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Silly Bandz - latest rage for little people
Silly Bandz, those silicone rubber shapes that act like traditional rubber bands, but bounce back into animals, letters and now, (thump, thump of the preteen/tween heart here) into a Justin Bieber shape. Kids from pre-kindergarteners to college students collect them. We spoke to several parents and grandparents whose kids have more than a hundred of them. Silly Bandz are everywhere right now.
The toys are generally worn as bracelets. A line of necklaces and rings are now available. Kids wear multiples of them. Silly Bandz come in packages of 24 for about $5 and in 12 packs for $2. They are brightly colored and packaged in themes – animals, shapes, letters, numbers etc.
Where did they come from? What good or bad are they? And most importantly for parents and grandparents looking toward holiday shopping, how long will the silly Bandz craze last? It is inevitable that at some point they will join bobble head dolls, beanie babies and hula hoops as yesterdays in thing. It’s all a matter of timing.
According to Wikipedia, Silly Bandz were invented back in 2002 by a Japanese design team looking for an environmentally friendly rubber band. Robert Croak, owner of BCP Imports, saw them and got the idea to sell them as a kids’ fashion accessory. Croak and his company made the bands thicker and larger. BCP Imports is now the distributor for Silly Bandz.
The first Silly Bandz were sold online in 2008. Learning Express in Birmingham Alabama became the first retail outlet in early 2009. By fall, Croak’s kids’ fashion accessory had made its way from the South to the East Coast. As of August 2010, Silly Bandz are sold in 8000 stores across the US. Seven spots on Amazon.com April 22 list of best selling toys and games belonged to Silly Bandz.
We asked for input on Facebook (where else?) on the toys and got responses from moms, grandmas and teachers. Several moms said their kids have hundreds.
Melissa commented “My boys have them (at least 100), ask for them repeatedly when we go into stores, then come home and forgot about them and I find them all over the place." Natasha said her daughter wears hers “pretty often” and has over a 100 of them.
Schools are not thrilled. A recent message home to parents in a West Kentucky school system warned parents that there would be confiscations if the Silly Bandz proved a distraction. Kids who take them on and off during instruction time risk losing them to the teacher’s desk.
Kindergarten teacher Kris wrote: "As a teacher I find that they are a major distraction in school. My kids want to play with them during the lessons, they put them in their mouths, they use them like rubber bands etc."
There are concerns that wearing Silly Bandz may cut off circulation in a child’s arm if the band is too tight. Doctors caution against allowing children to sleep with them on. The test, according to a story on FoxNews.com, is if the band is turning a child’s arm white, it’s too tight.
FoxNews.com reported in a May 26, 2010:
“Dr. Gregory Simonian, chief of endovascular surgery and director of the Heart Vascular Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center, told me that his daughter also wears Silly Bandz, and that Dr. Manny could be on to something. “Whether it’s tight bracelets or a ring on your finger, anything that is constricting could cause vascular insufficiency—meaning the blood flow is being altered by some external force. In this case, it’s the new, hip rubber bracelets,” Simonian said. Veins leaving the hand are low pressure, so it wouldn’t take much, especially on a child, to constrict the flow. “These bands could cause what we call a tourniquet effect that can cause your veins to get congested. The bracelets could cause blood clots to form in some of the veins, giving someone a phlebitis, which is an inflammation and clotting of the vein,” he said.
Grandparents on Facebook were quick to point out the trends they lived through. Donna wrote "I think they are going to be a fad just like the slap bracelets were, and the mood rings, and pop rocks!"
Another commented, “Isn't there always something like this around? Doesn't every parent and every child have to learn to deal with this sort of challenge? I admit I haven't seen the things or dealt with them; but isn't it the same as something previous generations have encountered?"
However long Silly Bandz last, they have been an economic boom in a pretty boomless time. Stephanie Carter of ETC Gifts in Clinton said they began selling the toys the first of summer. They flew out the door as vacation bible school gifts and for birthday party favors. Stephanie is seeing what she calls a “dwindling” of sales and reports sales of the necklaces hasn’t been as strong as the bracelets were.
BCP Imports is selling millions of packages. Their staff has grown from 20 employees to 200. The company just added 22 phone lines to answer inquiries. Sillybandz.com has a line of seasonal bands just in time for the holidays and with teen stars like Bieber, Mary Kate Olsen and sports figures jumping on the "bandz" wagon, Silly Bandz will probably survive through Christmas.


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Barclays PLC boosted its stake in shares of Mobile Mini Inc (NASDAQ:MINI) by 94.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 13,568 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,586 shares during the quarter. Barclays PLC’s holdings in Mobile Mini were worth $590,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MINI. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Mobile Mini by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. now owns 294,212 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $10,151,000 after buying an additional 5,824 shares in the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas acquired a new position in shares of Mobile Mini in the 4th quarter valued at $520,000. California Public Employees Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Mobile Mini by 11.9% in the 4th quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 97,757 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $3,373,000 after buying an additional 10,357 shares in the last quarter. Swiss National Bank raised its stake in shares of Mobile Mini by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 75,300 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,598,000 after buying an additional 2,300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Mobile Mini by 224.5% in the 4th quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 74,502 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,570,000 after buying an additional 51,541 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.70% of the company’s stock.
A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. BidaskClub upgraded shares of Mobile Mini from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Mobile Mini from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, June 23rd. Finally, ValuEngine upgraded shares of Mobile Mini from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $45.71.
Shares of Mobile Mini opened at $46.90 on Friday, Marketbeat reports. Mobile Mini Inc has a 52-week low of $28.10 and a 52-week high of $48.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.07 billion, a PE ratio of 40.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 1.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 0.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34.
Mobile Mini (NASDAQ:MINI) last announced its earnings results on Friday, April 20th. The industrial products company reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.34 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $132.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $133.18 million. Mobile Mini had a return on equity of 6.73% and a net margin of 23.05%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.25 EPS. equities research analysts forecast that Mobile Mini Inc will post 1.66 earnings per share for the current year.
In related news, Director Stephen A. Mcconnell sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.87, for a total transaction of $937,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 94,789 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,442,760.43. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Frederick G. Mcnamee sold 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.16, for a total transaction of $353,280.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 10,393 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $458,954.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 6.30% of the company’s stock.
About Mobile Mini
Mobile Mini, Inc provides portable storage and specialty containment solutions. It operates through three segments: Storage Solutions North America, Storage Solutions United Kingdom, and Tank and Pump Solutions. The company offers various portable storage and office products, such as steel storage containers and steel ground level offices serving retailers, construction companies, medical centers, schools, utilities, distributors, the military, hotels, restaurants, entertainment complexes, and households for use in a range of applications, including storage of construction materials and equipment, retail and manufacturing inventory, maintenance supplies, documents and records, and household goods.
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More than a few gamers are hoping to see the latest Grand Theft Auto land on PCs.
Announced on the anniversary of the disbarment of censorship proponent Jack Thompson, Grand Theft Auto V promptly built up the sort of excitement that only a series of its caliber and long, storied history can manage. As new images, trailers, and details began to emerge however, it became clear that current plans for the game’s release were somewhat limited. While it was confirmed to be coming out on the PS3 and Xbox 360, there’s been no official announcement of versions for the Wii U or PC. It’s a move that’s irked some and one that some gamers don’t intend to take lying down.
Point in case, a petition to bring GTA V to PC has, over the course of several months, been picking up some significant steam. Started by Mike Julliard of Yarmouth, Canada, the petition asks GTA-makers Rockstar to bring Grand Theft Auto V over to PC. “GTA games have been a large part of so many people’s lives and it’s a big shame not seeing the newest iteration of the game being released on the most powerful platform,” it reads. The petition, which has seen a steady uptick in support since its creation, recently broke 200,000 signatures and continues to climb towards its goal of 300,000.
In the likely case that Rockstar acquiesces, it wouldn’t be the first time the studio had waited to reveal a PC version of its games. Grand Theft Auto IV, for instance, was also only announced for PS3 and Xbox 360 initially with a PC port confirmed months later. Here’s hoping that winds up being the case here as well, and that PC gamers don’t get left out in the cold with their console counterparts having all the fun.


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Alfa Romeo ran a set of Super Bowl ads this year, highlighting its history and its new Giulia sedan.
The first spot, entitled ‘Riding Dragons,’ walks through Alfa Romeo’s history and how it led the company to this point.
Its second commercial was more of a classic car spot, showing off the new Giulia. Entitled ‘Predictable,’ the ad shows the Giulia speeding through tight streets in the country. “Giulia has found her true love – a driver that appreciates her for more than just her beauty. Someone who feeds her passion and embraces her power,” reads the caption under the commercial.
The third spot is called “Mozzafiato,” the Italian word for taking your breath away.
The Giulia Quadrifoglio is powered by a 2.9-liter turbo V6 that produces an impressive 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque.
Positioned as a rear-drive alternative to BMW’s 3 and 4 Series, as well as other German competitors, the long-to-arrive Giulia’s American success is far from guaranteed, though its broad price range leaves plenty of room for new customers enticed by its Italian flair.
Watch both the spots below.


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12:17 Saturday, 23 October 2021
Yes!! You’ve scored an interview – well done!
You’ve been searching and applying for that perfect role for months.
And now you’ve finally bagged yourself an interview.
The last thing you want to do is mess it up due to your attire…
No doubt, you’ll be stressing over what to wear and how best to present yourself.
But, did you know there’s actually 50 years of evidence that point towards avoiding one particular colour in an interview…
According to PureWow, orange is NOT the new black.
That’s right, a career expert from Snagajob told the site that you should stay away from orange while dressing for that all-important interview.
“Research over the last 50 years has helped us to understand that 75 percent of a face-to-face conversation is non-verbal…”
“While orange might be your favourite colour, on the receiving end, orange can unintentionally communicate that you are an attention-seeking, over-confident candidate.”
PureWow also report that a 2013 CareerBuilder survey polled 2,099 hiring managers and human resource professionals across several industries.
And orange topped the worst colours list!
25 percent of employers agreed it was the worst colour to wear to an interview.
Okay, so what colour should we wear?
Obviously, what you wear is up to you and what you feel good in.
But this expert says that the colour blue is usually a good choice.
Apparently blue “conveys trust, responsibility and team spirit”.
Although the one tip they have for video interviews, is to go with a deeper shade of blue, as lighter shades tend to be washed out on camera.
Good to know!


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By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org
UPDATE AUG. 10. 3 p.m. – Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency Thursday added liquor giant Bacardi Ltd., whose U.S. operations are based in Coral Gables, to its list of “international war sponsors.“
“Bacardi Limited continues to pay significant taxes to the budget of Russia, support its economy and sponsor aggression against Ukraine,” Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention said in a press release.
Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 Bacardi publicly pledged its support for Ukraine and announced that it had “paused exports to Russia and froze advertising” there.
That was then. With the war still raging, this is now: Bacardi’s Russian subsidiary, Bacardi Rus LLC, is enjoying a “financial bonanza,” according to the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.
Bacardi’s promise, which included a $1-million donation to the Red Cross and the Mercy Corps for humanitarian aid to Ukraine, was widely reported in the international press. “However, the pledge to halt [sales of liquor] disappeared from the press release soon after and, over the past year, the profits enjoyed by Bacardi’s Russian outfit have tripled,” the Resource Centre said.
Bacardi, which is based in Hamilton, Bermuda boasts a portfolio of 200 brands including Bacardi rum, Grey Goose vodka, Dewar’s Scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, Patron tequila and Martini & Rossi sparkling wine and vermouth.
The company did not respond to a request for comment about its Russian operations.
MANY WESTERN COMPANIES PULL OUT
After Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine many Western companies pulled out of Russia. The U.S. and numerous other countries also imposed sanctions on Russia that made doing business there impossible.
But products like alcohol are not subject to sanctions, according to The Wall Street Journal. And since the imposition of sanctions, Russia has legalized so-called “parallel imports,” goods that can be imported without the approval of their makers.
According to Bacardi’s website, it began selling booze in Russia in 1992. Today, it employs 350 people and has offices in seven cities: Moscow, Istra, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, and Yekaterinburg.
Bacardi, the world’s largest privately-owned spirits company, is notoriously secretive about its financial information. Internal company documents previously obtained by Florida Bulldog show that there are about 450 shareholders, most descendants of company founder Don Facundo Bacardi, who began distilling rum in 1862. Estimates of the company’s net worth run as high as $25 billion.
But Russia’s Federal Tax Service offers a peek under the hood of Bacardi Rus. Its website shows that compared with 2021, Bacardi’s assets jumped last year from 57 million rubles to 850 million rubles, or nearly $8.8 million. Reported revenue went up from 30.1 billion rubles ($310.4 million) to 32.6 billion rubles ($336.5 million).
BOOZE BUSINESS IN RUSSIA IS BOOMING
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Bacardi Rus imported $169 million of products during the 12 months ended June 30, according to Russian government customs data collected by Export Genius, a trade-data specialist. The story also reported that Bacardi has thrived in Russia while competitors, including giant Diageo, owner of Smirnoff vodka, Guinness beer and Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky have quit Russia completely.
The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, a nongovernmental agency that tracks human rights impacts of more than 10,000 companies across nearly 200 countries, reported on June 30 that “Bacardi is currently exporting its products to Russia via its own subsidiary. Since Russian tanks were ordered over the border into Ukraine, Bacardi Rus has been granted for four bills of entry, which guarantee that its products meet the required standards to clear customs. These bills of entry have long validity periods, which means that multiple consignments can be delivered before they need to be renewed. For example, on March 20, the company obtained an EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union of several post-Soviet states] declaration for Martini Bianco Special Edition. This was valid for five years, allowing imports of vermouth until March 19, 2028.”
Sales in Russia have been so sufficiently booming that Bacardi is advertising to grow its staff of employees there.
“Bacardi is a company of opportunities, career as well,” says a page on its website translated from Russian. “Here, the development and growth of employees, cross-functional and international movements are welcomed and encouraged. If you want to become a part of Bacardi, send you CV to us at: [email protected].


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Tenovos, the digital supply chain platform for marketers, has raised $7.2M in funding according to a recent SEC filing funding. Investors in the company include Revel Partners, BDMI, Progress Ventures, and Dublin Capital Partners. The filing indicates that there were thirty-one investors in the round. Tenovos was founded in 2018 by Sal Hakimi and Matt Corodimas.
The AlleyWatch audience is driving progress and innovation on a global scale. With its regional media properties, AlleyWatch serves as the highway for technology and entrepreneurship. There are a number of options to reach this audience of the world’s most innovative organizations and startups at scale including having prominent brand placement in a high-visibility piece like this, which will be read by the vast majority of key influencers in the New York business community and beyond. Find out more here.


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The Supreme Court was supposed to be a conservative firewall.
But now all hell is breaking loose.
That’s because the Supreme Court made one big decision. This is why Trump is furious
On the surface it may seem surprising that most of Wall Street and many big business executives are so happy to promote Democrats.
After all, Democrats favor higher taxes on the wealthy and more regulations for businesses. Surely the wealthy helping Democrats must be unselfish.
But the Democrats overbearing regulations are actually helping the big business that they claim to hate.
Small business employee more people with their resources than big business and account for 64 percent of net new jobs created.
If small businesses have to put their money into navigating 50 different tax codes it will kill their opportunity for growth.
This is what they now must do because of a 2018 Supreme Court decision.
The Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision makes it easier for states to collect sales taxes from online retailers who are located out of state.
According to the Washington Examiner:
The growing patchwork of state internet sales taxes that has emerged since the landmark 2018 Supreme Court decision regarding out-of-state online sellers has hamstrung small businesses with costly compliance burdens.
Halstead Bead Inc. an online jewelry supply store in Prescott, Arizona, has found complying with the online sales tax vexing.
“It’s been quite challenging,” said Brad Scott, the company’s finance director. “So far, we have spent close to 4,000 hours [since June 2018] that we have diverted away from regular operations towards this.”
The company sells jewelry components and supplies to jewelry makers around the world. It currently complies with roughly 30 state laws that either require it to disclose that it is doing business in the state or to collect and remit taxes. Scott said that his company is complying with nearly “12,000 different tax jurisdictions” between the states… Since June 2018, Halstead Bead has spent $175,000 to comply with the levy while collecting and remitting $75,000 in taxes.
A tax that cost small business more to collect the tax than the tax makes the government seem completely insane.
But costly regulations are good for big businesses simply because they are costly and drive their competitors out of business.
This new ruling isn’t hurting Amazon the same way that it’s hurting a small mom and pop business that’s being run out of someone’s garage.
That’s why it’s important not to put unnecessary regulation on businesses.
It’s not to protect the fat cats it’s to protect local businesses that could be regulated out of business
The Democrats say they’re out to help the poor but their only ready to help the poor with a handout that will make them dependent on the government.
One of the reasons that America has the strongest economy ever is because of the tax break that Trump gave America.
Americans are able to do all sorts of amazing things if the Government doesn’t get in their way with needless regulation.


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America Online, which earlier this year stopped signing up new broadband customers, is telling existing broadband subscribers in nine Southern states that they must find a new broadband carrier.
Those customers who do not switch to a new broadband carrier by that date will have their accounts revert to AOL's traditional dialup service, said AOL spokeswoman Anne Bentley. The affected states are Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The company has been e-mailing its customers in those nine states that they can switch to high-speed broadband service offered by BellSouth (BLS) for a special promotional rate.
Most of AOL's 23 million subscribers receive standard dialup service for $24 a month. The company will not disclose how many customers still receive the $54 monthly broadband service, which Bentley acknowledged is relatively expensive compared with other broadband pricing packages now available to consumers.
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Bad boys: Greek and British police in a joint operation cracked a multimillion-dollar illegal software sales ring, arresting two people and seizing thousands of pirated high-tech software programs.
They had arrested a Greek citizen and a Briton who pirated and sold an expensive computer software program for the car and aeronautic industry, charging only about 700 euros.
They did not name the company involved but said the man and his British accomplice in London were selling the program to buyers through the internet.
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Coming to America, online: Hoping to put itself in the vanguard of the internet travel business, AOL will invest an undisclosed amount in an upstart that threatens to lure customers away from the industry's most dominant players, such as Orbitz (ORBZ), Expedia and Travelocity.
America Online plans to take a minority stake in Kayak Software, one of a handful of companies whose software allows travelers to simultaneously scour the offerings of thousands of individual airline, hotel and car-rental websites.
The investment in Norwalk, Connecticut-based Kayak is part of a larger strategy at AOL to establish standalone businesses that attract an audience beyond its internet service customers. In September AOL unveiled InStore, a comparison-shopping site.
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Dell knows computers: Fueled by double-digit growth in the corporate and government sectors, both domestically and abroad, Dell posted record third-quarter sales and saw profits surge 25 percent. Shares of Dell gained 5 percent.
Citing its direct-sales model, Round Rock, Texas-based Dell (DELL) said it was on track to become a $60 billion company sometime in 2006, roughly a year ahead of schedule.
Earlier this week, Dell announced plans to build its third U.S. manufacturing plant in North Carolina, employing at least 1,500 people within five years. Dell already has plants in Tennessee and Texas.
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Compiled by David Cohn. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.


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Genpact and Ariba Expand Alliance to Deliver Procure-to-pay Solution
Genpact, a business process and technology management company, and Ariba, a business commerce network, have expanded their alliance beyond invoice solutions to encompass the full suite of Ariba’s cloud-based collaborative business commerce solutions into Genpact’s source-to-pay offering. Genpact will combine Ariba’s solutions with its comprehensive service offerings to create a new turnkey offering that will enable medium-sized to large enterprises to improve their visibility into the procurement process and drive greater cost savings.
This collaboration brings to market a powerful services and technology offering that allows enterprises to fully realise the potential of the source-to-pay cycle. Using Genpact’s Smart Enterprise Process (SEPSM) methodology, in conjunction with the Ariba’s cloud-based collaborative commerce applications, will give companies access to industry-leading technologies, standardised practices and strong global relationships. Genpact will leverage its global delivery network to support transactional and operational source-to-pay processes for companies in multiple industries including life sciences, banking and financial services, consumer product goods (CPG), and manufacturing.
“Genpact is excited to expand our alliance with Ariba, as this significantly enhanced offering combines the full range of Ariba’s collaborative commerce solutions with Genpact’s procurement services led by our SEP framework for making business processes much more effective,” said Shantanu Ghosh, senior vice president (SVP), practices, solutions and transitions, Genpact. “Our offering not only rapidly reduces the total sourcing and procurement costs, but enables companies to have a high level of visibility and control of their sourcing and procurement process. The combination of these smart processes and smart technologies will result in substantially better business outcomes.”


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Private-label diaper brands don't get much advertising. After all, part of what makes them cheaper is not spending on media or agencies.
But when Sam's Club introduced improved Members' Mark diapers under the Comfort Care brand last fall, the retailer wanted "a unique, social way to reach a big audience and get the word out about the brand," said Senior Buyer Casey Mcleod. And it did -- albeit in a cost-conscious way.
Sam's created an online video that's generated a whopping 24 million views to date in two versions, got spontaneously shared by New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to his nearly 1.3 million Twitter followers, and ranked high on many Super Bowl-related video lists despite never running on the Super Bowl.
The ad came from creative crowdsourcing firm Tongal and was distributed by viral video optimization firm Visible Measures. It was seeded via paid placements on Facebook, YouTube, blogs and elsewhere. But none of its views came via pre-roll, nor did Sam's pay for any views that lasted less than 30 seconds, said Visible Measures Chief Strategy Officer Seraj Bharwani. And using Tongal's community of 100,000 creatives to create and produce the idea costs about a third of what using an agency would, by the estimate of James DeJulio, co-founder and chief creative officer of the crowdsourcing firm.
Sam's initially approached Visible Measures, which brought Tongal on board to handle creative, Mr. Bharwani said. Tongal's creatives are largely millennial and majority female, so they had plenty of Comfort Care's millennial mom target represented, Mr. DeJulio said.
The brief generated 400 ideas, with the one that made it into development being "country club babies," according to Mr. DeJulio. Sam's liked the gist of the idea, but came back with making them "spa babies" or "resort babies" to seem more accessible and less snobby. Tongal then put the idea back out to its filmmakers, producers and directors to storyboard the idea, and Pretty Nifty Productions, one of its more prolific production houses, won the assignment.
The creator of the winning idea got "a little over $1,000," Mr. DeJulio said. And Pretty Nifty's page on Tongal shows it got $11,875 for the original ad, with another $4,000 for a Super Bowl-themed revision.
The spa babies, named Riot and Falcon (though not so identified in the ad), made their debut in December, which Mr. Bharwani said was chosen as a "light noise" period after holiday-related videos have crested and Visible Measures data show competitive diaper advertising rarely breaks. Paid placement included YouTube, Facebook, a host of mom blogs and sites such as Hot Moms Club, he said. Sharing was strong, and comments were positive, including some folks who "thought it should be a Super Bowl ad," he said.
When Sam's saw that, it started a conversation about revising the ad for the Super Bowl period. Though the brand certainly wasn't going to pony up nearly $5 million to run it during the game, it did commission new football-themed voiceovers for Riot and Falcon.
The revised version came out the week before the Super Bowl to catch the wave of game-related video interest, Mr. Bharwani said. And it ranked No. 2 on Visible Measures' chart of non-Super Bowl advertisers' big-game videos the week of the game, also accounting for 94% share of attention among baby-care brands that week, according to the firm.
Sam's Club's Ms. Mcleod said she's "absolutely thrilled with the performance of the digital ad," which she believes contributed to a dramatic increase in product sample requests. "Since re-launching the diapers this past fall, we've seen very positive sales growth," she said, "and with the boost from this high-performing digital ad, we expect that trend will continue."


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Sony reveals Lilac PSP Bundle for Hannah Montana
SCEA unveiled a new addition to the PlayStation Portable family today with the introduction of a Lilac colored handheld. While this is undoubtedly geared towards younger, female gamers, it's good to see North America receive a non-traditional PSP color. The new Lilac PSP will come in a bundle which includes a Hannah Montana rhythm game, a UMD of episodes from the series, a 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo, and some stickers.
To further lasso the younger generation of gamers, Ubisoft is also rolling out its line of Petz titles for the PlayStation Portable this year as well. If GameStop's website is any indicator, the first release in this lineup will be Petz Saddle Club. Ubisoft hopes to draw the younger crowd by allowing them to "create and care for cute, furry pets chosen from many different breeds of dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, dolphins, tigers and bunnies."
This is the perfect time to get your younger sister hooked on gaming. Believe us, your parents will be proud!


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The best place to be in stocks over the last decade or so and, especially, in 2020 and 2021 was big tech. The FAANG darlings led the way in profits and stock price appreciation for years and if one added Microsoft and then Tesla to the mix, one saw stock price appreciation that was the stuff of investment dreams. Then came inflation, Fed rate increases, war in Ukraine, and both consumers and businesses starting to pinch pennies. The bottom fell out of the big tech sector this year and Amazon.com made history as the first company to lose $1 trillion in market cap. The mix of Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Tesla and Alphabet lost $3.4 trillion in market cap during 2022. How much of their rise was based on low interest rates and an enthusiastic stock market? How much farther will they fall as the Fed pursues interest rate hikes to tame inflation? And will big tech make a comeback in 2023?
What Drove Big Tech Stocks So High?
Over the 2010 to 2020 decade big tech stocks made money with steadily healthy financials making them attractive to folks who wanted to invest in stocks. With extremely low interest rates the most attractive place to invest was the stock market. When the world went into lockdown and then working from home during the Covid crisis, the tech sector boomed even as travel and hospitality kept falling. Computer chip shortages and the drive to bring critical industries back onshore in the USA made chip companies like Intel attractive again. Then, after dragging their feet a bit, the US Federal Reserve started to raise interest rates in response to the highest inflation in forty years. As folks started investing for a recession, they pivoted to consumer stocks and the like as demand for high tech products and services fell off.
When Will Demand for Tech Products and Services Rise Again?
When the US Federal Reserve increases interest rates the end result is to slow the business cycle and increase unemployment. However, the effects are not immediate. There is commonly a delay of months before the effects are felt. This is one of the reasons for concern about not only a recession but a severe one whenever the Fed raises rates. At the point that the economy starts showing signs of rate hikes working, there may be enough of an effect in the works that the economy will keep heading down past the point needed to control inflation. The famous 1979 Volcker rate hike that finally knocked out the inflation of the 1970s caused a recession and employment did not fully recover until seven years later.
Big Tech and the Still-slowing Economy
The point is that prices have gone up faster than income for the vast majority of people and the majority of companies. The obvious response is to cut costs. One of the first things to go for most people and companies is spending on high tech appliances, software, and the like. When a company needs to make basic payroll and a family needs to put food on the table, purchase of the next generation of computers, smartphones, or business software are delayed indefinitely. That is a big chunk of what ails big tech right now. Of course you need to add Elon Musk’s irrational fling with Twitter when Tesla needs attention and the fact that billions in spending to ramp up US computer chip capacity will take years to reap profits.
When the Fed Pivots on Interest Rates How Soon Will the Economy Revive?
The US economy is like an oil tanker steaming along in the ocean or a two mile long freight train going full tilt across the Great Plains. Neither can be stopped very fast nor restarted rapidly. When the Fed finally says that inflation is where they want it to be they will stop raising rates or even lower them. Then businesses and families will think about increasing their spending but will not actually do so until they see business demand pick up and paychecks arriving on a regular basis. That could take months and, in the case of US big tech, stock prices could take a year to revive.
Will Big Tech Stock Prices Ever Fully Recover?
Two factors were important in driving big tech prices higher and higher. The first was a decade of abnormally low interest rates. The second was a once-in-a-century pandemic that provided unique opportunities for tech companies. God willing, the pandemic will not reemerge and, most likely, the Fed is not going to lower rates to near-zero any time in the near future. Our opinion is that companies like Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, and even Meta (Facebook) will come back partially when inflation is licked and the Fed eases up on rate increases. This will be because the economy is back on track. A company like Tesla may be a different matter because, unlike the others, Tesla has no lock on the electric vehicle market and will see increasing competition from the big automakers who will learn to produce competitive electric vehicles and cut into Tesla’s market share as the niche grows. The big investments in the chip sector are promising for America’s future but billions spent by Intel and the rest will not generate profits for years or maybe a decade.
What to Do After You Lose Money on an Investment
Not only has the stock market taken a hit over the previous year but so have cryptocurrencies with the collapse and bankruptcy of crypto exchanges like FTX. The key to deciding whether to stay in that investment or get out is the forward-looking earning potential of the company or other asset. This factor is commonly calculated as intrinsic value and has been a valuable guide to successful investors like Warren Buffett for decades. The big tech companies provide products and services with value and will likely continue to do so for decades to come. If you choose to leave these investment vehicles, you will need to think long and hard about what investment assets will outperform them from this point going forward.
Will Big Tech Make a Comeback in 2023? – SlideShare Version


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Everyone’s familiar with PowerPoint. Which means everyone is also familiar with “Death by PowerPoint”. The misuse of a great presentation tool has soured the brand name and sent everyone in search of PowerPoint alternative. Microsoft is now looking to combat that.
Mark Simeon, July 18, 2019


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PayPal debuted its Beacon technology on Monday, which will allow consumers to pay for products and services hands-free, making the shopping experience faster and simpler while providing retailers the ability to offer the most advanced payment capabilities.
“PayPal Beacon opens the door to a fundamentally different way to use technology to make shopping more valuable and more personal for consumers and retailers,” PayPal President David Marcus said. “We challenged ourselves to find a better experience than swiping a credit card. We figured the only better way to pay would be to do nothing. Just walk in a store, and, like magic, when you’re ready to pay, money is transferred securely. No wallet. No card. Nothing to do. Not even touching your phone.”
Beacon, which is provided to merchants and retailers, leverages Bluetooth low energy, a technology that enables connected devices to communicate with each other while keeping energy consumption low. BLE technology will allow transactions to occur without the use of an app, GPS or phone signal.
When customers enter a store, they will have the ability to check in and confirm payment at a selected retailer. Beacon does not constantly track a user’s location, and if a customer declines to check in or ignores the prompt, no information is transmitted to PayPal or the merchant.
Any store running PayPal-compatible point-of-sale systems, including Booker, Erply, Leaf, Leapset, Micros, NCR, PayPal Here, Revel, ShopKeep, TouchBistro and Vend, will be able to use the Beacon technology.


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WITH THE FINE weather hopefully upon us and the Euro 2012 just around the corner, beer company Molson Coors is preparing to invest €150,000 in Irish pubs [in Ireland] to help them improve their facilities to attract customers.
“I’d like to see the banking sector do the same thing,” Niall Phelan, country manager for Molson Coors Ireland, told those who attended a launch party late last week in the Cliff Town House on St Stephen’s Green.
The brewer, whose brands also include Grolsh and Carling, conducted some research of Irish pub customers recently, which threw up some interesting answers.
One in three said they would go to the pub more often if there was free Wi-Fi, while 30 per cent want them to provide “better food”.
One in three want more live music, while 27 per cent want better toilets.
Molson Coors is one of the world’s biggest beer brewers and set up an Irish operation in Dublin and Belfast in January 2010.
It has invested €21 million to date here market and has just launched bottles of Carling Zest into the pub trade here for summertime.
It currently has a 10 per cent share of the Irish lager market.
“We want to double that over the next five years,” Phelan told me.


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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Tesla Motors (TSLA) - Get Report shares are declining in early market trading on Monday, down 1.46% to $182.37, after CEO Elon Musk announced that the company was rethinking its strategy in China in an effort to boost struggling sales in the world's largest economy.
Amid claims of shoddy after-sales service and concerns about the range of the electric vehicles, sales of Tesla vehicles in China have failed to meet Musk's previous expectation of matching U.S. sales by as early as this year.
"We'll fix the China issue and be in pretty good shape probably in the middle of the year," Musk said following the release of the company's fourth quarter financial results in January, during which time Musk described China sales as "unexpectedly weak".
One of the biggest hurdles for sales in China has been what analyst have described as range anxiety, according to Bloomberg. Customers who previously had expressed interest in purchasing Teslas when the cars were first rolled out have reconsidered due to fears that charging stations in the country are too sparse and spread out to thin to make driving the electric vehicle practical.
Part of the new strategy involves getting software upgrades already available domestically to Chinese consumers, advertising the growth of the destination charging stations at hotels and malls that supplement the network of super charger stations around the country and convincing consumers that there are enough charging stations that they will not run out of a charge on the way to their destinations.
Real Money Pro'sTimothy Collins had this to say about Tesla in a blog today:
It may seem easy to see the Tesla daily chart is mired in bearish territory just by glancing at the price action, but there's more. Tesla's price seems to be at a possible breaking point. The stock has been stuck in a downtrending (bearish) channel since February as part of a larger move down. The shares tried to rally in February, but once again, bulls are being tested as Tesla sits right near January lows. The challenge for the bulls is even a bounce from here will likely be capped at $200, which acts not only as a psychological barrier but is also the top resistance of the price channel. While it is tough to short in the hole, a close under $185 opens up additional downside and a bounce into $200 looks like an attractive put buying entry with a stop in the $207 area.
If there is a bounce to come, I would prefer to wait for past signals that played out well. The best signals have been a combination of a Slow K (%K) bullishly crossing over the Slow D (%D) while near or under the oversold line and when the 13-period relative strength index is also oversold. Why try to catch the falling knife, when the floor has been shown to us several times in the recent past?
TheStreet Ratings team rates TESLA MOTORS INC as a Sell with a ratings score of D. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
"We rate TESLA MOTORS INC (TSLA) a SELL. This is driven by multiple weaknesses, which we believe should have a greater impact than any strengths, and could make it more difficult for investors to achieve positive results compared to most of the stocks we cover. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity, weak operating cash flow, poor profit margins and generally high debt management risk."
Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: TSLA Ratings Report


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Seagate beats market expectations with fiscal Q2 results
San Francisco, Jan 22 (IANS) US data storage company Seagate Technology surpassed market expectation as the company posted revenue of $2.62 billion for its fiscal second quarter ended January 1, 2021.
Seagate was expected to report revenue of $2.56 billion during the quarter, according to a report in ZDNet on Thursday.
“Seagate delivered strong, double-digit revenue, earnings and free cash flow growth in the December quarter supported by broad-based improvement across nearly every served market and geography, and we had solid customer demand for our mass capacity products,” Seagate CEO Dave Mosley said in a statement.
“We also achieved our technology milestone by shipping 20-terabyte HAMR drives in calendar 2020.”
The company generated $473 million in cash flow from operations and $314 million in free cash flow during the fiscal second quarter 2021.
During the fiscal second quarter 2021, the company paid cash dividends of $167 million and repurchased 18 million ordinary shares for $1 billion.
Additionally, the company raised $1 billion of debt and ended the fiscal second quarter with cash and cash equivalents totalling $1.8 billion.
Seagate expects to post revenue of $2.65 billion (plus or minus $200 million) in its fiscal third quarter in 2021.


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And, after decreasing 1.4 per cent in September, sales at electronics and appliance stores ( 1.4 per cent) rebounded in October. Higher sales in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia accounted for the majority of the increase.Ontario ( 1.1 per cent) reported the largest gain in dollar terms, increasing for the fourth consecutive month.
It shows that bricks-and-mortar stores capture most of the retail sales in every major vertical.Retail sales rose 1.5 per cent to .9 billion in October.Higher sales at new car dealers were the main contributor to the gain.Excluding sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers, retail sales increased 0.8 per cent, says Statistics Canada.Sales were up in seven of 11 subsectors, representing 79 per cent of retail trade.Meanwhile, residential building managed to edge up one per cent, as an improved amount for single family housing slightly outweighed a moderate pullback for multifamily housing.
During the first 11 months of 2017, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were 7.1 billion, up one per cent from a year ago.The acquisition does not include The Company Store’s five retail locations. has announced the winners of its ‘Great Canadian Home Renovation Contest.’ Each winner has won ,000 work of Castle goods to put towards a home renovation project of their choice.The prizes will be awarded at the winning Castle locations in the coming weeks.After removing the effects of price changes, retail sales in volume terms increased 1.4 per cent.Sales at general merchandise stores ( 1.8 per cent) increased for the first time in three months.November’s data lowered the Dodge Index to 138, down from 157 for October and this year’s high of 173 for September, which reflected the boost coming from several unusually large projects.


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Tesla started taking reservations for the Model 3 in Europe and China at the end of 2018, which meant that interested buyers were able play around with the company’s online configurator after plunking down a $1,000 deposit. But now anyone in those markets can tinker with the company’s “design studio,” as Tesla announced on Friday that it’s opened up access to everyone in China and select left-hand-drive countries in Europe (France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, and Luxembourg).
Only two versions of the Model 3 are available to configure right now: the long range all-wheel drive Model 3, and its snappier counterpart, the Model 3 Performance. The “medium range” Model 3 (which is rear-wheel drive and travels 260 miles on a charge) that Tesla unveiled in October is not listed on the design studio.
Only the long range and Performance versions are available right now
The Model 3 is Tesla’s fastest-selling car ever, and bringing it to new markets has been a major priority for the company.
China is the biggest market for electric cars in the world, and Europe is neck-and-neck with the US. Tesla spent all of 2018 focused on meeting the demand for its most affordable car in North America, which helped the company to its first profitable quarter in two years. Feeding that demand in new markets should help fuel the Model 3’s outrageous growth even more.
Bringing the Model 3 to new markets could help Tesla generate profits until it puts new cars — like the Model Y crossover SUV, or the Tesla pickup — into production, too. And it could help Tesla if demand cools in the US, which is possible now that its cars are only eligible for half of the government’s federal tax credit for EVs. The company has already cut $2,000 of the price of all models to compensate for the change, and it also appears that a number of remaining reservation holders are waiting for the $35,000 base Model 3 to be released, which won’t happen until sometime later this year.
Tesla also plans to eventually build cars locally in Europe and China. The company signed an agreement last summer to build the third Gigafactory outside Shanghai, and expects production to begin sometime in 2020. The fourth Gigafactory is likely to wind up in Europe, though no announcement has been made about which country.
Tesla has already begun producing some Model 3s specifically for these new markets (with the corresponding charge ports), according to a recent report from Electrek. The company has said it hopes to start delivering Model 3s in Europe and China by late February or early March of this year. But Tesla is still waiting for full approval of the car from European regulators before it moves forward, according to Bloomberg.


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is looking to reskill a large chunk of its 1,50,000 employees internally and reduce external hiring in large numbers. DXC, which was formed in April, 2017 following the merger of CSC and the enterprise business of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
, looks to reskill a large chunk of its workforce through a crowdsourcing
platform called Talent Cloud in newer areas such as digital and cloud. Post the merger, the company is trying to build talent pool in emerging technology internally.
“We are moving away from numbers — it is no more linear to our revenue. Fixed cost based revenue (model) is no longer required for digital because of the technology stack,” Koushik Radhakrishnan, GM, DXC Asia, told ET. “We are modernising our existing people who have potential,” he said.
Talent Cloud engages employees across roles in digital and next-gen skills. Employees can come and join the platform with a business problem to solve using data analytics and other technologies
, and external people who are experts in these areas can help them solve the problem and learn. The platform also offers opportunities to present and future employees to work on real client challenges.
DXC said external hiring would be strategic and a large part of the demand would be met by this platform. “You will always have people to be hired from a strategic skill set standpoint — it no longer needs to be the model of linear growth,” said Radhakrishnan.
The IT services sector has seen a shift in the traditional hiring model, where clients were billed based on the man-hours put in for a project. With increasing use of digital technology, companies are seeing more outcome-based deals, resulting in higher demand for talent in emerging technology areas.
Companies are also stepping up training in the US, which is the largest export market for IT services, as it is facing a shortage in the services sector.
While DXC talks of training people across roles and ranks, Genpact has created a digital sales talent platform to be relevant in the fastchanging business model. “We don’t do a sales cycle with most customers — we start with a designthinking workshop. So, we host the-design thinking workshop for business problems, not the technology problems. Out of that, we do rapid iterations of delivering go-to-market solutions in 2-3 weeks and co-create with customers,” said Radhakrishnan.


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H&M will work with Google Cloud’s computing companies to enhance its buyer expertise and provide chain capabilities, by leveraging knowledge analytics and the know-how supplier’s safe, sustainable world infrastructure. The partnership’s purpose is to develop an enterprise knowledge spine that features a core knowledge platform, knowledge product and superior AI and machine studying to optimize efficiency.
H&M and Google Cloud’s work will yield a brand new knowledge mesh that creates entry to an array of knowledge and occasions from totally different aspects of the retailer’s enterprise, together with in-store, on-line, its manufacturers ecosystem and suppliers. Over time, the partnership will develop further knowledge science and AI capabilities.
“H&M Group has an extended historical past of innovation throughout all our manufacturers and all the time needs to construct significant relationships with our clients,” stated Alan Boehme, CTO of H&M Group in an announcement. “We are actually additional accelerating digitalization as we consider in sustainable progress powered by superior analytics and tech.”
“We’re delighted to announce this partnership, and sit up for working with H&M Group to create new and thrilling buyer experiences, whether or not that’s in-store or on-line,” stated Eva Fors, Managing Director Google Cloud Nordic Area in an announcement. “We admire H&M Group’s dedication to innovation and are excited to maneuver ahead in our journey collectively.”
In a November 2021 Q&A, Carrie Tharp, VP of Retail and Client for Google Cloud, stated retailers might facilitate the creation of customer-centric experiences by tapping into their huge knowledge reserves. Tharp believes these companies ought to abandon the thought of omnichannel in favor of a “channel-less ecosystem” that’s “nimble and responsive” to accommodate shopper expectations.


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A brief comment (from a recent RetailWire discussion) follows, on the subject of pop-up stores. What started as a risk-averse strategy to use empty space during the recession is now part of the location-strategy and branding landscape:
The pop-up store may have started as a response to vacant space, but it has evolved into a legitimate strategy. It allows brands to test new design concepts and merchandising strategies without the commitment of a long-term lease — and it provides a laboratory of results that can be rolled out to other stores. And, as the article points out, it’s a great way to create “buzz,” along the same lines as the short-duration designer goods inside Target, H&M and Kohl’s recently.


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Centerpiece of effort is AWWA/U.S. Global Pavilion, a buyer's destination
Against a backdrop of heightened environmental pressures, infrastructure safety and security concerns and rising global demand for clean water, the U.S. is looking to strengthen business relationships and open up new opportunities for growth at IFAT 2016, May 30 to June 3, at Munich’s Messe München Exhibition Center.
A group of U.S. exhibitors at IFAT 2016, including Ford Meter Box (Block #A5. 121/220), Mueller Company (Block #A5. 223/322) and Wachs Utility Products (Block #A5. 223/322), is being organized by the American Water Works Assn. (AWWA) the International Trade Administration (ITA) and Kallman Worldwide Inc. The centerpiece of this national effort, the AWWA/U.S. Global Pavilion, is a primary destination for buyers looking for an efficient way to meet U.S. companies, and an on-site business hub for U.S. exhibitors looking to maximize their exposure and impact at the event.
“As a co-presenter of the AWWA/U.S. Global Pavilion in partnership with the International Trade Administration, we are proud to help our members capitalize on this influential business event to grow their share of the global marketplace, and further extend their water leadership,” said AWWA CEO David LaFrance.
Kallman Worldwide, the AWWA/U.S. Global Pavilion’s designated coordinator, traces its origins at IFAT back to 1966 when company founder, Jerry Kallman, Sr., led the first group of American manufacturers to the inaugural event. He is returning this year as an honored guest. Kallman will take part in the GreenTec Award Gala, when the major European prize for environmental technology will be presented. He will also participate in the official opening of IFAT 2016 on May 30, and that evening join other industry and government leaders at a state reception in the Munich Residence, the former seat of power for the Bavarian monarchy.
“When the United States commits to exhibit at IFAT 2016, we’re saying we believe in the power of this event to attract real business prospects and customers,” said Kallman Worldwide President and CEO Tom Kallman. “The steady growth and diversification of this show—since my father first opened the doors for U.S. industry here 50 years ago—speaks for itself. IFAT sets the standard.”


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Kampala Uganda | URN | A new report by Makerere University based Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) says supermarkets in Uganda are struggling to stay in business.
The report, “Supermarkets struggle to stay in business in Uganda dampening the business climate,” explores the ongoing struggles by supermarkets, and looks into the business climate, challenges in doing business as well as the business outlook for the period between July and September 2017.
It says unfavorable business performance largely explained by low demand leading to collapse of some retailers, key among them Nakumatt supermarket.
The report says the supermarkets like other businesses have become victims of the declining business climate index.
The business climate index, according to the report, declined and remained well below potential by 22.12 percentage points to 70.93 during April – June 2017 from 93.05 in the preceding quarter of January – March 2017.
This according the report suggests that conditions for doing business are in decline and remain well below potential.
The decline in the perception on doing business in Uganda came in the face of the collapse of three large supermarkets, Nakumatt and Uchumi and persistence of the effects of the army worm attack on Uganda’s agricultural sector, posing a major threat to food security and agricultural trade.
This is the eighth consecutive quarter that the business climate index has indicated unfavorable business performance. The EPRC says there is need for monetary policy responses to improve aggregate demand.
Despite the Bank of Uganda’s efforts to reduce the central bank rate (CBR) from 11.50 per cent at the end of January – March 2017 to 10 per cent at the end of April – June quarter, the report says the prime lending rates remained high at 21.1 percent. These according to EPRC suggest that commercial banks have significant risk perceptions of Uganda’s economy.
The report says retailers need to improve suppliers’ credit management in the face of falling consumer demand.
Retailers are also advised to adjust to the risk aversion amongst consumers in Uganda, which has put pressure on the retailers’ revenues leading to default on debt and subsequent closure of some of the largest supermarkets in the country.
It says consumers are not basing their decisions on affordability alone, but also on familiarity, trust and brand loyalty.


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Amazon Prime Membership Price: If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you have bad news. Now you have to pay an additional fee for Prime membership. The company will increase its plans by about 50 percent. The new subscription plan will be effective from 14 December 2021. The company announced in October that it would increase the Prime membership fee. However, the date was not announced. But now it’s been dated. Now tell us how much you will have to pay for the project.
How much change will come in the project?
Under the company’s new subscription plan, you now have to pay Rs 1499 for the Prime plan’s annual plan. Its price is now Rs 999. 500 has been raised for this project. The 3-month subscription plan, which has so far been priced at Rs 329, is now priced at Rs 459. At the same time, the 1 month plan will increase from Rs 129 to Rs 179.
This way you can save money
The company’s new plan is effective from 14 December 2021. In such a situation, if you show a little understanding, you can save some money. Suppose your membership expires after December 14, then you can renew it on or before December 13 at the current rate. Its exposure lasts for 1 year. If you are thinking of taking a membership, you can subscribe to the existing plan only until 11:59 pm on December 13th.
Auto-renewal is not affected
On the other hand, those who have taken an Amazon Prime membership with the auto renewal option, whose plan expires even after December 14, will be renewed at the current rate as the plan was taken earlier. However, after the first auto renewal, you will have to pay under the new plan.
Google Message New Features: Google has introduced a new feature in its Message App that will now reduce the gap between iOS and Android users.
Identify Fake Website: Check if the website you have opened on the phone is safe or not


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2016 Annual BAA Marketing Law Conference RecapNovember 16, 2016 12:21 pm
We attended the BAA’s 2016 38th Annual Marketing Law Conference which wrapped up last week on Friday, Nov 11th. The organization (Brand Activation Association) had another great year in attendance with over 750 professionals ranging from leading regulators, legislators, corporate counsel, marketers and technology innovators who gathered again at the Marriott Hotel on Michigan Ave. This year’s conference was entitled “FACE-OFF: Dynamic Technologies Vs. Regulatory Controls.
“Ours is an industry of rapid evolution” stated Ed Kabak, SVP, ANA and Chief Legal Officer, BAA who kicked off the first official day of the conference. “Since we deal with best practices and the state of the art in Marketing and Advertising Law and Digital Media; IP and Privacy, FTC, State A.G. and state-regulation, Lanham Act, Class Actions, and other areas, this forum is invaluable for marketers to move responsibly forward.”
The conference started off with a day of pre-conference sessions dedicated to basics as well as advanced subjects. I arrived in Chicago that day in time to attend the “Advanced Social Media Sweepstakes/Skill Contests/The Major Platforms and Pitfalls session. This included a nice review of the major platform promotional guidelines including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat. One case study reviewed was the “Drive a Tank” Sweepstakes where a gaming sponsor awarded a grand prize that allowed the winner to actually drive a tank on top of two cars. There were 1.8 million entries from 40,000 entrants who were awarded extra entries from sharing on Facebook and Twitter. There were several issues, such as they didn’t disclose with a proper hashtag to comply with the FTC’s endorsement guidelines and they had to take out additional liability insurance to allow for someone to actually drive this tank.
As has been the case in past years, once the conference officially opened we heard from Linda Goldstein, a Partner and Head of the Advertising, Marketing and Media practice at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP in New York who delivered her annual industry review. Linda reviewed some of the most newsworthy developments of the year and what they mean for marketing and advertising lawyers and professionals. Linda’s talk is always very informative and entertaining as she reviewed again the basics of sweepstakes and skill contests along with social and digital media legal issues from some of the latest promotions.
Linda noted that Scavenger Hunts are making a comeback and questioned if these type of promotions pose a time consideration. Delta Airlines ran a Snapchat promotion where participants had to look for filters throughout the LA area. How much time is too much? The Supreme Court did state in a prior ruling that a half an hour is okay. She recommended that you use your gut and impose limits if you feel uncomfortable about the risk.
As far as consideration in mobile promotions, data charges may apply if having to use only a mobile app. Text messages should still have an AMOE and you should disclose that text messaging charges may apply. However, if downloading a free app, there is no consideration, however if the app is a free trial and the participate has to actually cancel to avoid future charges that could be troubling.
Linda entertained us throughout her talk with videos of a new, imaginary app her team created called PizzaMon Go! It included real robots who would come to you and make you a artisan, personal pizza with your choice of toppings. Several issues arose as these young entrepreneurs launched this new technology including privacy issues, in-app purchase requirements, weather related issues that impacted events, and more. In the end, one of the robots was designated as our next Supreme Court Justice.
On Friday morning we were treated to another highly entertaining presentation from Ron Urbach, Chairman/Davis & Gilbert LLP, who also demonstrated how important it is for those in our industry to keep current. His presentation was on the interplay of marketing and advertising law to activate brands. Ron stated that every day attorneys make risk decisions when advising clients so it would probably be helpful for them to know what is on the regulators’ minds. We get asked the question quite often, what are the risks involved? Ron reminded us that Attorney Generals are political animals who will track publicity; that the “reasonable person” standard invoked by the FTC may not be what is considered reasonable at the state level; and that consumer complaints can drive AG actions.
Some recent examples Ron gave was that the FTC charged Lord & Taylor that it deceived consumers through paid articles and paid Instagram posts from the online publication Nylon that came from 50 “Fashion Influencers” promoting a certain dress. Warner Brothers Home Entertainment paid certain gaming influencers, such as PewDiePie, to post positive comments about the Shadow of Modor Game. The Kardashians have been charged that they did not disclose their relationship to the brands that they hype of Instagram.
Ron did emphasize that promotion is one way for a brand to develop trust with consumers. So it’s always best to be transparent. One thing that I have always heard since the early days of social media. The promotional terms for sweepstakes and contests are a contract with the brand and the consumer. So he advised not to use last year’s terms and to learn from the lessons of the last year. Be consistent with what you say to the consumers, in your ads, through your social influencers, entry materials and POS. Ron ended his talk with a video that asked people on the street “If you were a hashtag, what would you be?” Ron’s was #WhatIDoForClients. Here is another one of Ron’s videos that he shared with us on the “Regulators”.
This year’s conference did start off the day after the election. So there was quite a bit of discussion about it during the breaks and cocktail receptions. It was noted that Donald Trump has spoken out against the new privacy rules the FCC has imposed along with some changes to the advertising tax laws that are on the table. So 2017 looks to be the busiest congressional year yet. We can review what these changes will be at next year’s 2017 BAA Marketing Law Conference which will again be back at the Marriott on Michigan Ave. in Chicago starting on Nov. 13. Hope to see some of you again there.


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Subaru is calling back 295,123 Imprezas and Foresters to replace the lower wiper control arm.
Read This Article
Subaru has announced the pricing for the 2014 Legacy and Outback models and claims there is no increase in pricing over the 2013 models.
The 2014 Subaru BRZ has been officially priced, and enthusiasts should be happy.
Is Subaru offering incentives on its new BRZ sports coupe to compete with the near identical Scion FR-S?


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Marketers Still Hoping for Privacy-Safe Third Party Data: Forrester Study
This Forrester study for IBM found that 71% of senior adtech managers are exploring privacy-friendly data sets as a way of coping with cookie deprecation. This compares with just 49% trying to build trust to improve voluntary sharing, even though the group said loss of consumer trust is the biggest problem with new privacy rules. Nearly all agreed that personalization expectations are rising (91%), that privacy makes personalized advertising harder (87%), and that privacy regulations put traditional targeting and tracking methods at risk (87%). Privacy-safe targeting was the most-cited use of AI in advertising.


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– Starbucks plans to get into the business of NFTs, the company said Monday. – Interim CEO Howard Schultz said its NFT ambitions will be realized in 2022. – He made the announcement upon returning to lead the coffee chain for the third time.
Starbucks is getting into non-fungible tokens this year, interim CEO Howard Schultz said Monday as he addressed the need to reshape the experience for customers and employees alike in engaging with the coffee chain.
The company is working on "digital innovation through NFTs," among other initiatives, and expects to unveil details in the weeks ahead, Starbucks said in a statement.
"Sometime before the end of this calendar year, we are going to be in the NFT business," Schultz said at the company's Open Forum held Monday.
A video clip of his remarks about NFTs was shared online by Jordan Zakarin, a reporter and producer for More Perfect Union, a progressive non-profit news media organization.
"If you look at the companies, the brands, the celebrities, the influencers, that are trying to create a digital NFT platform and business, I can't find one of them that has the treasure trove of assets that Starbucks has –
from collectibles to entire heritage of the company," he said, telling workers at the meeting he's been studying the business of digital assets.
The market for NFTs – or blockchain-based tokens that give holders rights to mostly digital representations of music, art, and other collectibles –
boomed in 2021, with trading volume soaring to $17.6 billion from just $82 million in 2020, according to a report from Nonfungible.com.
Among the most popular examples are the Bored Ape Yacht Club collection, the CryptoPunk art series, and last year's sale by auction house Christie's of an NFT art piece for more than $69 million.
Schultz's NFT announcement was part of a broader address to workers just days after the company said he was returning to the company as interim CEO. He stepped into the role on Monday after Kevin Johnson ended a five-year run at the helm.
Schultz is returning at a time the company is traversing through the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that at times has shut down physical locations worldwide. As well, he's returning in a strong unionization climate sweeping the US
Schultz last week suspended Starbucks' planned share buyback program, saying the move will allow it to invest more in its "people and our stores" to create long-term value for its shareholders.
"We have to reimagine, most importantly, the experience for our partners," Schultz said at the forum. "It's not just wage — it's the environment in the store, it's the joy, it's the sense of community, it's fulfillment and most importantly, it's them feeling as if we've answered the question in the affirmative, 'What's in it for you?'"
Meanwhile, customers are not using Starbucks' stores as a "third-place environment" — meaning a social hub besides the home and workplace — in the same ways anymore.
"All those stores that we have that have big lobbies, they may not be as relevant tomorrow as they have been in the past," Schultz added. "We have to redefine, redesign our store experience."


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Europe’s largest software company, SAP warned late on Friday that first-quarter results would be weaker than expected due to slower sales of software licenses to corporate customers, particularly in Brazil and the United States.
Software license revenues fell 13 percent while the company’s newer, but lower-margin cloud software business grew 33 percent. Business customers are shifting to cloud-based software delivered over the Internet instead of relying on older software packages they install and run on in-house computers.
Chief Executive Bill McDermott said that America was a “little more lumpy in terms of the signing of contracts” and there is nothing worse than a lumpy super-power.
First-quarter operating profit, excluding special items, rose five percent to $1.25 billion. Analysts, on average, had been looking for a first-quarter operating profit, excluding special items, of £1.33 billion.
The company also reported revenue of $5.4 billion which was also a bit lower than expected.
SAP, whose customers include many of the world’s biggest multinational corporations, specializes in business applications ranging from accounting to human resources to supply-chain management.
McDermott said he has “perfect, clear confidence” that SAP can meet the full-year profit targets it had set out in January. He said some software licensing deals the company had expected to close last quarter spilled into the current second quarter.
Ongoing political and macroeconomic instability in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, hurt first-quarter results. North America, coming off a very strong fourth quarter, had a slower start to the year, SAP said in a statement.


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Window and door group adds new member
The Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) has announced that The Rodon Group, a company that promotes a “Cheaper than China” pricing policy, is its newest member.
The WDMA says it defines the standards of excellence in the residential and commercial window, doorand skylight industry, and advances these standards among industry members while providing advocacy resources, educational and professional programs, and ideas for members to provide greater value for their customers.
The Rodon Group is a high-volume, small plastic parts specialist. The Rodon Group is an ISO 9001:2008 certified, landfill-free plastic injection molder. With more than 106 injection molding presses, Rodon is one of the largest family-owned and operated injection molders in the United States and serves a diverse group of industries, including windows and doors, consumer products, construction, medical and toys.
In business since 1956, The Rodon Group makes billions of parts each year in its 125,000-sq.-ft. facility.
Rodon has been on the forefront promoting American Manufacturing, offers a "Cheaper than China" pricing policy and has reshored billions of manufactured parts back to the United States. Just two months ago, President Obama and White House Staff converged at The Rodon Group’s facility to show support for American manufacturing companies.
"Our membership in WDMA provides us with an ideal resource to connect with the leaders in the window and door manufacturing industry," said Michael Araten, Rodon’s president and CEO. "We look forward to building relationships with these companies and expanding our footprint in the industry."
Scotts Miracle-Gro Q1 sales rise
Scotts Miracle-Gro posted first-quarter net sales of $205.8 million, up 3% from $199.6 million during the same quarter a year ago.
Sales in the Global Consumer segment in the quarter ended Dec. 29, 2012, were up 3% to $153.2 million, compared with $149.1 million a year ago, attributable to increased volume during the quarter.
Scotts LawnService sales were up 19% to $44.8 million in the first quarter, compared with $37.6 million during the same quarter a year ago, primarily due to a 6% increase in customer count and a weather-driven delay of sales from the fiscal fourth quarter of 2012 to the fiscal first quarter of 2013.
"Continued consumer engagement, coupled with solid execution, leaves us well-positioned for the 2013 lawn and garden season," said Jim Hagedorn, chairman and CEO. "We are on plan with our initiatives designed to drive meaningful and sustainable growth in earnings and cash flow, while continuing to maintain a strong consumer focus."
The loss from continuing operations was $68.3 million, compared with a loss of $73.1 million, during the same quarter a year ago. The adjusted loss from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2013 was $68.5 million, which excludes impairment, restructuring and other charges. The company has historically reported a loss in its first quarter, due to the seasonal nature of the lawn and garden category.
Scotts continues to expect company-wide net sales to increase by about 1% to 3% in fiscal 2013 on flat unit volume, modest price increases in its core business and the continued strong performance of Scotts LawnService.
Spectrum Brands reports record Q1 sales
The acquisition of Stanley’s Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI) division loomed large over Spectrum Brand’s first-quarter report, boosting sales to new heights while generating a net-loss on one-time costs.
Spectrum reported record net sales of $870.3 million, including the HHI and FURminator acquisitions, up 2.5% in the first quarter of fiscal 2013, which consisted of two fewer shopping days, versus $848.8 million a year ago. Excluding negative foreign exchange impact, net sales grew 3.2%.
On the bottom line, the company’s net loss of $13.4 million was driven by one-time acquisition and integration costs of $20.8 million and interest expense of $28.8 million, primarily from the impact of the HHI acquisition.
Spectrum’s brand names include Rayovac, Kwikset, Weiser, Baldwin, National Hardware, Pfister and Remington.
“We delivered record results in the first quarter, again putting us on track to achieve a fourth consecutive record year of financial performance from the legacy business with improvements weighted to the second half of the year,” said Dave Lumley, CEO of Spectrum Brands Holdings. “In the face of holiday and global retail environment softness, negative foreign currency impacts, cautious consumer spending heightened by fiscal cliff worries and fewer shopping days, our businesses performed well and demonstrated again that our Spectrum Value Model is working effectively and resonating with retailers and consumers."
The company said HHI has become its fourth operating segment, bringing "significant, accelerated financial growth in fiscal 2013 and beyond." It’s products include residential locksets, residential builders’ hardware and faucets with largely number-one market positions in North America, Spectrum said.
The Hardware & Home Improvement (HHI) business was acquired Dec. 17. In the first quarter, the segment recorded net sales of $34.0 million, a net loss, as adjusted, of $3.5 million, and adjusted EBITDA of $3.2 million.
Adjusted EBITDA was negatively impacted by a $1.6 million accrual adjustment necessary due to a change in contractual terms relative to product returns with a large unnamed retailer.


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Alibaba Group’s Hong Kong shares closed their first trading session up 6.6 per cent from the issue price after this year’s largest stock sale. The Chinese e-commerce giant’s shares rose to HK$187.60 (S$32.75), versus a HK$176 issuance price. They traded under the code 9988 – auspicious numbers in Chinese culture that signify prosperity. Shares worth HK$13.99 billion were traded, according to Refinitiv data, making it the third biggest debut on record for the Hong Kong market. Alibaba is already the fifth most-traded company in New York this year, averaging US$2.6 billion a day, Refinitiv data showed.
The company has raised at least US$11.3 billion from its secondary listing, which has been seen as a vote of confidence in Hong Kong’s financial future amid six months of increasingly violent anti-government protests.
The figure could climb to as much as US$12.9 billion if Alibaba chooses to exercise an over-allotment option within 30 days of the start of trade. The funds raised from the Hong Kong listing will help Alibaba, Asia’s biggest company by market value and world’s seventh largest, invest more in a range of online services.
But analysts also note that the establishment of a base of investors in Hong Kong and China could function as a backup for the company should its shares be hit in New York amid the US-China trade dispute.
The Hong Kong and New York stocks are fungible, which means investors can buy and sell the same shares on either exchange and that pricing on the exchanges are unlikely to diverge too far from each other. The premium to New York reflects the willingness of investors in the city and Asia to take on the stock of a company they know well, market participants said.
Expectations are also high that it will get a lift in valuation when it becomes eligible for trading in the Stock Connect that links Shanghai and Shenzhen with Hong Kong next June. “There will be some upside for the company’s price in Hong Kong but I don’t think we will see the shares double or triple in a year,” said Geo Securities Chief Executive Francis Lun. At yesterday’s listing ceremony, CEO Daniel Zhang, lieutenants wearing Alibaba lapel pins and Hong Kong dignitaries were on hand to strike the opening gong. Mr Zhang noted the Hong Kong debut had been a long time coming. Alibaba had hoped to initially list in Hong Kong, but eventually chose New York for its record-breaking $25 billion initial public offering in 2014 after its unusual governance structure failed to win acceptance from Hong Kong regulators. The loss of the listing triggered years of argument and consultations that resulted in rule changes last year.


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FELLOW TRAVELERS: When Renova, Johnson & Johnson’s new prescription-only antiaging product, goes into full distribution next week, it will be only part of the story.
At least that is the hope of J&J’s Neutrogena division, which is preparing to market a handful of companion products for use with Renova. The products, bearing stickers that say “Renova Compatible,” will be shipped in April.
Renova, which will be sold only in drugstore pharmacies, was designed to be used with a skin care moisturizer and a sun protection product with an SPF of at least 15.
Neutrogena formulated a new nondrying cleanser for the Renova regimen and paired a 2-oz. trial-size tube of the product with an equally small version of moisturizer with an SPF of 15. This “starter kit” will retail for less than $10, according to Lori H. Bush, vice president of marketing at Neutrogena.
In its regular 5.5-oz. size, the cleanser normally is $8 and the 4-oz. moisturizer, $12.
Neutrogena took three other products out of its regular line — Neutrogena Light Night Cream, Sensitive Skin Sunblock SPF 17 and Neutrogena Glow Sunless Tanning Lotion for the Face — and designated them Renova companion products. The night cream retails for $12 and the other two items for $9 each.
When J&J unveiled Renova in January, executives said they expected it eventually to generate a volume equal to or more than the $100 million done in the U.S. by the company’s anti-acne product, Retin A.
Bush said Neutrogena will distribute display units, holding eight starter kits each, to as many of Renova’s 13,000 key pharmacies as possible. She said Neutrogena has no preconceived notion of how much business the companion products will do. “It could be a nice little opportunity or the biggest thing we have ever done,” she said. “That is the reality.”
HENKEL’S ANNUAL REPORT: German chemicals and consumer products company Henkel reported sales of its cosmetics and toiletries were down 2 percent in 1995 to $948 million (1.37 billion marks). The company, whose brands include Fa body care and Poly hair colors, said that when calculated in local currencies, sales were up 1 percent over the previous year.
In a statement, the company said attractive prices and increased promotional activities had helped its brands combat difficult market conditions in Europe. Henkel noted Fa was the focus of its new business in southeast Europe and Southeast Asia. It said the addition of the Country Colors range under the Poly brand last year had been successful.
CACHAREL’S NEWEST CREATION: Cacharel has spun a fresh-smelling sister scent, Eau d’Eden, off its Eden range. The transparent floral fragrance is aimed at customers aged 18 to 30 — younger than the Eden target — and is priced 10 percent below Eden.
Cacharel recruited Jean-Paul Goude to develop the print and TV advertising, and earmarked $18 million for advertising and promotions, which will include innovative tie-ins with magazines and special events. The scent will be launched in Europe (except for Germany, Austria and certain parts of Switzerland, where the brand is weak) in late April. It will be rolled out to Asia (except for Japan) and some Latin American countries later in the year. At present, no U.S. launch is planned. Cacharel projects a wholesale volume of $30 million worldwide this year for Eau d’Eden.
EXECUTIVE CHANGES: Lawrence J. Aiken, who bought The Perfumer’s Workshop Ltd. in January, is building a new team. Thomas Kennedy has been named vice president of sales, overseeing the Tea Rose, Rosebud, Samba, Watercolors and Les Girls fragrances.
Kennedy, who most recently was president and chief operating officer of the Winwood Group, succeeds Lester Kaplan, who left The Perfumer’s Workshop in early February.
FREE-FOR-FEMMES: For International Women’s Day on March 8, LancOme will offer a sample box of three miniatures (Poeme, Primordiale and either a lipstick or mascara) to all women shoppers at its 2,500 perfumery and department store doors in France. Lancome is advertising the freebies March 6-8 on the radio stations Europe 1, Europe 2 and RFM.
In a separate promotion, Lancome is offering a pearl gray satin handbag with the purchase of more than $70 (350 francs) worth of products March 5-19 in those same stores. The company is also sponsoring a beauty survey to be published in the March 4 issue of French Elle. The first 1,000 participants will receive prizes, including a year of free Lancome products, a bottle of PoEme perfume or a six-month subscription to Elle. The survey results will be published in Elle May 6.


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Ericsson sues Samsung for patent infringement
Ericsson, a telecom network equipment maker, said on Tuesday that it had filed a suit in the United States against Samsung Electronics Co for patent infringement.
Sweden’s Ericsson said in a statement it had sued after Samsung had not renewed a license to use unspecified technology on the same terms - called the Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) terms - that competitors have previously accepted.
“The dispute concerns both Ericsson’s patented technology that is essential to several telecommunications and networking standards used by Samsung’s products as well as other of Ericsson’s patented inventions that are frequently implemented in wireless and consumer electronics products,” it said.
A Samsung spokeswoman said the South Korean company, a mobile phone and television maker, was looking into the report and had no immediate comment.
An Ericsson spokesman declined to comment on the size of the lawsuit.
Ericsson’s intellectual property right net revenues amounted to $938 million in 2011.
The complaint is filed in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
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Facebook shares top $30 ahead of earnings
- Staff San Francisco Business Times
Shares of Facebook Inc. rose above $30 on Wednesday for the first time in six months, a day after the company sent out invitations for a press event next week, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) shares took a beating soon after the company's initial public offering at $38 per share in May. It is due to report fourth quarter results at the end of January.
The stock reached a low of $17.55 on Sept. 4.
Read more at the Wall Street Journal.
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Blog: Cautious optimism prevails for 2013
Leonie Barrie | 11 February 2013
2013 got off to a strong start for US clothing and footwear retailers in January, with many reporting their best performance since September 2011. Comparable-store sales rose 4.5% year-on-year during the month, according to figures released last week.
The better-than-expected results were helped by two extra pre-holiday selling days compared to last year, combined with cool temperatures that helped chains sell through seasonal merchandise. Yet retailers hoping this trend will continue might be disappointed, with cool weather across the country slowing sales of early spring lines.
However, apparel industry executives canvassed by just-style for this year's annual management briefing on issues to watch in the year ahead are cautiously optimistic there will be some improvement in the business environment in 2013.
But when it comes to sourcing and the supply chain there's a lot of talk about facing up to the 'new normal', an environment where supply exceeds demand, conditions remain intensely competitive, margins continue to be squeezed, and retail buying patterns favour smaller quantities, shorter lead times and a need for greater flexibility.
The creation of a new harmonised customs system between the ten countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also offers an opportunity for the region's clothing and textile industry - but only through strategic partnerships and better vertical integration.
Apparel maker Gildan Activewear is considering ramping up the production of performance products following its acquisition of Anvil Knitwear in May last year. The company, which last week said it had returned to profit in its first quarter of fiscal 2013, plans to convert the Anvil facility in Honduras to focus on these speciality lines, which have already helped lift sales.
And apparel company Hanesbrands ended fiscal 2012 with a near doubling in Q4 profit following a reduction in debt and its exit from under-performing businesses. The US-based sock, T-shirt and underwear maker also revealed it may look to invest in acquisitions to drive growth and strengthen its business portfolio.
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PepsiCo will end the Walkers Counts For More, the online rewards and category management scheme for retailers, on 31 July.
The firm has replaced the scheme, in place from April 2014, with a new rewards scheme called *shopt, a free mobile app which will also offer broader business support, such as news on offers, new products and advice on ranging.
PepsiCo said the move follows feedback from retailers and the new rewards system is simpler for retailers than Counts For More, with vouchers being done away with.
The new scheme will pay cash rewards straight into retailers’ bank accounts when they redeem against PepsiCo/Walkers products.
The cash reward app *shopt, developed by CPM UK, focuses on connecting brands to independent retailers. It is available on both iOS and android platforms.


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Early credit card spending data from Commonwealth Bank indicates that Australian retailers enjoyed a strong Black Friday sale, with spending more than doubling this year as compared to last year.
Well-above average sales were recorded across the whole weekend through to Cyber Monday.
“A sample of our credit card data shows that retail goods spending lifted around 87 per cent on Black Friday compared to the average spend in the three weeks prior,” says Commonwealth Bank Senior Economist Kristina Clifton.
“Retail goods spending across the weekend following Black Friday and on Cyber Monday was also well above average November levels. We have seen spikes in spending at time of the Black Friday sales in the previous years but they have been much smaller in size, averaging around 28 per cent,” she added.
The US sales days have increasingly become part of the Australian retail calendar in recent years. However, the sales are also accompanied by concerns the widespread discounting could erode margins and reduce profitability during the all-important Christmas trading period.
“It’s likely that consumers brought forward some of their usual Christmas spending to November or early December to make the most of the discounts. It may also prove the case that some consumers had been holding on to their tax rebates to spend in the Black Friday sales,” Clifton said.
The sales benefitted retailers’ online and physical stores.
According to CBA’s data the biggest department stores and electronic goods saw the biggest online uplift.
“By category, online spending in department stores and electronic goods retailing rose by 238 per cent compared to the average November daily spend, while in-store spending was up by 153 per cent.
“Online clothing sales rose by 146 per cent and in-store clothing sales rose by 52 per cent. Home furnishings and equipment spending was up by 116 per cent online and 33 per cent in-store. Not surprisingly, food and liquor posted smaller rises than the other categories both online and in store,” Clifton added.