective gear. The weather might be hot but some of these sights will make you cringe.
Motorbike gear to have safety star rating
Jun 01, 2018
It's well known the most expensive gear isn't always the best. The new safety rating system will make choosing protective clothing easier and more informative.


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PayPal and eBay Fall Victim to the Syrian Electronic Army
Hacking group the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) defaced pages of PayPal and its owner, eBay, in a “hacktivist operation” meant to draw attention to the e-commerce sites` absence in Syria, according to Mashable.
The homepages of eBay and PayPal in France, Israel and the UK were replaced with the SEA logo and a note reading: “Hacked by the Syrian Electronic Army. Long live Syria. F**k the United States government.”
The group also modified the DNS records of ebay.co.uk and paypal.co.uk, which permitted the hackers to shut down the website and redirect traffic to another server.
On Twitter, the SEA shared screenshots of the admin panels of eBay and PayPal France. They also posted the following message: “If your PayPal account is down for a few minutes, think about Syrians who were denied online payments for more than 3 years. #SEA”.
The hackers did not target users. “We didn’t do it to hack people accounts,” an SEA member told Mashable.
PayPal confirmed today that no user was affected.
“For a brief period today, a very limited number of people visiting certain PayPal and eBay marketing pages in the UK, France and India were redirected,” Anuj Nayar, PayPal’s Senior Director of global initiatives, told Mashable. “The issue was quickly detected and resolved. No customer data was accessed by these redirects, and no customer accounts were affected.”
The SEA is responsible for high-profile cyber-attacks against sites of the BBC News, The Associated Press, National Public Radio, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Washington Post, CNN and Microsoft.
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Google has vowed to not misuse the sensitive health data it obtained with its $2.1 billion Fitbit acquisition for ad targeting to ward off a full-scale antitrust probe in Europe, reports Reuters. The search engine giant is potentially facing yet another European Union antitrust investigation, and reportedly had an option to placate most of these concerns if it pledges to not compromise existing Fitbit users’ privacy or exploit their fitness information for ads.
“This deal is about devices, not data. We appreciate the opportunity to work with the European Commission on an approach that safeguards consumers’ expectations that Fitbit device data won’t be used for advertising,” Google told Digital Trends in an emailed statement.
Google had until July 13 to offer concessions and after reviewing comments from an expansive panel, Europe’s competition watchdog is set to reveal its decision on Monday, July 20. The pledge, however, doesn’t guarantee immunity for Google and there is a chance the company could still end up in a four-month-long antitrust probe.
“The wearables space is crowded, and we believe the combination of Google and Fitbit’s hardware efforts will increase competition in the sector, benefiting consumers and making the next generation of devices better and more affordable,” added the Google spokesperson.
Since Google announced the acquisition in November 2019, the deal has drawn sharp criticism from regulators and privacy advocates across the world. However, both the companies have, on multiple occasions, claimed users’ health data won’t be abused for ad targeting.
Google also said Fitbit users will have the option to “review, move, or delete their data.” “We will never sell personal information to anyone. Fitbit health and wellness data will not be used for Google ads,” Google’s hardware chief, Rick Osterloh, wrote in a blog post at the time.
Earlier this month, as per The Financial Times, Google and Fitbit were sent 60-page questionnaires to assess whether the deal will stifle competition by disadvantaging other fitness tracking apps on the Play Store, how Google could employ the treasure trove of health data to improve online search and advertising, and how it will impact the search engine company’s growing health care business.
Similarly, the Google-Fitbit merger is under scrutiny in the United States as the Department of Justice has reportedly opened an antitrust review.
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- Google Maps expands super-useful feature for mass transit


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Applied Micro: Get lost, PowerPC! We're flinging 64-bit ARM HeliX cores at robots next year
HP's Moonshot buddy is getting boisterous
ARM TechCon Applied Micro revealed today that it will ship 64-bit ARM-compatible embedded processors dubbed HeliX sometime next year – leaving behind its legacy PowerPC range of chips.
"HeliX is sampling today and it will ship in 2015. We will have production parts shipping that year. It's a done deal," Applied Micro CEO Paramesh Gopi said at ARM TechCon in Santa Clara, California on Wednesday. Cisco, Netgear and HP are understood to be mulling over the new silicon for their products.
The new parts are essentially the company's X-Gene 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture, used in HP Moonshot servers, but cut down to fit embedded devices. Applied Micro is dreaming of Helix SoCs in robots, document scanners, network switches, and so on; mobile phones and tablets need not apply.
"We're taking the same technology in X-gene, and all its reliability, and taking it to the embedded space. This is not just a PowerPoint. Go touch the systems. They're real," Gopi said, gesturing out toward the TechCon expo space.
He also took a swipe at his FinFET-fabricating rivals: "We don't have to build you a FinFET to give you a fan-less product."
Feeds and speeds
Applied Micro's first new design, the APM887208-H1 HeliX system-on-chip (SoC), comes with four or eight ARMv8-A cores running up to 2.4GHz, a shared 8MB L3 cache with the usual coherency controls, and two DDR3 RAM controllers.
Also baked into the silicon are hardware to accelerate AES and other algorithms used in IPsec, SSL, TLS and DTLS encryption; a random number generator; a DMA engine with RAID 5/6 offload; four ARM Cortex-A5 coprocessors to soak up extra work; two 10GE controllers; four 1GE interfaces with classification and virtualization; up to five PCIe gen-3 controllers; USB 3.0; six SATA 3.0 ports; four serial ports; GPIOs and JTAG; and a partridge in a pear tree.
The chips are fabricated using a 40-nanometer process. The four-core version has a thermal design point (TDP) of 25W, while the eight-core package has a TDP of 42W. It's supposed to be a workhorse in storage and communications gear.
Meanwhile, the APM887104-H2 HeliX SoC has two to four 64-bit ARMv8-A cores, clocking up to 2.0GHz; virtualized I/O; a low-power standby state below 250mW; the same sort of offload accelerators as the H1; two USB 3.0 host interfaces; three PCIe gen-3 controllers; one SATA 3.0 port; and 2MB of shared L3 cache.
This part is built using a 28-nanometer process, and is essentially a lower-power version of the H1. It should have a TDP of 8W with two cores and 16W with four cores.
While Applied Micro licensed ARM's 64-bit architecture for servers back in 2010, it's been dabbling with IBM's PowerPC chips for embedded products – until now, that is. The love story is over, it seems, and Applied Micro is throwing itself head first into the ARM world.
"We're taking our PowerPC heritage and using it as a stepping stone: we're really changing all of our embedded-based business to be an ARM 64-bit-based business," said Gopi.
"HeliX represents an exciting part of our base business, and it's catching up with our server target market. Embedded is a huge market for us, and now we're leveraging what we already have to move into new markets."
Speaking of which, Gopi identified four markets where he hopes HeliX SoCs will find homes: networking gear such as routers and switches, document-scanning and other imaging products, data center storage rigs, and industrial control systems such as robots for assembly lines and power plants.
It's ARM TechCon, so obviously everyone's hyped up on the Brit processor core design biz's Kool-Aid. The mood appears to be that developers are weary of supporting all of PowerPC, MIPS, and ARM in their codebases, preferring to pick just one.
"We want to buy chips from a number of [silicon] vendors, but reduce the number of architectures we have to support," said Pradeep Kathail, Cisco's chief software architect in its network operating system group.
"There's very little going on in PowerPC, and limited things going on in MIPS. So the ARMv8 architecture makes sense to us. Routing tables these days are huge. We need 64-bit and we need ARM's power efficiencies.
"For networking gear, what's in the system-on-chip is very important: we need crypto acceleration, and the ability to distribute workloads over multiple cores and offload engines. But we need to make sure we have communality across all the system-on-chips, so we don't have to port our code to each SoC. For the software, each chip must look the same."
Keith Shea, VP of alliances and business development at embedded OS maker Wind River, agreed, adding that 64-bit workloads are becoming commonplace across multiple industries.
"In automotive, and IoT as it expands, and in the communications space, 64-bit is becoming a more obvious choice for compute workloads, which are being pushed to the edges of networks," Shea said. "To get a small footprint and power efficiency, it makes sense to adopt ARMv8. It's the power of the ecosystem; that community alone is enough to attract developers." ®


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Cosmetic surgeon and hotelier Jerry Schwartz is purchasing the Sydney Darling Harbour Sofitel hotel from developer Lend Lease for approximately $368 million.
The 616-room property, which has yet to be built, was developed by Lend Lease and will be operated by Accor, according to the Property Observer. The 35-floor hotel forms part of the $2.5-billion international convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct Lend Lease is developing for Sydney's Darling Harbour. The deal was brokered by Michael Simpson of Savills.
To finance the property, Schwartz is selling some of his other real estate. He already sold his Deepwater Plaza shopping center for $98 million, and is looking to part ways with his Holiday Inn at Sydney's Mascot Airport hotel.
According to Business Traveller, the Sofitel property will open in 2017, though the attached Sydney International Convention Centre will open one year earlier. The convention center will have 116,000 square feet of exhibition space, the largest in Australia.
"Foreign capital, higher disposable incomes and independent Chinese travellers are fuelling the growth, and in recent months, Australia has seen strong demand from offshore investors for five-star hotel assets," Simon McGrath, Accor's Pacific COO told Business Traveller. "Financial institutions from leading economies such as Abu Dhabi, Korea and Singapore have been acquiring hotels in Sydney, driven by the huge potential in the Australian luxury market."
Schwartz expressed interest in erecting a heliport atop the hotel, with the goal of transporting "high tier" guests to and from the Sydney Airport while also leaving it open to public use. “Such helipads are available in cities like New York and London, and it will significantly benefit Sydney’s business and convention profile,” Schwartz told The Australian.
This move could create potential friction with the local community, as the addition of a helipad means more external lighting to the hotel, and the possibility of noise concerns from helicopter traffic.
The Schwartz Family Company owns 3000 hotel rooms in Australia, including the Mercure Sydney and the Ibis King Street Wharf.


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Following the announcement of its US stores closing down and looming bankruptcy reports, Arcadia Group (parent company of Topshop, Topman, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, and other brands under its umbrella) will close down physical stores in other countries as well, the Philippines included.
On a post made by Topshop on their Instagram account, the British fashion retailer announced that the brand is now part of Asos.com, a one-stop fashion website. On a report made by the Insider, Asos was said to have also bought few of the company’s sister brands like Miss Selfridge, Topman, and HIIT for $364 million.
In the Philippines, as of date, Topshop and Topman stores in Mall of Asia are still operational, carrying sale products from the retail brand. Online, the brands are currently still being carried by Zalora, another e-retailer. The group has announced complete closure of its remaining stores by April 2021.
Featured image source: Shutterstock


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Nokia India has announced a unique partnership with New India Assurance (NIA), wholly owned by the Govt. of India. The partnership will provide Nokia’s consumers the benefits of a highly affordable and comprehensive handset insurance plan to safeguard them against risks of mobile handset loss and damage. This includes thefts, burglary, malicious acts, riots among others, as well as damage that is beyond the purview of the consumer’s standard warranty. The insurance plan also covers accidental damage to the exterior/interior components, damage caused by external impact on the device due to dropping and damage caused by accidental entry of fluid in the device’s internal circuitry.
Starting from a minimum insurance premium of just Rs. 50/-, the plan will cost 1.25% of the purchased handset’s value. To avail of this insurance plan, consumers purchasing their handsets from a Nokia Branded Retail Store have to provide a few personal details and receive their insurance certificate, handout and payment receipt at the store itself.
The plan will be available March 14, 2013 onwards on all Nokia devices purchased through Nokia Branded Retail stores across the country, initially in Delhi and the National Capital Region, Jaipur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Cochin.
In order to enhance the consumer experience further, New India Assurance and Nokia have mutually agreed and tied up with an IRDA Licensed “Insurance Broker”, which is facilitating and administering the plan by way of providing Value Added Services exclusively to Nokia consumers. Consumers can avail of these services at an additional fee of Rs. 50/- per device irrespective of the device cost. In order to report claims with New India Assurance Company Limited, customers have to contact the call centre managed by the “Insurance Broker”. The value added services include:
- Free pickup and drop services in six cities, viz., Delhi & NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad Chennai and Kolkata. This includes free pick up (within 24 hours of a call being registered) and drop of the device in case of damage, or of documents in case of loss or theft. In case of thefts, consumers will need to file a written report with police authorities and report the loss of SIM to the concerned network service provider and acknowledgement to be furnished.
- Cashless service. Cashless service will allow claimants to submit their devices at the nearest authorised service centre and have their claims processed. If the damage is within purview of Insurance, the device will be repaired and be delivered back to the consumer at his door step.
- Standby devices and chargers: In the interim period, consumers will also be provided with standby handsets and chargers.
The above arrangement between Nokia and The New India Assurance company was necessitated because in 2012, 43 per cent Indians have had their mobile phone lost or stolen, with the majority (59 per cent) losing it, as per Norton Mobile Survey of 2012.


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It is an unfortunate reality, but for some, Christmas can be the hardest time of year.
With increased financial strain brought about by presents, travel and food bills – the festive season can be crippling for those among us already struggling to make ends meet.
This is why when one Wellington couple awoke to find their car tyres had been slashed overnight, the collateral damage was far greater than the vandal may have realised.
What the offender probably didn't realise was the couple had been going through some tough times.
In and out of hospital 30 times throughout this year, Josh Carwell-Cooke has spent that time coming to terms with Crohn's disease along with diabetes and pancreatitis.
"It all hit the wall about the beginning of last year, but I'm slowly getting there," he says.
In an open letter left on his car's windscreen, Mr Carwell-Cooke states how the act of cruelty had ruined Christmas for him and his partner Amber, forcing them to spend money they had reserved for presents and travel to see family on fixing the vehicle.
Both initially from Palmerston North, the couple almost saw their plans to travel around the country visiting family totally dismantled.
That was however, until one neighbouring resident, Rose Moore, decided to take to Facebook and do something about it.
Seeing the car and the message, Ms Moore took a picture and posted directly to Beaurepaires' Facebook page, asking the company if there was anything they could do to help out.
Beaurepaires digital marketing executive, Annabel Henderson-Morrell, says the New Zealand-owned tyre retailer jumped at the opportunity to pitch in.
"One of our staff members went out and met Rose and he replaced the two tyres that had been damaged there on the street."
But she says without people like Ms Moore, this type of thing may not have ever been acknowledged and fixed.
"Rose is the real hero of this story, and we just really wanted to say thanks to her for giving us the opportunity to spread some Christmas cheer."
Beaurepaires has extended their Christmas deed further than just a couple of new tyres, offering both Ms Moore and her neighbour a free car service at the Beaurepaires on Thorndon Quay.
It's a gesture which Mr Carwell-Cooke says has saved him and Amber from the Grinch who tried to steal their Christmas.
"I'm just absolutely speechless. Just after the last 18 months, a total stranger has networked this overnight. I can't put into words how much of a relief this is."


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* UPDATED – Discover the Top 20 best-selling models and Top 47 All brands *
New car sales in Australia are steady in January at -0.2% to 82,116 registrations, however this masks greatly varying behaviours by segments: passenger cars are down 4% while SUVs continues their climb, up a splendid 7% year-on-year to 27,679 registrations or 33.7% market share vs. 31.5% a year ago. Light (+15%) and medium (+13%) cars perform the best, with small SUVs up 18%. Toyota is master in command once again with 16.6% share, Mazda remains 2nd with 11% share despite sales down 4% and above Holden down 5% to 10.2% share. Hyundai holds onto the 4th spot it held over the Full Year 2014, Ford is down a catastrophic 21% to just 6.5% share while Nissan (+7%), Volkswagen (+9%) and Honda (+9%) all perform strongly inside the Top 10.
Mercedes once again knocks a the Top 10’s door with sales up an extravagant 28% year-on-year to 2,594 units and 3.2% share, mainly due to the success of the new C-Class and CLA. Jeep drops to #13 and sees its exponential growth of the past couple of years subdued at ‘just’ +14% to 2,283 sales, the main culprit being the Grand Cherokee down a harsh 27% this month. Audi continues to evolve at record heights with sales up 14% to #14, overtaking BMW up 12% to #15.
Leader in 2011 and 2012 but #2 in 2013 and 2014, the Mazda3 starts the race to the 2015 title of best-selling nameplate in Australia in front despite a January score 14% lower than a year ago at 3,903 units and 4.8% share vs. +18% and 3,472 sales for its archenemy the Toyota Corolla. The Mazda3 is used to strong starts early in the year: it has now ranked #1 in January for the third straight year, and reaching this level in January is in no way an indication of the Full Year ranking: the 3 ranked #2 in 2011 and finished the year on top while ranking #1 in 2013 and 2014 and ending the race in 2nd place.
After being shockingly outsold by the Mitsubishi Triton in December, the Toyota Hilux reclaims the #1 pickup spot in January at #3 overall despite sales down 8% to 2,331. Just as spy shots of the new generation Hilux are starting to leak online exactly a year ahead of its 2016 scheduled launch in Australia, the Hilux is bracing for a tough 2015 as the majority of its competitors will relaunch with markedly improved models. In fact, the Ford Ranger is up 10% this month to #7, the Holden Colorado is up 7% to #10 and the Mazda BT-50 is up 22% to #14.
Helped by its facelift, the Holden Cruze is back up to #5.
Benefiting from a dubious facelift going on sale on January 20, the Holden Cruze is back inside the Australian Top 10 and above its stablemate the Holden Commodore in 5th place with sales up 34% on January 2014 to 1,870. This is the Cruze’s best ranking at home since July 2013 and only its third time inside the Top 5 in the past two years. Notice also the good performances of the Hyundai ix35 at #9 and the Nissan X-Trail more than doubling its sales year-on-year to #15 thanks to the new generation.
Onto bad news now: Ford has refreshed the Falcon for the last time before local production is scheduled to end in 2017, launching the ‘swan song’ FG X generation last December. For its first full month on sale in January, the Falcon only manages a disastrous 381 sales across Australia, the worst monthly sales performance in the 65-year-old nameplate’s history. This is below the last low of 396 in October at a time when the previous generation FG Mk2 was deep in runout. All of the Blue Oval’s locally made vehicles dropped sharply, with the Falcon Ute falling even further (-31%) and the Territory down 6%. Add to this the very weak starts of the Focus (-44%), Fiesta (-40%) and Kuga (-43%) and Ford is on track to lodge an 11th consecutive year of Australian sales decline in 2015, an uninterrupted stretch since 2004 when it sold 135.172 units, reduced to 79,703 in 2014. Ford is paying dearly the price of stopping local production and is not assimilated as ‘truly Australian’ anymore by carbuyers here.
Original FY2014 post: Australia Full Year 2014: Toyota Corolla holds onto top spot
Previous month: Australia December 2014: Discounted Triton outsells Hilux
Full January 2015 Top 20 models and Top 47 All-brands below.


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The fire on board vehicle carrier RoRo Fremantle Highway (IMO 9667344, see previous story) has highlighted the fact that ocean shippers of vehicles have been playing “catch-up” when it comes to ensuring satisfactory levels of safety on large vehicle carriers containing an ever increasing proportion of cars that are powered either wholly or in part by lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries.
Electric vehicle fires, when they occur, come with the side effect of the danger of thermal runaway and explosion that can be far greater than the corresponding risk with petrol-powered vehicles. Hybrids, of course, have both.
It has been generally accepted that the existing guidelines and regulations for handling hazardous materials and goods were behind the times when it came to dealing with electric vehicle fire risks.
Manufacturers have steadily been reducing the risks of a fire occurring in a li-ion car battery, and the next step will be to attempt to reduce the implications should such a fire still break out.
A first step will be comprehensive guidelines that address the unique risks associated with EV transportation. Shippers will also need to ensure proper training for their crew members in handling EVs, including firefighting techniques specific to lithium-ion battery fires, analysts have said.
New regulations could require shippers to invest in adequate infrastructure that would enable crew to deal with potential EV fires during transit. These would include advanced fire suppression systems onboard, coupled with proper ventilation systems.
Insurers have, unsurprisingly, been in the vanguard when it comes to encouraging improvements in all aspects of risk when it comes to transporting EVs. No official estimates have yet been released as to the ultimate cost of the Fremantle Highway fire but, given previous examples of fires on board car carriers, an estimate of $300m to $500m total would not be ruled out of court.


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JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Backed by 14 years of tremendous growth, the South's favorite annual event for boat enthusiasts and riverfront festival-goers has been expanded and rechristened the Southeast US Boat Show (http://www.southeastusboatshow.com). A hotspot for Florida sightseeing and showcase for the latest and greatest in boats, the production formerly known as the Jacksonville Spring Boat Show this year features more vendors than ever and family-friendly entertainment from Fri., April 15 through Sun., April 17.
"My team and I are thrilled about the changes in the show, as are the many new vendors traveling here from greater distances to showcase products and services," comments producer Jimmy Hill of CurrentProductions.US. "The restructuring of the show, now in its 15th year, is better defining this major industry event and representing the boating lifestyle of the entire Southeast region."
Held at the Metropolitan Park & Marina on the St. John's River in downtown Jacksonville, the Southeast US Boat Show is ramping up for the big event. Vendors, attracted to the show's strategic reorganization and maximized vendor exposure and purchasing opportunities, are still registering for the showcase. The venue itself is highly convenient and adjacent to the EverBank Jacksonville Jaguar Stadium, offering paved parking to 80,000+ and a state-of-the-art fixed-floating dock marina, complete with electricity.
"You can't beat the facility of the Metropolitan Park & Marina, considering we've got everything from ample exhibit space to parking and, of course, the beautiful waterfront setting, which brings us together in the first place," Hill says.
A festival as much as a boat show, the Southeast US Boat Show includes many activities attuned to the boating lifestyle, and hundreds of new boats and quality brokerage boats will be on display and available for purchase. The show also features "Sailing Showcase East," the premier annual spring sailing exhibition on the Atlantic Seaboard, presented by sailors for sailors. This will highlight popular manufacturers plus unique sailboat designs and sailing gear.
CurrentProductions.US has made the event affordable for all. It offers extremely competitive vendor pricing, and attendee tickets are $10 per adult and free for children under 16.
For more information, including exhibitor packets and videos, visit http://www.southeastusboatshow.com.
CurrentProductions.US is the producer of the Southeast US Boat Show and the presenter of other established events, including well-known annual fishing tournaments such as the Mahi de Mayo and KOV Redfish Invitational. Multi-Marine Services, Inc., a division of CurrentProductions.US, serves as a complete resource for marine-related productions, specializing in television projects, special marine locations, water safety and specialized camera vessels.


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Many expected tickets for Ricky Martin's upcoming U.S. tour to be hot items, but the prices that some are asking for seats at sold out shows have both fans and the artist himself crying foul.Tickets for Martin's two October shows at New York's Madison Square Garden sold out in less than 30 minutes Monday morning, leaving many who had camped out for tickets or worked their dialing fingers to breaking point high and dry. The story was similar when tickets for shows in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami went on sale, but the situation in New York escalated as tickets with a face value between $35 and $95 turned up online with inflated prices ranging from $300 for nosebleed views to $1000 for center row seats. While fans expressed their displeasure in the press, Martin's camp sounded off as well, telling MTV News, "While Ricky was thrilled to learn that tickets for his 'Livin' La Vida Loca' tour sold out so quickly, he was extremely upset to hear that scalpers are attempting to take
advantage of the public by reselling some of these tickets for such outrageous amounts of money. This situation seems to be occurring in New York and Los Angeles and Ricky wants the public to know that there will soon be further opportunities to purchase tickets for shows. He'll be playing in those areas in the early part of next year."A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster told MTV News that despite precautions against scalping, they can't stop "the average customer from reselling their tickets." Disappointed fans might be comforted by the August 5 issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine featuring the singer and some naked women afloat, Esther Williams-style, on the cover.


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My Size, the developer and creator of smartphone measurement solutions, announced that two French retail brands, La Piece and Habillez-moi, are integrating MySizeID into their e-commerce websites.
Ronen Luzon, Chief Executive Officer of My Size, stated “We are pleased to add these popular French retailers to our client roster. Our strategy of expanding our footprint in Europe is bearing fruit.”
France online retail market at $129.0 billion
France is at the forefront of fashion apparel, which is estimated to reach over $9 billion in 2020.
It is also one of the biggest ecommerce countries in the world and has an online retail market that’s expected to reach over $129.0 billion by the end of 2020.
According to data from the Centre for Retail Search, online sales in France account for 6% of total retail sales and ecommerce accounted for 4.27 percent of the country’s GDP in 2019.


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Clash of Clans might be a bit long in the tooth, but it has remained as one of the most successful games in the mobile market since it launched almost five years ago. With constant updates and balancing changes from Supercell, the popular mobile game has managed to keep its prominence despite the arrival of more recent blockbuster titles. With a rumored May, 2017, update in the works, a new leak has emerged that appears to tease several new compelling features that would be added to the game.
The leaks, which were recently posted on a Clash of Clans subreddit, featured an image from what appears to be the Chinese CoC page, according to an iDigitial Times report. What was particularly interesting was the fact that the image contained a number of phrases, which mentioned features that have never been seen in CoC before, including what appears to be an upcoming Night Mode, multi-village accounts, and the introduction of water-based battles. A possible new, fast-paced game mode was also teased in the recently-released leak.


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General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS – Get Rating) – Analysts at Zacks Research said in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Jan. 3, that General Mills shares will be 1 share for the third quarter of 2023. Withdrawal of earnings per unit (EPS) estimates. Zacks Research analyst V. Bagree said the company expects his earnings per share for the quarter to be $0.86, below his previous forecast of $0.88. General Mills’ current consensus estimate for annual earnings is $4.12 per share. Zacks Research estimates General Mills’ 2023 revenues of $4.09 per dollar, 1Q 2024 revenues of $1.06, 3Q 2024 revenues of $0.92, 2024 revenues of $4.15 per dollar, and 2025 revenues of $4.15 per dollar. Announced Q1 revenue of $1.11, Q2 2025 revenue of $1.13 and FY25 forecast. Earnings at $4.40 EPS.
Many other equity research analysts have also published reports on the company. StockNews.com downgraded General Mills from ‘Buy’ to ‘Hold’ in a research report on Thursday, Dec. 8. UBS Group lowered its price target on General Mills from $88.00 to $85.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 21, giving the stock a ‘neutral’ rating. Morgan Stanley raised its price target for General Mills from $71.00 to $73.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in its research report on Tuesday, Dec. 20. Piper Sandler raised General Mills’ price target from her $88.00 to her $95.00 in a research report on Thursday, Dec. 15, giving the company an “Overweight” rating. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised its price target on General Mills from her $80.00 to $85.00, giving it a “market performance” rating in its research report on Thursday, Sept. 22. Two of Research’s analysts gave sell ratings, nine assigned hold ratings, and four gave buy ratings to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat data, the company has an average rating of “pending” and a consensus price target of $82.57.
General Mills Price Performance
GIS shares opened at $83.89 on Thursday. The company has an equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 0.58 and a quick ratio of 0.35. The company has a market capitalization of $49.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.51, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.34. His 50-day moving average for this business is $83.12 and his 200-day moving average is $78.42. His one-year low at General Mills is $61.67 and his one-year high is $88.34.
General Mills Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend payable on Wednesday, February 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 10 will receive a dividend of $0.54 per share. This represents his $2.16 dividend and his 2.57% yield on an annualized basis. The ex-dividend date for this dividend is January 9 (Monday). General Mills has a dividend payout ratio (DPR) of 45.09%.
In other General Mills news, insider Shawn P. Ogrady sold 20,019 shares of General Mills stock in a transaction that took place on Tuesday, November 22nd. The shares sold for an average of $82.50, and the total transaction value he had was $1,651,567.50. After the transaction, insiders now own 69,042 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,695,965. The transaction was disclosed in SEC filings available at this link. In other General Mills news, insider Shawn P. Ogrady sold 20,019 shares of General Mills stock in a transaction that took place on Tuesday, November 22nd. The shares sold for an average of $82.50 for a total of $1,651,567.50. After the transaction, the insider now directly owns his 69,042 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,695,965. The sale is disclosed in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on his website at the SEC. Also, his insider, Shawn P. Ogrady, sold 32,114 shares of General Mills stock in a deal that took place Wednesday, Nov. 9. The shares sold for an average of $80.50, giving him a total of $2,585,177.00. Following the closing of the transaction, insiders now own 76,045 shares in the company, valued at $6,121,622.50. Please see here for the disclosure of this sale. Insiders say he sold a total of 69,823 shares of company stock worth $5,683,271 in the last quarter. A company insider owns his 0.67% of the company’s shares.
institution inflow and outflow
Some hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently changed their GIS holdings. First Trust Advisors LP increased its General Mills stake by 162.5% in the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP said he now owns 4,130,154 shares of the company worth $279,694,000 after purchasing an additional 2,556,537 shares during the previous quarter. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its holding of General Mills shares by 56,697.1% in the third quarter. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board owns 857,636 shares of the company worth $65,703,000 after purchasing an additional 856,126 shares in the previous quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holding in General Mills stock by 15.6% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,227,105 shares of the company worth $421.7 million after purchasing an additional 842,191 shares in the previous quarter. State Street Corp increased its General Mills stake by 2.3% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 35,209,877 shares worth $2,384,413,000 after purchasing an additional 786,443 shares last quarter. Finally, Los Angeles Capital Management LLC increased its holding in General Mills stock by 686.5% in the second quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 885,938 shares worth $66,844,000 after purchasing an additional 773,301 shares in the previous quarter. Currently 74.48% of the shares are owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
General Mills Company Profile
General Mills, Inc manufactures and markets branded consumer food products worldwide. The company operates in his five segments. convenience stores and foodservice; Europe and Australia; Asia and Latin America; and pets. Offers ready-to-eat cereals, chilled yogurt, soups, meal kits, chilled and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flours, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream and nutrition bars. To do. , wellness beverages, savory snacks, grain snacks, and a variety of organic products including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables.
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The Korea Herald reports that South Korea’s Internet is the first one in world who has topped the 100 percent mark according to the data revealed from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The penetration rate of high-speed wireless internet service in South Korea amounted to 100.6 percent, the highest among the 34 members of advanced economies. South Korea was followed by Sweden with 98 percent, Finland with 87.8 percent, Japan with 82.4 percent, Denmark with 81.5 percent, Norway with 77.9 percent and the United States with 76.1 percent. What more to say, the world as we know is taking a shift.
I2Mag, an Internet & Design Inspiration Magazine having emphasis on empowering and inspiring people by spreading the waves of knowledge. I2Mag is an independent news source dedicated to covering start-ups, reviewing internet products, social media, digital culture and technology news.
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Ever reached into the fridge after a long day at work, hoping for an ice cold beer, and instead been greeted by an empty cardboard box? These days might soon be a thing of the past, with Carling’s launch of an Amazon Dash style auto order button.
Designed to be placed in the fridge, the button will sync with its associated smartphone app and will automatically add a new case of beer to your basket at the online retailer of your choice when pressed. Although it might at first seem like a gimmick, Alpesh Mistry, customer marketing director at Carling owners Molson Coors, insists that it has far more to do with building brand loyalty. “It is a scalable solution, that we see having a direct impact on how our consumers shop online and purchase Carling”, suggests Mistry.
Molson Coors found that when shopping for groceries online, shoppers very rarely look past the first 10 items to appear after searching, and in a crowded category like beer, they need to be given a reason to look beyond the brands that first appear. The beer button will allow Carling to keep more capricious drinkers returning to their product, rather than simply jumping between those on special offer.
(Banner image credit: Molson Coors)