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The rapid growth of ecommerce is perhaps the only recent news that isn’t shocking. With the coronavirus pandemic keeping us indoors for most of last year, 60% of our interactions with companies are now online. In the first 10 days of November 2020 alone, US consumers spent $21.7 billion online – that’s a 21% increase year-over-year.
But even without the effects of coronavirus, ecommerce was set to be on the rise in 2020. Internet sales have made up an increasing percentage of total retail sales year-on-year, growing from 7.3% to 19.2% in Great Britain alone from 2010-2019.
Between February and April 2020, internet sales skyrocketed from 19.0% of total sales to 30.2%, which should come as no surprise. But there’s a lot to learn about the digital-first world we’ve suddenly found ourselves in – and the more you know, the more you can make the most of this new retail climate.
The pandemic is changing the way we socialize and travel. It’s expected to change the way we work. And it’s already changed the way we buy: 62% of US consumers shop online more now than before the pandemic, and one UK survey even found that 74% of respondents across all age groups now feel comfortable buying products online because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Because of the pandemic, ecommerce sales have grown substantially in comparison to the rest of the retail industry – 36% of consumers shop online weekly since the outbreak of COVID-19, as opposed to 28% before.
However, ecommerce hasn’t been spared from the overall decline in retail sales in light of the pandemic. US ecommerce sales were expected to jump by 18% in 2020, but the same report predicted that total retail sales in the US would decline by 10.5%.
Tim Clarke, Director of Sales and Marketing for SEO directory site SEOBlog, told us that the ecommerce businesses he works with have seen a definite increase in demand due to this year’s lockdowns:
While the frenzy has simmered down over the past couple of months, we are still expecting a massive influx in sales as the holiday season draws near, based on the engagements we have been experiencing through social media channels and the trends in our ad campaigns.”
Prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in advance (we’ll be sharing some tips from small business owners later on). Increased demand could mean increased strain on delivery services – especially if there’s any winter weather on the way. Speak to your couriers in advance, and find out if they can collect on the 27th and 28th of November. And for your own convenience, package as many products as you can in advance of the actual weekend!
One unexpected industry that has seen a major shift to online purchasing in light of the pandemic is food and drink. Before COVID-19, just 9% of consumers shopped for groceries exclusively online. Now, 63% are buying more groceries online or by phone than before, and 86% are likely to continue to shop online or by phone when social distancing measures are removed. In the UK, average weekly internet sales for groceries more than doubled from pre-COVID levels.
During the pandemic, 60% of consumers have prioritized the purchase of essential items like groceries, while 3 in 10 consumers have also switched to brands that offer lower prices. But what non-essential retail items have still managed to fly off the shelves?
Ecommerce Sales in 2019
- Global e-retail sales surpassed $3.5 trillion
- Amazon alone accounted for over a third of all ecommerce in the US
- An estimated 1.92 billion people purchased goods or services online
- The holiday season drove $142.5 billion dollars in online spending from November 1st to December 31st – a 13% increase year-on-year
Global shoppers drove a 75% growth in digital commerce in Q2 2020 over Q2 2019, and even outperformed the holiday shopping season of 2019, which was considered one of the best sales seasons in recent years.
Pre and Post-COVID Forecasts for 2020
By now, we know that the pandemic has changed the way we shop, and caused a massive pivot to online retail. But what did the year look like before COVID-19 changed the picture? When asked in 2019, 46% of consumers in one PwC survey expected to spend more money over the following 12 months.
Then, Merkle predicted that in the last quarter of 2020, 79% of consumers would continue to spend more conservatively than they did before the pandemic. That said, ecommerce was still set to lead retail revenue: Online holiday sales were expected to reach $189 billion, which would mean a 33% increase year-on-year, while in-store sales were predicted to decline by as much as 6.6%.
What About Ecommerce After the Pandemic?
In a survey conducted by Salesforce, 61% of respondents say they expect to spend more time online after the pandemic than before it hit. Meanwhile, 60% say COVID-19 has changed their relationship with technology.
A whopping 96% of Americans have made at least one online purchase in their life, and 80% have done so in the last month. But the US actually comes second on the list of the world’s largest ecommerce markets:
Ecommerce clearly integrates foreign economies, too: 57% of online shoppers have made a purchase from an overseas retailer. Let’s see that figure broken down by region:
The borderless nature of ecommerce works well in today’s globalized world. The two top markets – China and the US – have large numbers of cross-border online shoppers: 149.42 million and 82.72 million, respectively.
For ecommerce stores selling both locally and internationally, being able to accommodate different payment methods should be a top priority. Digital wallets, credit cards, and debit cards are the top three ecommerce payment methods worldwide.
Let’s break that figure down by country:
The Rise of Digital Wallets
Digital wallets (also known as mobile payments or e-Wallets), like PayPal and Apple Pay, are on the rise as a preferred payment method – particularly in the APAC region. This is due in large part to the popularity of digital wallets in China: 81.1% of smartphone users in China use them, compared to 29% in the US and just 19.1% in the UK.
Given that China is currently the largest ecommerce market in the world, it’s no surprise that its two biggest mobile payment players – Alipay and WeChat – both recorded over 1.1 billion active users in Q3 2019. For context, that’s almost the entire population of China, which was recorded at 1.4 billion people in 2019!
But digital wallets are on the rise in the West, too. Mobile payment usage jumped by 77% in North America and 123% in Europe between 2015 and 2018.
Know which payment gateways your ecommerce website can accept, and know which gateways your customers prefer. The best ecommerce website builders offer integrations with all of the major payment gateways, and customers in the US will be looking for top platforms like PayPal, Stripe, and Apple Pay.
Cart Abandonment Rates
Knowing how site visitors prefer to pay is only important if you have paying customers in the first place – which brings us to the issue of shopping cart abandonment. Abandoned carts happen when a customer adds an item to their cart, but then leaves the website without completing the purchase. Over three quarters of shoppers will do this – check out the global cart abandonment rates by country for 2019:
Avoid blindsiding customers with unexpected costs during the checkout process. While sellers often can’t afford to waive shipping fees or other additional costs, what you can do is allow customers to calculate the total cost of their orders at the beginning of the checkout process. This way, there are no hidden surprises later.
In a 2018 study based on 900 billion web visits, 58% came from mobile devices, while 42% came from desktops. And when asked how often they bought products using various shopping channels, respondents in 2019 chose mobile devices 30% of the time, and PCs 28% of the time.
In Q1 2020, mobile ecommerce traffic grew by 25% across all industries, with mobile phones representing 56% of total order share and 71% of total traffic.
That said, mobile doesn’t come out on top in every ecommerce metric.
And when it comes to global market share, mobile and desktop devices are nearly tied at 48.62% and 48.88%, respectively.
Mobile shopping has been on the rise for a while. However, even though more than half of all time spent on retail websites takes place on a mobile device, sales made on desktops are still worth more money on average. Customers also order more products on desktop than on mobile, with item counts per order 24% higher on desktop devices.
So, Why Is Mobile Ecommerce Important?
Desktop devices lead in sales, but mobile devices lead in traffic – Google even added a site’s mobile-friendliness to its search criteria in 2018, reflecting the big turn towards mobile browsing that we’ve already seen. And this popularity means that mobile browsing is starting and ending more consumer journeys than ever before.
Shopping is an increasingly omnichannel experience – the frequency of multi-device customer journeys is estimated to be between 41% and 65% of all purchases made online. Even the best free ecommerce website builders allow you to design mobile-friendly ecommerce websites.
Mobile Ecommerce During COVID-19
45% of consumers say they’re using their mobile phone more as a shopping channel since the pandemic began in March.
In its May 2020 analysis of ecommerce data from 60 countries, PPRO found that Sweden leads the pack, with 60% of its ecommerce shopping being conducted on a mobile device. China follows close behind with 59%, while the UK and US conduct 55% and 39% of ecommerce shopping from mobile devices, respectively.
Mobile Ecommerce in the Future
Pre-pandemic estimates predicted that mobile purchases would be worth $3.56 trillion by 2021, making up 72.9% of total global ecommerce spend.
Like mobile browsing, new technology trends – such as personalization and localization, voice shopping, and chatbots – are also having a big impact on the customer experience.
By “customer experience,” we mean all of the interactions between a business and a customer that shape their relationship. This involves everything from web design to shipping, and it’s an important thing to invest in – 64% of customers say it’s actually a more important factor than price.
Personalization and Localization
In ecommerce, personalization means delivering more personal experiences to customers by tailoring their recommendations and offers based on factors like their browsing behavior, purchase history, and geolocation.
Localization means tailoring a website to a customer’s IP address, so that it reflects the customer’s native buying experience in terms of language and context. If you sell internationally, this is an important way to compete with local sellers in overseas markets.
Voice control devices, such as smart home speakers, are increasing in popularity all over the world. There are expected to be 8 billion voice assistants in use by 2023, which would be up from 2.5 billion at the end of 2018. A report by OC&C Strategy Consultants even predicts that voice shopping spending will grow to over $40 billion in 2022 alone.
Why is this such a big deal for ecommerce? Because according to a 2019 report from Microsoft, 40% of consumers surveyed in the US, UK, Canada, India, and Australia had used voice technology to make online purchases – that’s a major share of the market!
In fact, one in five smart speaker owners use voice commerce. And COVID-19 could easily accelerate the growth of voice tech: 52% of voice assistant users say they use the technology “several times a day or nearly every day,” up from 46% before the pandemic.
Voice assistants are an up-and-coming giant in the ecommerce industry – so it’s important for merchants to be prepared. When Adobe surveyed 400 business decision makers in 2018, 91% said they were already making significant investments in voice technology. But it’s important to plan for new challenges as well: Because voice technology devices are still so new, they’re more susceptible to security vulnerabilities and fraud.
Chatbots are a favorite feature among Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000), who choose live chat as their preferred way to contact brands. Millennials have a spending power of $10 trillion over their lifetimes as consumers, and together with the younger Gen Zs, they make the most purchases online of any age group – so chatbots are an important tech trend to keep on your radar.
It’s clear that Millennials like chatbots – but how does everyone else feel about them?
We’ve seen how chatbots can be convenient for customers. But they can be beneficial for merchants, too: Chatbots could save companies up to 30% in customer service spending, and companies in banking and healthcare alone are expected to save $8 billion by 2022 by using chatbots.
Multichannel Marketing and Social Media
Multichannel, or omnichannel, marketing means using a sales approach that integrates the customer experience across various channels, including text messages, social media platforms, and emails.
Today, the average number of social media accounts per person is 8.6 (a figure that’s grown 79.16% from 2014 to 2020), and US households each own an average of 11 connected devices – meaning it’s important to reach customers across as many of those accounts and devices as you can.
55% of online shoppers made a purchase through a social media channel in 2018, and in 2019, 87% of online shoppers believed that social media helped them make a purchase decision. Instagram alone attracts 70% of consumers looking for product discovery, while 77% of Pinterest users have discovered a new brand or product on the platform.
Customers can also purchase products directly through social media pages, which 30% of consumers say they would do. Some merchants are well aware of this trend: One in four business owners are already selling through Facebook.
And hey – remember when we talked about China as a massive ecommerce market? Social media purchases are already the standard there, with 55% of users buying goods or services directly on a social app.
92% of consumers are more likely to trust non-paid recommendations than any other type of advertising, which is why social media plays such a big role in customers’ buying decisions. But there are also other kinds of social proof that you can use to your advantage, including customer reviews – 91% of customers from the ages of 18 to 34 trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations.
Daniel Foley, director of his own London-based SEO consultancy, told us just how beneficial online reviews will be for ecommerce sales this holiday season:
This can be especially useful for companies who aren’t well known and who are competing with big brand names. Many people have had experiences with online companies selling items that aren’t quite what they promised, so making this feedback instantly available can help reassure that they will get what they are ordering.”
It’s time to talk about the biggest retail weekend of the year.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are in the spotlight as we wonder how the coronavirus pandemic will impact purchases. But it’s possible that some trends from years past may still check out…
While the UK has yet to match the US in online sales, both markets have shown a steady increase year-on-year.
This year, more than three-quarters of US consumers say that crowded malls would deter them from shopping in person, and 41% hope to rely on online shopping instead. The UK just about matches Americans on this view, with 71% of Brits reluctant to shop in-store this holiday season.
Black Friday in the US
While we’re used to thinking of Black Friday as a day full of doorbuster in-person sales, it’s actually been trending towards ecommerce in recent years. In-store Black Friday attendance fell by 4% from 2016 to 2017, and fell a further 9% from 2017 to 2018.
One survey conducted by the National Retail Foundation found that in 2020, US consumers planned to spend about the same amount on holiday gifts as they did in 2019. The same survey found that 53% of shoppers planned to spend more on non-gift holiday items (such as decorations) in 2020 because they wouldn’t be travelling for the holidays.
Black Friday in the UK
In 2019, 42% of adults in the UK planned to take part in Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In 2020, that figure dropped to 39%. However, Brits were still expected to spend an estimated £6 billion over both holidays in 2020, and those who did plan to take part were expected to spend 18% more on average than in 2019.
We know Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the heavy-hitters, but it’s safe to say that Small Business Saturday will also be taking place online this year. If you’re a local business, start thinking about how to get your community excited about your services. It won’t be a waste of effort – American shoppers spent an estimated $19.6 billion at independent retailers and restaurants in 2019.
We had to do a lot of adapting in 2020 – and making a few mindful adjustments to your ecommerce strategy could pay dividends. For inspiration, we asked a few ecommerce merchants what their plans were going into Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Use More Discount Codes
Michael Anderson, of the custom mapmaking company GeoJango, told us how discount codes elevated his Black Friday strategy.
“Our most successful tactic last Black Friday/Cyber Monday was to run discount code sales throughout the weekend, and to promote them through live chat on our website.
Basically, we had one discount code for Black Friday, one for Small Business Saturday, and one for Cyber Monday. The fact that we used different discount codes for each specific event helped to create a sense of urgency among our users, and we saw our ecommerce conversion rate skyrocket.”
Discount codes are a surefire way to boost sales any year, but especially in 2020. Calloway Cook, owner of the herbal-extract supplement company Illuminate Labs, told us he’s used discounts to adapt to a downturn in sales due to COVID:
“Let’s face it – most consumers are struggling financially at the moment. If you’re a high-end brand, it’s going to be tough to generate as many sales as you did last year.
We started offering an 80% discount on first-time subscription orders in a banner on our website, and saw a surge in recurrent revenue. This has been really crucial in helping us ride out the economic storm of 2020. We’d recommend any retailer selling at a high price point to try out this strategy if you have the profit margins to support it.”
There are tons of small ways to drum up anticipation before and even during your Black Friday sales. Samiksha Desai of Yummy Tummy Recipes said using a countdown clock on her client’s landing page increased conversions by 11%, while Karl Robinson of Logicata looks to the future to grab his customers’ attention:
“While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about discounts, offering a future discount through your purchase can really entice customers. For instance, a deal where you buy today, and receive a future voucher for 10% off on your next purchase, can really grab attention and allow people to continue the savings past one specific point. Plus, you could also be growing and strengthening your customer loyalty.”
Ben Bailey, of ecommerce strategy site Ventured, has learned that when it comes to customer engagement, simplicity is key:
“For us, one site-wide discount worked better than multiple discounts. Make things easy for your customers – buying from you shouldn’t require a calculator.”
That said, Bailey also encourages a concrete approach to email marketing:
“Email is king. Utilize your email list – readers are warmed up to you already, and have opted in. The holidays are the best time to blast your list, and don’t be afraid to email every day, or sometimes twice a day during the big sales. Last year, we did over 100k in sales from Friday – Monday. 40% of that came from email alone.”
Prepare Your Website
Even in today’s world, 46% of American small businesses still don’t have their own website – so if you’re reading this, you’re already on the right track. If you’re still preparing your website, you can find out how to build an online store and explore the best small business website builders.
But some Cyber Monday veterans can offer a few tips to handle the influx of website visitors you’ll likely get this holiday season.
Laura Fuentes of TV and internet company Infinity Dish says website speed can make or break your Cyber Monday sales.
“It’s best to make sure in advance that your site can handle the amount of traffic that will be pouring in on Cyber Monday. Shoppers can get really frustrated by slowed screens and glitches.
Unless a shopper is really intent on purchasing a specific product from your business, they will move on as soon as a glitch happens and look for similar deals with your competitors.”
Ecommerce sales were undoubtedly on the rise before coronavirus caused them to skyrocket, but now the future is decidedly digital.
There’s no telling for sure what we can expect after the coronavirus pandemic, but ecommerce statistics from both before and during the COVID-19 outbreak suggest that online shopping is where our attention should be as we try to look ahead.


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As we put one of the most tumultuous years of our lives to bed at the end of this month, it is happily time to turn our attention to 2021, and hopefully far brighter skies.
While the pandemic most certainly took its toll on the brick-and-mortar retail world, the new year provides opportunity to take stock of changes we need to make and new directions we may need to head in the coming year. While we looked at where the eCommerce world is headed last month, in this issue we take a look at how the physical retail world continues to evolve.
While dealing with COVID-19 still paints a rather foggy picture for retailers in 2021, we did see quite a few in the CE space make in-store changes in the second half of 2020, with an eye to winning back some of that lost foot traffic.
We spoke with a multitude of retailers, as well those that cover the retail space from a marketing perspective, and while all agreed the pandemic will remain an obstacle for the foreseeable future, the retail world beyond this crisis has everyone focused on the new customer journey.
It’s a Journey Today
“Today’s consumer is becoming far more technologically advanced and they are taking several different paths to purchasing,” began longtime retail consultant Martha Refik. “Retailers now need to think about how best to seamlessly serve these customer journeys.”
Refik added that there needs to be a more transaction-based strategy where the physical location can sometimes simply serve as a fulfillment channel. “This doesn’t mean that this is all the location serves as, that in-store experience needs to be a memorable experience, needs to be experience-based, but it also has to be a unified commerce experience where there is this obvious transition from what may have been the beginning of their journey online, to this actual buying experience in-store.”
Walmart made a few headlines in 2020 as the chain recently redesigned 200 of their supercenters with an eye on exactly what Refik referred to as a combining of shoppers’ digital and in-store experiences. The newly refurbished stores have added much bolder signage that reflects and encourages app usage, as well as self-checkout kiosks. The basic idea here is to take advantage of, as Refik reiterates, “inspiration that the consumer feels online over products, and try to instantly reflect that when they enter the store.”
Within the CE retail world, the experiential retailing Refik mentioned is clearly beginning to take center stage.
Selling the Sizzle
During a recent Nationwide Marketing Virtual PrimeTime event, Dos Marcos, the very entertaining team of Mark Quinn and Mark Kinsley, did a presentation entitled Driving Store Traffic & Creating Transformational Experiences. The duo are mattress retailers with a unique insight into taking a different look at the items retailers sell.
“When I ask mattress retailers what they sell, they typically say, ‘I sell mattresses or furniture,’” Quinn began. “And I always say, ‘No, that’s not the business you’re in. The business you’re in is sleep and life improvement.’”
Quinn spoke of how along with selling mattresses he also sells the notion of how important it is to get a good night’s sleep. Along with that mattress sale, Quinn has sleep specialists that explain to customers how to enjoy a better, deeper sleep every night. This goes far beyond simply selling a mattress, and the sale has now become a fun, helpful and memorable experience. Again, it’s that experience that stands in front of the sale that differentiates one location from the rest.
Gregg Richard, president & CEO of the longstanding and hugely successful P.C. Richard chain, has always been stickler for detail, and when it was time to update their showrooms, the man truly had a plan.
“We wanted our showrooms to ultimately help make our customers’ decision-making process easier, so we keep them clean, new, fresh, and up to date,” Richard says. “And we’ve expanded them into technology centers, highlighting home automation, using a lot of touch-and-feel tech and lots of interaction with products in the smart home category.”
Regarding the focus on customer experience, Richard had the customer service counters lowered, so their staff and the customer would both be at eye level, providing, as he explained, “a more welcoming, more friendly-feeling experience as people approach the counter, and providing a more comfortable area as online orders were picked up in-store.”
Displays have also been changed, incorporating softer colors, with a more wood-grain look, and a greater emphasis has also been put on the home automation aspects to many of the products displayed.
At the new Howard’s Marina Pacifica store in Long Beach, Calif., you’ll quickly discover a complete embracing of the “experiential retail” concept. The new 22,500-square-foot location functions as a luxury brand showroom featuring demonstrations of technology and connectivity, in-store kiosks, and live product vignettes. The store includes “live” kitchens, laundry displays, a coffee lounge, and a designer conference area — essentially a completely connected experience.
“This new flagship store is all about new, innovative technology, new styles and new designs,” explained COO Kathy Genovese.” And in an effort to help immerse buyers as soon as they walk in the door, they are now greeted by the coffee bar and lounge area, all designed so customers can just sit back and relax. It’s a destination location, not an in-and-out store. They experience everything. Ultimately, it’s all about how you get to ‘yes’ with the customer.”
Howard’s VP of Marketing Michelle Nien added, “We want to follow them on this journey they’re taking and educate them along the way. We focus a lot on connectivity and demonstrate how all the things in their home can talk to each other, connect and make their lives so much easier.”
Hybrid Approach New Path
The good news is, despite the massive shift to eCommerce during the 2020 pandemic, physical retail isn’t going to disappear anytime soon. The retail world in general has been seeing a pivot away from the more traditional concept featuring aisles of shelves stocked with products, to a more open, more inviting space.
However, the days of relying on the physical location as the final destination in the purchase journey are over, as the consumer now relies on, and looks forward to, a more hybrid shopping model. While the in-store “experience” can be all about testing products out and seeing how they “fit” with a particular lifestyle, the appeal for many with the online world is it eliminates the high-pressure, in-store sales pitch that turns many buyers off. This is a perfect example of how this aforementioned hybrid model works to perfection.

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+ News Detail
2/24/2012 - Friday
Dang! I thought we were bad,but those sneaker heads (shoe collectors) are a really nutty bunch! Seems they caused a riot last night in Florida during the launch of the new Nike "Foam" shoe. People were willing to pay up to $1500 for the shoes! WOW!


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Imagine beef on grocery store shelves rated similarly to hotels: five stars for excellent or three stars for OK — that’s what a group of University of Alberta students are proposing.
The capstone project, led by the fourth-year agriculture undergrads, looks to slowly change beef grading in Canada, moving to a five-point system that scores for quality.
“Some of the best cuts would be 5/5 and some of the not-so good cuts would score lower,” said James Ritchie, discussing the project with his peers at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
“It lets consumers know how the meat is going to taste when they buy it, as long as they cook it according to a certain method.”
Ritchie partnered with Claye Harsany, Vladimir Tadic, Dana Stoyberg and Heidi Trenson for the project.
The group initially consulted with project mentor Heather Bruce, realizing Canada’s grading system could be improved to get more consumers buying local beef.
Ritchie said consumers don’t fully understand the current grading system. They might think Prime is better than AAA, and AA is better than A, which isn’t always the case.
“It can compromise their eating experiences because they don’t know what they are buying,” he said.
“In Canada, we issue an entire carcass a grade, but that doesn’t give consumers a real idea of how those lower quality cuts are going to taste.”
The students said the five-point system would address consumer uncertainty, ensuring they feel confident in the beef they buy.
“Consumers are willing to pay more for those cuts when they know what they are buying,” Ritchie said.
The proposed system would be similar to the voluntary Meat Standards Australia quality program, which requires everyone along the value-chain to follow specific control measures.
Stoyberg said Australia adopted the program because local beef consumption was declining; consumers weren’t happy and felt the meat was inconsistent.
Taste panels of consumers were created to test the meat, she said, with results being used in an algorithm to create the country’s five-point system.
Management practices were also linked to taste, giving producers and handlers a better idea of what they could do to improve quality.
“The tests got them looking at producer parameters, how it’s handled and some of the measures taken to slaughter,” Ritchie said.
Their proposed system would be geared toward Canadian producers on a small-scale, partnering with the Canadian Beef Grading Agency and at least one packing plant, ensuring everyone along the value-chain is following standards.
Some retailers would also take part, marketing the beef with specific logos and branding that are consumer friendly.
“Because packing plants would be getting a price premium, they would need to pay producers a little more for meat,” Ritchie said.
Tadic said producers taking part in the Australian program receive 40 percent of the retail value, the wholesaler gets 35 percent and the retailer gets 17 percent.
“With time, this would take off as more retailers and packing plants take part,” Ritchie said. “Starting off small-scale would minimize risk a little bit.”
Harsany said the branding could look similar to what’s already out there: cattle on a pasture, mountains in the background and, of course, a five-star rating.
“I think consumers would rather purchase something like that over a white label that just says AA,” he said. “They would be willing to pay for it even if there was a premium.”
The students said their idea comes at a time when Canada is opening up trade overseas, potentially giving international consumers a greater reason to buy Canadian beef.
Trade uncertainty with Canada’s biggest beef importer, the United States, has recently loomed, they added, suggesting this idea could help decrease reliance on exports because local people would be willing to pay more for domestic beef.
“At the end of the day, local consumers like to support their industries,” Ritchie said.
The students plan on meeting with the Canadian Beef Grading Agency and the Beef Cattle Research Council to discuss the idea.
“This would be great to have,” Harsany said.


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By Saabira Chaudhuri
Plywood maker Boise Cascade Co. (BCC) said a secondary offering of 10 million of its shares priced at a 2.8% discount to Wednesday's close.
Shares fell 1.7% to $27.30 in recent premarket trading, but stayed above the per-share offer price of $27. The stock has dropped 16% in the past three months.
The company on Monday said Boise Cascade Holdings LLC was launching a sale of at least 10 million shares of the newly public company, which debuted in February.
The company won't receive any proceeds from the stock sale by Boise Cascade Holdings, which is controlled by private-equity firm Madison Dearborn.
Boise Cascade had about 43.2 million shares outstanding as of April 29.
Boise Cascade on Thursday also said it has agreed to purchase 3.8 million of its shares from Boise Cascade Holdings concurrently with the closing of the secondary offering for about $100.0 million.
Write to Saabira Chaudhuri at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Guardian Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Inside Retail Asia
Convenience store and grocery retailer Hero Supermarket is to exit the troubled Starmart Indonesia business.
Consumers in Singapore may soon be able to buy online prescriptions of medicines from approved pharmacies.
DBS Bank has launched its Cash-Point service at Dairy Farm operated supermarkets in Singapore – expanding an existing partnership with the retailer giant.
Dairy Farm International Holdings says softer sales growth and steep cost increases led to weakened margins in the third quarter.
Hong Kong-headquartered Dairy Farm is continuing to shutter stores in Indonesia, a victim of government policies and a general economic slowdown.
Dairy Farm says it achieved “modest” like-for-like sales growth in most of its major markets in the first half of this year.
Dairy Farm Indonesia continues to struggle, places its Starmart chain under review.
IDG presents five key trends in Vietnam retailing.
Hero Indonesia, the supermarket and healthcare retailer, is looking to Ikea to boost its fortunes after a challenging 2014 in its core food and grocery business.
Hong Kong corporate retailer Dairy Farm International Holdings has take a strategic stake in one of the Philippines’ biggest pharmacy chains. Family-controlled Rose Pharmacy Inc was founded in Cebu in 1992 and now has 238 stores across the Philippines. In a brief statement, Dairy Farm said it intends to support the future growth of what is now a joint venture by broadening its consumer offering as part of the Group’s wider Health & Beauty portfolio. Dairy Farm owns the Guardian an…
Boots, the UK’s leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer, has opened a dedicated area within the new Guardian flagship store in Ngee Ann City, Singapore. Boots has partnered with Dairy Farm, a leading pan-Asian retailer, to sell the Boots products in Singapore, and by the end of December 2013, they will be available in nine selected Guardian stores. Boots will offer a range of its beauty brands including No7 skincare and cosmetics, Botanics, Champneys, Mark Hill, Boots Dermocar…
One of Asia’s largest retail operators is planning significant expansion this year regardless of the current economic flu.


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MOLLY-MAE Hague got a rare look inside her huge rented house after her £1.3million flat was ransacked.
The 22-year-old influencer was devastated in October when thieves broke in and stole £800,000 worth of designer goods, laptops and shoes.
Despite telling fans she’s nervous about posting pictures of her home, the Love Island star has given her followers a different look at her property.
Visit her YouTube, Molly shared a video from her new living space that features lush gray carpet and a giant velvet sofa with heaps of matching cushions.
A Buddha statue and a bronze lamp can be seen in front of their large windows that let in plenty of light.
And other elegant sculptures sit on a mahogany shelf next to the couple’s media unit, where a large TV is mounted on the wall.
Molly and Tommy have since moved to a mysterious location after the theft and she implying that they have bought their dream home.
Now in a new YouTube In the video, the 22-year-old answers fan questions and opens up about how the theft has “100% changed” her spending habits.
Molly said: “It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately and the answer to that question is 100% yes.
“My opinion can’t be changed if they try. It’s clear that there are good things that can mean anything other than the jewelry I used to buy, the watches, the beautiful bags, the clothes and the real stuff. expensive.
“I think most definitely, definitely the interest in me has disappeared
since the robbery,” she continued.
“…Why would I want to own something that could compromise my and Tommy’s safety. It’s completely not worth it in my eyes and my opinion has definitely changed.
‘In my eyes, the only watch I need at the moment, I’m not even joking, is my Apple Watch,’ she added before picking up her £179 watch .
In the video, Molly is still wearing a turtleneck long-sleeve bodysuit by American designer Alexander Wang, which retails online for £285.
Yesterday, The Sun reported that Molly broke into almost a million pounds for a year – ONLY through her tanning range.
The former Love Island star’s company, Filter By Molly Mae, has made £902k between 2020 and 2021 after fans captured her self-tanning products.
By accounts, Filter By Molly Mae reported its first trading profit at £289,595, with £902,674 of assets offset by bills at £613,674 – bringing in annual corporate income hers to 1.8 million pounds.
That means Molly’s made £1m on her first beauty – to add to her huge bank balance.
Last year, the YouTube star – who dates boxer Tommy Fury – hit a record-breaking seven-figure contract to become CEO of Pretty Little Thing.
She is paid an attractive six-figure monthly salary by the fashion brand – and also landed another huge deal with BeautyWorks last month.
But she’s not afraid to splurge on her hard-earned money – buying designer clothes, bags and a £32k Range Rover.
And earlier this week she posed in Tom Ford pants and with a vintage quilted Chanel bag – a £7k outfit.
She also splurges on £1,350 Givenchy boots, £3,250 Chanel handbags and regularly wears £1,250 Prada boots.
The reality TV star was criticized in January for “deaf” comments she made about her success after insisting “we all have the same 24 hours in the day”.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/17529987/molly-mae-hague-inside-home-burglary-social-media/ Molly Mae Hague shares rare image inside her huge house after 800k theft and vows to keep it on social media


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Read the full-text of the article below or on Inc.’s Website.
Here’s how the socially-conscious retailer turned a rare misstep into an opportunity to change worker conditions in its supply chain.
By Anna Hensel
June 3, 2015
Patagonia has spent a lot of time and money on billing itself as a sustainable, environmentally-friendly brand. In 2011, the company slapped its anti-consumerism “Don’t Buy This Jacket” advertisements all over the U.S.–effectively suggesting people not buy its products. And it regularly touts the work-life balance policies first codified by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard. A company mantra displayed prominently and reverently adhered to: “Let my people go surfing.”
Imagine the shock when in 2011 the company learned that some of its suppliers put workers through deplorable conditions–including making them pay thousands of dollars just to work. To secure a job in Taiwan, migrant workers must pay a “broker” to help them find a position. As Patagonia notes, these fees can be upwards of $7,000, and can take migrant workers more than two years to repay.
“We quite frankly discovered modern slavery in our supply chain,” says Adam Fetcher, Patagonia’s global director of PR. He adds that the problem is pervasive and plagues manufacturers of all kinds in many industries. “For Patagonia, it became an urgent priority to fix it,” he says.
In a blog post, the outdoor outfitter says that it first became aware of mistreatment of its factory workers after extending its “social responsibility audits” to include its Tier 2 suppliers in 2011. Looking specifically at the conditions of migrant workers in its factories in Taiwan, Patagonia discovered that many migrant workers were subject to long hours, low wages, and enormous broker fees.
Migrant workers have long had a tumultous history in Taiwan. Over the past 30 years, Taiwan has been losing factory business to China, where labor costs are much lower. As a result, factory owners in Taiwan have started to hire migrant workers over locals. Local workers were further thwarted when the Taiwanese government passed a law in 2012 permitting companies to have a workforce of up to 40 percent migrant workers, a 5 percent increase from the previous cap.
Patagonia partnered with Verite, a NGO that focuses on securing fair working conditions for workers around the world, to implement changes in its supply chain. As of June 1, Patagonia’s Taiwanese suppliers can no longer require migrant workers to pay broker fees to secure a job. They must also repay current workers affected by broker fees. Going forward, factory owners either have to pay the fee themselves, or find workers without using a broker. The company also wrote a guide outlining its new employment standards for migrant workers, displaying it on Patagonia’s website, and held meetings with Taiwanese suppliers to explain the new changes.
This isn’t the first time Patagonia has highlighted its problems on its company blog–it acknowledged using a Durable Water Repellent in its jackets that had toxic byproducts for years. Still, it’s a rare misstep for the typically-polished company. And while it seems to have taken a few too many years to address the oversight, the company’s effort to address its supply chain is admirable–and serves as a lesson for other entrepreneurs who must cope with similarly systemic shocks.
That pledge has paid off in the eyes of some big players. In January, the retailer’s Chief Operating Officer, Doug Freeman, and Director of Social Environmental Responsibility Cara Chacon were asked to present on the company’s work at the White House Forum on Combating Human Trafficking in Supply Chains. By acknowledging its mistakes to customers, Patagonia has proven that its commitment to social issues doesn’t just start and end in the store.


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By David Prentice, UK-based science writer and contributor to BBC News and World Service, 10 May 2017 - By now you've heard that a study published in the journal PLOS ONE claims that there are millions of people around the world who are addicted to pornography.But why?What is this new kind of porn that so many people crave?And what are the risks of addiction?Read more ...The findings of the study ...
When you go to the supermarket and order a cheeseburger, the first thing you might see is the slogan “The most authentic burger you’ve ever had.”
But there are many more examples.
Here’s a guide to drinking history from past times that you might not have heard of:1.
Waffles from the 1970s2.
French fries from the 1980s3.
Beer from the 1990s4.
Beer in the 1990’s5.
Chicken and waffles from 20026.
Chicken from the late 1990s7.
Chicken at a restaurant in the 1980’s8.
Chicken with mustard from the 2000s9.
Chicken soup from the 1950s10.
Sausage from the 1960s11.
Chicken waffles in the 1950’s12.
Fried chicken from the 1940s13.
Egg nog from the 1900s14.
Salsa at a party in the 1920s15.
Waffle fries from 192516.
Chicken fried steak from the 1890s17.
Chicken dinner from the 1880s18.
Chicken pizza from the 1870s19.
Chicken breast at a BBQ in the 1970’s20.
Chicken in a box from the 1860s21.
Chicken breasts from the 1800s22.
Chicken legs from the 1600s23.
Chicken tails from the 1400s24.
Chicken ears from the 1300s25.
Chicken wings from the 1200s26.
Chicken skin from the 1060s27.
Chicken nuggets from the 960s28.
Chicken noodle soup from an Italian restaurant29.
Chicken ketchup from the 900s30.
Chicken casserole from the 700s31.
Chicken fingers from the 600s32.
Chicken skewers from the 550s33.
Chicken liver from the 500s34.
Chicken jalapeños from the 450s35.
Chicken feet from the 400s36.
Chicken toes from the 300s37.
Chicken hands from the 200s38.
Chicken burgers from the 150s39.
Chicken wing sauces from the 100s40.
Chicken sandwiches from the 80s41.
Chicken sandwich from the 70s42.
Chicken strips from the 60s43.
Chicken salad from the 50s44.
Chicken fries from a restaurant that you are never in45.
Chicken macaroni from the 40s46.
Chicken burger from the 30s47.
Chicken ice cream from a burger shop48.
Chicken cream from the 20s49.
Chicken pie from the 15s50.
Chicken crackers from a candy store51.
Chicken rolls from a frozen food store52.
Chicken cookies from a bakery53.
Chicken chips from a chip shop54.
Chicken tortillas from a food store55.
Chicken patties from a sandwich shop56.
Chicken quesadillas from the fast food store57.
Chicken biscuits from a fast food place58.
Chicken cheeseburgers from an ice cream shop59.
Chicken milkshakes from a ice cream bar60.
Chicken desserts from a dessert shop61.
Chicken shakes from a pizza shop62.
Chicken soups from a convenience store63.
Chicken chili from a street food vendor64.
Chicken tacos from a roadside eatery65.
Chicken tamales from a chain restaurant66.
Chicken taco from a taco shop67.
Chicken sushi from a sushi bar68.
Chicken sashimi from a bar restaurant69.
Chicken rice from a grocery store70.
Chicken curry from a curry shop71.
Chicken tikka masala from a tamale bar72.
Chicken burrito from a taqueria73.
Chicken fajita from a Mexican restaurant74.
Chicken guacamole from a tacos restaurant75.
Chicken entrees from a caterer76.
Chicken pot roast from a grilling place77.
Chicken pasta from a pot roast78.
Chicken corn with potato chips79.
Chicken cauliflower with potato chip80.
Chicken lettuce with potato salad81.
Chicken french fries with potato dip82.
Chicken cheese from a cheesecake shop83.
Chicken chorizo with potato masala84.
Chicken spicy wings with potato sauce85.
Chicken chicken salad with potato soup86.
Chicken creamed spinach with potato dressing87.
Chicken curried chicken with potato curry88.
Chicken spaghetti with potato pesto89.
Chicken spinach with broccoli pesto90.
Chicken shrimp with potato gravy91.
Chicken vegetable with potato broth92.
Chicken sweet potato pie with potato ice cream93.
Chicken potato salad with chicken cream94.
Chicken hot dog with potato cheese95.
Chicken pork chop with potato cream96.
Chicken turkey with potato curries97.
Chicken green bean with potato chutney98.
Chicken black bean with potatoes and cheddar cheese99.
Chicken hamburger with potato nuggets100.
Chicken steak and potatoes with potato crisps


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IMPORT & EXPORT
By Deborah Belgum | September 22, 2016
The Port of Long Beach is looking for a new chief executive after Jon Slangerup resigned on Sept. 8 to become chairman and chief executive of an aviation technology company in Canada.
This month, four companies are starting a “gray,” or neutral, chassis pool at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, which should be fully operational by March.
After a federal mediator was called in earlier this year to speed things along, West Coast longshore workers and their employers said they have resolved the sticky issue of how the chassis fleet is maintained and by whom.
The Port of Los Angeles reported that in 2014, cargo-container volumes were up 6 percent over the previous year. Total volumes reached 8.34 million 20-foot containers, which is the third busiest year for the port.
As of Jan. 15, there were 13 cargo-container ships anchored beyond the breakwater that protects the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles.
The worst Los Angeles/Long Beach port congestion problem in a decade still has cargo stacked high on the docks. Goods continue to take two to three weeks to get off out of the ports and onto trucks and rail cars.
The U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service said it plans to send in Scot Beckenbaugh, a skilled mediator and the service’s deputy director, to get West Coast longshore workers and their employers back to the bargaining table.
Talks between longshore workers and their employers have been slogging along since last May with no end in sight for a new contract that would replace the last contract that expired July 1.
As 2014 draws to a close, the editors of California Apparel News take a look back at the year’s significant news from key industry sectors such as retail, trade shows and international trade agreements. We also take a look at the burgeoning interest in made-in-America manufacturing and some of the most-read stories of the year. Plus, we remember some California industry notables in our in memoriam section.
The big apparel trade show news of 2014 was the September announcement that Advanstar—parent of MAGIC, Project and Coterie—was sold for $972 million to British trade-show producer UBM PLC.
For seven months, longshore workers have been head to head at the negotiating table to hammer out a new six-year labor agreement with their port bosses.
From domestic employment figures and the latest import/export data to retail real estate and retail sales, the editors of California Apparel News take a look at some of the key indicators for the apparel industry in 2014.
Even though the Southeast Asian nation has a population of 93.4 million people, not even 10 percent of the Chinese population, it is becoming an increasingly popular place for apparel manufacturing. The country’s wages are about one-third to half as much as those in China, and its workers are known for their fine, detailed work.
For many retailers and apparel importers, this holiday season didn’t turn out to be very merry and bright.
From the sale of trade show giant Advanstar to the high-profile federal raid on Los Angeles Fashion District businesses, 2014 was a year of surprises and contrasts.
Wary apparel and textile importers who have lost millions of dollars due to late-arriving merchandise are setting their shipping plans on fast forward even though the holiday season normally signals a shipping slowdown.


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The United States Postal Service has recently opened up about a security vulnerability which went unfixed for a full year. The data breach, which exposed the data of 60 million users has been tied to an authentication weakness in the mail carrier’s API which allowed cyber criminals free access from within USPS.com. Concerns linger as authorities evaluate the extent of the damage done over the past year and the ramifications going forward.
A recent study by global risk management group, Opus, revealed that 59 percent of companies surveyed have experienced a data breach sourcing from a vendor or third party partner. Published in the third annual Ponemon Institute’s “Data Risk in the Third-Party Ecosystem”, the risk management group’s numbers reflected at 5 percent increase year-over-year and a 12 percent increase since 2016 for data breaches of this nature in the United States. Analysis of the data cites multiple possible causes leading to data breaches, including complex integrations than span multiple platforms, lack of central internal controls, and lack of vendor management. To this point, 69 percent of respondents admitted that they lack the personnel to oversee the numerous third-party vendor, with only 34 percent maintaining a comprehensive inventory of vendor partners and 37 percent believing they have adequate resources to stay ahead of the curve.
The 2018 holiday season is here and the Grinch is up to his tricks again. This year data breach season starts with the biggest target of all – Amazon. With massive sales expected on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the giant e-commerce site was a highly probably target of cyber crime. Early reports on the breach from The Guardian indicate that the breach occurred the day before Thanksgiving and compromised customers names and email address. Thus far the company has revealed little information on how the breach occurred, but it is not a great start to the shopping season for Amazon.


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Tasmanian retailers are reporting growing confidence as they head into the traditionally busy Christmas period.
It comes as Myer finally opens its new store in Hobart, amid hopes it will be a drawcard for the CBD.
More than eight years ago Hobart's Myer department store was destroyed by fire, today the retail giant opened its doors to a new building in its original Liverpool location.
The State Government provided a $15 million commercial loan to the Kalis group to develop the store.
Hobart Lord Mayor Sue Hickey said the Hobart Council would pay Myer up to $7 million.
"It's been a tough struggle for the city to invest that sort of money but I think the amount of people here today is testament to the fact that we needed a major retailer back in this city," she said.
Hundreds of Hobartians lined up outside the new store for its official opening.
Myer ambassador, model Jennifer Hawkins cut the ribbon with the Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman.
Mr Hodgman told the crowd the store would be a significant boost for the CBD.
"First and foremost I want to thank Myer for their confidence in Tasmania after a terrible tragedy ... It's wonderful that Myer has stayed the course," he said.
"About 200 staff will be employed here plus around 40 or 50 casuals over peak periods like the Christmas season so there's tremendous economic benefit."
'Economic mood lifting': Chamber of Commerce
Just three years ago Christmas sales were down in Tasmania but festive season spending this year is predicted to go up by almost 3 per cent on last year.
Steve Adermann from the Hobart Chamber of Commerce credits a stronger economy, lower unemployment and city development.
"It boosts confidence, people know that things are on the move and the mood is really lifting, it's great," he said.
But the confidence is not shared across the whole sector.
Rob Mallett from the Small Business Council said some traders were still struggling.
"We've still got increasing costs when it comes to utilities, electricity, rates, all those sorts of statutory charges," he said.
New Myer a CBD drawcard
The new five-storey Myer building has almost 9,000 square metres of retail space.
The adjoining Murray Street building is now closed and will be demolished to make way for more shopping and a hotel.
The store went up in flames in 2007, causing tens of millions of dollars' worth of damage.
The heat from the blaze forced emergency crews to fall back momentarily.
The loss of the city's main department store sent retail in the CBD into chaos.
The store itself, including its iconic facade, which had stood on the site since the 1830s, had to be completely demolished.
Then-lord mayor Rob Valentine described it as "a sad day" while premier at the time Paul Lennon said the city would struggle to recover.
"This is the biggest challenge the city of Hobart has ever faced probably," he said.
Myer managed to find a new location in CBD less than two months later just in time for the Christmas rush but it was always considered "temporary".


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Posted on December 22, 2014 by Admin in Gambling, Italian Market approves NetEnt Games with No Comments on Italian Market approves NetEnt Games
It’s a joy for NetEnt as they will be in a position to offer their games to the Italian market. Italy is known for their strict laws posed on online gambling. As an operator, it is pretty hard for them to get a license to serve the online games into the Italian market. Players are only allowed to in online platforms that are only licensed t operate in the market. NetEnt finally did it after a long time of struggle in seeking the license.
In March 2014, NetEnt signed an agreement with license provider GameAccoutn Network which made it possible for GameAccount Network to integrate NetEnt’s systems. This merger meant that the network would offer NetEnt games to online casinos operating legally in Italy. Now in December 2014, the collaboration has made it possible for NetEnt games to be made available through Eurobet, which is another of the Italian gambling platforms.
The chief of GMO and the managing Director at NetEntertainment Malta Limited comment in acknowledgement of the importance of this new step they took. They see it as a great deal for the Italian players who play at Eurobet. The players will be in a position to enjoy more games and a refined player experience.
It was also pointed out that NetEnt are waiting to offer games via SNAI and SISAL, not forgetting GameAccount Network. The NetEnt team is confident on this breakthrough and believe that more Italian licensed casinos will wish to follow.
NetEnt has for many years been known as a leading supplier in gaming systems. Their services are used by many online casinos. in their games module, you will get a gaming system that will feature more than 200 games and a powerful back office.


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Deliver impact with the latest marketing, social, and communications trends
Marketing is dramatically changing, and it’s time-consuming to stay on top of the latest trends—and to predict which of them will lead to innovative, effective marketing strategies.
This week, we look at Google’s timeline for third party cookie alternative FLoC, new research revealing millennial women are driving Australia’s ‘finfluencer’ trend, what lessons brands should take away from this year’s Olympic Gamers and the latest study on what specific things Australians love most about different sized e-commerce offerings.
Google’s new cookie alternative, FLoC
According to Google’s new cookie alternative, targeted online marketing is not going away any time soon. The company has updated its timeline for the rollout of FLoC, its new cookie alternative. What does this mean for marketers? The new system allows the creation of targeted ads without exposing the details of individual users through third-party cookies, keeping consumer data secure while also ensuring marketers can still reach the audiences they need to.
Research: Australian women turn to Finfluencers for financial freedom
New research has found that millennial women are driving the ‘Finfluencer’ trend in Australia. A finfluencer is an influencer that shares financial information and expertise on social media, with both the finfluencers themselves and their audiences skewing towards female millennials. Among finfluencers, 34 per cent are female aged 25-34 years, while only 16 per cent are male in the same age bracket. With the significant spending power millennials command, understanding how consumers view brands, products and services from a financial perspective may soon become an essential part of the brand/customer relationship, and a key differentiator when marketing to millennials.
Report: changing consumer behaviours across entertainment and media
The Latest PwC Media and Entertainment Outlook report takes a closer look at this past year’s consumer trends and what we can expect in the future. Some key takeaways include a sharp decline in out-of-home entertainment as consumers embrace in-home experiences; additionally, streaming, Broadcast on Demand and interactive games all saw significant rises.
The Olympic games: what lesson can brands learn
With lockdowns increasing consumer affinity with screens, and the very Australia-friendly time zone, it is expected more than 1 billion minutes of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be streamed, compared with 325 million minutes streamed for the 2016 Rio Olympics—presenting a huge opportunity for advertisers. This year’s Olympics will serve as a lesson in the potential success brands can have by pivoting to meet changing consumer expectations, especially as the consumption of in-home entertainment continues to soar.
Report: What do Aussies love about big and small E-commerce offerings?
It seems there are no losers in the recent e-Commerce boom. New research from leading parcel delivery service CouriersPlease has revealed one in two Aussies loving the service and quality of small businesses. In addition, large retailers continue to impress consumers with more competitive prices and faster service. As e-Commerce continues to grow and Aussies turn to online retailers, it’s critical marketers understand the impact the digital experience has on the bottom line, and what’s driving customers to seek such contrasting experiences from big and small players alike.


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A recent advertisement for clothier Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. asked, "2007 ... is this your year to shine?" For the company itself, the answer is "Probably not."
Next month, the company will forgo the glamour and worldwide attention of Fashion Week in Bryant Park for the second season in a row. Instead of preparing for the catwalk, Kenneth Cole is mired in improving its struggling signature brand, Kenneth Cole New York.
The firm is also taking control of its two main clothing lines with the intent of eventually re-emerging in the public eye as a stronger fashion house, but that move doesn't appear imminent.
In the meantime, profits are suffering as expenses increase. Analysts estimate that 2006 earnings fell 22% to $1.29 per share. The stock, which traded as high as $35 some 18 months ago, closed Friday at $24.10.
Shares headed nowhere
"We think the shares are likely to remain dead money for the next year to year and a half as management works to complete the brand repositioning," Elizabeth Montgomery, an analyst with Cowen & Co., noted in a recent research report that downgraded the company's stock to "neutral."
She and other analysts agree that taking over the clothing licenses could prove profitable in the long term. But the drastic move will probably cost the company millions in additional administrative expenses and lost royalties during the next two years.
Kenneth Cole has already suffered from a prolonged transition. In late 2005, the company started separating its two core brands by taking Kenneth Cole New York out of department stores and making the line exclusive to its own specialty shops.
That move was intended to give the company a bigger bite of the burgeoning affordable-luxury market, but steep price hikes turned off shoppers. Meanwhile, it touted the Kenneth Cole Reaction line as a must-have brand in department stores.
The Reaction strategy seems to be working. The brand has become a top seller for the Macy's chain. But same-store sales in specialty stores fell 12.3% in the first nine months of 2006, primarily because of price resistance from customers.
Kenneth Cole executives, who declined to comment for this article, may be skipping Fashion Week until the company takes its clothing licenses back from supplier Paul Davril Inc. Putting on a show at Fashion Week is expensive, and the firm needs the cash to invest in its business.
"They are looking to increase their gross profit margins and take control of their business," says Gilbert Harrison, chairman of Financo Inc., an investment bank specializing in retailing. He compares Kenneth Cole's move to take the licenses in-house to Polo Ralph Lauren's model. That phenomenally successful company recently bought back its denim and women's wear licenses.
A few industry insiders say they aren't surprised that Kenneth Cole is ending the three license agreements with Paul Davril to produce its sportswear.
Founder remains an asset
"Even three years ago, when Paul Davril took over the ladies license, there were some serious missteps," says Lori Holliday Banks, a senior fashion analyst at consulting firm Tobe.
For example, she says, loyal Kenneth Cole customers balked when Paul Davril largely abandoned the popular matte jersey lines. "A season into it, they went, `Oops,' " Ms. Banks says.
Fashion consultants believe the company and its namesake designer can return to the fashion spotlight.
"He's a brilliant merchant," Mr. Harrison says of the icon.
To help, the clothier hired Kyle Andrew, a former vice president of marketing for Gap Inc., as senior vice president of marketing and advertising.
She will lead Kenneth Cole's in-house advertising agency, which produces the clever, socially conscious advertisements known throughout the industry.
"Kenneth Cole is more hands-on in marketing than others," says Ernie Roth, president of retail ad agency Furman Roth Advertising. "They have always been pretty savvy, too."
Comments? [email protected]


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More resources available for surge of women buying guns
Cincinnati shop owners say there is surge of women buying firearms
More women are taking charge and putting safety in their own hands.
Cincinnati shop owners said there's a surge in women buying guns. Now, more resources are becoming available for women.
Amber Buriff is helping to create a sisterhood of well armed women. The Well Armed Woman is an organization where feminism and firearms meet.
"We really emphasize training," Buriff said.
The national nonprofit organization meets once a month. There are chapters in every state, including four in the Greater Cincinnati area. It's aimed at educating, empowering and equipping female shooters.
"It's incredible to have a woman come in, who has never touched a gun before, and is absolutely terrified. If you see her within a couple hours, her confidence just soars and she just feels so much better when she leaves," Buriff said.
Premier Shooting and Training Center in West Chester hasn't opened yet, but women are already knocking on the door and asking about protection.
"It's top of peoples mind," general manager Jim Lentz said.
Premier Shooting and Training Center is a shooting range, self defense training center and retail shop all under one roof.
Lentz said it's important to offer a variety of options because not everyone will find confidence in a gun.
"It doesn't have to be just about the firearm. You can learn how to defend yourself.
We have many women's self-defense courses. These are non-weapon based," Lentz said. "My personal belief is that everyone has the right to defend themselves and all a firearm is, all a gun is, is a tool that makes it easier. But if you're not ready for that, then let me teach you other ways."
For more information on classes offered, click here.
For more information on The Well Armed Woman, click here.


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If i were the starbucks ceo, i would be demanding to see the full scope of the racial-bias learning plan malaysia's richest innovation all innovation the police subsequently arrested the . This relief mug was released for kuala lumpur, malaysia and it’s main color is black following elements (points of attraction) are engraved on the mug old kuala lumpur train station, national museum, petronas twin towers, national palace, sultan abdul samad building, kuala lumpur tower . Starbucks has developed a mission statement that includes cultural development, innovation, high performance and accountability as elements of the company's values the corporate mission statement defines the company's goals starbucks' mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one .
Starbucks malaysia, malaysia 613k likes with every cup, we strive to bring both our heritage and an exceptional experience to life. Photos of avocado dessert drinks from starbucks have been making the rounds on instagram lately, after launching in stores across south korea last week ‘police sop requires musa to be seen . The only starbucks here in new zealand that can customize my favourite drink) posts about starbucks coffee @ westgate malaysian police seized 284 boxes . Starbucks malaysia is known for creating high-quality brews that help its customers to power through the day however, coffee-based drinks are not the only options .
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Starbucks ® blonde espresso - seriously sweet and available in all your favorite espresso drinks learn more ». The january 2017 starbucks refill tumbler is back melody , november 24, 2016 32 6 min read starting the day after thanksgiving, you can now buy the starbucks january 2017 coffee and tea refill tumbler. The company chosen for the case analysis and evaluation is starbucks coffee malaysia company the company is chosen for the reason of its well .
Leaders from two muslim groups in indonesia and malaysia are pushing their members to boycott starbucks, due to the company’s pro-lgbtq stance indonesian group muhammadiyah spoke out against . My community skip to main navigation starbucks malaysia 15th anniversary card the dbkl, police, bomba, alam flora, iwk, shopping mall and hotels in bukit . Start earning rewards for free beverage, food or whole bean coffee with every purchase, right in the app pay in-store pay for your order or redeem rewards using the app at any starbucks store in malaysia. The manager of the philadelphia starbucks that called police on two black men who asked to use the restroom has reportedly left the company.
Malaysia's richest innovation all innovation as when a starbucks employee called police on two african-american men who arrived at a philadelphia store 10 minutes early for an april 12 meeting . Starbucks malaysia also clarified that it was not an official promotion by them police provide more information in support of potential hong kong pro-independence party ban contact hong . Join us in our bottled frappuccino recycling campaign by recycling starbucks bottled frappuccino gold caps at any starbucks stores in malaysia, and receive rm5 .
Called avocado blended, the green drink is a revamped recipe from a similar product which was launched three years ago by starbucks korea and features an . Johnson’s statement didn’t address exactly what led to the police call, but a starbucks spokeswoman said the store where the arrests occurred has a policy that restrooms are for paying . Starbucks corporation (nasdaq:sbux) is facing a boycott by muslim groups in malaysia and indonesia source: shutterstock the backlash faced by the coffee chain is in response to ceo howard schultz .


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This story was originally published and last updated .
Chrome is the default browser on all Android devices preloaded with the Play Store, but you've ever found yourself wondering what life is like back in the world of Firefox or lesser-known alternatives like DuckDuckGo, you're not alone. Unlike Apple, which requires all third-party browsers to use the Safari rendering engine (and doesn't allow other browsers to be the system default), Google allows any web browser with any engine to be published to the Play Store — giving Android phones and tablets more options for browsing the web than any iOS device.
In the post, we'll go over some of the best web browsers available for Android.
While some of us doubtless ignored the iOS 8 hubbub this morning, it's safe to say that Apple's WWDC remains probably the closest-watched developer event in the industry, and likely has since the original iPhone made its debut way back in 2007. The WWDC keynote is where we see the world's most valuable consumer electronics company display how consumers and developers alike will interact with its new [usually software] products. It's a highly visual, buzzword-laden ritual that even many of the most ardent anti-Apple find themselves at least half paying attention to in the background, either on social media, blogs, or live video stream.
Every year, just like Google conducts its I/O press conference to introduce developers to the new Android version and announce all the upcoming features and APIs it will bring, Apple does the same. Its WWDC event took place this past Monday and, as any mobile enthusiast, we tuned in to see what the company has in store for its operating systems. While the dominating rhetoric over many years has been Apple's uncanny ability to announce an Android feature that has existed for years as innovative and ground-breaking, things have changed recently. 2019 was one of the most interesting thanks to plenty of both small and big additions to iOS 13 that leave us a little doe-eyed and jealous.
I've used Chromebooks off and on for years. I used the first Dell Chromebook 11 for much of high school, then I purchased an ASUS C302 last year. The C302 is still one of the best laptops I've ever used, and that's mostly thanks to how Chrome OS has evolved over the past few years. It's no longer a browser-only thin client — it can run Android apps, Linux programs, and powerful web applications.
Rumors about Chrome OS running on a tiny HDMI stick started leaking out a few months ago, but we were all wrong about what it was going to be. The Chromecast is not a shrunken down Chromebox – it's not even really a Chrome OS device in the strictest sense. The Chromecast is Google's latest attempt to be invited into your living room. It also might be the first one to succeed.
The Chromecast doesn’t try to create a new ecosystem – it simply asks app developers to append a few lines of code to give it a piece of the streaming media action.
Last year's Android 10 was a massive release. It had a system-wide dark theme, updated navigation gestures, dozens of privacy changes, and much more. However, stock Android still has a few missing features compared to the customized Android builds found on devices from third-party manufacturers, and there's even a few iOS features that would be nice to see.
The first preview builds of Android 11 will likely show up in the coming months, no doubt with even more features to make our smartphones and tablets more useful. Here are 11 changes we'd love to see added to Android 11, in no particular order.
April Fool's 2013 is here (at least in some time zones), and the Internet has already given birth to a few early pranks. We will spend the next two days second-guessing every piece of written content, getting rickrolled, and generally feeling the way members of bomb squads do on their missions.And we will hate love every minute of it.
So, let's take a look at the best Android, mobile, and Google-related jokes that hit the web this year.
Chromebooks have come a long way from the dark, buggy days of the CR-48 and laggardly Intel Atom processors. Back when Chrome OS really was just a browser, it was fairly easy to write off as just another strange Google experiment, unlikely to succeed and conceptually far ahead of its time. Who could get by on a laptop with just the web? I, like many people, thought Chromebooks wouldn't appeal to anyone.
But 7 years after the first Chromebook, Google's browser-based OS is still with us. And, much to everyone's surprise, it's going stronger than ever.
The reason for that, primarily, is the browser-focused laptops turned out to be ideal terminals for students accessing web applications.
The Pixel Slate is, in a word, flawed. It’s not a very good laptop; the official keyboard case is nigh-unusable on anything but a completely flat surface, far too bulky for most airline trays, and the folding fabric kickstand can make balancing it a precarious affair. Nor is it an especially good tablet, with Chrome OS’s full-touch experience making it feel more like an unfinished software science experiment than a real first generation product.
Buggy Bluetooth, strange screen tearing, and frustrating tablet web browsing take what has already been a disappointing experience and make it downright frustrating. How can a product so closely related to Google’s wonderful Pixelbook - and in many real ways, superior to it - be so much worse?
We don't often discuss Xiaomi's software layer here on Android Police, but it isn't for lack of desire to. Most of our team lives in the US where Xiaomi doesn't officially operate and, even if we were to import units there, they wouldn't be compatible with most carriers' LTE bands. I'm based in Lebanon, and the first limitation applies here as well, but imported devices do work (we have LTE band 3), so I've been trying to get my hands on some of the companies' phones to test them out.


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Washington (AFP) Women in the US army are going to be able to dress up a little.
The Pentagon announced Tuesday that female soldiers would be able to grow their hair long, color their nails and don earrings.
Revisions to army grooming policies expanded the number of hair styles women could adopt, including wearing their hair long.
In the past women with longer hair had to tie it in buns, which many said was uncomfortable and interfered with their helmets.
Under the new policy, long hair needs to be worn in ponytails or braids in training and tactical situations.
A broadening of styles especially accommodated African American female soldiers, who wanted more options for wearing their hair, in braids and other styles.
They can also wear two styles at once — braids and twists, for example.
Whatever they do, it has to fit smoothly inside a combat helmet.
And, on the other end of policy, women who want to shave their heads — the way some male soldiers do — are now permitted. Before they had to maintain a minimum hair length.
The women soldiers can also now wear nail polish and lipstick while on the job, but not in colors considered extreme — like blue, black, “fire-engine red”, violet and flourescent.
Extreme nail lengths and styles — think stiletto — are also no-nos.
Likewise with hair color: it has to be natural-looking, with no extremes like pink, green, and blue. For those who do color their hair, roots in different colors longer than 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) are prohibited.
Stud earrings are permitted on bases but banned in field training and combat.
The changes are the result of a review launched last year under previous defense secretary Mark Esper, part of an examination of racial discrimination and mistreatment of minorities in the military.
Courtesy: France 21


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With news on; CRJ Services celebrates 20 years of machinery hire; TOMRA open Leicester ‘centre for excellence’; Warwick Ward win awards at dealer conference, and; Pellenc ST launches compact sorting machine.
CRJ Services celebrates 20 years of machinery hire
CRJ Services is celebrating 20 years in business providing material processing solutions to the UK and Ireland’s waste and recycling industries.
CRJ was incorporated in 1999 after its three directors diversified their farming operations into organics recycling for local authorities in Cheshire. Following a successful period of a green waste processing for local authorities, CRJ Services began hiring out their existing shredders and screeners.
In 2019 Matpro Machinery (now CRJ Sales) joined the organisation and began offering sales of new machinery alongside the hires and parts business. The company now have the distribution rights for top OEM’s Haas Recycling Systems, Weima, Ecostar and Steelweld within the UK and Ireland.
Rob Symons, CRJ services director, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating our twentieth anniversary this year. I’m thankful to our customers and staff for their commitment over the past twenty years, and as a team we are looking forward to pushing on and developing our service further.”
TOMRA opens Leicester ‘centre for excellence’
Sorting specialists TOMRA has opened a centre for excellence on the outskirts of Leicester.
The 1,800 sq feet double-storey facility houses meeting rooms and a conference suite, as well as a large warehouse where €1m worth of spare parts and equipment will be available for immediate delivery to TOMRA’s customers. Currently spare parts have to be delivered to the UK from mainland Europe.
Brian Gist, head of TOMRA UK, said: “Almost every UK waste and recycling facility uses equipment that has been imported into the UK and it’s highly likely that the supply of spare parts for these plants will be affected by Brexit.
“That’s why we have taken steps to address this threat by investing in vastly improved storage facilities from where spare parts can immediately be delivered to customers rather than being slowed down when being imported from other countries.”
TOMRA says the facility is a significant investment and demonstrates TOMRA’s long-term commitment to the recycling industry in the UK and Ireland.
Warwick Ward wins awards at dealer conference
Warwick Ward (machinery) Ltd received two awards for sales growth at the GLOBAL Dealer Conference, held in Northern Ireland.
The company received recognition for best Year-On-Year growth for sales in both recycling equipment and spare parts. The awards were held at Terex Ecotec’s new manufacturing facility in Derry.
Ashley Ward, joint managing director at Warwick Ward, said: “It was a nice accolade to be recognised on the global stage for the achievements and growth that we have made year on year since we started our partnership with Terex Ecotec.”
Mark McGlinn, territory sales manager at Terex Ecotec, said: “Within the past 12 months, Warwick Ward have significantly grown their Terex Ecotec business, and this has been reflected in all areas from sales, service, parts and most importantly new customers that have been introduced by Warwick Ward to the Terex Ecotec portfolio.”
Pellenc ST launches compact sorting machine
Sorting technology developer Pellenc ST has launched a sorting machine which it says is the most compact on the market.
The Mistral Compact is designed to eliminate issues associated with modernising existing plants. The two configurations of the machine allow it to be integrated into existing sites in place of old equipment, regardless of the width, model or brand previously installed.
Pellenc ST claim that the Mistral Compact will deliver the same standards as its Mistral+ range. The equipment is backed up by Pellenc ST’s technical support service.


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CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--U.S. livestock futures were mixed Wednesday, as cattle succumbed to a stronger dollar and demand concerns while lean hogs gained on support from the cash market.
U.S. cattle futures closed mostly lower under pressure from the stronger dollar and broad-based commodity selling.
CME live cattle for August delivery closed down 0.4 cents, or 0.4%, to $1.1295 a pound, while 2012 contracts were steady to slightly higher. August feeder cattle closed down 0.325 cents to $1.4095.
A lack of cash market movement left prices susceptible to outside forces, and a stronger dollar, which limits exports, and a hike in China's interest rates led the way lower.
Holiday weekend beef demand was considered average, which was actually friendly to prices, Kleist said, since traders have come to expect lackluster demand based on trends this year.
Near-term supplies are considered ample, which has weighed on prices. Longer-term, supplies are expected to tighten as the number of cattle placed on feedlots have dropped, but traders question whether demand could become a negative factor, as a sluggish economy leads consumers to curb beef consumption.
Cash cattle bids were reported in Kansas at $1.08 to $1.09 a pound on a live basis and the Texas Panhandle at $1.09 a pound, countered by asking prices from $1.14 to $1.15 a pound, according to feedyard managers and analysts.
Sales in Texas last week were from $1.12 to $1.13 a pound, with the majority at $1.1250 a pound and in Kansas at mostly $1.12 a pound. In Nebraska, sales a week ago were from $1.78 to mostly $1.80 a pound on a dressed basis and $1.11 to $1.1250 a pound live.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's midday beef price quote for choice grade carcasses Wednesday was up 52 cents to $179.70 a hundred pounds, and select rose 78 cents to $174.35 a hundred pounds on 154 total loads.
The latest HedgersEdge packer margin index was plus $27.05 a head, compared with $11.55 the previous day. This is an estimate of packer returns on cattle slaughtered and processed expressed in the form of an index.


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An Airbus A350-1000 Xwb, rear, and an Airbus A321neo are seen on display during the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 22, 2017.
A few months ago, my son and I did something we don't do often - and evidently, it's something that not nearly enough consumers in North America have done, either.
A second person has come forward to say he was attacked by bedbugs on a British Airways flight from London to Vancouver. Aaron McArthur has the story.
Tanzania's government has struck a deal with Barrick Gold, following a dispute that saw the company's African subsidiary taxed a jaw-dropping $190 billion in revised taxes, interests, and fines.
Several brands of fresh stir-fry, salad mixes, and veggie platters are being recalled due to possible Listeria contamination. The list of recalled products includes several fresh salad and stir-fry kits and bowls from Mann's and Western Family.


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25 March 2019
Business Rates, Industry News, SHW News
According to new SHW data 2018 saw 40,000 sq ft transacted in Bromley for suites over 5,000 sq ft, the highest take up in four years.
However, there is currently no speculative building in the town. Fortunately SHW have been instructed on several central offices currently for let:
Bromley Business Space Partner Neil Barker said: “At a significant discount to central London and less than Croydon, Bromley offers cost-effective proximity.”
020 3763 7575


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Scottish Borders Council is currently considering a radical new approach to the criteria it uses to approve planning applications.
It could mean a relaxation of the rules on what type of businesses are allowed to move into former town centre retail and food units.
The proposed change is an attempt to reduce the number of empty shop units that blight our town centres and increase footfall into shopping thoroughfares.
On Monday, the council’s Local Review Body will make key decisions which will test that new approach.
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Appeals will be heard against the council’s refusal for Timebomb Tattoo parlour to operate at 52 Bank Street, Galashiels, and for a walk-in mortgage business to set up shop at 37 Bank Street.
The new policy approach states that more consideration should be given to allow ‘professional service businesses, non-profitable institutions and leisure activities’ to be housed in former retail or food outlets.
There has already been a precedent set.
The Local Review Body has overturned council planners refusal to allow the conversion of a former sweet shop at 37 Bank Street into a dog grooming parlour.
Timebomb Tattoo is hopeful that same approach will be taken towards its booming business.
Meanwhile, the company has received the backing of Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian, South Tweeddale and Lauderdale, as it attempts to overturn planning refusal.
Timebomb employs four tattoo artists and has been short-listed for an award at the Borders Retail Business Awards, to be held at the Peebles Hydro Hotel on Sunday, September 30.
In a report to Monday’s meeting, a spokesperson for the company says: “Our tattoo artists have full diaries up to six and seven weeks in advance and we have 200 clients a month. Most are accompanied by a friend or a family member who, while the tattoo is being made, visit local cafes, restaurants or shops. As such, Timebomb is a significant contributor to the local economy and footfall.”
The spokesperson also refuted the council’s original reason for refusal of the retrospective planning bid – that the business ‘potentially detracts from the vitality and viability of the town centre’ – adding: “There are a number of empty units on Bank Street and elsewhere in the town centre, particularly in Channel Street and Douglas Bridge. If this appeal is denied and Timebomb has to close, adding to the empty units, then that will certainly detract from the vitality and viability of the town.”
Members of the Local Review Body are to meet at council headquarters at Newtown St Boswells from 10am on Monday.