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The issues in boom economies are extra local. And the largest one is what takes place whilst China is going ‘warm’ and implements its own controls.” There are symptoms that China did tap the brakes on its economy in June, July, and August, however Liveris says that call for in China is bouncing returned. “Our corporations in China are quite strong for the time being,” he says. China’s monetary coverage will probably stay centered on stimulating domestic call for. “And that is developing a global engine of increase that is not only powering China and the Far East, but also the Middle East and Africa given the investments China is making round the world,” Liveris says.
Economic boom is expected to be gradual inside the U.S., says Nariman Behravesh, leader economist at IHS Global Insight (Lexington, MA). IHS is the eastman cello price parent corporation of Chemical Week. Among primary chemica l substances give up markets, car demand is up within the U.S., despite the fact that not with the aid of plenty, however electronics demand has declined and construction is “bouncing along the lowest,” Behravesh says. IHS Global Insight estimates there’s a forty% danger of a new recession within the U.S. And says that a slight recession is probable in Europe.
Growth Still Positive
Cefic reverted remaining month to an earlier forecast of 2.Five% for EU chemicals output boom in 2011, having raised its growth outlook to 4.5% as lately as June. EU chemical compounds output rose zero.8% in July, the month with the maximum currently to be had figures. U.S. Chemical compounds output is anticipated to rise 4.1% this yr and 3.5% next year, in step with ACC’s maximum recent forecast. However, ACC’s U.S. Chemical manufacturing nearby index (CPRI) changed into flat in August and fell zero.Five% in July. China, however, maintains to power worldwide chemical and commercial markets, even as tremendously strong growth quotes moderate. The China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF; Beijing) says that the fee of chemical enterprise output in China expanded 37% 12 months-over-12 months through August, in comparison with the yr-ago period, to Rmb4.2 trillion ($659.3 billion). Industrial production in China increased 13.5% yr-over-yr via August, down barely from a 14% gain in July.
Industry executives see a disconnect between current turmoil in monetary markets and comparatively robust fundamentals inside the broader economy, “Generally, there’s ‘wonderment’ approximately what the scenario is,” Ben van Beurden, CEO of Shell Chemicals, says. “There isn’t any monetary disaster. It is a monetary disaster however in some unspecified time in the future this could have an effect on the financial system.”
“We had a crackling first 7-eight months of this 12 months however there has been a softening in demand during the last month and a half,” says Sven Royall, v.P./worldwide intermediates at Shell Chemicals. The softness “appears to be the end result of lower demand for customer durables,” Royall says. “This yr is, in the blend, like 2010, which changed into a better-than-predicted 12 months. There’s no cause at this point to say that 2011 will be worse than 2010.” Demand in China, meanwhile, seems to be conserving up. “There’s some proof of softening in China and that’s to do with what’s taking place in Europe and the impact on Chinese exports,” Royall says. “But China remains quite sturdy and the home market is not slowing down.”
Some softening has come from inventory changes, manufacturers and analysts say. Lower uncooked material and strength costs have encouraged destocking, says Mark Eramo, v.P./chemical industry research and analysis at IHS CMAI. “The stage of warning is increasing, and manufacturers and purchasers are keeping lower stock and in search of to cut them in addition if they could.”
The sovereign debt disaster within the EU, especially Greece, lies at the back of the risk of recession in Europe and the U.S. There is concern that Greece may default on its debt and probably be compelled to depart the euro region, a development that would be Europe’s “Lehman moment,” Behravesh says, relating to the Lehman Brothers disintegrate that induced the 2008 financial disaster. “It could bring about a huge monetary crunch in Europe, it’d unfold to Spain and Italy, and you’d see a huge credit score crunch,” Behravesh says. That could lead to a deeper financial contraction in Europe than currently forecast.
There do appear like a few liquidity constraints emerging in Europe, Liveris says. “Whether we’re going through a liquidity crisis will probably be found out inside the following couple of months,” he adds. Dow is carefully tracking customers, and there are a few remoted problems with liquidity in Europe as a result of banks that are unwilling or unable to lend. Liveris expects any liquidity issues to be contained in Europe, however. “It’s now not 2008-09 all once more as it’s not the U.S. Banks this time, it is the European banks,” he says. “The U.S. Banks have taken their lumps and settled into the ‘new regular’ situations. This is one motive why we view the U.S. As a modest boom scenario.”
Growth in Latin America is expected to stay sturdy, with some exceptions together with Venezuela. IHS Global Insight forecasts Brazil’s GDP growth to be three.6% this 12 months, down from 7.5% closing yr, broadly speaking due to economic tightening. However, Brazil is predicted to rebound to four.1% growth in 2012. Deceleration of growth across most important rising economies this 12 months is the end result of reduced exports to the U.S. And Europe in preference to vulnerable home markets. IHS Global Insight expects nine.2% GDP increase in China for this 12 months, slowing to eight.Three% next yr.
Japan’s chemical enterprise has been resilient following the tragic March eleven earthquake and tsunami, aided by using quicker-than-predicted recovery in key deliver chains inclusive of car and electronics. “So a long way we’ve now not downgraded our expectancies but we are concerned at what’s happening at the monetary markets, particularly in Europe,” says Kenji Fujiyoshi, chairman of Mitsui Chemicals. Japan’s ethylene manufacturing via July became essentially flat compared with the same 2010 period, says Masahiro Yoneyama, v.P./Japanese operations at IHS SRI Consulting (SRIC; Tokyo). Japan’s ethylene equivalent intake thru July became 9% higher than 2010. “Consumption isn’t always lower back to 2008 pre-recession ranges however is better than 2010 and 2009,” Yoneyama says. A more percentage of call for is being met through imports, but, as Japanese chemical makers deal with high feedstock costs and a sturdy yen. There is developing challenge approximately the near-term outlook, he provides. “Global economic turmoil will affect Japanese export-oriented organizations. Exports could be stagnant because of a completely robust yen and weaker call for of overseas international locations.”
IHS Global Insight says there may be a 25%-30% chance of a worldwide recession, contingent mostly on the final results of the EU sovereign debt disaster. The base case is for worldwide GDP growth of 3% this yr, and a mild growth to a few.Four% subsequent yr.
Despite the hazy outlook and slowing growth, most chemical companies aren’t in panic mode. Eastman Chemical “is seeing a everyday order e book,” with predicted seasonal variations, says CFO Curt Espeland. However, smooth call for is displaying up in some elements of the commercial enterprise. These consist of solvents in North America, and packaging and oxo-alcohol spinoff products in Asia, Espeland says. Eastman is in the technique of scenario planning for 2012, and the business enterprise is constructing a recessionary surroundings into its baseline projections for cost and capital spending, Espeland says. However, the move is basically a hedge in opposition to monetary uncertainty, and the organization plans to boom funding in new merchandise have to more sure boom expectations resume.
At Dow Chemical, a few commercial enterprise segments have seen slower increase inside the 2d half of, however the order e-book does now not imply a primary economic surprise, executives say. “The temper isn’t that excellent,” says Howard Ungerleider, senior v.P. And president/overall performance plastics at Dow. “But call for is higher than the mood.”
Uncertainty is chemical groups’ predominant challenge with demand patterns in the following few quarters difficult to examine, enterprise insiders say. “Visibility has long past down over the past couple of months,” says Barry Siadat, companion at SK Capital (New York), a personal equity company with an possession stake in Ascend Performance Materials, the previous nylon business of Solutia. “Our customers aren’t telling us what they count on and no one definitely is aware of.”
“I see the concern level as cautious,” says Michael Sison, dealing with director at KeyBanc Capital Markets (Cleveland). “What I am hearing from corporations is that we are not going to be in a recession, but a very low increase outlook.” Industrial gases, research chemical compounds, and flavors and fragrances are anticipated to preserve growth, he says. End markets dealing with the weakest demand will generally be those that are closest to the patron, says Telly Zachariades, associate with The Valence Group. Chemical buyers can also begin drawing down inventories in response to the slow purchaser demand outlook, he provides.
Most chemical businesses agree that a return to 2008, whilst clients stopped shopping for and lived off inventories, sending chemical prices right into a downward spiral, is surprisingly not likely. “The scenario in 2008 turned into a natural economic surprise,” Espeland says. “Financial and credit markets almost collapsed and also you had much larger inventory within the fee chain so people hit the brakes difficult.” The availability of credit score has long gone down, however distinctly rated companies can still faucet the credit score markets distinctly effortlessly.
Company stability sheets also are a whole lot healthier than 3 years in the past-possibly the healthiest they have ever been. There are currently record tiers of coins on corporate stability sheets, Behravesh says. Chemical businesses, which built up massive quantities of coins throughout the monetary upturn of 2010, in part by means of slashing inventories to cut operating capital, are no exception. “The balance sheets for plenty of companies, consisting of customers, are a great deal better,” Sison says. The chemical industry has additionally benefitted from a duration of restructuring and potential rationalization. Lower inventories also suggest that a glut of chemical products is much less probably. “Most groups say stock stages are not as bloated as they have been in 2008,” Sison says.
Margins, too, are higher, by way of 2 hundred-500 basis points this time round, Siadat says. Rising raw material expenses since the begin of 2011 are setting strain on margins, however many groups were capable of pass higher fees directly to customers. Volumes in chemical cost chains fell 20%-30% as soon as the crisis hit in 2008 as customers used up inventory, and that took a numerous quarters to paintings off, Sison says. Such a state of affairs is tough to imagine nowadays, industry leaders and analysts say.
M&A May Slow
The abrupt halt in M&A hobby that accompanied the 2008 crisis is also unlikely to copy itself, even though a slowdown is possibly, experts say. Chemical organizations are persevering with to pursue offers regardless of the unsure financial system and turbulent monetary markets, Zachariades says. Auctions of chemical property have often not long past nicely recently and groups have pulled assets off the market because of a loss of hobby or because consumers had been unwilling to meet dealers’ expectations on charge, Siadat says. Directly negotiated offers, such as a few multibillion-greenback transactions, were extra successful. “I think at once negotiated offers with strategic hobby will retain to occur,” Siadat says. But, unless dealers deal with expectations, auctions will stay difficult, he says.


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Monday's column called it outrageous that intransigence in the Louisiana Legislature could lead to the elimination of the food stamps program in one of the hungriest states in the land. An argument that we should not let people go hungry ought to pass without controversy, but, predictably, multiple readers responded either by blasting the food stamp program itself or criticizing the unfortunate people who find that program necessary.
Some broadly accused the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as wasteful or turning a blind eye to fraud. But in fiscal year 2014, the last year for which we have statistics, Louisiana had an overpayment rate of 1.06 percent and an underpayment rate of 0.49 percent. That combined error rate of 1.55 percent was less than half the national average, which was 3.66 percent.
What about people who are only pretending to be eligible for food stamps? They're incredibly rare. A 2015 report from the Center on Budget and Priorities, citing a quality control report from the USDA, notes that the "overwhelming majority of SNAP of errors appear to result from honest mistakes by recipients, eligibility workers, data entry clerks or computer programmers. States report that half of all overpayments and 90 percent of underpayments in recent years were their fault; most others resulted from innocent errors by households." In 2014, the states characterized 90 percent of overpayments as non-fraud.
A second criticism was that people who receive food stamps stay on it forever.
Louisiana Sen. Conrad Appel wasn't as obnoxious as others making that argument, but he did say on Twitter Tuesday: "For many (not all) SNAP should be an interim solution & our goal should be to help them get suitable work."
Appel described SNAP as "important," but I responded that his suggestion that SNAP ought to be an "interim solution" implies that it isn't already. According to recent numbers from the U.S. Census, 38.6 percent, the largest share of SNAP recipients, stayed in the program between 37 and 48 months. 30.4 percent participated between 1 and 12 months. 17.1 percent participated between 13 and 24 months. And 10.9 percent between 25 and 36 months.
As we've already established, Louisiana has a hunger problem that most states do not. So maybe it's true that people here are staying on food stamps longer. But we can only speculate. I asked the Department of Children and Family Services how the state's numbers compare to the national ones listed above, and I was told that the agency does not have such numbers handy.
Critics of the program seem to reflexively assume that Louisiana's food stamps recipients receive them an unusually long time, but if the officials at DCFS don't know the answer, I don't know how these critics could know.
And if people are getting food stamps for an unusually long time, I don't know why that's used to criticize the people who need the help and not to criticize the low wages those people must be getting.
The third and final complaint was that people who get the assistance, unlike the rest of us, go to the grocery store to fill up their carts with junk.
There is a lot of soda and unhealthy items being purchased by folks getting SNAP, but we can attribute that to their being American and not their receiving food stamps.
For a USDA report called Foods Typically Purchased by SNAP households, researchers looked at the point-of-sale reports from a national grocery retailer. They discovered that soft drinks ranked as the item most commonly purchased by SNAP recipients and the second-most-commonly-purchased items by non-SNAP recipients. For people receiving SNAP, soft-drinks accounted for 5.44 percent of their purchases. For others, they accounted for 4 percent of their purchases.
"There were no major differences in the expenditure patterns of SNAP and non-SNAP households," the USDA report found, "no matter how the data were categorized. Similar to most American households:
* About 40 cents of every dollar of food expenditures by SNAP households was spent on basic items such as meat, fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, and bread.
* Another 20 cents out of every dollar was spent on sweetened beverages, desserts, salty snacks, candy and sugar.
* The remaining 40 cents were spent on a variety of items such as cereal, prepared foods, dairy products, rice, and beans."
There are health advocates who consider it problematic that SNAP can be used to buy junk food, but they have been drowned out by the junk-food lobby. From a January 2017 New York Times story: "PepsiCo lobbied the federal government to prevent restrictions on food stamp purchases in 2011, 2012 and 2013... Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods and the sugar industry lobbied against a Florida bill in 2012 that would have banned using food stamps to buy soda and junk food. And in 2011, the Snack Food Association teamed up with beverage industry lobbyists and the National Confectioners Association, which represents candy companies, to defeat New York City's proposed ban on using food stamps to buy sugar-sweetened beverages."
If you want to be mad, don't blame the folks earning minimum wages. Blame the Fortune 500 companies fighting to keep them addicted to their products.
Or, better yet, nix the blame all together and admit that people using food stamps are not much different than people who aren't.

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Nintendo will host a Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase on June 28 at 6:00 a.m. PT / 9:00 a.m. ET, the company announced. You will be able to watch it on-demand via YouTube (Americas, Europe, Japan).
It should be noted that this will not be live streamed. The full Nintendo Direct will be available at the aforementioned time.


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On 3rd June, the US House Judiciary Committee announced they would be probing a range of tech companies for antitrust violations. The statement declared they would be enacting “a top-to-bottom review of the market power held by giant tech platforms”. This marks the first time Congress has ever taken these steps. Despite its early stage, these actions are reminiscent of the Standard Oil case, the largest anti-trust break up of the past 100 years.
Amazon now captures half of all dollars spent online in the United States, while Facebook and its subsidiaries (Whatsapp and Instagram) have a combined user base of more than half of the global population and Google owns nearly a third of global online ad revenues. The Economist wrote back in 2017 that data has replaced oil as the world’s most valuable resource and so the US Government is now looking to see if they need to redefine antitrust laws the way they did for oil.
After public backlash against tech companies self-regulating themselves, governments are beginning to take action. The antitrust suit would not be an overnight process but how this prob plays out could have series ramifications for how our data is valued, monetized and secured.
How must antitrust laws be redesigned to work in the context of the 21st century?
How would breaking up Big Tech affect the development of technology globally?
Do the benefits of convenience and efficiency for consumers justify monopoly practice?
Is pressing forward on antitrust laws the best way to gain control over citizens data and privacy?


text: Sony recently announced their new flagship digital camera, the DSC-F828. DPReview published a preview of a pre-production model on the same day. This looks like a promising camera for the “prosumer” market. It certainly bridges the gap between the current pro and consumer models. It’s the first Sony camera that I know of to offer a compact flash slot. The new black, slightly thicker casing seems to be a bonus as well–while it will add a bit of weight, it will certainly take away the fragile feeling that the prior models gave. I can’t wait to try out this model.


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The award-winning Campbeltown Cheddar Cheese has been introduced to school menus throughout the area by Argyll and Bute Council.
The cheese is made at Campbeltown Creamery and is made from the finest milk from local dairy farmers in Kintyre.
The Council’s Policy Lead for Corporate Services, Councillor Rory Colville said: “By using Campbeltown Cheddar we are not only supporting the local economy, but our children are also getting some of the very best produce available.
"Eight hundred years ago Kintyre Cheese was recorded as being sent to Edinburgh in due of Crown rentals, as other industries have come and gone the production of Cheese has endured.
"I am delighted that the Council has supported this positive step to help maintain this important agricultural sector and I look forward as more local food producers are included in the future.”


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The company has launched Prime Now in Singapore, where users can enjoy two-hour delivery on selected products.
Consumer-driven trends force businesses to innovate, and we can see this especially with the growing e-commerce trade worldwide. By Jorge Izquierdo, vice president, Market Development, PMMI
Online grocery shopping is accelerating at an enormous pace, and it is inevitable that e-grocers will have to start looking at automating their fulfilment centres in order to continue to meet the strong demand or risk being phased out eventually by competition. By Carsten Spiegelberg, general manager, Systems & Automation, SSI Schaefer
Singapore’s online grocery market is set to triple in growth over the next three years, from S$130 million (US$91 million) to S$0.5 billion (US$0.35 billion) by 2020, according to brand-new forecasts unveiled by international grocery research organisation IGD.


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Supermarket chain Hannaford has renewed its lease at the Bangor Mall, according to the company running the mall.
“Hannaford has renewed for multiple years at the Bangor Mall so they will continue to provide a superior food shopping venue to the Bangor residents,” Frederick Meno, president and CEO of the Woodmont Company, the Texas-based firm that is running the mall, said in an email.
A Penobscot County Superior Court judge in July appointed the Fort Worth, Texas, company to act as a receiver for the mall, meaning it is managing all mall operations on behalf of its current owner, MSCI 2007-IQ16 Stillwater Avenue LLC.
Meno is in charge of Woodmont’s efforts to operate, manage, protect and conserve the mall property. That includes getting tenants and leases for the mall with the approval of MSCI.
The lease for one of the four anchor tenants, JC Penney, also was renewed for multiple years recently, he said in November.
Meno said it still is too early to announce any developments regarding the leasing of the former Sears anchor tenant space.
Renewal of the JC Penney lease, which was up Feb. 28, 2019, was one of the milestones industry analysts were watching to see whether the Bangor Mall might be on the mend. The other is the renewal of the lease for Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is up Jan. 31, 2020.
“If JC Penney and Dick’s renew their leases it’s a good sign,” said Manus Clancy, senior managing director for Trepp, a New York-based data analysis firm that tracks commercial real estate mortgages. He made the remark in October, when the Bangor Mall’s appraised value was lowered 22 percent by the city of Bangor from $60.9 million to $47.4 million because of empty stores.
The four anchor stores occupy the most space in the mall, and Hannaford has the fifth-largest space, occupying 48,868 square feet, or a little more than 9 percent of the mall, according to Trepp.
In an updated status comment on the mall in Trepp’s December report, LNR, a Miami-based company that handles troubled loans, noted that the mall’s owners were interested in providing the lender with a debt in lieu of foreclosure, meaning they essentially would hand over the deed to the mall property to the lender.
The mall’s owners defaulted on an $80 million loan in October 2017.
The debt in lieu of foreclosure differs from a standard foreclosure proceeding in that it is not as public, is quicker and is potentially less damaging to the mall’s reputation.
It is not clear yet whether the lenders have agreed to the proposal. Meno said that as a receiver, he is not directly involved in the proceedings and could not comment on them.
Trepp’s Clancy said a deed in lieu of foreclosure is a cooperative form of foreclosure.
“Instead of contesting the foreclosure, the borrower just hands back the keys so to speak,” he said in an email. “Once the borrower takes it back there are two possible directions: auction it off or try to stabilize the property and lease it back up.”
The Woodmont Company has the mall listed for lease on its website.
Maine Technology Institute cites record investments in fiscal 2018
The Maine Technology Institute, which funds innovative companies, said it had a record year in fiscal 2018 in terms of the money it awarded and impacts of it.
The publicly funded nonprofit organization, based in Brunswick, said in its annual report for fiscal 2018 ended June 31 that it invested more than $57 million in 175 projects.
“This was a record award and impact year for MTI as the organization typically invests anywhere from $6-10 million in any given year,” the report said.
MTI said the extra funds for fiscal 2018 came because MTI administered the $45 million research and development infrastructure bond that was passed by the Legislature in 2016 and approved by Maine voters in 2017.
MTI launched the Maine Technology Asset Fund 2.0 competition for the funds, and received nearly 200 proposals seeking a total of $400 million in funding. The applications came from companies in each of Maine’s 16 counties.
MTI said it made 18 awards that, according to an independent economic impact analysis, will create 5,350 jobs and generate $1.4 billion in economic impact over the next three years.
“This has been an incredible year for MTI and Maine’s innovation economy,” Brian Whitney, MTI’s president, said. “Our rigorous review and award process provides entrepreneurs and companies with a critical validation of their innovation that helps them secure needed follow-on funding from traditional lenders and investors.”
Housing market still hot, but rising interest rates are cause for caution
Single family homes in Maine continue to increase in value, according to Maine Listings.
The median sales price for homes sold across the state in November hit $219,000, up 9.5 percent compared to November 2017, the group said on Dec. 17.
The median sales price indicates that half of the homes sold for less and half for more.
The number of homes sold statewide rose 2.9 percent to 1,621 over the same time period.
In Penobscot County, Bangor had the highest unit sales in November with 28, said Kim Gleason, president of the Main Association of Realtors and broker/owner of McAllister Real Estate in Hallowell.
That’s down from the 33 sold last November.
Gleason said there is no specific reason for the decrease.
“People still are interested in buying,” she said. “But interest rates are going up and there is uncertainty in the market.”
She also said that in general, sales slow down after an election.
But overall she said real estate continues to be a good investment, because the value of homes is increasing steadily long-term and staying ahead of the volatility of other types of investments.
The National Association of Realtors reported a sales dip of 6.7 percent nationally from November 2017 to November 2018. However, the median sales price was up 5 percent to $260,500 over that time period.
Follow the BDN Business Page on Twitter @BDNbiz.


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Gooding Company will display three special collector cars at a New York art exhibit presented by Christie’s, placing iconic automotive forms beside valuable pieces of fine art.
The joint exhibition, with cars consigned to Gooding’s upcoming Amelia Island auction and art from Christie’s New York Spring and London sales, takes place February 8-13 at Christie’s Rockefeller Center.
“Both Gooding Company and Christie’s recognize that today’s collectors have interests that reach beyond a single category,” David Gooding, founder and president of the collector car auctioneer, said in a news release. “Our buyers are constantly in search of items of unmatched quality – whether it is a motor car, a painting or a piece of fine jewelry.”
Gooding was formerly managing director of Christie’s International Motor Cars department before starting his own auction company, which now occupies the space in Pebble Beach, California, where Christie’s once held a collector car auction during concours


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For nearly a decade, retargeting platforms like AdRoll have invested in building innovative technology to enable their advertisers to engage customers.
According to AdRoll, generally 2 percent of shoppers convert on the first visit to an online store but retargeting brings back the other 98 percent. The company, who represents brands like Clinique and Vistaprint, must now brace itself for the launch of both Facebook’s new Product Ads program and recent initiative to invest heavily in improving its advertising platform.
Will the so-called “middle man” be cut out entirely?
In a recent post, we discussed how the latest Facebook product advertising program could lead to groundbreaking revenue for both the social network and retailers thanks to their advanced user-data and targeting capabilities. Retailers will be able to advertise directly through Facebook, rather than though a third-party.
So what about popular retargeting platforms like AdRoll?
Josh Brisco, Senior Retail Search Manager at CPC Strategy predicts the introduction of Facebook Product Ads will prove a challenging time for retargeting companies.
How will the launch of Facebook Product Ads impact retargeting platforms?
“Facebook product ads, and the many other new advertising programs offered by Facebook will have a significant affect on display focused solutions who have been the gatekeepers of FBX for some time now. These upgrades should not have an effect on their general display offerings, but my feeling is that once people realize they can cut out the middle man so to speak, and advertise directly through FB itself, they will begin doing so. “
Is there a future for AdRoll and similar companies?
“If AdRoll and the like are able to recreate the product ads offering via their own platform, that would help to mitigate the negative affects of this transition. But if Facebook does not open this program up to FBX, they will be left at a steep disadvantage, especially in the realm of e-commerce. As far as e-commerce related Facebook advertising, the display platform agency no longer provides a solid argument to go that route instead doing this in-house or via a company’s existing feed/PPC agency.”
Product Ads is currently only available to Facebook Marketing Partners, who are sorted into several categories including:
- Ad Technology
- Media Buying
- Facebook Exchange (FBX)
- Community Management
- Content Marketing
- Small Business Solutions
- Audience Onboarding
- Audience Data Providers
At the time, it remains unclear the future of AdRoll and like-minded platforms, but as Facebook continues to gain momentum in the advertising world – it is becomes more apparent that retargeting platforms will be forced to evolve to keep pace with the ever growing social media giant.
AdRoll, a Facebook Marketing Partner, declined to comment due to “very strict guidelines on what their partners can say publicly about their products and our partnerships”.
Facebook Product Ad Resources:
- Facebook Product Ads: What the New Program Means for Retailers
- Facebook Product Ads Live in Power Editor
- Facebook Product Ads: A Retailer’s Guide To Facebook Advertising
- Facebook Friend-To-Friend Payments Paves the Way for Ecommerce Platform
- Facebook on the Forefront of Retail Advertising with TheFind Buyout
- Q&A with Brian Carter Bestselling Author of ‘Facebook Marketing’
- 5 Retail Experts Weigh in on Facebook Product Ads
- How to Get a Higher ROI on Facebook Ads Using AdEspresso
- Facebook Shopping Feed: New Testing For Retailers


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It may be very easy to purchase items on the internet, but determining the sales tax can be very confusing.
That's why the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce is hoping the federal government will step in and create a standard point of sale nationwide.
Currently states have different laws on point of sale. That means some may charge taxes based on where the buyer is and some on where the seller is.
Many businesses rely on numerous employees to sort it all out.
" We are going to be impacted because the cost of the transaction is greater so our sales price is going to be greater because they've had to hire all these people. What we believe is, lets have definition that keeps it as simple as possible. The businesses will remit the taxes like they're suppose to," said Royce Hickman with the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber hopes the federal government will decide to set a national point of sale based on where the seller is so businesses can gain tax dollars in their local communities.
Federal officials are still reviewing the issue.


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Recently, both the industry and municipalities across the country have shown a growing interest in using flexible connectors to ensure watertight storm sewers. In more and more cities, flexible, also called resilient, connectors are being written into project specifications and becoming the choice of contractors.
Resilient connectors are appealing because municipalities save money in maintenance, contractors save money on time, labor, and materials, and precasters increase their sales and profits by giving customers a value-added product. Pat Camp, co-owner of Camp Precast Concrete Products Inc., Milton, Vt., estimates that company profits have doubled in 5 years due to its selling 50% to 60% of drainage structures with resilient connectors.
While listening to a local contractor telling the audience about the benefits of resilient connectors for storm sewers, Camp suddenly realized that his own well-rehearsed selling pitch applied to contractors and engineers, but not to precasters. He immediately modified his talk to stress higher profits and faster installation time connectors allow. He also points out, "Contractors will also have fewer callbacks from customers because they have a better-quality product in the ground that's not going to leak and cause undermining of roads."
Contractor Steve Blomeley, president of JMHC Inc. in Longwood, Fla., also spoke at NPCA's annual convention last year. He highlighted the advantage of knowing the fixed cost of resilient connectors vs. the varying costs of brick and mortar. Blomeley also spoke of the contractor's competitive advantage when using resilient connectors.
"There are advantages to keeping the storm sewer joints flexible and watertight," says Kent Halloran, senior project engineer with Malcolm Pirnie Inc., engineering consultants for the City of Fort Wayne. "You'll substantially reduce the potential for structural damage resulting from differential settlement."
Already ahead of the game regarding cleaner rivers and streams, Halloran stresses, "I think as environmental protection agencies and other regulatory agencies are looking to require treatment of storm sewers, resilient connectors are going to play a significant role."
With this new application snowballing, Dan Dallas, general manager of Atlantic Concrete Products Inc., Sarasota, Fla., says the company is now in the stage of educating engineers and municipalities. Requesting that engineers design catch basins with resilient connectors in mind, Dallas notes, "It takes a little time and effort, but you reap the benefits from the price you can charge for a better-quality product. It's a minor adjustment." He also reports that installing the connectors is difficult on only 5% or fewer storm structures not specifically designed for resilient connectors.
Paul O'Leary Jr., P.E., founder of O'Leary-Burke Civil Associates PLC, Essex Junction, Vt., says, "If I tell them it's a better product and it's not costing them any more money, it's a very short conversation."
Having promoted resilient connectors for storm structures since 1994, Dave Akin, president of Bluffton Precast Concrete Products in Bluffton, Ohio, says, "It's a no-brainer to use resilient connectors over grout. With all the mess and time involved, I'm sold on it all the way."
Connector manufacturers' marketing avenues include bringing in speakers to trade shows at both a local and national level.
The article describes how flexible connectors work and how watertight storm sewers are designed.


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Mercedes Benz India had set up a bus manufacturing facility in Chakan in Pune with an investment of Rs. 500 million. The company has tied up with MCV to integrate captive body building and will manufacture bus with Euro IV compliant engine with BlueTec diesel technology. For the company, India is one of the largest markets and is hoping to fully localise the production. Currently, the 37 seater base version of Mercedes Bus costs around Rs. 90 lakhs.
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Mercedes India to bring small A & B segment cars to grow its market. It is likely to bring A-Class, a mini multi-purpose car, is Mercedes Benz's entry-level model in most world markets, while B-Class is a small family car using the same engine and suspension system. The company has lost its leadership position for the second year to BMW. It has sold 5819 cars compared to BMW 6246 units. It plans to bring the cars in the next 3-4 years. Currently, its manufacturing plant at Chakan has a capacity to produce 10000 nos.
Mercedes-Benz India, which has a R&D centre in Bangalore. It has currently around 220 engineers working and the company plans to increase it to 500 to 1000 over the next few years. It will invest Rs.1500 million and also has plans to improve its distribution along with its partners. According to sources, globally Mercedes-Benz invest around 4-5% of its revenue in R&D
In the first two months of 2009, BMW sold more cars than Mercedes (514 vs.315) making the leadership under threat. Audi, which entered India, last year has sold 222 cars, making it the third player in the luxury car market. Both BMW and Audi have brought latest models. BMW has introduced all-new 7 series and 3-series sedan and SUV’s X6 and X3. Audi has brought R8 sports car. With Toyota Lexus, Honda Acura, Fiat’s Alfa Romeo to make entry in the next year, Mercedes has plenty to worry about


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El Salvador officially became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as its legal tender on September 7th, Axios and Reuters reported.
The day before the bill came into effect,Booker posted on the Twitter that the government of El Salvador has purchased a total of 400 bitcoin worthy about 21 million U.S. dollars. At the same time, the Salvadoran government has also installed 200 Bitcoin ATM and released a Bitcoin wallet called Chivo, which will support the adoption of Bitcoin in the country and went online on App stores in Google, HuaWei and whatnot.Booker said that the government used to distribute “virtual currency red packets” worth $30 to up to 4 million people who registered to use Bitcoin wallets.
Three months ago, the government of El Salvador passed the Bitcoin bill with 62 votes in favor and 19 against. According to this bill, Bitcoin will be regulated as the legal currency of El Salvador and can be used for commodity pricing, payment methods and tax purposes. The bill also stipulates that the state will allow users to adopt alternative Bitcoin transactions and automatically convert Bitcoin into U.S. dollars when necessary.
The president tried his best to sell, but it didn’t mean that someone would pay the bill. A poll conducted by the University of Central America (UCA) showed that among the 1281 people surveyed, at least 67.9% said that they did not agree or strongly opposed the use of Bitcoin as legal tender, and more than 32% People say they agree to some extent.
In addition, 90% of people do not have a clear understanding of Bitcoin, and 80% of people say they have little or no confidence in the use of Bitcoin. Bitcoin slumped in price below $44,000 on Tuesday, a nosedive over 10% while ETH plunged some 20%. Despite the nosedive, Bukele announced on social media that the government seize this opportunity to purchase 150 Bitcoin again.
Bitcoin slumped in price below $44,000 on Tuesday, a nosedive over 10% while ETH plunged some 20%. Despite the nosedive, Bukele announced on social media that the government seize this opportunity to purchase 150 Bitcoin again
We pointed out in the last article that the Non-Farm Payrolls in August would have little hope to be a surprise. The disappointing result verifies our prediction and also contributes to a short-term gold gain. Gold price has broken blow the previous hourly box.It is presenting a downward trend from the daily chart. As for short term operation, it is suggested to sell limit, stop loss when gold breaks through the upper box and stop limit respectively at 1740 and along the lower edge of price box.
Current IODEX tendency is in conformity with our predication that it will rebound when plunging to near 750. We advised in advance that investors can buy limit and sell limit within 750–830. Now it breaks below 751 with certain distance away from lower 680.Therefore, it is suggested to sell short in short-term operation and stop limit around 680. Investors can hold a wait-and-see attitude after stopping limit for the time being.
The nosedive of bitcoin on Tuesday is indeed all of a sudden as the technical indicator shows no sigh of such plunge. A four-hour K line bottoms 50504 and close at a higher 50929, which indicates a rallying sign if as usual. However, it turns out to be a sharp slump.Though current price recovers slightly, the market will see no straight rise but a second continuous drop after volatility in light of previous plunge. It is safer to bottom finish at that time. Therefore it is advised to sell limit when the price rallies to 48,500, stop loss near 41,000 and stop limit at 50,000. Or, investors can buy ling after the second continuous plunge.
Current ETH has certain support in the chart. Its tendency may be better when compared with BTC. However, if BTC suffers from continuous slump, ETH is bound to follow the trend to drop as well. Therefore directly long buying at current time has certain risks. Radical investors can try to buy ETH with rather small position, stop loss when the price breaks below the support line and stop limit around 3,700 while prudent investors is advised to participate in after this round of tendency ends.
Disclaimer: The above is merely a personal talk which shall not be deemed as investment reference.Investment is accompanied by risks and the author will not be responsible for any investment options or relevant outcomes.
Captain wowo,guest commentator of Fish.Pro,has 4-year rich experience in investment practice of both stock and crypto market.Focusing on spot transaction,Captain wowo is proficient at analyzing macro policies and market interpretation and has his own stable trade modes with profound understanding of long-term trades and short-term taste.


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LegalZoom.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:LZ – Get Rating) has been given an average recommendation of “Buy” by the eleven analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $26.25.
Several brokerages recently issued reports on LZ. Credit Suisse Group lowered their price target on LegalZoom.com from $40.00 to $31.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 11th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on LegalZoom.com from $14.00 to $16.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 23rd. JMP Securities reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $31.00 price target on shares of LegalZoom.com in a report on Thursday, March 24th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded LegalZoom.com from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 17th. Finally, Citigroup upgraded LegalZoom.com from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the company from $19.00 to $20.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 20th.
In other news, General Counsel Nicole Miller sold 5,712 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.84, for a total transaction of $84,766.08. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Noel Bertram Watson sold 19,800 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $14.98, for a total transaction of $296,604.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here.
LZ stock opened at $11.33 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $2.25 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of -14.71. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $13.86 and a 200-day simple moving average of $15.72. LegalZoom.com has a 52 week low of $10.60 and a 52 week high of $40.94.
LegalZoom.com (NASDAQ:LZ – Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 12th. The company reported ($0.05) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.01) by ($0.04). LegalZoom.com had a negative return on equity of 1,446.94% and a negative net margin of 21.77%. The firm had revenue of $154.21 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $150.66 million. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that LegalZoom.com will post -0.21 earnings per share for the current year.
LegalZoom.com Company Profile (Get Rating)
LegalZoom.com, Inc operates an online platform for legal and compliance solutions in the United States. The company's platform offers products and services, including business formations, creating estate planning documents, protecting intellectual property, completing certain forms and agreements, providing access to independent attorney advice, and connecting customers with experts for tax preparation and bookkeeping services.
- Get a free copy of the StockNews.com research report on LegalZoom.com (LZ)
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- Digital transformation is now a necessity for survival in the technology space
- How can marketing leaders ensure their brand architecture is lucid, coherent, technology-centric yet human-first?
- Uncover the strategy around how the 50-year-old ERP giant leaned into its brand identity and put its customers universally at the center
Founded in 1972, Epicor Software Corporation is a $500M+ legacy business that has grown to serve over 27,000 customers globally and 120,000 cloud users. While change is the only constant, how did the 50-year-old ERP brand transform into a next-generation business?
We spoke with Paul Stoddart, CMO at Epicor to uncover the strategy, challenges, and outcomes that entailed Epicor’s rebrand.
The challenge: modernizing the Epicor brand position across the market, sales, and CX
Epicor has a great foundation, a customer base that loves its products, and a consistently growing market share. Despite these positives, there was a disconnect in the product story and customers’ understanding of the company’s product offerings, priorities, and roadmaps.
“The most difficult thing that came from being a company with nearly 50 years of heritage and having grown through merger and acquisitions was our brand architecture.” – says Epicor CMO, Paul Stoddart.
To cater to multiple industries like supply chain, automotive, building supplies, distribution, and manufacturing, Epicor was selling 60+ different bespoke solutions that were “fit-for-purpose”, but overwhelming for customers. This diluted customers’ understanding of the solutions available and increased overall complexity.
“When I joined Epicor around a year ago, the organization had been going through some serious transformation,” says Stoddart. “Our CEO Steve Murphy had joined the company just a few years earlier and was driving modernization across every aspect of our business to shake up the ERP market.”
“To do this successfully, Steve knew we needed to revitalize the Epicor brand, and it was this challenge that brought me to the company,” he adds.
“Creating a high-performing marketing team was going to be key to transforming Epicor into a future-focused business.”
The vision for Epicor’s rebrand
Epicor needed simpler, more coherent brand messages that resonated with its USPs, deep industry expertise, and commitment to its customers. The rebrand signified the starting point of this transformation.
“Our new brand framework and visual identity have been created to reinforce our renewed commitment to making more of what makes Epicor unique – a curated suite of software applications and tools and a team of experts that know and understand the industries we serve, inside out,” says Stoddart.
“Above all, we also wanted to create a brand that reflects who we are today and where we’re going — one that represents the positive experience our customers have with us.”
Throwing out the B2B playbook
Epicor needed to move away from its established B2B playbook because customers aren’t just businesses – they are individuals, each with specific ambitions, challenges, and goals.
Stoddart was firm about dropping the “vendor” and “product” perceptions and shifting its marketing strategy to a business-to-individual (B2I) approach. This would ensure Epicor spoke directly to its customers and their business needs rather than solely filling in their technology requirements.
Understanding the consumer inside out
The marketing function enjoys a microscopic view of the customer and prospect, as closely building meaningful relations is what fuels marketers. For Epicor, this meant ensuring the brand was connecting at a personal level with its audiences, to create affinity with business stakeholders and their daily challenges.
“After the year we’ve been through, we are all craving kindness and meaningful support from brands,” says Stoddart. “Building trust, being kind, and speaking in a way that everyone understands is vital.”
To do this, Epicor focused on understanding its audience by finding answers to:
- What are their motivations?
- What do they care about?
- What do they need to be successful?
- What keeps our customers up at night?
By knowing the customer as an individual, the Epicor team translated this intelligence into meaningful messages that took customers on a journey of understanding. The company focused on simple, jargon-free language that spoke to the customer’s personal journey and not just what Epicor’s products can provide.
Using research to lean into the brand identity
The cornerstone for brand success is knowing the brand and ensuring that key programs align with the business strategy. The Epicor team embarked on an internal and external research-driven process to understand Epicor’s strengths and weaknesses to identify any gaps.
The rigorous program included interviews, research, competitor reviews, branding audits, and customer segmentation. They closely monitored market trends and worked collaboratively to spot clear themes that coined the brand and communications.
“We interviewed people within Epicor, our customers, and sets of individuals to represent our target audience. This informed our brand framework, architecture, and positioning,” says Stoddart.
“The research helped our team lean into who we are: a company known for its industry expertise and deep partnership with its customers.”
The rebrand journey: challenges, stakeholders, technologies, and wins
Change is scary and a grand scale change like a rebrand causes internal and external shifts. While Stoddart was charged with the mammoth challenge of leading Epicor through its transformation, he needed to ensure everyone recognized the collective ambition and willingly embarked on the rebrand as a gateway to growth and opportunities.
“There has been some resistance to change internally, which I get is human instinct to be risk-averse.” Says Stoddart. “But we’ve taken the organization with us on our journey.”
Leading with collaboration and stakeholder inclusion
Stoddart and his immediate team devised a collaborative working strategy by setting common and integrated goals. This fostered harmony across teams and helped build confidence through small wins.
“What’s important when you’re going through change is to not try to do everything at once. Small wins build confidence and can have a big impact,” Stoddart asserted.
“Prior to rolling out our brand externally, we enabled our internal audience to bring it to life.”
Collaboration was the key to success ensuring all the parties functioned in harmony:
- The HR team – to build advocacy around the brand and reset the narrative from within
- The executive leadership team lead by CEO, Steve Murphy – set the vision, mission, and served as a North Star for the rebrand
- The product team – landed on appropriate product naming that aligned with brand architecture
- The brand and communications team
- The marketing function – to train the wider team to use its new brand narrative and begin updating all of the assets
- External creative agency – to create assets and roll out the rebrand
- Heads of regional and international sales
The role of technology in reviving the brand
From setting up tools to enable the internal teams for real-time asset creation, to designing the website experience, and brand campaigns – technology served as the spine for effectively executing the strategy.
“We wanted our internal audience to become brand ambassadors, so we rolled out a templated tool capability that allows anyone in the organization to create a correctly branded asset on the fly, preapproved,” says Stoddart.
“This was about leaning into a brand of simplification… making for people, with people.”
Before going to market with the rebrand, the marketing team used Epicor’s social media to subtly tease the brand externally in January 2021. This was followed by the official launch in March the same year with the renewed branding, a completely redesigned website, and a brand campaign.
“We put our customers at the centre – creating a website backed by user experience (UX) research and a brand campaign that showcase our customers,” says Stoddart.
They also conducted a brand baseline study, which included quantitative and qualitative research from Epicor customers and the external market.
Outcomes: a human-first business advocating long-term brand relations
Epicor’s new brand strapline serves as a promise that captures Epicor’s essence.
‘Made with you, for you’
Epicor is now a coherent “Masterbrand” organized around five core industry solution sets, each with a choice of platform and curated modules. The team now follows a consistent naming protocol, supported by detailed guidelines. As Epicor continues to grow with mergers and acquisitions (M&As) the team now has a guidepost that will govern all elements across product, sales, marketing, business growth, and HR in unison.
A perfectly aligned brand strategy
Epicor now boasts a brand strategy that is perfectly aligned with its business strategy and offers a lucid brand architecture framework, visual identity, and brand language. These have provided the Epicor team with a strong toolkit to communicate brand offerings, USPs, and bolster reputation.
“The new brand positioning puts our customers at the centre — simplifying their journey while strengthening Epicor offerings by focusing on the core differentiators of industry expertise and curated solutions,” says Stoddart.
Since the rebrand launched externally in March 2021, it’s too early to measure the full impact on the medium-term pipeline, sales, conversion rates, and long-term brand value. However, two months post-launch, success is apparent with brand awareness, employee engagement, and the customer experience, particularly evident through the website.
The rebrand caused an incredible cultural shift that is true to Epicor’s new values and fabric as an organization. It has empowered the company both internally and externally to become a human-first business that values collaboration, empathy, and long-term relationships.
“Our brand refresh now reflects who we are and holds us to account. We are wrapping our teams around the customer, coming together across sales, professional services, customer services, training, and product development to deliver a coordinated, valuable experience across the customer lifecycle,” says Stoddart.
What is next for Epicor?
With a rejuvenated brand and organizational unity, Epicor envisions a strategy that integrates industry trends and product marketing plans in sync with marketing strategy.
Optimizing the Epicor toolkit and measuring its impact on the customer lifecycle stand at high priority.
“We’ll continue to work hand-in-hand with our customers and amplify their voice, creating and owning content and thought leadership that reinforces our brand promise of ‘Made with you, for you,’” concludes Stoddart.
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Moss Bros ready talk to Millen man
BID target Moss Bros is attempting to set up a meeting with Karen Millen co-founder Kevin Stanford, who last month emerged as a major shareholder in the menswear group.
Stanford, who recently sold his share of the Millen retail chain for £60m, owns 5.5% of Moss Bros but controls just over 28% in total, held largely through Contracts for Difference which he bought last month from fellow fashion entrepreneur Shami Ahmed.
'I don't know whether [Stanford] wants to bid for us or not,' said new Moss Bros chief executive Philip Mountford. 'He's got a lot of money, he's got a big stake and he's a professional retailer. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with him but he's proving difficult to track down.'
Meanwhile, strong suit sales helped Moss Bross return to the black over the first half, the first time in five years it has turned in a positive interim performance.
Mountford promised profits of at least £500,000 in the six months to the end of July, against a loss last time of £1.8m. Like-for-like sales were up by 8% on last year, including a 14% jump in suit sales.
The business has benefited from the return to more formal wear after the demise of the dress-down trend, but has capitalised on the revival of the suit more than many of its competitors, including Austin Reed. All its retail chains - Moss, Cecil Gee and Boss - contributed to the sales growth and analysts said the group is on course to more than quadruple full-year profits, from £1m to £4m-plus.
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We know what you’re feeling: Ever since Monday, that swanky new MacBook Pro with Retina Display is just too much temptation. But at a starting price of $2199, how can you afford it? NextWorth is here to help, by taking your old model for quick cash toward the new one.
When discounting their older product, most companies simply dump it into the market and call it a day. But Apple isn’t just any company -- an updated model of the $399 iPad 2 is floating around at retail, and it might improve battery life by as much as 16 percent.
The next Samsung Galaxy S smartphone is set to be unveiled next week, and the Korean manufacturer is aiming to get the masses excited about it a few days early with word that the handset will come packing a quad-core processor.
As the old saying goes, “If you can’t beat ‘em, just make ‘em bigger.” Oh, that’s not the old saying? Somebody needs to tell Toshiba, who has just announced a new line of Android 4.0-based Excite tablets in a trio of sizes, including a massive 13.3 inches.
I had an interesting conversation the other day that might interest you--one that will certainly interest Intel, the maker of the chips that power your iMac, MacBook, Mac Pro, and Mac mini. Lucian Shifren of SuVolta told me about a new type of transistor that his company has introduced. While the deep-geek details on the low-power, low-cost chips that can be built from it are fascinating, one non-techy thing he said stuck in my mind: “The market’s now moving to a point where you’re really going to be driven by the $10 chip and not the $200 chip.”
It's the Halloween weekend and while some people we know will be out waiting for the Great Pumpkin, we'll be inside gaming our scared little butts off, shooting zombies and trying to escape the minions of evil. And we'll be sitting down with a nice cup of steaming hot apple cider because this week was full of hot Apple stories. And there was tons of scoring hot game news this week. See ya on the flipside.
An AMD-led team has set a new Guinness World Record for the “Highest Frequency of a Computer Processor” by cranking up a soon-to-be-released chip to 8.429GHz. Pause for a nanosecond to let that number sink in: that’s eight billion, four hundred twenty-nine million cycles per second.
What is it about guys? Give them something fast and their immediate impulse is to make it faster.
Chalk one up for the rumor mill yet again: As widely predicted over the last week or so, Apple has slipped a few stealth updates into the MacBook Pro line, including upgraded processors, graphics and storage updates. Here’s a look at what’s news.


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13 / 04 / 2018
Avast, the world’s largest consumer antivirus supplier by customers, said on Thursday it will apply to list its shares on the London Stock Exchang...
03 / 04 / 2018
Following the opening of our office in The Hague in September, CyNation, along with our partner NIBC Bank, held its first international event at the ...
20 / 03 / 2018
CyNation’s continues to focus on international expansion; we participated in Holland FinTech’s mission to Switzerland in March, a perfect follow-u...
27 / 02 / 2018
CyNation, in collaboration with Digital Leaders, hosted a very successful GDPR Week.
The week included two seminars and two webinars having to do w...
01 / 02 / 2018
CyNation Limited is delighted to announce that Koen Gijsbers is joining the Board of Directors. As the former General Manager of the NATO Communicatio...
18 / 01 / 2018
CyNation has been recognised as a leading company in the Dutch FinTech space. In an infographic published by Holland FinTech, companies were acknowl...
28 / 09 / 2017
The Hague, 27 September 2017 – The UK Compliance & Information Security company CyNation has opened a new office in The Hague. CyNation helps or...
22 / 09 / 2017
Data security and privacy are the foundations of today’s world. A world where the boundaries between business processes, people and technology are b...
We are starting a new monthly series where we summarise what we believe to be the top security news of the month. Be that big data breaches or new att...
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Businesses are expected to spend an estimated $5 billion on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology during the next few years in an attempt to improve the efficiency of their supply chains, according to analysts The Yankee Group.
However, the deployment of RFID will mean that many workers who currently use scanning devices to track stock will lose their jobs, according to the report.
In the US alone, according to the Yankee Group, the jobs of some four million workers involved in data collection in the US alone could be in jeopardy.
RFID is a generic term for technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify tagged items. Unlike a bar code scanner, which has to ‘see’ the bar code to read it, RFID tags can be read as long as they are within the radio frequency range of a reader – this can vary widely depending on the type of RFID technology.
If deployed effectively, RFID can save money by reducing labour costs and loss of stock, and can improve sales by ensuring the availability of products. However, the price of the tags and the equipment make it prohibitively expensive for many functions, although prices are expected to drop in the next few years.
The Yankee Group expects the transition to be gradual: it could take as long as a decade for RFID technology to replace bar codes, it says – it took bar codes a similar length of time to gain widespread acceptance.
Accenture, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and IBM are among the technology consulting companies expected to benefit the most from initial RFID deployments. Large software vendors such as SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft will also benefit, it says.
According to The Yankee Group, companies are currently spending about $500 million a year on RFID, but this is expected to rise to $3 billion a year by 2007.


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In Portugal, the tourists which have more money to spend during their holidays in the country are the Chinese and the North-Americans, according to the secretary of state for Tourism.
Chinese and North-American tourists are among those spending more on their holidays in Portugal, the state secretary for Tourism, Ana Mendes Godinho, stated in a world tourism event held in Macau, this Tuesday.
“These tourists [the Chinese] spend a lot, they spend as much as the North Americans,” said Ana Mendes Godinho, at the Global Tourism Economy Forum in Macao, which started off this Tuesday and ends this Wednesday.
In 2017, the tourist revenue coming from China increased by 80%, in comparison to the previous year, reaching €130m, the secretary of State noted. “Wine tourism is something that the Chinese market really appreciates”, she added, defending that tourism should be diversified in the country in terms of offers, promoting tourism in the whole state and during the whole year.
“Macao is the entry point to China, and Portugal should be the entry point to Europe”, making a statement that it is the perfect place to “visit, invest and study”, she concluded.
The declarations from the secretary of State were made at the Global Tourism Economy Forum, held in Macao, an event which “engages public and private sector stakeholders from around the world in high-level exchanges on timely and thought-provoking subjects”.


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Package deals at hotels are becoming an increasingly popular online gift as chains struggle to put bodies in their rooms. But better take advantage now -- prices will go up by 2011. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
Legislation to use market forces to reduce carbon emissions may be stuck in Congress, but some states are banding together to form regional cap and trade programs. Ashley Milne-Tyte explains how it works.
With commercial real estate in a rough patch, landlords are offering deals to more temporary tenants in order to fill vacant storefronts. This is good news for pop-up stores, which are in business for only a few weeks. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
The recession has worsened hunger around the world, but anti-hunger charity Bread for the World says there are plenty of longer-lasting policy changes that could help solve the problem. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.
A dollar menu may seem like a great way for McDonald's to cut a profit in hard economic times, but franchisees can get grilled on food costs. Ashley Milne-Tyte explores how the fast food chain can benefit from cheaper items.


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3D printing is now on the verge of mainstream adoption as businesses begin to recognize and embrace the cost and product manufacturing benefits of the technology. Global 3D printer shipments are anticipated to grow by ten times over the next four years, a new IDC report revealed.
According to a new research study from International Data Corporation (IDC), the worldwide 3D printer market will experience tremendous unit and revenue growth from 2012 to 2017, with compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 59% and 29%, respectively.
The fast-paced evolution of 3D printing has moved well beyond early adopters and hobbyists. The analysts said that the technology will move out of its niche markets and become mainstream as it is now being utilized regularly in business applications where substantial cost and time-to-market benefits are gained. In addition to general manufacturing/R&D applications, 3D print is also finding sweet spots in aerospace, automotive, education, dental, jewelry, medical, and recreation vertical industries.
"Print is extending beyond output on media to the creation of an actual object, and that presents incredible opportunity," said Keith Kmetz, Vice President, Imaging, Printing and Document Solutions. "While traditional print technologies are facing maturity, 3D printers will see worldwide unit shipments grow by 10 times over the forecast period, and worldwide hardware value will more than double in the short term."
The report said traditional printer vendors are increasingly seeing 3D printing as an opportunity, and are getting into the game. HP is preparing to enter the market in mid-2014, and Konica Minolta is about to sign a U.S. agreement to distribute a leading manufacturer's 3D printers. Other printer vendors will look to enter this lucrative opportunity in the near future as well.
Posted in 3D Printing Technology
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Singletons 'buy own romantic gifts'
Unlucky-in-love Britons are buying their own gifts this Valentine's Day, with lonely hearts across the West Midlands most likely to send themselves a romantic treat.
"DIY cupids" will buy themselves a present on February 14 to avoid embarrassment in front of loved-up friends, a survey has revealed.
A national poll of 3,000 single people by John Greed jewellers found that one in five planned to send themselves chocolates or flowers due to a lack of love.
The survey found that people in Birmingham are the most concerned at appearing unloved with almost half admitting to buying a card or present for themselves, while 24% of those surveyed in Liverpool admitted planning to spoil themselves, followed by 19% in Leeds.
In contrast, just 7% of those questioned in Manchester were planning to buy their own gift on Valentine's Day.
But most of those who admitted their Valentine's Day secret said they will only send a card.
John Greed, from John Greed Jewellery, said: "Last year we saw a number of women buy themselves jewellery in the run-up to Valentine's Day and it got us thinking that there must be a large group of people, especially those who are single or have an unromantic partner, who buy their own Valentine's gift.
"We surveyed our customer base and were astonished that over one in five had resorted to buying themselves their own gift."


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Something fishy is going on in the Los Angeles sushi industry. Local diners might be shocked to find out that sushi restaurants have been casting a lie for years, serving yellowtail that might not be yellowtail at all.
A new UCLA and Loyola Marymount University study examined the DNA of fish items at 26 Los Angeles restaurants over the course of four years. The researchers also tested fish sold at high-end grocery stores over the course of one year. The study appeared this week in the journal of Conservation Biology.
Of the fish tested between 2012 to 2016, nearly half was found to be mislabeled. Although the sampled grocery stores had an overall mislabeling rate of 42%, slightly lower than the overall 47%, all sampled sushi restaurants had at least one case of misrepresentation. The similarity in mislabeling rates implies that "bait-and-switch" could be occurring earlier in the supply chain than the point of sale to consumers.
The study listed red snapper, yellowfin tuna, halibut, and yellowtail as having consistently high instances of mislabeling. Only bluefin tuna was found to always be exactly as advertised, while salmon was mislabeled about 10% of the time. However, out of 43 halibut and 32 red snapper samples, the researchers were always served a different type of fish than what was labeled.


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Arts Center annual benefit to auction highly valued Burroughs artwork
The Lawrence Arts Center’s 2014 Benefit Art Auction is about to begin, and with it comes excitement, exhaustion and high levels of anxiety, says exhibitions director Ben Ahlvers.
Featuring 150 art works, this is one of the Arts Center’s largest visual arts events and the primary funding source for the Arts Center’s exhibitions program. If that isn’t already enough to put one on edge, a piece by this year’s featured artist is valued at higher than anything it has ever tried to auction.
If you go
The 2014 Lawrence Arts Center Benefit Art Auction will be held March 14 through April 12 at the Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St. The exhibit and silent auction begins Friday and lasts through April 12, when the live auction will he held. Tickets to the live auction cost $40 in advance and $50 the day of the event. For more information, visit lawrenceartscenter.org.
William S. Burroughs, whose work has been on display in the “Creative Observer” exhibit for the past couple of months in honor of his 100th birthday, is this year’s featured artist, with three of his works for sale. His 1993 “Untitled Triptych,” which is three panels of plywood spray-painted and blasted with a shotgun, is valued at $50,000, the price set by the William S. Burroughs estate. Live auction bidding will begin at $30,000.
One of Roger Shimomura’s paintings featured in the 2011 auction, valued at $12,000, comes closest to this value, Ahlvers says.
“We got over retail for that one, and I was stunned,” he says.
Burroughs two other works in the auction — “Something New Has Been Added,” an ink print collaboration with Ralph Steadman, and a diptych collaboration work with Keith Haring — are valued at $6,000, and $8,000, respectively.
Burroughs being a world-renowned artist (not to mention one who was just recently celebrated globally), Ahlvers suspects these pieces will draw interest beyond Lawrence. Because those collectors are not likely to venture out to Lawrence, the Arts Center invested in an online auction service called Paddle8, which will help them expand their bidding audience by giving the Arts Center access to 35,000 art collectors around the world. Those interested can bid online for both live and silent auctions.
They were already cataloging all items to display on their website in previous years, Ahlvers says, but the audience it attracts is people from town who want information on our shows and classes.
“But that doesn’t mean somebody in London is looking up our website,” Ahlvers says. “It seems like this is a good fit. I’m part excited and part anxious to see how it shakes out.”
The silent auction opens at 9 a.m. Friday, so the community members can familiarize themselves with the art and start making bids. Participants must bid 50 percent of the retail value, set by each artist, and can buy out any of the 110 pieces at 200 percent of its value.
The live auction does not have a cap, which is why the bulk of the benefit will come from the April 12 live event, with just 35 pieces in the mix. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 on the day of the auction. Ahlvers is hoping to bring in $120,000 this year to support the Arts Center exhibitions open to the public year-round.
“This is the only part of the organization that is always free,” Ahlvers says. “We never charge people to come in here. But it costs money to put up these shows.”
Artist participation in the auction is by invitation only, as not to burden local artists who are constantly asked to donate to various events and benefits, and to give every artist generous enough to create an original piece for the event a respectful opportunity for exposure.
“The display is really challenging if you’ve got 300 [or more] pieces,” he says. “It’s like wallpaper. It’s a difficult thing to get people to engage with it because it’s difficult to focus on everything.”
Some contributing artists have donated portraits of Burroughs in response to his works, and will pair nicely with the main attraction this year. Other works run a gamut of mediums, styles and aesthetics. Roger Shimomura, Louis Copt, Molly Murphy and Clare Doveton are just a few core artists contributing pieces again this year. Ranging from $25 to $50,000, visitors can expect to see jewelry, sculpture, printmaking, photography, textiles, pottery, paintings and more on display by various practicing artists with a connection to Lawrence.
“It’s a reflection on what the Arts Center does and it’s also reflection of the community that we live in,” Ahlvers says. “It’s a pretty diverse place in the context of Kansas. I think the auction should reflect that.”


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New Jt President at UB Grp
Shekhar Ramamurthy gets the position.September 22, 2012 | comments ( 0 ) |
United Breweries Limited has moved up Shekhar Ramamurthy to the poisition of a Joint Director of the group. He was the deputy president, overseeing sales & marketing, besides international operations previously. In the new role, he will be in charge of strategic planning and HR, in addition to his earlier responsibilities. He will report to Kalyan Ganguly, president & MD, of UBL.
Ramamurthy joined the company in 1989 and has been withthe company ever since. He has helf some crucial positions all these years. The position given to Ramamurthy has been specially created in the organisation.
- Manyavar launches another store in Punjab
- Ola raises Rs 150 crore from Flipkart's Co-Founder Sachin Bansal
- Ananth Narayanan steps down as Myntra Jabong CEO
- DailyNinja celebrates 15 million orders fulfilled
- John Jacobs looks to garner Rs 500 crore revenue by March 2021
- The Body Shop plans to launch 20 more stores in 2019
- Saya Homes to invest Rs 450 cr in its 1st retail project
- Tablez to introduce US-based Build-A-Bear in India
- LOTS Wholesale Solutions expands footprint with its third store in India
- Microsoft partners with retail chain Kroger to develop grocery stores


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Target: The CEOs of Albertsons LLC, Marsh, and Save Mart
Goal: Stop carrying Paseo and Livi toilet paper brands, which use fibers from the already severely damaged Sumatran rainforest.
Three top United States grocery chains, Albertsons LLC, Marsh, and Save Mart, have yet to stop carrying the Paseo and Livi brands of tissue and toilet paper distributed by Oasis Brands. These two brands have been linked to using fibers provided by Asia Pulp and Paper (APP).
APP is a company based in Singapore with factories in the Sumatra island of Indonesia. The fibers and products they generate severely damage the rainforest environment in Sumatra. Ever since 1985, more than a half of the rainforest, roughly the size of Virginia state, has been destroyed. The destruction threatens the lifestyles of the many species that live there.
There are approximately 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world. If the APP continues its destruction of the habitat, the critically endangered species risks extinction. 17 of the U.S. top 20 grocery chains, including Kmart, Weis, and Kroger, have stopped selling Paseo and Livi tissue and toilet paper.
We urge the CEOs of Albertsons LLC, Marsh, and Save Mart to follow suit and stop supporting the two brands. The risk of supporting the APP and allowing the brands to flourish in the U.S. is intolerable. We must protect the rainforest and the species that reside there.
Dear the CEOs of Albertsons LLC, Marsh, and Save Mart,
It has come to my attention that you have continued to carry the Paseo and Livi brands despite their link to Asia Pulp and Paper (AAP). AAP provides the fiber used in the production of these tissues and toilet paper at the expense of the rainforest and its inhabitants.
Ever since 1985, APP has wiped out over half of the rainforest in the Sumatra Island of Indonesia. With the destruction of the rainforest, the Sumatran tiger, a critically endangered species, is at an even higher risk of extinction. There are only about 400 tigers left in the world.
17 top U.S. grocery chains have already stopped carrying these two brands. I encourage you to do the same and stop supplying the Paseo and Livi brands. It is imperative that we, as a nation, take a stand against the APP and its exploitation of the rainforest.
[Your Name Here]


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Want to Stick to Your Weight-loss Goals? Share a Selfie of Your Progress.
Constantly taking selfies and posting them on social media sites has become like a regular, modern-day re-enactment of Narcissus gazing at his reflection in a pool of water.
And for the most part, weâ€™d agree that snapping photos of your face ad nauseum is one of the most annoying things a guy can do on social media. But it turns out thereâ€™s a selfie silver liningâ€”and itâ€™s one you probably didnâ€™t see coming.
Sharing selfies of your weight-loss journeyÂ may actually help you keep up with your goals and consistently drop pounds, according to new research from American University.
In the study, researchers followed two online forums, or â€śvirtual support communities,â€ť focused on weight loss. Ultimately, they found that when people shared photographic evidence of their progress with others committed to similar weight loss goalsâ€”regardless of whether that update was a success or a setbackâ€”the selfie-sharers were more likely to stay motivated and accountable.
â€śSharing intimate information and photos about weight loss goals in virtual space is a key factor in motivating behaviors that fulfill that new, thinner identity, and thus helps people reach their goals,â€ť said Sonya A. Grier, Ph.D., an author on the study. â€śNot everyone can get the support they need from the people they interact with in-person on a daily basis. It is helpful that technology can support community-building and goal-achievement in virtual spaces.â€ť
But before you whip out your phone to nab a quick selfie the next time you hit the gym, remember that while it may be helpful when it comes to hitting your weight loss goals and boosting confidence, doing it in a douchey way can still be a huge turnoff to, yâ€™know, pretty much everyone.


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SHAH ZAMAN, a young shopkeeper, gestured to a loader to lift the generator and made way for the customer through a cramped shop of consumer durables. The parting greetings of buyer and seller were long.
The trader must be happy over selling the product at his dictated price, the purchaser was visibly fascinated by his newly acquired possession that he bought on down payment of a fraction of its market value. Zaman said he expected 10 per cent in commission from his supplier and 40 per cent as increment on price for spreading payment over two years.
Some 4000 similar outlets are said to be operating all over the country selling consumer durables on credit. They offer customers between six to 60 monthly installments and project value of monthly installment to attract buyers, understating the rise in the actual cost in the deal.
According to one estimate, every third household in low income localities in urban areas avails informal system of consumer financing. In absence of the formal banking option — as banks are oriented to serve educated people placed higher on the social ladder — the demand for credit is met through informal means.
Data show that consumer financing of banks has shrunk. Over the past five years, some commercial banks abandoned consumer financing but indicators suggest that informal credit operations expanded in the country both horizontally and vertically.
It was stated that the pace of growth of informal consumer financing was actually faster in rural areas and smaller townships, particularly in Sindh and Punjab.
“The market is at work here. The specialised credit for durables enjoys patronage of traders and manufacturers for obvious reasons. The system serves people as it enables them to purchase pricy items such as motorcycles, fans, sewing machines, etc that they cannot afford to pay for upfront”, an analyst commented.
The dynamics of short-term informal commercial credit system is anchored on social nexus. “Its utility and successful business model has proved to be rewarding to the people and the economy”, commented an economist. The shop mentioned in opening paragraph is located in Neelum Colony in Karachi and sells electrical appliances on credit. An informal survey by Dawn revealed that there is a network of exclusive retail shops servicing swath of working families across the country.
Zaman told Dawn that the purchaser of the generator was an employee of his uncle, who became his guarantor in the credit deal. Giving details, he said the generator worth Rs20,000 was sold for Rs28,000. The payment will be received in 24 installments over two years. Sidelining a question about the logic to charge 40 per cent interest on two-year credit, he chuckled: “The man paid just Rs1500 to own a pricy machine. The deal was not forced. He was agreeable to pay more for something that would otherwise be beyond his means”.
The business was not as brisk at Zaman’s shop as it was four years back when on an average 90 deals materialised in a month against 15 currently. Zaman did not blame the slump on the sagging economy alone.
“The increase in family incomes have failed to keep pace with peoples’ rising aspirations but there are host of other factors as well playing into the situation”, he said. He mentioned competition and more caution exercised by sellers and guarantors owing to the economic slowdown.
Explaining dynamics of their trade, some operators approached by Dawn said that defaults were rare. “In the last five years about two per cent of our customers ditched us, about 10 per cent failed to stick to the payment schedule but the rest upheld their commitment”, Nazim, who owns a similar shop in Dehli Colony, said.
“We issue a sale card as soon as a transaction is closed with basic particulars of buyer and guarantor and mark monthly payments on it. The record is maintained at the shop and sometimes purchasers are reminded of deadline in advance”, he said.
The need of legal cover was dismissed by business operators. “It is a trust-based business that operates on the strength of social bonds. Here buyer and sellers know each other directly or through people. They are willing to make adjustment but there is zero tolerance for breach of trust. The volumes take care of whatever little problems occur at the margins”, Salim, another trader who owns a shop in Korangi 3, commercial area, said.
Some market watchers criticised high interest rates charged by traders. Senior officials at SECP confirmed that for regulators no such credit offering bodies exist. “In absence of regulator governing their activities only competitions can dissuade traders from abusing vulnerable petty creditors”, an analyst commented.
“The exploitation is rampant in places where supplier controls the market but in bigger cities it would be counter-productive. Traders can only cross limits at the cost of their reputation”, he added.
the government and rising cost of consumer financing as defaults pile up dissuaded leasing companies and banks to focus there. Over the past four years they virtually abandoned their consumer financing operations in the country.
“However, as SBP shifted stance to monetary easing and slashed the interest rates one can again sense change. There are some faint signals of revival of consumer financing departments in bigger banks. The informal lending to under-privileged has never been looked at as a business opportunity by established institutions. It, therefore, has its own dynamics and exist parallel to institutionalised banking”, Sohail Ahmed, CEO Topline Securities, commented.
“Poor people are anxious to live better and ready to avail all available options to this end. It would be unfair to equate the wish of a household without fans to aspire for one, to people leasing cars bigger than ones they can afford”, commented an observer.


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YouTube 700,000 videos around Lego
Video Contest Affiliate Marketing
We will pay the crowdsourced winning designers 1% of revenue for the sold products.
Japanese LEGO fans now have the opportunity to create, and vote for, their own designs. LEGO Cuusoo, Japanese for “wish”, recently presented this exciting and enthusiastically received idea at the Cannes Lions advertising festival.
Once the number of online votes for a particular design reaches 10,000, it will be declared the winning “wish” and will then be sent into production.
Cuusoo specializes in consumer-designed products geared toward mass markets and will pay the crowdsourced winning designers 1% of revenue for the sold products. An expert panel of LEGO employees will review the winning designs and determine which ones are the best candidates based on design, production, and commercialization considerations. All of the new, crowdsourced LEGO sets will be sold in the LEGO online shop as well as in brand retail outlets.
LEGO is not new to crowdsourcing. Another successful crowdsourcing venture was their “MadeByMe” line. LEGO fans were able to order custom sets using software geared toward custom LEGO design. Casper Willer, Executive Creative Director at Naked Communications, LEGO’s consultant in new ventures, indicated that “fans have uploaded more than 700,000 videos of their creations to YouTube and have attended 180 ‘Brickworld’ LEGO events in 30 countries.”
LEGO actively seeks the ideas and thoughts of their consumers. Afaqs.com has also quoted Willer as saying: “This brand puts consumer engagement at the heart of its business strategy. Their philosophy is ‘System in Play’ — it relies on systematic creativity.” It is unsurprising, then, that a company and product so committed to such a philosophy would embrace crowdsourcing as another avenue for their fans to exercise their creativity.


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Farmscape for March 1, 2022
|Full Interview 7:12||Listen|
The Director of Risk Management with HAMS Marketing Services is advising pork producers to focus on risk management strategies amid the market volatility being created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Up to about a week ago the futures markets had rallied to some of the highest levels seen in years. Tyler Fulton, the Director of Risk Management with HAMS Marketing Services, says since then the futures market has experienced a ton of uncertainty associated with all of the factors that come from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Clip-Tyler Fulton-HAMS Marketing Services:
All commodity markets have really started to question the fundamentals that they had been trading based off of. Russia and the Ukraine, while they don’t have a direct influence on meat protein markets around the world, they do have a very significant impact on feed grain prices and feed grain supply. We have to go back to 2010 when they were a significant player in terms of bringing pork or other meat products into that country but, since then, they have really built up their meat industry and have become much more self sufficient in meat protein, so that’s not really the factor that’s making things uncertain. It’s more on the feed grains and even energy and fertilizer markets. Germany for example imports a fair amount of feed grains from the Ukraine, from that region and it would obviously have a pretty significant impact on their cost of production and therefore the size of the herd and the supply that comes out of western Europe.
Fulton advises producers to keep an eye on global feed prices and what strategies they can use to mitigate the effects of that volatility and the inflationary trends we’re seeing. He says predicting which way things will go with the current situation is a bit of a fool’s game but he notes there are tools to secure hog prices and feed costs and he suggests making use of those tools.
For more visit Farmscape.Ca. Bruce Cochrane.
*Farmscape is a presentation of Wonderworks Canada Inc.


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New York, New York–Facebook Pages for businesses are the leading research and referral source for consumers, according to a study conducted by G/O Digital, a digital marketing agency.
The findings reveal an astounding 62 percent of social media users and consumers viewed a company’s page prior to making a purchase.
The study, which included 1,000 participants ranging in age from 18 years old to 29 years of age, also found that 84 percent of users made a purchasing decision based on local deals. In addition, 25 percent of respondents stated, “it’s very important and I would be likely to make an in-store purchase within a week.”
Coupon redemption at local stores also factored-in heavily, with 40 percent of those surveyed stating that such deals in-store purchases.
Promoted Posts got the attention of 12 percent, while promoted video influenced 11 percent. Loyalty apps garnered 10 percent of marketing reach.
Facebook Pages Boost Small Businesses
Local advertising is most powerful through Pages, beating out Pinterest, for consumer research about products and services coming-in at 12 percent. Twitter and Instagram followed close behind that figure, with 11 percent and 9 percent, respectively.
Interestingly, 36 percent of the study’s participants said that targeted ads, based on past purchases and personal interests are effective. What’s more, just over a quarter of respondents stated that such targeted marketing to be the most influential in making a purchasing decision.
The findings likewise reveal the main reason for consumers looking at SMB Pages is to find reviews and ratings about a company, its products and services. Such reviews and ratings convinced 80 percent of users to make a buying decision or to do more research.


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As it plays catch-up in the Russian search market, Google will acquire a seasoned Russian ad firm for $140m in cash.
In Russia, according to those wily net watchers over at comScore, native outfit Yandex is the leading search engine, with over 47 per cent of the market, and Google is a distant second, with about 32 per cent. But Larry, Serg, and the gang have sealed a Microhoo-esque deal with the number three player in an effort to become czar of all the online Russias.
The number three player is Rambler Media (almost 10 per cent, if you must know), and Rambler has agreed to sell Google its ad unit, ZAO Begun. According to the company, Begun - as it's called - boasts more than 40,000 advertisers and an online ad network encompassing 143,000 Russian language sites.
Naturally, after the $140m deal goes through, Rambler will begin serving Google ads, tapping into the company's AdSense for Search and AdSense for Content programs.
"This agreement illustrates our commitment to investing in Russia, where online advertising is currently experiencing rapid growth," read a canned Mohammad Gawdat, Google's managing director for emerging markets. "We are very excited about the opportunity to deliver more relevant search and ads to users and provide advertisers and publishers with better advertising technology to help them succeed in their own businesses."
The deal should close in September. Rambler owns a 50.1 per cent stake in Begun; when Google forks over that $140m, just under half will go to the other owner (Bannatyne, if you must know). ®


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Park Tool News
Get the latest info on what's happening at Park Tool and in the bicycle industry.
1 post found in February, 2024.
Written by Alex on February 27, 2024/Park Tool News
After reviewing an astonishing 657 applications (an all time record), Park Tool is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Community Tool Grant.Read More


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ArcheAge: Closed Beta Begins on July 17th
Let the epic online adventures begin! Trion Worlds and XLGAMES’ highly anticipated MMORPG ArcheAge will be entering closed beta beginning July 17 at 10am PDT.
Created by Jake Song, best known for his international online smash Lineage, ArcheAge is a vast MMORPG adventure, free from pre-defined paths and progression. Players can create unique and elaborate homes, build farms that drive the world economy, and sail their ships to uncharted lands where they can construct massive castles as they lay claim to rich and vibrant realms. ArcheAge’s PvP system allows players to fight for glory in huge battles on land and sea, or even shun the two factions and live the life of a pirate!
The Beta (currently English-language only) will begin July 17 at 10 am PDT and runs through July 21 at 10 am PDT. Players can get guaranteed access to the Beta by becoming a founder:
More info at www.ArcheAgeGame.com/Founders
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