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Maritime transport. He worked in the shadows for a long time and his boats, giants of the seas, can often be the size of three football fields, but you never see them, especially in Switzerland. This landless country is, however, home to many cargo heavyweights, starting with the main one, the Geneva-based MSC. The pandemic and the port closures it caused caused traffic jams and highlighted the challenges of this sector that transports 90% of commerce.
This sector emits 3% of CO2 emissions, without being able to design a carbon neutral ship. Their rates and profits have soared, but they are almost untaxed and there are traffic jams at sea. The dot with Lina Jasutiene, director of Recoupex, an office based in Hamburg and Geneva, specializing in maritime law.
Le Temps: During the pandemic, traffic jams formed along supply chains. Is today?
Lina Jasutiene: In the last two years, every link in the supply chain has failed. Today, the situation is stabilizing, demand is stabilizing and supply is expanding. The number of boats will grow as shipping companies explode their order books. So that in 2025 its capacities will be 30% higher than before the covid, according to the Barclays bank. But the situation remains tense, at the mercy of confinement.
Queues remain at the port entrances. Why does it take so long to clear shipping routes?
Covid forced the closure of ports and reduced boat entries. Demand suddenly increased after the lockdowns. Containers sold out everywhere. The confined workforce could not access the ports even when they reopened.
The strikes in ports exacerbate all these ills. There were strikes in the United States and in Hamburg this summer. At Felixstowe and Liverpool, two of the main English ports, they threaten. The labor shortage has worsened during the pandemic. Today’s new generations lack truck drivers, longshoremen, warehouse workers and airport workers. They hesitate because conditions are difficult, wages are low and they are not improving.
You were saying that demand is stabilizing. Because?
A global container price index shows that a peak was reached in September 2021 and since then prices have been falling. But we are still at very high levels. The furniture industry in Spain is growing, as is the textile and food industry: production is shifting. This movement is related to low volumes, but has an impact. It costs more to build a sofa in Spain than in China, but if you factor in shipping costs and delivery delays, the consumer is there. He is increasingly willing to pay more for a short circuit.
Did the war in Ukraine impact these supply chains?
When war broke out, everyone expected a new logistical drama. Not really, traders quickly found new markets. India, which exported fruit to Ukraine, found markets in Russia, Europe and Canada. Ditto for oilseeds: other countries managed to partially offset what came out of Ukraine, such as Brazil. Ukraine-dependent countries in North Africa are doing better than expected. And the transport world has adapted.
Carriers, including MSC, serve Russia for essential goods. How much does the Russian population depend on it?
The food is not under sanction, it can be delivered to Russia even though Swiss traders have withdrawn from this market. Russia is a huge and resilient market. It managed to find new suppliers, in Turkey, for example. The EU estimated that Russian GDP would contract by 15%, in fact, it fell by just 5%, according to official data. In the peripheral regions of Russia, people are used to living on the bare minimum of their land. If the war continues, I don’t think they will suffer from food shortages.
Shipping companies are making impressive profits, which is reviving the debate over their near-zero taxation. What is your opinion?
It is true that they pay little tax and make record profits. By 2022, its profits are expected to increase by 73%, according to Bloomberg. This generates tensions between politicians in search of scapegoats. France requested that CMA CGM pay an exceptional tax of 25%. But carriers are also investing heavily, for example, in cleaner boats.
Can paying a minimum of taxes promote the climate cause?
In this industry, nothing is entirely black or entirely white. Operators have not been profitable for years and are now taking advantage. There are statements – CMA CGM, Maersk and MSC have said that by 2050 they will only have green ships – but no tangible measures.
Read too: Shopping at all costs for MSC and the maritime giants
The industry pays a minimum of taxes and manages to be exempt from an OECD reform that aims to tax the profits of large multinationals by 15%…
This industry is known for its lobbying, which means the industry should be spared this reform. On average in Europe, bulk carriers pay 3% tax, tankers 6%, cruise lines 0% and freight forwarders (such as DHL or Kuehne+Nagel) 27% on average in the EU. These differences are huge. The problem is that the gap between the carriers’ current profits and their low tax rates has become extreme. Especially since carriers are often held to be partially responsible for inflation.
Switzerland is debating a tonnage tax that, given industry profits, would reduce industry taxes. Is that reasonable?
Switzerland wants to attract more transporters, even as the tonnage tax, which wants to tax companies according to their transport capacity rather than their profits, reduces the sector’s tax collection. This tax has the advantage of being applicable everywhere and being used in many countries. We know that it would be beneficial for companies but we don’t know if it will be the case in Switzerland because we don’t know how many companies would come if this tax were adopted.
The industry is focusing. The top six operators now control two-thirds of the market, according to Alphaliner.
in force. Now, as competition authorities would not authorize acquisitions between majors, they invest in adjacent sectors, terminals, barge companies, truck companies, airlines. Big groups now want to go door to door. No longer dealing only with maritime transport, but connecting the shipper to the end customer.
Can an MSC merge with a DHL suddenly?
This is the direction the industry is taking. Also, when MSC bought the Bolloré group’s logistics activities in Africa this winter, it is somewhat similar to what it did. Historically, shipping companies sold freight to freight forwarders. Today, they want direct access to customers.
Finally read: The ocean liner MSC World Europa, symbol of a difficult transition
Because if we can do it without an intermediary, it’s cheaper and we have more control.
By order, sea transport is the cleanest means of transport. still pollutes a lot anda real solution to go green.
It’s complicated again. Faced with the energy transition, maritime transport lacks universal regulation. This is all the more necessary as it is a globalized sector.
Is this a failure of the International Maritime Organization?
It is a political failure because the IMO is a UN body that depends on its member states. They set the tone, but there are disagreements, so there are no international guidelines. IMO has good intentions, but it is not enough. There are individual initiatives, but small-scale promises remain, often isolated. In addition, when we have cleaner fuels, there is a shortage and it is difficult to refuel.
Read again: The long wait for international merchant shipping
Is there also no lack of technical solutions? We don’t know how to build a big carbon neutral boat.
Technical solutions are lacking because there is little research. The industry, with its profits, should give more impetus. For now, innovations mostly come from non-industry startups. Whether in digitization or security, with blockchain. Some build lighter containers, others allow remote monitoring of cargo and equip the containers with sensors to combat trafficking.
At the same time, 3,133 containers fell overboard in 2021, an increase of 400%, according to the World Shipping Council.
With the stress on supply chains, controls have been less diligent. This represents 0.01% of the 241 million containers handled in 2021, which may not seem like a lot. But from an environmental impact point of view, it’s a lot. The problem is that when a container goes to sea, investigations are complicated and their results are not public. There is a lack of qualified personnel on board to carry out these checks.
Read too: Merchant navy urged to react to containers lost at sea
How to explain that the main operators are European, while in so many other industries Asia has taken the lead?
It’s historic. The great discoveries of several centuries ago were made across the oceans of Europe. Chinese companies do exist, but they are young and regional. There is little room in this market and barriers to entry are high. That said, most boats are built in China and South Korea.


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Talk about a face off!
Heidi Klum‘s kids got the scare of a lifetime when the “America’s Got Talent” star revealed three masks of Kim Kardashian‘s face. The masks are part of the display for a sunglasses collaboration between designer Carolina Lemke and Kim Kardashian West.
Klum’s kids quickly got over their fear and donned the Kim K replica faces.
Showing some dance moves, the girls channeled their inner Michael Myers and became Kim lookalikes while trying to scare Heidi.
The sunglasses actually looked cool as well but with all products that the KUWTK star pushes, it’s all about the packaging.

domain: news


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Woman being questioned in Walmart thefts
Police still looking for male suspect
A possible break in a Walmart crime spree.
Multiple police departments confirm there is a woman being questioned.
A source says someone spotted a woman in New Kensington and recognized her from the surveillance images WTAE has been showing.
The woman being questioned is accused of stealing $30,000 worth of electronics from Walmart stores.
State police said the woman and a man have targeted Walmarts in Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland Counties.
Police said the man takes the locks off the glass cases in the store then put the electronics in a bag or plastic container while the woman acts as his lookout.
The woman was being questioned Thursday evening at the New Kensington Police Department.
The man allegedly involved has not been found.
If you have any information that can help you are asked to call Pennsylvania State Police.


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When a small-capitalization stock that has been downtrodden for months starts to see a turnaround, Jim Cramer takes notice. That is why the. saw a big decline that started in 2013 and continued.
The median price for a residential home in King County increased. median rents in Seattle increased for the fourth straight month in April, since a decline in December. Boasting the most expensive.
Sales of existing homes declined for the third-straight month in June, falling to a five-month low and down 2.2% compared to a year ago. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing home sales ran at a 5.38 million seasonally-adjusted annual rate in June, down from May’s 5.41 million rate.
Ford’s venerable F-series line of pickups also had lower sales for a fourth-straight month. Sales were down for most cars and for the lincoln luxury brand, too. But May was the best month in.
Despite this, the share price of the company fell 3.2% in the aftermath of the company declaring an 8% increase in the comparable sales for the two months of its fourth quarter of FY 2017. This can be.
Through the first quarter of 2019, we have started to annualize the benefits of the investments we highlighted in 2018 with our focus on customer care, sales and. And that’s why customer tension is.
New home sales topped estimates, but the overall trend remains weak. New home sales are higher by just 1% over the past six months compared to the same period in 2016. The REIT ETFs (VNQ and IYR).


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Hackers Flirt With Exposing Cheating Site AshleyMadison.com
Hackers demanded that cheating site AshleyMadison.com be closed. The site is reportedly aiming for a $200 million IPO later this year.
Hackers dubbing themselves The Impact Team claim they have the information of all users of the site AshleyMadison.com.
For those of you who might not know what this site is for — good for you — but let us explain.
It's a site for adultery. Yes, you heard that right. The site motto is: "Life is short. Have an affair."
The Impact Team threatened to release the data of Ashley Madison's 37 million users, should the site's parent company, Avid Life Media, not permanently close down the site.
The hackers are also calling for the shutdown of another website under the ALM umbrella — Established Men — which touts itself as a website "connecting young, beautiful women with successful men."
The Impact Team hacked AshleyMadison because ALM allegedly lied to its clients about a "full delete" feature the company claimed completely erases all account data for $19.
The hackers say that feature doesn't actually work, and allege that real names and addresses of users remain on servers even after a "full delete."
In a manifesto posted on the AshleyMadison homepage, hackers told ALM’s chief technology officer they are his “worst f---ing nightmare” – referencing a comment made saying how a system hack is the CTO's biggest fear.
The hack has reportedly been contained. A statement from ALM said, “At this time, we have been able to secure our sites, and close the unauthorized access points.”
A follow-up statement said all published user "Personally Identifiable Information" was removed. Phew. Carry on, cheaters.
AshleyMadison.com is the world’s second largest paid dating website, only trailing Match.com.
And aside from the ramifications of a data leak, this could affect the company’s potential to launch an IPO. In 2014, AshleyMadison had $115 million in sales and is aiming for a $200 million IPO later this year.
Google, others say Uganda anti-LGBTQ bill bad for business
If signed into law, legislation prescribing the death penalty or life imprisonment for some homosexual offenses could hurt Uganda's economy.
Levi's plan to use diverse AI-generated models won't cut live shoots
After Levi Strauss & Co partnered with an AI firm to test digital models, the company says it will not cut back on live-model photo shoots.
Apple introduces 'pay later' service with no interest or fees
In what is being called Apple's venture into financial services, the company is offering to allow consumers to split up purchases into payments.
Melissa Joan Hart helps Nashville students to safety amid shooting
Actress Melissa Joan Hart says she and her husband helped a class of kindergarteners cross a busy highway as they were trying to escape to safety.
Dungeons & Dragons faces fan revolt over creative control clampdown
The role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons is more popular than ever these days, but that popularity is threatened by a consumer revolt.
New legislation hopes to combat unruly passengers on flights
Congress is reintroducing a bill that would develop a list of unruly passengers and ban them from commercial flights.


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Director David Robin created this humorous spoof of the TV show Shark Tank for the WPPI conference and expo that took place in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. It features a number of well known photography industry figures (Roberto Valenzuela, Bambi Cantrell, Jerry Ghionis, Melissa Ghionis, and Gary Fong) as the investors and entrepreneurs.
Although they portray a couple of inept inventors in the parody, Melissa and Gary have found success with their actual products in real life. The Ghionis’ are behind the new Omega shoot-through reflector and Fong is well known for his Lightsphere diffusers.
It’s the end of the road for the company behind Rolleiflex cameras. Just two months after Fujifilm put up one of its major film factories at auction, DHW Fototechnik is doing a liquidation auction of its own, selling off the massive amounts of equipment used in manufacturing twin-lens reflex cameras.
The auction gives us an unprecedented glimpse into the tools and spaces that were once used to great cameras with the iconic Rollei brand. Read more…
We recently shared an impressive demo of the 65x optical zoom lens on the Canon SX60. If you’re a smartphone shooter who wants the same reach without having to buy a new camera, check out this ridiculous 80x lens for smartphones. Read more…
Photoshop experts who teach the software for a living generally know it like the back of their hand. But how skilled would they be if they were forced to downgrade to the original version of the program, Photoshop 1.0? That’s what CreativeLive set out to find out recently.
They asked 8 well-known Photoshop experts — Dave Cross, Jared Platt, Ben Willmore, Chris Orwig, Julieanne Kost, Aaron Nace, Tim Grey, Matt Kloskowski, and Jason Hoppe — to try their hand at version 1.0. The results of this experiment can be seen in the video above.
Children’s book author Josh Gottsegen says he taught his 3-year-old labrador Olive to smile for the camera on command. Olive has been learning tricks since she was a puppy, and this is an “ultimate dog trick,” he says.
Some jokester has put up a listing on eBay for a DIY version of the new Leica M-P “Correspondent” edition. Carrying a €33,000 (~$35,300) price tag, the unusual camera kit comes with an ordinary Leica M6 and a small square of sandpaper. Read more…
Here’s a little comic titled “Art Project” by xkcd that pokes fun at the way people are using cameras to capture the passage of time and create art. One of the pioneers in this space was photographer Noah Kalina, who has been shooting a selfie every day since the year 2000. His latest “Everyday” compilation video released in 2012 showed 12.5 years of his life in 7.5 minutes. People have since taken this project into all kinds of creative directions.
In case you didn’t catch it: the two people on the left are simply capturing an ordinary photo and 24fps video, respectively.
Here’s a 365-day project that took a tremendous amount of planning and dedication. On January 8, 2014, Dean Smith decided that he wanted to ask his girlfriend Jennifer to be his wife. He also had a crazy idea for how to do so: a 365-day video-a-day project, synced to music.
So, for every day over the next year, Smith captured a short clip of himself popping the question with a whiteboard. He also carefully planned it so that each of the 365 clips was part of a lip-synced music video. The entire project can be seen in the video above.
Astronomers have captured the first photo of a single supernova showing up in four different places of a single image due to a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. The “lens” in this case was a massive galaxy that is capable of using its gravity to bend and magnify light. Read more…
This guy from Trollstation recently did an experiment to see what kind of reactions he would get by taking the world’s longest selfie stick onto the streets of London for some unusual self-portraits. He should try shooting with this 28-foot-tall tripod next.


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South Africa has declared a national state of disaster following years of power outages that have prompted a spate of profit warnings from food manufacturers.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa set out plans last night (9 February) to “dramatically reduce” so-called load shedding – the regular imposition of blackouts to save energy – during a state of the nation address.
It follows an open letter sent from the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) on Tuesday calling for government action to support the food and beverage industry.
“We are in the grip of a profound energy crisis, the seeds of which were planted many years ago,” Ramaphosa said.
“The state of disaster will enable us to provide practical measures that we need to take to support businesses in the food production, storage and retail supply chain, including for the rollout of generators, solar panels and uninterrupted power supply.”
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It called for the removal of red tape, a suspension of the fuel duty levy, incentives to install local renewable energy sources and for essential food production to be exempt from load shedding.
Last week, branded and private-label supplier RCL Foods issued a profit warning, citing “unprecedented levels of load shedding”, which the company said had further “impacted production and service levels”.
And in January, poultry processor Astral Foods issued a similar warning, blaming power disruptions for exacerbating already high energy and feed costs.
Ramaphosa’s proposals include a bounce-back loan scheme to help small businesses invest in solar equipment and investment in power infrastructure. He outlined deals to source energy from private companies as well as neighbouring countries.
He also outlined plans to exempt “critical infrastructure”, including hospitals and water treatment plants from load shedding – both of which have been impacted by outages.
“Our most immediate task is to dramatically reduce the severity of load shedding in the coming months and ultimately end load shedding altogether,” he said.
CGCSA CEO Zinhle Tyikwe told a local radio station: “We are hoping that some serious considerations will be made for our members…who feed this country.
“We want to take this call out to government to say: ‘Don‘t just think it’s going to be business as usual – because we have been resilient and we have made sure that products are available at the point of sale‘. But this is being done at a huge cost to my members, and it‘s starting to be unsustainable. That is why now we say to the government: ‘Look at this mirror and see the reality that is really happening in this country.’”


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Govt taking to WhatsApp to deliver citizen services faster
While Covid-related services such as booking vaccination slots, downloading certificates and finding other resources dominate the list, several other use cases have also been launched on the WhatsApp platform.
AI enabled livelihood platform Vahan places 5,000 blue-collar workers per month through WhatsApp
The blue-collar segment is an underserved market in India despite constituting the bulk of the workforce, Vahan Founder and CEO Madhav Krishna said.
LIC IPO process has begun, all structures put in place, says MD
There is a hugely positive sentiment in the market. Despite the large size, the LIC IPO may be hugely oversubscribed, says Vipin Anand.
Congress building database for reaching out to migrants
The Congress leadership is working towards building a national database of migrant workers to link it to the party’s constant and future outreaches at a time when their economic and political miseries due to lockdown have stirred the nation.
LIC new business premium crosses Rs 1.5 lakh-crore-mark, income soars 18%
The Corporation's total income grew by 17.79 per cent to Rs 2,97,017.28 crore as of September 2019 from Rs 2,52,149.60 crore a year ago, chairman MR Kumar said.
Indian IT giants join forces with startupsCo-creating with startups helps large IT enterprises find solutions in cloud services, automation, cybersecurity, IoT and big data
IT companies tapping startups to scale business globallyWith customers reserving their budgets for newer digital projects, technology firms are tapping startups and taking their solutions to customers.
JobBuzz Workplace2025 Conclave sees India's best business minds talk workplace disruptionsWhile acknowledging the promise technology brings to workplaces, the conclave also highlighted aspersions to economic disruptions.
Skilling India’s largest growing demographic using IBM WatsonIndia is projected to be the youngest country in the world by 2020, with approximately half of India’s 1.2 billion people under the age of 26.
Flipkart plans to use artificial intelligence and make online purchase akin to offline buying experienceFlipkart’s AI project represents an effort at addressing complexities at scale but specifically for Indian shoppers still coming to grips with buying online.Load More
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Previously, it had been estimated that around three million users had data accessed, but a new report by Brian Krebs of KrebsonSecurity revealed the true scale of the breach may have been far larger than thought - and that source code for software such as Photoshop may also have leaked.
President Obama’s Twitter and Facebook accounts were briefly compromised this week - with two Tweets and one post altered to send links to video montages of terrorist attacks.
A new app, Truly.am, aims to put a stop to a fast-growing area of online fraud - online dating scams - by forcing cybercriminals to prove they are who they say they are.
An invasion of fruity posts offering miraculous weight loss flooded Facebook and Twitter accounts linked to the social sharing app Buffer - appearing on official accounts for companies such as Brussels Airlines and Startup Genome.
Attackers used a Trojan program to target a security camera system in the Carmel Tunnels toll road in Haifa, shutting down the road for hours, and causing “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in damage.
Indonesia as a major source of malicious traffic? That's what a recent infographic from content delivery network provider Akamai seemed to say. In her first article for We Live Security, ESET security researcher Lysa Myers investigates.
A huge amount of private information harvested via hotel Wi-Fi networks is on sale in China - including phone numbers, dates of birth and addresses from hotel guests who logged in to networks in their rooms.
Cyber attacks have doubled in the year 2012-2013, according to a fraud report released by investigators Kroll - and the target is often information, rather than cash.
The global press release distribution firm PR Newswire has admitted to a large-scale breach, in which usernames and passwords were stolen - but claims hackers have not sent out “fake” releases, which can be used to manipulate financial markets.
Cyberattacks seem to be a growth industry in Indonesia, with the region having pushed China off the top spot as the leading source of attack traffic in the last quarter, according to internet services provider Akamai.
Bringing the international gang lords of cybercrime to justice is a “challenge”, the interim head of Britain’s new National Cyber Crime Unit has admitted - and says he will discuss the issue with government if necessary.
Some models of the popular routers made by D-Link contain a “backdoor” which could allow a remote attacker access to settings and private data, a researcher has warned.
A trio of men plugged keyloggers disguised as ordinary connectors into cash registers in a Nordstrom department store in Florida, and returned to collect days later, according to security blogger Brian Krebs.
Cyber attacks against Industrial Control Systems pose a risk to power plants and other critical infrastructure - and action is needed to ensure nations stay safe, the EU’s cyber security agency ENISA said today.
The costs of cybercrime have continued to rise for victims, for the fourth consecutive year, according to a survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute. Each cyberattack now costs companies nearly $1 million to resolve, on average - and the annualized cost to a sample of U.S. organizations was $11.56 million.
A cyber “war game” will test Britain’s financial system to its limits in a virtual attack which will test the defenses of banks, markets and payments systems against a simulated "major" attack by cybercriminals.
Internet Explorer users will be a great deal safer from Tuesday onwards, after Microsoft announced a patch for a vulnerability that has been exploited by attackers “for months” according to some reports.
Acrobat in hands of hackers, millions of customer details stolen, as Adobe admits to “unprecedented” breach
Adobe Systems, makers of popular software such as Acrobat, admitted on Thursday that hackers had penetrated its systems and stolen source code for its Acrobat software, used to make and read PDF files. Adobe also admitted hackers had stolen data on 2.9 million customers.
Spear-phishing attacks on energy companies are becoming increasingly sophisticated, an expert has warned - and all it takes is one lucky strike to cause devastating damage to the power grid, or to companies which supply oil and gas.


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Santa Maria Sun / Cover Story
The following articles were printed from Santa Maria Sun [santamariasun.com] - Volume 14, Issue 11
A taste of the American dreamCarnicerias reach out to new customers as they grow and expand
By FRANK GONZALES
Carne fresca 100% de res, puerco, chorizo, pollo, chivo, cabeza de res*. The fresh meat sits neatly arranged at a counter in Abad Barrera’s Carniceria El Amigo Abad in the Williams Bros Shopping Center on Main Street in Santa Maria.
His is one of several carnicerias—Mexican butcher shops—that can now be found all over Santa Maria, the state, and the nation. Acting for years as local agoras in Hispanic neighborhoods, these aren’t typical butcher shops. In addition to the meats carried in the deli, most carnicerias sell fresh vegetables, Mexican snack foods, beers, sodas, all the spices and seasonings a chef could ask for, tortillas, and Mexican breads. Many of them—El Amigo Abad included—also have a hot food counter that serves up burritos, tacos, and other delicious dishes.
Most of these businesses are family owned and are perfect examples of immigrants striving to attain the American dream. Thanks to their hybrid business model, exotic products, and highly competitive pricing, and a modern U.S. shift toward fresher, healthier foods, these businesses are thriving and beginning to expand their clientele to include non-Hispanic communities. A generation of open-minded Americans raised on multiculturalism and organic foods is beginning to seek out fresh new tastes of their own.
El Amigo Abad represents a small business’s approach to cornering this growing market. With an already strong customer base in the Hispanic community and a location that lends itself to heavy and diverse traffic, Barrera’s shop is perfectly positioned to attract new customers. Along these lines, he recently began to advertise his business in English for the first time.
“In 20 years, we’ve always done advertising in Spanish. This is the first year that we ever have done something in English, and it happened to be with the Sun,” Barrera said over the sound of a chopping meat cleaver. “I’m trying to target the Anglo, English-speaking community and readership.”
While the majority of his clients speak Spanish, a growing number solely speak English. Barrera said the current breakdown of his customers is roughly “Spanish-speaking only, maybe 50 percent,” with “about 20 percent bilingual and about 30 percent Anglo descent.” By disseminating advertisements in English, Barrera hopes to boost attention in the latter two groups especially. To keep these new customers once they walk in the door, he’s planning to carry more American products. This way, when visitors step in to look around for the first time, they can find some of the goods they already buy from other stores—“just so I can kind of give the American people, the Anglos, a little bit of what they’re looking for as well.”
One of the main reasons Barrera’s customers keep coming back is the high-quality level of service they receive, which he said differs from many corporate market chains.
“When people walk in, they’re not treated as strangers. They’re actually treated as a family member,” he said.
He clearly wasn’t exaggerating: During the interview for this story, he was approached no fewer than five times by customers who wanted to say hello
Barrera also stressed the importance of keeping the store spotlessly clean. At the core of his philosophy toward his customers is a classic tenet of the service industry: “The customer is always right. Whatever the customers asks for—that’s what they get.”
Barrera sees Mexican customers come from all over that country, explaining that they hail from “basically all of Mexico: Oaxaca, Michoacán, Jalisco, so a little bit of everywhere.” Usually this diversity brings stability to his business throughout the year, as immigrants from different regions visit Mexico at different times and are often involved in different types of work. The exception is the large group of migrant farm workers who come into Santa Maria for three to four months for the annual strawberry picking season. In that span, Barrera said, he sees a significant increase in business. As to why these workers leave after the season, Barrera said, “Some of them do go to Mexico, but for the most part a lot of the groups, when the strawberries are here they’ll come here, and then when the lettuce is harvesting in Arizona, that group of people goes to Arizona and works, and they just kind of tour year-round … wherever the product is.”
Having now operated a carniceria in Santa Maria for 20 years, Barrera knows just about everything there is to know about running such a business. El Amigo Abad has been in its current location for six years. Before coming to America, Barrera, the inveterate entrepreneur, also operated a similar business in Mexico City.
“When I was 16 or 17, with my own money, I opened up a carniceria in Mexico for five years,” he said.
He draws on his experience for every facet of his business. He said he believes in managing his 12 employees by example. Most of the time, he’s “back there working,” he said, pointing to the fresh meat counter.
“I love being the butcher, because when I’m cutting the meat, I can just see and smell its freshness,” he added.
Of all his products, it’s the namesake “carne” of which Barrera is most proud. His meat counter clearly displays Harris Ranch signs, revealing that he carries meat from that renowned ranch in central California.
“Everybody knows Harris Ranch, and they know it’s top-quality food, and that’s why I only carry that, just because I give customers quality,” Barrera said.
And while El Amigo Abad does carry processed snack foods—tamarindos candies; cacahuates, which are Mexican peanuts; the brand Sabritas, which are chips that come from Mexico—and Mexican beer and sodas, those aren’t the most popular items. Most of his customers, who shop once a week, buy fresh food, especially meat and locally sourced produce.
“Everything comes fresh, so [sales are] about 90 percent raw food and the deli, and 10 percent hot food,” he explained.
Since the carniceria’s emphasis on raw or “whole” foods dovetails with the organic food zeitgeist spreading across much of this country, the motivation behind such focus at places like El Amigo Abad makes sense.
“[Customers] like [food] prepared from scratch, just because they get a better taste from the food,” Barrera said.
This philosophy is common in many parts of the world, perhaps most famously in France, where fresh, local foods were never eclipsed by processed foods or produce grown on mega farms hundreds of miles away. Regarding his customers’ tastes, Barrera said, “Part of it does come from Mexico—the way they live over there and cook over there—but for the most part it’s just their taste buds, how even if they eat a hamburger they want to make sure that it has flavor, not just any type, but they like the flavor that they get doing it from scratch.”
At most carnicerias, taste and tradition are the driving factors behind selling fresh, unprepared foods, not worries about organic and sustainable foods. Bridging this gap—given that both carnicerias and organic markets like Whole Foods often end up selling similar things—could be a source of new growth for businesses like El Amigo Abad.
Yet, despite the opportunities for growth his increasing success could allow, Barrera is content with his solitary carniceria, saying, “I’m comfortable with only one [location], just because I put more effort and more quality into the one.”
In any discussion of California carnicerias, the rapid-growth-embracing elephant at the opposite end of the room is the Vallarta Supermarkets chain, which opened a location in Santa Maria in 2011. District Manager Luciano Mendez noted that the chain now has 42 locations in California, six of which he oversees. Since its founding as a lone carniceria not dissimilar from El Amigo Abad in 1985, Vallarta has opened more than one store per year on average. The Santa Maria location alone has 210 employees who work under Store Manager Sergio Gonzalez.
As with many carnicerias, Vallarta Supermarkets have a different aesthetic in how the products are presented and in the way the store is decorated. Walking into a Vallarta is like walking into a party.
“We’re trying to offer, more than anything, an experience, a shopping experience,” Mendez said of the bright décor. He noted a number of colorful destinations in Mexico that acted as inspiration, such as Puerta Vallarta, and said that many customers have even compared the feeling to Disneyland.
Apart from the scenery, Mendez said the company carries nearly everything that can be found in a Vons or Ralphs, and a host of other items. As with El Amigo Abad, Mendez said, “Fresh, for us, is No. 1.” In addition to the fresh produce, Vallarta also has hot food ready to eat, including chicken cooked on a machine shipped from Italy that can rotisserie and grill simultaneously; an entire panaderia, or Mexican bakery, in which everything is made from scratch; a tortilleria, which makes hot tortillas throughout the day; and a full-service meat counter.
“Before we were a supermarket, we were a carniceria,” Mendez said of that last full-service feature. “The owners were butchers.”
The customer base for Vallarta also largely mirrors Barrera’s, with 70 percent speaking Spanish, Gonzalez said.
Fresh ingredients also take center stage here: “The majority of our consumers start from scratch. They grab their tomatillos, their tomatoes, their onions—they start from scratch and then they build it,” Mendez said.
And Vallarta’s customers, too, move around with the harvest seasons. Gonzalez said the grape harvest in September and October usually brings an increase in business, as does the strawberry picking season Barrera noticed.
As for the exploration of a new customer base, Mendez said he’s indeed seen a distinct shift in business: Shoppers are moving toward healthier foods. He said the transition has happened within the Hispanic community, and that it’s also evident in the increasing number of Americans from other backgrounds now shopping at the store.
“People are thinking greener. They’re buying fresher products. They want to eat healthier, so we also have to move along with them,” Mendez said. “So we’re noticing, like on a Wednesday when our produce is on special, we see all types of people in here: Asian, white, whatever you name—they’re here along with the Hispanic consumer.”
To take advantage of this shift, Vallarta has been changing the products it carries to suit the tastes of the customers in each location.
“That, I think, is what is important: that we adjust to where we’re at,” Mendez said.
When asked if Vallarta would ever open a store in a community that wasn’t Hispanic, Mendez said, “It’s not out of the question.” He followed up by saying they’re looking into Santa Barbara.
While Vallarta continues to grow, its owners and managers aren’t blind to the same dangers of expansion that give Barrera pause.
“We still have that home feeling. We don’t have that ‘corporate’ world yet,” Mendez said. He added that most of their business comes via word of mouth, not advertising. Still, despite their humble origins and down-to-earth philosophy, Vallarta’s rise hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“When Walmart and those people are trying to target you, I think we kind of … got their attention,” Mendez said, referring to the mega-chain’s planned expansion into the grocery business in Santa Maria and elsewhere.
The growth of such businesses also hasn’t surprised city officials, especially in places like Santa Maria, which boast a large Hispanic population and carnicerias for many years.
“[Carnicerias] have been a part of Santa Maria … especially over the last 10 years. As the Hispanic population has grown, naturally they have grown as well,” said Dave Cross, director of the Economic Development Commission for the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce.
Despite the markets’ growth, he noted that it’s still difficult to bring such businesses into his organization, despite the chamber’s frequent efforts. It seems carnicerias still have a ways to go in availing themselves of English-speaking resources, a fact this reporter discovered in attempting to set up interviews with more carniceria owners.
Nevertheless, Cross said, “as more people are in town, more people shop and the competition is greater. … [Carnicerias] are going to do more outreach and try to bring in everyone they can to accommodate as many shoppers as they can. I think that’s a great thing. Competition is never bad for a shopper—it’s always beneficial.”
Cross is confident carnicerias will eventually contribute greatly to the chamber’s operations, like any other registered business.
“I think, in the future, you are going to see more of them becoming involved as Santa Maria grows and we get all kinds of shoppers in town,” he said.
Cross also thinks the recent trend of carnicerias expanding to the English-speaking market will only hasten their wider integration.
Vallarta Supermarkets have taken the idea of the carniceria to its chain-making conclusion. And while, thanks to their size, the chain’s stores are well equipped to attract new customers—including the English-speaking organophiles—it’s in the roots of Vallarta, in markets like El Amigo Abad, that the story of the carniceria, a story about immigrants and the American dream, comes out.
“You work harder here, but you live more comfortably here,” Barrera said.
Life has not always been easy for the business owner: “I have a daughter who doesn’t speak. She was born disabled, so, by raising her—she’s 17 years old—I actually learned a lot in life,” he said.
Barrera is very proud of his daughter and made sure to bring out photos of her that he carries with him. Barrera’s primary motivation in coming to the United States was to make a better life for his family by working hard at something, like so many millions of immigrants before him.
And the results speak for themselves: “I just try to prove to myself that in working hard at something I can pretty much get or have whatever I want and accomplish what my goals are,” Barrera said. “But that goes for anywhere in the world, not just here. Fortunately, I was able to land here, and I love it.”
* Fresh meat 100 percent beef, pork, chorizo, chicken, goat, head of beef.
Contact Intern Frank Gonzales at email@example.com.
Snubbing Uncle Sam: Local resident touts tax resistance as protest The funding game: After decades of work, the Bob Jones Trail needs a little more money to get it ready for construction Offshore energy: A state task force is in the preliminary stages of creating a wind farm off the Central Coast Trump directives target the Carrizo Plain, offshore drilling Solar farm at Paso Robles airport gets approval Anti-rental inspection petitioners seek compromise with SLO city Clarifications


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WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- MAGIC continues to support the business of fashion by offering the industry's widest variety of resources – global brands from head-to-toe, all the latest trends, a new footwear event - FN Platform, and a forum for industry leaders to share key information, news and insights with their peers.
MAGIC's unique world-class seminar series offers Zappos' extraordinary CEO, Tony Hsieh discussing the critical role customer service plays in the corporate world. NPD Group's world renowned analyst Marshal Cohen will explain how fashion businesses must forge ahead in this new decade. And if you're looking to expand global efficiency, you'll hear one of Obama's top Trade Reps, Gail Strickler, explain up-to-date information on free trade agreements.
Additional topics will be covered, including spring forecasting, global trends for product development, sustainability and "green" production, how to plan, merchandise and brand your business and more. The full speaker lineup is impressive and can be seen at http://www.magiconline.com/attendee/seminar-series/.
Three key sessions not to be missed:
Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos
- Keynote Presentation – Delivering Happiness
- Wednesday, Feb. 17th at 9am – Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N254
Under his leadership, Zappos has grown gross merchandise sales from $1.6M in 2000 to over $1 billion in 2008 by focusing relentlessly on customer service. Tony will share his thoughts on establishing balance among four basic human needs: perceived progress, perceived control, relatedness, and a connection to a larger vision. While other innovators in the corporate world focus on creating more high tech gadgets, Tony prefers to focus on the human side of business.
Prior to Zappos, Tony co-founded Venture Frogs and invested in Internet startups including Ask Jeeves, Tellme Networks, and of course, Zappos.com. He also co-founded LinkExchange, an advertising network that was successfully sold to Microsoft for $265M in 1998.
Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Analyst, The NPD Group
- Keynote Presentation – Welcome to the New World
- Tuesday, Feb. 16th at 3:30pm – Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N254
We have arrived at the beginning of a whole new world of fashion and retailing and it is driven by a new consumer. Marshal's new book "Buy Me!" says it's time to rid yourself of your old ideas, time to re-write the rules and harness the power of technology of all kinds. Join Marshal as he guides us through this new world and leaves you with action-items that will help you re-write your rules and start new traditions.
Marshal is a national expert on the retail industry and has followed retail trends for more than thirty years. He is among the Footwear News Power 100 and is also one of the foremost authorities on consumer behavior as demonstrated in his book, Why Customers Do What They Do.
Gail Strickler, Assistant US Trade Representative for the Office of Textiles,
- Panel Discussion, FREE TRADE: THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S OUTLOOK AND THE IMPACT ON YOUR SOURCING DECISIONS
- Wednesday, Feb. 17th at 11am – Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N254
As administrations change in Washington D.C., the impact on free trade agreements and negotiations affects production and sourcing decisions worldwide. What can the industry look forward to during President Obama's presidency and what will the impact be on major industry players?
After 30 years in the textile and apparel industry, Strickler is now responsible for supervising negotiations affecting textile and apparel products, advising Ambassador Ron Kirk on textile and apparel trade policy matters and working to expand the industry's access to foreign markets.
Panelists also include Janet Fox, V.P. Director of Sourcing, JC Penney Corporation and Paula Zusi, E.V.P. /Chief Supply Chain Officer, Ann Taylor Inc.
Every August and February, the fashion industry converges in Las Vegas for the most influential event in the business – the MAGIC Marketplace. The February 2010 MAGIC marketplace will run from February 16 – 18. For up-to-date exhibitor listings, seminar scheduling, travel support and registration information, please visit www.magiconline.com.
SOURCE MAGIC International


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Yannick Roy has responded to a rumor in regards to the official name of the tentatively-titled, "Mass Effect 4." According to a report from Attack of the Fan Boy on May 8, the studio director behind Bioware Montreal debunked the speculations that the next game in the series would be called "Mass Effect: Contact." Instead, he revealed that the video game currently has not official title, just a codename that has been passed around internally.
The "Mass Effect: Contact" name was speculated by Dual Shockers after an industry insider provided a hint. However, Yannick Roy has confirmed that the official title will be different. Representatives from the company previously confirmed that the new entry in the franchise won't be called "Mass Effect 4" due to some changes being planned.
The upcoming title should play similarly to the previous "Mass Effect" games. Players should expect a hybrid gameplay that combines real-time third-person shooting action with role-playing elements. However, the story is going to move away from Commander Shepard and the plot from the original trilogy.
The aforesaid Yannick Roy recently stated that "Mass Effect 4" is approximately in the middle of development. Bioware started the productions on the software product around one and a half year ago in late 2012. Barring any delays, the video game is most likely going to launch sometime during later next year.
Electronic Arts, the parent company of Bioware and publisher of the science-fiction role-playing series, is going to hold a press conference for E3 2014 on June 9. Six new unannounced titles will be reveal during the live stream event, which will also be broadcast live on Spike TV. Thus, fans of the "Mass Effect" franchise may be getting a glimpse at the new game sooner rather than later.
Bioware developed "Mass Effect 3" before starting work on the next title. The third main release of the series came out for the PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U and Xbox 360 in 2012. You can take a look at a screen of "Mass Effect 3" from the official Facebook page of the franchise with the image added near the top of this article.


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Mophie kicked off this year’s Super Bowl by being the first new company to sign up for a slot on NBC’s coverage of the game. It was a bold choice that got noticed. There had been quite a bit of speculation that advertisers might shy away from the Big Game after the NFL so publicly fumbled their PR this year and became a poster sport for domestic violence.
The commercial titled, “All-Powerless” gives another meaning to Mophie’s hashtag: #StayPowerful. Did you catch the ad during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIX? Adding to their boldness, Mophie chose a very unusual and compelling star for their first ever Super Bowl ad. The only Super Bowl ad starring The Almighty.
— mophie (@mophie) January 29, 2015
Why did Mophie join the Super Bowl now?
According to CEO Daniel Huang: “We feel it’s the right time to boldly introduce our solutions to the largest audience possible.”
Kevin Malinowski, Mophie’s marketing manager, tells Marketing Daily: “We’re in a unique situation, Mobile power is one of those situations that everybody deals with. But the reality of the situation is that people don’t even know the solution exists. It will have branding, but it will focus on the issue and highlighting it as a whole,” he says. “As [a category leader], we have a responsibility to grow the category. At the end of the day, we can’t continue to grow unless the category grows.”
Mophie hired the well-seasoned firm, Deutsch LA, to create the commercial. Deutsch has most recently made Super Bowl ads for Volkswagen and Taco Bell and holds big name accounts like Mitsubishi and General Motors.
In addition to their very brave, hard to miss ad, Mophie announced that they were giving away $1 million in products, but only if the game would go into overtime! Jay Glazer, Fox Sports senior NFL writer, is featured in their YouTube video, which explains the Mophie giveaway:
Glazer even tweeted about Mophie’s $1 million in product:
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 20, 2015
Too bad the Pats won 28/24 before the game went into overtime. So much for the $1 million.
Mophie iPhone 6 cases have been released ahead of the Super Bowl XLXI and are available for pre-order on their site.
Super Bowl ads experience


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Gulli to launch SVoD app, 8 YouTube channels
May 27, 2014
From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris
Looking to boost digital developments and forecasting 20 million views (vs 14 million now) for its GulliReplay service by the end of this year, Lagardère Active’s DTT family channel Gulli has revealed plans that include the launch of its first SVoD app on June 26th.
Available for €4.99 a month on iOS, Androïd, Windows 8 and Mac, GulliMax will give unlimited access to “edu-taining” apps and hundreds of episodes of the channel’s key programmes.
In the autumn, GulliMax will also add a musical offering featuring video content aimed at kids aged 7 to 10.
Gulli has also unveiled plans to imminently launch eight YouTube channels focusing on children’s interest. Called Gulli Délire, Gulli Show, Gulli Ciné, Gulli Bouge, Gulli Aventures, Gulli Anim’ and Evénements Gulli, these channels will feature shows from Gulli, in a reformatted version for YouTube viewing. Exclusive content will also form part of the line-up, such as a dedicated web series.
The eight non-linear channels will be linked to Gulli’s website and catch-up TV service GulliReplay.
Gulli’s digital plans also include the launch of an HBBtv/smart TV to offer direct TV access to additional content or the replay service.


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What would be taxed under Dayton's new sales tax plan? Read the list.
January 24, 2013 — 7:58pm
Late Thursday, the Minnesota Revenue Department released a two-page list of what would be newly taxed under Gov. Mark Dayton's plan.
The governor's proposal would cut the current sales tax from 6.875 to 5.5 percent but extend it to all sorts of new items and services. Importantly, the plan would charge sales taxes on business-to-business services, which would bring in billions to the state coffers.


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Single-use plastic shopping bags are now officially banned in California, which will go into full effect by next year.
Governor Jerry Brown signed bill SB270 Tuesday September 30 in an ongoing effort to prevent excessive street, park, beach, and waterway pollution caused by plastic bags.
"We’re the first to ban these bags, and we won’t be the last,” Brown said in a statement.
According to EcoWatch, America typically uses 50 percent of plastic fragments just once and trashes nearly 185 pounds of plastic yearly. Ten tons of plastic found in the Pacific Ocean is mainly the doing of pollution in Los Angeles.
Supporters of SB270 hope to see the slow demise of plastic bags in stores across California.
The bill plans to initiate its new provisions in the summer of 2015 by going after major retail chains like Target and Walmart. Additional store outlets will be targeted in 2016.
Not too many consumers are happy with this decision—especially since most grocery stores will have the option to charge customers at least 10 cents per paper bag.
National coalition, the American Progressive Bag Alliance, will seek to appeal the law for the November 16 ballot. They argued in a recent statement that this bill will only benefit the pockets of the grocery store industry.
"If this law were allowed to go into effect, it would jeopardize thousands of California manufacturing jobs, hurt the environment and fleece consumers for billions so grocery store shareholders and their union partners can line their pockets," said Executive Director Lee Califf of the American Progressive Bag Alliance.
Oppositionists also claim that the bill may be an inconvenience to those shoppers who recycle their plastic bags for other significant purposes.
As far as job losses, the bill plans to grant plastic bag manufacturers $2 million. This funding will assist in transforming traditional operations into a more reusable-friendly production line.
Although California is the first to pass a statewide bill pertaining to plastic bags, other states are not too far behind, including Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. Environmentalists have also been able to successfully encourage bans in Austin, Texas and Chicago, Ill.
For those who may be affected by this new bill, here are three alternatives:
- Shopping Tote Bags - These shopping bags can be bought in any style or size from stores like Walgreens, Target, or even Amazon.com. They’re great to reuse and last really long.
- Cardboard Boxes - Like Costco, why not recycle and use cardboard boxes? It may sound like a hassle to carry boxes around while shopping, but they’re great for packing heavy loads.
- Backpacks - This alternative (or a backpack on wheels) can be really convenient for those who don’t mind dragging around a little extra weight. Carrying one to two backpacks definitely come in handy while grocery shopping.
Fortunately, this bill will exempt plastic bags used for fruit, vegetable produce, and poultry.


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Amazon warns headphones pose safety risk – issues urgent software update to prevent overheating
AMAZON has warned that its popular Echo Buds headphones pose a safety risk.
The retail giant has issued an urgent update that users should install immediately – to prevent overheating.
Customers were warned of the issue by an email sent out on July 15.
The issue relates specifically to the Echo Buds, a pair of £119/$129 wireless earbuds released last year.
They're a direct rival to the popular Apple AirPods, but now come with a stark warning.
"We recently determined that in very rare cases it is possible for Echo Buds to overheat while in the charging case," Amazon warned.
To fix the issue, Amazon is rolling out an immediate update.
You'll need to make sure your Echo Buds are connected to your phone and charged to receive the update.
The update should be automatic, so you won't need to manually do anything – other than make sure they're connected.
Amazon confirmed the issue in a statement sent to The Sun.
“The safety of our customers is our top priority," an Amazon spokesperson told us.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we have released a software update addressing this potential issue and have contacted affected customers."
What are the Amazon Echo Buds?
Here's what you need to know...
The Echo Buds are Amazon's first set of true wireless earphones.
They're powered by the Seattle firm's AI assistant Alexa, who's also loaded into Amazon's popular Echo smart speaker range.
On top of this, the Buds feature noise-reduction technology designed by audio giant Bose to help you block out noise from the outside world.
According to Amazon: "Designed for wherever your day leads you, Echo Buds are an easy way to access Alexa hands-free while on-the-go."
The Buds' noise-reduction "reduces ambient noise so Alexa can hear you whether you’re walking to class, on your lunch break, or commuting home on the train", the firm says.
To check if you've received the update, open the Alexa app on your phone.
Then go into Devices > Echo & Alexa > Echo Buds > About.
You'll be looking for software version 318119151 or higher, which means you've received the update.
If you haven't got the update, reconnect the Echo Buds to your phone via Bluetooth, and make sure the earbuds and case are both charged.
Keep the lid on the case closed and the update will begin shortly.
Wait between 30 minutes and an hour before using the Echo Buds again to ensure that the software update goes through.
It's unclear if there have been any incidents related to Amazon's Echo Buds overheating, or how Amazon came to be aware of the problem.
Most read in Phones & Gadgets
In other news, check out our Amazon Echo Buds review.
Take a look at our review of the brand new iPhone 11.
And if you've got more money to burn, you'll want to read about the iPhone 11 Pro instead.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at email@example.com


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Surprise Girl did not make Roku blink.
Will Godzilla, King Kong, the gang from “The Matrix” and “Mortal Kombat” do the trick?
In an unprecedented transfer for a serious film studio, AT&T owned Warner Bros. stated it will launch each one among its first-run theatrical movies subsequent yr in theaters and on its HBO Max streaming service.
The transfer begins on Christmas Day with the beforehand introduced “Surprise Girl 1984” sequel, and will probably be adopted with sequels to “The Matrix” and Godzilla and a movie primarily based on the “Mortal Kombat.”
That is seen as a transfer AT&T to exert extra stress on Roku, the streaming platform that has declined to hold HBO Max because it debuted in Could. NBC Common proprietor Comcast tried one thing related in September, when it threatened to yank all of its channels (which incorporates Bravo, CNBC and MSNBC) if Roku did not begin carrying its new Peacock.
This time, “the percentages are good that it may occur the week earlier than Christmas,” says Phil Swann, the creator of the TV Reply Man weblog. “However I would not say it is a assure. Roku nonetheless has numerous leverage. AT&T wants Roku much more than Roku wants AT&T.”
Whereas the transfer Warner Bros. is unprecedented in day and date streaming, most of the movies on the slate will not be out for a while, “so in addition to ‘Surprise Girl,’ it is not like these movies are on folks’s minds,” he provides.
Roku pioneered streaming, initially as a division of Netflix earlier than breaking off in 2008 and sells common streaming gamers that join TV viewers to web programming. Roku, says Swann, “is a God,” within the streaming world that simply dominates gross sales.
Not being on the Roku platform has restricted HBO Max’s development, because it represents 40% of the market.
“Roku has hundreds of channels obtainable,” Swann says. “It does not want HBO. What folks love about it’s they carry it dwelling, join the machine to the HDMI on the again of the TV, and there is all these channels to look at, lots of them at no cost.”
Rival Amazon additionally serves the streaming viewers with its Fireplace TV Streaming Stick product, which the corporate frequently touts as one among its hottest merchandise. Amazon lower a cope with HBO in November so as to add the service to the Fireplace TV platform.
AT&T’s foray into tv has been rocky. It paid $49 billion for the DirecTV satellite tv for pc service in 2015, solely to see it bleed subscribers. The corporate is claimed to be looking for consumers for DirecTV.
So with HBO Max and the first-run movies from Warner Bros. “that is AT&T on the on line casino, cashing their DirecTV chips and placing all of them down on HBO Max, doing no matter it will probably to make it successful.”
Roku had no remark.
Comply with USA TODAY’s Jefferson Graham (@jeffersongraham) on Twitter


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MySale Group has reported record sales and profitability for the half-year to December 31 with recent investment in its buy now, pay later option (called Ourpay) and its other tech updates helping to drive it forward.
Emotions - “a brand’s ability to spark an emotional connection with consumers” - will be key to the luxury sector in 2018 while the widest possible interpretation of sustainability is also crucial, a new report claims.
UK fashion and interiors retail giant Next has announced that group operations director Michael law is retiring after 23 years with the firm with its merchandising chief now taking on the role and joining the board.
Interparfums, Inc. has signed a fifteen-year exclusive global licensing deal for Guess fragrance. The agreement includes creation, development and distribution of men's and women's fragrances under the Guess brand.
The NYC-based beauty brand announced on Friday that it has secured $52 million in Series C funding, for a total of $86 million, which it intends to put towards developing customer experience initiatives.
Nails are buffed, blackheads scrubbed and coffee sipped to the sound of clipping scissors inside the "Men's" salon in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, where a growing number of male patrons are set on revamping their style.


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It’s rumored that Apple may try to recoup its lost Lightning licensing fees by implementing a Made for iPhone program for USB-C accessories. Apple would have to approve each accessory, offering a way for consumers to buy a cable knowing precisely what it will be capable of doing. However, Apple may penalize people who use cables that are not part of the program—they may not work all that well, even if they are technically compatible.
What About My Lightning Accessories?
Well, the first question is whether you need to upgrade to a new iPhone at all. Is your iPhone working just fine? Then hold onto it! If you are going to upgrade, you’ll have to use USB-C to Lightning adapters to continue using your old accessories. Ideally, you can hand over your Lightning accessories to folks who aren’t making the switch just yet (and prevent these gizmos from becoming e-waste).
It’s worth noting that a few accessory makers I spoke to from Satechi, Nomad Goods, and Plugable seem to be excited about the transition to USB-C, whether or not they will still have to pay into Apple’s MFi program. Brock Guclu, cofounder and president of Satechi, says the transition will streamline its development process.
“Presently, most of our products cater to USB-C devices, while iPhone-specific products have been exclusive due to the Lightning connector,” Guclu said in an email statement. “Adopting USB-C will eliminate the need for multiple product SKUs and enhance cross-compatibility across diverse devices and ecosystems.” Brian Hahn, cofounder and chief operating officer of Nomad Goods, and Plugable’s Thompson echoed these sentiments.
Where Does MagSafe Fit Into All of This?
With the iPhone 12, Apple introduced a system to connect accessories to the iPhone: MagSafe. It’s a magnetic ring on the back of the phone that enables accessories to magnetically stick to the back of the device. You can pop on a MagSafe battery pack to wirelessly top up your iPhone. Or stick a MagSafe wallet to carry around a few credit cards. The world of MagSafe has exploded into various categories over the past few years, like MagSafe car mounts and tripods.
The addition of USB-C is separate from MagSafe. It will still have a place as wired charging is faster than wireless charging, and USB-C allows for data transfer whereas MagSafe does not. But it’s worth noting that there is a new standard emerging.
The Wireless Power Consortium, the body that manages the Qi wireless charging standard, will begin certifying devices for the new Qi2 standard later this year, according to Paul Golden, the organization’s marketing director. This standard introduces the Magnetic Power Profile, a MagSafe-like implementation that more efficiently transmits power from a charger to a device with the help of magnetic alignment, improving wireless charging speed at the same time.
You can expect most new Android phones in 2024 to have a similar MagSafe-like charging coil on the back because of this new standard. MagSafe accessories should be able to work just fine with these devices, though at slightly slower charging rates until Apple adds Qi2 support to MagSafe. Either way, with USB-C and magnetic wireless charging on most new handsets next year, Android phones and iPhones will have a kind of parity between accessories not seen before.


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Dripping with gem-adorned ornaments, the Christmas tree in the lobby of the ultra-chic Kempinski Hotel Bahia in Marbella, Spain, is the most expensive in the world. The tree was created by British haute couture designer Debbie Wingham and is valued at a staggering $15 million.
According to published reports, the show-stopping tree boasts a number of over-the-top decorations, including a miniature BVLGARI handbag, a Louis Vuitton carriage, a blue diamond nutcracker and a red diamond-encrusted emu egg.
Wingham — who is credited with designing the world’s most expensive wedding cake (a $55 million treat commissioned by a client in Dubai) and the world’s most expensive shoes (sandals made with gold, pink and blue diamonds worth $17 million) — peppered the tree with diamond dust and 24-karat gold leaf.
Inspired by the verdant feathers of a peacock and the modernist Art Deco era, the tree also features unique martini glasses, feathers, perfume bottles and even 3D printed chocolate peacocks. She also included more tradition decorations, such as snowflakes, fairies and pearl-filled snow globes.
Wingham’s client list includes Katy Perry, the Kardashian family, Dita Von Teese and Amanda Holden.
The current Guinness World Record holder for the world’s most expensive Christmas tree belongs to the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi. Its tree was valued at about $11 million, stood 43 feet tall and was decorated with 181 pieces of jewelry and watches. Although the Kempinski Hotel Bahia has yet to submit its holiday tree for official Guinness recognition, the reported value seems to easily surpass that of the Emirates Palace tree.
On December 28, the Spanish hotel will be hosting its Diamond and Champagne Night, when guests will indulge in a “decadently curated cocktail dining experience” and have a chance to take home a diamond valued at about $2,700. Each guest will select a key and attempt to unlock a box containing the valuable treasure. Whoever’s key fits the lock will take home the dazzling diamond.
Kempinski Hotel Bahia, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, is situated near the palm tree-lined promenade of Estepona, about 20 miles west of Marbella on the Spanish Costa del Sol. The luxury beachfront property was recently named “Spain’s Best Hotel Spa” during the fifth annual World Spa Awards.
Credits: Images courtesy of Kempinski Hotel Bahia.


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Online retailers have made significant strides in reducing over packaging, while many more have signed up to the UK government’s flagship Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) than previously thought.
Research among 1000 UK shoppers who received deliveries including fashion, food & drink, home & garden and health & beauty, found that retaielrs have reduced excessive packaging by 25% compared to when the research by Macfarlane Packaging began in 2016. In addition, consumers reported that they consider 78% of packs to be sustainable and 81% easy to recycle. This means that almost 20% more online retail packaging can be recycled now compared to 2020.
Branded packaging has also been put in the spotlight, with nearly 60% of consumers stating their parcels arrived branded, almost doubling in the last three years. 40% of consumers confirmed that branded packaging encourages them to buy again from retailers.
Commenting on the survey results, Laurel Granville, Marketing Director of Macfarlane Packaging, says: “Responses to our unboxing survey this year demonstrate how retailers have been responding to consumer preferences and optimising their packaging so it’s more eco-friendly and less wasteful.”
Packaging Tax uptake update
Meanwhile, a growing number of retailers and suppliers have signed up to the UK Treasury’s flagship Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT). In August, a Freedom of Information request from law firm Pinsent Mason sparked a flurry of negative headlines, with just 992 businesses registering to pay the tax.
However, HMRC has moved to clarify that the data reported was from April. In fact, as of September 26th, over 2,600 businesses across the UK successfully submitted their Q1 returns on time.
The first quarter of the tax raised around £58m and went some way towards alleviating fears that PPT might not raise the £235m projected for year one.
Kathy Illingworth, Head of Sustainability Consulting at packaging data specialist Ecoveritas, says: “It’s pleasing to see the number of registrations jump, but for a measure that would supposedly affect up to 20,000 businesses, there is still work to be done. HMRC will surely be keen to rachet up the pressure after some of the abysmal headlines and come down hard with penalties for late or non-filed returns. Businesses should look to partner with a packaging data specialist that can consistently deliver a highly efficient and transparent service without the need to scale up to meet the requirements.”


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June 23, 2021 | 09:07
Canadian Retail Sales: Spring Slump...Summer Surge?
Canadian retail sales were predictably walloped during the third-wave restrictions, but appear well primed for a rapid recovery. Sales fell even more heavily than initially estimated by StatsCan in April, plunging 5.7% (flash was -5.1%), with ex-auto sales sliding 7.2%. And, perhaps more notably, the early read on May points to another heavy decline of 3.2% from this already-weak level. While the massive swings in almost all economic data in the past year has tended to numb the senses, note that the April drop in sales is larger than anything seen in the past 30 years (aside from the wildness of 2020).
The April drop was mostly due to tough restrictions in Ontario (-13.4%) and Manitoba (-8.0%), which were two of the hardest hit provinces by the third wave. Excluding these two, the rest of the country posted a much less intense sales drop of 0.7%. The renewed drop in May likely reflects new lockdowns in some other provinces. With the country now in various stages of re-opening, we look for a hearty snap-back in sales in June and July. However, note that even with the big decline in April (and May) activity, retail sales volumes are still above pre-pandemic levels—so the rebound may not fully reverse these latest sags.
The areas of pronounced weakness were no surprise, with clothing & shoes plunging 31.4%, furniture falling 14.4% and general merchandise off 8.1%. One small surprise was that the volume of sales fell "just" 5.6% (i.e.., slightly less bad than the headline). With consumer prices forging higher in the month, it was anticipated that the real drop would be even worse—small mercies.
Still, the heavy-duty drop in April sales volumes and the early weak read in May all but locks in a) a big decline in April GDP (around -1%) and b) continued softness in May. This combination suggests that for all of Q2, GDP will struggle to stay flat (our call), let alone reach the BoC's latest projection of 3.5% growth for the quarter. Nonetheless, we remain optimistic that activity will bounce back in Q3, possibly close to a 10% annualized pace.
Bottom Line: While today's downbeat report is a look deep into the rear-view mirror, it reveals the full extent of the third-wave restrictions—with retail at the forefront of the economic pain. Even so, the weakness is no shock, and provided the further fall in May doesn't spill more broadly into the rest of the economy, we are maintaining our call for flat GDP in Q2 and a 9.5% spike in Q3 (and +6% for the full year).


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The trade tensions between the United States and China intensified over the past week, after negotiations between the two governments to resolve their dispute over Chinese intellectual property and technology transfer policies stalled. Each side has blamed the other for allegedly backtracking on commitments and undermining the progress that had reportedly been made.
The U.S. government responded by increasing tariffs to 25 percent on the same $200 billion of imports of Chinese goods that had previously been subject to a 10 percent tariff increase. The U.S. government also requested comments on imposing a 25 percent tariff on an additional $300 billion worth of imports of Chinese goods. The newly announced or proposed tariffs, combined with earlier rounds of tariff increases imposed last year, would cover virtually all imports of Chinese goods. China responded by increasing tariffs to up to 25 percent on $60 billion a year of imports from the United States.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) intends to establish a process for requesting product exclusions from the new 25 percent tariffs on $200 billion of imports of Chinese goods. Importers affected by the new tariffs should begin preparing now and closely monitor the opening of the period for submitting exclusion requests.
In the meantime, USTR has continued to process exclusion requests related to earlier rounds of tariffs. USTR has received almost 14,000 exclusion requests. It has granted approximately 14 percent of those earlier requests, denied 50 percent and is still processing the remainder. The granted exclusions are retroactive to the date when the increased tariffs were imposed and will continue for a period of one year after the exclusions were published.
- Origin of the dispute and legal authority for new tariffs: As reported in previous Sidley client alerts available here, the U.S.-China trade tensions arose out of U.S. allegations that China has failed to protect intellectual property, forced U.S. companies to transfer technology to China and taken other actions that harm U.S. innovation. Pursuant to authority granted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, USTR imposed a series of new tariffs on imports from China in the hope of bringing China to the negotiating table to resolve the U.S. concerns.
- Status of exclusions from first two rounds of tariffs: In July and August of last year, USTR imposed a 25 percent tariff on $50 billion worth of imports from China.
- On May 14, 2019, USTR issued its fourth set of product exclusions from the first round of tariffs. The latest set of approved requests cover approximately 515 separate exclusion requests. The list is available here.
- Although USTR has not made its approach explicit, it has accelerated its issuance of exclusions in recent weeks by focusing on products for which USTR received the highest number of requests from U.S. industry. This approach puts “sole” U.S. importers at a relative disadvantage at the front end, but as USTR makes all exclusions retroactive to July 6, 2018, and then effective for one year from publication, the later-issued exclusions will, in fact, last longer.
- USTR has not yet granted any exclusion requests for the second round of tariffs.
- Increase in third round tariffs and exclusion process: Since September 24, 2018, USTR has imposed a 10 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese-origin goods. Effective May 10, 2019, USTR increased the tariff on these goods to 25 percent. The announcement is available here. The tariff increase applies to products that enter the United States on or after May 10, 2019, but does not apply to goods that were exported from China prior to May 10, 2019, and enter the U.S. prior to June 1, 2019.
- USTR intends to establish a process to allow interested parties to request exclusions from the third round of tariffs but has not yet done so.
- If USTR follows the same approach it used with respect to the first two rounds of tariffs, USTR will ask interested parties requesting exclusions to explain (i) whether the product that is the subject of the exclusion request is only available from China, (ii) whether the imposition of additional duties on the product would cause severe economic harm to the requestor or other U.S. interests and (iii) whether the product is strategically important or related to “Made in China 2025” or other Chinese industrial programs. The requests must include “a comprehensive physical description of the product,” and a product-specific exclusion request will be considered administrable only if the product description enables U.S. Customs and Border Protection to consistently identify and correctly classify the covered product at time of entry.
- As with the exclusions for the first two rounds of tariffs, the product exclusions for the third round of tariffs are not expected to be importer specific. That is, any product meeting the appropriate harmonized tariff code or product description, as applicable, may benefit from the exclusion from the Section 301 tariffs.
- Possible fourth round of tariffs: On May 10, 2019, USTR proposed to impose a 25 percent additional tariff on $300 billion worth of Chinese-origin goods under 3,805 full and partial tariff subheadings. The announcement is available here. USTR will hold a public hearing on this proposal on June 17. Requests to appear at this hearing are due by June 10. Written comments, including input on the specific tariff levels that should be imposed, the appropriate aggregate level of trade to be covered by additional duties and requests to exclude specific subheadings from the proposed tariff increase, are due June 17.
- Response from China: China has responded to the previous imposition of Section 301 tariffs by imposing similar tariffs on imports of U.S. goods. Following the imposition of the 10 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese-origin goods in September 2018, China responded by imposing its own tariffs of 5 percent to 10 percent on $60 billion a year of imports from the United States. On May 13, 2019, following the announcement from the U.S. government that the tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese-origin goods would be increased to 25 percent, China announced its intention to impose additional tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. imports by up to 25 percent, effective June 1, 2019. China’s State Council Customs Tariff Commission further stated that China would establish a process by which interested persons could request exclusions from the Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods. The Commission will reportedly review and grant exclusion applications on a case-by-case basis.1 Any granted requests will be valid for one year from the date of the exclusion and will be retroactive to the date of the imposition of the increased tariff.


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By Megan Hanna
EOS, a company who is at the forefront of 3D printing technology and offers high-end solutions in additive manufacturing (AM), unveiled a new facility in Pflugerville, Texas. The facility was inaugurated with a grand opening ceremony, which also coincided with the year of the company’s 27th anniversary. According to EOS, the new facility […]
The original post EOS opens new US facility to face a growing market appeared first on 3D Printing Industry.


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Americans are increasingly using their computers not to work or browse the internet, but to watch streaming TV and movies — and that trend is about grow. Netflix has changed its pricing scheme to encourage more customers to watch movies online, and Microsoft is reportedly making a deal for XBox Live customers to stream TV programs over the internet to their televisions. But all that streaming video comes at a price: Bandwidth. Can the internet's infrastructure handle the new data demands, or will too much traffic overwhelm it?
Everything should be fine, but it might cost you: "Keeping the internet ahead of the video curve is surely manageable," say Robert Hahn and Peter Passell at Forbes, but we'll likely see "growing pains" in the form of extra charges for bandwidth usage and premium programming.
"Will the next internet revolution be televised?"
It's already costing more: Just this week, cable provider Comcast demanded that one of Netflix's key online delivery partners pay more money for its streaming video service, says David Dayen at Firedoglake. Unless we reform our net neutrality rules, big cable companies will be able to hold our Netflix subscriptions hostage.
"Comcast shaking down Netflix for streaming fees, violating principle of net neutrality"
Most price-hikes, though, will be on the local, not national level: The "backbone of the internet" is unlikely to reach gridlock anytime soon, says Scott Canon at the Kansas City Star. But if all your neighbors sign up for Netflix, the "last mile of the internet" — that is, the local lines that cater to "far narrower lanes of traffic" — could easily become clogged. Expect higher rates from your internet service provider to "pay for improvements on that last mile."
"Will more streaming video overwhelm internet?"
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Prescriptions for easy business
(Illustration: Saurabh Singh)
IT WAS THE reforms of 1991 that set the ball rolling for friendlier regulations in India. With the promise of growth and competition came the fear of unfair trade practices. Stifled businesses were expecting a breather. But since then, the regulatory environment has not really enabled the smooth functioning of companies, which are increasingly being burdened by procedural and compliance issues. From the fog around the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to restrictive nature of the housing regulator to tinkering with governance structures of high-performing companies, regulators need a rethink. But is there really a gold standard of government regulation? A size that fits all? Here is a case study:
In 2013, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had a tough time arranging for plane tyres. The global recession of 2008 had still not ebbed and procurement wasn’t easy. The IAF was even forced to use tyres from its war reserves. It is at this juncture that a family-owned, homegrown tyre maker got clearance for military airworthiness and began producing the main wheel tyres for frontline Sukhoi (Su-30 MKI) fighters. The tyres were 30 per cent cheaper than the imported ones, and the company even took on the responsibility of design, development and quality tests. Homegrown production has ensured that the IAF no longer has to stock large volumes; instead of keeping stocks for three years, now six months is sufficient, further boosting the ‘Make in India’ initiative in the aerospace industry. There are numerous such examples where family-owned businesses have responded to the nation’s call in times of crisis, and therefore, have a special place in India’s economic story.
But now comes the problem of textbook corporate governance ideas.
SEBI’s Theory of Relativity
While the tyre maker’s bid outlines the contours of how a family-run business over three generations can successfully work in tandem with the defence industry, it clearly goes against what capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) ruled last year—that the chairperson of the top 500 BSE listed companies should be a non-executive director and not related to either the CEO or MD of such companies. It’s certainly not compatible with India’s family-owned businesses where the directors are as much accountable to the shareholders as to the family. But it is no heresy for a business to be owned by a family yet perform well. As is the case with the tyre maker. Besides, 73 per cent of the top 500 BSE-listed companies are family-owned, so the chairman is all but paterfamilias of the clan and he is very unlikely to be the almost unknown outsider that SEBI wants him to be, from early next year, as per its amended Listed Obligations and Disclosures Requirements Regulation. Under this rule, the managing director must be unrelated to the chairman.
SEBI is thus bent on rolling out corporate governance codes with global ‘best practices’, all modelled on the code that Adrian Cadbury rolled out in the 1990s. It was to be adopted by Britain, the European Union and the US. Framed in an era marked by cheap money and insider trading—Greenspan was the US Federal Reserve chief and Mike Milken had just been sent to jail—it undoubtedly had a historic role. But it obviously had its drawbacks, as it could not prevent the onslaught of a global recession in 2008 nor could it stop manufacturing from bidding goodbye to the Western world to relocate in China, a country where corporate directors are appointed not so much by shareholders’ approval as by that of the Communist Party. For a country like India, with thousands of years of trading and commercial tradition, the Cadbury model was unsuitable. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the apex chamber of commerce, has argued with SEBI that the chairman and MD of Indian family-owned companies are often closely related as the family holds most of the capital, often in excess of those held by individual shareholders and large public corporations.
Though the market regulator has hit the right note by ensuring power does not concentrate in one person’s hand, the move has the potential to disrupt board structures and can severely impact a company’s image, particularly in India, where family-run businesses account for 85 per cent of all companies. Indeed, the regulator could play a constructive role by working out a mechanism to open markets without overlooking the need for corporate governance.
The GST Conundrum
Like SEBI, the GST Council too has to understand the pains some of its regulations are causing businesses. On October 9th, the council notified new rules under Section 43 of the GST Act that restricts the refund of input credit to 20 per cent of the claimed amount if suppliers fail to upload correct details in the GSTR 1 Form on the GSTN portal. (A producer is refunded ‘input credit’ for the taxes it pays on purchase of items that go into production.) Though the move came in the wake of burgeoning fake GST invoices to claim input credit, there is little clarity in the new law and businesses are in limbo. “Though the intention of the Government is to plug cases of fake transactions, almost 99 per cent of businesses indulge in genuine transactions and they will suffer because it will impact on their cash flows and they will also have to deal with procedural and law-related ambiguities of operationalising it to deal with compliance of the law,” says Abhishek Jain, Partner, EY.
“The GST is a simple tax structure, however, with certain overlaps and pre-GST duty structures. There is need for the GST Council to relook at some of the mechanisms which currently block working capital for multiple industries,” says governance reform expert Rameesh Kailasam.
In February this year, a clutch of telecom firms approached the Government to seek relief by adjusting Rs 35,000 crore worth of excess GST credits in lieu of deferred-payment obligations, licence fee and spectrum charges. Operators feel that in the last two years, though their capex has gone up substantially, revenues have nosedived by about 30 per cent, creating a mismatch in output liability and input credit. Much of the mismatch is due to the excess GST credits. ‘Such a situation has led to blocking of approximately Rs 35,000 crore of operators’ capital in the form of excess GST credits,’ Cellular Operators Association of India wrote in a letter to the then Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha. Today, the Government is taking the lion’s share of telecom revenues—from 29 per cent in 2007-2008 to 60 per cent in 2017-2018.
Even online portals, particularly e-commerce travel operators, are facing the heat on GST. According to the Central GST Act, an e-commerce operator (ECO) has to have a physical presence in the taxable territory. Ordinarily, such operators, by virtue of their digital prowess, operate out of a single office which can be located anywhere in the country. But multiple registrations are causing additional pain to the sector and also creating a mismatch with foreign operators doing business out of India, to whom GST does not apply.
So in India, ECOs such as Makemytrip and Yatra have to set up an office in every state and Union Territory, keep an army of accountants and incur huge administrative and compliance costs. “Such regulations unknowingly bind innovative online companies with multiple issues, which can only be solved by easing such regulations. The issue of uneven playing field that Indian OTAs [online travel aggregators] face is easily solvable by putting a centralised GST collection mechanism in place,” explains Kailasam. At the same time, such a move will be in sync with the all-encompassing ‘Digital India’ drive.
India’s regulatory institutions are often arthritic in responding to changes in the technology landscape. In recent times, the advent of 5G technology is poised to trigger a raft of new services, like cloud-based computing and, probably, the Internet of Things. All this brings into focus the criticality of telephone tower and the need for sufficient diesel to keep power supply uninterrupted for the transponders placed on it. The GST law restricts input tax credit on telecom towers. The Delhi High Court has, in relation to the petition of Vodafone, allowed credit on towers. But the regulator must wake up, as the future world will greatly rest on 5G connectivity and its carrier towers.
Again, internet-based startups in the textiles industry are caught in the GST net and saddled with an inverted duty structure. While the Government has levied 5 per cent GST on clothing items (the final product) below Rs 5,000, any textile business has to account for other expenses, such as marketing,
warehousing, logistics, courier etcetera, which attract 18 per cent GST. Startups operate under thin margins and delays in release of input credit hits working capital flows. The sooner the Government smoothens the refund mechanism, the easier it will be for entrepreneurs to manage cash flows.
Undoubtedly, there is need for the Government to ensure that the GST becomes smoother and conflicts among provisions are resolved. There must be a collaborative effort towards making the ‘One Tax, One Nation’ process simpler ensuring the ease of doing business across the country.
The RBI Fix
While the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is busy fixing the problem of failing banks, regulatory roadblocks such as liberalised remittance scheme (LRS) requirements and know your customer (KYC) details are driving away foreign-bound customers from Indian travel companies to foreign portals. The central bank has made it mandatory that domestic OTAs furnish their clients’ KYC details, including PAN and tax number, which is then shared with the financial investigative unit, and, depending on the purchases, action may be taken. This alone explains why most Indian travellers going abroad nowadays prefer foreign OTAs.
Perhaps the RBI also needs to look at its rule capping the age limit for chief executives of private banks at 70 years. Though under the Companies Act, banks that are also registered companies can continue with chief executives older than 70 by passing a special resolution, the central bank has refused to relent on its guidelines. This has set the stage for some top bankers to hang up their boots. Aditya Puri, the CEO and Managing Director of HDFC Bank, will now have to retire in October and Romesh Sobti, the IndusInd Bank chief executive, is slated to do so by March-end. Though many bankers argue that the RBI should align the norm with the Companies Act that allows CEOs to continue till 75, the central bank contends that 70 is a reasonable age for a private bank honcho to step down since banking is a high-pressure job. In the last 25 years, under the leadership of Aditya Puri, HDFC Bank has proven its mettle as the largest private sector bank in the country with 8.4 per cent market share and a market capitalisation of Rs 6.3 lakh crore.
Financial players, as much as banks, can breathe easy if procedures are more conducive. For starters, the central bank needs to realise that its stringent requirements are a fillip to international OTAs, not local ones.
IRDAI in the Web
Similarly, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India’s (IRDAI) rigid structures are coming in the way of the sector’s growth. Insurance, as is well known, is not ‘a matter of solicitation’. Rather, it is the motivation to sell insurance products that keeps the trade going and this needs to be incentivised at the last mile—think sub-agents, brokers and commission agents.
While the authority needs to dwell on this, it also has to dispel the impression that businesses procured online have lower costs. For online players, the costs of marketing, technology, logistics, search engine optimisation and analytics are fairly high. Online term prices have already fallen owing to competition. If insurers are allowed flexibility in remunerating efforts adequately, it will fuel growth of digital sales, mostly concentrated around protection products like term and health insurance.
In the housing sector, after the Real Estate Regulation and Development Act (RERA) came into effect on May 1st, 2017, RERA became the sector regulator and got access to all project information, like master plans, floor area, maintenance of standards and certification. Among the punitive provisions is one which lets the regulator deregister a project if the builder defaults on promises made at the time of launch. It was meant to act as a deterrent for fly-by-night builders who shortchanged customers. But, in the real-estate framework, only the builder and the homebuyer are kept and all others in the ecosystem are left out. “Development authority, consultants and contractors are not covered by RERA. If they’ve not done their duty, they should be held accountable too,” says Rohit Raj Modi, Director, Ashiana Homes.
While RERA has done well by coming up with a recent ruling for builders to park 70 per cent of the funds collected from buyers in an escrow account, implying that these funds can only be withdrawn for the specific project for which these were collected, giving more emphasis on timely delivery of dwellings, the housing regulator needs to do a lot more by bringing every stakeholder in the sector under the ambit of law—not just the builder and the homebuyer.
The liberalisation of the Indian economy in the early 1990s was expected to reduce the overbearing hand of the state. It would, the expectation was, play a more managerial role. But the rise of the regulatory state in India has far from limited its power. The country’s hazy regulatory framework is burdening domestic businesses despite the country climbing 14 positions over last year in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index to 63.
Experts have begun doubting the index, which surveys only Delhi and Mumbai, and claim that it is not a true representative of the country. “India’s position in the Ease of Doing Business may look rosy across parameters but there is room for significant improvement in registering properties, starting a business and enforcing contracts,” says Danish Hashim, Head, Ease of Doing Business, CII. But nearly a decade ago, when a survey was done on the most overregulated countries of the world by Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, India led, scoring 9.16 points on 10, followed by China. Ten years later, it’s time to check if India still leads the world with iron regulations.