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Men spend just £99 less than women on fashion and accessories in a year
- Men spending £13bn annually on clothing, which works out at £998 each
- 41pc prefer to buy a few designer items rather than many cheaper ones
- Men's fashion market rose by 4.8 per cent in last 12 months
- M&S has biggest market share followed by Next and Primark
Most women would admit to hiding the odd designer dress or pair of heels from their other half following a particularly expensive shopping spree.
But perhaps they won’t need to be secretive for much longer.
For the first time British men are spending almost as much as women every year on fashion and accessories. According to a new study, so-called ‘mansumers’ are splashing out as much as £13bn a year on clothing.
Marks & Spencer has the biggest share of men¿s clothing sales
That’s an average of £988 each and only £99 less per year than women, who spend around £1,087 each annually.
And, although some men may find it impossible to believe, around 70 per cent of males say that they actually enjoy shopping – the same percentage of those that like to watch sport and just 7 per cent fewer than those who enjoy going to the pub.
The How We Shop Now survey questioned 3,673 men and 4,082 women aged between 18 and 49 between July 2013 and January 2014.
Commissioned by Westfield Group, one of the world's largest operators of shopping centres, researchers found that, although the total spend of both men and women was not too different, male shoppers were more label-conscious.
Around 41 per cent of men said they preferred to buy fewer, designer items, rather than lots of cheaper goods. In comparison, just 34 per cent of women adopted this approach.
Two-thirds of men also named a designer brand among their favourite item of clothing, compared with fewer than a quarter of women.
More than half of the 8,000 surveyed, however, agreed they would rather save up to buy a genuine designer brand than purchase a fake. And for younger people of both sexes, aged between 18 and 34, the figure was even higher - 62 per cent.
Market research analysts, Mintel, revealed that the men's fashion market rose by 4.8 per cent over the past 12 months. Marks & Spencer has the biggest share of men¿s clothing sales, followed by Next, Primark and Debenhams (pictured)
Anthony Cassidy, 39, an advertising executive, from north London, said he spends up to £3,000 a year on clothes, but it is his love of shoes that costs him dear.
‘For me it's more about style than fashion,’ he said. ‘You develop a look you like and buy clothes to suit that look.
‘I normally spend £200-£300 on a pair of shoes but I did once spend £800. I've got more shoes than my wife. She calls me the male Imelda Marcos.’
Although men are less likely to browse than women, two thirds said they decided what to buy within minutes of entering a shop, compared with 55 per cent of women.
Dylan Jones, the editor of men’s magazine, GQ, said that men no longer see shopping as a female leisure activity, but despite this, most were still ‘Exocet’ shoppers who ‘know what they want, get into a shop, buy it and get out.
‘There used to be a stigma about buying clothes for men, but the younger generation today has no qualms about shopping for clothes and talking about it. It's great news for British industry because many of the popular designs are British.’
Market research analysts, Mintel, revealed in March that the men's fashion market rose by 4.8 per cent over the past 12 months.
Marks & Spencer has the biggest share of men’s clothing sales, followed by Next, Primark and Debenhams.
Primark saw its share of men shoppers rise according to the survey. It is now third in terms of share
However, trendier stores such as Topman, Asos and Moss Bros have all reported rising sales and retailers that once focused entirely on women, such as Whistles, H&M and River Island, have all expanded their menswear sections.
And while buying clothes on the internet is undoubtedly on the up, more than 50 per cent of the men questioned said they preferred the ‘thrill’ of buying in store.
However, they did admit to using the latest technology while out shopping, with almost three quarters using their smartphone or tablet to check prices or get directions to stores.
Tamara Sender, the senior fashion analyst at Mintel, said: ‘British men are becoming more aware of their image. Men in the 25-34 age group have become as fashion conscious as their younger counterparts.’
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Geely has been seriously raising the bar, with the Chinese automaker locally introducing some vehicles which capture the hearts of many Filipinos. Given such great success it garnered from the Coolray, the brand has then brought in the Azkarra which should cater to those who want that Geely DNA in a bigger package. Just recently, the brand unveiled its flagship midsize sedan at the 2020 Beijing Auto Show, and we think this one would definitely serve as a potential addition to the brand’s local lineup. It is known as the Geely Preface or Xing Rui, at least for the Chinese market.
This model was based on the Preface concept which first aired at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show. The Xing Rui is classified as an Innovative Geely 4.0 era vehicle within Geely Auto. Therefore, it is based on advanced modular architectures that allow for leading levels of connectivity, intelligence, and quality.
Apart from the brand's signature Cosmos Grille, the Geely Xing Rui exhibits a wider body that's accentuated with large wheels. Overall, it's aesthetics gives out the impression of true level of confidence and road presence. Notably, it is considered to be one of the biggest and most spacious vehicles in its segment, granted by its official dimensions of 4785mm long, 1,869mm wide, and with a wheelbase reaching 2800mm.
Inside, this midsize boasts in terms of fine details. It may seem that the materials used were above for its class. Passengers will surely be delighted by its two-tone theme which is applied on the doors, dashboard, and leather seats. Moreover, it’s also rewarded with a sunroof and a Bose sound system.
It sits on the brand’s new CMA platform. As for its powerplant, the Geely Xing Rui is run by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, however, power figures were not disclosed just yet.
Geely has quite a contender here. After feeding its Filipino consumers with its crossover flavor, perhaps, it’s time to serve something new from the menu. This midsize sedan should help the brand cater more prospective customers than before. Right now, we’re having high hopes that Geely Philippines will consider bringing this in anytime soon, as it does perfectly fit one of those mysterious silhouettes found in its website.
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Sources from the ad industry have shone a light on how fast Amazon ad budgets are growing. Reports from various media agencies show that brands have been moving up to 50 percent of their previous Google search spend to Amazon ads. With shifting budget comes the need for more intentional Amazon SEO. A report by ..
At our Transformation of Search Summit earlier this month, we heard a fan-favorite session on Amazon Advertising. In this session, John Denny (formerly of Bai, currently Cavu Venture Partners) and Luis Navarrate Gomez (LEGO) gave real strategies for how they leveraged both paid and organic search on Amazon to grow their companies. Bai grew from ..


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Skyr, a traditional Icelandic dairy product, has found its way to Germany. That the trend has come to stay is the unanimous assessment at Biofach in Nuremberg. Irmgard Strobl, Member of the Management Board of Andechser Molkerei, explains in an interview at the exhibition why it is so important for the company to encourage consumers to act sustainably – and whether customers are prepared to spend more money on good products.
- Studierenden-Projekte zur Bioökonomie ausgezeichnet
- „Der Preis ist immer Thema“


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Unlock a New Adventure with Minecraft's Trails and Tales Update
- 2023-03-02 09:00
After much anticipation, Mojang has finally revealed the name of its upcoming 1.20 update for Minecraft: Trails and Tales. The content the update adds to the game will be themed around this title, similarly to how Caves and Cliffs provided players with unique aquatics and caverns to explore. Players can look forward to exciting new stories as they ride their camels into the horizon.
The theme of Trails and Tales is centered around telling "unique stories" through exploration in-game, with a mountable camel being one of its significant features. According to Mojang, this is intended as an opportunity for players to experience different cultures from around the world while learning about them through engaging storytelling methods such as interacting with NPCs or completing quests related to each culture's respective history or lore.
In addition, it seems like there will be plenty more surprises that come along with Trails and Tales aside from riding on camels in-game; some have speculated that there might also be changes made within other aspects of gameplay, such as combat mechanics or crafting recipes which could further add onto the immersive experience that Mojang seeks out for players across all platforms where Minecraft is available (PC, Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5).
Furthermore, screenshots released by Mojang show what appears to be an extensive desert biome filled with various structures, including pyramids and sandstorms making up some of its environmental hazards, which might prove challenging even for experienced Minecrafters looking to explore these areas safely.
With Trials and Tails just around the corner - set for release sometime later this year – excitement continues among fans who are patiently waiting for more details regarding what else awaits them in terms of challenges hidden deep within deserts far away from civilization alongside intriguing stories told by locals found scattered across villages near these vast expanses of dunes littered throughout this upcoming version’s content additions.


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Microsoft in Talks re Buying Discord; Niantic Partners With Nintendo; Waymo Driverless Taxis-Multi Stop Now; Class Action Certified Over crApple Butterfly KeyboardsPosted: March 23, 2021 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
In a hot deal that may or may not happen, Microsoft is in talks to buy Discord for over $10 billion. Bloomberg.com reports that discord has been talking to a number of potential buyers, but that a deal is not imminent. In a rumor that may please Discord users, one party close to the situation has leaked that Discord is more likely to go public at this point than to sell itself. Gamers have loved Discord as the go-to way to chat by video, voice, and text. Through the pandemic, the platform has also added study groups, dance classes, book clubs, and other virtual gatherings. Previously, Microsoft had tried to by TikTok, and in the past had looked at picking Pinterest. The company’s purchase of Skype seemed to chase off most users, and even business users have mostly abandoned that for Microsoft Teams, which has had robust use through the pandemic.
Niantic has announced it is partnering with Nintendo to co-develop a new game based on the Pikmin franchise. According to TechCrunch.com, it will launch later this year. The new augmented reality app ‘…will include gameplay activities to encourage walking and make walking more delightful.” Although Pokemon Go has disappeared from most peoples’ radar, it brought in over a billion dollars to the San Francisco based company in 2020!
Waymo has added a new feature to his autonomous taxis in the phoenix area. Mashable.com says you can now ‘add a stop’. Now, you can stop for groceries, or pick up a friend without having to reorder a car for each leg. If it is a long stop, the vehicle will wait nearby, and pick up up when you are ready for the next leg of your trip. Waymo stresses that “the meter is not running while on your long stop,” unlike with a traditional taxi. Another plus…you can now connect your phone via Google Cast and play music from other music systems besides Google Play Music.
A judge has certified a class action against Apple for its crappy butterfly keyboard design. According to theverge.com, The suit covers anyone who purchased an Apple MacBook with a butterfly keyboard in seven states: California, New York, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Washington, and Michigan. That includes people who bought a MacBook model dating between 2015 and 2017, a MacBook Pro model between 2016 and 2019, or a MacBook Air between 2018 and 2019. It is my fervent hope that this doesn’t result in everyone involved getting something like a $25 Apple gift card! I am typing and re-typing this on one on a MacBook Pro. The worst offender is the letter ’s,’ which either won’t type, or becomes multiples of the letter, but there are a number of other keys that intermittently screw up…including the space bar that won’t always ‘space.’ (I retyped that 3 times, trying to get only one letter ’s,’ btw. Even with a warranty, who wants to have to make an appointment, go to an Apple Store, drop of the laptop, and hope you get a decent refurbished one that isn’t worse? After that, you can reinstall from backup every single thing to the wiped drive. Grrr.


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What to Expect from the Massive E3 Games Conference: Guns, Explosions, and Cool Indie Titles
Explosions, murder, and mayhem. Blood, guts, and gore. A post-apocalyptic dystopia where robots, zombies, and aliens run amok.
Welcome to Los Angeles during E3 week.
Starting Monday, June 9, L.A. plays host to the biggest gaming extravaganza on the planet. Yahoo Tech will be there to bring you a running body count (and other highlights) from the show floor. Here’s what to expect.
Rise of the indies
At the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo last year, two new consoles — Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One — were battling for the hearts and thumbs of hard-core gamers. With no new gaming systems to unveil this year, E3 2014 will largely be a contest to see who can make the most noise about upcoming big-budget games that run on those consoles.
“Last year, it was all about, ‘What are these new consoles and what can they do for us?’ ” says Mike Schramm, manager of qualitative insights for gaming consultants EEDAR. “This year we know what the consoles can do. Now people want to know where the software is and how it’s going to play out.”
If it’s E3, there must be guns — and Halo’s Master Chief is likely to bring some. (Commorancy/Flickr)
The most heavily anticipated titles — like Halo 5, Mortal Kombat X, Assassin’s Creed: Unity, and dozens more — are almost all sequels to previous blockbusters. Like Hollywood, the game industry tends to favor bankable franchises over original ideas.
The more interesting and unusual games will likely come from smaller independent developers like Thatgamecompany (Journey, Flower) or Playdead (Limbo). Over the past few years, the major gaming platforms have embraced the indies, who have their own show within the show: the “IndieCade.”
Indies may not generate the massive revenue numbers of the big-budget titles, but they enhance Sony’s and Microsoft’s reputations with the core gaming community, says Jesse Divnich, VP of insights and consumer experience for Tilting Point, which helps independent developers bring their games to market.
“Every year at E3 there are always two or three independent titles that come out and surprise everyone,” he says. “For independent developers, E3 can be a launching platform and is generally the first time the world finds out about these future critical darlings. But nobody can predict in advance who will emerge at the show.”


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Wences Casares: How Should We Regulate Bitcoin?
Wences Casares, founder and CEO of Bitcoin vault Xapo, returns to Big Think in today’s featured video interview. He calls Bitcoin “maybe the most important social experiment going on right now” and heralds the cryptocurrency as a potential replacement for the gold standard. Check out the clip below for his take on how Bitcoin should be regulated:
"Technologically it’s not an experiment, it is robust and it works. But because at the social level it’s an experiment there’s still a chance that it fails. And therefore it’s risky and nobody should invest in Bitcoin in an amount of money that they cannot afford to lose because of that risk. But there’s also a chance that it works out well and if it works out well it may be the first thing in 5,000 years that finally replaces the gold standard which has been the standard for quite a very long time. And it becomes a new meta currency that sits atop all currencies."
Casares explains that he doesn't believe any sort of cryptocurrency should ever supplant national and local currencies. People need to draw their salaries in dollars, euros, pounds, etc. National and regional monetary policies require state currencies. But the world's consumers should have a choice, particularly when buying on the internet or internationally. That's where Bitcoin comes in.
As far as regulation goes, Casares compares Bitcoin to gold. Gold is decentralized. Its supply is determined by nature, not by a government or corporation. Bitcoin can be the same way:
"I think that we need to regulate Bitcoin to have basic consumer protections, to prevent criminal activity on it, to prevent money laundering. But I think doing so is not hard and I think doing so is doable with the regulations that we already have in place to account for cash. Cash is very anonymous and we have regulations in place to manage the anonymity of cash."
At the same time, regulators shouldn't operate from a position of fear when they decide how to oversee cryptocurrencies:
"What we are seeing right now is because a lot of the regulators are still getting their arms around bitcoin, the first reaction is a scared reaction that tends to overregulating which that wouldn’t be good for the regulators, wouldn’t be good for the industry but I think we will get there and it’s not so complicated."


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What to buy (and not!) on Black Friday
Health investigators confirmed on Nov. 24, a handful of cases of E. coli have been linked back to chicken salad sold at Costco. Cases have turned up in four Western states: Colorado, Montana, Utah and Washington. Here are some other recent food recalls.
Health investigators say a handful of cases of E. coli have been linked back to chicken salad sold at Costco. Here are some other recent food recalls.
Costco officials say testing has pointed toward a vegetable mix from a California food wholesaler as the source of E. coli in the company's chicken salad that has been linked to an outbreak that has sickened 19 people in seven states.
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Email fraud rose to new levels during 2017 and in the first quarter of 2018 according to new research from the cybersecurity company Proofpoint (opens in new tab).
The firm analysed email fraud attacks that targeted thousands of businesses around the globe to discover that 90 per cent of organisations were targeted during the first quarter of 2018.
Additionally the total number of email fraud attacks (opens in new tab) rose by 55 per cent when compared to the previous quarter and 103 per cent year-over-year. While these attacks may have been sent in low volumes, organisations were targeted with greater frequency than ever before.
On average, each company received 28 malicious emails, a 36 per cent increase over the previous quarter and up by 28 per cent year-over-year.
The US saw the largest total volume of email fraud during Q1 but businesses in the UK were targeted more frequently with an average of 36 malicious emails directed at a given company. The Netherlands on the other hand, saw the lowest number of email fraud in both terms of total volume of attacks and in the average number of times an organisation was targeted at nine.
The Entertainment/Media industry saw the largest quarter-over-quarter increase at almost 73 percent while the real estate industry was targeted the most often in the first quarter of 2018.
Proofpoint also revealed that the top three subject line categories used in email fraud attacks were “Request”, “Payment” and “Urgent”. This remained consistent with previous quarters and aligns with the fact that wire transfer scams (opens in new tab) are the most frequent form of email fraud.
Additional training is needed at all organisations to prevent email fraud from continuing to gain traction amongst cybercriminals and businesses that are aware of this threat will be less likely to fall victim to such an attack.
Image Credit: Evannovostro / Shutterstock


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InStyle, Nine West collaborate on fall shoe line
- Staff New York Business Journal
The InStyle for Nine West Collection will include 26 pairs of shoes, including single-sole pumps, ankle boots and flats in a range of colors and materials including suede, calf hair and patent leather. Prices range from $79 to $149.
The collection will be available on NineWest.com and at select Nine West stores in the United States and Canada beginning Aug.16.
In addition to branded displays in stores, the launch also will include a 12-page editorial booklet in the September issue of InStyle, the largest in the magazine’s 19-year history. The booklet, which also will be distributed in stores, will include photos of the shoes and tips from the editors on how to style each shoe.
Nine West and InStyle also are asking customers to post an Instagram photo of themselves wearing their shoes with the hashtag #9WInStyle, for a chance to be featured in an upcoming issue of InStyle.
"At InStyle, we are constantly looking for exciting new ways to meet our reader beyond our print and digital platforms,” InStyle Editor Ariel Foxman said in a statement. “We know that she shops at Nine West, and we wanted to surprise and delight her there with this special, chic collection."
The collection is is the first time Nine West, a division of New York-based The Jones Group (NYSE: JNY), has collaborated with a media outlet.
Richard Dickson, president and CEO of Branded Businesses at The Jones Group, said in a statement: "InStyle readers look to the magazine every month for unwavering style advice, while Nine West customers look to us as a resource for stylish, modern footwear – together, the brands are a natural fit."
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Community is key for VFILES—the online hub of social connection and editorial content that sheds light on relevant and emerging talent in the world of fashion and culture. This is exemplified by the fact that all four featured designers in their upcoming VFILES Made Fashion show (11 February 2015) were selected from their online community by the VFILES editorial team and a group of mentors. And while the organization has consistently put on exciting shows at attention-grabbing venues downtown, this year marks a milestone: VFILES will open NYC’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center, marking the final time NYFW will be hosted at this venue. Despite any criticism the venue has received, it still offers the largest platform possible for a production sourced entirely online—including the stylists, hair, make up and models. To get a better sense of the gravity of the show, we spoke with VFILES founder Julie Anne Quay about what we can expect and how the platform has grown since its inception in 2012.
On the motivation for the downtown to uptown shift, Quay tells CH, “No matter what anyone says about fashion week and the tents, it is still legitimate and a big deal.” Not only does this represent a big step, it also holds true to a VFILES principle: “We are down to step on territory that maybe we shouldn’t be stepping on. A lot of people in our community were like, ‘Are you kidding?’ But we are also showing young designers and we need to have a really good runway. That was my first thing: really good lighting and a really good runway.” And that’s what Quay—and the VFILES team—secured. “VFILES is very much like a sports team. We approach things from an athletic perspective. This is like playing in the Super Bowl. It’s saying, ‘We are actually going to step up and play with you guys.'”
With such a stage, Quay and her team of editors and mentors had a specific mission regarding this year’s crop of talent. “We were seeking excitement, likability—things that we like that carry commercial strength. I think one thing about this generation and VFILES in itself, is that we understand it has to be commercial.” Quay is interested in the business of fashion and encouraging users to be their own brand and create their own businesses. Things that look good on the runway, and then sell, directly impact this desire—and strengthen the community as a whole.
As for the show, “People can expect a lot of energy, a lot of color and a lot of enthusiasm. The clothing will also feature interesting shapes. There are a couple of designers who do different geometric shapes. But the keyword, the theme of our show, is fashion is fun.” Even before models take the runway, DJ and record producer A-Trak will be providing music. As soon as doors open the experience begins. Two New York-based labels, an Australian design team, and one Zurich-based designer will present. Drawing inspiration from the street scene of post-Soviet Russia, XIMONLEE will unveil high fashion for men. Exciting, eccentric DI$COUNT UNIVER$E will offer up pops of color. Silhouettes and fabric techniques will warp under Andrea Jiapei Li‘s vision. And geometry with an edge will define Julia Seemann’s work.
Quay has spent most of her professional career on set at shoots. “There’s just this incredible sense of teamwork and fraternity and passion for fashion, and doing good things together. I want to bring that to this show. I want to celebrate that. We want to encourage the team element—and VFILES is a team. We put on this show with young designers, with their own team and their own support. We are capable of showing what’s done. Fashion is changing, there is no glass ceiling—with the internet and access to production and the availability of information, you can be your own brand right out of the gate,” she concludes. And with a platform like VFILES Made Fashion opening the stages of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center, Quay is right. A powerful creative community can take its users from the internet to the premier stage.
VFILES Made Fashion show will occur on 11 February 2015
Images courtesy of VFILES


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BROOKLYN - A new website showcasing the latest fashions in Williamsburg is creating some controversy.
Styleblasters’ new website photographs random people on the street without their consent to showcase fashion in the area. The photographs are then uploaded to their public website.
Some feel the project is fashion-forward, while others think the images are an invasion of privacy.
"I think it's crazy," says one resident. "I just got a coffee and now I'm walking to work and I can potentially being looked at by all these people while I have no idea who they are."
Others argue that Williamsburg has some of the best fashion around and photographing the people in the area is a good way to showcase it.
The creators of the website say they are maintaining the website strictly for fun and they make no money off of the site.


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BANGALORE: Marquee venture capitalists
(VCs), which have stayed away from funding real estate developers
, are warming up to the digital property market. Facebook investor Accel, along with private equity (PE) firm SAIF Partners
, have made a$5-million growth investment in PropTiger, an online property marketing start-up targeting first-time homebuyers.
This follows Indian Angel Network’s $1-million equity investment in Groffr, a groupbuying portal for properties, and Helion Venture Partners
pumping $12 million into e-broker India Homes. Three American venture capitalists Canaan Partners, Mayfield and Bessemer Venture Partners have jointly invested $20 million in Consim Info, which also owns online portal IndiaProperty.
“Portals are engaging customers with technology to disrupt the property buying space. They are, right now, more of an enabler-providing tool to help homebuyers find a good deal rather than selling hard assets,” said Mohanjit Jolly, MD of VC firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) India.
PropTiger, for instance, markets residential properties to first-time homebuyers offering services right from identifying properties to facilitating the cheapest home loans. The firm aided in selling properties worth Rs 1,100 crore in the first year of business, said PropTiger co-founder Kartik Varma. China’s E-House Holdings, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is touted as an emerging markets success story in digital real estate services.
“Online portals are exhaustive in catering to requirements based on price and location. There are roughly three million people visiting various online property portals in a given month,” said Sudhir Pai, business head at MagicBricks.com, which offers over four lakh property listings to a monthly traffic of 40 lakh people.
Advertising spend on domestic the digital property market is tiny at Rs 150 crore, but rising 40% to cross Rs 1,000 crore annually in the next five years. India currently has about 120 million internet users, with roughly nine million of them being transacting customers. Internet users may reach 380 million with nearly 35 million online shoppers in the next three years, said a recent Avendus Capital report on the digital economy.
But the digital boom has already spawned several me-too start-ups, fragmenting the online property market just as the real estate industry. Group buying sites like Groffr now search for a constantly evolving and differentiated strategy (it will soon launch 25% cash back offer) to break the clutter and sustain decent commissions — pegged between 1% an 2.5% of the purchase value.
DFJ’s Jolly is still not a keen investor chasing digital properties. “We have looked at options, but we weren’t very comfortable with the differentiation and sustainability of the business model. We will take a hard look at it if we find one with a strong USP,” he said.


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During the operation, which involved people from many different fields, fake goods worth close to R3 million were also taken.
Targeting is done on places that sell illegal alcohol.
In the Ekurhuleni neighborhood of Vosloorus, police found and shut down eight illegal liquor stores, and hundreds of liters of alcohol were taken away. Lieutenant Elias Mawela was in charge of this operation. He is the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner.
"A suspect was taken into custody when it was found that he had a fake license to sell alcohol. Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, a spokesman for the Gauteng police department, said that 172 more people suspected of different crimes were arrested.
2.8 MILLION IN COUNTERFEIT GOODS FOUND IN VARIOUS SHOPS
The police and people from the South African Revenue Service, Fidelity Reaction, and Brandholders went into several stores in Randburg. There were counterfeit goods worth a total of R2.8 million in these stores.
Some of the things that were taken were sneakers, clothes, watches, and handbags with local and international brands on them. Two people were detained and questioned because it is believed that they had and sold fake goods.
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Small Business: Upstarts Plan To Keep On Spending
Small companies may be divided about prospects for the U.S. economy. But on balance, business fundamentals still appear to be favorable. That's a reassuring sign for capital spending and hiring by small companies, even if growth cools.
A PricewaterhouseCoopers first-quarter survey, which ran from late February to May, showed 76% of the fast-growing small businesses -- averaging an annual growth rate of about 25% -- said they were optimistic about the U.S. economy for the coming year.
That upbeat view contrasts with the latest Small Business Optimism Index produced by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The May reading fell to 98.5, from 100.1 in April. But that lower number is not a big surprise. The index "is following its typical pattern during an expansion," says NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg.
Both surveys reveal that small businesses are in good shape heading into the second half of 2006. Quickly growing companies still see revenues increasing over 22% in the next 12 months. More NFIB respondents said earnings and sales picked up in the latest three months vs. the prior three-month period, which included a record warm January. Sales expectations held firm with a May reading of 20, vs. 21 in April.
Favorable forecasts should fuel investment and hiring. The number of companies that plan to make capital investments in the coming year did fall five percentage points in both surveys. But among the 41% of fast-growing businesses that expect to invest, the average of planned outlays was a solid 13.5% of revenues.
The NFIB survey showed a slightly larger share of businesses cut payrolls than added workers in the past three months. Yet more companies than not still plan to hire. An historically large 25% also reported job openings due in part to an increased inability to find qualified workers, a point echoed by the PricewaterhouseCoopers survey. About half the respondents cited labor quality as a potential barrier to growth, beating out higher energy costs and demand concerns. It's likely a good sign that managers are still more concerned about their own needs than a slowing economy.
By James Mehring in New York


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MacBooks are so hot right now, particularly 15-inch Pro models sold between September 2015 and February 2017 which are being recalled due to batteries that can overheat and pose a danger to users.
According to Apple, these pose a fire safety risk and the company is asking for customers to stop using them immediately. Its advising customers to check their model's serial numbers on the website and see if they are eligible to have a battery replacement, free of charge.
"Apple has determined that, in a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units, the battery may overheat and pose a fire safety risk," the company said.
"Affected units were sold primarily between September 2015 and February 2017 and product eligibility is determined by the product serial number. Customer safety is always Apple's top priority, and we have voluntarily decided to replace affected batteries, free of charge."
The specific model is the MacBook Pro (Retina, 15in, mid-2015) - specs of which can be found here - and if you have it, we recommend having it checked out by an Apple store. If you need more convincing there's a post on Reddit from a user called Whitepandamusic with all the hot details.
He posted a video of his MacBook after it had "exploded" during "normal use". The machine was plugged in and, rather precariously, place on his lap, when it suddenly started to "spew smoke out both sides".
"Yesterday afternoon my MacBook Pro exploded during normal use," he said. "It was on my lap, plugged in, and suddenly started to spew smoke out both sides. I quickly placed it on the floor where it popped, the smoke increased, and it caught fire. Toxic smelling smoke filled my house triggering smoke and CO alarms."
The user managed to take the "scalding hot" laptop to the porch using gloves and posted a short video of the smoking device while it cooled down. He then took it to a local Apple store but was told nothing could be done until it had spent 24 hours in a fire-proof safe - they would talk through the next steps afterwards.
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Bobby Hellard is ITPro's Reviews Editor and has worked on CloudPro and ChannelPro since 2018. In his time at ITPro, Bobby has covered stories for all the major technology companies, such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook, and regularly attends industry-leading events such as AWS Re:Invent and Google Cloud Next.
Bobby mainly covers hardware reviews, but you will also recognise him as the face of many of our video reviews of laptops and smartphones.


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According to The Stevenson Company’s latest TraQline sales data, the Korean brands claimed the No. 1 and 2 spots in dollar volume respectively, with LG barely edging out Whirlpool brand for second place.
Whirlpool brand remained No. 1 in unit volume, however.
The TraQline figures, first reported in South Korea’s Electronic Times News, show that Samsung bolstered its position as America’s biggest-selling appliance brand by growing its market share 33 percent year over year to 18 percent.
Samsung took the top spot from Whirlpool in the third quarter of 2016 and has retained its No. 1 ranking since, by leading in the refrigeration and laundry categories.
Choi Ik-soo, director of Samsung’s strategy marketing team for the living home appliance business group, attributed its success to “innovative washing machines” like its Flex washer, which provides two separate compartments for laundry loads, and the popularity of its smart Family Hub refrigerator.
LG told the publication that its own version of a bifurcated washer, the TwinWash, along with other premium products, helped close Whirlpool’s narrow sales lead last quarter.
The TraQline tracking surveys, which Stevenson also employs to compile TWICE’s Top Retailer rankings, show LG’s 15.8 percent share as fairly consistent across the trailing four quarters, while Whirlpool’s Q1 share fell to 15.4 percent over year. The figure is specific to the Whirlpool badge and does not reflect the company’s expansive brand portfolio.
GE, now owned by China’s Haier Group, and Sweden’s Electrolux, round out the top five U.S. sales leaders.
The share shifts represent a remarkable achievement for the Korean companies, which began targeting the U.S. mass premium market in the early 2000s. Prior to that, LG’s majap presence here was limited to commodity ACs and other small appliances under the Goldstar brand, while Samsung’s early white-goods efforts were marked by series of design and organizational fits and starts.
Nor did their eventual successes come without controversy. Both companies have been sued by competitors (largely Whirlpool) for patent violations and anti-competitive practices that priced their products below market value with support from Korean government subsidies.
Indeed, industry observers fear that that the pair’s aggressive price promotions in pursuit of market share could have the same deleterious effect on the white-goods business that they had on the once margin-rich TV category.
At the same time, the companies are also credited with
by bringing fresh designs and fashion innovations to the fore.
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Watch List - May 23, 2019
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Consumer-Direct Sales Dominate The Charts - May 22, 2019
- 2019 TWICE Top 100: Best Buy Keeps The CE Crown, But Barely - May 21, 2019


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News releases from Visit Rochester and our member organizations keep travel journalists informed on the latest tourism and hospitality news in Rochester.
Category - Visit Rochester News
Visit Rochester Celebrates National Travel & Tourism Week 2021
Monday, May 3, 2021 1:00 PM by Rachel Laber
Following a challenging year for the travel and tourism industry, Visit Rochester is excited to recognize National Travel & Tourism Week, May 2-8, 2021. The theme of National Travel & Tourism Week
Visit Rochester’s Alicia Gazda Recognized as a 40 Under 40 by Connect
Wednesday, October 7, 2020 9:00 AM by Visit Rochester
Photo credit: NSP Studio Alicia Gazda, Convention Sales Manager for Visit Rochester, was recognized as a member of Connect Association magazine’s “40 Under 40.” The honor highlights the top young
Visit Rochester Introduces ROC Ready Promise for Rochester Businesses
Monday, June 22, 2020 12:00 PM by Rachel Laber
As Rochester and the Finger Lakes region continue to open safely, and smartly, Visit Rochester has introduced the ROC Ready Promise for Rochester businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry.
Visit Rochester Recognizes National Travel & Tourism Week 2020
Monday, May 4, 2020 12:00 PM by Visit Rochester
Theme of this year’s celebration honors the Spirit of Travel, recognizing strength and resiliency of travel and tourism industry Visit Rochester is recognizing National Travel & Tourism Week
Visit Rochester Releases “Rochester Rising” Message to Greater Rochester Community
Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:00 PM by Visit Rochester
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Visit Rochester is sharing a message of hope and resilience with the Greater Rochester community under the theme of “Rochester Rising.” Visit Rochester today
The best and brightest high school students will visit Rochester this week as more than 2,300 attendees of the New York State Distributive Education Clubs of America’s (DECA) Annual State Career
After 41 years, Gregory P. Marshall, Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing, has stepped away from his role at Visit Rochester, the official tourism promotion agency for Monroe County.
Visit Rochester is pleased to announce that Amber Brewer has joined the organization as Event Service Specialist. When a convention, conference or competition decides to hold a future event in
Visit Rochester President & CEO Receives Industry and Career Achievement Awards
Friday, November 1, 2019 1:00 PM by Rachel Laber
Photo credit: James Montanus Visit Rochester is pleased to announce that Don Jeffries, the organization’s President & CEO, has been recognized with two significant industry and career achievement


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Plant-based lifestyles have been increasing in popularity over recent years, and a plant-based expo will take place over two days in August at Tokyo's Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa. The event will look at vegan food products, cosmetics, and clothing, and there will be plenty of ready-to-eat vegan-friendly items on offer for those who work up an appetite.
For those who want to learn more about plant-based living and sustainability, there will also be educational seminars held at the expo.
Admission to the event is priced at 500 yen.
The Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa is located around three minutes on foot from Takanawadai Station (served by the Toei Asakusa Line), or around five minutes on foot from Shinagawa Station's Takanawa Exit (served by various lines including the Tokaido Shinkansen and the JR Yamanote Line).
For those who opt to drive, the hotel is around 8 minutes from the Gotanda IC or around 10 minutes from the Meguro IC. On-site parking is available - it's charged at a rate of 500 yen per 30 minute increment.


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[Funding alert] Made in India brand boAt raises $100M from Warburg Pincus, plans to expand its product line
boAt, founded in 2016 by Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta, has secured $100 million in PE funding from Warburg Pincus.
Speaking to YourStory, the founders said that this deal is significant in the D2C industry as it is one of the largest fundraises, which is testimony to the growth of the industry in India.
"This raise will allow the company to focus on R&D, make in India, and create an ecosystem by working with local manufacturers. We will also ramp up our global supply chain by working with global manufacturers in the South East Asian region," said Aman.
In FY 2020, boAt crossed Rs 500 crore in revenues and the startup is expected to double the number in FY2021.
Aman Gupta, Co-Founder, boAt added:
“This is a vote of confidence for our business model and growth prospects. The investment is great news for not only the company but also for the entire D2C sector.”
Sources say that this round will also offer great returns to early investors. However, they would not disclose if early investors would opt for a partial exit or a complete exit.
boAt founders Aman and Sameer
An early investor in boAt, Kanwaljit Singh, Founder and Managing Partner at, said,
“boAt has grown to become the market leader in the lifestyle accessories segment. It’s the perfect example of a consumer brand built successfully on quality, consumer insights, smart pricing, and focused marketing. Given our interest in the consumer brand category, we spotted and saw the prospects of a high-growth consumer startup addressing the audio needs of millennials and Gen Z. An investment by Warburg Pincus is a testament to the long-term growth potential of India-made consumer startups.”
boAt has become a leading personal audio brand in India (headphones, earphones, sound-related accessories) with a rapidly emerging presence in adjacent consumer-focused and lifestyle electronics categories. Its product portfolio offers well-designed and distinctive products at affordable price points.
boAt has also emerged as the 5th largest wearable brand globally, according to IDC data.
Sameer Mehta, Co-Founder, boAt commented: “As boAt enters the next phase of growth and innovation, we look forward to benefitting from Warburg’s pedigree, collective experience and resources in helping us scale. Going forward, with the government’s support, we will focus on building capabilities in domestic R&D, and undertake vertical integration across both the hearable and wearable space to establish India as a global supplier.”
Vishal Mahadevia, Managing Director and Head, Warburg Pincus India, said: “We see a compelling growth story in boAt and believe the company is well-poised to build upon the strong leadership position it has carved out within the industry, and stands to benefit from the secular tailwinds of ecommerce growth in India.”
Avendus Capital was the financial advisor to boAt in this transaction.


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Fitness tech firm Basis today provided a sneak peek at an upcoming app update that will provide more in-depth information about users' sleep patterns.
Advanced Sleep Analysis will be released on Jan. 21 with version 2.0 of the Basis mobile and Web app, but the company will also be showing it off at next week's CES in Las Vegas.
Basis is also now selling(Opens in a new window) a 2014 Carbon Steel Edition of its health tracker for $199.99, which will be on display at CES.
The sleep analysis software means that "Basis is the only health tracker that comprehensively captures every aspect of your sleep: REM Sleep, Deep Sleep, Light Sleep, Toss-and-Turn, Interruptions and Duration," the company said in a blog post(Opens in a new window).
A sleep dashboard will include a Sleep Score, "your benchmark for sleep quality, and rolling averages for key metrics so you see your progress over time," Basis said. Users can get a weekly sleep report, and create goals for improved sleep, like sticking to a set bedtime.
Other fitness trackers from firms like Fitbit, Jawbone, and Nike also allow for sleep tracking, but according to Basis, they "use simple, motion-based sensors that can't analyze your biometric data the way Basis can with our continuous heart-rate monitor."
Basis said it worked with researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Veterans Administration (VA), and the Northern California Institute of Research and Education (NCIRE) on its sleep software. "Basis was benchmarked against consumer devices as well as medical grade devices to provide the most comprehensive picture of your sleep among health trackers," the company said.
The 2014 Carbon Steel Edition device, meanwhile, includes a new strap connection for smaller and narrower wrists, polished chrome and stainless steel details, and a double strap buckle.
The 2013 Basis B1 edition is still available for $179. Existing Basis B1 owners will be able to get the new sleep software with the Jan. 21 release.
For more, check out PCMag's preview of what to expect from health and fitness vendors at CES.
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Belkin International awarded Sustainability Initiative of the Year
Today, the Business Intelligence Group named Belkin a winner in the 2023 Sustainability Awards program, recognizing Belkin’s transition to post-consumer recycled plastics (PCR) in the Sustainability Initiative of the Year category. The Sustainability Awards honor those people, teams and organizations who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice or overall mission.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230830090508/en/
Belkin International awarded for global sustainability for the fifth year (Graphic: Business Wire)
In the last 12 months, Belkin made a deliberate, methodical decision to take plastic waste from consumers and repurpose it to create new products. Belkin is committed to launching responsibly developed new products while also revising existing, high-volume portfolios in the catalogue, introducing PCR plastics, 100% plastic-free packaging and reduced packaging sizes. In its first phase kicked off earlier this year, Belkin is transitioning 17 of its most popular products to incorporate a minimum of 72% PCR without compromising on quality, durability, and safety.
“We are proud to reward and recognize Belkin for their sustainability efforts,” said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. “It was clear to our judges that their vision and strategy will continue to deliver results toward a cleaner, more sustainable world. Congratulations!”
For more information on Belkin Sustainability, visit: https://www.belkin.com/company/sustainability/
Belkin is an accessories market leader delivering power, protection, productivity, connectivity, audio, security, and home automation solutions for a broad range of consumer electronics and enterprise environments over the last 40 years. Designed in Southern California and sold in more than 100 countries around the world, Belkin creates products that empower people to get more life out of every single day whether at home, at work or on a new adventure. In 2018 Belkin International merged with Foxconn Interconnect Technology to bolster its global influence while maintaining its steadfast focus on research and development, community, education and sustainability. Belkin remains forever inspired by people and the planet we live on.
About Business Intelligence Group
The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, business executives—those with experience and knowledge—judge the programs. The organization’s proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.
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STEMCELL Technologies Partners with Science World to Empower Girls Pursuing Science-related Careers25.9.2023 21:02:00 EEST | Press release
STEMCELL Technologies, Canada’s largest biotechnology company, is pleased to announce it will be the presenting partner of the Girls and STEAM Summit at Science World in Vancouver. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230925955247/en/ STEMCELL Technologies, Canada’s largest biotechnology company, is pleased to announce it will be the presenting partner of the Girls and STEAM Summit at Science World in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Summit, which takes place on November 4, 2023, is a full-day event with workshops, hands-on activities, a keynote presentation, and sessions with experienced mentors who work in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and design, and math). “Science is about so much more than what happens in the laboratory. It provides a lens that can instill a deep-seated curiosity in young minds and enrich every aspect of our lives,” said Sharon Louis, Senior Vice President of Research and Devel
AngloGold Ashanti plc Completes the Primary Listing of Its Ordinary Shares on the NYSE and Commences Trading25.9.2023 17:11:00 EEST | Press release
AngloGold Ashanti is pleased to announce that it has today completed its corporate restructuring, with a primary listing of its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and a corporate domicile in the UK. The corporate restructuring was first announced on 12 May of this year and approved by the shareholders of AngloGold Ashanti Limited on 18 August. “The move of our primary listing to the NYSE provides us with improved access to the world’s largest capital market and places us alongside the industry’s highest-valued gold companies,” said AngloGold Ashanti CEO Alberto Calderon. “This signifies an important new era for AngloGold Ashanti strengthening our corporate infrastructure as we continue to focus on taking performance from our world class asset base to the next level.” The ordinary shares of AngloGold Ashanti plc commenced trading on the NYSE today, 25 September 2023, maintaining the ticker symbol AU. Trading in the AngloGold Ashanti Limited American Depositary Shares (ADSs) on
PLIDCO Launches New Line of Hydrogen-Compatible Fittings25.9.2023 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
The Pipe Line Development Company (PLIDCO), the leader in pipeline leak repair and maintenance fittings, announced today a new range of products for use with hydrogen pipelines in response to the emerging transition toward hydrogen and other alternative energy sources. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230925622149/en/ PLIDCO Hydrogen-Compliant Fittings Brochure (Photo: Business Wire) Designed for onshore and subsea high-pressure emergency pipeline repairs and routine pipeline maintenance applications, PLIDCO’s products are ideal for hydrogen, oil, gas, water, chemical, steam, slurry and other piping systems. Its high-pressure fittings are designed and manufactured to meet the highest quality standards, following ASME/ANSI codes and adhering to a strict quality control program. “As the shift toward a hydrogen-based energy system gains traction, we anticipate an emerging need for pipeline maintenance and repair p
MESTEC Wins Oracle® Global Leaders ISV of the Year Award25.9.2023 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
MESTEC is excited to accept the Oracle Global Leaders ISV of the Year Award at this year’s Oracle CloudWorld Conference. At over 50% annual growth, MESTEC is leading the manufacturing software category and welcoming some of the world’s most innovative and valuable manufacturers to its pioneering SaaS MES platform. MESTEC’s primary focus on helping manufacturers gain performance across 80+ key manufacturing KPIs, along with its rapid deployment time, is fuelling customer migration to the platform. MESTEC is part of the Eyelit Group, an emerging leader in manufacturing software platforms. Together with Eyelit advanced manufacturing software, the two platforms are seeing especially strong demand in semiconductor, automotive, medtech, aerospace and defence, battery, and solar industries. The platforms support all key manufacturing workflows including asset management, factory and equipment integration, automation, manufacturing execution (MES), recipe management, quality management, planni
ASMPT AMICRA and Teramount Collaborate to Advance Silicon Photonics Packaging25.9.2023 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
ASMPT AMICRA, a worldwide leading supplier of ultra-high precision die attach equipment that specializes in ultra-high precision die attach solutions, and Teramount Ltd, the leader in scalable fiber connectivity to chips, today announced a collaboration to address the challenge of connecting fibers to silicon photonic chips, to meet the ever-growing bandwidth demands in datacom and telecom applications. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230925435797/en/ A close collaboration between Teramount and ASMPT AMICRA on fiber connectivity to silicon photonics chips (Photo: Business Wire) In the rapidly evolving fields of artificial intelligence and high-performance networking, one of the primary challenges has been to achieve seamless fiber-to-chip connectivity. The collaboration between the two companies, based on placement of Teramount’s pioneering wafer-level self-aligning optical elements on customer’s Silicon Photo
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Google and Nest are rejoining forces, Nest has announced, bringing the Internet of Things brand back under Google’s wing. Nest explains that its team will be joining the Google Hardware team, the end goal of this reunion being one where the two work together to bring Google Assistant to Nest products in a big way. Nest, for its part, saw its hardware portfolio double last year.
Google acquired Nest back in 2014; the Internet of Things company has spent the last couple years operating outside of Google, though. Nest has proven very successful and so a restructuring is taking place in which the company is brought back under Google control for the benefit of both entities.
According to Nest, its team has already been working closely with the Google Hardware team, so the transition won’t be an entirely unfamiliar one. The two working as one will merge hardware, software and services into the Nest product lines for smarter homes, with Nest specifically pointing toward Google AI and Assistant being “at the core” of it all.
Nest boasts that it sold more hardware devices last year than it had in the combined two years before it. Google has likewise been heavily pushing hardware products, it with things like Google Home with its Assistant product baked in. Nest, meanwhile, is best known for its home security cameras and connected thermostat.
The Nest brand isn’t going away, though. Google and Nest both stress in the statement that this reuniting is one designed to further Nest’s prowess — specifically to “supercharge” Nest toward an even brighter future. The end result, the companies say, will be one where consumers have “a more thoughtful home, one that takes care of the people inside it and the world around it.”


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August sales best in years for Toyota
Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., reports that American dealers moved 231,537 Toyota trucks, cars and vans off of their lots in August. That represents an increase of more than 18 percent over August 2012 sales.
The year-over-year gains are even more impressive at 22.8 percent.
“The auto industry continues to be a bright spot in the economic recovery,” says Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager. “August capped a great summer for new vehicle sales, and it was Toyota’s best month in more than five years.”
We will have more detailed numbers, including a break out of Tundra and Tacoma truck sales when those numbers become available. Those truck lines are assembled in San Antonio.
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India Ratings Revises Cotton Outlook to Negative to Stable; Assigns Stable Outlook to Rice India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) has revised the outlook on the cotton sector to negative to stable for FY15 from negative. The agency has also revised the rating Outlook on cotton companies to Stable for FY15 from Negative. This is because the revival in domestic... more
Revenue for companies offering value-added road freight services would grow at a higher rate than those offering basic road freight services.
Country's cement sector may see consolidation due to weak demand, India Ratings (Ind-Ra) said today.
India Ratings has retained negative outlook on the paper industry but with a "stable" bias for the next fiscal.
India Ratings today revised its outlook upwards on the telecom sector to stable from negative for the next financial year (2014-15).
India Ratings has said consolidated state finances will remain resilient even in the current economic downturn.
India Ratings today said key profitability metrics of the infra financier will drop sharply in near to medium-term.
The report said rate hike of either 0.25 to 0.50% by RBI in the next 2 quarters will push number of stressed companies among BSE-500 cos by 14-15%.
India Ratings & Research today said it maintains a stable outlook for the nation's oil and gas sector for the 2014-15 fiscal.
India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) has maintained an overall negative outlook for the infrastructure sector for FY15, considering most project companies? continued weak credit profiles
India Ratings expects local steel demand to rise 3-5% in FY'15.


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Chandigarh to levy GST on commercial ventures of bar association
The UT excise and taxation department has asked Punjab and Haryana High Court bar association to submit information regarding the revenue being generated by the bar from its commercial establishments, including shops and paid-parking being run by it. It has been asked to submit information within couple of weeks.
A GST of 18 per cent is applicable on parking-lot services and rental income. “An assessment is being made whether the bar’s revenue is covered under GST and the quantum of tax to be levied. If the receipts are more than ₹20 lakh, the bar association must have a GST number. The contractor charging the parking fee will have to collect the stipulated GST from users and pay it to authorities,” a department official said.
A green belt near the entry to Punjab and Haryana high court complex has been turned into a parking lot. The Punjab and Haryana high court bar association has deployed its staff to charge ₹30 as parking fee from litigants coming from across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.


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90s themed nightclub ‘Popworld’ has replaced Flares
“It’s like the disco room in Pryzm”
The beloved Popworld is opening on Cardiff’s St Mary Street in replacement of Flares.
Popworld is well known for its cheesy music and shameless playing of 90s artists like S Club 7, Steps, Spice Girls, ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, all songs we remember well from our primary school disco days.
The popular 90s nightclub has venues across the UK including Swansea, Birmingham, Sheffield, Liverpool, Newcastle, Portsmouth and York.
Alan Armstrong, Head of Marketing for the Venues Division at Stonegate Pub Company, said: “Popworld is one of the most popular brands throughout the UK and this new venue is a welcome addition to out existing 16 clubs.
“The demand for this concept has increased massively recently and we’re excited to open and find out what the local residents make of it.”
Second year English Lit student, Constance Green, commented on her experience of Popworld: “The only time I’ve ever been everyone in there was 50 plus, but it was a good laugh and I enjoyed dancing to music I grew up with. It’s basically like the disco room in Pryzm.”


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CNET News.com: VA Linux trying to make inroads into JapanSep 29, 2000, 00:04 (0 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Stephen Shankland)
"VA Linux Systems and Sumitomo have created a subsidiary to help VA establish a toehold in the notoriously hard-to-enter Japanese market. VA has the controlling interest in the subsidiary, VA Linux Systems Japan, said Robert Russo, VA's general manager of worldwide sales, marketing and services."
"NTT Communicationware, NEC and Toshiba Engineering also have agreed to invest in the VA subsidiary, but completion of those deals awaits regulatory approval from the Japanese and U.S. governments, Russo said. The partnership with those three companies, as well as Sumitomo, gives VA access that it would have had to fight for years to obtain otherwise, Russo said."
"The deal, a year in the making, will give VA a way to sell servers to large Japanese companies without the need for VA to hire a large sales and support staff of its own, Russo said. For example, VA will sell computers to NTT Communicationware, which in turn will sell them to the large Japanese telecommunications company NTT."


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For African migrants, sending money back home comes at a high cost: they spend an average of 12.4 percent on transfer fees. Bitcoin entrepreneurs are now coming up with clever ways of bringing the cost of remittance down, all the way to zero. A risky endeavor or a smart fix?
Shaun Matsheza has gone through the process every month for over five years, ever since he came to the Netherlands. Armed with cash and a customer card, he shows up at Western Union’s bright yellow desk to send money back home to Zimbabwe. The cost to do so is high: on average, about 15 percent of the total money transaction. “And if something suddenly arises, and my family needs 40 euros or so, I have to pay the minimum fee of 17 euros,” says Matsheza, who is a journalist for Radio Netherlands Worldwide. “It can be ridiculous.”
At the other end of the transaction, the process is not very convenient either. After Matsheza sends his mother a secret code, she or a sibling travels about half an hour into town to collect the money at the nearest Western Union agency.
Matsheza and his family are far from alone in acting out this monthly ritual. In fact, millions of people across the world do the same. Their mundane motions fuel the global economy; according to the World Bank, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa will receive 44 billion euros in remittance this year alone, which makes it one of the largest sources of income, far exceeding foreign aid.
Popular money transfer agents like Western Union or MoneyGram, whose services are cheaper than banks, handle a large part of these transactions to African countries. Yet their fees for sending money are outrageously high: an average of 12.4 percent. Like Shaun Matsheza, many migrants are reluctantly loyal customers. “I am always interested in alternatives,” Matsheza says, “but it’s not an easy problem to solve.”
High-tech fix for low-tech communities
Techies believe that Bitcoin might be just what these migrants are looking for. Sending Bitcoin across borders and exchanging to and from the cryptocurrency is practically free of charge, and it doesn’t require the interference of any bank or government.
Now if asking your cousin in the UK to start sending Bitcoins to your smartphone-less aunt in Uganda sounds less than genius, hold on— there’s a few smart entrepreneurs who believe they've found ways to make this high-tech fix work in low-tech communities too.
Pelle Braendgaard is one of them. He is the Danish founder of Kipochi, a free mobile web app for both smart and dumb phones. Kipochi is a Bitcoin wallet that allows users to send and receive Bitcoins via their phone. “Our goal is to make Bitcoin accessible,” Braendgaard explains from his Nairobi office. “With Bitcoin, you normally have to transfer money via these complex addresses, but with Kipochi all you need is a phone number.”
Braendgaard argues that cash-based economies cause bureaucracy and red tape that stifle economic development: “If the only payment available is physical cash, you run into all sorts of issues. You can’t prove your income if it’s all in cash for example. So if you want to get a loan, that’s just very hard.”
With Bitcoin, many people who live too far away from traditional banks can open accounts on their cell phones. And because Bitcoin is a decentralized currency, Braendgaard believes “it literally can’t be stopped by governments or strong banking industry,” and won’t be subject to the same bothersome regulations.
Via Rutger van Zuidam


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Macao authorities on Tuesday shut down shopping malls, casinos, and several zones or buildings in a race to control the biggest outbreak in the biggest gambling hub in the world.
Macao, under China’s “zero-COVID” policy, has reported over 1,000 COVID-19 infections since mid-June and over 14,000 people in mandatory quarantine.
According to reports, authorities locked down a famous shopping mall adjacent to China’s MGM casino resort on the city’s main peninsula, One Central shopping mall, the Grand Lisboa with more than 500 people inside, a shopping mall inside the Four Seasons hotel, and over a dozen zones or buildings.
Authorities also asked more than 600,000 residents to stay at home when possible and required them to take part in three citywide COVID-19 tests this week and to take rapid antigen tests in between the laboratory tests.
Reports said the city is effectively closed, with most facilities shut and restaurants only providing takeaway.
Government officials said Macau casinos with few patrons and only a small number of staff were allowed to stay open to protect jobs as most of the population directly or indirectly work for the casino resorts.
Macao had been COVID-free since the October 2021 outbreak.
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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT) shares are back on the discount rack following a lackluster Q1 earnings report. Investors were disappointed by a 1.1% increase in comparable sales at U.S. stores and by earnings per share that fell from $1.10 a year ago to $1.03 last quarter.
Management blamed foreign currency headwinds, investments in e-commerce, and higher wages for the decline in profit, but the market was unappeased. Beyond the headline numbers, however, investors should take note of some positive items hidden in the report.
1. Focus on investments, not currency
Wal-Mart said currency translation negatively affected EPS by $0.03, but its international stores contribute less than 20% of the company's operating income. For the quarter, companywide operating income declined from $6.2 billion to $5.7 billion, with the vast majority of that slide owing to a 7% drop in operating income at U.S. stores, from $5 billion to $4.6 billion.
Since comparable sales improved in the quarter, the profit dip was likely due to increased spending on wages, training, and e-commerce infrastructure, and not poorer operating performance.
In April, Wal-Mart lifted the minimum wage at all of its U.S. stores to $9 per hour, a cost effect that will triple in the current quarter as only one month of the wage increase was included in Q1. The company also raised wages at higher levels, and added back nearly 8,000 department managers in a move to improve customer service. All told, Wal-Mart plans to invest $1 billion in employee wages and training this year, and those investments shaved $0.02 off EPS in the first quarter.
On the e-commerce front, Wal-Mart's investments helped drive global online sales growth of 17% in the quarter. The retailer is rolling out a simplified checkout process on walmart.com and improving its mobile experience, which more than doubled mobile traffic in the quarter. Other investments include a new dedicated e-commerce fulfillment center in Brazil and four more corresponding sites in the U.S.
2. Customer service is improving
Wal-Mart customer service scores rose last quarter -- likely as a result of the investments in its staff. During its earnings call, management said, "our customer service scores have steadily increased this quarter with all geographic areas and formats showing positive results."
In addition to increased training and the additional department managers, Wal-Mart also continued its "Checkout Promise" program. This initiative, launched during the holiday season, aims to speed up checkout at the register by adding more cashiers during peak hours.
Improving customer service is key for the company to grow its comparable sales. Its customer satisfaction scores have been at the bottom of the industry recently, according to surveys, while fast-growing rivals such as Amazon.com and Costco Wholesale are near the top. As competition increases, both in e-commerce and other platforms, Wal-Mart must better please its customers in order to remain competitive.
3. Growth areas are delivering
Wal-Mart's two key growth areas, e-commerce and its Neighborhood Market locations, both significantly boosted sales in the quarter. Along with the 17% global growth, e-commerce sales were particularly strong in international markets such as Canada, where they jumped by over 40%.
Meanwhile, comparable sales rose 7.9% at the smaller Neighborhood Market format last quarter. As Supercenter comps have flattened and the larger format appears to be near saturation in the U.S., organic growth at Walmart Neighborhood Market is crucial -- that format is the company's best bet for in-store sales increases and overall store growth.
Last year, Wal-Mart for the first time added more Neighborhood Markets than it did Supercenters, and for 2015 it plans to open 200-220 of the former versus just 60-70 of the latter.
With the headwinds from a stronger dollar and the company's investments in personnel and e-commerce, Wal-Mart's profit is expected to fall this year, and might not grow much next year as it again raises its minimum wage to $10. Still, it's a mistake for investors to assume this quarter's results indicate long-term weakness.
The most important change Wal-Mart needs to make is improving its customer service. If Wal-Mart can get its customers to visit because they want to instead of because they have to, its performance and stock value will improve. That won't happen overnight, but the Q1 earnings report shows the retailer is clearly taking steps in the right direction.


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The 53rd annual Keller Marine and RV show was recently held at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Pa.
For the second consecutive year, Keller Marine joined with Lightning RV of Thonotosassa, Fla., allowing both distributors to attract a larger number of vendors and customers.
With more than 145 vendors represented, the 275 attending dealerships were presented with a variety of new items and took advantage of informative vendor-led seminars.
“Keller and our vendors are both committed to continuing education for our dealers,” Keller Marine and RV president Mike Keller said in a statement. “We feel these seminars really contribute to that goal.”
Attendees said the show was a success.
“It’s nice to see not only what we buy, but the other products that the vendors have that are not featured in the Keller catalog,” Bob Newman, of Bill’s Marine in Oakland Md., said in a statement. “It gives us a different idea of what else is out there.”


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Cadillac's vision for the future is a reputation based on the experience of the journey rather than the vehicle itself.
"We were designing cars, but now we design experiences," Frank Saucedo, director of General Motors' Advanced Design Studio in California, told Automotive News. "The technology is making this [customer] experience basically effortless."
Cadillac showcased the latest addition to its Cadillac Halo Concept Portfolio during CES this week with the InnerSpace, a two-passenger autonomous, electric luxury concept vehicle that features nearly full views through a panoramic glass roof and part of the body sides and a massive LED display for augmented reality engagement, entertainment or wellness recovery.
Cadillac also teased the OpenSpace, a vehicle that gives passengers a place to stay while traveling. It plans to share more details on the OpenSpace this year.


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- Hillshire Brands Co. announced on Friday that it will close its Florence, Alabama meat plant on December 30 of this year.
- The plant employs 1,100 people who produce breakfast sandwich and breakfast sausage cooking operations.
- Hillshire Brands determined that production from the facility will be sourced from other locations within the company’s operations network.
The Hillshire plant began operation in the 1930s as Lauderdale Farms, before becoming Florence Packing Co., Bama Meats, Jolly Green Giant, Rudy Farms, Jimmy Dean Foods, and Sara Lee. It was sold to Hillshire in September 2012. And just three and a half years later, it's announcing its closing.
This is a devastating blow to Florence, as Hillshire is one of the the biggest employers in the area that has already been wracked by the September announcement of International Paper's closing of the Courtland Mill, which will result in the loss of 1,096 jobs. Florence Mayor Mickey Haddock said he was" floored" by the news. The mayor reports that “there were some safety concerns based on the age of the plant,” according to the plant manager, Damien Williams.
Unfortunately, companies must make decisions based on their own bottom lines, even at the cost of local economies. It wasn't deemed efficient to continue operations at an outdated plant or to invest in bringing it up to date to keep the jobs there open. The only slight silver lining for the employees is that the company said it will provide severance and other assistance to employees.


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Google launches Home to compete with Siri and Alexa
As speech recognition and language-processing software continue to improve, the potential exists for digital personal assistants - Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and Google Assistant - to amass deeper profiles of customers than has ever been possible before. A new level of competition arrived in 2016, when Google launched its Home wireless speaker into a market that already included the Amazon Echo, launched in 2014. It remained unclear how much people would use these assistants and how these companies would monetize these products beyond extending and deepening the relationships they already had with customers.
Writer: Tom Simonite
Publication: Technology Review


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HILL’S HOT RODS GETTIN’ DOWN ON A C30
THE guys at Hill’s Hot Rods just can’t seem to help to build beautiful square-bodies. One of their latest will be this ’76 C30 owned by Chance Gesch, which has been named #GoldDigger. This rendering by “Pinstripe Chris” Dunlop gives us a sneak peek into what the dually will look like in its shaved body and PPG Gold and Cream goodness. The truck is being built with all LMC Truck restoration bits, a monster fuel-injected 632-CID BluePrint big block, GC Cooling drop-in radiator/fan combo, and 24-inch American Force Quake wheels with Nexen N’Fera tires.
The down-low stance will come courtesy of a Porterbuilt front drop member and a RideTech four-link setup, with the latest air management system from Switch Suspension. The interior will be fully reworked by JD Glassworks and will sport a new audio system, electronics, and upholstery, along with Snowden custom seats and Classic Instruments gauges.
We’ll keep an eye on Chance’s truck as it progresses and will hopefully get the chance to see more of it soon!
GM DESIGNATES $10 MILLION TO PROMOTE INCLUSION AND RACIAL JUSTICE
GENERAL Motors announced today it has designated $10 million to support organizations that promote inclusion and racial justice. An initial $1 million will go to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
Recipients of additional funding will be determined with input from GM’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and the recently announced GM Inclusion Advisory Board (IAB). GM’s IAB will consist of leaders from inside and outside the company, with the goal of making GM the most inclusive company in the world. GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra will chair the IAB.
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Homie adds new energy purchase program to help Utah homebuyers
Salt Lake City- ready buddiesa tenders market division Pal provides, announced the release of Buy Before You Sell to help Utah homebuyers get ahead of the competitive housing market. When combined with Homie Cash™, the new Power Buyer Program is another example of how Homie works to increase a customer’s chances of winning a home offer in a competitive market.
“Homie is always looking for new, innovative ways to make homeownership easy, affordable and accessible to everyone, especially in this competitive housing market,” says Johnny Hanna, co-founder and CEO of Homie. “After launching Homie Cash in the summer of 2021 and seeing how much it helped shoppers, we created the Buy Before You Sell program as an additional way to help Homie Cash customers stand out from the crowd.”
The launch of Buy Before You Sell follows the successful launch of Homie Cash, which allows a buyer to submit a cash offer on the home of their choice, giving them a competitive edge over other offers.
To take advantage of Buy Before You Sell, a buyer must first qualify and use Homie Cash. With the Buy Before You Sell program, the buyer can choose a new home to buy, submit a cash offer, and if accepted, could move in before selling their current home. Once the buyer’s current home is sold, the buyer can complete the purchase of their new home with traditional financing.
“Homie had the perfect plan for us, buy first using Homie’s Cash, then work on selling. It was quick and easy, and we saved over $17,000 in commission fees. We highly recommend the Homie method for buying and selling homes,” says Reta Cunningham, a Homie client who recently took advantage of the Homie Cash and Buy Before You Sell programs.
Buy before you sell is currently available in Utah and Colorado. Homie plans to roll out the program in Arizona, Idaho and Nevada soon. For more information on Buy Before You Sell, visit https://www.homie.com/buy-before-selling or Homie Cash, visit www.homie.com/cash.
Homie is an integrated real estate platform that uses modern technology, combined with the expertise of dedicated local agents, to make home ownership easy and accessible to everyone. Homie has already saved consumers more than $125 million in real estate commissions and helped clients buy and sell more than $3 billion in homes. The Homie family of companies form a one-stop shop, saving customers time, effort and money. Homie has brought together real estate, mortgage, title, insurance and market services under one roof to make life easier for its clients. To learn more, visit www.homie.com. Homie Loans NMLS#1016597.


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Samsung has unveiled the logo for its Siri rival Bixby and, if you ask us, it looks more like a pregnancy app than an impressive AI innovation. But as tech logos go, it's not even close to the...
Fairphone offers new twist on its FP3 smartphone with improved camera and audio modules and upgraded OS
Fairphone 3 Plus designed to increase the longevity of the ethical modular smartphone
If workplaces, schools and colleges are to reopen safely, the evidence shows we need to reduce our reliance on proximity tracing
Says the decision is a targeted move to ensure safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace
Facebook SDK enables users to login to their apps through a Facebook account
Season One: Empowering the remote working revolution


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While companies across the industry faced many challenges throughout 2020, we have all made great strides in meeting consumers’ changing needs. The overarching trends we have seen thus far aren’t necessarily surprising, though adoption was kicked into high gear forcing advertisers, media owners, and technology providers to adapt their plans.
In 2021, organizations will be able to shift from a reactive stance to a proactive one and purposefully advance their video investments. According to eMarketer, YouTube’s net CTV ad revenues accounted for 18.5% of US CTV ad spending in 2020. Hulu and Roku accounted for 24.2% and 9.1%, respectively. These facts prove that is an increasing trend in video advertising.
What are the trends in the video ad that will dominate this year?
Here’s a snapshot of the main trends to watch.
Streaming the new favorite
With new technology, it’s easier than ever to get what content consumers want. OTT video and CTV have bridged the gap between traditional cable and the internet. And the pandemic has just made more people embrace this streaming technology. The majority of viewers worldwide report that they like free, ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) content better than paying for an ad-free premium service.
OTT and CTV ad
The growing popularity of over-the-top (OTT) and consumer video-on-demand (CTV) is a real game-changer. While traditional TV viewership gradually declines, advertisers are shifting their budget to OTT faster than anticipated. As a result of this shift, it’s being projected that by 2025, viewers will see the commercial video on demand (AVOD) revenue worldwide reach twice the subscription VOD revenue level.
Device manufacturers enter the ad business.
We are entering a time when device manufacturers can use their influence in new ways. Most people already watch CTV on smart TVs, and manufacturers take advantage of this: They use it to launch new offerings for consumers and advertisers. The viewership of CTV is growing steadily in the US, Europe, and Australia, making smart TVs more popular. Manufacturers are responding by producing more intelligent features and advertising tools.
By 2021, we will have seen more video advertising sequencing. Video remarketing abilities have been available on Facebook and YouTube (Google) advertising networks for years. This past year, LinkedIn opened up this functionality to all advertisers. If a consumer watches a certain percentage of your video, it means they can be added to an advertising audience. This tactic allows you to create “video ad funnels” where viewers can be served up sequential ads related to the video as part of a specific audience profile. This means we will see more story-based content to create a clean, consistent brand experience from video to video.
Data-driven campaigns take priority.
Audience data will slowly start becoming more important in the video advertising industry. Data accuracy’s continued role in ensuring consumer trust will be one of the most critical brands’ priorities. Measuring campaign effectiveness and providing tangible outcomes is a must in this case.
Programmatic buying options.
Even though advertisers used to separate their cable TV ads and OTT ads, they are now increasingly merging. Companies are pushing into automated buying and programmatic guarantees because it offers enormous efficiencies and helps them reach specific audience segments with data.
Increased focus on premium partnerships.
Last year reminded us of the need to build more resilient supply chains. The concepts of demand and supply chain optimization aren’t new, but they have taken center stage because of the unpredictable market changes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.


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Published in Health Business Week, March 27th, 2009
Southern Star has received numerous requests from current and prospective customers to deliver gas into NNG's system. In response to these requests, Southern Star teamed with NNG to determine what facilities would meet this stated need. Southern Star determined that it can construct facilities that will be capable of providing firm deliveries up to 64,750...
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China Appliances and Consumer Electronics Expo (AWE), the largest in Asia and the third in the world, will be held in Shanghai from March 11 to 14, 2020. There are only 6 months left before the opening of AWE2020. Allow me to inform you the three changes of AWE2020 in advance.
Midea PK Haier
AWE2020 will again witness the Midea PK Haier because each of the two comprehensive domestic appliance giants occupy a whole pavilion again. Considering that Midea and Haier competed with each other in terms of products, technologies, brands and comprehensive strength at AWE2019 in March, it can be imagined that we will see a more exciting and eye-catching battle between the two.
A Feast for the Eyes and Mouth
In 2019, AWE rented 10 exhibition halls covering 130,000 square meters, setting new records of 340,000 visits and nearly 900 world-leading brands. But AWE2020 will sweep that record with its 13 exhibition halls of 150,000 square meters, 1,000 participating brands and expected 380,000 visits.
Specifically, two pavilions of kitchen appliance made a hit at AWE2019 because of its colorful products and friendly interactivity of the special “Food Festival”, which pushes more kitchen appliance enterprises to get a slice of the cake. Consequently AWE must open three kitchen appliance pavilions in 2020. AMK itself increases its exhibition area to a half of a pavilion (it joins the fierce pavilion competition between Haier and Midea). High-end German brand Liebherr is also expected to make its debut at AWE2020.
AWE2020 will open a new pavilion called Charm Home for beauty & health brands (personal care) and 80% booths in the pavilion have been taken by domestic and foreign well-known brands. Except the brand participating this year, about a half of participating brands at AWE2020 will be new ones, including the exhibit group composed by Korea beauty & health &personal care brands.
With the rise of domestic “she/he economy” in the past two to three years or so, the market of beauty & health personal care products with cosmetic apparatus, hair dryer, electric toothbrush, razor as representatives is expanding at a fast speed. Consumers pay considerable attention to the related brands and functions of products. In order to get close with users and link them to products, exhibition organizers plan to hold AWE Beauty Festival at the Charm Home next year.
In addition, AWE2020 will create more topics in the consumer electronics show. One reason is that Huawei has just launched its TV this year. Other famous enterprises will further expand their booth area to display new products to be unveiled next year. AWE2019 gets together all famous global TV brands. Beside the Chinese five enterprises of brown goods—Hisense, TCL, Skyworth, Changhong, and Konka, Samsung, SONY, Sharp, LG, Panasonic, and LG Display are also present, achieving an impressive family reunion of the TV industry. According to the latest news, Hisense will display achievements in the fields of smart city, smart transportation and smart medical-care at AWE2020. What’s more, TCL group will exhibit CSOT at AWE for the first time.
More brands from Europe and the United States
Finally, what worth mentioning is that AWE2020 will be more international. More high-end brands will present next AWE, such as Euroidea with its subsidiary brands and Ecowater. To make it clear, Euroidea is a provider of high-end kitchen and home appliance solutions. In 2020, it will make its first appearance at AWE, equal to CES, in the Asia-Pacific region with its exclusive agent brands, such as SMEG (Italian high-end appliance brand), Blendtec (American intelligent high-speed blender), EUROCAVE (French luxury wine cabinet brand), CUCINE (Italian modern kitchen appliance brand) and WESCO (German fashion household brand) and so on.
Last, but most importantly:
80% booths of AWE2020 have been sold out!
Main Information of the AWE2020
Time: March 11-14, 2020
Address: Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC)
China Household Electrical Appliances Association
TEL: +86 10 6709 3609


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The Chelsea boot has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in the last couple of years and its hard not to love a boot that pairs so well with a pair of jeans or even a suit. While there are tons of options out there, Victoria, British Columbia's Viberg is one pair we'll definitely have on our wishlist. The expert bootmaker just announced production and plans to release the boots later this fall.
Viberg releases a Wholecut Boot in Italian horsehide leather
Cut from a single piece of leather.