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The Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council will undergo a complete overhaul after an independent report released Tuesday found a dysfunctional system sitting on almost $4 million that should have been paid out to ripped-off consumers.
Already CEO John Bachinski has left, after the council’s board decided changes required new leadership and a completely re-writing of the boss’ role.
In August 2016, following years of concerns about how the organization was being run and rafts of consumer complaints, Service Alberta Minister Stephanie McLean appointed George Cuff to review the council’s governance. The hefty 225-page report made 23 recommendations on how to improve it.
What is AMVIC?
The Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council, created in 2012, regulates all facets of the auto industry, from new vehicle sales to repairs. Its duties include comparing ads for vehicle sales with reality when it comes to prices and overseeing a victim compensation fund for consumers who suffer loss at the hands of, say, a car dealership. McLean said Tuesday while the idea of AMVIC is “excellent,” its execution has been lacking.
What is the problem?
McLean said the list of the many and varied complaints about the council is “quite long,” including low public confidence, high levels of staff turnover, concerns over the actions of former administrators and questions about whether or not the council acts in the best interest of Albertans. In particular, Cuff’s report zeroed in on what reads as a toxic atmosphere within the organization — a lack of guidance by senior management, inconsistency in investigations, staff worried they would be reprimanded for raising concerns, and the general lack of a “quality leadership team.” While he said the situation has improved since 2014, he found that since the council was created, the CEO’s dual leadership role — overseeing the industry council’s day-to-day operations while simultaneously being arbiter of appeals — simply hasn’t worked. There have been some successes, Cuff noted, but AMVIC needs an overhaul.
How will it change?
Cuff recommended a wide swath of changes, including redefining the role of the CEO and creating a new registrar position to oversee industry legislation, registration systems, complaints and compensation. The compensation program for consumers will be completely redrawn, with a mandate to make it more consumer friendly. As it stands, the fund has a balance of $4 million — the maximum amount allowed — but paid out just $2,000 last year. Also, the board will include equal input from public and industry, the chair will be appointed by government, and the council will finally get a human resources manager. While McLean accepted Cuff’s recommendations in their entirety, she said it will be months before the overhaul is complete. This is a complex shake-up, she said, and some action items require legislation changes. She is confident fixing AMVIC will restore the public’s faith in the automotive industry.


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How many Tesla cars are made a year?
Tesla’s annual vehicle production has increased 5.06x from 2017 to 2020.
Tesla vehicle production.
Who is the largest electric car manufacturer?
By far the largest producer is Tesla, the American manufacturer of clean energy products and services. Volkswagen, the German-based automaker and largest auto seller worldwide, comes in second.
How many electric cars does Tesla sell?
Globally, Tesla’s vehicle deliveries reached a record 627,350 units in the first three quarters of 2021, up by over 16 percent when compared to sales for the full-year 2020. Concurrently, Tesla’s Model 3 has become the world’s best-selling plug-in electric vehicle model.
How much does Elon Musk make a day?
How much does Elon Musk make a day? Musk’s wealth is heavily tied to the performance of Tesla stocks on Wall Street. So when Tesla begins to go up, like it did during the Bull market of 2020, his net worth surged by almost $158 billion in a singe 12 month period, which is $432 million per day.
Has Tesla made a profit?
The carmaker had a profit of $5.5 billion as sales of its electric vehicles kept soaring, especially in China and Europe. Tesla said Wednesday that its profit leapt more than sixfold last year to $5.5 billion, the highest total in its 19-year history, as sales soared further, especially in Europe and China.
What car does Tesla sell the most?
US: Two Tesla EVs Break Into Top 20 Best-Selling Vehicles In 2021
- Tesla Model Y: 186,575.
- Tesla Model 3: 150,654.
- Tesla Model S/X: 23,687.
- Tesla total in the U.S.: 360,916.
How much does it cost to charge a Tesla?
It will cost around $7.65 to charge a Tesla Model 3. Depending on the variant, this is between 3 and 4 cents per mile. If you own a Tesla Model S, you can expect to pay about 3.7 per mile. A full charge will cost $15.29 total.
How many cars has Tesla sold since inception?
How many cars has Tesla sold since its inception? Tesla investor reports show that the company has sold 1,917,450 electric vehicles. In addition, 32% of all Tesla vehicles sold since 2016 were sold in the first half of 2021.
Who makes batteries for Tesla?
Panasonic is the sole maker of the more advanced Tesla battery, ensuring it remains a key supplier to the U.S. company, at least for its pricier models, even as the EV maker seeks out battery suppliers in China and elsewhere.
Is BYD bigger than Tesla?
“Tesla is the world’s largest electric vehicle maker, delivering 308,600 electric vehicles in the fourth quarter, up from 241,300 in Q3, 201,250 in Q2 and 184,800 in Q1. But BYD is catching up. BYD sold 93,945 new energy vehicles in December, up 218% vs.
Who sells the most electric cars in the world?
The Tesla Model 3 was the world’s most popular plug-in electric vehicle with worldwide unit sales of roughly 501,000 in 2021.
Best-selling plug-in electric vehicle models worldwide in 2021 (in 1,000 units)
|Characteristic||Sales in thousand units|
How many electric cars did Ford sell 2021?
Ford Mustang Mach-E
“Mustang Mach-E sales totaled 27,140 vehicles in 2021, making it the nation’s second best-selling full electric SUV behind Tesla’s Model Y.
How many electric cars did GM sell 2021?
With close to 516,600 plug-in electric vehicles sold in 2021, General Motors more than doubled its 2020 electric vehicle sales. In 2021, the manufacturer stated its intent to produce more than 30 new electric vehicle models by 2025.
Which country buys the most Teslas?
Tesla shares hit a record high — and a $1 trillion market cap — in New York trading Monday after rental company Hertz announced it would buy 100,000 Tesla cars by the end of next year. China is the world’s largest auto market, and a major destination for global brands.

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Simmons poised for new ownership
JANESVILLE Simmons Bedding, which operates its largest plant in Janesville, is expected to have a new owner by the end of this year.
The Boston-based private equity firm of Advent International said Sunday it would buy a majority interest in AOT Bedding Super Holdings, the parent company of both Simmons and Serta, which together account for nearly 30 percent of the U.S. mattress market.
If the deal goes through, Advent will be the seventh private equity firm to own the Atlanta-based Simmons in 26 years.
Terms of the deal were not announced, but people familiar with the sale told Reuters the transaction valued AOT Bedding at about $3 billion, including debt.
The Simmons plant on Adel Street in Janesville employs 249 people. The company has 18 other manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Current owners Ares Management and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan will retain a minority equity stake in the company. They acquired the company in 2009 as the result of bankruptcy proceedings involving former owner Thomas H. Lee Partners.
As for the impact of the pending sale on the Janesville plant, questions were directed to a company spokesperson in New York, who did not return phone calls to The Gazette.
"Over the past two years, we have invested significant resources to better understand and then meet the needs and preferences of our customers," Gary Fazio, Simmons' chief executive officer, said in a news release. "We are thrilled to be working with the team at Advent, as well as our existing investors, to continue to gain market share by providing superior products and customer support."
Advent officials said they are pleased to acquire Simmons and Serta, which they characterized as two companies with strong momentum in an industry that's poised for growth after a severe downturn in the housing and bedding industries.
"Our strategy going forward is to continue to grow the businesses by ensuring that Serta and Simmons remain focused on delivering high quality mattresses that help people sleep better," Steven Collins, Advent's managing director, said in the release.
Simmons and Serta will continue to be managed jointly by the board of directors of their holding company and will continue to maintain separate sales, marketing, merchandising and customer-specific product design functions.
The companies typically will go to market separately, although there could be instances where they work together with dealers to achieve cost efficiencies.
Advent is one of the world's most active investors in the retail and consumer sector, having invested in 10 companies in the last five years.


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ALLENDALE — Terry Nicholas says it’s been a tough year for the Nicholas Plastics Group, just as it has been for most other supplier-manufacturers linked to the auto industry.
But it hasn’t been so tough that the company can’t expand, which is exactly what it recently announced doing when it added a design center to its sales office in Troy.
The purpose of the center, named NDP Inc., is to help the sales center feed more automotive work to the group, which is headquartered in Allendale.
The center also will support work in furniture and appliances, which are the firm’s other major marketing areas.
Nicholas, the president and CEO of the group, says the center will focus specifically on engineering for automotive parts and the tooling for those parts for production in either or both of its Grand Rapids plants.
The Nicholas Group consists of NK Manufacturing Technologies, an injection molding operation; Vi-Chem, a producer of raw thermal plastics materials; and the original firm, Nicholas Plastics, which is a plastics extrusion operation.
James S. Nicholas, the current president’s father, who also is chairman of the group’s board, founded Nicholas Plastics in 1978.
The company acquired Vi-Chem in 1981 and NK in 1995.
Currently managing the group’s component companies are two brothers, Haig and Armen Kassouni.
According to its president, the Nicholas group ordinarily does $80 million to $90 million in business a year and has a workforce ranging from 480 to 500 employees.
With the slump in auto sales during the past year, the firm’s automotive sales took a 20 percent drop.
The company is a supplier to the furniture and appliance industries as well as to automotive.
“We do about 40 percent of our business in this region,” Nicholas said.
“But because we are an appliance supplier, we also provide parts to 18 or 19 assembly plants in the rest of the United States and Canada.”
He said the firm also is a supplier to General Motors’ operation in China.
Nicholas terms the company a one-stop shopping operation in that it can take a product from inception through production. The design to production phase, he said, can take anywhere from four days to five months depending upon how complex it is.
The major automotive manufacturers have spent much of the past decade pushing such functions down to suppliers. The idea has been to pare away the manufacturers’ own corporate bureaucracies.
For suppliers, the process has been a simultaneous boon and burden. It means more business, but the highly competitive scramble for that business has mean paring costs all up and down the supply chain.
Nicholas explained that the group engineers and fashions many of its own dies and molds, but that it also relies on outside some tool-makers.


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10 states have eliminated the “pink tax” on menstrual products.
According to pink.tax, the pink tax is when goods and services “cost more for females then for males for no good reason.”
Things like razors, clothes, and toys cost more when they are marketed toward women.
Nebraska, Virginia, and Arizona have also introduced legislation to repeal the tax. New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and Florida just made the change in the last two years.
After the 2018 midterm elections, Nevada became the 10th state to eliminate the tax on feminine hygiene products like pads and tampons. It was a 6.85% state tax rate. It joins other exempted items like groceries, candy, and soda.
The Pink Tax Repeal Act was introduced to Congress in 2016 seeking to ban the tax nationwide. But the bill didn’t pass. The “tampon tax” is a byproduct of the pink tax which many say is a form of gender discrimination since feminine hygiene products are a necessity and not a luxury.


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More specifically, tipster The Gallox says on Twitter that Apple could make the iPhone 14 Pro models more expensive than the devices they replace, with the 6.1-inch device to start at no less than $1,099.
At this point, the cheapest iPhone 13 Pro can be had for $999.
At the same time, a price increase is also expected for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, as the base model is expected to sell for $1,199. This is also a notable price bump, as the current iPhone 13 Pro Max can be purchased for $1,099.
The iPhone 14 lineup
Apple is expected to take the wraps off four different iPhone models this year, though the new lineup will witness the introduction of several notab… (read more)
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Photos, video enhance Twitter engagement
It has been revealed that 140 words alone are not enough on Twitter. In order to boost engagement you need to add in a little more like a photo, a hashtag or a quote.
When a Twitter data scientist, Douglas Mason, analyzed millions of Tweets sent by verified users in the U.S. from accounts connected with government, music, news, sports and television, he found there was a way to increase engagement and encourage Retweets.
By adding photos, a hashtag, video or a quote, the chances of a Tweet being Retweeted rose significantly. Tweets with a photo attached averaged 35% more Retweets than those without, found Mason, and those with video were boosted by 28%. These two additions were the most effective.
Adding in quotes to the mix boosted Retweets by 19% while hashtags helped encourage Retweets by 16%.
"The fact is, people don't engage equally with every Tweet," says Twitter's data editor Simon Rogers. "But now we can confirm that adding video, links and photos all result in an impressive boost in the number of Retweets."
Of course, engagement on Twitter isn't all about content. After all, it's a social network on which conversations take place. Recent research from SocialBro found that businesses on Twitter need to make sure they engage with new Followers early on in the relationship. Their data shows that businesses on Twitter will lose 15% of new Followers within three weeks if they don't make the effort.
Image via Shutterstock
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Thailand is set to benefit tremendously from the elimination of import duties on automobiles and parts under the Asean Free Trade Area scheme, industry leaders say. The 5% tax on automobiles and parts traded among the six founding Asean countries -Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines and Indonesia – was abolished on January 1, in a move towards turning Asean into a single market. This would help Asean nations become more competitive against other Asian giants – particularly China and India.
Auto industry expected to reap huge benefits from AFTA
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WORCESTER – Traffic was humming. Parking wasn’t easy and businesses were packed with people doing their Christmas shopping.
It would have been business as usual if the scene was in Boston or New York. But it was Green Street in the Canal District on Small Business Saturday.
Julie Russell who shopped at the Habberdash, a clothing boutique in the Crompton Place building at 138 Green St., said with all the traffic on Small Business Saturday she wondered how crazy it will be after the completion of the $240 million redevelopment of the Canal District, including the 10,000-seat Polar Park for the Worcester Red Sox by 2021.
“I’m used to coming and being able to park in front of Crompton Place. It’s going to be a big adjustment because it's going to be a lot busier,” Russell said.
Darius Herber, who lives in Yarmouth, came to the city to visit some friends who told him about the fun they have each year shopping on Green Street on Small Business Saturday.
“That is so cool,” Herber excitedly said out loud to himself after examining a handmade ceramic mug that had an indentation on the side to fit the thumb to make holding the mug more secure and comfortable.
After remembering that he already has more than two dozen mugs, Herber passed on buying the quirky container and continued eyeing unique items at Seed to Stem, a plant and lifestyle boutique on the first floor of Crompton Place.
The special shopping day was established by American Express in 2010 to support local small businesses that were struggling to rebound from the Great Recession. The day, on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, became a national event the following year. The revenue has grown from an estimated $5.5 billion to more than $103 billion, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Last year, 104 million shoppers spent a record high of $17.8 billion, according to the 2018 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey.
Jess and Dave Klay from West Boylston were having breakfast at BirchTree Bread Co. in Crompton Place at 138 Green St., after watching their 14-year-old daughter’s Worcester Junior Railers win a game, when they looked out the window and saw an unusually large crowd next door.
“I said, 'Why are so many people in that little store,' ” Jess said she asked her husband. So they came over to the little store, Worcester Wares, which was holding the grand opening of its second store in the Worcester Public Market at Green and Harding streets by Kelley Square.
“Oh, my gosh. These are awesome. This is coming home with us,” Jess exclaimed after picking up Pantone color cards in the ice hockey’s steel blue and gray colors. The couple are designers but said they will perhaps simply frame the special cards that bear the team’s name.
Jessica Walsh, owner of Worcester Wares, including the first store that opened on Commercial Street at the DCU Center in 2015, didn’t let a bout with dust pneumonia stop her from the opening day of store number two. She said Small Business Saturday is her store’s biggest sales day of the year. She contracted the disorder from excessive exposure to dust from the wood she cut to make display stands for the store. She learned woodworking skills from her late father, Joe Indelicato, who was a carpenter and furniture builder. The store offers a variety of specially made items linked to Worcester. There are shiny wooden cornhole boards bearing a replica of the city seal. There were also prints, maps, tumblers, thermos, T-shirts and other items highlighting special places and things in Worcester, including Table Talk pies, Coney Island hot dogs, Miss Worcester Diner, the Smiley Face and street signs of Kelley Square and Shrewsbury Street.
Walsh said business has been booming the past few years, thanks mostly to the city’s dramatic resurgence from billions of dollars of commercial and other economic growth. She said 95% of her sales are from people who live and work in Worcester.
“Worcester has changed,” she said in between greeting friends and newcomers to her store. “I’m excited about everybody being excited for Worcester.”
William Wallace, executive director of the Worcester Historical Museum, stopped in to buy some wrapping paper with Worcester and a heart on it and Smiley Face postcards.
“I’m out here celebrating Worcester and the opening of Worcester Wares, and doing a little holiday shoplifting, I mean shopping,” Wallace quipped as he continued browsing and extolling the city’s revitalization.
“It’s phenomenal. This is the next generation of a new Worcester and the Canal District coming back to life as it did after opening Oct. 7, 1828. This is so exciting.”
Virginia Orlando of Westboro, co-owner of Seed to Stem, said business has been consistently busy. The plant and lifestyle boutique began in 2011 at craft shows and stART on the Street, before opening a store on Shrewsbury Street in 2012. The business moved to Crompton Place three years ago.
At least 600 to 700 people visited the store Saturday. While that’s high, the Saturday before Christmas is usually even busier, she said.
Orlando said when she used to come to Worcester years ago, it was not this vibrant.
“We would come to Worcester, but there was not that much to offer. It’s been wonderful to see it bloom with all these awesome places,” she said.
Carol Haagensen, a New York native who lives in Westboro, also commented on the enhancement of the city, while she and her 14-year-old twins, Melinda and Jack, did some Christmas shopping at Crompton Collective. This is their third year shopping on Small Business Saturday in Worcester.
Haagensen has worked at the public defenders’ office on Main Street the past 12 years. She said she has seen downtown go from “being sort of quiet to a place to be with interesting events and fun things to do.”
“If we’re going to spend money on gifts for people, I like to buy local and recycled items. If it’s for gift swaps for co-workers you’re not going to get it right, but we’ll get something quirky to bring people some joy in the moment,” she said. “And we won’t be spending with Jeff Bezos (owner of Amazon).”
Timothy Murray, president and CEO of Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, said competition from online sellers like Amazon, tax increases and other governmental mandates make it difficult for small-business owners.
“Our small-business brick-and-mortar retailers face challenges year-round. Accordingly, we need to encourage and attract consumers to visit our neighborhood business districts not just on one day, but year round to partake in the authentic experiences and products they offer,” Murray said via text.


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Reviews of international trade and logistics often place an emphasis on the importance of Florida’s deepwater seaports, shipping lanes and oceanic routes. However, true analysis of international trade and logistics must take into account the vital role that Florida’s airports play in the movement of cargo. Every day, thousands of tons of cargo arrive at Florida airports on their way to destinations across the U.S. and around the world. It’s the wide-spread role of air cargo that we examine in this week’s Florida Chamber Foundation Scorecard Stat.
According to the Federal Aviation Authority, more than 132 billion pounds of domestic and international cargo arrived at U.S. airports in 2012. The airport with the largest volume of air cargo was Memphis International, which serves as the major hub for all Federal Express (FedEx) shipments. Following Memphis, the top four airports are Anchorage International, Louisville International and Florida’s own Miami International. Collectively, these top four airports bring in more than $55 billion pounds of air cargo – comprising more than 40 percent of the total market.
Florida’s air cargo share is fourth in the United States, with more than 11 percent of the total U.S. tonnage – representing 2.5 million tons of cargo – each year. With approximately 4,700 tons in average daily capacity, Miami International Airport takes in more than 80 percent of Florida’s air cargo. This has a significant and direct economic impact on Florida’s economy and job market across all industries and sectors.
Did you know: Every day, approximately 32,000 boxes of fresh cut flowers arrive at Miami International Airport, most arriving from Colombia and Ecuador?
Air cargo means more than just growth for airlines. Florida is home to 60,000 businesses involved in exporting – one in five of all U.S. businesses that export, which collectively export more than $66 billion in Florida-origin goods every year. This business activity supports more than 500,000 jobs in transportation, trade and logistics. Export-oriented companies typically grow 15 percent faster, pay 15 percent higher wages and are 12 percent more profitable than firms operating solely in the U.S. market. An effective and expanding air cargo system will mean more opportunities for companies in Florida to get goods to and from places like Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and fast-developing economies in Asia.
The interrelated nature of air cargo reaches across all of Florida’s transportation system. Florida’s DOT Air Cargo System Plan provides detailed explanations of how integrated systems, such as surface transportation, are mandatory to create and maintain operations throughout the state.
“The importance of effective air cargo systems cannot be understated for Florida’s economy,” said Joe Lopano, CEO of Tampa International Airport. “Florida is the gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean and we must possess diverse modes of transit. Our economy and our future will be positively impacted by effective intermodal logistics, and it is essential air cargo be a major element. This is why Tampa International Airport joined the Florida Chamber Foundation in its recently released Made for Trade: Florida Trade and Logistics Study 2.0 research project to ensure we aggressively pursue positive strategies for further developing our trade and logistics system.”
The future prospects of Florida’s air cargo system and the importance of air cargo to Florida’s overall economic engine were just recently stressed in an Air Cargo Magazine article.
Securing Florida’s future begins with free enterprise. A healthy free enterprise system necessitates that the business community unite behind practical, workable and sound strategies to address the needs of our state now and 20 years from now. The Florida Chamber of Commerce and Florida Chamber Foundation believe in a Florida economy that supports and grows high-wage, private-sector jobs.
Be sure to save the date now for the 2014 Future of Florida Forum on September 29 – October 1, during which you can join conversations with experts on the future of Florida’s trade and logistics initiatives. If you’d like to get involved earlier, join us at one of the Florida Chamber Foundation’s statewide summits on throughout the state to engage business community leaders and policy makers on the Made for Trade: Florida Trade and Logistics Study 2.0.


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Nintendo could be skipping a June showcase to give us a July one instead.
Nintendo might be gearing up for a July Direct, dodging the other gaming showcases set for this month.
This is in no way confirmed, and industry insider Jeff Grubb has only stated he's heard "early rumblings" of a July Nintendo Direct. On his Giant Bombcast, Grubb said the following:
"I'll say that I'm hearing something's gonna be in July. Whether that is a proper Direct, a partner Direct, or a third party showcase Direct... However they want to frame - a Direct Mini. I have no idea, but it seems like... Don't expect anything of that sort, at least until next month, and if that even happens at all. But like I said, rumblings. It seems pretty likely that something could happen next month with Nintendo, although a July Direct would be weird."
Nintendo does have a couple big releases set for the rest of this year, including Pikmin 4, but it would be interesting to see what else the company has planned for the near future.


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Montreal : Air cargo demand slumped again in July but there are some indicators suggesting a narrowing in comparisons in the coming months.
The latest statistics from IATA show that air cargo traffic in July fell by 9.7 per cent year on year in cargo tonne km terms - the fifth month in a row to register a drop off compared with a year earlier.
The airline association said that several factors should be noted when considering the figures: "New export orders, a leading indicator of cargo demand, decreased in all markets, except China which began a sharp upward trend in June."
It added, "The war in Ukraine continues to impair cargo capacity used to serve Europe as several airlines based in Russia and Ukraine were key cargo players."
However, there were some positives. IATA pointed out that cargo traffic is not that far off 2019 levels - it was 3.5 per cent down on two years ago in July - and that global goods trade continued to recover in the second quarter.
Also, the additional easing of Covid-19 restrictions in China will further boost recovery in the coming months.
"While maritime will be the main beneficiary, air cargo is set to receive a boost," IATA said.
Capacity, meanwhile, was in July 3.6 per cent up on the same month in 2021 and load factors were 6.9 percentage points down at 47.2 per cent - the second month that the load factor has dropped below 50 per cent since February 2020, the first being June.
On this note, Willie Walsh, Director General, IATA, said, "Air cargo is tracking at near 2019 levels although it has taken a step back compared to the extraordinary performance of 2020-2021."
Looking at regional performance, Asia Pacific airlines saw their air cargo traffic decrease by 9 per cent year on year in July.
"This was a significant decrease over the 2.1 per cent decline in June," IATA said.
North American carriers posted a 5.7% decrease in cargo volumes in July. IATA said the lifting of restrictions in China is expected to boost demand in the coming months.
European carriers registered a 17 per cent year-on-year decrease in cargo volumes in July.
"This was the worst performance of all regions for the third month in a row," IATA said.
"This is attributable to the war in Ukraine. Labor shortages and lower manufacturing activity in Asia due to Omicron also affected volumes."
Middle Eastern carriers experienced a 10.9 per cent year-on-year decrease in cargo volumes in July as stagnant cargo volumes to/from Europe affected the region's performance.
Latin American carriers were the best performing as they reported an increase of 9.2 per cent in cargo volumes on the back of service and capacity investments.


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Yesterday, the Dow was up 90 points. But gold hit a new record high. So did the commodity index, the CRB.
What should you do with your money now?
Today, we take a break from our usual cogitations to bring you something useful. A suggestion.
“Sell the U.S.,” we have said.
“Sell the U.K.,” say our colleagues in London. The English have very similar problems to the United States – too much debt, too little profitable output, high costs, too little energy, too little food. What’s more, the U.K. economy relies far more on the financial industry than America does.
But today we are feeling positive… helpful… almost earnest. We offer some buy-side advice.
Our colleague in Buenos Aires has persuaded us that Latin America is a buy. (Spanish speaking readers are invited to go directly to moneyweekes.com to read his reports unblemished by our bad translations.)
The whole region is booming, says our man in South America. GDP growth is solid to spectacular. Currencies are rising. These economies are relatively unburdened with the high costs and legacy obligations of Britain and America. And they produce what the world seems to want most – food and energy.
“The economy of Peru is gathering momentum,” writes Horacio Pozzo. “GDP growth reached 8.99% in 2007, with a strong growth in consumption (rising at a 7% annual rate) and with outstanding growth in capital investment, at around 23.4%.
“Wherever you look, the Peruvian economy is healthy – with a fiscal surplus of 2.6% of GDP and an external surplus of 1.5% of GDP, with record foreign currency reserves of $28 billion, unemployment of 6.9% and an inflation rate, which reached 3.9% last year, under control.”
By almost every measure, in other words, Peru has a more solidly growing economy than either Britain or America.
In Brazil, meanwhile, consumer spending is rising too – up 5.5%, compared to an average of only 2.4% in the ’90s. How come consumers are spending more? Simple… there’s more money in the country and they have more jobs. Earnings have gone up 148% in just the last five years – to a per capital level of $2,794 in 2007. Unemployment has been going down too. It ran into the double digits in 2001 and 2003. Since then it’s been coming down, to the lowest level in the last ten years in 2007 – at 7.4%.
Inflation is still running a bit hot in the Amazon. But the authorities are turning on the air conditioners. The key lending rate of Brazil’s central bank is 11.25% and may go up, as officials try to hold down price increases. And unlike the U.S. president, Brazil’s top man is actually becoming more popular – with approval ratings above 50% and rising.
Money is flowing to Brazil because the country is a major supplier of raw materials and soft commodities – the very things whose prices are rising so sharply. Just last week, for example, Brazilian suppliers got South Korean and Japanese buyers to accept a 63% increase in the price of iron ore. Wheat, of course, is off the charts.
But how do you take advantage of the boom in Latin America… and without getting whacked by a downturn in commodities? Here at Markets and Money, we are suspicious of commodity prices. As soon as you notice a big spike up in a commodity – such as wheat, currently – you have to expect a big spike down. Commodity producers – with some major exceptions – react quickly to price increases. They produce enough to meet the demand… and then, typically, a lot more. Bust follows boom, sometimes so quickly that an investor has little time to get into position.
The 1970s, for example, were boom years for commodities, generally. But the price of sugar actually peaked out at 70 cents per pound in 1973 – at the very beginning of the boom. Marc Faber explains:
“Despite accelerating inflation rates, sugar thereafter failed to make a new high in the 1970s. After 1981, when interest rates fell, the price of sugar continued to decline and bottomed out at 2.5 cents per pound in 1985. And although interest rates continued to decline in the 1990s, sugar was still selling for just 5 cents a pound in 1999… very simply because supplies exceeded demand.”
A boom in commodities is almost always followed by trouble. That’s why our old friend Rick Rule says, “most people can’t believe how cyclical commodity markets are.” He goes on to say that in commodities, “either you are a contrarian or you are a victim.”
But Horacio makes a suggestion for how to profit from Brazil’s boom without getting on the wrong side of a commodity cycle.
TAM is an airline with nearly 50% of the domestic Brazilian market. Air transport in Brazil is rising at 10% per year. Yet, TAM sells at a price that is only 4 times earnings. And it has a price to book value of only 1.14.
Buy TAM, says Horacio.
Latin America is booming. And our colleagues in Buenos Aires, Argentina are well placed to help you profit from the many value opportunities south of the border. They have launched an email report service entitled Informe Moneyweek that covers both Latin American and international investment opportunities. It’s written daily in Spanish by South American market experts, Horacio Pozzo and Paola Pecora. If this is something you would be interested in, I encourage you to click here … and by the way, it’s free!
Markets and Money


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Failure. It’s the thing that entrepreneurs fear the most, a perennial threat to livelihood that lurks in the background of every decision and wrong turn.
Recent figures released by credit reporting agency Dun & Bradstreet show the number of businesses that fail remains at historically high levels.
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A total of 2,340 enterprises fell over in the March quarter of this year, on the back of 10,039 business failures in 2010, when the number of enterprises that went to the wall jumped by 23 per cent.
But is a business failure really such a bad thing? In the US there is much more acceptance of business failures and there is an understanding that entrepreneurs can learn a lot from having one, if not more, of their projects fail to fly.
One of the US’s most famous presidents, Abraham Lincoln, survived numerous failed businesses and botched attempts at entering Congress before finally achieving success.
We spoke to three business people who walked away from a venture before going on to bigger and better things as a result of what they learned from their experiences – and how they managed to dust themselves off to try again.
US serial entrepreneur Justin Kan, one of the pioneers of the “lifecasting” phenomenon has first-hand experience about what you can learn from making mistakes in business.
One of his first ventures was an early version of his existing business, Justin.tv.
He says: “We started Justin.tv in 2006 as our own reality show, with the idea of carrying a camera around 24/7 and trying to do entertaining things.
“We worked really hard to get the technology right and when we launched we got tons of press on the Today Show and MTV and other shows.
“After we got all this coverage people were going to the site, but they weren’t staying to watch.”
Kan sought some initial feedback from viewers and learned some hard lessons.
“We found out we were pretty boring to watch,” he says. We’re really engineers and we’d failed to make an entertaining show.
“But we also learned that there were a lot of other people out there who wanted to make their own shows.”
He took that feedback on board and turned Justin.tv into a platform where anyone can broadcast.
“We now have more than 30 million unique visitors a month and several million people have created their own channel on the site,” he says.
That wasn’t Kan’s only experience with a failed business idea. He also started Kiko, a calendar that could be used with Gmail, when he was straight out of college.
“We were students, so we didn’t have a lot of appointments and no real use for a calendar, so we didn’t know how to build a good one and it didn’t get any traction,” he says.
“Two months later Google came out with its own calendar and killed the business, but we eventually sold the software and the site on eBay for $258,100, which wasn’t a bad result.”
He also experienced trying times before he cracked the big time.
After buying and then selling a landmark Sydney pub, The Roxbury in Glebe, McEvoy came up with a concept for an internet business called Booking Angel.
The idea was that restaurants would pay a small fee for bookings made through the site.
“The site got some traction and I ended up in the US crashing on friends’ couches looking for investors,” he says.


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According to a recent discovery by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently notices impending features lurking in the back-end code of apps. According to Paluzzi’s most recent research, Instagram is currently creating a new function for Reels called “Achievements.”
As you can see in the tweet given below, a user Reels option may soon include a new “Achievements” section that would show different badges depending on how well your Reel performed, like the cool terms “Trendsetter” and “Creative Streak“.
The idea seems to be an achievement, that would only be visible to the user, serving as a motivating factor to encourage users to post more Reels more frequently.
Instagram presumably believes that users want as many Reels as possible across the board in the app.
Instagram might be able to identify top creators through achievement badges and invite them to the program, which could encourage even more of them to post in the hopes of getting paid.
Are more people watching Reels on Instagram because they actually enjoy them, or is it just that the platform is showing you more Reels to entice clicks?
To be fair, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri claimed that users were already watching an increasing amount of videos on the app and that adding more Reels was just a way to capitalize on these trends.
Working towards its competition apps, Instagram is just really keen to make Reels happen again. This is just one more front in the larger battle for users’ attention between all the platforms.
Would Reels Achievements encourage more Reels to be posted? In fact, it most likely would.
However, Instagram will continue to push forward, and Achievements might be its next move in this direction.


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Roger P. Gimbel, President of Gimbel & Associates, was the Master of Ceremonies for a luxury cruise auction during the Endless Summer New York Fashion Week Event on September 5, 2019 hosted by Jackie Holliday Fashions and held at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.
Gimbel & Associates donated a private cruise on the new Hattrick Yacht. The 82ft luxury yacht cruise includes a VIP Tour and Tasting with Luncheon at a North Fork, LI Winery for 20 guests.
Gimbel & Associates attendees at the Holliday event also included Gail Gimbel, Executive Director and Kristin Anderson, Senior Consultant
Proceeds from the event benefited Yamba Malawi Charity. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and YambaMalawi.org helps to create new beginnings for children and lasting change for their communities. Roger Gimbel sports the newest Jackie Holliday jacket in blue silk with rose pattern during the Endless Summer charity auction.


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Briefly: Simon & Schuster settles; 9M Galaxy S III preorders; 10.1" Kindle FirePublisher Simon & Schuster has settled an e-book antitrust lawsuit brought by attorneys general from 29 states in the U.S., while a new report claims Samsung achieved nine million preorders for its Galaxy S III smartphone. Also, a rumor claims Amazon is suspending plans for an 8.9-inch Kindle Fire in favor of a 10.1-inch model due out later this year.
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster became the third of five major publishers to reach a settlement with an antitrust lawsuit that now counts 29 states as its plaintiffs, CNet reported on Thursday.
The complaint had accused the publishers of colluding with Apple on an e-book price fixing scheme. According to the report, attorneys general from Texas and 15 other states filed the complaint and were later joined by several other states.
Apple and some of the publishers also face an antitrust complaint from the U.S. Department of Justice and a class-action lawsuit from consumers. The iPad maker has said it is looking to go to trial in the DoJ case because it wants to validate that the suit is "not an appropriate case against" it. Hachette, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins have each reached settlement agreements with the Justice Department.
The price fixing allegations arise from talks that Apple and the publishers held to decide to switch e-books from the wholesale model that Amazon was using for its Kindle to an agency model for iBooks that would let publishers set their own prices. Shortly after the launch of the iBookstore, e-book prices rose from Amazon's subsidized price of $9.99.
Galaxy S III
A Samsung official reportedly told the Korea Economic Daily off the record that customers had placed roughly nine million preorders of the company's Galaxy S III handset across over 100 carriers globally, as noted by Reuters.
The South Korean electronics maker first unveiled the Galaxy S III earlier this month. The smartphone has a quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen.
According to one recent analysis, the device's predecessor, the Galaxy S II, is the most popular Android phone. Among nearly 681,900 devices tracked by OpenSignalMaps, the Galaxy S II made up 9 percent of the total. Overall, Samsung represented roughly 40 percent of Android devices monitored by the app maker.
Apple and Samsung have been in close competition for the top spot among global smartphone makers. Though Samsung has stopped providing specific figures on smartphone sales, market research estimates proclaimed the company as the leader in the first quarter of 2012.
In comparison to the alleged Galaxy S III preorder numbers, the iPhone 4S, Apple's most-recent smartphone, had record first-day preorders of one million units last October. Apple declined to say exactly how many advance orders it took overall, but it did announce that the first weekend of iPhone 4S sales set a record with four million units.
10.1-inch Kindle Fire
DigiTimes cited "the latest market rumors" on Friday as saying that Amazon will likely release a 10.1-inch Kindle Fire in the third-quarter of 2012. The company also was believed to be "tentatively suspending" the launch of a rumored 8.9-inch model.
Amazon is reportedly making the move to "focus its competition against Apple's iPad," the publication cited industry sources as saying. The insiders also said that the 8.9-inch model had been meant to challenge Samsung's Galaxy Note tablets.
Sources went on to estimate that Amazon could attain 30-40 million tablet PC orders this year. It should be noted, however, that DigiTimes' sources have a spotty track record.
Though the Kindle Fire got off to an impressive start late last year, sales may have slowed going into 2012. Data released by IDC earlier this month showed that Kindle Fire sales dropped to just 4 percent of sales in the first quarter of this year, down from 16.8 percent in the holiday quarter of 2011. Apple's share of global tablet sales was estimated to be at 68 percent in the March quarter.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told AppleInsider last year that Amazon was working on a 10.1-inch Kindle tablet codenamed "Coyote" alongside development of an 8.9-inch tablet. However, suppliers were believed to have experienced difficulty with Amazon's requirements for the 8.9-inch device.


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Judge Lucy Koh denied Samsung’s request over the weekend for summary judgement in all twelve of its patent infringement claims against Apple. The two companies have been fighting in court for months over mobile device patent infringement allegations, and recently Apple managed to win two U.S. preliminary injunctions blocking the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet and the Galaxy Nexus smartphone.
Samsung loses request for summary judgement in patent infringement case
“Samsung attacked the validity of each and every one of the intellectual property rights asserted by Apple at this stage as well as Apple’s FRAND-related antitrust claims, and failed all the way,” said Florian Muller of Foss Patents. “It is very unusual for such a multi-pronged motion by a major industry player to fail entirely.”
Judge Koh’s ruling helps underscore what appears to be a growing belief that Samsung is stepping on Apple’s patents as do the preliminary injunctions she granted.
Mr. Muller added, “I think the litigation has reached a point at which Judge Koh realizes perfectly well that Samsung and its ‘partner in crime’ Google are infringers (whose counterclaims are dubious at least), and that the full force of the law must be brought to bear.”
Apple won its first preliminary injunction against Samsung last week against the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet and promptly paid the US$2.6 million bond to enforce it. Only days later, Judge Koh granted Apple a second preliminary injunction, this time blocking sales of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone.
Even though Samsung has been hit hard by the court rulings it doesn’t mean the electronics maker is down for the count, although its arguments may be hard to back up at trial. Samsung has been presenting patents considered standards essential in its case — a strategy that isn’t sitting well with the Judges that have been overseeing the various parts of the case.
Samsung is appealing the injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Neither company has commented on Judge Koh’s ruling on Samsung’s summary judgement request.


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Auto giant Renault India will be following other big names such as Chevrolet, Nissan and Honda in raising the prices of its vehicles from January 2013. The auto makers in India are being forced to increase the prices of their vehicles due to rising input costs and rupee depreciation.
Renault will be increasing the prices of its vehicles by 1.5 percent across its range, which includes the Pulse hatchback, Scala mid-sized sedan, Duster SUV, Koleos SU and Fluence D-Segment sedan. The prices of Renault cars in India range from Rs. 4.27 lakh ex-showroom for the entry level Pulse to the Rs. 23 lakh (ex-showroom – Delhi) for the Koleos.
Sumit Sawhney, the executive director of sales and marketing for Renault, while talking about the price rise said, “We have to follow suit with the rest of the industry as input costs have gone up tremendously. We tried to absorb the increase as much as possible, but now we are forced to pass on some of the burden to our customers as high input cost coupled with high inflation are all eating in to our bottom line.”
Sawhney added that the company has tried their best to keep costs at a level where it would not impact demand and are sure that customers will still see a lot of value in their products.


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The United Automobile Workers union reached an agreement Saturday with Stellandis, the parent company of Chrysler, Jeep and Ram, on a new labor contract, a person familiar with the matter said Saturday.
The deal comes three days after the union and Ford Motor Company announced a tentative agreement on a new deal. Both contracts contain many of the same or similar provisions, including a 25 percent general wage increase for UAW members and the possibility of cost-of-living wage adjustments if inflation increases.
The tentative agreement with Stellandis will require approval by the union council, which oversees negotiations with the company, and then approval by UAW members.
The deal with Stellandis is the only General Motors that has yet to reach an agreement with the UAW
The union’s agreement with the three automakers was signed on Sept. Expired on 15 The union has since called on more than 45,000 auto workers at three companies in factories and 38 spare parts warehouses across the country to walk off the job.
The most recent escalation of the strike at Stellandis on Monday was when the UAW told workers to go on strike at the Ram plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., which makes the popular 1500 pickup truck. The strike halted production of Jeep Wranglers and Jeep Gladiators at a plant and 20 Stellandis parts warehouses in Toledo, Ohio.
For decades, the union negotiated identical contracts with all three automakers, known as pattern bargaining. Like the deal with Ford, the tentative Stellantis contract would raise UAW wages from $32 an hour to $40 an hour over four and a half years. This would allow employees working 40 hours per week to earn $84,000 per year.
Stellandis, GM and Ford began negotiations with the UAW in July. With labor costs already higher than those of automakers such as Tesla, Toyota and Honda, which operate non-union plants in the U.S., the companies have sought to contain increases in labor costs.
All three major U.S. automakers are trying to control costs while investing billions of dollars to build new electric vehicles, build battery plants and retool factories.
Located in Amsterdam, Stellandis was formed in 2021 by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and French automaker Peugeot. The company’s North American business near Detroit is its most profitable.
Stellandis recently surprised analysts by posting stronger profits than GM, the largest US automaker by sales. Stellandis earned 11 billion euros ($11.6 billion) in the first half of the year, while GM earned nearly $5 billion.
Noam Schieber Contributed report.


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- 7-Eleven and General Mills are teaming up again to introduce the new Pillsbury Stuffed Waffle, according to Baking Business. The new breakfast item, which is served hot, will be available exclusively at 7-Eleven stores.
- The Pillsbury Stuffed Waffle consists of a maple-flavored waffle, stuffed with egg, cheese and a sausage patty. The 4.5 ounce waffle will retail for $2.49.
- "People know they shouldn't skip breakfast, but most days they don't have the time to prepare a hot breakfast and sit down to eat it,” said Kelly Buckley, vice-president of fresh food innovation for 7-Eleven. “The Pillsbury Stuffed Waffle is a quick and delicious solution."
Watch out, McGriddle. There’s a new waffle sandwich in town, and its cheaper, too.
The target audience for this exclusive collaboration between General Mills and 7-Eleven will likely be the same on-the-go consumer who would buy a McGriddle at McDonald's. They’re fast, easy to hold for eating while driving, filling and inexpensive.
The Pillsbury Stuffed Waffle won’t just be available to busy customers at breakfast. The hot wrap will be offered 24 hours a day to meet growing demand for breakfast items around the clock, and increased snacking in-between meals.
General Mills and 7-Eleven have worked together in the past to create similar exclusive items. In 2015, General Mills launched Pillsbury Minis, and in 2013, the company introduced Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls in 7-Eleven stores nationwide. The collaboration must have been a success, as they both keep returning to this partnership for new product launches.
Retailer exclusives are a popular trend right now. Manufacturers and retailers have found success with exclusive product launches, and consumers are responsive to it. For the retailer, it's a way to differentiate themselves from its competitors with a one-of-a-kind product that consumers can't get anywhere else. It also draws in customers who ultimately spend more on other items in the store. Retailers and manufacturers also benefit from hype surrounding the product, especially if it's a limited-time item or available in short supply.
In 2016, Hostess teamed up with Wal-Mart to develop a frozen Deep-Fried Twinkies. Hostess set up shop right in Walmart’s test kitchens, speeding up the R&D process and getting the product on store shelves faster. Hostess benefits from having an R&D partner to help shoulder some of the cost. In addition, they score coveted placement in the grocery giant.
Lidl announced earlier this year that its U.S. stores will carry an exclusive “high-end, yet affordable” fashion line from fashion designer Heidi Klum. And Dollar General said offered exclusive branded products for the summer, including Oreo Mississippi Mud Pie cookies, a 16-ounce Coca-Cola can series honoring military veterans, Regal Cinemas brand popcorn and an exclusive six-pack of Motts mango juice.
The Pillsbury Stuffed Waffle should be a success for both General Mills and 7-Eleven, as it’s both an on-the-go food and snack item. Most of Nielsen's top food trends of 2016 were products that are easier for people to grab and eat whenever they want, which is exactly what the Stuffed Waffle offers. In addition, more than 40% of consumers ages 18 to 35 say they regularly snack between meals.
General Mills will benefit from this partnership by having a retailer that is guaranteed to sell its product. 7-Eleven gets the perk of being able to say they’re the exclusive retailer of a new Pillsbury product. It’s a win-win for both sides, unless consumers decide they don’t want another waffle sandwich.


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Consumers are being inspired by nostalgia for retro fashion during lockdown, with new research suggesting a soaring demand for vintage clothing in the UK.
According to UK vintage retailer Cloak Vintage, Google Shopping searches for vintage fashion has skyrocketed, due to the popularity of 1980s themed shows being binge-watched and an increase in online shopping.
Google Shopping searches for ‘Vintage Shirts’ increased by 94 percent in December 2020, and again by 50 percent in March 2021, while ‘80s Sweater’ searches saw a “huge spike” in the last week of February.
Social media is also driving vintage demand, with the hashtag #VintageClothing and #VintageFashion both being used on more than 10 million posts in 2021.
Cloak Vintage explains that it is being driven by the popularity of 1980s shows like It’s A Sin, with the hashtag #1980s being used for 2,056,250 posts, and #80sFashion for 1,735,984 posts.
Over the last six months, Cloak Vintage, known for selling retro clothing for men and women, has reported a 134 percent increase in revenue and an 80 percent increase in traffic.
Robert Wisely, managing director of Cloak Vintage, said in a statement: “The 1980s were a really iconic time for fashion, and it’s amazing to see it coming back in such a big way. For a long time, muted colours and simple shapes were a big trend thanks to influencers like the Kardashians, but we’re seeing a huge surge in bright, bold fashion that makes a statement.
“The popularity of shows like ‘It’s a Sin’ and ‘Stranger Things’ has undoubtedly impacted our nostalgia for retro fashion, and combined with the time spent binge-watching due to lockdowns, and an increase in online shopping, we’ve seen a staggering spike in sales and traffic.
“It’s great to see a move away from fast fashion, and into more eco-friendly and sustainable fashion options.”


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The brainchild behind Dawg Grog, is 32 year old brewer Daniel Keeton who works at the Boneyard Brewery of Bend, Oregon when he’s not at home perfecting his mutt-friendly beer.
The beer itself is made with wort, or spelt grain that Keeton gathers from the shop floor of his day job when it gets left over in the process of making the real beer.
“I’m recycling a spent product that would otherwise go down the drain,” said Keeton.
“I’ve had a lot of people say dogs love human beer,” he added. “But obviously that’s not good for dogs, so I wanted to make an alternative that’s fun to give to your dog as well as a beneficial healthy treat.”
The first batches of Dawg Grog went on sale in Bend, and comes in half litre bottles.
When asked what his brew tasted like, Keeton responded “It’s sweet and kind of caramelly and malty,” before adding that it was best enjoyed on its own (presumably not in a tall glass) or poured over a lovely bowl of dog food.


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There’s one threat that bonds traditional retailers and their online-only competitors — one big thing they can commiserate about: Amazon.com
Amazon is getting bigger and smarter and is sucking all the oxygen in the retail space from both small online retailers to the biggest traditional store-based merchants. As big retailers like Macy’s, Kohl’s, Gap and Victoria’s Secret reported financial results this week that showed they couldn’t get any traction, some fingers point to Amazon, or at least at the disruption that it’s leading.
Last year, Amazon accounted for 60 percent of all U.S. online sales growth, according to Forrester Research. Forrester estimated that Amazon captured $23 billion more in U.S. e-commerce sales in 2015 including its third-party marketplace. It’s not only the largest e-commerce company, but its growth has outpaced overall online retailing.
Amazon has everyone hopping to deliver everything to you faster. Now it’s getting into the apparel business with its own clothing labels. But instead of slapping Amazon Basics on its new fashion apparel the way it did in 2009 with batteries, cables, cords and electronics identical to RadioShack-branded mainstays, it’s made up new labels. The under-the-radar brands were first reported by Women’s Wear Daily earlier this year: Franklin & Freeman, Franklin Tailored, James & Erin, Lark & Ro, North Eleven, Scout + Ro and Society New York.
Seattle-based Nordstrom reported weaker sales this week as well.
“It’s not a regional thing. It’s not a product specific thing. It’s happening to everybody,” Pete Nordstrom, co-president, told WWD in an interview Thursday.
“Clearly Amazon is a major factor in our industry. No doubt about it. How much does it impact us, I don’t know, but we take it really seriously,” Nordstrom told the fashion business publication.
Amazon’s impact on stores is coming as malls are losing traffic. It’s a double whammy for department stores which have been the traditional anchors for America’s malls since they were invented fifty years ago.
Companies collectively have been spending billions of dollars to compete with Amazon which seems to have moved the shopping epicenter to the home even though about 90 percent of U.S. retail sales still happen in stores. It’s forcing everyone to think of same-day delivery whether it works for their business models or not.
“Amazon has singled-handedly made same-day delivery the new standard,” said Daphne Carmeli, founder and CEO of Deliv. “We all expect it because Amazon told us we should.”
Deliv provides same-day delivery for major retailers including Macy’s, Best Buy, Williams-Sonoma and Walgreens and several e-commerce companies such as Plated, Google Express, BloomThat and FarFetch. The world’s largest shipping company UPS made a $28 million investment in Deliv in February. In March, Amazon said it will lease 20 Boeing 767 widebody jets for its own air-cargo network.
“So if you’re doing business in this world, you need a response, and that’s what’s driving everything, thankfully for us,” Carmeli said. She will be speaking on a panel next week at a conference in Las Vegas called Shop Talk, which for its debut will bring together legacy retailers and venture capital-backed companies that are disrupting retailers. (The conference is sold out with 3,000 attendees and includes 375 CEOs from both old and new companies.)
Last month, Best Buy added same-day delivery to 11 more markets including Dallas, the announcement followed Amazon’s free same-day delivery for Prime members offered in more cities.
This week, Wal-Mart, which as the largest U.S. retailer has struggled to grow its online business, said a pilot program designed to compete with Amazon Prime just got faster. Wal-Mart began offering a three-day free shipping service last year with a $50 annual member fee and called it the “Shipping Pass” program. Now that pilot program offers a two-day free shipping, and the annual fee was cut by $1 to $49. Wal-Mart won’t say where it’s being tested, but a spokesman did say it’s not in Texas yet, but people can join a waitlist.
Even omnipresent Google is losing out on product searches as the growing list of Amazon Prime customers skip Google’s home page for their go-to shopping site. Amazon doesn’t release the exact number of its Prime members but has said the number who pay $99 a year for free shipping and other perks are in the tens of millions. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners estimated it jumped 35 percent last year to 54 million, or about one in five adults. Those memberships are shared within households which makes Amazon’s customer count much bigger.
All retail companies — whether they operate only online, only in stores or in both — cannot minimize the impact of Amazon on their business, said Richard Last, senior director at University of North Texas’ Digital Retailing Research Center.
Wall Street research firm Cowen & Co. said this week the recent poor results from traditional retailers strengthens its prediction from last year that Amazon will supplant Macy’s as the largest U.S. seller of clothing in 2017. In April, Cowen also forecast that Amazon will move ahead of Target, CVS and Walgreens to be the No. 2 consumable retailer behind Wal-Mart.
It may already be the No. 2 retailer, period, behind Wal-Mart, Last said.
“If you calculate the gross merchandise value of all sales transacted through Amazon’s shopping cart, including Marketplace, they are the equivalent of the number two retailer behind Wal-Mart, and they continue to see strong double-digit growth,” he said.
Amazon’s recent grocery focus represents a big threat to the consumables category, Last said. “It is a real challenge for retailers to compete with Amazon’s unique technology-driven business model.”
Wal-Mart and Kroger are quickly trying to get Dallas area consumers accustomed to new grocery services that allow them to order online and pick up at the curbside. Wal-Mart started rolling it out last year and Kroger has plans for this summer.
Close stores? Keep them open?
Then there’s the ongoing pressure from Wall Street on traditional retailers to close big numbers of stores which stems from Amazon’s progress as it picks off categories from books, consumables, electronics and now apparel.
“There’s a real strategic shift to e-commerce, and business will continue to shift online. But we can do both,” said J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison. “If a pure play retailer acquired a company with 1,000 stores, I doubt they’d be rushing to close them all.”
When stores close, customers don’t just automatically shift their business to the same retailer’s online store. Last November during a conference call with analysts, Penney’s chief financial officer Ed Record said there’s “a misperception out there that when you close a store, those sales just transfer online.”
Retailers are using their stores as mini-fulfillment centers and believe they have an advantage as a place where customers can pick up orders they don’t want left at their doorstep. Stores also can give immediate refunds on returns. Traditional retailers are also building up their private label apparel, which represents about 20 percent of the assortment at Macy’s and doubles when exclusives it gets from vendors are added in.
At Plano-based Penney, private label brands represent just over 50 percent of the store, but that number will be rising, Ellison said.
To offer shoppers products that Amazon doesn’t have, Penney is “aggressively working to increase that percentage,” he said. “We want national brands that matter and a strong stable of private brands, which offer a level of protection as we compete online.”
Ellison said Amazon may be finding out how hard it is to create its own apparel brands.
“Read the customer reviews,” he said. “Trust me, they matter. The wisdom of the society that we live in is more important than any marketing.”


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When managers at Pittsfield, Massachusetts-based KB Toys decided to join the digital revolution, they did what lots of managers at traditional brick-and-mortar companies are doing.
They built an independent organization with a separate name (KBkids.com), staff, compensation, and funding. Then they located it two time zones away. “We decided to make the brick-and-click an independent entity, based on what we perceived were two different cultures,” explains Michael Wagner, chief operating officer and former CFO at KBkids.com, in Denver, Colorado.
By separating the two cultures, Wagner says KB Toys management wasn’t forced to impose traditional retailing constraints on the creativity of its E-tailing business. More important, the distance between the operations meant the new kids on the block didn’t ruffle the feathers of employees working at the parent company. Says Wagner: “There’s no animosity toward the new generation and their different ways — because they’re thousands of miles away.”
Some consultants say putting a little geography between the established and the upstart is a wise move. These days, as traditional manufacturing and service companies move increasingly toward E-business, corporate managers face a balancing act. The launch of an E-commerce business at an old-economy company means managers must oversee dissimilar corporate cultures — often with radically different psychological profiles and work habits.
Encouraging out-of-the-box thinking, managers must still be guided by familiar signposts. “You can have a really creative person in charge of the Internet project,” says Richard Halpenny, CFO at VNU Business Publishing Europe, the $290 million-in-revenues company based in London (part of the Netherlands-based VNU Group). “But you’ve got to put a good financial accountant behind him, who manages business in a traditional way.”
The managing can get complicated, particularly since performance goals for a traditional company and its E-tailing operation often vary dramatically. No one knows this better than finance chiefs. As Frans Blom, vice president of Boston Consulting Group’s (www.bcg.com) E-business division in Amsterdam, notes: “It’s an enormous challenge for the CFO to have to steer on totally different metrics.”
While steering, finance managers must also make sure workers at the traditional and digital operations pull together — especially during the early stages of an E-tail rollout. Mishandled, a dot-com launch can devolve into a nasty turf war, with employees squabbling over titles, resources, and salaries. Add the specter of a spin-off of the dot-com — with potentially lucrative employee stock options — and you’ve got the makings of a John Woo movie.
Some corporate managers, looking to avoid the ugliness, have chosen to dot-com — that is, establish discrete organizations for old and new. Department store giant Wal-Mart, for instance, runs its traditional retailing operation from Bentonville, Arkansas. The company’s E-tailing business is situated in the heart of Silicon Valley — 1,500 miles away. Barnes & Noble also went the separate-but-equal route — so separate that the book retailer spun off its virtual operation. The bookseller may not have had much choice. “Basically, they sutured a dot-com to a brick and mortar, without having thought through the holistic aspects of the business,” offers Mary Pat McCarthy, global vice chair of the information, communication, and entertainment practice at KPMG LLP (www.us.kpmg.com).


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Quality in products and services will be a major factor for U.S. businesses in the 1990s, according to Jerry Jasinowski, president of the National Association of Manufacturers.
Many positive things have been happening in the United States on quality and many manufacturers have increased their quality to international levels. At the same time quality is increasing, so is productivity, Jasinowski said.Jasinowski, who was in Utah last week to participate in a Utah State University seminar on quality and productivity, also spoke during a luncheon in the Red Lion Hotel for the Partners in Business program.
In several industries, Jasinowski said, unions are participating in the quality upgrade program, but in others they are dragging their feet. In many instances, the lack of quality has been management's fault, but many managers now are leading the quality parade by being role models.
He encouraged his audience to push quality products and services and said Americans should have a better perception of the things they produce and sell. "Too often we sell ourselves short," he said.
Pointing to a recent survey, Jasinowski said business will be faced with increased global competition in the 1990s and the best market for American products and services will be western Europe because it will be that area that must help eastern European countries in their push for democracy and economic reforms.
He said the U.S.-Canadian Trade Agreement has been signed and negotiations are going on for a trade agreement with Mexico, a further indication of the global nature of doing business today.
Recalling the recent Earth Day events, Jasinowski said environmental policies of business will become more important in the 1990s with the issues varying from location to location. He said business has made some great strides in dealing with the environment, but serious problems remain, such as toxic wastes and auto emissions.
Touching on the American economic situation, Jasinowski said NAM is concerned that interest rates will increase in the next few years. He is also concerned that West German interest rates will increase, and coupled with recent events in the Japanese stock market, the situation could get worse unless the Federal Reserve Board takes steps to keep interest rates down.


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NEW YORK -- Two regional grocery trade groups -- the Rocky Mountain Food Dealers and Gulf Coast Grocery associations -- have named new executive leaders.
Star Market, Hudson, Colo., who has completed his second two-year term as president.
Todd is president of Toddy's, Greeley, Colo.
Other new officers in the Rocky Mountain association are Mike Parker, general manager of Decker's Food Centers, Gilette, Wyo., vice president; J.R. Walker, owner of Limon Super Foods, Limon, Colo., secretary, and Mac McDowell, owner of Jack and Jill Food Markets, Wheatland, Wyo., treasurer.
In Houston, Joe Williams has been named executive director of the Gulf Coast Grocery Association, which was formerly known as the Retail Grocers Association of Houston.


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McLEAN, VA-The resurgence of manufacturing following the crash of 2008 is unprecedented, says the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT). The most current U.S. manufacturing technology orders put the year-to-date total at $4,529.11 million, which is up 80.5% compared with 2010 and are the second highest dollar amount in the last 15 years. As of October, manufacturing technology orders had already surpassed the total value accumulated in 2007.
“It’s long been recognized that analysis of manufacturing technology orders provides a reliable leading economic indicator, as it is an indicator that manufacturing firms are investing in capital equipment to increase their capacity and improve productivity,” says AMT President Douglas K. Woods. “Manufacturing technology provides a foundation for all other manufacturing. These machines and devices are the equipment that turn raw materials such as steel, iron, plastic, ceramics, composites, and alloys from their original state as stock materials into what will become durable goods such as airplanes, cars, and appliances, as well as consumer and other goods that are used every day.”
The Midwest and Central regions of the United States have seen the greatest surge in manufacturing technology orders. The Midwest’s manufacturing technology orders in 2011 are 105% more than the comparable figure for 2010. This large increase is the result of the region’s large traditional customer base.
It is also where the oldest equipment resides and the industries impacted most by the weak dollar and reshoring trend are located. The Central region pick-up - 85% higher compared to 2010-was powered by the growth in the energy business and secondly by the automotive industry.
Beyond manufacturing technology, overall U.S. manufacturing is robust. Despite the past several years trend of offshoring, the value of U.S. manufacturing output increased by one-third to $1.65 trillion between 1972 and the 2008 recession. Even though China accounted for 19.8% of global manufacturing value in 2010, the U.S. was strong with a share of 19.4%.
“The factors that are fueling this tremendous surge are the traditional reasons that drive growth in investment, but what is unusual about the current rebound is that all factors have come together at one time,” Woods says. “This is something that’s never been seen before and as a result we are seeing a true renaissance for manufacturing in the United States.”
“American manufacturers rushed to beat the end-of-year bonus depreciation deadline,” he continues. “Inventories were low, something we’ve never experienced going into a recession, and that accounts for the quick rebound. Exports are rising as American manufacturers meet overseas demand. Manufacturing technology from the U.S. is less expensive than foreign equipment, and U.S.-made goods are more price competitive than many imports due to the weak dollar.”
The average age of machinery currently in use at U.S. manufacturing facilities crept up from nine years in 2007 to 13.5 years, and as demand started to increase the need for investment to replace the aging equipment became apparent. Those investments are being made in completely new technology. Multi-operation machines are profoundly impacting productivity. Water jet cutting and hydroforming are experiencing massive growth because they offer all the benefits of traditional processes but eliminate distortion and deformation. Additive manufacturing is growing, nano machining has become commercially affordable, and the availability of new materials, such as compact powdered metals, is having a tremendous impact. Plus, the emergence of cloud manufacturing, which promotes collaborative efforts across organizations, is opening new doors to manufacturers.
Expanding markets worldwide are playing an important role as manufacturing grows. China seems insatiable and accounts for almost one half of the world’s total consumption of manufacturing technology. India’s economy is growing at double the Western economy’s rate, with expectations for more China-like development soon. As it prepares for major world events including the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup competition, South America faces the challenge of building infrastructure that can support the events. Russia, South Africa, the Middle East and South Asia are on the fringe, but nevertheless contribute to growth in the global manufacturing economy.
Another factor boosting U.S. manufacturing is the reshoring phenomenon. More work is coming back to the United States from foreign shores and there is greater foreign direct investment in U.S. facilities. The quality of work in the United States is proving to be more valuable than originally thought in the off-shoring investment calculation. Companies face increasing costs in logistics issues with the delivery of components and the exporting of completed products to North America. Add to that the rapidly increasing labor costs in traditionally “low-cost” labor markets, and the continued decline of labor in the overall share of total production cost, and the reshoring picture becomes clear. “When the the total cost of manufacturing is calculated, the United States is a very favorable environment,” Woods notes.
“In fact, new research from the Boston Consulting Group shows that transportation goods such as vehicles and auto parts, construction equipment, appliances, electrical equipment and furniture are among the sectors that could create up to three million jobs as a result of manufacturing returning to the United States,” Woods says.
The outlook for 2012 remains positive, AMT says. It says that the weak dollar is making exports strong; reshoring is in full bloom and the manufacturing base is reinvesting in the latest tools. Energy will continue to be a large investor in manufacturing technology and the automotive industry is making major changes to address green issues, which will lead to significant investments in production technology, as well as spending to support the shift of the industry’s center from Detroit to the South/Southwest, it notes. In addition, AMT advises that aerospace green field investments will continue in the Southeast and West.
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Gov. Heineman Signs Incentive Package Designed to Create 21st Century Jobs (May 26)
(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman was joined by legislative leaders to sign into law the new generation of benefits designed to enhance Nebraska's competitive edge by expanding existing businesses and attracting new opportunities to the state. The Nebraska Advantage, LB 312 and LB 90, emphasizes job creation and training for Nebraska workers.
"This package is essential to growing Nebraska's economy," Gov. Heineman said. "It's important that Nebraskans understand the hard work and cooperation that went into this package and I want to commend everyone involved for making the future of our state a priority.
"It is gratifying to know that this package addresses the needs of businesses and communities of every size, from fledgling entrepreneurs to large corporations and manufacturers looking to expand in Nebraska and will provide a more equitable playing field for our small businesses trying to compete in the global marketplace."
The Nebraska Advantage was designed to create a business climate that makes Nebraska the preferred location for starting and growing a business. The long-term goals of the package are to promote growth of existing companies through job retention and new capital investments; to increase the number of successful startup business ventures in the state; foster the commercialization of new products and ideas; and to recognize the different needs of Nebraska's many industries.
Sen. Dave Landis, Chairman of the Legislature's Revenue Committee and sponsor of LB 312, said, "The team that has forged this bill hopes it represents a focused, targeted and energetic approach to expanding economic opportunities in Nebraska."
A new component of the incentives package is the Nebraska Small Business Advantage, which is part of a larger program that sets out incentives for companies that impact communities through capital investments ranging from $1 million to $30 million, and job creation ranging from 10 to 100 new jobs. The first of five tiers allows companies making a $1 million investment and creating 10 jobs to qualify for tax credits.
Concepts originally proposed as separate legislative bills also have been incorporated into the structure of LB 312 and LB 90, including state and local sales tax exemptions for the purchase of manufacturing machinery, equipment and related services.
The Nebraska Research and Development Advantage allows qualifying research and development companies to claim a tax credit equal to 3 percent of increased expenses related to research and development.
The Nebraska Micro-Enterprise Tax Credit Program allows a business with five or fewer employees that makes up to $10,000 in new investment in an economically struggling community or area will qualify for a 20 percent refundable investment tax credit.
Originally proposed by the Governor, the Nebraska Rural Development Advantage amends the Employment Expansion and Investment Incentive Act, formerly LB 608 passed in 2003, to provide qualified businesses with refundable tax incentives for projects that create two new jobs and invest $125,000 in counties with less than 15,000 residents.
"I am very pleased we were able to make rural economic development a priority by extending this program to small businesses in our smaller counties," Gov. Heineman said. "This will help ensure small business owners have an opportunity to play a role in the future growth of their communities through investments made in their own business growth."
LB 90, the second bill making up the Nebraska Advantage, addresses rural development and emphasizes the contributions made by Nebraska's entrepreneurs, as well as agricultural and value-added industries, including alternative fuels such as ethanol.
Sen. Roger Wehrbein, sponsor of LB 90, said, "I am pleased that we've been able to make a significant investment in Nebraska's many ethanol projects and that we've done it in a reasonable manner. This bill provides many new opportunities and will support the efforts of local leaders to encourage rural community development for years to come."
The Nebraska Agriculture Innovation Advantage reauthorizes a value-added grant program, providing grants up to $75,000 to cooperatives, groups or associations to help offset the costs of research, education, training and market development of value- added products sold by producers.
The Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act provides grants of up to $75,000 to rural communities to implement collaborative projects addressing issues related to chronic economic distress, unemployment, below-average per capita income, and severe population loss.
Earlier in the week the Governor signed $15 million for job training as part of the mainline budget. The Nebraska Customized Job Training Advantage provides a flexible, discretionary custom job- training program to help ensure the state's workforce is prepared for advances in rapidly changing industries.
"Each of these components will help keep Nebraska's economy strong through greater investment in businesses of all sizes and the workforce of tomorrow," Gov. Heineman said.


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Airline group Flybe suffered its worst day in more than three years after the owner of London Southend Airport withdrew interest in buying it.
Shares in the UK carrier dropped almost 26pc when Stobart said it had been “unable to reach agreement on satisfactory terms”, after Flybe’s board rejected its proposal.
Stobart said it was “not in its shareholders’ best interests to increase its latest proposal for Flybe above the level which was rejected by the board”.
Flybe’s stock finished the day 12.1p lower at 34.6p, 21pc weaker than the 44p it was trading at this time last year. Flybe has suffered in the last 12 months from rising costs and an oversupply of planes, which are costly to lease and run. It plans to reduce its fleet to 70 planes, from its existing 79, by 2019-20 in order to boost its profits.
Despite reporting growth online and in the US, shares in Ted Baker slumped 380p, or 12.9pc, to £25.56 after its results failed to meet analysts’ forecasts. A cautious outlook over tough global trading sent the stock lower, even as it reported a 12pc rise in revenues.
Shares in consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser jumped 269p to £58.95 after the company pulled out of the bidding for Pfizer’s consumer health unit, assuaging worries that Reckitt would need to over-leverage or consider a dilutive rights issue. Investors will also be relieved that the company can now concentrate on the ongoing process to split the business into two units and integrate Mead Johnson, which it bought last year.
The FTSE 100 flirted with lows not seen since December 2016 as blue-chip stocks continued to suffer, with the index closing 86.38 points, or 1.2pc, lower at 6,952.59. Equities were hit by a gain in the value of the pound, which was trading around its highest value against the dollar since early February. Many of the FTSE 100’s constituents trade overseas, meaning they benefit from weaker sterling.
Shares in De La Rue took a 5.95pc hit, down 30p at 474p, after it emerged that it had lost out on a £490m contract to manufacture the new post-Brexit blue passport to Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto.
Boss Martin Sutherland said it was “disappointing and surprising” that “this icon of British identity is going to be manufactured in France”.
The slump added to a difficult day earlier this week when De La Rue’s finance director resigned and it reported a profit warning.
Elsewhere, observers might have wondered what was going on at Provident Financial: its shares lurched wildly during trading, down 25pc at one point only to jump 40pc later. However, this was due to what the City called a “technicality” brought about by a rights issue, which was rubber-stamped today. The underlying value of the stock is largely unaffected.


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Tesla installed the Magic Dock built-in CCS1 adapters at a site in Chugiak.
The company announced that its next-generation vehicles will incorporate the NACS charging connector (in North America).
The three companies announced the creation of a new company called ChargeScape.
It is installed in California.
Forget range anxiety; charging anxiety is now the No. 1 reason consumers aren't committing to EVs, according to Jim Farley.
The American company is the biggest beneficiary of the European Union’s latest funding scheme.
The electric automaker built five DC fast charging stations housing thirty chargers along the parkway.
The governmental display of ICEing did not go down well with a family who called the police because they couldn't charge their EV.
The new data reveals the average numbers for households in 2020.
It can charge up to 180 electric vehicles simultaneously.


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Helaina Alati was browsing the spice aisle of an Australian supermarket when she came face-to-face with a huge snake.
And in a coincidence appropriate for Oz, the spice shopper wasn’t phased in the least because she happened to be a snake catcher.
The head of the 10-foot-long non-venomous diamond python emerged through a space in a shelf above the spice jars in the Sydney store.
“I was in the spice aisle just looking for something to put on my chicken that night so I didn’t initially see it because it was curled up way back behind the little jars of spices,” Alati said Wednesday. “I kind of turned to my right and it poked its head out.”
Alati — who is a trained snake catcher — said the snake’s head came to within 8 inches of her own.
“Thankfully, I have a background in snakes so I was pretty calm about it. It definitely shocked me a little bit because I wasn’t expecting it,” she said.
Supermarket chain Woolworths confirmed in a statement that a “slippery and rare customer was spotted in the spice aisle” on Monday morning at its store in the suburb of Glenorie on Sydney’s northwest outskirts.
“Once it was sighted, our team members reacted quickly and calmly to cordon off the area for the safety of customers,” the statement said.
Alati said she used her phone to video the snake as it extended its body from the shelf into the aisle before reporting the intruder to supermarket staff.
“I said: ‘I’ll go get my snake bag.’ I think they thought I was a bit crazy to be honest. I don’t think they knew what to say when I said, ‘There’s a 10-foot python in your aisle,'” Alati said.
She retrieved a snake bag from her home, returned to the store, “tapped him on the tail and he just slithered in”.
She then released it away from houses in bushland – a natural habitat for the species around Sydney.
A trained snake handler, Ms Alati has conducted at least 20 snake rescues before. She says her friends have previously joked about her being “the snake girl”, referencing a zoo scene in a Harry Potter film where the boy wizard finds that he can talk to snakes.
Ms Alati says she can’t speak Parseltongue like Harry, but “that scene’s been mentioned to me a few times”.
“They kind of just gravitate to me, like maybe they just sense that I’m the kind of person into caring and protecting animals,” she said.
“To be honest, it’s the most exciting thing that’s happened in a little while given lockdown. The staff were all taking photos of it
Australia’s largest city has been in a lockdown since June to fight a Delta outbreak. Grocery shopping is one of the few reasons people are allowed to leave their homes.
Ms Alati said she suspected the snake had been in the shop overnight, probably initially in the ceiling where diamond pythons like to nestle.
It had probably lurked on the shelf all morning as “dozens of people… passed it and grabbed spices”, she added.


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Gartner Says Worldwide Security Software Market on Pace to Grow 8 Per Cent in 2009
Analysts Discuss the Key Issues Facing the Security Industry at the Gartner Information Security Summit 2009, 21-22 September, in London
In Europe, the security software market will total €3.2 billion in 2009, representing 7 per cent growth from 2008.
"Although the worldwide security software market is affected by the economic downturn, the growth will continue to be strong in 2009 as security remains a critical area where drastic cuts cannot be afforded," said Ruggero Contu, principal research analyst at Gartner. "In the medium term, the greatest growth opportunities will come from software as a service (SaaS), appliance based offering and small and medium businesses (SMBs), which are in security catch-up mode compared with large companies and therefore spend a higher percentage of their budgets on security."
In 2009, consumer security will remain the largest segment (in terms of total software revenue) in the security software market, representing 25 per cent of the total market. Gartner estimates it will account for $3.6 billion, growing 4 per cent in 2009. The enterprise security software market formed by a number of segments such as endpoint protection platform, email security boundary and user provisioning is predicted to account for $10.9 billion, reaching 9 per cent growth in 2009.
"The security software market in 2008 was characterised by a high level of consolidation with the examples of Mc Afee purchasing Secure Computing, Symantec and Sophos acquiring MessageLabs and Ultimaco, respectively. This is a sector where further consolidation is expected in the near future," said Mr Contu. "End-users are gradually moving to better-integrated multi-products, particularly in areas such as endpoint security and identity and access management. Vendors offering good integration in an already established and trusted technology partnership will be best-placed for success, as buyers prefer to deal with two or more vendors that already trust each other's software and practices."
Additional information is available in the Gartner report "Market Trends: Security Markets, Worldwide, 2007-2013." The report is available on Gartner's website at http://www.gartner.com/....
Gartner analysts will provide more detailed analysis on the key issues facing the information security industry at the Gartner Information Security Summit 2009, taking place 21-22 September, at the Royal Lancaster hotel in London. Gartner analysts, industry experts and IT security practitioners will deliver unbiased, realistic analysis of the current state of information security, as well as an independent vision of how things will evolve over the long term. For complete event details, please visit the Gartner Information Security Summit 2009 website at www.europe.gartner.com/.... Members of the media can register by contacting Holly Stevens at email@example.com.
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Virtual private networks (VPN) could be blocked under new copyright and privacy law being considered by the Senate in Australia.
It may affect a lot of Australian users who used VPN service to unblock websites and bypass geo restrictions. The high increase in VPN usage is happening because Australians are becoming tracked from government agencies online more often every day.
According to the study revealed in 2016, up to 200,000 users are signed up to Streaming and Video Content Services from the US. Most of them are trying to use VPN to access the streaming services. Australian consumer advocacy group Choice revealed that 984,000 Australian users currently use VPNs to load streaming services in the US.
The Australian Copyright Council said using a VPN to use streaming services in Australia may be considered copyright infringement. Meanwhile, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, told that the usage of VPN to avoid “international commercial arrangement to protect copyright in different regions” is not illegal under the Copyright Act.
According to the latest Trust.Zone VPN service stats, there is a high increase in Australian subscribers last months. Traffic from Australia is currently up over 300% and still growing every day. The reason is Trust.Zone VPN service doesn’t allow to be completely blocked by ISP or government agencies in Australia. Trust.Zone VPN service may forward the encrypted internet traffic through HTTP Port 80, HTTPS Port 443 and DNS Port 53 which are never blocked by ISP.
Trust.Zone service plan starts from $3.33 per month only which is one of the lowest costs among VPN providers. Besides that, it provides everyone with 3 days free using a VPN.