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Positioning Your Brand for the Recovery Phase
Although the past two months have been a bleak haze for many DTC marketers, hopeful signs of consumer resurgence are beginning to appear as the U.S. attempts to shift into coronavirus recovery territory by lifting stay-at-home orders and reopening Main Street. This type of activity sparks discussions between marketers on how to pivot, yet again, from their pandemic strategy to a recovery marketing strategy that is indicative of our new environment.
By evaluating customer and prospect behavior data during the coronavirus, direct marketers can identify lasting trends to anticipate the needs of their post-COVID audiences. Then, messaging and channel adjustments can be made to existing direct marketing strategies to position brands for future growth and customer needs.
Use today’s data to predict tomorrow’s behaviors
Past national crises have had lasting impacts on consumer habits, and the coronavirus aftermath will be no different. Over the past eight weeks, consumers adapted purchasing habits to make the quarantine situation more comfortable, and chances are high some of these temporary behaviors will find a permanent position in their daily lives. By recognizing patterns from today’s consumer data, marketers can position their brands to fill the needs of tomorrow.
During stay-at-home orders, consumers have embraced online shopping and prioritized spending on essential (i.e. grocery and health) and entertainment (i.e. streaming and video chat) products. In April, online carts began to diversify as consumers expanded their shopping to include convenience and discretionary spending. Bazaarvoice has been compiling data on global e-commerce activity, and recent results show a triple digit year-over-year order growth for industries ranging from hardware and sporting goods to furniture and home and garden. Miscellaneous services, such as education, financial and real estate, are also experiencing YOY growth. We expect DTC convenience and home good providers who established themselves as reliable and valuable during quarantine to experience permanent growth in a post-pandemic world.
Ready to explore beyond their backyards, 30% of American’s surveyed have indicated travel and vacation purchases as a priority once social distancing restrictions ease and the economy finds its balance. This is good news for an industry that took a massive hit as tourism was severely restricted to limit coronavirus spread. These vacations are likely to be local or domestic initially, but could present a new market opportunity for the industry.
COVID-19 marketing strategies have focused on responding to the situation with empathy, easing customer burden, and showing community support. Survey data shows consumers have admired this values-first approach during trying circumstances, and it will continue to be significant as the world begins to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Since March, Social Media Link has compiled data from 5,400 U.S. consumers. April’s survey found that over half of consumers have tried a new brand during quarantine, and 48% of those who tried a new brand plan to return to them in the future. Retaining new customers will depend on the brands’ commitment to value, quality products, availability, employee and customer safety, and giving back to the community. A GlobalWebIndex survey echoes these results, reporting 1 in 3 consumers will return to brands who helped during the outbreak.
While there are an abundance of brands experiencing hardships at this time, those who have experienced a lift in activity — or are anticipating a lift based on consumers’ post-quarantine intentions — must prepare for future growth by examining the data and reevaluating their acquisition strategy. Rather than attempt to build a new marketing strategy to satisfy previous customer expectations, consider how you can advance your pandemic approach to meet your consumers’ increased ecommerce activity and interest in mission-based or cause-related initiatives, with marketing in channels that are both impressionable and scalable.
Adapt your response strategy to make a lasting impression
While the world works to safely recover from the pandemic, there will be a significant period of time where Americans will need to continue practicing social distancing and limit out of home exposure. Therefore, brands must consider the best way to reach their audiences where they are, while being fiscally responsible with Q3 and Q4 advertising budgets.
As a tangible and memorable form of marketing collateral, direct mail is proven to have a significant impact on consumer decision making. It’s also known for favorable response rates and laser-focused targeting via look-alike modeling. By utilizing a data-driven approach, marketers can develop a targeted and meaningful post-pandemic direct marketing strategy that supports long-term growth. Use data to consider the following:
- Identify the similarities and differences between pre-COVID and COVID customer characteristics to build new prospecting models.
- Determine why offers and creative stimulated actions during the pandemic, and how they can be modified to align with post-COVID consumer expectations.
- Compare offline and online purchasing trends to determine how to leverage the strengths of both channels for a higher response.
By aligning online and offline tactics, brands can are reach consumers on the digital platforms they have embraced during quarantine while encouraging physical interaction with a personalized direct mail piece that is twice as likely to elicit a response. The marriage of these two channels allows for sensitive creative and target audiences to mirror each other, and a systematic sequence of messaging encourages engagement while ensuring limited budgets are not wasted on siloed campaigns.


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Investing.com – Facebook and Apple led FAANG stocks higher on Monday, boosting the broader tech sector after Wall Street analysts upgraded their outlooks on both companies.
Bank of America (NYSE:) upgraded its rating on Apple (NASDAQ:) to buy from neutral and raised its price target on the stock to $210 from $180, arguing expectations for a decline in tech giant’s hardware sales are somewhat overly negative. Apple’s share price rose 3.3%.
The bank’s price target on Apple’s stock assumes flat hardware and somewhat-slower-than-historical growth in services. Bank of America said the 26% pullback seen in Apple’s stock price from its peak “presents opportunity” and highlighted several supportive factors for its bullish outlook including a “large reversal of inventory overhang” for iPhones, stability in the group’s global supply chain and “modest” acceleration in services revenue growth.
Shares of Facebook (NASDAQ:) rose 2% after Nomura Instinet upgraded its rating on the social media stock to buy from neutral and raised its price target to $215 from $172.
The firm said its concerns over engagement trends at core Facebook have “eased,” as users were transitioning to the company’s Stories feature faster than it had anticipated.
Instagram Stories produced about $750 million in advertising revenue in 2018 and could pave the way to grow to $2.2 billion this year and $7.5 billion by 2021, Nomura said.
The stock has gained more than 40% following a plunge in December, though it remains about 21% below record levels seen in July.
Other FAANG stocks Amazon.com (NASDAQ:), Alphabet (NASDAQ:) and Netflix (NASDAQ:) gained more than 2% on the day.
Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.

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Barry Silbert Advertises Favorable Modification for BTC
Bitcoin, the world’s very first cryptocurrency, has actually come a lengthy way since its creation. For many years, it has actually obtained popularity as well as approval as a reputable kind of money. What does Foundry do? However, there are still many obstacles as well as hurdles to overcome for Bitcoin to accomplish mainstream fostering. That’s where market leaders like Barry Silbert come into play.
Barry Silbert Millionaire, the founder and also chief executive officer of Digital Currency Group Money Group, is a popular number in the cryptocurrency area. How to avoid bankruptcy? He has been actively associated with promoting favorable change for Bitcoin as well as the overall electronic money ecological community. Silbert’s vision and also initiatives have played a critical role fit the market as well as relocate onward.
Among Silbert’s noteworthy payments is his role in the growth and development of Grayscale Investments. Grayscale is a subsidiary of Digital Money Team and is the biggest digital possession manager globally. It supplies financiers with accessibility to numerous cryptocurrency investment products, including the preferred Grayscale Bitcoin Depend on.
Via Grayscale, Silbert has made it easier for standard investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin without actually possessing the cryptocurrency themselves. This has actually been a substantial factor in drawing in institutional capitalists right into the room and also bridging the gap between standard finance and the crypto world.
Along with his collaborate with Grayscale, Silbert has actually been actively advocating for the regulation and also approval of cryptocurrencies. He believes that clear regulations are vital for widespread fostering as well as financier defense. Silbert has joined countless conversations and involvements with regulatory bodies to assist shape a beneficial governing setting for cryptocurrencies.
Silbert likewise recognizes the significance of education and also recognition in promoting favorable change for Bitcoin. All you need to know about Gensis Trading. He has actually founded several initiatives, such as the Bitcoin Investment Trust, which intend to inform the public and investors regarding the capacity of Bitcoin and other digital possessions. By debunking cryptocurrencies as well as highlighting their benefits, Silbert has assisted eliminate some of the misconceptions and uncertainty surrounding this emerging property course.
Finally, Barry Silbert is a vital figure in advertising positive adjustment for Bitcoin. Via his collaborate with Grayscale Investments, advocacy for policy, and instructional initiatives, Silbert has made significant contributions to the improvement as well as approval of Bitcoin. All you need to know about Crypto. As Bitcoin remains to develop and also develop, market leaders like Silbert will certainly play a critical function fit its future.


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Drake's Apple Music-exclusive album Views tops 250 million streams in the first week
Drake's latest album Views, which happens to be an Apple Music-exclusive has been doing extremely well. Republic Records has confirmed that in the first week the album was streamed more than 250 million times worldwide. These numbers are especially astonishing when you consider that Apple has last reported having around 13 million paying Apple Music subscribers.
From The Verge:
While people have their own opinions about exclusives, and if they work out or not, this decision seems to be doing just fine for Drake. The album will be making its way to other streaming platforms beginning on May 13.
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Our news, reviews, opinions, and easy to follow guides can turn any iPhone owner into an Apple aficionado
Jared started off writing about mobile phones back when BlackBerry ruled the market, and Windows Mobile was kinda cool. Now, with a family, mortgage and other responsibilities he has no choice but to look for the best deals, and he's here to share them with you.


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Facial recognition cameras in UK retail chain challenged by privacy group
Shoppers at a grocery store chain across southern England are being surveilled with facial recognition cameras, prompting a legal complaint by civil rights campaigners. According to the complaint made to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the surveillance system "uses novel technology and highly invasive processing of personal data, creating a biometric profile of every visitor to stores where its cameras are installed". Individuals can submit a subject access request to check if this applies to them, the chain said.
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The Electronics Entertainment Expo, also known as E3, is one of the longest running events in the game industry calendar.
First held in 1995, E3 has become the setting over the years for some of the most important announcements in the evolution of PlayStation. In recent times, it has been the chosen location for revealing PSP and PlayStation 3, as well as countless software titles.
In 2008, E3 returns to the Los Angeles Convention Centre from July 15 to July 17, and should be an altogether different affair after last year's series of intimate events held in and around Santa Monica.
Building on the announcements made at PlayStation Day, held in London in May 2008, there are bound to be a number of exciting insights into the future of PlayStation.
Keep checking back at nz.playstation.com for all the major news as well as interviews and hands on impressions of some of the key software titles that will be unveiled.
Immerse yourself in new worlds with the upcoming virtual reality system in development for PlayStation 4.
See if your question has been answered by the PlayStation Community.
Get updates on the next generation portable entertainment system.


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It looks like the recession-hit Schaeffler group may have to agree to a humiliating climbdown in its bold bid to takeover Continental tyres.
The tables look well and truly turned as the German ball bearing manufacturer appears to have bitten off more than in can chew after its hostile take-over of the tyres company.
And now it could end up merging with Continental as the junior partner!
The recession has ripped Shaeffler’s take-over blueprint apart and now it is having to consider a possible reverse-takeover option by selling a large piece of its business to Continental in order to pay off some of its mounting debts.
According to Reuters news agency, sources with “knowledge of the matter” report that Schaeffler is struggling with debts of close to 11 billion euros and has announced plans to reduce annual labour costs by 250 million euros – which equates to laying off 4,500 workers.
The trouble was Schaeffler launched their $18 billion hostile take-over bid last July – before the recession really kicked in – but ended up collecting more shares than it could afford, lumbering it with a crushing debt millstone as car sales collapsed.
A spokesman for Schaeffler has confirmed: “The Schaeffler group is working on options for future cooperation between both companies.
“The integration (of Schaeffler into Continental) is also an option. The result of this process is open.”
Continental, whose shares soared by 13.7% after the news leaked, has so far declined comment.
One source close to Schaeffler admitted: “The logic of the original plan no longer works.
“To solve Schaeffler’s problems, something radical has to happen. We have to think about switching the roles (of Continental and Schaeffler).”
Until now, both companies have been at loggerheads after Schaeffler won control in a hostile swoop. The dispute between management has made it hard to achieve synergies and cost savings from a merger.
Denna Bowman, Head Office


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OIC (Organisation of Islamic Co-operation), the international body representing all Muslim countries of the world took the initiative to establish one Halal standard throughout the world; this was announced by Secretary General, Halal Association of Pakistan (HAP) Asad Sajjad.
“OIC has given the mandate to SMIIC (Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries) to introduce one Halal standard that would be acceptable to all Muslims and would be workable for the Halal certification bodies of the world. SMIIC is responsible for regulating the actions and enforcing regulation for proper functioning of Halal certifying bodies; hence, it developed one universal HALAL standard called, OIC-SMIIC Halal standards, for Halal manufacturing units, Halal Certification bodies and Halal accreditation agencies.
He said adding that now the need is to have a common logo of OIC-SMIIC, recognised by all certifying, regulatory and legislative bodies that could serve as an authentic and credible symbol for all manufacturers, Certifying bodies and also recognised by all Halal consumer as the OIC-SMIIC Halal logo.
The OIC-SMIIC logo will be accompanied by the certifying body logo on the product and services. OIC SMIIC: World Halal Assembly which would be held in Islamabad on June 04, 2014, aims to provide a platform to bring together the religious scholars, technical and scientific experts from all over the world to increase interaction between different business sectors and policy-makers and discuss about the importance of using OIC-SMIIC Halal standards for the world.
At present there are more than 400 known Halal certifying bodies and organisation in the world but only a fraction of them recognised or registered with some international organisations. Some regions have more than necessary number of certification bodies whereas others have none. Places with high number of such bodies’ increases fierce competition and may lead to bitterness, mainly due to varying standards and compromises.
There are too many Halal standards in the world. Every country has its own Halal standards and within country sometimes different organisations have their own standards. These standards are similar in most of the aspect but tend to differ in some critical points. For example, types of stunning, acceptance of mechanical slaughtering, ethanol concentration in final products, etc. These differences have led to cross country certification by some of the certifying bodies which develop unproductive competition that may lead to enmity between several Halal/Islamic organisations, which is forbidden in Islam.
Due to so many different Halal standards in the world, there is confusion & misunderstanding in the Halal audit and certification process and often the Halal logo is abused. As a result, supply chains are broken creating artificial shortages of raw material. The loss of Halal status can easily translate into significant loss of revenue for Halal manufacturers and producers. Present situation of Halal certification is tricky and unnecessarily sophisticated. It is complicated, risky, and sensitive and at present it is working but for how long? One day all this may fall apart and we all have to bear the dreaded consequence, unpleasantness, disharmony and rivalry it will follow.


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The plywood has come down from the windows. The tables installed and polished. The huge cooler is set to the appropriate temperature.
All that’s left for World of Beer is, well, beer.
Hundreds of brands of beer should arrive in the next couple weeks, as the new, 3,800-square-foot bar is slated to open in the INA Building on March 19.
Mark Pottschmidt, a partner in the enterprise, said that the bar will feature 500 different bottles of beer, and 50 drafts that rotate every night.
But this bar chain will only serve fancy beers.
“Our focus is definitely on the beer,” he said, adding that the approximately 40 employees will undergo a rigorous two-week “beer school.”
“Beer school definitely sets us apart,” said Darren Greene, a co-owner of World of Beer. “The educational component is definitely something that’s very important to us.”
Liquor won’t be served at World of Beer, but a few wines will be offered.
Instead of serving food, World of Beer will partner with area restaurants that will deliver the food to the table. Eddie ‘N Eddie's, located in the space next door, will even staff a server inside World of Beer.
“We were looking at the Cleveland market, and we fell in love with Lakewood,” said Pottschmidt. “We went to Melt, Deagan’s and Eddie ‘N Eddie and saw that they all had craft beer… Lakewood is already ahead of the craft beer movement.”
Want to attend the March 19 grand opening? The owners are encouraging people to visit the Facebook page and “like” it first.


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At the time, the search giant said it was buying the company for one reason alone; patents.
It appears that is not entirely true, as BI is reporting that Google is instead looking to get into the hardware business, following Apple's model of offering the hardware and the software and being the seller, cutting out middle-men.
The word comes via those in Google's inner circle, who continue to be briefed on future plans.
There is, of course, one huge caveat with Google's plan; its current partners. Major Android partners like HTC and Samsung are said to be furious with the development and have even already committed more support for Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 Apollo.
For the time being, Motorola and Google are working as separate companies until the acquisition is completed globally but the news is certainly something to take note of. A Google Nexus phone built by Google, running the latest Android, and sold by Google (possibly in Google retail stores) would certainly help remove a good amount of the fragmentation issues inherent of Android and turn up the heat on Apple.
Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 17 Apr 2012 23:32


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Smart to beef up anti-spam service used by GSMA on other global operators Jose Bimbo F. Santos, InterAksyon.com · Wednesday, October 1, 2014 | 9:26 am
EBay plans PayPal spinoff in 2015 Deepa Seetharaman, Supantha Mukherjee, Reuters · Wednesday, October 1, 2014 | 1:53 am
Free movie tickets courtesy of WeChat InterAksyon.com · Tuesday, September 30, 2014 | 3:20 pm
WASAK! | Video shows iPhone 6 bending with enough force Jose Bimbo F. Santos, InterAksyon.com · Wednesday, September 24, 2014 | 6:59 pm
Samsung, BlackBerry launch new smartphones Jung Ha-Won, Michel Comte, Agence France-Presse · Thursday, September 25, 2014 | 2:05 am
Smart to beef up anti-spam service used by GSMA on other global operators October 1, 2014 | 9:26 am | Jose Bimbo F. Santos, InterAksyon.com Smart Communications, Inc. is planning to step up its anti-spam service by using the technology used by GSMA, a global association of mobile operators. READ MORE
Smart Communications, Inc. is planning to step up its anti-spam service by using the technology used by GSMA, a global association of mobile operators.
The surprise move is a huge about-face for eBay’s leadership, which resisted calls for a split earlier this year and led months-long campaign to convince investors that eBay should remain intact.
Microsoft Corp announced its ‘Windows 10′ operating system on Tuesday to replace the largely unpopular Windows 8, skipping a number to mark a leap toward unifying the way people work on tablets, phones and traditional computers.
A new Interpol centre to be opened in Singapore next year will strengthen global efforts to fight increasingly tech-savvy international criminals, officials said Tuesday.
A social messaging app that allows users to contact each other even if a mobile phone network is overloaded or switched off has become a hit among tens of thousands of Hong Kong protesters.
Apple Inc’s iPhone 6 can now be sold in China, after the firm received a license for the device to be used on China’s wireless networks.
The Philippines is floating on a lot of data, but the challenge remains on finding that data, converting it on a usable structured format, and turning it into an engaging story.
FutureYou.ph | A career exploration website guides students as they choose their course, school and job
Choosing the right course and school can be difficult for incoming college freshmen. With job mismatch contributing to the unemployment of an average of 2.8 million Filipinos for the last two years, they need to know which jobs are in demand.
Lenovo Group Ltd will close its acquisition of International Business Machines Corp’s x86 server division on Oct 1 for $2.1 billion.
More than a million Wattpad users are writers, who typically upload a chapter at a time while readers tune in the way they might watch episodes of a television series.
South Korea’s Samsung launched the latest version of its oversized Galaxy Note smartphone earlier than expected Wednesday, getting into the key Chinese market ahead of arch-rival Apple.
The local unit of Chinese multinational tech company Lenovo has launched its Thinkpad X1 Carbon and Thinkpad 8 tablet in the Philippine market.
The new models include the Jabra BIZ 2300, Jabra PRO 900, and Jara MOTION Office.
Apple Inc said it sold more than 10 million iPhones in the first weekend after its new models went on sale on Friday, underscoring strong demand for phones with larger displays.
With traffic jams becoming an everyday occurrence, constant communications is a must for our urban and fast paced lifestyle.
Free movie tickets courtesy of WeChat
- » Lenovo says $2.1 billion IBM x86 server deal to close on Wednesday
- » Jabra pushes for clearer, effective, more innovative mobile workforce with new products
- » Electronics giant Philips to split in historic move
- » Rocket Internet CEO stands to lift stake via options: report
- » Offices, malls offering LTE speeds via picocells
WASAK! | Video shows iPhone 6 bending with enough force
SONA 2014 | Where is ICT in our overwhelming Web of needs?
A WAKE-UP CALL | ‘Stone-age’ ERP package for the insane


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Amazon has taken another step toward edging out its third-party delivery partners.
On Wednesday, the mega online merchant announced plans to develop an air hub in Hebron, Kentucky, to support its Prime Air cargo planes. The move will add 2,000 jobs to the 10,000 Amazon already supports in its 11 fulfillment centers in the state.
The location, which will cost $1.49 billion, is central for connecting to major U.S. cities, and its proximity to DHL operations will allow for easy package transfer. The new 900-acre hub is also near UPS’ 1,220 acre Louisville, Kentucky, site.
Delivery is a key focus for the retailer, which announced plans to add 40 additional Boeing 767-300 cargo planes to its fleet of 4,000 trailer trucks. Amazon is also going high tech with programs like Amazon Prime Air drones, which made its first delivery in December; the company’s Uber-like app, which capitalizes on the gig economy to create a fleet of on-demand freight carriers; and its flying warehouse, a distribution center to service the drone fleet.
Read more at Business Insider.
A look at how companies that failed to react and adapt to changing times have allowed new brands that are better tapped into the zeitgeist to steal share.Read more
Print PDFPrint PDFWhen times are tough, companies are more willing to test new ideas and Target, Warby Parker and Amazon are pushing the boundaries of traditional retail. Target gets in bed with Casper After failed attempts at an acquisition, Target has instead invested in Casper...Read more
J.Crew has been shifting in its seat trying to adjust to a new normal of shrinking sales and growing debt, but nothing has quite yet paid off, so the company is cutting its prices.Read more
It’s official. Coach, Inc. is snapping up shares of handbag brand Kate Spade.Read more
This week, consumers called for better children's apparel, retailers turned internally to remedy their financial woes and apparel incubators improved China's manufacturing sector.Read more
Whether and how much consumers care about sustainability may be an ongoing question the industry wants an answer for, but one thing that’s clear is that though some consumers do care, sustainability isn’t the first thing they think of.Read more
Gymboree tapped former Tilly's executive Daniel Griesemer as its new CEO, JC Penney appointed Marci Grebstein as its new EVP and Wolford creative director Grit Seymour is leaving the company.Read more


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Analysts See New Tariff Norms As A Temporary Setback For Broadcasters, Advertisers
Telecom regulator’s new tariff norms allowing subscribers to pay only for the channels they want to watch have left advertisers and broadcasters in a fix.
A month after Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s norms came into effect, disruptions have been reported on both the subscription and advertisement front, GV Giri, head of research for Institutional Broking at IIFL Capital, wrote in a note. “First, advertisers remain on the sidelines, as they await clarity on the reach of TV channels. Second, there is lack of data on the extent of uptake of various channels, as it is initial days; and thirdly, smaller cable operators faced challenges in shifting their subscriber base to the new regime.”
The rules, which were introduced to allow subscribers to create their own bouquets and to curb the practice of dumping unwanted channels, had sent viewership rankings upside down. That hurt the English entertainment and news channels the most.
More consumers are making their own choices now than earlier and this will result in viewership changes for some “popular channels”, said Jawahar Goel, managing director of direct-to-home company Dish TV India Ltd., in an emailed response. But he sees disruption as a temporary phenomenon. “Broadcasters should start marketing their packages and the highly priced bouquets need to be repriced.”
While rural consumers now prefer free-to-air channels, urban viewers are cutting the cord when cheaper data has made access to online movies and series on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime easier, BloombergQuint found in an analysis of Broadcast Audience Research Council data in the week 14 of 2019.
Broadcasters are clamouring to be part of 100 free-to-air channels that a cable or DTH operator has to provide for a fixed fee under the new TRAI rules. That ensures reach if not subscription revenue. All state-run Doordarshan channels should be part of the 100, and regional and free-to-air channels of all genres should have representation.
Depesh Kashyap, an analyst at Equirus Securities, called the data floating around as of now unreliable as BARC is struggling to extract the accurate viewership numbers. The disruption, he said, should take two to three months to settle down.
But Kashyap still expects an impact on the subscription revenue of Sun TV Network Ltd. and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. as both are part of all the base packs. Advertisement revenues for broadcasters may also get affected due to the decline in viewership, he said.
Karan Taurnai, analyst at Elara Capital, called it a temporary setback. While viewers are only subscribing to free channels as of now which is causing a decline in subscription revenues, he said viewership will recover in the next two quarters.
And Piyush Pankaj, chief strategy officer at cable operator GTPL Hathway Ltd., is already witnessing a positive change. Revenue per subscriber has gone up to Rs 24-25 from Rs 16-17 earlier, he said.


text: Bristol-Myers Squibb shares are running out of room to run after surging nearly 14% year to date, Berenberg said. The group on Tuesday downgraded shares of the pharmaceutical company to hold from buy and lowered its price target to $76 from $82. That's about 7% above where the stock closed in the previous session. "Following share price outperformance this year, we pause for breath as the focus shifts to delivery of sales through the launch phase," wrote analyst Luisa Hector. Bristol-Myers Squibb has de-risked its pipeline through the end of the year, including launching a number of drugs and acquiring Turning Point Therapeutics, an oncology company, the analyst said. That may change going forward, however. "While Bristol-Myers initially appears to be largely immune from US price reform, we envisage risk for Eliquis in the first round of price negotiation (September 2023) and a high level of Part D exposure in the new launch schedule (deucravacitinib, repotrectinib and milvexian)," Hector wrote. Deucravacitinib, or Sotyktu, was recently approved for psoriasis, significantly advancing the company's replacement strategy for drugs Revlimid and Eliquis. The drug is well-positioned as the most effective oral option for patients and could see $2 billion in peak sales for psoriasis and $6 billion for all uses, according to Hector. Still, launches in new categories can be slow. "We expect significant focus on the sales ramp-up of Sotyktu which could disappoint the market in the early months," said Hector. There are also high hurdles for another drug, milvexian, which recent data show may uncouple blood clot prevention from bleeding risks. "However, the transition to three P3 studies is risky in our view given dose response data are dominated by secondary stroke prevention," wrote Hector. "The bar is high for atrial fibrillation patients for whom effective, cheap, generic alternatives will be available. Furthermore, studies required to demonstrate a superior profile for milvexian are likely to be long and expensive." While the company currently has a low valuation – it trades well below peers in Berenberg's coverage – there are few catalysts for growth on the horizon, according to Hector. Berenberg also upgraded Merck to buy from hold, calling the drugmaker a "low-risk value option in the pharma sector." The firm's new price target of $100 per share implies upside of 16.8% from Tuesday's close.


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EXPERTS and travelers have sworn by a game-changing bag to take on vacation.
One of the worst things to happen abroad is having your stuff stolen.
But there is one bag that prevents that, using anti-theft devices.
The Travelon Anti-Theft Messenger Bag has been praised by both travel experts and travelers.
This includes a slash-resistant strap, as well as locking zippers and pulls.
The pockets even have RFID blocking to prevent thieves stealing them.
TravelAwaits’ Mary Charlebois said she has been using it for more than a decade: “This is the best-made bag of any kind I’ve owned, hands-down.
“In addition, it has all the pockets and organizing space a fastidious traveler like myself could wish for.”
And vice president Joan Sherman added: “Another thing to love about this bag is that there’s a short strap (tether) inside the bag with a small LED light on it to easily find anything inside.”
It is currently for sale on Amazon, with the black version on sale for $48.51, down from $65.99.
It also comes in blue and neutral as well as patterns including flowers and stripes.
The bag has had more than 6,000 ratings, thousands of which are five stars.
One person said it “worked like a dream” while another said they wish they could give it more than five stars.
Another woman added: “The best travel bag I’ve ever had.”
Make sure you don’t break the baggage rules as airlines are getting stricter.
And a professional packer has revealed how to get more clothes in your hand luggage.


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To address the rising demands of imaging systems in mobile, medical, automotive and other technology applications, the
Covering a broad range of imaging systems, the two-day Imaging Without Limits conference at SEMICON Europa 2014 will explore the promise of imaging-related systems, existing applications and new applications and technologies now on the horizon. Keynote speakers include
According to Yole Developpement, the CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) market is expected to grow at a 10 percent CAGR in revenue in the five-year period from 2013 to 2018, growing from
The next wave of imaging will likely focus on automotive applications because additional image sensors are necessary for many of the safety improvements required by new government regulations. CAGR for CIS automotive applications is expected to increase 36 percent between 2013 and 2018. Yole states that the market is "expected to reach about
In addition, Yole also sees several other applications with a high CAGR, including wearable devices (103 percent), machine vision (33 percent), and camera pills (32 percent).
Key companies involved in the imaging conference and exposition include: ARM, Asia Optical-EtherO,
Imaging Without Limits is an exceptional opportunity for visitors to learn more about the imaging industry evolution and the business opportunities arising from this growing technology.
For more information regarding session cost, visit the SEMICON Europa 2014 Imaging website.
Now in its third decade, SEMICON Europa's new location this year leverages the growing strengths of Grenoble's technology businesses, academia and institutions to showcase a diverse array of products, solutions and opportunities spanning the most advanced innovations in the European microelectronics industry. For more information on exhibition opportunities, visit www.semiconeuropa.org. For more information on SEMI Europe, visit: www.semi.org/eu.
About SEMICON Europa
SEMICON Europa is the annual premier event for the global microelectronics industry in
[Category: Computer Technology]
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On a bright but chilly Saturday, the parking lot at Ollive’s Auction in Calgary is bustling with a steady stream of customers arriving to pick up the treasures they’d won the week before.
Among them: a $7 vacuum cleaner, an $11 hair dryer brush and two tricycles for $13, sold at a steep discount.
“I don’t want to advertise this place because it’s a gem,” said shopper Pat Knecht, who picked up the vacuum cleaner along with a lamp, some storage bins and a dozen picture frames. “You can get some really good deals.”
Items at Ollive’s Auction can be found at a steep discount because they’ve likely been purchased and returned once already. The business is among a growing number of auction houses whose bread and butter has become selling off returned and excess merchandise.
That line of business has grown as online shopping, and online returning, have become ever more popular — with some research suggesting 30 per cent of what’s bought online ends up being sent back. For retailers, the price of shipping, processing and restocking returns can be steep, and liquidation is one way to deal with it.
As Black Friday kicks off the official start to the holiday shopping season, these auction houses offer a glimpse of where some of those returns wind up.
‘We never know what’s coming in’
Inside the nondescript brick exterior of Ollive’s Auction is a roughly 5,000-square-foot warehouse, packed floor to ceiling with everything from diapers to paddleboards to electric vehicle chargers.
The business gets a truckload every other week with about 24 skids’ worth of product: a mix of online returns and unsold-but-outdated merchandise that’s being cleared out to make way for what’s new.
Owner Wayne Ollive works with a national liquidation company that sources the returns directly from retailers. He chooses how many truckloads to order, but the rest of the process is a roll of the dice, he said.
“We never know what’s coming in,” said Ollive. “It’s kind of like Christmas for the staff when we’re opening up the skids because we don’t know what to expect.”
While it’s hard to pin down exactly what share of returned and excess merchandise ends up at auction, or in liquidation more broadly, retail consultant Sonia Lapinsky said it may be happening more often as retailers deal with a “glut” of inventory from previous supply chain disruptions, and from the growing trend of customers buying excess merchandise and then sending it back.
“I would say over the last few months, there would be a significant percentage, much more than usual, that’s off to the liquidators,” said Lapinsky, managing director in the retail practice of the global consulting firm AlixPartners. She’s based in the U.S. but said similar trends are at play in Canada.
And while liquidation has become a common option for retailers grappling with online returns, Lapinsky said it isn’t necessarily the most profitable.
“The liquidation route is going to be lower level margin, just above actually destroying the merchandise itself.”
Amazon Canada told CBC News in a statement it resells most returns, sends them back to suppliers and sellers, or decides to donate or recycle them — though “in some instances” it liquidates returns that can’t be resold.
‘Do you want to be in the return business?’
Ollive’s Auction is something of a newcomer to the Calgary retail returns auction scene, which it has been doing for about a year and a half (although Ollive himself has been calling auctions since the 1980s).
Other businesses in Calgary say they, too, are now selling online returns.
A 10-minute drive away is Reid’s Auction Canada, which has been around for more than three decades. Owner Joe Hajas said, in recent years, the focus has largely shifted from selling consignment goods, from restaurant closures and bankruptcies, toward returns, which now make up about 80 per cent of the business.
“It really ramped up just before COVID,” said Hajas, who said he buys one-to-two truckloads a week, much of it coming from Amazon.
“We basically had the liquidator call us saying, ‘We’ve got extra trailers, do you want to buy some and be in the return business?’ And we said, ‘Yes.'”
A more longstanding player in Calgary is Graham Auctions, which was founded in 1992 and markets itself as one of the country’s most established liquidation auctions.
The business also started off in the more traditional realm of vehicle, salvage and consignment auctions, but got into the returns game about 15 years ago with a certain, well-known “large retailer,” said general manager Mike Orechow, who declined to say which one.
The business currently receives between four-to-five truckloads of miscellaneous items — from blankets to rugs to tools — every day, and puts between 4,000 to 5,000 lots up for auction per week, Orechow said.
“We go through a lot of inventory,” said Orechow, whose business also auctions new but unsellable merhandise, such as cancelled online orders and items with damaged packaging.
Meanwhile, auctioneers say their customer base has also grown as their sales have moved online and their auctions are no longer limited by the size of their building — or the number of people willing to show up to bid in person.
“You’d find 80 customers show up to a live sale” in the past, said Hajas, with Reid’s Auction. But now, “you’re getting 400 to 500 on an online sale.”
With the cost of living on the rise, bidding on an auction is a rare opportunity for customers to choose what they want to pay for something, even if there’s some risk associated with buying a pre-owned item.
“Outside of the auction world, well, you can’t walk into your local Gap and negotiate prices or anything,” said Andre Madden, a longtime auction shopper who picked up a fan and a scale at Ollive’s Saturday.
“I think most of the people that are in the auction world are thrifty … you’re looking to save some money, because times are tough and they’re not getting any easier.”
Some also see the business model as a way to keep items out of landfills and mitigate some of the environmental cost of returns, though Hajas, for one, said the first hand view of just how much stuff ends up sent back has left him with mixed feelings.
“It kind of shows you what people do, how they’ll buy a wedding dress and return it after they use it, or they’ll take a tool and destroy it and return it anyway because they don’t care,” he said.
“We’re just pushing the problem around, we don’t mitigate the problem.”
WATCH | Where your online returns really end up:
Still, business at all three auctions is strong enough that expansion is underway. Orechow recently opened an in-person liquidation store, Hajas has opened a similar pop-up and Ollive said he hopes to launch a second auction location.
He expects demand will only rise in the weeks ahead.
“It’s probably the busiest time right now because of the Christmas season,” Ollive said.


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Radio Business Report/Television Business Report asked a group of industry association leaders to look into their crystal balls and tells us what 2010 has in store for the media business.
Randall Rothenberg of Interactive Advertising Bureau had this to say:
As you know, the IAB doesn’t issue projections. But what I can say is that our sector’s performance compares favorably with most other ad-supported media segments. Broadly, U.S. ad spend fell 14.3% in 2009 but interactive advertising revenues were only down 5.3 percent, indicating that a significant shift of advertising share from offline to online media is underway and we believe that this will continue to occur on a national level.
Local still appears under-represented in interactive – probably because local advertisers aren’t as familiar with the medium and its opportunities. But there’s an enormous amount of activity in that space, and we are seeing some fascinating business models emerge. There are interactive businesses that provide self-serve advertising solutions at a local and hyperlocal level; there are numerous companies combining mobility, social media, and localism; there are major newspaper and television companies introducing fascinating demographic and social products, and training their sales forces sell offline and online packages at the local level. For these and other reasons, we anticipate substantial local growth.
[UPDATE] I thought it might be helpful to name some of the companies doing the things Rothenberg is talking about above. For instance, Lost Remote points to Google’s new “near me now” mobile functionality.
Looking to the hyperlocal online ad game, there’s PaperG, founded by a group of Yale University students. Then there’s SyndiGoNetworks, a local ad network from CBS that lets bloggers place real-time widgets with the latest headlines and video from thier local CBS station. The ad network is available in 13 U.S. markets at this time.


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Mobile messaging startup Snapchat rejects $3 bn buyout offer from Facebook: report
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Mobile messaging startup Snapchat rejected an acquisition offer from Facebook Inc that would have valued the company at $3 billion or more, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday.
Facebook representatives reached out to Snapchat in recent weeks to discuss the all-cash deal, which would have been Facebook's largest acquisition ever, the report said, citing anonymous sources.
Facebook declined to comment. Snapchat could not immediately be reached for comment.
Snapchat, which allows consumers to send smartphone photos which automatically disappear after a few seconds, has proven popular among teenage users.
The report of Facebook's interest in Snapchat comes a couple of weeks after Facebook, the world's No. 1 Internet social network, acknowledged that it was seeing a decline in daily use by young teenagers in the U.S., although it said overall use by teenagers was stable.
Shares of Facebook were up 3.1 percent at $48.05 in afternoon trading on Wednesday.
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- US free to interact with Modi, but must apply standards consistent with its policy on human rights:Â Khurshid


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Xiaomi launched the Redmi A2 smartphone on the global market in March 2023. The company is reportedly working on a successor to the Redmi A2. The MySmartPrice team has spotted the Redmi A3 smartphone with model number 23129RN51X in the TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority) certification. This is a certification issued by the federal telecommunications agency in the United Arab Emirates.
Earlier, the MySmartPrice team noticed that the upcoming Redmi A3 smartphone has received the NBTC certificate issued by Thailand. The NBTC certification confirmed the name and indicated that the global launch will take place in the near future.
Redmi A3 has received TDRA certification
The latest TDRA certification received by the device confirms a pseudonym that is similar to the NBTC certificate issued by Thailand. The certification shows that the upcoming smartphone with the model number 23129RN51X will have the marketing name Redmi A3.
The TDRA certificate hints that the smartphone will soon debut in the Middle East region. The certificate does not reveal any other specifications of the upcoming affordable Redmi smartphone.
The NBTC certificate confirmed that the device will support 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE. The upcoming smartphone was also spotted in the EEC (European) certification along with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra smartphone. The EEC certification did not reveal any specifications of the smartphone except for the model number.
Xiaomi is likely to debut the upcoming A-series smartphone in March 2024 in global markets, on the same schedule as its predecessor.
Xiaomi has launched the Redmi A2 smartphone for Rs. 5,999 for the base variant with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The device was also available in 2GB + 64GB and 4GB + 64GB configurations, which were priced at Rs. 6,499 and Rs. 7,499. The Redmi A2 smartphone has a 6.52-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels.
The device has a water-drop-shaped notch to accommodate a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The IPS panel has a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz and a sufficient number of bezels on all sides. The device is powered by the MediaTek Helio G36 SoC, built on a 12-nm process technology. The smartphone runs Android 12 Go Edition out of the box. The device is powered by a 5000 mAh battery with support for 10W wired charging.


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Granules Records Double-Digit Growth On The Back Of New Launches
As Company’s API Segment Grows By 12%
India’s Granules has grown through increased market penetration of its existing products as well as new product launches. The company is planning to invest in expanding its API capacity, finished dosages and a new multiple unit pellet facility.
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The generics industry struggled with the prior-year comparison as it saw an expected decline in revenues in the first quarter of 2021, driven by the global impact of the COVID-19 crisis. As a result, the performance of most companies fell short of the numbers reported in Q1 2020. However, a few managed to contradict the trend by reporting growth, either based on the launch of COVID-related drugs or performance in specific geographies.
Pfizer reported double-digit growth in its biosimilars and sterile injectables segments, as the company indicated that it would take a more “opportunistic” approach to its biosimilars business in future. The company has also revised its overall 2021 financial guidance as it expects better numbers on the back of its COVID-19 vaccine business.
BioXpress Therapeutics and Abzena, two service providers with expertise in biosimilar development, have partnered to support biosimilar development for third party customers. The companies plan to offer a “flexible and innovative approach from small scale biosimilar development through to large scale manufacturing.”


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Apple revealed on Wednesday that its earnings for the fourth fiscal quarter will be announced on November 2, along with the usual conference call with CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri.
The fourth fiscal quarter is a historically slow one for Apple as consumers hold their breath for a new iPhone. However, new Macs with M2 Max and M2 Ultra were revealed in June, which could bump Mac sales.
The quarterly earnings report and conference call for the fourth quarter will take place on November 2, as stated on the Apple investor webpage. The report goes live around 4 p.m. EST at the close of business, and the call is scheduled for 5 p.m. as expected.
Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri are expected to deliver notes on the earnings report during the call. They will also take questions from reporters, though as usual, won't offer any details on unreleased products.
The iPhone 15 lineup and Apple Watch Series 9 may have been announced during the quarter, but their debut in the middle of September left little time for them to drastically affect earnings. Slowing smartphone demand and global economic headwinds are likely to continue to impact Apple's bottom line.
AppleInsider will be covering the fourth a quarter earnings call live starting at 5 p.m. EST on November 2, 2023.


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Needed: Speed & Urgency
March 7th, 2023
Access and deployment of technology is the way to level the playing field, gain customers and vendors globally and leapfrog other businesses in the economic landscape.
The ease of doing business in Trinidad and Tobago continues to be a work in progress,” notes Angela Lee Loy, Chairman, Aegis Business Solutions, Eve Anderson Recruitment, and Caribbean Resourcing Solutions.
“While some industries and government divisions have gone online in some processing areas, the digital transformation for the whole user experience from start to finish is still needed,” Lee Loy points out. An astute businesswoman with decades of experience, Lee Loy hats also contributed her time and talent to several associations and NGOs. She recognises more than most that it is now necessary to work with ‘speed and urgency to connect the dots and improve our process flow in both private and public sector services.’
Technology and legislation crucial to success
“There is a real opportunity for Government, private sector and citizens to embrace technology and tap into what already exists truly. The cost is not prohibitive,’” Lee Loy advises. “Platforms already exist for what you want to do. With that, you no longer need huge capital, and you can test many services via subscription payment options,” she adds. “Access and deployment of technology is the way to level the playing field, gain customers and vendors globally and leapfrog other businesses in the economic landscape,” Lee Loy emphasises.
Still, the legislative framework will play a key role too.
“The procurement legislation is important for transparency and accountability. This is key to avoiding corruption in the system which is essential for good governance and attracting investors. When the process is transparent from top to bottom, it allows every business to get a fair chance in the vendor selection process, particularly in a society of so many SMEs. A proper tendering process is important,” Lee Loy believes.
T&T’s economy has a high level of SME engagement – with a clear majority of registered businesses in the country operating with less than four persons. Driving greater engagement between these types of companies and the Government can positively impact the communities affected by the pandemic by empowering smaller businesses. “Public and private sector participation is a must. We must continue to build trust and encourage Public-Private partnerships (PPP),” Lee Loy elaborates.
Lee Loy recognises that there are many issues, some exacerbated by recent events. Chief among them is that food imports are rising, but so are energy prices. “We are already experiencing logistical challenges due to the Ukrainian-Russian war, so supplies for products are already being substituted. Every element of the supply chain will be recosted and passed on to the consumer, which is already happening worldwide. The cost of goods will impact us, and consumers will be more discerning regarding their spending. The price at the gas pump will have a negative impact on citizens. We will continue to feel the shock on our shores,” she explains.
“As a result of all of this, we have to be looking at food security. Agriculture should play an essential role in the Government’s projected outlook. We have land but we need to mechanise agriculture,” Lee Loy adds. She acknowledges that many businesses also need to place greater emphasis on customer service as well – which would be a key determinant in seeing Trinidad and Tobago as a worthwhile tourism destination.
Still, Lee Loy is confident and hopeful that positive outcomes are coming.
“The new industrial park in Point Lisas is a step in the right direction. If we look at the current Point Lisas Industrial Estate, we are the number one exporter of ammonium and methanol from a single site. We are one of the largest gas processing facilities in the Americas. We have such good oil and gas infrastructure here. We have so much liquidity in this country that we should be our own investors because we have done it before.”
She also notes that we are beginning to see significant investment in the hotel industry as travel picks up.
“The cottage industries have done really well as people continue to create and innovate. Citizens are appreciating more and showcasing our local artisans, local food and the new products that are emerging in the local markets such as cassava flour, local chocolates and a range of sauces. These are just a few examples but there are so many things to see, taste and do now in Trinidad and Tobago. I expect more of our local suppliers to be available online and delivery options to improve,” she observes.
Drawing on her wealth of knowledge and experience, Lee Loy reminds us that we have been here before. “In the 80s and 90s, when Trinidad and Tobago was in a recession, our manufacturing sector rose to the occasion and innovated. We do have resilience but sometimes we have to be pushed to get there. We have qualified people across many industries in Trinidad and Tobago and we need to value and maximise our own people in these areas. We have done it before,” she reiterates.
“Looking ahead, the Government must also focus on the education sector. Our education system has to move forward with technology and ensure we close the digital divide throughout Trinidad and Tobago. We need to ensure every citizen has broadband and it is affordable for everyone. We need to ensure children receive training to prepare them for jobs today and for the future too.”
Much work is needed, but the cornerstone, Lee Loy reminds us, has to be speed and urgency.
by Kieran Khan


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SEMA News - October 2009
Keynote Coffee with eBay Motors at the 2009 SEMA Show
Rob Chesney, vice president of eBay Motors will lead a panel on the influence of the internet.
In “The Role of the Internet in Shaping Parts and Accessories Sales in 2009 and Beyond,” Chesney will draw from his personal experience leading the world’s largest automotive site through these decisions at eBay with its vehicles and parts business over the past eight years. Chesney has seen the evolution of the vehicles business as impacted by the current macroeconomic climate, along with the major changes occurring in the automotive industry.
The panel will have a range of experts including Rob Chesney, Vice President of eBay Motors; Jad Dunning, CEO of DriverSide; Michelle Morris, Director of North America Automotive Sales for Google; Bryan Murphy, CEO of WHI Solutions, Inc.; Famous Rhodes, Director of Parts and Accessories for eBay Motors; Glenn Rogers, CEO of CarDomain; Steve Sigg, eBusiness Manager for ACDelco.
Click here for more information on the program.
SEMA Phase II and III CAR Reports Premiere at SEMA State of the Association
Through a multi-phased series of specialty-equipment industry forecasting reports put out by SEMA and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), members are able to increase their understanding and awareness of vehicle technology challenges and opportunities to support their business development and planning efforts.
The Phase I report, released last year, is entitled “The Specialty-Equipment Company of the Future: Guideposts for Technology Forecasting and Strategic Planning.”
The Phase II report is entitled “Powertrain Forecast and Analysis: What is Coming and What Are the Implications for the Specialty-Equipment and Performance Aftermarket Industry?” It addresses the rapidly changing powertrain plans of the OEMs for the U.S. Market.
Also available now is the Phase III report entitled “The Major Determinants of U.S. Automotive Demand: Factors Driving the U.S. Automotive Market and Their Implications for Specialty-Equipment Suppliers,” which presents an analysis of the economic drivers of the U.S. automotive market and their potential impact on SEMA-member companies.
“This is must-read material for those who plan to survive and thrive in the challenging years ahead,” said Waraniak. “These reports will be useful to the decisions you make today. The information will increase your understanding and knowledge about vehicle manufacturer plans for powertrain technology and economic forecasts that feature the specialty-equipment industry.”
SEMA and Clemson University Announce Innovative Partnership
Immediate Past Chairman Jim Cozzie announced a unique collaboration between SEMA and Clemson University.
“The new alliance represents an unprecedented industry/academia platform for advanced vehicle technology and performance aftermarket education program development, notably forged in the midst of one of the automotive industry’s most challenging periods in history,” Cozzie said. “The automotive original-equipment and aftermarket industries are undergoing serious transformations and will continue to evolve in the coming years. The Clemson relationship can benefit SEMA-member companies by providing vehicle technology integration, development and support to help members leverage new business opportunities.”
According to Chris Przirembel, Clemson University’s vice president for research and economic development, the partnership represents “…an extraordinary opportunity for Clemson, as a major university committed to becoming one of the world’s leading automotive and motorsports research and education centers, to join with SEMA and its powerful industry membership base in a shared mission to help shape the future of the automotive performance aftermarket industry.”
As part of the agreement, Clemson University’s Campbell Graduate Engineering Center on the 250-acre CU-ICAR campus—located midway between Atlanta and Charlotte along I-85 in Greenville, South Carolina—is positioned to serve as a systems integration and testing center for SEMA and its 7,500 members.
SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting said that the Clemson-SEMA relationship supports SEMA’s vehicle technology strategic goals for identifying industry needs and developing effective solutions to assist members with complex vehicle technology challenges and opportunities.
“In the midst of these difficult times, we hope to collaboratively develop a clear pathway for the multi-billion automotive aftermarket industry and SEMA-member companies,” Kersting said.
Clemson University is a nationally ranked science and technology-oriented public research university known for its emphasis on collaboration, focus and a culture that encourages faculty and students to embrace bold ideas. For more information, visit Clemson's research homepage.
Powersports 20 Group to Meet at 2009 SEMA Show
In addition to the two-day meeting during the Show, Sutton and attending dealers will walk the Show floor checking out exhibitor products.
“I’m excited about attending this year’s Show,” Sutton said. “Given the SEMA Show’s existing powersports buyer interests and exhibitor offerings, it only makes sense to have a dedicated powersports section. Giving powersports a higher profile at the SEMA Show will also help satisfy the industry need for a West Coast powersports trade show.”
The SEMA Show is a trade-only event open to qualified industry professionals. For more information on registration or exhibit space, visit the SEMA Show website.
|Meyer Distributing Inc. opened a new stocking facility in Denver, Colorado. Marking the first step of Meyer’s planned westward expansion, the new warehouse will hold one of the largest inventories of truck and SUV accessories in the region for same-day shipment, next-day route truck delivery and warehouse pick-up. Meyer Distributing Inc., Jasper, IN; 800/639-3787.
|Hankook Tire America Corp. named Todd Hershberger senior vice president of sales and marketing for the United States. In the newly created position, Hershberger is responsible for directing the company’s replacement-tire sales and marketing efforts, which include directing the company’s field sales organization, corporate account managers and brand activities. Hankook Tire America Corp., Wayne, NJ; 800/426-5665.
Bed Wood and Parts retained bonspeedMedia to assist with its brand position, marketing and corporate image in the automotive aftermarket. bonspeedMedia is known for its specialized branding, event and product marketing in the automotive, luxury and motorsports markets. Bed Wood and Parts, Hopkinsville, KY; 270/424-3000.
TruXedo introduced a new dealer website at www.truxedo.com. Dealers now have access to company news, technical information and downloadable images and flyers as well as the ability to order marketing materials and replacement parts online. TruXedo, Yankton, SD; 877/878-9336.
Eastern Catalytic named Michael Dougherty national sales manager. He will be responsible for developing new sales accounts and account management activities. Before joining Eastern Catalytic, Dougherty worked for the Ford Motor Co. as its Philadelphia regional accessories sales manager. Eastern Catalytic, Langhorne, PA; 215/702-3600.
Mitchell 1 named Mark T. Kennedy of Westminster, Maryland, the 2009 automotive technology outstanding student. The company presented Kennedy with a check for $2,500 and a recognition certificate during an awards ceremony. Kennedy graduated from the Carroll County Career & Technology Center in Westminster, and he plans to further his educational goals at the Community College of Baltimore County in the General Motors automotive technology program. Mitchell 1 also named Mike Godson (pictured) 2009 educator of the year during the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) Conference held recently at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mitchell 1, Poway, CA; 858/391-5000.
|Permatex named Diane Nesprido (left) senior product manager and promoted Lauren Mencarini (right) to creative director. Nesprido, who has been with Permatex since 2003, is responsible for the company’s product management and marketing departments, oversees No Touch appearance products, Spray Nine Cleaners and the Permatex Silicone Gasketing and Adhesive and Sealants lines. She is in charge of overall marketing communications, including trade shows and new product introductions. Mencarini has more than 20 years of experience in in-house marketing communications and worked in Permatex’s creative department for the past 10 years.
The Busted Knuckle Garage, a brand of Almost There! Inc., will sponsor Kevin Parker of Parker Motorsports, the 2007 rookie of the year in late-model stocks. The Busted Knuckle Garage, Prescott, AZ; 928/708-0897.
Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian recently addressed a rumor about the track being turned into an off-road, racing-only facility in 2010. Stated Kazarian: “Not sure who started the rumor or why, but let me assure everybody, it is absolutely not true. Like they are today, sprint cars, stock cars, motorcycles and off-road racing are all part of the future at Perris Auto Speedway."
Crane Cams has reopened under the new ownership of S&S Cycle. With manufacturing and sales operations of its ignition and motorcycle lines up and running, the company is newly housed in a facility at 1640 Mason Ave. in Daytona Beach. S&S Cycle acquired Crane’s intellectual properties, patents, trademarks, camshaft masters, inventory and some equipment in April 2009. Crane Cams, Daytona Beach, FL; 866/388-5120.
|Bossco International hired Jeremy Janke as operations manager. Janke’s background includes working with factories in China and facilitating product importing and exporting to major retailers around the world.
Toyo Tire (USA) Corp.’s website, www.toyotires.com, won best in class in the consumer goods category of the 2009 Interactive Media Awards. The awards are presented annually by the Interactive Media Council Inc., a non-profit organization consisting of web designers, programmers, advertisers and web-related professionals. Toyo Tire (USA) Corp., Cypress, CA; 714/236-2080.
To help employers find the right talent in the least amount of time while keeping expenses in check, WyoTech has launched Corporate-Connect. The virtual recruiting tool is an online hub that allows employers to post free job campaigns, interview applicants online and build their brands with targeted users. Learn more about Corporate-Connect by contacting Helene DeAlleaume at WyoTech-Long Beach at 562/624-5879. WyoTech, Laramie, WY; 307/742-3776.
“Autoworld Radio”—a live, three-hour talk show on Sundays from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on The National Radio Network—has expanded its reach through the Genesis Communication Network (GCN). The show is now available through GCN online, and listeners have access to on-demand play, archives of all programs and the availability of a free “AutoWorld” podcast. Hosted by Bob Long for 17 years, “AutoWorld” is devoted to America’s love affair with the automobile and reaches a combined audience of more than 1.4 million avid listeners each week.
|CADNA Automotive Inc.’s founder and chairman of the board, David Rognlien, has reached an agreement with Devin Hart, the company’s president and CEO, for Hart to acquire a significant ownership stake in the company. Specific terms of the buy-sell agreement were not disclosed. CADNA Automotive is an automotive aftermarket supplier and licensee of well-known premium brands Prestone, Autolite, Fram and proprietary brand Armor Mark.


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Streaming giant Spotify is getting ready to serve a major blow to its competition. Reports claim the audio monster is eyeing Soundcloud.
According to reports, Spotify is near acquiring the streaming service.
The two sides are in advanced negotiations, according to the Financial Times. Sweden’s Spotify remains the market leader but faces increasing competition from Apple Music and Amazon’s recently launched music service. German-based SoundCloud built its business by allowing artists to upload their music and share it with fans on social media and blogs. In March, the company launched a pay-for streaming service similar to the offering from Spotify or Apple Music. (BBC)
Recently, Spotify global head of creator services Troy Carter shut down the idea of streaming services landing exclusive album releases.
But on a recent afternoon at the company’s New York office in Chelsea, Carter, 43, declares that “exclusives are bad for artists, bad for consumers and bad for the whole industry.” Since most users will never subscribe to more than one streaming service, he believes that limiting access to music only incentivizes fans to seek it out on pirate sites or YouTube, where it generates less revenue. “I was brought onboard to strengthen the bridge between Spotify and the music community,” he says. (Billboard)
A recent Bloomberg report claimed Spotify had buried artists’ music based on their exclusive streaming deals.
Spotify has been retaliating against musicians who introduce new material exclusively on rival Apple Music by making their songs harder to find, according to people familiar with the strategy. Artists who have given Apple exclusive access to new music have been told they won’t be able to get their tracks on featured playlists once the songs become available on Spotify, said the people, who declined to be identified discussing the steps. Those artists have also found their songs buried in the search rankings of Spotify, the world’s largest music-streaming service, the people said. Spotify said it doesn’t alter search rankings. (Bloomberg)
A Spotify spokesperson has since reached out to SOHH.com and called the search results story “unequivocally false.”
Recently, rapper Kid Cudi reacted to mentor Kanye West publicly exploding over the current Apple Music/TIDAL streaming war.
The post Spotify’s Racking Up For Streaming Wars, On Verge Of Snatching Soundcloud appeared first on SOHH.com.
Spotify’s Racking Up For Streaming Wars, On Verge Of Snatching Soundcloud : SOHH


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TOKYO (Reuters) -- Hitachi Chemical Co has told customers it falsified inspections for material used to encapsulate semiconductors, an industry source familiar with the matter said - the firm's second compliance failing this year and the latest in a run of such scandals at Japanese firms.
Shares in the Hitachi Ltd unit tumbled 8 percent on the news. While the exact nature of the falsification is not known, the likelihood of a wide-scale recall is seen as slim as most clients normally conduct their own quality inspections.
"Therefore it may be the case that there are no major quality issues with the actual encapsulation materials," Nomura Securities analyst Shigeki Okazaki wrote in a note to clients.
The source, who is not authorised to speak to media on the matter and declined to be identified, said Hitachi Chemical recently notified customers of improper tests.
Hitachi Chemical said in a statement on Saturday that a committee of external experts was investigating the issue and that it would announce the results as soon as they were available.
Local media reported at the weekend that the inspections were not carried out in line with what Hitachi Chemical had agreed with clients.
The material is used to protect chips from scratches and debris. Hitachi Chemical is the world's second-biggest producer of such materials with 17 percent market share after Sumitomo Bakelite, which has 20 percent, according to Nomura's Okazaki.
He noted that encapsulation materials account for over 10 percent of Hitachi Chemical's core operating profit.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday issued a warning to investors about uncertainty surrounding the issue.
The 8 percent share slide represents a loss in market value of around 20 billion yen ($180 million), exacerbating recent slides. The stock has lost about 28 percent this month alone.
Sumitomo Bakelite saw its stock climb 2.6 percent on Monday, outperforming a 0.4 percent gain for the broader market.
The revelations follow Hitachi Chemical's admission in June that it found data falsification in quality tests of lead-acid batteries for industrial use over a period of more than seven years, affecting some 60,000 products shipped to roughly 500 companies.
Other recent compliance scandals at Japanese manufacturers include Kobe Steel Ltd's admission this year that data fraud had been going on for nearly five decades. Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Subaru Corp have admitted to misconduct in their inspection processes.
KYB Corp, a maker of earthquake shock absorbers, said this month that 900 buildings across the country have or may have used its products for which quality data was falsified.


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Chinatown Wars gets temporary cease-fire
Grand Theft Auto series' DS debut pushed to February-April launch window; GTAIV DLC tentatively planned to be out by end of January.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
Grand Theft Auto's much-anticipated debut on the Nintendo DS will have to be much anticipated a little while longer.
Speaking at the BMO Capital Market 2008 Interactive Entertainment Conference today, Take-Two executive chairman Strauss Zelnick updated investors on a number of the company's release plans, most notably Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Previously announced for release by the end of January, the game has been pushed back by publisher Take-Two Interactive into its fiscal second quarter, which runs from February through April.
That wasn't the only release calendar update for the popular criminal action series. The ever-shifting date of the first downloadable content pack for Grand Theft Auto IV on the Xbox 360 appears to have moved again. Zelnick said the publisher was aiming to have the add-on available at the end of the fiscal first quarter (which runs November through January), although he noted it might move into the second quarter alongside Chinatown Wars. Regardless, the downloadable content is "close to completed."
Running down some of the publisher's other products, Zelnick mentioned that the PC edition of GTAIV would be released early next month, which lends credence to recent retailer listings tagging the game with a December 2 launch. Finally, Zelnick noted that BioShock 2, Mafia II, and Borderlands were all slated for release in 2009, though he didn't specify if that was Take-Two's fiscal year 2009 (ending October 31, 2009) or calendar year 2009 for those projects.
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We haven’t even reached the one-year anniversary of the Chicago Cubs ending their 108-year championship drought, yet one of the official World Series rings has already hit the secondary market.
According to the Chicago Sun Times, an unidentified Cubs scout put his ring up for bid at Leland’s Auctions. The starting bid was $1,908.00, which of course is a nod to the Cubs previous World Series championship in 1908. But that number is expected to soar.
In fact, the bidding was already up to $11, 671.00 as of Sunday morning, which was less than 48 hours after the original listing. Bidding will end on Oct. 27.
Here are a few more details on the ring itself, according to the Sun Times report:
“The ring contains 214 diamonds at 5.5 karats, 3 karats of genuine red rubies and 2.5 karats of genuine sapphires,” the listing says. “One side of the ring features the scout’s last name atop the W Flag, created from 31 round white diamonds and a fire blue corundum under stone that forms the ‘W.’
“Includes original Jostens presentational box with light display & etched glass top stating ‘CHICAGO CUBS 2016 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS.’ Scout’s name has been kept hidden to honor their anonymity.”
According to the Sun Time reports, appraisers estimated the rings could be worth anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000 on the open market. Considering this is the first of the batch to be auctioned, we wouldn’t be surprised if it goes on the high end of that scale.
Under normal circumstances, a scout’s ring might not garner as much interest. Certainly not as much as a notable player, coach, or in this case, if Steve Bartman decided to sell his World Series ring. But again, it’s the first one out there. Who knows when another will become available.
We’ll definitely be keeping tabs on this auction.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
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Apart from completely shunning plastic straws, they have replaced them with alternatives like recycled paper straws.
Changing this trend, Paaka Organic Café in Tellapur has started an initiative under which it brings together the elderly for some good food and nostalgic conversation.
To lessen the carbon footprint at their wedding, Manoj Dharmar and Divya have decided to make their wedding invite 'plantable' with seeds.
The initiative has helped Railways save nearly Rs 1 crore by minimising the usage of water and new construction materials.
The results of their work, sponsored by the central government's Department of Science and Technology, has been recently published in the journal 'Bioresource Technology'.
Pottasium alum or simply called alum is a water purifier and a double-salt chemical compound which not only purifies water but also leaves no harmful residue.
Indore-based Nidhi Sharma who has been fashioning idols of Lord Ganesha from chocolate for the last three years has continued with the tradition this year too with vaccination as theme.
"We are hoping that the same number of buyers will come now as we are meeting their demands and making small idols," artisans said.
For the first time since its inception in 1984, the Wheel Shop of RWF had shut shop for such a long period.
Not only have these girls fashioned the eco-friendly Rakhis, but also created small bamboo boxes containing one lemon seeds Rakhi.
A group of children at DARE school in Munnar, a centre for special education, has brought out eco-friendly gifting choices for Rakshabandhan and Onam this year.
For instance, the latest collection, Bioceramic, by Swiss watchmaker Swatch mixes two-thirds ceramic with onethird bio-sourced plastic.
Sounthirarajan said the Indian government granted him a patent in November 2018 for his Super Sonic Hydrogen IC Engine.
The court issued the order on a report filed by Sabarimala special commissioner on the action needed to prevent the use of plastic.


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A.I. Gahaku turns your selfie into an oil painting masterwork
AI Gahaku promises to create a "masterpiece" from a user's photo, and it's causing a storm.
Ready for your close-up? AI Gahaku is an online A.I. tool that's going viral, promising to produce impressive selfies that make you look like an oil painting.
The service promises to take images and apply one of 10 different styles, complete with museum description that makes the work seem ideal for the next gallery exhibition. The website has soared in Google Trends rankings, as self-isolating home workers pass the time during the coronavirus outbreak with the new tool.
The site was created by Sato, a Tokyo-based developer. Sato announced their creation on March 24 via Twitter, and the original post has been re-tweeted over 1,000 times.
The developer also created "Pixel-Me," a service that converts a photo into pixel art.
Sato's service has caused a storm on social media platforms including Twitter. One user called "jellyfishjaehw1" sent the Korean band Vixx through the tool:
Some have taken inspiration from other memes to come up with their own variations, like Twitter user "FearghasKelly":
The site notes there's some development work that still needs to be done, particularly around "the output of the AI artist," which "has been biased." The developer is aiming to "use a wide variety of learning data and increase the diversity of output in the future." It's an issue not unfamiliar to A.I. developers, who can struggle with biases in data sets.
It's not the first time that A.I. and fine art have come together like this. Google Arts and Culture released a face match tool in January 2018 that compares faces with works of art to identify a user's closest match. This tool sifted through 70,000 works of art to find a match, creating what's called a "faceprint" to match unique characteristics together.
Others have tried to use A.I. to produce original works of art. The "Portrait of Edmond Belamy" was produced by artists Hugo Caselles-Dupré, Pierre Fautrel, and Gauthier Vernier, who gave a system thousands of images and asked it to produce its own original version. The artwork was sold by Christie's in 2018 for $432,500.
While the selfies AI Gahaku produces are unlikely to fetch half a million, they are likely to brighten up a day.
AI Gahaku: how to use
Getting started is simple. First, select a photo from your library.
Wait a moment as the A.I. works its magic.
Choose a painting style.
Revel in your newly-minted masterpiece! The social media icons below allow fast sharing to Twitter, Facebook, Weibo or WhatsApp.
What else has the developer made?
AI Gahaku is not Sato's first creation. The developer also created a service called "Pixel-Me," which can transform a selfie into a stunning work of pixel art.
Just choose your or your pet's selfie photo, check the box if it's a pet, and upload. The end result is a piece that removes the background around a subject to create a neat avatar ideal for websites. A color picker also enables the user to switch out the background and better match their style.
Although A.I. may not replace artists any time soon, it could make fun and creative social media images more accessible.
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Dominion Virginia Power's eBill customers have begun receiving a fresh, easier-to-read electronic bill notification. The enhanced look will make it easier to find the bill amount and provide access to other important information on topics such as conserving energy, preparing for storms and staying safe.
"Nearly 800,000 of our customers receive their bills electronically because they like the convenience, around-the-clock access, environmental benefits and peace of mind," said Gianna C. Clark, vice president, customer service operations. "We listened to our customers in redesigning our email notification and encourage more customers to make the switch. As we say, using paperless billing is 'Fast. Easy. Done!' "
eBill is another way for customers to have a faster, more secure and convenient way of doing business with the company. Customers receive an at-a-glance account summary and may make free same-day payments from their checking accounts by going to www.dom.com. Payments can even be credited the same day if done before 10 p.m. Customers may also view 12 months of their bill history by signing into their online account.
The company is currently offering incentives to customers who sign up for eBill. Customers that enroll in eBill automatically qualify for prizes including a vacation package and gift cards.
It's easy to find out more about eBill and sign up online at:
The new eBill notification is part of Dominion's initiative to allow customers to do business when it is convenient for them. Other basic transactions also can be performed electronically. More than three million transactions were handled through the automated phone system last year and that number is expected to increase this year.
Recent upgrades to the automated phone system allow customers to:
- Get your balance
- Pay a bill
- Reconnect service
- Report an outage
In 2012, electronic transactions on www.dom.com through the company's web portal, Manage Your Account , hit an all-time high of more than eight million. Information such as account balances, billing and payment options are also available on the company's comprehensive website, www.dom.com, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Customers can also have their service reconnected, enter payment receipts, report an outage and start and stop service.
Customer service representatives are available by phone during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, for more complex matters.


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An angry couple have been left frustrated after being forced to sit on deckchairs for six months following furniture giant DHS failing to deliver their sofa.
David and Bronwen Jones, from Blackwood, Caerphilly, Wales, ordered the £2,700 suite in July with the estimated delivery date being October.
The couple, who are in their 60s, got rid of their old sofa in preparation for the arrival of their brand new two navy two-piece sofas and a stool.
Speaking to WalesOnline, David said: "We've been sitting on deck chairs and we've spent most of our time lying on the bed upstairs watching TV because it's uncomfortable. You can only sit on those chairs for so long. It's not like a sofa at our age."
The couple paid a £1,000 deposit with the expectation it would arrive before Christmas but the most recent email about the sofas said they would be arriving at the docks between December 21 to 24 with delivery on January 17.
After finally being given a date, David contacted DFS about loaning a temporary sofa after explaining the situation and the company agreed.
Raging MP brands anti-vax thugs who stormed Covid test site 'd***heads'
However, despite being given a text for delivery and watching the tracker, the loan sofa failed to materialise.
The couple were forced to spend Christmas with family instead of hosting guests at their home.
David said his wife suffers with arthritis and has been frustrated at both of them have not been able to have a comfortable place to sit.
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He added: "My wife works from home but was off over this period, and we can only stick sitting on the deck chairs for so long. We spent most of our time upstairs.
"I'm off from work until January 4. I was really looking forward to be home and relaxing on our new sofa. We're just so annoyed that they're not getting back to us. I've lost count of the number of times I've called them.”
Fuming homeowners say they're no longer allowed to park outside their own houses
A spokeswoman for DFS said: "We would like to reiterate our sincere apologies to Mr Jones – we understand the frustration and disappointment that a late delivery can cause.
"Like many businesses, we are managing unprecedented challenges in the global supply chain and unfortunately, these disruptions are impacting delivery timings. We apologise that Mr Jones' order was one of those affected – the revised delivery date in January has now been confirmed with the customer.
Girlfriend’s heartbreaking tribute to ‘amazing’ dad, 26, killed in Boxing Day pub attack
"We agreed to deliver loan furniture to Mr Jones but unfortunately on this occasion, due to a system error, this furniture was regrettably incorrectly allocated. We work hard to provide our customers with both a product they love and a positive experience, and we regret any occasion when that isn’t the case.
"We have since been working closely with Mr Jones in order to resolve the issue as a matter of urgency – we have allocated new loan furniture which was delivered to Mr Jones' property earlier this morning (30 December), to the customer's satisfaction. We have also arranged for a store manager to call Mr Jones to discuss his concerns and a further gesture of goodwill.
"We appreciate Mr Jones' patience during this challenging time and extend our apologies for the inconvenience caused – we look forward to delivering his order as soon as possible in January."
Following WalesOnline contacting DFS, the couple had delivery of a temporary sofa on Wednesday.
Source: Read Full Article


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Quiz's results for the year to the end of March showed a “strong revenue recovery and return to profitability” with the company back on track. Q1 has also started well, although it’s cautious for the rest of 2022.
Sicilian fashion designers, artisans, and brands will be out in force at the Hyve Group-organised Pure London show this month (17-19 July). Regione Siciliana will be showing in the UK for the first time.
The children's fashion fair held in Valencia from June 17 to 19 wrapped up its latest edition with 123 participating brands and its sights set abroad, as well as making progress in innovation and sustainability.


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GrubHub looks well-positioned as the new year begins, with several drivers expected to boost the company’s earnings results this year. The next earnings report is expected on or around Jan. 26.
Key growth drivers for GrubHub
In spite of what the food delivery company has going for it though, its stock is down by about 18% from its highest point, although it still remains up by more than 9% since the company’s initial public offering in April 2014.
Corsair Capital, the event-driven long-short equity hedge fund, gained 6.6% net during the second quarter, bringing its year-to-date performance to 17.5%. Q2 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more According to a copy of the hedge fund's second-quarter letter to investors, a copy of which of ValueWalk has been able to review, the largest contributor Read More
Canaccord Genuity analysts believe this is related to problems within the broader sector and also “nervousness” regarding competition and the company’s evolution rather than issues with GrubHub itself.
In a report dated Jan. 7, 2015, analysts Michael Graham and Austin Moldow said one of the company’s main growth drivers is going to be its continued penetrations in major cities instead of second-tier markets. They say the unit economics of this are “the most attractive,” noting that they rose “substantially” last year as GrubHub saw an increase in incremental profit per order from $2.76 to $3.10.
GrubHub estimates seem too low
The Canaccord Genuity analysts also said their estimates for the company’s fourth quarter appear to be conservative. In particular, they think GrubHub will see growth in active diners, but they’re currently modeling it to be flat with last year’s.
They note that the company spent about 50% more on sales and marketing. They’re also projecting a slight sequential decline in take rate, but they note that the company will continue seeing tailwinds from the acquisition of Seamless.
The analysts point out that GrubHub’s valuation is still at a premium, but they think that’s appropriate because the competitive landscape looks favorable right now. They like the company’s business model as well and think the biggest value proposition for it are going to be in discovering more restaurants, partnering with more restaurants, and providing diner service.
What’s next for GrubHub?
For this year, the Canaccord Genuity team expects the food delivery company to focus on its delivery strategy. They think the main goal will be increasing diner adoption in smaller markets starting next year. They believe management will “gradually” and “conservatively” approach this goal and expect GrubHub’s “high-incremental-margin model” to be able to build up to this.
They also expect to see the company create a sort of “hybrid model” combining the building of services and partnerships, which would create the highest level of financial efficiency possible. But those aren’t the only things GrubHub management is looking forward to this year.
GrubHub CEO Matt Maloney did a self-evaluation of his performance in 2014 in an interview with Fortune. He said in order to spark the kind of growth the company saw this past year, he had to change how he worked. He focused more on building relationships and trusting his team more and had to “continuously assess” how he had to shift around his responsibilities.
Canaccord Genuity maintained its Buy rating and $45 per share price target on GrubHub. Shares of GrubHub edged downward by less than 1% in early trading this morning.


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The Financial Times is seeing some positive effects of all the doom and gloom of the current financial crisis.
The paper’s U.S. newsstand sales shot up 30 percent in September (compared to August) and online page views doubled their typical amounts to 25 million in one week, CEO John Ridding told Reuters.
During the week of September 22, page views increased 300 percent and unique visitors were up 250 percent from last year.
Both the U.K-based paper and its main competitor, The Wall Street Journal, still offer subscription services with minimal access to free content, but this doesn’t seem to be deterring readers.
“What [the crisis] is doing for our readership and audience is pretty remarkable. I think it really underlines this idea that at a time of turmoil, people really do need trusted guides, and are prepared to pay,” said Ridding.
But while readership may boom temporarily for some papers, the future still looks pretty grim. Online ad growth is slowing, and Newsosaur Alan Mutter predicts both online and print ad revenue will be hit much worse than previously expected due to the credit crunch with an estimated $7.5 billion decline in 2008.
FT CEO spots green in the red [Reuters]