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The shortage of semiconductors that the world has been experiencing for almost two years now has a strong impact on the user sectors, which are finding it difficult to obtain electronic components at a good price.
Of course, tensions between supply and demand are not new in the sector and have even been the subject of particular attention for several years now. As we showed in research in 2012, sales of semiconductors are indeed characterized by significant cyclicality. The sector requires a lot of research and development (R&D) and heavy investments for production. It is therefore difficult for the offer to adapt to ever more demanding and changing demand.
However, the accumulation, since April 2020, of aggravating factors has made the situation all the more difficult: health restriction measures, saturation of production capacities, increase in demand, etc. Currently, the automobile sector , for example, is encountering significant difficulties, but it is not the only one. More broadly, fears are emerging regarding the Christmas holidays and the purchases associated with them.
Semiconductor-using companies spent nearly US$450 billion on chips in 2020. To understand those most affected by the shortage, just look at the companies that consume the most semiconductors. Apple is the first of them. The company consumes 11.9% of the semiconductors produced in the world. Next are Samsung Electronics (8.1%), Huawei (4.2%), Lenovo (18.6%), Dell Technologies (16.6%).
Without ambiguity, to be sure to have a present under the tree on December 25, and especially without having ruined Santa Claus, you must avoid putting consumer electronics on your list: telephones, computers, tablets… 68% of children aged 12 to 14 in France own a smartphone and 66% a laptop/PC, so the problem is not trivial.
However, other products on the list may cause problems. Nintendo has already let it be known that they have produced far fewer Switch consoles than expected in 2021. It is one of the most sought after video game consoles in the world, therefore one of the most present on lists of Christmas.
Intelligent toys, half-toys, half-connected objects, which have their own intelligence thanks to on-board electronics (educational robots, etc.), are also very numerous to be among the most popular gifts. They already represented a growing market of 8.38 billion euros in 2020 , according to IDATE DigiWorld.
Beyond these objects which we were well aware would be affected by the crisis, a very large number of toys, even the simplest ones, contain electronics. The shortage will therefore not be without consequences for their supply. If a toy has any interconnection, like an add-on app, for example, it uses a chip. If it moves “on its own”, makes light or noise, it is using a chip.
It turns out that this toy industry has great difficulty in obtaining chips. Indeed, it does not have the same weight as the consumer electronics industry mentioned above or even the automobile industry which has been the center of attention for several months. Companies in this sector therefore have less bargaining power. They can play less on the quantities ordered and do not have privileged relations with semiconductor manufacturers. Moreover, they do not practice the same margins and are therefore particularly exposed to price increases.
So what if you are not satisfied with a Christmas with “traditional” toys and you still want to offer products containing electronics?
The video game industry is changing from a product-driven business to an as-a-service model . It is therefore possible to play, thanks to streaming game services, without a console or computer. Would a subscription or a gift card for online video games be the solution? Unfortunately, semiconductors are also essential to access these games or to run the data centers necessary for their operation. Beyond the fact that the environmental impact of these practices remains worrying , they also affect the growing demand for electronic chips.
There remains a solution for consumers: turn to second-hand or reconditioned products. However, only 21% of French people think they will buy more of this type of product this year than last.
Finally, and at the risk of dissatisfying children (but also adults) eager for games incorporating semiconductors, the shortage should rather push consumers to question their choices… The environmental impacts linked to the manufacture of semiconductors and the need to limit production have long been known . In addition, we are overwhelmed with electronic waste: for example, in 2019, we produced 21 kg per person in France .


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Yum China Holdings will expand its restaurant portfolio to 10,000 stores by 2021 as part of its growth strategy for this year.
The company announced this move as part of its strategic priorities and growth initiatives outlined for this year.
As part of the strategy, Yum China is planning to expand the presence of its KFC brand to further 1,000 cities across the country as part of its growth strategy.
KFC will also continue to focus on its menu development, digital and delivery capabilities and asset innovation across China.
The company has signed agreements with Sinopec and China National Petroleum (CNPC) to establish franchise restaurants at over 50,000 gas stations of the two companies across China.
The agreement will see the development of more than 100 stores over the next three years.
Yum China said that its Pizza Hut brand will capitalise on the growth to continue transformative initiatives at scale this year.
Pizza Hut will also complete remodelling of its store portfolio by 2021 by enhancing its digital and delivery capabilities, executing disruptive value campaigns, and accelerating asset upgrades.
Yum China CEO Joey Wat said: “The rapid adoption of digital and delivery technologies has had a transformative impact on the restaurant industry over the past five years.
“This is creating significant opportunities to improve our operations and build stronger connections with our customers. We are excited by this trend and are embracing innovation throughout every area of our business to power our growth.
“We look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of technology and implement more innovations to enhance efficiency and create more unique and exciting dining experiences for our customers while generating strong returns for our shareholders.”
Yum China will focus on accelerating its recently announced artificial intelligence (AI) menu concept at KFC to offer personalised menu recommendations and AI-powered forecasting of transaction volume to improve labour scheduling and reduce wastage.
The company is also planning to transition to a trade zone focused, multi-brand platform in order to optimise delivery services and improve efficiency using the Delivery 3.0 initiative.

domain: news


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The Santa Clarita Valley hit a record high of $415,000 in median condominium prices in June from a year ago, according to recent data from the Southland Regional Association of Realtors.
The report, released Thursday, indicated a 6.4% price increase, breaking the previous record of $410,000 that was set in April 2018.
Single-family homes sold in June had median pricing — or half sold for less and half sold for more — of $605,000.
That figure was 0.8% below a year ago and lower than the May 2018 median price at $615,000, which is the highest in this real estate boom cycle, according to the association.
The local record high for a single-family median price remains at $643,000, which was set in April 2006.
“Somehow prices keep getting pushed higher, although we’re at the point where the pool of buyers who can afford these prices keeps getting smaller and smaller,” Amanda Etcheverry, the 2019 chair of the Santa Clarita Division of the association, said in a prepared statement. “The inventory continues to expand, but at a much slower pace and not nearly fast enough or large enough to ease pressure off prices.”
Even with low-interest rates, rising prices and a tight inventory translate to fewer sales, she added.
A total of 237 single-family homes changed owners during June, which indicated a drop of 41 sales or nearly 15% from a year ago and followed two consecutive months of sales gains, according to the report.
The association also assisted 73 condominium closed escrows, a number that was 29% lower than a year ago.
“Low interest rates continue to fuel buyer interest and demand, stretching housing dollars farther,” said Tim Johnson, the association’s CEO, “yet low interest rates also enable sellers to boost their asking price. Bottom line, for now, is that an increase in active inventory may be the best way to neutralize or slow price hikes, yet listing gains now are coming in slow motion.”
Inventory came close to a record low in December 2017 and has been trending upward since, though the pace of increases has slowed dramatically this year, opening in January with a 58% increase over the prior year, then steadily falling to June’s supply increase of 8.4%.
At the end of June, there were 656 active listings, which represented a 2.1-month supply at the current pace of sales. A five-month supply is regarded as an indicator of a market favoring neither buyers nor sellers, according to the association.
Pending escrows, a measure of future activity, numbered 341 at the end of June, up by nearly 4% from the prior year. Of the 310 home and condo sales in June, 98.4% were standard sales involving traditional buyers and sellers.
There were zero distressed condo sales during June and only two foreclosure-related home sales and one home short sale, where the lender agrees to a purchase price lower than an outstanding loan balance.


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The other day we told you that the iPhone 4 hat been selling well in China, with supply outstripping demand. Now Vice President of China Unicom, Li Gang has announced that they have sold over 100,000 iPhone 4s in China in the first 4 days.
The had pre-orders for a total of 200,000 iPhone 4s even before it went on sale, and this comapres with a total of 100,000 of the iPhone 3GS and 3G which took a total of four months to reach the same sales figures.
China Unicom is expected to get their next shippment of the iPhone 4 on the 1st of October, whether this will be enough to meet demand remains to be seen. it looks like the iPhone 4 will end up being very popular in China.
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Polish government adopts ban on trade this year on Christmas Eve
The government adopted a draft amendment to the Act on restricting trade on Sundays and holidays and on some other days, introducing a ban on trade this year on Christmas Eve, which falls on Sunday. At the same time, this year the new trading Sunday is to be on December 10, and trade is to take place until 2 p.m., the Government Information Centre (CIR) said.
The government is proposing that Christmas Eve, which falls on Sunday, December 24 this year, should be a trade ban day. This solution is justified by a special time, which is Christmas and family meetings of Poles. At the same time, the so-called trade Sunday will be established on December 10, according to an announcement.
It was clarified that Sunday 24 December 2023 would be a day covered by the trade ban, to perform activities related to trade, to entrust an employee or to the employed person to perform work in trade and to perform trade-related activities.
This solution is due to the fact that in 2023 one of the two trade Sundays that precedes the first day of Christmas falls on December 24, i.e. on Christmas Eve.
At the same time, in order to meet the expectations of consumers and trade, the so-called trade Sunday on 10 December 2023 will be established, which will allow the implementation of purchase plans, it is also stated.
However, the proposed regulation assumes a restriction of trade on this day to a time. 14.00 - i.e. as it would take place on 24 December 2023, in accordance with the applicable regulations.
Source: CIR and ISBnews


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Macworld Conference & Expo/New York, which is now the second most attended IT Event in New York, set a new all-time attendance record for an East Coast Macworld by attracting more than 60,000 Mac enthusiasts from around the world to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, July 18-21, 2000.
The worldis most comprehensive Macintosh OS Event, Macworld Conference & Expo featured nearly 400 leading companies showcasing the latest hardware, software and Internet solutions on more than 294,000 gross square feet of exhibit space, and also featured a variety of jam-packed conference sessions, special events and forums designed to educate and inform both professional and home Macintosh users.
The final total of 61,250 attendees represents a dramatic increase of more than 33% over last yearis New York total of 45,000, and comfortably sets a new all-time attendance record for a Macworld Conference & Expo on the East Coast. Macworld Conference & Expo/San Francisco has already positioned itself as the #1 IT Event on the West Coast.
According to IDG World Expo, owners and producers of the show, Macworld Conference & Expo/New York 2000 was doubtlessly the most successful East Coast event ever.
"With the new record for attendance and the 25% increase in exhibit space over last year, Macworld Conference & Expo is now the second most attended IT event in New York," said Rob Scheschareg, Vice President, Events for IDG World Expo. "Macworld Conference & Expo has been growing dramatically during the last couple of years while other East Coast IT Events have been declining. We expect this excitement and momentum to carry over to Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco in January, 2001."
Representing every segment of the Mac Platform, the 294,000 gross square foot Macworld Conference & Expo is the largest event of its kind on the East Coast. Special highlights of Macworld Conference & Expo/New York 2000 included:
- A stimulating keynote presentation by Steve Jobs.
- The IT industryis most successful educational conference program that attracted more than 4,000 attendees to the more than 110 sessions featuring the most up-to-date Macintosh training.
- A variety of Special Interest Areas for every segment of Mac user, including a new Music & Audio Area, a new Assistive Technology Area, a new Quicktime Multimedia Studio, an Education District, Consumer Showcase, Sci-Tech Area, Net Innovators Area and Developer Central.
Macworld Conference & Expo/San Francisco, which set a new all-time attendance record of 85,000 attendees in January 2000, and is already the largest IT event in San Francisco, is in position to continue this phenomenal growth in January 2001. Much of this growth can be attributed to the interest in the hundreds of new products introduced by the more than 500 exhibitors participating in the San Francisco event- another all-time Macworld Conference & Expo record.
You can find more information in our own MACWORLD Expo New York 2000 report


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Amazon continues crackdown on phoney product reviews
29 April 2016 - 17:35 by Graham Miller
Millions of people who shop online turn to reviews left by other users to work out whether or not it is a good idea to buy a particular product. But because e-commerce sites are accessible to all, entire businesses have built up around the practice of posting fake reviews to artificially enhance the prestige of particular items.
Because of its size and influence, Amazon has been a major target for such underhanded tactics. And this week it announced the latest step in its ongoing attempts to take down those who profit.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the retailer has launched new efforts to sue both those who sell phoney product reviews and those who are willing to pay for them. It has also said that it will effectively be naming and shaming those involved, arguing that it will soon be able to identify many more of the guilty parties.
In the latest lawsuit filed by Amazon, just two of the seven defendants are identified by name. But the implication is that more action will be taken in the future, as more people involved in this cottage industry are pinpointed.
More than 1,000 people have so far been hit with some kind of legal action from Amazon as a result of fake reviews, a spokesperson for the firm revealed. This, in turn, has led to more potential defendants being identified.
Those not directly involved in the legal action are still faced with punitive measures, including having their Amazon accounts banned so that they can neither sell items nor buy them via safe shopping online and post reviews.
Eventually, Amazon is hoping that it will be able to make sure every review on its site is genuine, but until that day comes, shoppers will have to take them with a pinch of salt.


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Led by ALLVP and Mountain Nazca, CoVenture and Victory Park Capital Joined to Close the Round
Wonder Brands, the company building Latin America’s best portfolio of digital brands, announced that the company has closed $20 million in Seed financing. ALLVP, and Mountain Nazca led with CoVenture and Victory Park Capital joining to close the round inclusive of GFC, QED (Fontes), Korify Capital, and Endeavor Catalyst. In its growth stage, the company now has backing from over 35 angel investors and eight venture capital firms across the U.S., Latin America, and Europe.
Marketing Technology News: Allstar Releases Major Platform Update, Adds Subscriptions And New Desktop App
Wonder Brands seeks to optimize digital brands in the Mercado Libre and Amazon ecosystem in Latin America and identifies under-optimized businesses, leveraging technology to supercharge operations and accelerate sales though including marketing, analytics, supply chain management, and optimized working capital. Focused on the categories of Home and Garden, Sports and Fitness, and Beauty and Personal Care, Wonder Brands is harnessing the growing e-commerce market in Latin America, which is experiencing a fundamental online transformation.
Nicolás Gonzalez Luna, Co-Founder of Wonder Brands said, “Half of this business is making the right acquisitions & partnerships and the other half is about excelling at operating these assets. “Our seasoned team is bringing their extensive experience in venture capital, private equity, marketplaces and startups to the rapidly growing e-commerce market, only accelerating the possibilities for digital brands.”
“The support we’ve received will allow us to establish even more long-term partnerships with leading marketplace operators,” said Federico Antoni, Partner at ALLVP. “We are proud to empower existing entrepreneurs in the e-commerce space during this time of complexity and opportunity.”
The Seed financing will allow Wonder Brands to hire top talent in category management, data analytics, and technology, along with expand assortment, develop new products and categories, and invest in marketing to enhance positioning of the company’s brands in the Mexican market. The Seed financing will complement larger debt facilities that the company has available to acquire the brands per se.
“Federico and Nicolás bring a powerful combination of fast-paced and efficient M&A capabilities together with exceptional operational and growth expertise,” said Hector Sepulveda, Managing Partner at Nazca. “We are seeing and continue to expect unprecedented growth as Wonder Brands matures.”
“Wonder Brands is harnessing innovation, technology, and capital to scale in the rapidly evolving LatAm e-commerce market,” said Michael Breitstein, Principal at CoVenture, “Federico and Nicolás have the perfect skillset and expertise to execute the strategy, and we are proud to partner with them.”
“The e-commerce opportunity in Latin America is massive and is at the early innings of continued growth,” said Don Richman, Principal at Victory Park Capital. “We look forward to our partnership with Wonder Brands as the company brings value to the region’s best digital brands.”
Wonder Brands is projected to surpass $55 million in revenue by the end of 2021 and $100 million in the next 12 months. The company is currently operating in Mexico and plans to begin operations in Brazil by the end of 2021.
Marketing Technology News: 3Pillar Global Recognized by Great Place to Work Institute in India


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The rise of heat-not-burn tobacco products in recent times is fueled by a desire among smokers to try to limit the damage caused by cigarettes. Here, we provide an in-depth look into the fiery world of heat-not-burn tobacco.
We may like to think that smoking is so yesterday and that legions of people are finally giving up and becoming healthier. While it’s true in some countries, such as the US and UK, elsewhere, smoking remains an enormous health problem, and it’s estimated that some 1.1 billion people around the world continue to use cigarettes. Half of them will die from their addictive habit.
It’s a “tobacco epidemic” and “one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing more than 7 million people a year,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “More than 6 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, while around 890,000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to secondhand smoke,” the global health body says.
Here in the US, the smoking rate has thankfully been on the decline in recent times, dropping from 20.9% of the population in 2005 to 15.5% in 2016, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But there still remain around 38 million smokers in the country, and tobacco is as much a public health emergency here as it is in other nations, killing close to half a million Americans every year.
Amid this grim, and shocking, situation, in which millions of people are losing their lives to burning leaves each year, there is hope. It’s now far easier to quit tobacco, for instance, as many people are finding they can easily give up by switching to vape pens and other vaping gear, where they get the nicotine they want but none of the killer chemicals found in burning tobacco. Also emerging onto the market in the last couple of years is a growing array of heat-not-burn products, the manufacturers of which claim are far less harmful to human health than lighting up cigarettes.
What Is Heat-Not-Burn Tobacco?
The idea behind heat-not-burn tobacco is that if you warm it to a certain temperature, instead of igniting the dried tobacco leaves and other substances mixed in with them, you can still get the flavor and nicotine hit you want and little else. No smoker, after all, wants to inhale thousands of harmful chemicals that may end up causing cancers, heart and lung disease, and other potentially fatal conditions.
So, with heat-not-burn tobacco, smoke is not generated by the device, but vapor instead — allowing the user to inhale the nicotine and get the satisfaction they’re used to from cigarettes. At least, that’s the theory. The products used for heat not burn look similar to vaping devices, but they still use tobacco while vape gear does not — only e-liquid containing some or no nicotine and various flavors.
But it’s true to say that both heat-not-burn and vape gear operate in much the same way — a battery or other energy source (more below about that) is used to gently warm a chamber that has tobacco or e-juice in it and it then gives off vapor, which the user inhales.
Big Tobacco Going Heat Not Burn
Cigarette companies seem to be falling over themselves to develop heat-not-burn tobacco products and get them onto the market as quickly as possible. Perhaps they’re alarmed at the rates at which people in the Western world are quitting smoking — the result of vape pens, more knowledge about the hazards of tobacco and an overall desire to live healthier lives. The world’s biggest tobacco company and maker of the famous (or infamous) Marlboro brand, Philip Morris International Inc, is also in on the heat-not-burn action, developing its iQOS device, which launched in Japan in 2016 and became a runaway success.
This heat-not-burn gear — which some say is an acronym for I Quit Ordinary Smoking but that the tobacco giant insists is simply “a brand name created to denote innovation and game-changing technology coupled with advanced science” — has since been rolled out in markets around the world, except in the US, where the authorities are probing heath claims ahead of approval — or not, as may be the case. iQOS sales were $823 million in the third quarter of 2018, accounting for 11% of Philip Morris’ overall revenue of $7.5 billion, while globally, heat-not-burn sales last year were worth $5.82 billion and are forecast by research firm Euromonitor International to soar to $18.66 billion by 2022.
In fact, Philip Morris is trying to get out of the cigarette business altogether. At the beginning of last year, the company took out blaring, full-page newspaper ads in British newspapers to acknowledge that cigarettes are bad for people’s health and state that it was aiming to eventually stop making them. That’s not to say Philip Morris is thinking about saving the world and going out of business — far from it. The billion-dollar tobacco behemoth is simply following where the market is going, and some markets for cigarettes are drying up.
Staying with Philip Morris for a moment longer, as it’s the main innovator in the heat-not-burn tobacco sector, the company has introduced another heated tobacco product. Branded as “TEEPS from Marlboro”, the device relies on a carbon-heating source to warm up tobacco and deliver vapor to the user, which the company says is far safer than smoking combustible cigarettes.
“Once the carbon heat source is lit, heat is transferred to a uniquely processed tobacco plug, designed for heating and not for smoking,” says the company. “The patented design of TEEPS prevents tobacco from burning. The consumer puffs on TEEPS to inhale a flavorful nicotine-containing vapor until the end of the experience.”
What Do the Authorities Say about Heat Not Burn?
While Philip Morris is enjoying enormous success with its heat-not-burn products abroad, at home, it’s a vastly different story. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to know if there’s any truth behind the company’s claim that using its iQOS and other heat-not-burn products is actually safer than smoking ordinary cigarettes. And so it set up a panel of experts to investigate the claim, before going ahead and allowing heat-not-burn products to be available for sale on the American market.
That was over a year ago, and in January 2018 the panel issued its findings into iQOS and its recommendations. It said the device was not safer than smoking cigarettes and that many risks remained, and it rejected data from Philip Morris that appeared to show that the device reduced users’ exposure to harmful tobacco elements by as much as 95%. The FDA panel said some toxic chemicals found in burning tobacco were still present in the heat-not-burn device, and at the same level as those in burning tobacco in cigarettes.
This may, after all, not be so surprising, because tobacco is still the main ingredient in heat-not-burn products, and even if you heat instead of combusting the leaves, the toxins remain in the tobacco and may escape during the heating process. The FDA is not bound by the panel’s recommendation, although the agency traditionally follows such guidance, and it had been expected to make a ruling on the matter a few months later. At present, however, we are still waiting for a decision.
Other Authorities’ Views on Heated Tobacco
Across the pond and health authorities there are also not convinced by heated tobacco’s claims of reduced health risks compared to smoking. They said heat-not-burn devices on the market today are a health risk, as they give off “a number of compounds of concern,” including carcinogens — toxic substances that can cause different tumors, or cancers, to develop in the body. Instead, they say, if you’re looking for something that’s far better for you than smoking, you should use e-cigarettes, which British health authorities now say are at least 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes.
The latest on that came from the top health authority in England in January this year. Public Health England — which launched a campaign the same month to try to get people off cigarettes, and urging them to vape instead — said it “would be tragic if thousands of smokers who could quit with the help of an e-cigarette are being put off due to false fears about safety. We need to reassure smokers that switching to an e-cigarette would be much less harmful than smoking.”
The country, which also includes Wales in its regulatory and legal system (the other two countries that make up the UK, Scotland and Northern Ireland, have separate rules under devolved governments) also runs an annual stop-smoking campaign in October, called Stoptober, and has increasingly been urging smokers to quit with the help of e-cigarettes because of a high cessation rate.
The Last Word on Heat-Not-Burn Tobacco
We started off by referencing the WHO on smoking and lives lost, and we’ll finish with the health organization’s advice on heat-not-burn tobacco. It states straight out that there’s no independent evidence at all to show that heated tobacco products are any safer than tobacco cigarettes, and it dismisses studies funded by tobacco companies that say otherwise.
It says that just because there may be reduced exposure from heat-not-burn tobacco devices, it doesn’t mean there’s a reduced risk to people’s health, as the harmful substances may still be present in the vapor and get into their lungs. The WHO wants to see independent studies carried out into the effects of heated tobacco before it can offer any further advice on the risks associated with using them.
The WHO also says that there may be hazards to those who are around people using heated tobacco devices, just as there are to people who inhale secondhand smoke (killing nearly 1 million people around the world every year, according to WHO figures). It wants to see independent studies on secondhand exposure to heated tobacco.
“All forms of tobacco use are harmful, including [heated tobacco products],” it says. “Tobacco is inherently toxic and contains carcinogens even in its natural form.” As such, it says, heated tobacco products should come under legislation, as it applies to every other tobacco product.
As for whether iQOS and other heated tobacco devices will be allowed on the US market, all eyes remain on the FDA to see if it will stub out the proposal or not.
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Telkom had a tough 2018 financial year, with group revenue flat compared to 2017 and headline earnings per share sinking by 18.4%. Mobile services were a highlight, while pressure on the fixed-line business and IT services subsidiary BCX, along with higher corporate taxes, took a toll.
The JSE-listed telecommunications group cut its annual dividend by 16.3% to R3.55/share.
“We felt the impact of the weak economic environment as the private and public sectors respectively deferred and lowered their ICT spend. This impacted Telkom’s performance, particularly in BCX, which serves the business sector,” said group CEO Sipho Maseko. He blamed the weak economy, which has led to big companies and government reducing their spend, negatively affecting BCX.
“The year was characterised by a tough economic environment, political uncertainty and intense competition as well as the consequent low business and consumer confidence.”
Group revenue was flat at R41bn, though mobile service revenue was again the biggest highlight, up 47.2%. The growth in the mobile business was underpinned by capital investment, extension of distribution channels, increased store footprint and new data-led products that resonated well with customers, Telkom said.
“Our mobile business is now a key driver of growth in the group, offsetting the decline in BCX and Openserve,” Maseko said.
Price reductions at Openserve, Telkom’s wholesale division, are “starting to bear fruit”, with the rate of decline in revenue slowing to 2.9%, he added.
Not surprisingly, the voice business remains under considerable pressure as companies continue switching to cheaper voice-over-IP options. “We have implemented strategies to manage the decline in voice revenue while we migrate customers to VoIP and grow our new-generation revenue streams.”
Maseko said new revenue streams, including mobile and data, are now compensating for the decline in the traditional business. “Our focus going forward is to increase the contribution from the new-generation revenue streams,” he said. “Despite their lower margin compared to traditional revenue streams, these revenue streams will ensure Telkom’s long-term sustainability.”
Telkom invest R7.9bn in its network in 2018, or 19.3% of revenue. Mobile and fibre remain key capex focus areas. The attach rate on fibre climbed to 30.7%, meaning nearly a third of homes and businesses passed by Openserve fibre have signed up for services. — © 2018 NewsCentral Media


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A slew of retailers from big-box names to specialty chains have sounded the revenue alarm on President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but Dick’s Sporting Goods appears to be singing a different tune.
In an interview with CNBC, CEO Edward Stack expressed optimism in consumer spending ahead of the holiday season — a sentiment seemingly unlike those of several other retailers, who have bemoaned the need to raise prices for shoppers to offset supply chain costs.
“The consumer is in pretty good shape,” Stack said today. “Things that we’ve seen from the people that we do business with — Nike, Adidas, Calloway — and [their] product cycle going forward, we’re pretty enthusiastic.”
The Coraopolis, Penn.-based company has been riding high since its second-quarter financial report in late August, when it posted earnings per share of $1.26 — compared with the previous year’s $1.20 a share and better than forecasts of $1.21.
The positive numbers led Dick’s to lift its full-year outlook, now expecting earnings per share in the range of $3.30 to $3.45, up from the previous view of $3.20 to $3.40.
The release came just 10 days before Trump’s additional 15% in duties on the first round of the fourth tranche — or $112 billion worth of Chinese imports — took effect on Sept. 1. As retailers approach the second round on a remaining $160 billion worth of products, which hits American firms in mid-December, Stack said that he hasn’t seen any “meaningful” impact of the protracted U.S.-China trade war on the sporting goods retailer’s business.
“When we took our guidance up, we indicated that anything that we thought would be impacted by tariffs was included in that guidance,” he said during the CNBC segment.
Over the past year and a half, the Trump administration has initiated four “tranches,” or “portions,” of tariffs on Chinese goods. The U.S. leader postponed levies on $250 billion worth of Chinese products — representing the combined first three tranches — as a “measure of goodwill” to China. The 5% duty increase, originally scheduled to take effect on Oct. 1, will now be imposed next week on Oct. 15.
Dick’s Sporting Goods Takes More Steps to Exit Its Guns Business
Dick’s Sporting Goods’ New Merchandising Strategy Is Working
Ugg Parent, Dick’s & Shoe Carnival Are the Latest Retailers to Tackle Trump’s Tariffs


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Do you have a BoA or Chase credit card? Then you may want to pay attention to this:
If you have a credit card account with Bank of America or Chase, two of the nation’s largest banks, a major security flaw has been exposed that could make your information vulnerable to an Internet crook – or even a nosy neighbor.Yikes!
Consumer advocate Edgar Dworsky of ConsumerWorld.org, who discovered the flaw, says anyone who knows your phone number and has the last four digits of your Chase or BofA credit card number might be able access your account.
Here’s the flaw Dworsky uncovered: When you call a bank’s automated credit card account information system, the computer uses caller ID to compare the number you’re calling from with the one on the account (usually your home phone).
At BofA and Chase, if the phone number is a match, the verification process is streamlined. Rather than requiring the entire credit card number to be entered, the caller can usually access the account with only the last four digits. In some cases, a zip code is also required.
“The last four digits of your credit card number are just out there so predominantly,” Dworsky says. “If you look at any sales receipt, it always has those last four digits.”
In order for someone to take advantage of this security loophole, they’d have to trick the bank’s computer to make it appear the call is coming from your home phone. Internet “spoofing” sites make this incredibly easy to do. Con artists have been using this technology for years, and it is how those British tabloid reporters were able to hack into so many voicemail systems.
Here's a very interesting four-part article on the state of high tech manufacturing, and why it's less and less likely that it'll happen here in the states. While the focus of this article is mainly on Amazon's Kindle, the very effects it describes is evidenced in this article on GE moving its X-ray business to China.
From Joan of Argghh! a three hankie weeper. Seriously. Don't click on the link without an entire box of tissues at hand.
Graumagus has finally resurfaced. Yay! Now we can once again enjoy pithy posts such as this.
The man truly does employ a unique turn of phrase...
Update: Folks ending up here run the gamut from searches on "ass burgers" to "examples of inviolability of human dignity."
Y'all are an interesting bunch.


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Regardless of the fact that there were holidays in the middle of a business week and in spite of the heat wave across Estonia, the number of real estate transactions continued to increase in June. According to the Land Board, 11% more apartment transactions were concluded in comparison to May. Thus, the number of transactions in the last months was as follows: 1,180 in April, 1,345 in May and 1,493 in June. The result was 16% lower than the level of last June and 24% lower than the average of the 12 months preceding the crisis.
The increase in the number of transactions is mostly due to lifting of restrictions and optimism about the future, and even though there are still discussions about autumn as the crucial period, people have the courage to go through with transactions also today. However, aside from the good news, it must be admitted that as the direct aid from the state will end, unemployment may keep increasing.
There is especially great interest in country houses and summer houses: if it is still early to talk about the full recovery of the apartment market, over 400 transactions with houses and summer houses were concluded in June, which was 50 more than during the same period last year, losing only to last June in the context of the past 12 months.
It is also interesting to observe that the number of transactions in Harju County dropped by over 20, whereas it mainly increased in the rest of Estonia. The increase in the number of apartment transactions was also extensive, dropping in only four counties, whereas in Harju County the number of transactions increased by over 50, in Tartu County by nearly 30 and in Ida-Viru County and Jõgeva County by nearly 20.
Even though based on the example of the typical Soviet apartments in Tallinn, the prices of more liquid apartments in the secondary market have dropped by about 3%, we can still not speak about extensive dropping of prices. The cold war still continues in the market – a certain part of the potential buyers wish to see a bigger price drop, whereas the sellers are still convinced that it is possible to find buyers at peak prices, and they are not willing to remove their goods from the market.
We will probably still see some price drop but with the increased demand, the sellers have gained some additional time for their arguments. In June, the median price of transactions was 1,400 €/m2, which was basically the same as a year ago. In Harju County, the median price of transactions was even 2,018 €/m2, it was 1,405 €/m2 in Tartu County and 1,045 €/m2 in Pärnu County.
Apartment market in Tallinn
There were 630 transactions in Tallinn in June, i.e. 100 transactions more than in May. As the share of new developments was still large (39% in May, even 45% in June), the median price of transactions remained very high (2,095 €/m2 in May, 2,085 €/m2 in June), but also the secondary market recovered – if in May only 7 transactions more were concluded in comparison to April (317→324), in June the number of transactions was already 346, which was about 90 less than during the same period last year.
The large sales results of new developments were mainly based on previously concluded contracts, as the actual sales of new developments are still slow, e.g. in the 2nd quarter, 50% fewer transactions were concluded under law of obligations contracts in comparison to the 1st quarter. Still, instead of discounts for residential premises, buyers do receive discounts for annexes to the residential premises, i.e. parking places, storage spaces or kitchen furniture.
The number of lease offers is still large, even though June showed that the price drop has largely slowed down and as the peak season (July-August) approaches, the price level for the best premises may even increase.
Apartment market in Tartu
Similar tendency as in Tallinn where the share of new developments is high thanks to the larger demand of past periods, and the secondary market started to recover. 137 transactions were concluded in Tartu, which was the best result after the outbreak of the corona epidemic; 20% of the pre-crisis volume has still been lost. In the secondary market, 83 transactions were concluded in June in comparison to 64 transactions in May.
During the same period, 54 transactions were concluded with new developments, which was also the best result of this year. Regardless of the 39% share of new developments, the profile of the sold new developments was a little more modest, causing the median price of transactions to drop to 1,470 €/m2. The market of Tartu follows the one of Tallinn also in other aspects – the number of lease offers is still very high; the prices are not made of stone in the sales market but there are no signs of any extensive price drop.
Apartment market in Pärnu
The market has dropped about twenty percent also in Pärnu. In June, 60 transactions were concluded in the summer capital, which was rather at the level of May. The number of transactions with new developments was a little lower, whereas 1 transaction more was concluded in the secondary market. The median price of transactions in June was 1,314 €/m2 and thus lower than the figures of both last year and last month.
Apartment market in Narva
Similarly to the other cities, the number of transactions in Narva in the first six months of this year has decreased by 16% in comparison to last year, regardless of the fact that Narva completely lacks new developments. 45 transactions were concluded in Narva in June, which was seven more than in May, returning to the figures of April.
In comparison to the same period last year, however, the number of transactions dropped by 10. However, for the first time in several years, the median price of transactions crossed the line of 400 €/m2 again, and in comparison to the same period last year the median price in Narva has increased this year by 7% (376→403 €/m2).


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Running a business is demanding at the best of times.
Throw in the unprecedented challenges facing the world today– from inflation to climate change, social unrest to labor shortages, war, and drought – and business leaders are being pulled in all directions.
In many cases, leaders are being asked to transform their businesses to meet today’s challenges and those of the future. Against this backdrop, effective leadership needs to encompass more than just delivering superior results, building high-performing teams, and ensuring enduring organizations; they also need to ensure their ESG policies are more than just an annual sustainability report, and that their employees feel valued and motivated – and less likely to burn out or quit.
In a very traditional industry like food and agriculture, adapting to 21st-century trends is no small ask, particularly as ethical questions around worker rights and the environmental impact of the sector loom ever larger.
Introducing the Future Food & Ag Leadership Program
To try and help agrifood executive leaders navigate the complex future ahead, AgFunder and data-sharing platform Agrohub have partnered with INSEAD, one of the world’s leading business schools, to create the Future Food & Ag Leadership Program (FFA).
A three-day, in-person business and strategy course at the INSEAD campus in France consisting of lectures and intimate group sessions with leading professors from the business school will be followed by two half-days of online programming with industry leaders.
“Effective leadership in today’s business landscape requires more than just delivering results and building high-performing teams. It involves navigating environmental and social challenges while creating value in uncertain times. To remain competitive and align with 21st-century trends, organizations and executives must adapt and hone their strategic thinking skills. The Future Food & Ag Leadership program, organized by Agrohub and AgFunder in partnership with INSEAD, provides an opportunity to better understand global challenges in the food and agriculture sectors and make effective decisions in conditions of instability and rapid change,” says Oleksii Poroshenko, partner at Agrohub.
The Future Food & Ag Leadership Program
The FFA program was inspired by Agrohub’s work with the largest crop producer, exporter and supply chain operator in the Black Sea region Agroposperis, which was taking a novel approach to engaging its vast employee base. Faced with declining motivation among its field-based employee base, who were scattered across more than 60 farms in Ukraine, Agroposperis prioritized a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability, treating its employees as partners. This allowed Agroprosperis to adapt to changing market conditions and maintain a competitive edge.
“The case study of Agroprosperis, created by INSEAD Professor Stanislav Shekshnia together with Agrohub, highlights a unique example in the agricultural industry, where a high level of trust between the company and its employees – where they were treating them as partners, and making quality data-driven decisions led to sustainable growth and significant impact on the company’s bottom line,” adds Poroshenko, the Agroprosperis case study author. “This case serves as an excellent model for other companies looking to modernize and grow their businesses while emphasizing the crucial role of corporate culture in achieving success. And the Future Food & Ag Leadership program members will have a chance to analyze this success story in detail with Professor Shekshnia.”
Learn from the Experts
Participants will learn from industry leaders and former executives as well as leading business academics, including Subramanian Rangan, professor of Strategy and Management at INSEAD. Subi holds the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court Endowed Chair in Societal Progress. His current work explores the evolution of capitalism and in particular how enterprises may better integrate income and impact. His recent books include: Performance & Progress (2015); and Capitalism Beyond Mutuality? (2018).
Also from INSEAD, Stanislav Shekshnia, senior affiliate professor of entrepreneurship and family enterprise at INSEAD will dig into the Agroprosperis Group case study. Shekshnia’s research concentrates on leadership, leadership development and effective corporate governance in emerging markets and organizations. He is the author, co-author, and editor of 11 books, including CEO School (2018), Athletic CEOs (2018), and more than 50 articles on corporate governance, entrepreneurship, leadership, people management, and intercultural management.
The online portion of the course is being finalized and will include a track focused on female leadership in the industry, as well as learnings from former food and agriculture executives facing today’s challenges.
“Women are still under-represented in the C-suite of large food and agriculture companies, which is unacceptable given their vital role in the industry, from female purchasing power at retail to their considerable work on farms, especially in developing nations. We will dig into this lack of representation and how to empower change,” says Louisa Burwood-Taylor, head of media & research at AgFunder.
Express your Interest
The course will host a limited number of food & ag leadership participants to ensure they have the best chance to get access to leading academia, learn and collaborate with one another, and network with their senior executive peers.
For more information about the program, the lecturers, and the cost, please visit our website here.
To express your interest in joining the course, please fill out this form and we will be in touch for the next steps in the review process.
If you have any questions, please contact the program coordinator Olga Safina at [email protected]


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Citigroup on Monday forecast that 35 million tablet computers will be sold in 2011, while Craig Berger, at FBR Capital Market, believes Apple alone will sell 40 million iPads in 2011, with a further 30 million tablets sales coming from Asus, Acer, RIM and HP.
Tablet sales of 35 million units are about one tenth that of PC sales, which Gartner estimates at 352.4 million units this year, up 14.3 percent over last year, but down from projected growth of 17.9 percent just two months ago.
Gartner has cut its estimates on PC shipments, saying tablets are increasingly serving as substitutes for PCs for light data consumption. Gartner predicts worldwide PC shipments in 2011 to hit 409 million, a 15.9 percent increase over 2010 but down from an earlier estimate of 18.1 percent growth.
Netbook market share keeps falling mainly due to tablets and this could last a few years, according to Gartner.
DRAMeXchange estimates around 222 million laptops and netbooks will be shipped worldwide in 2011, increasing 15.4% from 2010. Netbooks are mostly low-cost, basic laptops running Windows on Intel chips, but the majority of tablets will use ARM-based CPUs, paired with Google’s Android, WebOS or Apple’s iOS. They will offer newly developed apps from online stores.
Intel chips with “revolutionary” battery performance, ideal for tablets and phones, won’t show up until 2012, Citigroup’s analysts wrote last week.


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Hal’s New York Releases Coffee Seltzer
QUEENS, N.Y. — Hal’s Beverage is launching their newest, and most unique, flavor this January. As a part of an ongoing partnership with 7-Eleven, Hal’s has created a caffeinated Coffee flavored Seltzer that will be sold exclusively at the stores located in the 5 boroughs, Long Island and Westchester and Putnam counties. As with all other Hal’s products, this newest flavor is also all natural and locally made.
With help from their distributor Big Geyser, Hal’s Beverage hopes to make a dent in both the cold brew coffee and seltzer categories.
“We recognize that we now have loyal fans of the Hal’s brand,” said Chief Brand Officer Hayley Diamond. “We think this is going to blow their minds and give them the zero calorie, sugar free pick me up that they desire.”
January is Coffee month at 7-Eleven, so the timing works perfectly. Hal’s New York Coffee Seltzer uses real coffee concentrate and has notes of French Vanilla in both the nose and taste. It’s a beverage that’s perfect for the morning commute (if it spills on the train – no nasty coffee stain to worry about!) or during the midday “slump” that many folks experience.
“We’ve done a good job of setting ourselves apart from other major seltzer brands and we see this as another way to give our customers something special,” Diamond stated.
This will be the eighth flavor in the seltzer lineup that currently includes: Original, Black Cherry, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Vanilla Cream and Watermelon (the previous exclusive flavor for 7-Eleven). Hal’s New York also makes Ginger Ale and Diet Ginger Ale.
All Hal’s beverages, including the newest limited edition flavor will be sold at 7-Eleven for a promotional price of 2 for $2.50. After 60 days, Big Geyser will begin distributing the Coffee Hal’s to all of its customers. Hal’s has confirmed another exclusive, limited edition flavor to launch Summer 2018.


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According to foreign media reports, local time on April 12, a Chinese electric vehicle and battery manufacturer BYD executive said that the availability of sufficient nickel supply is a major concern for electric car companies, adding that the company will welcome Establish joint ventures with other companies to ensure the supply of nickel materials.
Nickel is one of the key components of electric vehicle batteries. Today, the chemical composition of the battery shifts to a higher nickel content, so that the electric vehicle can last longer on a single charge. This trend is expected to further boost the industry's demand for nickel materials.
BYD Purchasing Director CocoLiu said at the Fastmarkets Battery Materials Conference, "The future supply of nickel is a major concern for every electric vehicle manufacturer." Earlier, analysts said at the meeting if the Indonesia-led Indonesian nickel project Failure to deliver, there will be a shortage of nickel in the market.
CocoLiu said that BYD is not only looking for suppliers that can provide high-quality products, but also those who have experience in joint ventures and can build a supply chain covering the entire electric vehicle from upstream mining, battery materials to finished products. Business.
Liu added that the joint venture is a good development direction and can save costs. BYD hopes to have a diversity of its supplier base to reduce risk. Liu also said that although there is a potential increase in demand for battery raw materials, buying a stake in a mine requires a lot of investment and capital, and it will also bring risks. “Even if material prices fluctuate, we still hope to have a safe and stable supply, which will also help our final product sales and development.”


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Cybercrime broke headlines, especially the attacks made by WannaCry and NotPetya. Giving critical losses to hundreds of company, the cyber-attack made real threats. Organizations are at a constant risk of Cybercrime and are facing cyber security problems across the globe.
Now, the main target of hackers is small businesses which are linked to big organizations and providing the services. It will be easy for hackers to attack them as they have lesser security services. But many companies have higher their protection level against cyber-attack, which is necessary. Not only companies but everyone’s personal data is at high-risk. Since many of you save your personal data on online accounts to keep it secure, you might have no idea that it could leak out tomorrow. Even when your data is not online, there are still chances of a cyber-attack. So, it’s better to secure your personal computers and mobile devices from getting hacked. Norton.com/Setupcontinue reading


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Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images
President Donald Trump meets with China’s Vice Premier Liu He (foreground) at the White House on January 31, 2019 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He later on Friday as China and the U.S. end another week of trade talks.
Liu has been named a “special envoy” to Chinese President Xi Jinping, meaning he has the authority to negotiate directly on trade matters with the U.S.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House is counting on getting China to accept key structural changes on issues such as improper subsidies to state-owned companies and unlawful technology transfers. However, Reuters reported that U.S. and Chinese officials are struggling to come up with language that will address some of these issues.
The meeting between Liu and Trump comes as the two countries try to strike a trade deal before the start of next month. If they don’t, additional U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods could come into effect. However, Trump said earlier this week that the March 1 deadline was not a “magical date,” hinting the deadline could be moved.
Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.


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4600B, boul. Saint-Jean
Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker, announced that it will install the nation’s largest rooftop photovoltaic power plant at its manufacturing factory in Asan.
Hyundai Motor Company unveiled a new concept vehicle at the 2013 Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition.
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport named one of Ward’s 10 Best Interiors.
Focus on visuals, enhanced functionality allow users to better compare Hyundai vehicles against competition.
The Hyundai Genesis, acclaimed for its premium segment leadership, made the AAA’s list of Top Vehicles for Commuters.
Hyundai’s all-new 2013 Santa Fe was named Best New Crossover by the Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association (GAAMA).
You don’t have to be an automotive marketing genius to figure out why the new Hyundai Santa Fe XL exists.
The Genesis premium sedan has earned the 2013 Canadian Black Book Award for Best Retained Value in the “Full-size Car” category.
To continually improve proprietary technology, Hyundai has extended extraordinary efforts in the area of research and development.
The Hyundai New Generation Santa Fe has been named as the safest car in its class assessed by Euro NCAP during 2012.


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Canada Goose Donates Down Jackets to Earthquake-stricken Area Suspected of Being Resold on Idle Fish, Official Response： "The situation circulated online is not true," How do you view this matter?
Recently, a seller on a second-hand trading platform is offering what appears to be Canada Goose down jackets meant for aid to the earthquake-stricken region of Gansu. On December 21st, Canada Goose posted a message on its official Weibo account stating that they had donated over 2000 down jackets and cold-weather supplies in partnership with the Shanghai Charity Foundation to aid the Gansu earthquake-stricken area. There have been various responses regarding the resale of Canada Goose donations for Gansu disaster area. Read more.
Compared to reselling goods, there is a higher probability of selling counterfeit products during this opportunity. When asked, it’s said to be specially supplied, and the differences are all attributed to the special supply.
Feels like a publicity stunt
To be honest, even if each of these down jackets were distributed to disaster victims one by one, there would inevitably be reselling going on…
Selling them for 8,500 each, I would do it too, then switch to a domestically-produced one for 500 and make a profit of 8,000.
For all donated items, the words “Donated items - Prohibited for sale” must be printed, and it must be printed prominently.
A Not Entirely Appropriate Suggestion
When it comes to donating supplies, it’s probably best not to use luxury items like these. A few days ago, when Bai Bing donated to Gucci, I felt it wasn’t appropriate. Gucci isn’t cheap, can it really reach the disaster victims? When we were young, there was the “Hope Project.” Better clothes, shoes, backpacks, new things - all of these were taken by the children of local officials in those areas. The children who truly needed them still had tattered items. When donating supplies to disaster-stricken areas, unless there are specific reasons, it’s really better to have unbranded, no-name items from factories, as long as the quality is acceptable. I don’t deny the good intentions of Canada Goose and Bai Bing, but when there are many people and the items are too good, many unexpected things can happen.
Donating Luxury Items Directly to Disaster Areas Is Foolish
Whether it’s individuals or companies, donating luxury items directly to disaster-stricken areas is foolish, akin to dropping a bomb there.
Even if, during transportation, there’s not a hint of corruption, and all the items are delivered to individuals in remote areas, why give them luxury items at this point? Are they for warmth? Warmth only requires warm clothing; there’s no need for any branded items.
Then there’s the matter of how to distribute these 2,000 pieces of clothing and who should receive them. Are they going to be distributed as military coats worth a couple of hundred each? Why should one family get 12,000 yuan worth of goods while another gets only 2,000 yuan? Did one family use connections or have connections?
When a family’s house has been shattered by an earthquake, their child is in school, someone in the family needs medical treatment, and their annual income is only 20,000 yuan, and you tell them that the clothing they have received is worth over 10,000 yuan, do you think they will continue wearing it, or will they sell it for money?
Can you control them now? Can you control them later when they decide to sell it for money?
And when they actually sell these clothes, and they end up in the second-hand market, there will immediately be people saying, “Isn’t this the Canada Goose clothing for disaster relief? It must have been embezzled, causing a public outcry or putting the blame on the local government.”
What’s even more astonishing, according to the information on the Shanghai Charity Network: the total value of the third batch of disaster relief supplies exceeds 15 million yuan, including 1,000 warm winter coats, 500 sleeping bags, 2,001 Canada Goose down jackets, 74 pairs of gloves, 3,000 heat packs, and 3,000 thermos cups. I have never seen donations valued at market prices before. There were bloggers who organized the donation of military coats and small-size warm down jackets to the disaster area at the first opportunity, collecting a few thousand yuan and sending out hundreds of warm outerwear. How could the value of these materials exceed ten million yuan?
Assisting disaster victims with luxury items that lack practical value and rely solely on brand recognition to establish their worth is like a game thought up by bored wealthy people looking for entertainment.
Put Yourself in Their Shoes
Consider this, if you received a batch of disaster relief supplies, would you hang hundreds of them on an online marketplace like “Idle Fish” and intentionally emphasize that they are disaster relief supplies? What’s the difference between that and turning yourself in to the authorities?
I don’t believe a single word from many of these “Idle Fish” sellers. Last time, I bought an Apple data cable that was advertised as “unused spare original.” When I tried to use it, it didn’t charge my device. I contacted the seller, and they replaced it with another cable, but none of them were genuine.
Sellers of counterfeit goods always like to spin a story to make you believe that what they’re selling is real. When you approach them with a complaint, they often respond with a snide remark: “At this price, didn’t you suspect something?”
However, when counterfeit goods sellers take it to the extreme by fabricating stories involving natural disasters and charitable organizations that already have a questionable reputation, it not only damages their credibility but also shows a lack of intelligence.
Little Difference Between Major Disasters and Military Matters
In times of major disasters or during military conflicts, there isn’t much difference when it comes to spreading rumors.
If it were wartime, daring to use such rumors to incite public opinion and shake the morale of the front lines would result in immediate arrest and execution, with efforts made to uncover the network behind it.
However, in this case of spreading rumors, the only consequence is the loss of an online account. The intention here isn’t primarily to sell counterfeit goods; rather, it’s to destabilize social order and poison people’s minds. The only problem is that this kind of damage is difficult to quantify.
What should be taken seriously is treated lightly, and what should be treated lightly is weighed down like Mount Tai. I find myself increasingly baffled by it all.
Nothing Unusual – Common Practice in Logistics
There’s nothing particularly remarkable about this; those who have dealt with managing supplies and logistics often do the same.
If I, personally, have no personal gain from it, I would keep these obviously high-value luxury items in the warehouse without distributing them to anyone. If you question me, I can take you there, the items are right here. If you ask why I’m not distributing them, I’ll politely respond, “We have enough military coats in this section. Do you want warmth or a brand name?” That should settle the matter.
With only 2,000 of these items, how do I distribute them? To whom? If I don’t distribute them to someone, they’ll report me. Keeping them in the warehouse might lead to criticism, but at least no one would accuse me of taking more than my share. However, once I distribute them and someone doesn’t receive one, they will surely believe that I benefited unfairly. The key issue is that the items are gone, and I have to prove my innocence.
That’s how it is in China – either everyone has it, or no one has it. Some people having it while others don’t just doesn’t work.
Likely a Publicity Stunt
This is most likely a publicity stunt because there are numerous high-quality counterfeit Canada Goose products available online. Some of these knockoffs have reached a point where it’s difficult to distinguish them from genuine items. Moreover, the production cost of Canada Goose is not as high as one might imagine; it’s more about brand premium.
If you search on platforms like PDD (Pinduoduo) now, you’ll find plenty of high-quality counterfeit items being sold. A former colleague at my previous company once purchased a so-called “original high-quality replica” and she was quite honest about it, openly admitting to everyone that it was a fake.
Another colleague from the same company bought a genuine Canada Goose product from the official store in Sanlitun, Beijing, and they happened to have the same style.
The official Canada Goose store in Sanlitun, Beijing.
I remember it was a similar style, and out of curiosity, we compared and studied their clothes closely for a long time, even trying them on to assess the warmth performance.
To be honest, most of us in our department couldn’t discern any significant differences. Of course, we aren’t professional experts, but it does illustrate that high-quality replicas can indeed pass as genuine items for the average person if you don’t exhibit any suspicion.
By the way, the colleague who bought the high-quality replica came from a well-off family in Beijing, with multiple properties totaling 12 million yuan, two parking spaces worth a total of 1 million yuan, and two cars—a Mercedes-Benz G-Class and a Tesla Model X.
On the other hand, the colleague who purchased the authentic Canada Goose product was a migrant from a rural area in Baiyin, Gansu. Her family was not wealthy, and she had two younger brothers. However, you couldn’t tell her rural background from her demeanor.
Of course, this is a bit of a digression. I just wanted to express my speculation: this “Idle Fish” user most likely wants to capitalize on the buzz by selling high-quality replicas at the same price as genuine items. Furthermore, they can rationalize not having “receipts” by using the guise of “donating supplies” to pass scrutiny.
However, once these 2,000 Canada Goose items are actually distributed to the disaster victims, there is indeed a possibility that some people may resell them to make ends meet. After all, the area is not affluent, and Canada Goose is considered a luxury brand even for urban middle-class individuals, let alone in small towns in Northwest China.
For the local residents, buying regular down jackets for a few hundred yuan, or even cheaper cotton-padded coats, would suffice for keeping warm. Wearing such expensive luxury down jackets might be seen as wasteful, and it might be more practical to sell them for some extra cash.
Sensationalism: Taken Seriously by Many
There are so many counterfeit products on Idle Fish; it’s hard to keep count. This underscores the need for more effective anti-fraud awareness campaigns that truly resonate with people.
There’s no shortage of news creating social trust crises, but let’s not contribute to undermining social trust ourselves.
In case you ever need someone else’s help, you’ll understand the feeling of not being trusted.
We need to pay attention to the public sphere and reject the spread of rumors and false information on the internet.
When it comes to natural disasters, we should offer assistance without too much hesitation or unnecessary suspicion. The rescue mechanisms are in place, supervision mechanisms are active, and law enforcement agencies are working at full capacity. During such times, those attempting to profit from selling supplies will surely face strict scrutiny!
Disaster relief is not like the chaotic scenes of ancient times. Some people should refrain from imagining opportunistic behaviors!
Strong Disapproval of Malicious Marketing
I truly detest and condemn actions like malicious marketing, which are utterly ruthless. Individuals who engage in such behavior must have dark motives, prioritizing personal gain and traffic over integrity. Permanently banning such individuals is the right course of action.
The internet is not a lawless space, and every person should abide by the rules, exercise caution in their speech and actions. Disaster response and relief efforts are of utmost importance, and anyone spreading rumors or causing trouble should face legal consequences. They should by no means be allowed to escape justice.
Are the Demons and Monsters of the Pandemic Still Around?
Are they still parading around here as if they were foreign guests?
Malicious Marketing: Profiting from Disaster Relief
“First come, first served” advertisements, the routine of live-streaming to sell products.
There is a reason to believe that someone is selling counterfeit goods under the guise of providing assistance to the earthquake-stricken area, aiming to make a huge profit during a national crisis.
After all, there is a daily flow of traffic for disaster relief on the internet now. To attract attention, some choose to play on the edge. The goal is simply to sell more and, in this case, counterfeit goods.
Just take a look at the wording in the title advertisements, and you’ll understand what’s going on. When they mention having only a few hundred pieces, and it’s a “first come, first served” situation, that’s a form of hunger marketing—a common tactic used in live-streaming sales.
They also mention the lack of washing labels and tags, and a strict “no returns or exchanges” policy. This implies that if there are any issues with the product, don’t bother asking for a refund or exchange. So, what else could these products be but counterfeits?
Recently, a user on Idle Fish posted: “Assisting the Gansu earthquake-stricken area with Canada Goose products. You can tell from the video that these products are exceptional. There are only a few hundred pieces, and it’s first come, first served. No washing labels, no tags, no returns or exchanges.” The post included a video. At present, this post has been deleted.
Without naming the platform, there is a plethora of products on second-hand platforms, and counterfeit goods are abundant. This has long been a point of criticism and is not a recent development.
Passing off fake goods as real, presenting lower-quality items as high-end—these are tactics that some people are fond of employing.
Currently, the official response has been issued, stating that the information on the internet is not accurate. Relevant platforms have verified the information and taken action against the accounts involved.
Idle Fish platform promptly conducted an investigation, and the actual situation is that this user was trying to create hype and drive traffic by selling Canada Goose products, fabricating information about disaster relief supplies. This behavior falls under malicious marketing and traffic generation. The platform has immediately removed the products and permanently banned the user’s account.
This user’s traffic-driven tactics have caused harm to relevant departments and generated public opinion on the internet. If the situation continues to escalate without control, it is hoped that the relevant authorities will actively report and handle the matter.
To clarify the context of the entire incident, those who deserve punishment must be penalized. It should not be limited to just suspending accounts. In cases like this, there is a suspicion of disrupting public order.
Penalties can include detention for more than five days but less than ten days, along with a fine of up to 500 yuan.
Article 25 of the “Administrative Penalty Law” states that those who engage in any of the following behaviors shall be detained for more than five days but less than ten days and may also be fined up to 500 yuan; those with minor circumstances shall be detained for less than five days or fined up to 500 yuan:
(1) Spreading rumors, falsely reporting dangerous situations, epidemics, or police situations, or deliberately disturbing public order in other ways;
(2) Discharging false explosive, poisonous, radioactive, corrosive substances or pathogenic microorganisms and other dangerous substances to disturb public order;
(3) Making threats to implement arson, explosion, or discharging hazardous substances to disturb public order.
In such critical situations, especially with the distribution of supplies, tracking and supervision must be done effectively and made public.
If information is not transparent, there is a risk of it being turned into a rumor or being exploited by malicious individuals. It could even lead to the loss of supplies, preventing those truly in need from receiving assistance. This would render assistance meaningless and donations purposeless.
Supplies must be given to those in need.
As long as the distribution work is done properly, rumors will naturally be debunked. However, in today’s digital age, no matter how well you do, there will always be people who criticize and doubt. It’s an inevitable part of the landscape.
Relevant departments should also learn to listen to different voices instead of stubbornly sticking to their own views. They should engage with the online community, learn to debunk rumors, and dispel doubts.
Sometimes, it’s like this: whether it’s mud or something worse, it sticks to your pants. But we hope that the resources can be put to good use.
Challenges of Donating High-Value Goods to Disaster Areas
Yesterday, someone mentioned this matter to me. They began by saying, “Canada Goose has donated a batch of down jackets to the disaster-stricken area.” Before they could say anything else, I immediately asked, “What’s wrong with Canada Goose?”
Linxia has one of the lowest per capita GDPs in China, if not the lowest, with a per capita GDP of just over 10,000 yuan, and an annual per capita disposable income of only 9,000 yuan. An average person cannot afford a Canada Goose jacket with their yearly income. When donating Canada Goose jackets to the disaster area, given the limited quantity, there are essentially two options to ensure fairness:
- Random distribution to anyone.
- Distribute the jackets to the disaster victims and collect them back after the relief efforts are completed.
In the first scenario, it’s impossible to guarantee fair distribution to everyone. In the second scenario, even if fairness can be achieved by collecting the jackets afterward, what if the victims claim the jackets were lost or damaged? How would you handle that? Would you make them compensate?
Frankly, I’ve thought about it, and even if I had no ulterior motives, I wouldn’t be able to fairly distribute thousands of jackets. Instead, their extremely high value would likely lead to normal behavior like reselling—even if they were given to the victims. Put yourself in their shoes: if you lived in a second-tier city, received a jacket worth 100,000 yuan after a disaster, would you immediately sell it to make ends meet?
In this scenario, questioning the management of the disaster-stricken area is meaningless. In fact, whether it’s the organization’s staff or the genuine recipients of the jackets, both could potentially engage in resale because of the high value and indivisibility of these items.
Even if, as some suggest, “donated goods, no resale allowed,” were printed on the Canada Goose products, as mentioned earlier, the victims themselves might still choose to sell them. When the price of a single down jacket is enough to cover a person’s expenses for a year, even if it’s sold at only 10% of its value, it’s still a significant income for these individuals.
Of course, this issue extends beyond just Canada Goose. When it comes to donations to disaster-stricken areas, it’s either better to donate money directly or contribute practical items like instant noodles, canned goods, sanitary pads, tents, and other essential supplies. Only these items are likely to reach the affected population. Anything else of high value that cannot be divided may face various forms of implicit discrimination during distribution. Even if they do reach the disaster victims, people are likely to prefer selling them.
This is not a problem that can be easily solved with simple calls for “strengthened oversight” or “stricter regulations.” For businesses genuinely interested in helping disaster areas, they should avoid using such showy methods to test human nature, as it serves no real purpose in providing aid to those in need.
Criticisms of Xianyu and Canada Goose
Xianyu has undoubtedly found an opportunity to sell counterfeit goods, while Canada Goose’s approach is also questionable. Calculating based on 8,000 yuan per jacket, 2,000 jackets would amount to 16 million yuan. If you take out 10 million yuan and exchange it for instant noodles, purified water, tents, and sleeping bags, it would have been a sensible choice. This operation seems to be all about creating controversy.
Unlikely Scenario: Attempted Reselling of Disaster Relief Supplies
Recently, a user on Xianyu posted a claim: “Donating Canada Goose jackets to the Gansu earthquake-stricken area, you can see from the video that these are not ordinary goods. Only a few hundred pieces available, first come, first served, no washing label, no tags, no refunds or exchanges.” The user even included a video.
Engaging in such blatant reselling of disaster relief supplies would undoubtedly face severe scrutiny and strict enforcement. It’s essentially inviting trouble upon oneself.
This individual may have been overly clever, attempting to profit from this situation by selling counterfeit goods. While it’s possible that donated relief supplies may not have tags, having a washing label is a basic requirement.
In the context of providing aid to disaster-stricken areas, luxury items should not be part of the equation. They attract too much attention, making it challenging to genuinely distribute these high-end jackets to the needy victims.
Furthermore, even if these jackets were distributed to the affected population, once they realize the market value of these items, they would likely sell them without hesitation, even at a significantly reduced price.
A better approach would be to conduct a charitable auction of these jackets, using the proceeds to purchase more affordable down jackets. This way, more ordinary people affected by the earthquake could benefit from the assistance.
Showboating and Disrupting Disaster Relief
This ostentatious display disrupts the stability and unity of disaster relief efforts and deserves a hefty penalty for Canada Goose.
On platforms like Pinduoduo, you can buy 10,000 military coats for just a small sum.
Donating Luxury Goods and Its Problems
Donating luxury goods itself is problematic. When disaster-affected individual A receives a $500 domestically made warm jacket, and disaster-affected individual B receives an $8,500 Canada Goose jacket, how do you distribute them? Simply saying “Why not?” is enough to spark conflicts.
Moreover, the idea of having the receiving end conduct auctions is absurd. They would need to allocate manpower and organize auction events, and by the time they receive the money and purchase goods to distribute, the disaster-affected people may have already prepared for the Chinese New Year.
Remove All Branding Before Distribution
If possible, remove all brand labels before distributing the items. Without the branding, they should be valued at a maximum of $500 per piece.
Exclusive Perspective on the Canada Goose Relief Donation
By Zong Wei
Recently, a screenshot circulating on social media appeared to show someone selling “Canada Goose down jackets for disaster relief in Gansu” on Xianyu, a popular online marketplace.
The idea of relief supplies being resold raised concerns among many netizens about the 2000 Canada Goose down jackets and cold-weather items donated on December 21st.
After attracting public attention, a staff member of the Jishishan County Earthquake Relief and Rescue Command stated that these supplies had safely arrived in a township under Jishishan County and were being studied for proper distribution. The staff member emphasized that relief supplies were being monitored and tracked by the County Commission for Discipline Inspection, and there was “no issue of reselling supplies.”
The head of the Shanghai Charity Foundation’s Material Center also stated that all 2001 Canada Goose down jackets had been delivered to Gansu and that there were no issues with the quantity. Xianyu also quickly responded, stating that the actual situation was a user trying to drive traffic by fabricating news of selling disaster relief supplies. The platform had taken down the products and permanently banned the account.
A search on Xianyu showed that the relevant information was indeed no longer visible. However, this did not completely quell the controversy, as many netizens continued to worry that even if Canada Goose’s donated supplies were not resold, they might not reach the disaster victims.
Some referred to a line from the TV series “Iron Teeth Bronze Teeth Ji Xiaolan,” where Heshen educates Ji Xiaolan, saying, “If we don’t mix some sand in with the relief porridge, can it reach the mouths of the disaster victims?”
In the public’s perception, Canada Goose jackets typically cost over ten thousand yuan and can be considered luxury items. However, the distribution of relief supplies involves many personnel and processes. Who can guarantee that someone with ulterior motives won’t intercept them at some stage or take back the items after giving them to disaster victims?
A quick search of past news reveals that irregularities in the distribution of relief supplies are not uncommon. Given this, many netizens argued that Canada Goose’s donation of high-priced down jackets was not wise. It could easily lead to trouble and might not meet the actual needs. Cheaper down jackets and military coats in larger quantities might be more useful in the current severe cold conditions in Jishishan.
Some netizens even offered suggestions, such as selling the Canada Goose jackets and using the funds to buy more affordable down jackets from other brands. Others suspected the brand’s motives, speculating that they were using the donation for marketing purposes rather than genuinely trying to do a good deed.
These viewpoints may seem reasonable on the surface but do not hold up under scrutiny. Leaving aside the question of whether a company should donate money or supplies (which is the company’s prerogative), the choice between the two has its considerations.
It’s well-known that the disaster-stricken area is facing severe cold, and there is a high demand for down jackets. Even if Canada Goose donated money directly, local authorities would still have to use that money to purchase clothing and blankets. This would add an extra step and potential risks to the process.
Furthermore, for a company, liquid assets are precious, and suddenly releasing millions of dollars in cash could impact its operations. Therefore, relief efforts often focus on donating physical items. Some suggested that Canada Goose could have discounted the down jackets for fundraising, but now that they have donated clothing, there are still doubts about their motivations.
In fact, it’s not just Canada Goose that donated down jackets; other downwear companies like Bosideng and Tanboer also made similar donations. In the face of disasters, the commercial value of down jackets is not the most important consideration. What matters is their utility and how they can genuinely help disaster victims. Emphasizing the high price of the jackets at this time only narrows the perspective.
Looking at the bigger picture, it doesn’t really matter what Canada Goose donated. As long as they ensure fair and transparent distribution, open to public scrutiny, even if only a small portion of the population benefits, it will be a positive story. To reassure the public, relief agencies can prioritize distribution to the worst-affected villages and towns, closely monitor the distribution process, and make all the information publicly available on their official websites.
With so many watchful eyes, one can believe that the company’s good intentions will not be in vain, and the down jackets will reach the disaster victims who truly need them.
Canada Goose’s donation of down jackets for disaster relief being resold? Public and transparent distribution is the key to putting people at ease. - Materials - Jishishan - Disaster Victims
On the Expected and Unfortunate Turn of Events
About this incident, it doesn’t feel surprising at all. In fact, many people might say it was inevitable.
When Canada Goose announced its donation of down jackets and cold-weather supplies, I remember someone on my social media shared this little story:
In the TV series “Iron Teeth Bronze Teeth Ji Xiaolan,” Season 1, Episode 8: To prevent corruption involving disaster relief funds and cases of people posing as disaster victims to receive aid, officials who were parachuted in came up with an idea - they added bran to the disaster relief grains. Because of the added bran, the quality of the rice and grains didn’t look good, so it didn’t attract some people’s attention. Eventually, the disaster relief grains were successfully distributed to the victims.
This story is fictional, but the person who shared it was quite “wise.” The implication in my social media feed was that using “luxury items” for disaster relief was not a good idea; it could lead to problems. At that time, news of reselling had not yet emerged.
Now it seems that human nature is almost predictable. However, the “bluntness” of the business’s promotion strategy is also frustrating.
Hopefully, various brands can approach disaster relief with fewer ulterior motives and contribute more practically. Your promotional impact from those “down jackets” may not turn out as positively as you hope; often, it has the opposite effect.


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BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- China's exports plummeted 25.7 percent year-on-year in February, the fourth straight monthly decline, as global demand shrank, the General Administration of Customs said Wednesday.
Exports contracted to 64.90 billion U.S. dollars, while imports slumped 24.1 percent to 60.05 billion U.S. dollars.
The sharp declines reflected weakening external demand, which would persist throughout the year as the global recession deepened, said Zhang Junsheng, an economics professor at the University of International Business and Economics.
"These huge falls were inevitable, given the global downturn," he said.
While China was "psychologically prepared" for the export slump, said Xuo Xiaolei, chief economist with Galaxy Securities, the narrowing of the trade surplus was eye-catching.
The surplus shrank to 4.84 billion U.S. dollars, less than one-seventh of the figure for January.
"The slumping trade surplus tells us that we can't pin too much hope on trade to meet the 8 percent growth target for this year," she said.
China has set an 8 percent GDP growth for 2009.
Total foreign trade was 124.95 billion U.S. dollars last month, down 24.9 percent year-on-year.
Processing trade, which comprised more than half of the total, declined much faster than general trade, the customs agency said.
Exports of labor-intensive products contracted more moderately than total exports, reflecting the government's moves to raise export rebates starting last July, the agency said.
Garment and accessory exports fell 11 percent to 14.62 billion U.S. dollars, while those of toys sank 17.1 percent to 850 million U.S. dollars.
Grain export edged down 46.7 percent and fertilizer exports slumped 55 percent. The government curbed exports to ensure supply after major wheat-planting areas experienced the worst drought in half a century.
Exports have played a key part in powering the world's third-largest economy. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed to 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter last year, the worst showing in seven years, as the global downturn sapped demands for Chinese goods.
Commerce Minister Chen Deming said Tuesday that foreign trade faced a "grim picture" in the months ahead.
Premier Wen Jiabao said last Thursday that China "must not slacken efforts" to promote exports, despite the plunge in external demand and growing international protectionism.
Wen pledged measures, including fiscal and tax policies, to ease the difficulties of exporters and "ensure steady growth in foreign trade."


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Tio Pepe sign revived after Apple tussle
23rd April, 2014 by Lucy Shaw
Tio Pepe Sherry’s famous sombrero wearing, guitar-wielding mascot has returned to the Puerta de Sol in Madrid after a three-year battle with electronics giant Apple.
As reported by Spanish newspaper El País, the neon sign was reinstated on the roof of building number 11 in the renowned Madrid square yesterday, 130 metres away from its original home.
The sign was taken down in 2011 after Apple opened a flagship store in the building that housed the sign on its roof.
However, over 28,000 people signed an online petition addressed to Apple’s directors, Madrid city hall and Tio Pepe makers González Byass to revive the sign that has lit up the Puerta de Sol since the 1930s.
The petition described the Tio Pepe sign as “part of the Madrid landscape”.
El País reports that the new Tio Pepe sign is “younger, thinner and better looking” than the original after the mascot was made over last November.
“The sign has formed part of the physiognomy of the square for many years,” Ignacio González, president of the Community of Madrid, told El País.


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If you’re looking for lunch in the northern Mexico border town of Nuevo Laredo, you might walk into a spot called La Parilla. When I walked in there, I noticed almost every table has four or five empty soda bottles on it. This isn’t a big restaurant – less than 20 tables. My waiter tells me that he sells about 100 sodas every day.
“It’s because people just enjoy the flavor,” he says.
And his customers aren’t alone. The Mexican population drinks more soda than anywhere else in the world. The numbers work out to more than 160 liters consumed per person of the sugary stuff a year. That’s about half a liter every day.
Jose Luis Quinones drives a cab in Monterrey. He says when he leaves for work in the morning he grabs something quick.
“And what’s the cheapest thing I can buy?” he asks. “A can of soda and some crackers. It’s cheaper to buy a can of soda than a bottle of water.”
Why is that the case? It could be that poor Mexicans don’t have the purchasing power to create a viable market for water. That’s certainly the case in a lot of the rural parts of the country where more than 10 percent of people don’t have access to potable water. But for some reason, they can always grab a soda. Tom Bollyky, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, says the reason behind that is a combination of things.
“It’s something that costs the same price as water,” he says. “And it’s more accessible in schools in Mexico. And it’s sweet. That combination is literally deadly.”
It leads to obesity. Mexico now has the highest obesity rate in the world. And the Mexican government is trying to do something about it. Last year, the government passed a soda tax. It also started running ads urging children to drink water instead of soda. But Bollyky says the way they’re using the money – earmarking it for raising access to drinking water in elementary schools – is just as important.
It will still take a while to see how well the tax and ads work. But early numbers look pretty good. According to Bollyky, while still high, soda consumption in Mexico is down 7 percent.
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Big lift in exports secures Stiltz’ place as one of Britain’s fastest-growing SMEs
With export sales growing 86 percent to more than £11million in 2018, homelift manufacturer Stiltz has ranked in the fifth annual Sunday Times Lloyds SME Export Track 100 for a third successive year.
Compiled by Fast Track and published in The Sunday Times in May, the SME Export Track ranks the top 100 small and medium-sized private companies with the fastest-growing international sales over the last two years.
The domestic lifts manufacturer placed 34th in the competitive category – having ranked seventh in 2016 and 10th in 2017 – as well as being the eighth highest-ranking business in the Midlands region.
Having now installed its homelift range in more than 30 countries, the Kingswinford-based supplier has seen export sales increase from £6.2million in 2017 to £11.1million in 2018 – accounting for more than half of its total £19million revenue.
In particular, Europe continues to be an important market for its export operations despite the uncertainty caused by Brexit, confirmed Stiltz. With strong international sales in northern Europe, the company has recently established new distributors in a number of Mediterranean countries.
“We are once again delighted to be ranked as one of Britain’s fastest-growing SME exporters. British businesses are, of course, cautious about Brexit but this has not stopped us continuing to make Europe a big part of our export sales strategy as Stiltz Homelifts clearly need to have a presence there,” commented Mike Lord, Chairman of Stiltz Homelifts.
“Sales of our products increased in Europe again and we now have our sights set on southern Europe with dedicated on-the-ground business development in that territory. We have also targeted markets outside of Europe, in Asia and Africa, and we expect these markets to continue to grow significantly. Our Export Sales Manager Magda Starzak was a key appointee for Stiltz at the end of 2018, and is helping us achieve this objective.”
In addition to the European export growth, Stiltz has also driven further international expansion with approved partners set up in New Zealand, on the African continent, the Middle East and the Far East in the past 12 months.
“Our total sales demonstrates a huge demand for our unique range of homelifts around the world as more and more people become aware of how our products can improve homeowners’ lives,” continued Mike.
“At Stiltz, our aim is to ‘democratise’ homelifts by making them accessible to all and we will continue to explore other countries in order to extend our global reach further.”
Commenting on the companies’ featured in the SME export list, Liam Fox, Secretary of State for International Trade, said: “SMEs are fundamental to achieving our target of increasing exports as a percentage of GDP to 35 per cent, so it is vital we give them the recognition they deserve. The exporters listed in this year’s SME Export Track 100 are pioneers whose example should be followed by ambitious businesses across the UK.”https://thiis.co.uk/big-lift-in-exports-secures-stiltz-place-as-one-of-britains-fastest-growing-smes5300-2/https://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Stiltz_Home_Lifts_Mike_Lord_CEO.jpghttps://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Stiltz_Home_Lifts_Mike_Lord_CEO-150x150.jpgNewsroomSupplier NewsBrexit,Europe,export,Fast Track,homelift,Liam Fox,SME,SME Export Track 100,Stiltz,Sunday TimesWith export sales growing 86 percent to more than £11million in 2018, homelift manufacturer Stiltz has ranked in the fifth annual Sunday Times Lloyds SME Export Track 100 for a third successive year. Compiled by Fast Track and published in The Sunday Times in May, the SME Export Track ranks...Calvin BarnettCalvin firstname.lastname@example.org Magazine


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By Emanuela Barbiroglio2018-08-02T23:00:00
Take-up in the prime logistics sector in the first half of 2018 surged by nearly 29% on the same period last year, according to data from Gerald Eve’s latest Prime Logistics Bulletin.
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