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Norwegian Cruise Line launched a special Hawaii sale today through September 1, for guests who book any seven-day Hawaiian sailing. During this sale guests will receive $100 on board credit per stateroom in any category booked.
The 2,138-guest Pride of America is the only U.S. based cruise ship that sails year-round from Hawaii. Departing from Honolulu, Pride of America offers nearly 100 hours of port time and visits four islands in Hawaii, including overnights in Kahului, Maui; Nawiliwili, Kaua; stops in Kona and Hilo.
Prices start at $999.
Pride of America video (not an endorsement, off YouTube):
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Fnatic is launching the first NFT membership program in esports. Fnatic
London-based esports organization Fnatic will take a unique approach to navigating the rough waters of NFTs in esports. The company has announced a new fan membership program created in partnership with Crypto.com that will provide fans with exclusive events, content and merchandise. This is the first NFT-driven membership program from a prominent esports organization.
The program will offer three tiers of participation: a free offering, $250 and $600. Fnatic is limiting membership in its paid tiers to 2,500 each, while the free program will accept registrations until April 7.
The organization’s new program is built on blockchain technology supported by Crypto.com, which became a Fnatic sponsor in 2021 with a multiyear deal valued at $15 million. Members will make a one-time payment to receive an NFT key representing their membership rather than paying a recurring subscription fee. The key will be transferrable and could in theory be re-sold.
Fnatic is the latest organization to develop its own supplementary fan engagement program. Last week, South Korea’s T1 Entertainment & Sports announced a membership service with bemyfriends.
The blockchain twist in Fnatic’s approach is a potentially risky step for the organization. The bulk of NFT projects announced by gaming and esports entities in recent months have received overwhelming backlash, such as the response to last week’s acquisition of Storybook Brawl developer Good Luck Games by crypto platform FTX. The game received a sudden flurry of negative reviews on video game marketplace Steam immediately following the announcement.
The only noteworthy esports NFT venture that didn’t receive blowback is a 100 Thieves campaign in February. The organization released a commemorative digital replica of the chain given to 100 Thieves players by CEO Matt Haag following its 2021 LCS championship win. 100 Thieves was able to avoid the typical reaction by offering the digital collectible for free and covering all transaction fees.
Fnatic has taken a now-familiar approach to heading off some criticism by specifying it’s using a lower energy-demand blockchain known as “proof-of-stake,” though the environmental impact is not always the most significant critique leveled against NFT projects.
While NFTs remain lucrative for the trading platforms, the overall market has declined significantly since last year. According to an Axios report on Monday, the number of daily NFT sales has fallen below 50,000 from its previous high at over 200,000 transactions last year.
Correction, 12:20 p.m. Eastern March 31: G2 Esports launched its own NFT membership program prior to the release of Fnatic's program. Rather than a digital key, G2's program known as Samurai Army is built around a custom image of a samurai. SBJ regrets the error.

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- Buy MBE Day will take place on Saturday, Sept. 25
- Initiative encourages Americans to shop at minority business enterprises
- The Minority Business Development Agency also encourages larger businesses to diversify their suppliers
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
Americans are encouraged to support minority business enterprises (MBEs) this weekend as part of a larger campaign to celebrate and promote these companies.
The Minority Business Development Agency announced that Buy MBE Day will take place on Saturday, Sept. 25. TMobile for Business is sponsoring the initiative, which is occurring in conjunction with the MBDA’s National Minority Enterprise Development Week, which began Sunday. During this week, MBDA Business Centers and Specialty Centers will host local awareness campaigns about MBEs.
Buy MBE Day was introduced in 2020, encouraging Americans to purchase goods and services from African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian and Native American entrepreneurs. These businesses have often suffered significant losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
MBDA is also encouraging larger companies to diversify their suppliers and pay MBE suppliers early to help reduce their cash-conversion cycle.


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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — The Unity Government is committed to continue with intervention programmes such as Payung Rahmah initiative and Agro Madani Sales even though the rate of inflation in the country has eased to 2.0 per cent which is the lowest in almost two years.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the initiative will continue with the cooperation of state governments which will benefit the people in the continuous effort of the Unity Government to combat issues relating to the people’s cost of living.
In a statement after chairing the National Action Council on the Cost of Living (NACOOL) No. 2 Year 2023 today, he said three consideration papers and two information papers aimed at the cost of living issues were presented at the meeting.
“The meeting discussed price control for standard round chickens and eggs implemented since February 2022.
“It is important that the direction of chicken and egg price control can be finalised to ensure the continuity of the supply chain,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the Unity Government is also caring for the people over access to the supply of medicine at more competitive prices so that consumers know the price to pay and could make a wise choice.
He said this is the priority of the government to ensure the mechanism of medicine sales is more transparent to benefit the people through price display mechanism, and the meeting agreed that the matter should be studied by the ministry before finalising it.
“The government is also sensitive to the possible disruption of sugar supply if no immediate action is taken to deal with related issues in the world raw sugar price.
“Accordingly, all these matters will be presented in the Cabinet soon to obtain the direction and to finalize it,” said Anwar, adding that the meeting also took note of the planning and implementation of the Government’s Central Database System (PADU) by the Ministry of Economy.
According to the Prime Minister, government agencies such as the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) and the Farmers’ Organization Authority (LPP) were instructed to be more proactive to act as local white rice (BPT) distribution agencies, especially for rural areas.
He said it was an effort to reduce the difficulties of the people to obtain rice supplies following the intervention measures announced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, yesterday.
Meanwhile, he said the meeting also received clarification from Bank Negara Malaysia, that major banks and e-wallet service providers that accept payments through DuitNow QR have announced that they will continue to waive transaction fees on micro and small businesses.
In addition, Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) will also allocate resources to help finance the costs incurred by payment service providers, especially non-bank providers that continue to offer full exemptions to micro and small businesses.
In the meantime, Anwar reiterated the emphasis of the Unity Government on the main agenda in lightening the burden of the cost of living for the people to be given serious attention so that they receive direct benefits for every initiative and strategy implemented.
He also called on all government agencies at the federal and state levels as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who need to work together to ensure the well-being of the Malaysian MADANI community continues to be strengthened.
The meeting was attended by both Deputy Prime Ministers, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, relevant ministers, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, industry players, NGOs, representatives of organisations and academicians who are members of NACCOL Council members.


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Airlines react to coronavirus outbreak
If you have advice or alerts on this outbreak relevant to the onboard hospitality sector do get in touch and Onboard Hospitality will be pleased to keep this blog updated to share advice and best practice. Please send any comments or updates to April at firstname.lastname@example.org
February 7, 2020
Finnair CEO Topi Manner expects the coronavirus outbreak to have a “relatively limited” impact on the airline’s financials and believes the aviation market will be pretty quick to recover once the situation is under control.
Manner said the reason he expects the impact to be relativity small is that the period after Chinese New Year is typically the slowest of the year and the “weakest in terms of profitability,” reports skift.com
“The way the situation will unfold from here and develop from here remains to be seen. The visibility is low, and then it can swing basically either way. And that is something that we are taking into consideration in our guidance for this year,” Manner told analysts on an earnings call on Friday.
“What is clear, however, is that eventually, this will pass. And if we look at the experiences from SARS and similar viruses in the past. I think that the conclusion is clear at the conclusion is that the situation is of temporary nature. And when the recovery starts, then the recovery will also be relatively fast in terms of global aviation.”
February 4, 2020
As of January 30 2020, the novel coronavirus virus has spread to 20 countries and has over 8,100 confirmed cases. Sixteen airlines have suspended flights or significantly reduced capacity to and from China and suppliers within the onboard sector are reacting and preparing for the ongoing health emergency.
Amongst those airlines amending their schedules are Virgin Atlantic, Air France, Air New Zealand, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Delta, Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa Group Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways and United Airlines.
Global travel and data analytics firm Cirium reports nearly 10,000 flights have been suspended since the outbreak began.Peter Morris, chief economist at Ascend by Cirium, says: “The industry is playing its part to help prevent the spread of the virus, but the outbreak will inevitably cause significant disruption of schedules and travel patterns in the short and medium term.”
Qantas group CEO Alan Joyce has said he fears airlines with heavy exposure to the China market could face serious financial difficulties and while it is early to make too many predictions “it will be survival of the fittest in this market”.
The somewhat similar SARS outbreak in 2003 cost the global economy around US$40 billion and the Asia Pacific aviation market lost around US$6 billion in revenue. The Chinese market is estimated to have grown eight times since then, with the addition of many more low cost carriers, often operating on thin margins.
The Cathay Pacific Group is among those carriers which have already announced service modifications in the region, for both Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights to and from mainland China, with immediate effect and until further notice.
On those mainland China flights continuing, the meal service in First and Business Class cabins is being modified to comprise a single tray with appetiser, main course and dessert served together. Trolley services are being suspended and the meal offering in First will be the same as that offered in Business.
Passengers travelling in Premium Economy and Economy on medium to long-duration mainland China flights will be served a disposable snack bag including a hot handheld snack and other items. Amenities including hot towels, pillows, blankets and magazines will also not be offered to passengers in any classes during this period. Inflight duty-free sales will also be temporarily suspended.
Edwin Lim, managing director of airline inflight services, PTE, and a partner at The Hayward Partnership, is based in Asia and has produced an anti-virus containment checklist.
He recommends all frontline staff are briefed on risks, symptoms and preventive measures; protective gear be issued to crew and customers, including facemasks and hand sanitisers; service delivery processes should be modified to limit exposure in the cabin (e.g. single tray service for BC instead of multiple course service); encourage customers to bring personal drink bottles; reduce exposure to contaminated items by removing blankets, pillows, table linen, and rotable catering equipment; and remove cold dishes from meal service. Read the full checklist here.
Impact on production
Federico Heitz, CEO of supplier Kaelis, says his company has decided to move all its current productions from the Wuhan region to other factories further away from the outbreak. “We are in constant communications with our partners outside China so that if the risk continues we are be able to keep the production and the supply chain going so our delivery time does not change drastically. In our headquarters, we have a special team that is currently in contact with the Spanish and European Union Health Agencies as well as the OMS to keep tracking all the information regarding this issue. If airlines have any specific doubt, we encourage them to contact their regional director,” he says.


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With a growing number of campaigns looking to minimise the electrical and electronic waste produced in the UK each year, this project aims to not only monitor the environmental impact of electrical waste but also to help consumers ensure that it is possible to fix broken of damaged consumer products.
Most products come to market without a “viable route to repair,” explained Prof Mark Miodownik of University College London, who is leading the project.
‘Right to repair’ legislation was passed in the UK last year and leading companies such as Microsoft and Apple have already announced plans to allow consumers to repair their own technology.
However, some manufacturers have argued that a ‘right to repair’ could see people injured as they attempt repairs, and that it could make it harder for companies to protect their intellectual property. Others have said that they will wait for customer demand to produce products with a lower environmental impact.
The citizen science project will explore whether the public really cares about the issue and by collecting partial postcode data will also determine whether repair ‘hotspots’ exist in the UK.


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Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama plans to add 877 jobs and a third production shift at its plant in Montgomery.
According to a press release, the transition to three shifts will begin in September 2012. Job applications and pre-employment training will begin this summer.
The Sonata, which is Hyundai's best-selling vehicle, and the Elantra are produced at the Montgomery plant, which will employ more than 3,000 after the addition of the new shift.
The announcement comes just a few weeks after Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. announced plans to add a third production shift at its plant in Vance.
Those expansions are a good sign for Birmingham auto suppliers, which work with both automakers, as well as the Honda Manufacturing of Alabama plant in Lincoln, which has also announced a recent expansion.


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Incorporating Dissimilar Business Models in Technology Industry M&A Transactions
Colouring outside the lines
The U.S. technology industry is characterised by a continual reconfiguration of the ecosystem and everyone’s place in it. Currently, a number of forces are blurring the lines that have traditionally framed market boundaries; among these are significant consolidation in sectors such as semi-conductors and hardware; the rapid convergence of technology, media and telecommunications; and a growing interdependency between technology and retail.
This new article provides insight into manoeuvring these blurred market boundaries, discussing:
- Tech industry M&A: Rebounding from recession
- Strategy: The opportunity next door
- Target screening and due diligence: You don’t know what you don’t know
- Transaction execution: Start with the end goal
- Technology industry M&A tax issues
Download the attachment to read more.


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OAKLAND, CA — In another example of how Walmart can use its bulk to force widespread changes, the world's largest retailer has banned the use of a class of flame retardants in the products it stocks.
The company quietly banned polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, from some products a few years ago and recently notified suppliers it would begin testing products starting June 1 to ensure the chemical isn't being used, The Washington Post reported.
The ban affects hundreds of products on Walmart's shelves since PDBEs have been used in furniture, electronics, sporting goods, toys and more. Connected to brain development issues, reproductive problems and other ailments, PBDEs leach out of products and have been found in people in increasing levels in the last two decades, the Post reported.
Spokesman Lorenzo Lopez said Wal-Mart was motivated to act after a handful of states began banning PBDEs....
About a dozen states have banned two of the three types of PBDEs used in consumer goods, known as "octa" and "penta." Four states have also banned the third form, known as "deca," which is the most prevalent.
In addition to Walmart's ban, companies in the U.S. that make PBDEs have stopped or plan to stop making them by 2012.
The case of PBDEs has many similarities to what has been happening with bisphenol A (BPA), another chemical found in numerous products that has been connected to myriad health problems. Just as with PBDEs, some companies are removing BPA from products, and some states are passing partial or full bans on the chemical, although the federal government has not yet made any such move.
Chemicals policy in the United States puts a high burden of proof on the government to show that a chemical is dangerous enough to be restricted. Case in point: Asbestos is still legal here, while being banned in in about 60 countries, including Japan and all of the European Union. While some will continue to push forth bills that attempt to overhaul the federal chemicals system, more companies are likely to be taking closer looks at the materials they buy, use and move around, and even more will be affected by those that set new rules for themselves.
"This will have both direct and indirect ripple effects," Richard Denison, senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, told the Post. "The companies producing for Wal-Mart are not going to make a special line for them and another line with those chemicals for everyone else. And this is going to make it easier for other retailers to follow suit."
Walmart store - CC license by oswaldo (Flickr)


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While most believe Steve Jobs could do no wrong, there are times where the Apple co-founder overshot. Like when Jobs said iPhone 4's retina display exceeded the limit of human retina, which was promptly shot down as marketing puffery. There was also Antennagate where holding the phone in a certain angle, would mess with the phone's antenna. To this, Jobs's famous response was, "Just avoid holding it in that way."
In 2009, Reebok said their line of Easy Tone shoes would sculpt users' legs 11 per cent more than regular sneakers. Super models such as Miranda Kerr and Kelly Brook endorsed the line. However, the shoe company was soon ordered to refund money to buyers over ‘misleading representations about the benefits of Reebok EasyTone shoes'. The athletic apparel company was fined $25 million in the US in 2011 and $350,000 in Australia in 2014.
Artificial sweetener Splenda promised the taste of sugar with zero calories. However, studies have found that it contained sucralose, which is possibly toxic. McNeil Nutritionals, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that manufactures Splenda, was sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and Merisant, makers of rival product Equal. Both sides reached an undisclosed settlement in 2007. This month, CSPI downgraded Splenda from ‘caution' to ‘avoid'.
Silhouette slimming cream
Many around the world, including former supermodel Tyra Banks, were hooked by Nivea's advertising campaign in 2009 that claimed that the cream, made primarily of white tea and star anise, resulted in weight loss. Two years later, Federal Trade Commission said otherwise and in 2011, Nivea's parent company Beiersdorf was fined $900,000.
Popular chocolate spread Nutella, made by Pietro Ferrero's Ferrero, faced a class action lawsuit in USA in 2012. It began in early 2011 when a complaint was filed against Nutella in California for advertising as healthy nutritious food. The chocolate spread maker was fined over $3 million. The company agreed to change their marketing statements in television and print.


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According to Google search data, computer users are now more interested in the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies than the cryptocurrencies themselves. The term “blockchain,” which refers to a decentralized digital ledger that stores information about cryptocurrencies, is searched more often than the term “cryptocurrency,” which is another word for a digital currency.
Among cryptocurrency enthusiasts, there is an expression called “flippening.” It refers to a theoretical moment in the future when Bitcoin — which is the most popular cryptocurrency in the world by far — flips places with the second most popular cryptocurrency, which is Ethereum.
While this particular flippening may never happen, the fact that blockchain technology has flipped popularity with the digital currencies that have taken the world by storm is not an insignificant event.
Not the First Time “Blockchain” Has Surpassed “Cryptocurrency”
Blockchain technology, which can be used for many applications outside of digital currencies, did not become popular overnight. In fact, a number of business leaders — such as JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon — believe that blockchain technology is far more interesting than cryptocurrencies. Some believe that the technology will eventually even outlive cryptocurrencies.
In July of this year, Google says that searches for “blockchain” first surpassed searches for “cryptocurrency.” While the latter eventually retook the lead in searches, from September onward “blockchain” has been the more searched term.
It is worth noting that computer users have long been interested in blockchain technology. Over the last 5 years, while the term was behind “cryptocurrency,” it was never that far behind it.
“Bitcoin” Is Still the Most Searched Cryptocurrency-Related Term
While the term “blockchain” is now more popular than “cryptocurrency,” it still has a long way to go before it overtakes the most popular search term in the world of cryptocurrencies. According to Google Trends, the term “Bitcoin” is the most searched for cryptocurrency word. They say that it is searched for almost 10 times more often than either “blockchain” or “cryptocurrency.”
How Google Trends Determines Popularity
It is important to note that Google Trends determines the popularity of a term in relation to other search terms. So, when determining the popularity of a word such as “blockchain” or “cryptocurrency,” it is only comparing it to other searches. What Google cannot or will not tell us is exactly how many searches are made for these terms. This means that we have no way of knowing exactly how many people are searching for “blockchain” and “cryptocurrency.”
What the Future Portends
Dimon recently spoke at the Axios Conference, and he reiterated his belief that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are just a fraud. But he also expressed that he is a big believer in blockchain technology. His company just last week announced that it had created a blockchain-based platform called Quorum, which is “tokenizing gold bars and diamonds.”
If he and others like him are right, the term “blockchain” could soon be significantly more popular than “cryptocurrency.”


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Airbnb (ABNB) - Get Airbnb, Inc. Class A Report on Monday boosted the price range of its initial public offering to between $56 and $60 a share, a new range that will net the company more than $3 billion and give it a valuation of as much as $42 billion.
The IPO follows a tumultuous year for Airbnb, which lost $697 million over the first nine months of 2020, with revenue down by almost a third as the pandemic and abrupt halt in business and leisure travel slammed its business.
Airbnb's September quarter revenue was $1.3 billion as travel restrictions eased and users began booking on its platform again. Revenue dropped 18% from last year but was still a notable improvement, as reported in Airbnb’s IPO prospectus.
At the same time it comes amid a hot year for IPOs in general as companies scramble to take advantage of record-low borrowing costs and a hot stock market - as well as a rebound in the broader economy and travel.
More than $140 billion has been raised in IPOs on U.S. exchanges so far this year, well above the previous full-year record set in 1999. Airbnb in September 2019 said it planned to list its shares in 2020, but kept quiet about the plans until more recently.
Airbnb is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange on Wednesday under the symbol "ABNB."


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Seaboard Triumph Foods (STF) announced it has targeted mid-October 2018 to begin second shift pork processing at its Sioux City, Iowa, facility. After a ramp-up period to reach full second-shift production, the new pork processing plant will employ more than 2,000 employees.
Since May 2018, the new pork processing plant has been running limited operations on second shift while hiring and training for the second shift.
“We are extremely thankful and proud of the entire team who has made this moment possible. With their commitment and dedication to make first shift fully operational, we all are looking forward to the second shift ramp up,” says Mark Porter, Seaboard Triumph Foods chief operating officer. He adds, “We’re also grateful for the continued support from the community and local and state leadership and officials.”
On Sept. 5, 2017, the Sioux City plant started first shift operations after a 2 -year plant construction project with numerous local and regional contractors and the construction management firm, Epstein. The design of the facility incorporates robotics and innovative technologies resulting in a modern, state-of-the-art facility to produce the most sought-after pork for diverse global consumers in several market segments including retail, international, food service and further processing markets.
The Seaboard Triumph Foods Sioux City plant, owned equally by strategic partners Seaboard Foods and Triumph Foods, produces fresh pork products under the domestic Prairie Fresh Pork brand and Seaboard Farms international brand. Seaboard Foods will continue to market and sell the pork produced by the Sioux City plant. The plant also supplies Daily’s Premium Meats with raw materials for its premium pork products, including raw and precooked bacon.
At full two-shift capacity, the facility will process 21,000 market hogs daily. Porter says, “We are so appreciative of the collaborative efforts with the regional hog producers who have helped supply our plant. Continuing to build new and strengthen existing relationships with those producers is very important to us.”
Primary hog supplies are sourced from Triumph Foods producer-owners’ farms and Seaboard Foods’ farms. About 30 percent of the market hogs at the Sioux City plant will be sourced from regional farmers who align with Seaboard Triumph Foods’ animal care and environmental stewardship practices, and share a common commitment to seeking a better way to produce wholesome pork.
Source: Seaboard Farms


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On Aug. 18, 2017, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed HB 2017 which, among many other transportation investments, establishes a program to provide rebates to Oregonians who purchase certain types of electric vehicles (including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) and other qualifying zero-emissions vehicles. This program was designed by the Oregon Legislature to encourage higher adoption of ZEVs, reducing air pollution and advancing progress toward the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.
In May 2018, the Zero Emission and Electric Vehicle Rebate rules were adopted by the Environmental Quality Commission (DEQ's policy commission) which established the program’s requirements.
Implementation of the program was delayed due to a lawsuit regarding the funding mechanism for the program. Funding is generated from a tax imposed on car dealers for “the privilege of engaging in the business of selling taxable motor vehicles at retail in this state.” On Aug. 2, 2018, the Oregon Supreme Court determined the privilege tax could be utilized for the program. DEQ is now proceeding with implementation of the program. In December 2018, DEQ began issuing Standard Rebates to qualified applicants.
DEQ receives $12 millions per year for the program. The program sunsets on Jan. 2, 2024.


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This week, Amazon announced that it was raising its minimum wage for all workers to $15 an hour. The move will affect more than 250,000 of their employees, as well as more than 100,000 seasonal workers.
“We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead,” said Jeff Bezos, the company’s founder and CEO. “We’re excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us.” (Bezos this week topped the richest people in the world according to Forbes magazine, beating out Bill Gates spot by a staggering $63bn).
Raising its own minimum wage isn’t the only thing the company is doing on the issue. Bezos also committed that Amazon would be advocating for a raise in the federal minimum wage from its current $7.25 an hour, because doing so would “have a profound impact on the lives of tens of millions of people and families across this country”.
With this highly publicized move the company is not only attempting to soften its image among critics that have accused it of paying its workers too little and working them too hard, but it’s also taking a shot across the bow at its competitors. So should merchants be worried? Is this yet another example of how Amazon is “bad” for small businesses?
Sure, Amazon has been the primary reason why many businesses – large and small – have gone out of business. Visit your mall or take a walk down Seventh Avenue in New York City and you’ll see retail locations that were once the site of clothing, books, gifts and office supplies stores now either vacant, occupied by “experience” retailers like restaurants, nail salons and smoothie shops or rented out by non-retail businesses and government organizations. Amazon has helped to put giant retailers like Borders, Circuit City and Linens ‘n Things out of business and has driven out many smaller mom and pop shops that just couldn’t compete with its pricing and convenience.
But wait. Something else has been happening.
A whole new group of people have become entrepreneurs. These are full-time business owners, part-time hobbyists and even corporate employees with side-gigs that are making money as Amazon merchants. In fact, according to a Small Business Impact Report released by the company earlier this year, there are millions of small merchants selling their wares on Amazon (one million of those in the US), accounting for more than half of the products sold on the site. Just this past month the company launched a new site – Amazon Storefronts – that is devoted entirely to highlighting the products and stories of its merchants. (Disclosure: I am not being compensated by Amazon to write this piece, but my company has done work for Amazon in the past.)
Amazon offers fulfillment, billing, marketing and customer service tools that help its small merchants reach customers that were previously unreachable. Sure, their requirements for customer service, product quality and transparency can sometimes be draconian, and Amazon certainly takes a healthy cut of the profits. But for those that play by their rules, the opportunities can be significant. Amazon has given rise to countless startups and small companies looking to take advantage of its investment in warehouse logistics and delivery. And not all businesses have been shuttered by the online giant. Independent bookstores are thriving, as are smaller retailers that have figured out how to provide an extra level of service that customers will never be able to get online.
Now, Amazon is raising its minimum wage, which is another challenge to small firms who may not be able to afford to pay $15 an hour. For starters, let’s be grateful that the private sector is taking the lead on this issue and not the government. Let’s also thank Amazon, for pushing us to do better when it comes to compensating our employees. As I’ve written before, you get what you pay for. With Amazon’s decision to up its wages, many small companies are going to be forced to respond.
So how will your firm meet this challenge? Maybe you’ll pay more and absorb the costs – or raise prices. Perhaps you’ll find other ways to compensate your people through better time off, additional fringes and more flexibility. Or, how about being better at selling the benefits of working for a small firm where an employee can really contribute, interface with owners and not be tied down by corporate rules, policies and gobbledegook? It’s also possible that a $15 an hour wage will be what finally makes you invest in better technology to make your business more efficient and help keep your payroll under control.
There are ways for a small business to respond to Amazon’s wage increase – and most will do so successfully because it’s the right thing to do to pay people a fair wage. Those firms – as well as their employees – will be better off in the long run for it.


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The non-fungible token collection caused a stir among NFT investors and speculators alike. ENS released 10,000 four-digit.eth domains ranging in value from 0000 to 99999. The market’s trading volume has been significantly affected by the ten thousand ENS names that were sold in one day.
A Dune Analytics dashboard for ENS shows that the spike in sales started on April 21 and that the number of eth. Name registrations have risen from 2,721 to 21,188 between April 21 and 28. The trading volume of ENS domains on OpenSea has increased by 3,333% to 2,613 ETH (or $7.3 million) in the seven days since the beginning of April. In the last 48 hours, the highest volume of ENS NFT trading on the secondary market, with “008.eth”, the most costly domain, sold for 20 ETH (or $56,125) on April 29.
008.eth bought for 20.0 ETH on OpenSea #domains $ENS https://t.co/XXfVcoFi8X
— ENS Sales Bot (@EnsSales) April 29, 2022
Each ENS web address is an NFT. It is minted and traded like any other non-fungible token. These domains ending in.eth act as Ethereum wallet addresses, cryptographic hashes, and website URLs. Web3 users embrace the digital identity that is possible with NFT usernames as decentralized applications, wallets and exchanges become more compatible with ENS.
Holders who have accumulated ENS names starting at 0-999999 have created a Discord channel called 10kClub. Nearly 4,000 holders of ENS had joined the social club at the time this article was written. Discord chat members even posted a refrain saying, “IAM MY NUMBERS and MY NUMBERS are ME”. According to the Twitter account of 10kClub, there is no roadmap.
The app.ens.domains website crashed this week, resulting in a 404 error page. This is because the website could not be found on the server. Multiple times, the ENS team stated via Twitter that they were working to fix the problem on April 29.
It looks like our host is still having problems. Please use our IPFS links in the mean time whilst we sort out a better solution.https://t.co/5MtOsePsJDhttps://t.co/6XDCXtYojy https://t.co/Xvgs8bdhiq
— ens.eth, April 29, 2022 (@ensdomains).
Related: Future and concept of decentralized Web3 domains
Not only individuals, but also corporations and major brands have registered their names with Ethereum Name Service.
Eileen Wilson –Technology and Energy
My Name is Eileen Wilson with more than 5 years of experience in the Stock market industry, I am energetic about Technology news, started my career as an author then, later climbing my way up towards success into senior positions. I can consider myself as the backbone behind the success and growth of topmagazinewire.com with a dream to expand the reach out of the industry on a global scale. I am also a contributor and an editor of the Technology and Energy category. I experienced a critical analysis of companies and extracted the most noteworthy information for our vibrant investor network.


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- Earth Science Tech to add three full-spectrum CBD chocolate offerings to product line
- Testing to begin on CBD-based patent products
- Earth Science Tech products will be available to 90,000 retail outlets throughout U.S.
On the heels of a major decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve Epidiolex, a drug derived from pure cannabidiol (CBD), to treat seizures associated with certain forms of severe epilepsy, Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTC: ETST) is repositioning its line of full-spectrum CBD offerings.
Included in this move is the announcement that the company, along with joint venture partner Karmavore Superfoods, will be adding three full-spectrum cannabinoid chocolate products to its CBD line. The options — chocolate-covered mangoes, chocolate coconut peppermint cups and chocolate caramelized quinoa crunch — will contain Earth Science Tech’s high-grade cannabinoid oil and raw arriba nacional cacao, as well as other natural organic superfood ingredients. The chocolates are slated to be available during the third quarter of 2018.
In addition, Earth Science is scheduled to start testing on three new CBD-based patent formulas beginning in late 2018 and extending into 2019. In vitro testing on its first batch of formulas will be aimed at demonstrating the superior antioxidant properties and anti-proliferative effects on breast cancer cells. These compelling products are designed to stop inflammation, maintain quality of life and help prevent cancer and other degenerative diseases.
With these highly anticipated new products on the horizon, Earth Science is also focusing on making its products more available to consumers. The company recently signed agreements with AATAC to offer Earth Science’s CBD products to AATAC’s approximately 90,000 retail outlets throughout the United States. Based on growing consumer interest in CBD and positive response to the announcement, AATAC anticipates a high volume of preorders.
“Our association with AATAC, which is an advisory board that focuses on convenience stores, will give us the opportunity to open up and be available to a market that includes every sector of the population,” Jill Buzan, chief sales officer of ETST, stated in the news release. “This could lead to huge exponential growth for ETST’s sales in the next few months.”
This focus on CBD products is designed to solidify Earth Science’s position as a leader in a burgeoning CDB product markets. In the last three years, the hemp-derived CBD market has grown from $90 million to $190 million, and The Hemp Business Journal projects $2.1 billion in total CBD sales by 2020 (http://nnw.fm/2EqaR). This tremendous increase comes as a result of a growing recognition of CBD’s natural health and wellness properties, increased public acceptance and use of the ingredient and the wider accessibility — both online and in brick-and-mortar retail shops — of CBD products.
In addition to manufacturing, marketing and distributing cannabinoid products to the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical markets, Earth Science conducts R&D for low-cost, non-invasive medical devices.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EarthScienceTech.com
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Canoo Stock Price Forecast
Canoo (GOEV) is an American company that engineers electric vehicles. Stefan Krause, former chief financial officer of Deutsche Bank, and Ulrich Kranz, formerly a senior executive at BMW, founded the company in 2017 as Evelozcity. As of Sept. 9, Canoo stock was trading at $2.69 a share, down 65.15% from the beginning of the year.
Looking To Diversify in a Bear Market? Consider These 6 Alternative Investments
Canoo currently has four products in development: a lifestyle vehicle, a multipurpose delivery vehicle, a pickup truck and a platform, which is basically an electric chassis. Canoo vehicles will be made in America, which will give the company an edge given the electric vehicle tax credit that is part of the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act.
The company’s philosophy is to design electric vehicles for everyone. This is reflected in the price point, which was announced in May 2021 to range from $34,750 to $49,950 for the Lifestyle Vehicle, depending on the model. The vehicles are intended to be customizable by both the manufacturer and the consumer.
Canoo Stock Price Forecast
According to Yahoo Finance, analysts seem to see a rosy future for Canoo. In August, three analysts reported on the company, and all three rated it a buy. The average price target (the expected trading price a year from now) was $9.50, with a low of $3.50 and a high of $15.00, a big range that demonstrates the stock’s uncertainty.
Earnings per share forecasts reflect the fact that Canoo is not yet profitable and, in fact, has no sales yet. In the second quarter of 2022, the company lost $0.56 per share. According to CNN Business, analysts’ estimates for the second half of the year are for Q3 EPS of -$0.58 to -$0.54, with a consensus estimate of -$0.56, and for Q4 EPS of -$0.63 to -$0.49, with a consensus estimate of -$0.56.
CNN Business notes that the analysts’ sales forecasts for 2023 range between $342.7 million and $605 million, and their consensus estimate is $482.6 million.
The Bull Case for Canoo
Despite still being in preproduction, the company has signed some important contracts. In July, Canoo announced that it had an agreement with Walmart for the retail giant to purchase 4,500 electric delivery vehicles. Walmart announced that it expected to begin using the vehicles in 2023.
Also in July, Canoo announced in a press release that the U.S. Army had chosen its multipurpose platform for demonstration and analysis purposes. Prior to that, it was selected by NASA to be used to transport crews to the Artemis launch site “for lunar missions to establish the first long-term presence on the moon,” according to the press release.
With recent legislation that encourages Americans to buy electric vehicles and specifically those made in America, Canoo is poised to benefit from increased demand.
The Bear Case for Canoo
Canoo has yet to sell a single vehicle, although it does have the above-mentioned contracts. Safety testing is still in process, and the company has been through several changes in upper management and has created and dissolved a number of partnerships during its short lifetime.
In the company’s first quarter 2022 earnings report, issued in May, it stated that it was running low on cash and might not have enough cash to continue operations past the second quarter. “As of the date of this announcement, we are reporting that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the earnings report stated.
Chairman and CEO Tony Aquila indicated that the company has access to $600 million in capital as of May. The contracts signed in July should also provide some breathing room, but there appears to be little room for delays or errors.
Downsides To Consider Before Buying Canoo Stock
Canoo has production plants in Arkansas and Oklahoma, but production has not yet begun. In May, the company announced that anticipated production dates could slip into 2023 in Arkansas due to the ongoing global chip shortage. The company also indicated that production at the Oklahoma plant could be delayed until 2024.
Perhaps more concerning for investors is the Securities and Exchange Commission investigation that began in 2021. The investigation was brought on by shareholder class action suits and questions around the company’s merger with Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp.
Is Canoo a Good Long-Term Investment?
It’s a bit early to tell if Canoo has a future, and if so, what that future is likely to look like. While it has secured some significant contracts, it has yet to deliver on them. Making a decision now to hold the stock long term is probably premature.
The potential for Canoo to become a leader in the electric vehicle market is there, but the company needs to find its footing. For risk-taking investors, it may be worth taking a small position now, but for others, it’s a company to keep an eye on but is probably too volatile at this point in time. If Canoo is able to meet its production targets, it could benefit significantly from the new focus on electric vehicles made in America, so the company certainly bears watching.
Data is accurate as of Sept. 12, 2022, and is subject to change.
Our in-house research team and on-site financial experts work together to create content that’s accurate, impartial, and up to date. We fact-check every single statistic, quote and fact using trusted primary resources to make sure the information we provide is correct. You can learn more about GOBankingRates’ processes and standards in our editorial policy.
- Canoo. 2022. "Walmart to Purchase 4,500 Canoo Electric Delivery Vehicles to be Used for Last Mile Deliveries in Support of Its Growing eCommerce Business."
- NPR. 2022. "Biden signs sweeping climate, health care, tax bill into law."
- Walmart. 2022. "Walmart To Purchase 4,500 Canoo Electric Delivery Vehicles To Be Used for Last Mile Deliveries in Support of Its Growing eCommerce Business."
- Canoo. 2022. "U.S. Army Selected Canoo's Multi-Purpose Platform For Analysis & Demonstration."
- Canoo. 2022. "CANOO INC. ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER 2022 RESULTS."
- Reuters. 2022. "Canoo production starts could slip, but CEO remains confident in funding."
- Canoo. 2021. "Promises Kept – Canoo Pricing For Lifestyle Vehicle Is Accessible For Everyone."
- Bloomberg. 2021. "Electric Vehicle Startup Canoo’s CEO Discloses SEC Investigation."


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(PRWEB) June 16, 2016 -- Lone Star Locks and Keys, a San Antonio based locksmith shop that specializes in home, car and commercial locksmith services, recently turned into a round-the-clock locksmith service provider. The owners announced during a recent press conference that their shop will remain open all day, and seven days a week. They also said that their goal is to become the most trusted emergency locksmith service provider in San Antonio area. At present, the locksmith shop offers locksmith San Antonio services to a specific region and the zip codes that fall within their coverage area have clearly been mentioned on the website of the locksmith shop.
“We have figured out that most San Antonio residents prefer locksmith shops that can assure them quick arrival and friendly services. Our San Antonio locksmith services, therefore, are based around the general expectations of people from professional locksmith agencies around this area. Our mobile team is all set to reach out to any part of the coverage area and we hope to serve many more people in the future. In addition to that, we have developed and installed software-based systems to process service requests faster and we believe this would give us an edge in the competitive market”, said one co-founder of the locksmith shop located on Allendale Oak, San Antonio.
The owners also said that finding a locksmith in San Antonio has become a lot easier now as they have started taking service requests through a toll free number that can be used for getting in touch with their professional locksmiths at any time of the day or night. In addition to that, the locksmith shop also now connects with San Antonio residents through dedicated social media pages and handles. Aside from locksmith services, the San Antonio locksmith agency also provides now broken lock repair, ignition switch replacement, key duplication and many other related services.
“We are primarily an auto locksmith San Antonio service provider offering residential and commercial locksmith solutions as well”, said the co-founder while officially announcing their 24/7 availability from now on.
About the Company
Lone Star Locks and Keys is a San Antonio, Texas based locksmith shop.
To know more, visit http://www.locksmithsanantonio-247.com/
Tom, Lone Star Locks and Keys, http://www.locksmithsanantonio-247.com/, +1 (503) 928-7482, [email protected]


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Service charge at hotels and restaurants ‘totally voluntary’, govt issues guidelines Friday April 21,2017
Service charge on hotel and restaurant bills is “totally voluntary” --- and not mandatory, food and consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Friday April 21,2017 after the government approved the relevant guidelines.
Hotels and restaurants will not decide on service charge to be levied, but it will be at a customer’s discretion, the minister said, adding these guidelines will be sent to states for necessary action.
“The government has approved guidelines on service charge. As per the guidelines, service charge is totally voluntary and not mandatory now,” Paswan said in a tweet.
“Hotels/restaurants should not decide how much service charge is to be paid by the customer and it should be left to the discretion of customer,” he added.


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ADLISWIL, SWITZERLAND – Born into a family of bakers with more than 100 years of history in Japan, Hironori Takahashi has considered himself an evangelist of traditional Japanese bread, filled with such ingredients as red bean paste, curry and custard cream.
Even so, it was a challenge, to say the least, for Takahashi — said to be the only Japanese owner of a bakery in Switzerland — to promote soft and fluffy Japanese bread in the country, where people mostly eat bread with thick crusts and often use it to scoop up soups or sauces.
But with the help of the popular cartoon “Yakitate!! (freshly baked) Ja-pan,” the story of a fiery Japanese baker seeking to make the ultimate bread, Takahashi’s shop in the suburbs of Zurich now has as many local Swiss customers as Japanese expatriates.
“At this year’s ‘JapAniManga Night,’ a fair of Japanese cartoon and animation in Davos (southeast of Zurich) in May, we sold as many as 3,000 breads in one day thanks to the popularity of ‘Yakitate!! Ja-pan,'” said the 41-year-old baker from Niigata Prefecture, who opened his shop in 2010.
The cartoon series, which chronicles a boy named Kazuma Azuma and his quest to create a national pan — the word for bread in Japanese — was adapted into an anime television series and aired between 2004 and 2006 in Japan.
Takahashi said that because of the anime series his Swiss fans have especially taken to melon breads, a type of sweet bun covered with crispy cookie crust that resembles cantaloupe.
“When I opened my own bakery, 80 percent of customers were Japanese living in Switzerland because Swiss people seemed to shun the concept of breads being soft,” he said. “To many Swiss people, it may also have been unthinkable to eat sweet beans.”
But led by cartoon fans and those who have been to Japan and eaten Japanese bread, sales at his shop, located in an office district, have doubled since it opened.
The bakery, called Hiro Takahashi, sells about 30 varieties of Japanese breads made with such ingredients as beans, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, crab and tuna flakes, chocolate cream and matcha green tea powder.
They are mostly sold at 3 to 3.5 Swiss francs (¥375-¥437), roughly triple the prices in Japan, but local customers seem to be more concerned about taste than price.
A policewoman who came to the bakery for the second time to buy melon bread for her and a co-worker said, “The taste is special and the texture is so light. Compared with Swiss breads, they are a bit expensive, but it is reasonable because special ingredients are used.”
Takahashi also delivers bread from his bakery to 20 shops in the major Swiss cities of Zurich, Bern, Geneva and Lausanne. To cater to the local palate, he has reduced the amount of sugar used and made the taste of bitter matcha milder.
“Japanese breads are made from flour containing more gluten than flour used to make breads here in Switzerland. I procure custom-ordered flour from a local supplier,” he said. His shop also uses a machine imported from Japan to knead dough.
For Takahashi, who came to Switzerland in 1999 to study confectionery after completing culinary school in Tokyo, life has been full of twists and turns.
Originally wishing to study either in France or Austria, he sent about 200 letters to apply for confectioner jobs in Europe, but only Switzerland issued him a work visa — not as a pastry cook but as a chef for Japanese restaurants.
After working at sushi and teppanyaki (iron grill cooking) restaurants for three years, Takahashi finally obtained a visa to work as a confectioner and landed a job at Savoy Baur en Ville, a five-star hotel in Zurich.
While working at the hotel as a patissier, he launched a catering business with his wife as a side job, delivering Japanese bread and sweets to families for birthday parties and other celebratory occasions.
“When I was working as a chef of Japanese food, there were only five sushi restaurants in Zurich, compared with 20 at present, and Japanese dietary culture was not widely introduced,” Takahashi said. “I wanted to bring in delicious Japanese food other than sushi.”
As the catering business began to thrive, Takahashi decided to open his own bakery, which now also offers other Japanese food items including edamame soybeans and fried shrimp.
His business was affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, as Swiss avoided Japanese food items for a while and imports of flour from Japan for bread-making stopped.
In 2012, tragedy struck when Takahashi’s wife was killed in a traffic accident. “But I didn’t think of closing the bakery because I wanted to keep running it as she had desired,” he said.
Leaving behind his two children in Japan, Takahashi continued his business and remarried last year, with the couple later having a child. He plans to reunite with his two other children in Switzerland next year.
Looking back on his experience of venturing out of Japan rather than inheriting the bakery his great-grandfather started in Niigata, Takahashi said he expects people trying to blaze a trail to “believe in themselves and take the first step despite fear, since the second step will naturally follow.”


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Peak trading on Adtraction
Adtraction recorded record-breaking growth in Q4 2019!
Retailers and publishers across the Adtraction network were geared up for a big peak trading season in 2019, and the results didn’t disappoint. There were exceptional numbers, impressive growth and some interesting trends across our nine European markets.
November and December are considered the peak trading months for the vast majority of e-commerce retailers that work with Adtraction. Adtraction’s sales in these key months grew by almost one quarter on the previous year, showing that the peak trading period continues to grow in importance for e-commerce retailers.
Black Friday, the first Friday after Thanksgiving, has been considered the biggest shopping day of the year in the US since 1952, and in more recent years has become a focal point of peak trading for online retailers in Europe.
Black Friday itself has been Adtraction’s largest trading day for the last three years, and 2019 saw no signs of that changing. This peak season, Black Friday was more than two and a half times bigger than other Friday trading days in November and October.
The network’s year-on-year growth for Black Friday of 33% was very similar to the annual growth rate on Black Friday in 2018, showing that more and more retailers and consumers are continuing to take advantage of this iconic online shopping day.
While all our territories across Europe saw like-for-like growth on Black Friday, we saw some of the biggest gains in Denmark and Norway. In Denmark, Friday 29th November was more than 4 times as big as the three preceding days of the week, while in Norway it was more than 3 times as big.
The increasing popularity of online shopping has led the lines to blur between Black Week, Black Friday, Black Weekend and Cyber Monday. There is however no denying that the period related to Black Friday is a key growth driver of holiday spending in Europe.
The Black Friday week, running from Monday 25th November to Monday 2nd December in 2019, was the biggest week in Adtraction’ history, growing more than 50% on the previous year.
The growth in number of sales outstripped growth in sales revenue, highlighting how large consumer-facing discounts continue to fuel trading in Europe’s biggest online shopping week of the year.
However, it’s what’s happening in the run-up to Black Friday that’s really interesting. Between Monday and Wednesday of Black Friday week this year the network grew at an average of 88% each day, compared to an average of 48% in 2018. We’ve understood that Black Friday is a week-long trading event for a few years now, but this year’s large growth rates from the early part of the week demonstrate how consumers are responding to retailers pushing out their offers early to maximise exposure.
Avoiding the Black Friday crowds is often listed as a primary reason for consumers to shop online. In order to encourage online shopping Cyber Monday was created by US retailers in 2005 as the Monday following Thanksgiving weekend. However, it’s failed to capture the imagination of European consumers or retailers in the same way as it’s famous Friday cousin.
For the second year running Cyber Monday numbers across the network were underwhelming compared to Black Friday. The 2nd December 2019 was less than half the size of Black Friday and just 50% bigger than an average Monday in November.
Yet again, the peak trading season has shown how e-commerce in Europe has come to rely on back-filling trading into the final part of the year, and it’s also something consumers have come to expect.
It will be interesting to see how long this trend will continue in the face of increasing consumer discounts and pressure on margins. Particularly as we can see in more mature markets a greater desire from retailers to more evenly distribute their promotions throughout November and December so as not to get drowned out by all the noise on Black Friday itself.
If you are interested in more detail about peak trading in your local market please get in touch by emailing email@example.com.


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Twitter has told Sen. Ron Wyden that it has finally severed ties with a Swiss-based tech company that was accused of exposing sensitive data. Several other companies have since stopped business with the tech firm.
Mitto helps telecom companies deliver text messages in bulk to billions of people around the globe. The company sends automated texts for things such as two-factor security codes, promotions, and appointment reminders.
Towards the end of last year, Mitto’s co-founder and COO Ilja Gorelik was accused of selling access to the company’s networks, allowing the clandestine access of people’s locations and even call logs, according to Bloomberg.
In a previous statement, the company said it was not involved in spying, and that it had launched an internal investigation “to determine if our technology and business has been compromised.”
Twitter is one of the many companies that used Mitto’s services. The social media company told Sen. Ron Wyden that it was no longer working with Mitto. According to an aide for the senator, Twitter said the main reason it was cutting ties with the Swiss company was media reports.
If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net.


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“The browser would allegedly have an option for Bing alongside Google and Yahoo, reflecting a last-minute deal with Microsoft,” Electronista reports. “Apple would also bolster its HTML5 advocacy by supporting many more features, including geolocation, draggable items and video with closed-captioning and full-screen modes.”
“Several extra conspicuous updates would be in store, according to the release notes MacGeneration claimed to have,” Electronista reports. “A new Reader feature would turn articles into a single, ‘clutter-free’ page; it would also borrow elements from the address bars in Chrome and Firefox with awareness of bookmarks and history in the address bar. New browser windows would finally have the option of opening as new tabs by default.”
Full article here.


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Toyota has teased a new SUV set to debut in the United States on June 2. The company has not explicitly revealed the identity of the car, but the sole image provided shows an oddly familiar silhouette.
The minimalist side profile graphic shows a sporty crossover shape with sweeping front and rear fender lines, along with a window line that dips downwards before rising steeply towards the rear. Said line stops right under the rear of the roofline, hinting at a distinctive cut in the D-pillars for a “floating roof” look.
If you think you’ve seen this image before, you’re not wrong – that’s the exact same graphic used to tease the Corolla Cross back in July last year, before the car was unveiled in Thailand. Adding fuel to the fire, Toyota says the unnamed product will be “a new take on a familiar face,” pretty much shouting to the world that the new model is the Corolla Cross.
This isn’t a surprise, given that the compact crossover has already been spotted on test in America. Spyshots published by several automotive websites show a camouflaged unit that is all but identical to the car already being sold across Southeast Asia, save for the amber side marker lights mandated under US law.
Given that the ASEAN-market Corolla Cross shares its engine options with the US-market Corolla Sedan, expect both powertrains to be ported over to America. These include a 139 PS/172 Nm 2ZR-FE 1.8 litre Dual VVT-i naturally aspirated four-cylinder paired to a CVT, as well as a hybrid variant that pairs a 98 PS/142 Nm 2ZR-FXE Atkinson-cycle mill to a pair of electric motors that deliver 72 PS and 163 Nm.
Total system output for the Corolla Cross Hybrid is 122 PS. In the US, the Corolla Sedan is also available with a 171 PS/205 Nm M20A-FKS 2.0 litre Dynamic Force engine coupled with either a CVT or a six-speed manual gearbox, and this could also be offered on the SUV.
Clearly, Toyota is taking the US crossover market seriously. Just like in ASEAN, North America also got its hands on the C-HR, but the company apparently sees the Corolla Cross as being a better fit in the region, where customers are more accustomed to larger vehicles. The latter is also cheaper to build – it uses torsion beam suspension at the rear rather than the C-HR’s complex double wishbone setup – and this should help Toyota shave the starting price to be more competitive against its rivals there.
Closer to home, the Corolla Cross was launched in Malaysia in March, initially in fully imported form with the 1.8 litre petrol engine. The initial CBU batch has been sold out, with the CKD locally-assembled model due to arrive sometime later this year.
GALLERY: Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8V in Malaysia


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Indy B2C Startup Parker Gwen Shatters Sales Expectations in Opening Holiday Weekend, Racking Up 265 Percent Increase over 2018
INDIANAPOLIS (December 4, 2019) Parker Gwen CEO and Founder Matt Phillips couldn’t be happier with his company’s opening holiday weekend performance. The digital home electronics and furnishings retailer far exceeded Phillips’ expectations, racking up a 265 percent increase in sales over the five-day period that began Thanksgiving Day and continued through Cyber Monday. Black Friday was Parker Gwen’s single biggest sales day in its history.
“We’re ecstatic,” says Phillips, who launched the Indianapolis-based B2C startup in late 2017 with partner Tiffanie Rosencranz. “People are really responding to our selection of thoughtfully curated merchandise we personally source from the world’s best brands. Even more important, Parker Gwen shoppers appreciate our product knowledge and commitment to helping them with their selections.”
Phillips reports that some products such as robotic vacuums from Ecovacs quickly sold out, but have since been restocked. Other popular sellers included home theater products, smart home devices, and home décor such as pillows, rugs and throws. He credits special holiday discounts and growing awareness and appreciation of the Parker Gwen brand as reasons behind the stellar sales performance.
“Parker Gwen is so appreciative of all of our loyal and first-time customers who shopped with us during the opening holiday shopping weekend. We will continue holiday promotions throughout December with a focus on furniture and home technology and expect to continue to see significant growth over last year,” Phillips says. “Our recent success underscores the value and trust customers are putting in Parker Gwen to provide better products and services.”
Parker Gwen was created to address consumers’ frustrations with the unnecessary complexities of creating one’s ideal home experience, which leads to unsatisfactory purchases, purchasing paralysis and buyer’s remorse. Parker Gwen is committed to being in tune with its customers through data intelligence and human interactions to develop product offerings and services unique to the retailer and overall shopping experience.


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January 26, 2023
Among other things, 2022 will be remembered as the year that saw food prices (and prices of other goods) spike through the roof and caused many families to tighten their budgets in a way that hasn’t been seen in decades. And as if sky-high grocery prices weren’t enough, shortages of everyday necessities like butter, baby formula, tomatoes, and turkey tested consumers’ patience throughout the year. Now, at the beginning of the new year, consumers are paying much more for a formerly inexpensive and reliable kitchen staple as an egg shortage has taken hold.
Why There Is An Egg Shortage Right Now
In addition to an increase in fuel, packaging, and chicken feed prices, the current shortage of eggs can be partially blamed on an especially contagious outbreak of avian flu that has already killed tens of millions of chickens across the nation and in other countries. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the outbreak happened over a year ago in February 2022. It is the deadliest outbreak of avian flu in the nation’s history and led health officials to ‘depopulate’ or slaughter close to 60 million chickens by the end of 2022, due to the virulence of this specific strain of the disease.
The scope of the outbreak in the U.S. has been uneven, with some states being hit harder than others. Colorado and California have both suffered deep losses in their egg production. Additionally, California is one of several states that have banned the sale of eggs from caged chickens, which is better for the chickens, of course, but it does affect supply significantly.
Less Supply = More Expensive
It’s no surprise that a limited supply of eggs means that consumers will be paying more for them for the foreseeable future. The price of a dozen eggs has risen in 47 states and by the end of 2022, egg prices rose 49% nationwide. According to the Los Angeles Times, eggs that only cost $2.35 at the end of December 2021, cost shoppers $7.37 just a year later. A now-viral post on Reddit shocked readers when a Walmart shopper shared a photo of a shelf of eggs that listed a price of $27 for 5 dozen eggs. The increase in prices has led retailers to limit the number of cartons of eggs that shoppers can purchase.
Other Effects of the Shortage
Just like rising fuel prices have far-reaching effects on what consumers pay for food, taxi/rideshare rides, airline tickets, and more, increased prices of eggs affect more than just the sticker prices at the grocery stores. Diners are paying more for their dishes at restaurants, as owners have no choice but to pass along the higher prices of their orders to their customers. The owner of a bagel shop in New York City recently told the New York Times that he is now paying $150-160 for the same order of 30 dozen eggs that he was paying $70-80 just a year ago.
When Will Prices Come Down?
While demand for eggs is down slightly at the moment, due to the post-holiday shift in meal preparation, eggs are still an essential part of the average kitchen, and consumers are wondering when they will see lower prices at their corner grocery store. The beginning of
the lower price cycle will likely not begin until the avian flu outbreak is under control. In addition, many farms order baby chicks as much as two years in advance, and the average hen doesn’t start producing eggs until about 5 months old. As a result, it could be summer or even fall, before prices recede for good.
Read more about the food industry on the Eyes4Research blog. Eyes4Research also has everything you need to collect high-quality insights from consumers. Our panels are comprised of B2B, B2C, and specialty audiences ready to participate in your next research project. Learn more about our specialty panels here.


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Students celebrate success at SDC 2017 International Design Competition
Third-year students on our BA (Hons) Printed Textile Design & Surface Pattern programme had great successes last month at the regional final for Society of Dyers and Colourists 2017 International Design Competition.
First launched in 2002, the SDC International Design Competition is the SDC’s annual flagship competition, open to students in 14 countries.
The competition is free to enter and attracts hundreds of entries worldwide; previous winners have gone on to major success in the fashion and textile industry.
This year’s theme was "Design for a Circular Economy" with our students attending the South of England and Wales finals at South Gloucestershire & Stroud College.
Out of the five prizes awarded on the day, judged by a panel of industry experts, three went to our BA (Hons) Printed Textile Design & Surface Pattern third year students.
Students Sarah Court and Heidi Wyett received Highly Commended and Zoe Woodford received the runner-up prize.
“I feel very proud of Sarah, Heidi and Zoe, the judges commented that all three of them have very bright futures to look forward to, as their approach to design was mature and refined.” — Cathy Freeman, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Printed Textile Design & Surface Pattern.


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In October, Pittsburgh city council member Bill Peduto introduced legislation that would remove restrictions on mobile vending that stifle food trucks. Designed to protect brick-and-mortar businesses from competition, Pittsburgh's current regime is one of the most restrictive in the nation.
Food trucks are currently prohibited from parking in one spot for more than 30 minutes, in metered spaces (making most of the downtown area off limits), and within 500 feet of a restaurant. Moreover, zoning officials can veto parking on private property, even if the owner welcomes food trucks.
Via the Pittsburgh City Paper:
At any given point in time, I'm sure no matter what we're doing, someone can tell us we're not allowed to be doing it," says Tim Tobitsch, co-owner of the Franktuary Truck, a pioneer in the local food-truck industry that has sold gourmet hot dogs for about two years.
Tobitsch and the owners of six other food trucks have joined together to form the Pittsburgh Mobile Food Coalition, which is pushing for the legislative change. And, unlike in other cities, some brick-and-mortar establishments are on board.
The owners of Bar Marco, a cocktail bar in the Strip District, invite food trucks to their parking lot for "Food Truck Fridays," for instance. Acclaimed restaurateur Brian Pekarcik, who operates a food truck as well as traditional restaurants, has presented city council members with a petition from owners of sit-down restaurants who think that reform would energize Pittsburgh's food scene, benefiting not only consumers and mobile vendors, but also restaurants themselves.
The bill would eliminate the proximity rule, allow food trucks to park in metered spots, and permit them to stay in one spot for up to four hours. Further, it would extend business hours on weekends past closing time for bars. The city council is expected to act on the measure before the end of the year.
Courtesy of the Institute for Justice,* a libertarian public interest law firm that advocates against overly burdensome regulation of food trucks, here are some food truck owners offering their take on the state of the law:
*Disclosure: I am a former employee of the Institute for Justice.


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Teknor Apex Co. is completing a major expansion of its Asian operations while launching new grades of its PVC and thermoplastic elastomer-based compounds.
Pawtucket, R.I.-based Teknor also is touting the abilities of the toll compounding service it launched last year. In Asia, a new, 100,000-square-foot manufacturing laboratory and office complex is nearing completion for Singapore Polymer, the 18-line compounding operation that Teknor purchased in late 2001. The acquisition was Teknor's first outside of North America.
The expansion will be used to produce Teknor's thermoplastic elastomers, black and white masterbatches and engineering resin compounds. A new, 100,000-square-foot PVC compounding plant at the site was completed in mid-2002.
Although the Singapore projects had been in motion when Teknor appeared on the scene, the firm still was able to put its stamp on the operation.
``The way we've configured the lines in Singapore is much more consistent with how we operate in the North American market,'' Teknor President Jonathan Fain said. ``That allows us to give customers consistency in both regions.''
High growth rates in Asia have helped Teknor's sales base, 25 percent of which now is outside of the United States.
``It looks like [outside of the United States] is where most of our growth is right now,'' said Fain. ``We've followed that demand, and that's changed the way we look at our products and markets. It's exciting, but complicated.''
Debuting on the Teknor front are new, supersoft, low-hardness grades of the company's Uniprene thermoplastic vulcanizates and plasticizer-free FreeFlex PVC compounds.
The Uniprene TPVs offer exceptional softness in grips, gaskets and weatherstripping, while FreeFlex PVC can avoid brittleness in hose and tubing used in fluid transport, as well as in tank and pond liners, according to company officials.
Teknor's new line of Teklite-brand color concentrates, also introduced at NPE 2003 in Chicago, are aimed specifically at TPEs, where they can achieve savings by reducing overall concentrate usage, officials said.
``In PVC, we're trying to expand our applications so we're not just replacing other vinyl, we're creating new applications,'' said Bert Lederer, Teknor senior vice president.
``Our color projects have a different, more cosmetic appeal, and in TPEs, we're extending and filling out our product lines.''
The tolling operation - Teknor Specialty Compounding - primarily operates from plants in Lodi, Ohio, and Jacksonville, Texas, but can access capacity at Teknor's other plants as well. It offers extensive services in compound and concentrate production, as well as in powder blends and polyolefin pulverizing.
Teknor also recently added compounding capacity at sites in Henderson, Ky., and Jacksonville, Texas.
Teknor posted sales of about $500 million last year, including $300 million from its plastic operations. The firm also makes specialty chemicals and rubber, and is a major producer of garden hose.
As a compounder, Teknor ranks as one of North America's 30 largest, according to a recent Plastics News survey, and is the largest nonintegrated PVC compounder in the United States.
Fain's grandfather Alfred founded the company as Apex Tire & Rubber in Providence, R.I., in 1924. Teknor remains in the hands of the Fain family and other private investors.


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Black Eye Coffee Gets a Huge Mural
If you like your coffee with a lump or two of cultured whimsy, stop by Black Eye Coffee next time you’re in the Highlands in Denver. More precisely, look at the side of the brick building it’s in, the historic and restored Coors Theater, upon which you’ll find a colossal depiction of an old-timey, mustachioed man engaging in a bout of boxing with a kangaroo, which is in the process of laying an uppercut on him.
The painting, completed by Colorado local Larry Polzin, came into existence by means of a plucky Kickstarter campaign that lasted from March 27 through May 1. By that date it surpassed its goal of $6,000 with a satisfying $6,280 from 76 backers, more than enough to pay for Polzin’s “expertise, scaffolding, materials, video production, unforeseen costs and gifts provided,” as the painter completed the project for the seven-month-old Black Eye Coffee at a discount. The shop stated that its intent was to further the restoration of the century-old structure and turn it into more of a city landmark through greater investment in its appearance, including the large mural.
Eater reported yesterday that the mural is finally finished, and that Ali Elman, one of the shop’s owners, said that most of the Kickstarter contributors came from “the community and business owners in the area.”


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Every quarter AIRINC provide data points update on our cost-of-living research including housing, goods & services, tax and research locations. Here we have a special focus on the LATAM region.
Many countries that were maintaining steady interest rates have decided to increase them due to rising consumer prices.
Movement Continues in the Foreign Exchange Market.....
June 1 marked a day of changing times in Venezuela. The price of gasoline in the country has been among the lowest in the world for decades, and in recent years, currency depreciation has made the resource practically free.
For years, Venezuela’s currency (currently the VES, was VEF) was the only currency legal to use within the country. However, with hyperinflation and a rapidly depreciating currency, using the VES was often difficult. Although not technically legal, transactions would often still occur using U.S. dollars, as it is a stable currency.
While the world average price of gas has dropped from 1.43 USD per liter in 2014 to 1.17 USD per liter in 2018, prices have been trending upward in many countries including the Middle East, where gas prices typically see little change.
The economy of Venezuela continues to be one of the most volatile in the world. On Friday, August 17, President Nicolas Maduro announced the devaluation of the Bolivar Fuerte (VEF) from about 250,000 to 6,000,000 VEF to 1 USD.
Critics say this is merely a superficial solution and will do nothing to combat hyperinflation. This announcement followed presidential candidate Henri Falcon’s proposal to dollarize the Venezuelan economy.
President Maduro recently announced the creation of the Petro, Venezuela’s own cryptocurrency, backed by natural resources such as oil and gold.
On May 31, Venezuela announced the results of the first currency auction for its new DICOM exchange rate, the fifth such currency control mechanism introduced since 2003.


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With the approach of Valentine's Day, the Chamber of Commerce and participating businesses will host the second-annual "Love is in the Air Giveaway."
Chamber members who would like to be a host site of the drawing will assemble a special Valentine's Day gift basket for their customers. Gift baskets should have a suggested retail value of $40 to $50.
According to Vickie Philllipson, Chamber of Commerce program director, the "Love is in the Air" promotion debuted in 2021, providing business owners with the opportunity to show their appreciation to customers, who supported them during the pandemic. "A year later, the public's support and our appreciation remains just as important."
Phillipson said the Chamber will supply participating sites with signage and drawing slips. Supplies will be distributed the week of Jan. 17. She said each host site will draw their in-store winner and notify them.


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- A new kind of copper OLED could change the TV and home lighting game.
- Previous attempts to advance OLED technology have focused on costly PHOLEDs.
- The new tech reaches precious levels of fluorescence using abundant earth elements.
Researchers in Switzerland have found a new organic light emitting diode material(New OLED Material) that could scale the technology up to inexpensively light entire rooms and homes for the first time. The results come from a new arrangement of copper electrons, CuPCP, that replaces more costly precious metal diodes (PHOLEDs).
OLEDs are a natural descendant of original light-emitting diode (LED) technology. About 10 years ago, plasma and LED TVs competed head to head in different categories, and plasma was the clear winner. But plasma TVs represented a proprietary technology that only worked for certain large sizes, and in bright light, they weren’t able to compete. LEDs, meanwhile, had improving (but still inferior) black levels that looked garish and unbelievable in the dark.
Enter OLED TVs, which married and improved both technologies. Instead of the bright backlight of a LED TV, OLEDs have their own light. This means deeper, truer blacks, but without the brightness tradeoff associated with a plasma. Plus, OLED has better image quality and contrast. And since OLED pixels are individually controlled, they’re also fast to change color. That’s important for things like gaming, or watching sports or action movies.
For all their perks, however, scientists have found it difficult to scale OLEDs up for broader usage. The materials are limited by the naturally occurring limitations of their fluorescence: “Classical organic dyes emit light due to fluorescence and have a theoretical limit of 25 [percent] for the internal quantum efficiency,” these researchers explain.
Phosphorescent OLEDs (PHOLEDS) change the physics and “can reach internal quantum efficiencies up to 100 [percent],” they say, but that’s because PHOLEDs require costly precious metals like iridium, ruthenium, and platinum.
PHOLEDs are still mostly in experimental stages of any potential application, and they could hypothetically take over the TV market, too; they use less energy because of their high efficiency, and they can do the work of many more plain OLEDs. But these products will cost a fortune, and that’s not the way to persuade consumers to trade up for their home lighting and other applications.
The secret to the Swiss team’s new material is a behavior called thermally activated delayed fluorescence, or TADF. Like a supercooled superconductor or a hot nuclear reactor, these TADF OLEDs must get to a certain temperature before they can operate as designed, and they use a supply of outside energy to get to that temperature.


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Russian wheat edges up on Egypt tender-analysts
18 ноября 2009 года
MOSCOW, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Russian ordinary milling wheat forward export prices have nominally risen by $2 to $191 per tonne in Novorossiisk, the Institute for Agricultural Studies (IKAR) said in a weekly note.
An Eyptian purchase supported the market. Cairo bought 295,000 tonnes of Russian wheat at its latest tender at $191.37 per tonne FOB, up $1.87 from the previous tender.
"But one should note that such a price is paid for grain with up to one percent bug damage," IKAR said. "At the same time, grain with the same protein content but with higher bug damage is sold at very big discounts, which reach $10-15 per tonne."
Barley prices were stable at $130-135 per tonne in Novorossiisk, although exporters noted reduced supply from southern Russia, caused by record high early season exports in combination with rather limited production.
By the end of October, 2009/10 grain exports were 8.160 million tonnes, including 6.855 million tonnes of wheat, compared to 8.633 million and 7.750 million a year ago, respectively, IKAR said.
October grain exports were 2.267 million tonnes in comparison with 2.481 million in October 2008. Maize exports had started, but volumes were much lower than a year ago, IKAR said.
SovEcon agricultural analysts said in a note that domestic feed wheat prices rose, while third and fourth-grade wheat lost some 50 roubles ($1.73) per tonne in the European part of Russia.
Exporters' prices for fourth-grade wheat declined to 4,800-4,900 roubles per tonne including delivery to (CPT) Novorossiisk, it said.
Russian grain intervention tenders accelerated last week and purchase prices became more attractive to sellers, but their overall support was limited, SovEcon said.
The interventions have not influenced domestic market prices because of relatively low purchase volumes and high competition between grain producers and their agents, IKAR said.
"Paradoxically, in the south of Russia, the start of the interventions has even caused some price decline: local producers apparently lost last hope and switched back to the market, which caused an oversupply of grains," it said.
IKAR said third-, fourth- and fifth-grade wheat prices declined by $2, $1 and $2 respectively, to $151 per tonne, $139 per tonne and $118 per tonne, ex-silo, southern Russia.
Feed barley prices rose by $4 to $94 per tonne due to scarce supply.
SovEcon said that in the near future prices will stay relatively stable or decline due to high world grain supply.
SUNSEEDS, SUNOIL PRICES RISE SLOWLY
Russian crude sunseed oil and sunseeds prices rose to $833 and $330 per tonne in comparison with $805 and $315 a week before, following international prices, IKAR said.
The rise was rather slow, SovEcon said. "Some crushers have raised prices (for sunseeds), others lowered. Oil price growth potential is very close to zero," it said.
Sunoil exports reached 34,000 tonnes in September-October, down from 78,000 tonnes in the record high previous season, IKAR said.
It said soybean prices in the south of Russia declined to $415 in comparison with $445 last week, due to the growing pressure of the soybean supply from the Russian far east. Soybean oil price remained unchanged at $685 per tonne.
Rapeseed oil and rapeseed prices have not changed from $840 and $290 per tonne, IKAR said.
White sugar prices declined to $827 per tonne from $837 a week before ex-factory in Krasnodar, or to 23.7 roubles from 24.4 per kg on oversaturated market, it said.
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JJB shares rise on hopes that Olympics will transform company's fortunes
Embattled JJB Sports saw sales plunge 7.6 per cent in recent trading but its shares rose almost 10 per cent on hopes the Olympics would transform its fortunes and relief the update was not worse.
Chief executive Keith Jones boasted about opportunities from the Euro 2012 football finals and the Olympics, but warned of an ‘extremely challenging consumer environment’.
Sign of the times: JJB Sports shares rose almost 10 per cent on Olympic hopes
Underlying sales for the 26 weeks to January 29 have decreased 7.6 per cent, but were an improvement on the terrible 17.9 per cent fall for the same period the previous year.
But analysts warned JJB (up 1.5p to 11.5p) still has a mountain to climb, with losses of £60m expected for the year just completed.
Philip Dorgan, an analyst at Panmure Gordon, said: ‘A few green shoots are beginning to become visible, given the continued strong performance of the refitted stores, a decent online opportunity emerging and ongoing good cash management.’
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This game were released about a week ago in Japan, and retailers seem disappointed with the low amount of sales. While the Pokemon games mostly focus on children, this game seems to attract a lot of adults. Retailers say that people usually buy the game at the evening, when adults are done with work. They’ve also said that it’s a few college students buying this. This game focus on pokemon, but it’s also about Japanese Warlord living a log time ago. This is probably one of the reason for not so many children to buy them. It’s mostly adults that have interest for history.
If this game gets released in the rest of the world, the sales may differ, but since it’s based around Japanese history, it might just stick to Japan.
I thought that fortnue street were supposed to be a Wii exclusie game, but turns out I was wrong. Today the iPhone version of Fortune Street was released on the Apple Market, for free. However, this version doesn’t have Mario characters and Dragon Quest characters, and it also have just one board. Might not be so good news for Nintendo, but I think people probably enjoy playing boardgames on home consoles.
Ever wanted to watch the pokemon series on your 3DS? Well now you can. Nintendo Zones now give you episodes from the Best Wishes series, when visiting one of them in the US. For those episodes to be available, Nintendo added a Pokemon section. It has information about the console games, and also news about TGC. In the future we might even be able to get Pokémon for the main games via those, such as when Pokemon are available via stores, like Gamestop and Game. Nintendo Zones also have added demos there, but hose can already be downloaded via the eShop. However, this is pretty good for people without internet acess on their 3DS.
Yes, the game has finally been announced for the US and Europe, and will be getting fully translated and released there this year. Apparently it’ll be coming out in summer 2012 in the US and September 2012 in Europe.
Here are some screenshots of the game in English:
Oh palette swaps? Wow, real show of originality there, isn’t it?
Nice artwork I have to admit, it almost looks cute.
Finally, the game’s English logo. Guess they plan to keep the same rather awkward name (how is anyone meant to pronounce or write down Theatrhythm anyway? It doesn’t even seem to be a real world…)
I also fear they might have trouble marketing this game in the US and Europe, the visual style is pretty much the complete opposite of what generally sells (aka cartoon styled and very Japanese looking), the name’s awkward to remember and makes no sense to most people and the game’s genre itself is one that barely sells. But hey, the more games the merrier, and if it’s a decent game it deserves to be released over here anyway.
What do you think of this game getting an English release?


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Australia and South Korea have a close relationship, which has created a number of exciting opportunities for Australian SMEs looking to expand in the South Korean market.
Understanding what these opportunities are, and how to navigate any challenges that may stand in the way of success, will ensure Australian exporters can make the most of the South Korean market.
South Korea is Australia’s third largest export market, with Australian exports to South Korea worth US$20 billion in 2014. With its growing, high-income economy there is a strong demand for Australia’s high quality goods and services in a range of industries.
Three key industries where demand for Australian supply is high is mining (such as coal, iron ore and crude petroleum), agriculture (such as beef, dairy and wheat), and services (such as education and tourism).
Research recently conducted by the Export Council of Australia, the Australian International Business Survey 2015, found that 72 per cent of Australian businesses that operate in South Korea expect business to get better over the year ahead, pointing to a positive outlook for Australian exporters in the Asian nation.
The prospects for Australian businesses in South Korea were further strengthened last year when the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) came into force.
Since KAFTA was established, 84 per cent of Australian exports to South Korea have been made duty free, which will rise to 99.8 per cent once the agreement has been implemented in full. The agreement will particularly benefit a range of food and wine exports, manufactured goods and service providers.
In the first year of KAFTA alone, it is anticipated that trade liberalisation under the agreement will contribute $226 million to Australia’s GDP.
There are some great opportunities for Australian SMEs in South Korea at the moment, however it is important that any SME exporters considering entering this market ensure they are aware of the potential challenges they may come up against.
For example, the local language and business culture can be a concern for Australian companies looking to do business in South Korea. Doing thorough research around the local business culture and employing an interpreter can be invaluable in the early phases of doing business in South Korea.
Another challenge may be access to finance, a common issue faced by many SME exporters. For SMEs exporting to South Korea, help is available from a number of sources.
Talking to your bank is a good place to start, as they can advise you on your best course of action. Efic is also available to provide export finance for eligible SME exporters.
It’s important to be aware of any potential barriers to exporting to South Korea for your business, so you can be prepared to navigate these challenges and capitalise in the opportunities available for Australian exporters.