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A year after buying Bill Blass, NexCen Brands Inc. is exercising patience.
"There's a way to do things quick, and there's a way to do things right, like they did with Burberry, which takes more time — and Bill Blass is not the kind of brand you can go forward on without cleaning up current distributions," said Robert D'Loren, NexCen president and chief executive officer. "Our strategy with Bill Blass was to reposition back at the upper tier. That's always a challenge when you have product in lots of distribution channels."
Although sources claim the branding firm overpaid for Blass, which it bought for $50 million last January, and is now seeing too slow and too weak a stream of revenues, D'Loren said the company is pleased with the lone fashion business in the nine-brand portfolio it has built since forming in 2006.
"Sometimes you have to bring it back to bring it forward," D'Loren said. "I am comfortable where I think we will be in 2008. Two thousand and eight is the year to sign all the new licenses, and the volume will be in 2009."
Last year was a busy one for the Bill Blass team. On the design front, the company enlisted Peter Som to design the women's line and Michael Bastian to design men's.
For licensing, the company has made deals for shoes, handbags and fur in women's, and for almost every category in men's. In addition, NexCen is using its Waverly division — which it acquired last May — to create Bill Blass home. Other licenses, like bridal, are in the works.
The company is also cleaning up the brand's distribution, trying to reclaim its high-end cachet. For example, Bill Blass repositioned its denim from moderate, selling at about $29 a pair, to better, at $59. Another big push is to open the brand to foreign markets such as the Middle East. And in the U.S., NexCen hopes to grow company revenues through direct home sales, where the bridge-priced Bill Blass line is expected to do $30 million this year.
Across all categories, Bill Blass does about $200 million in sales today, and D'Loren said he ultimately wants to see the brand grow to about $500 million.Speculation about the financial health of the Blass brand began to stir Friday after NexCen posted a fourth-quarter loss of $3.8 million, or 7 cents a share, hurt by one-time expenses and delayed store openings. Excluding one-time items — including depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation and a provision for deferred taxes — the company broke even per share with earnings of $330,000. Sales for the quarter climbed to $10.3 million from $1.9 million last year.
For its first full year in business, the company's net loss grew to $4.6 million, or 9 cents a share, on revenues of $34.4 million. In the two months NexCen was in operation in 2006, it had a net loss of $2.1 million, or 4 cents a share, on sales of $1.9 million.
NexCen reaffirmed 2008 earnings guidance of 27 cents to 30 cents per share.
D'Loren said management was not happy with the price of the stock, which closed Tuesday at $3.02, from a 52-week high of about $13. "We think it's a good buy now," he said.
Formed in 2006, NexCen owns, licenses, franchises and markets a diverse basket of brands: Bill Blass and Waverly on the consumer products end, The Athlete's Foot and Shoebox New York for retail franchising, and treats quick-service restaurant franchises Marble Slab, Great American Cookies, MaggieMoo's, Pretzelmaker and Pretzel Time.
On the treats side, the company is combining businesses and product offerings. The synergies are less obvious on the consumer products side, but they are there, D'Loren said. For example, the company's Shoebox stores are now carrying Bill Blass shoes.
D'Loren said he would like to make more fashion acquisitions, from $50 million to $150 million. He said NexCen wouldn't want a brand in its early stages, but rather would be interested in a more mature one that either is already in a stable distribution channel or "that needs more work."
Supermodel @helenachristensen teamed up with longtime friend and designer @camillastaerk on a joint @paredeyewear collaboration. The lineup features three styles and 11 offerings, all of which embody a vintage feel. Get all the details on how they celebrated the collab on WWD.com. #wwdaccessories #wwdeye (📷: @slovekinpics)
“It’s a hard industry to keep motivated, as well, so finding different subjects and people is what makes it worth it – when you’re like, oh, I’ve met great people, I feel like I’ve done something good, and I feel proud of having done this,” said French actress Stacy Martin on being grateful for the variety of roles she’s take on. Read @ktauer’s full interview with Martin on her her latest film “Godard Mon Amour.” #wwdeye (📷: @danieldorsa)
After showing in front of the Eiffel Tower for his last two women’s ready-to-wear collection, it looks like @anthonyvaccarello may be heading to the Big Apple. Sources say the designer will stage his next @ysl show in NYC on June 6. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @aitorrosasphoto)
EXCLUSIVE: Two and half months after John Targon, cofounder and codesigner of Baja East, was hired as creative director of the contemporary division at Marc Jacobs, he has left the company, WWD has learned. Marc Jacobs International, which is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, confirmed Targon’s departure in a statement: “John Targon is a talented designer and we appreciate the work he has done here. Ultimately working together did not make sense for the brand and we wish him the best.” Read the story by @jessiredale, link in bio. #wwdnews
@theluxurycollection is officially launching a collection, tapping Sofia Sanchez de Betak for the capsule. Over 30 styles will be featured in the Chufy x The Luxury Collection, debuting next month at Bergdorf Goodman, The Webster, FiveStory and more. De Betak, known as “@chufy,” drew inspiration for the collection from her trips to Japan in the past year #wwdfashion
@lhd, founder and CEO of @thewebster, has teamed up with @lebonmarcherivegauche for the European launch of her ready-to-wear line, LHD. The launch will come with an exclusive pop-up opening today that’s set to run through May 20. Located on the second floor, it carries her debut Miami-themed resort collection, launched in November as see-now-buy-now. #wwdfashion


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December's debut of Cyberpunk 2077 had a muted impact on publisher CD Projekt's first-quarter sales, but it appeared to have a much stronger impact in the company's second quarter.
CD Projekt today released its financial results for the first half of the year, showing revenues up 29% to PLN 471 million ($124 million) on the strength of continued sales for Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its expansions.
While sales of boxed games were only up 5% year-over-year, digitally distributed sales rose 32%.
Beyond a shift in how people purchased CD Projekt's games, there was also a significant change in where they were purchased.
The company reported its European sales dropped 52% year-over-year for the first six months of 2021, while North American sales rose 94%.
Despite the rise in overall revenues, CD Projekt said its bottom line was hurt by Cyberpunk 2077 and "costs related to the ongoing intensive work on the part of the development team on updates and further development..."
Overall, CD Projekt reported first half net profits down 28% to PLN 105 million ($27.6 million).

domain: news


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Solid Gold had a recent recall on their dogs treats recently, too. Same thing, mold related.http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/news/
October 13, 2008
Due to some instances of mold growth in a single batch of Tiny Tots, we have decided to voluntarily withdraw the entire production run from the market. We would like to assure our customers that there have been no reported serious health effects on dogs that have consumed Tiny Tots
from this batch.
If you have a bag of Tiny Tots with a Best Before date of April 2009, please return it to your retail store for a full refund. No other batches of Tiny Tots or any of our other jerky treats are affected.


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As we race into 2019, the word of the year is “learning.” At Hope Street Group (HSG) and the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, we share a vision to support economic stability and mobility for the U.S. retail workforce. Every day, we learn from partners across the country who are testing creative approaches to advance frontline workers and sharing their successes and challenges.
Through the Hope Street Group’s Retail Opportunity Network (RON) and the Economic Opportunities Program’s Reimagine Retail initiative, we’re learning how workforce organizations build strong relationships with retail businesses, and how retailers can adapt workforce practices to improve worker livelihood and business performance. We’re well-positioned to learn from promising practices in regions across the country, and to spot trends across geographies that can guide us toward systems change. We’ll be sharing these insights in publications throughout the year ahead, but three reflections are front of mind.
First, the time is right to do this work. Today’s tight labor market is bringing retailers to the table to test creative solutions to attract and retain talent. We must seize this moment and institutionalize practices and policies for the long haul.
Second, the nature of retail work is changing as increased competition from e-commerce and technological change transform jobs and retail employer practices. Yet retailers share that customer service is more important than ever — and partners like Pete’s Fresh Market understand that investment in people can be a source of competitive advantage.
Lastly, our partners across regions remain deeply committed to upskilling and advancement, but many have learned that workers first need basic economic stability to take advantage of these opportunities. In response, a growing number of partners across the RON — from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions to San Diego Workforce Partnership — are turning their attention to the attributes of a job that help workers stay and succeed, from competitive wages to predictable schedules to a respectful supervisor. Reimagine Retail partners in several regions are collaborating with workforce providers, job-seekers, retail workers, workforce boards, and businesses to explore the drivers of retention and define job quality within the retail sector.
This is the year to showcase our learning. HSG’s new podcast, Retail America: Pathways to Opportunity, brings in experts from the field to share insights and emerging innovative practices within and beyond the retail sector. The Economic Opportunities Program’s new publication series on Promising Workforce Strategies from Across the Reimagine Retail Network highlights approaches that are benefiting workers and their employers.
The newest Retail America podcast builds on a recent event in the Economic Opportunities Program’s Working in America series, focused on improving the quality of food retail jobs, and on a recent Reimagine Retail profile spotlighting the partnership between Pete’s Fresh Market and Instituto del Progreso Latino. In the competitive grocery industry, Pete’s is bucking trends and growing rapidly. Providing stable jobs with generous benefits, training, and advancement opportunities helps Pete’s drive workforce productivity, sales, and strong worker retention. Partner organization Instituto del Progreso Latino plays an essential role, providing customized training to help Pete’s workers earn a National Retail Federation credential and advance to management roles.
Earlier this month, Reimagine Retail released a second profile, exploring how Goodwill Industries of San Diego County (GISD) responded to a minimum wage increase by investing in its people to increase productivity. GISD raised wages in key positions across the organization, developed career pathways to clarify advancement opportunities, invested in training at all levels, and built a culture that reinforces development. Since making these investments, GISD has increased revenue by 15 percent and internal promotions by 46 percent. As a growing number of states and municipalities increase minimum wage, retailers and their workforce partners across the country can learn from GISD’s bold response.
Looking ahead, we are committed to continue learning and sharing, with a renewed focus on equity and systems change. Next up, Reimagine Retail will release two tools: a question bank to help workforce providers have richer conversations and build stronger partnerships with retailers, and a cost of turnover tool for businesses, developed in partnership with UpSkill America. UpSkill, an employer-led movement to expand opportunity for America’s Workers, was also recently featured in the Retail America podcast (stream Episode 3), and has developed numerous employer-facing tools and resources.
This work is supported by Walmart and the Walmart Foundation’s Opportunity Initiative, a five-year effort launched in 2015 to strengthen the transferability of skills within the U.S. retail workforce and make it easier for frontline workers to advance their careers. This initiative supports the RON, a collection of more than 70 organizations working to drive system change for the U.S. retail workforce by making it easier for frontline retail workers to advance in their careers, and Reimagine Retail, a project to explore ways to improve job quality and advancement opportunities for retail workers. Working with diverse partners across six regions, Reimagine Retail is testing innovative strategies to improve retail jobs and career pathways. Through a separate initiative, UpSkill America, the Economic Opportunities Program equips businesses with the tools to educate, train, and develop frontline workers.
There is much work to be done to ensure that U.S. retail workers have access to economic mobility. We invite you to continue learning with us.
Keep in touch
Reimagine Retail is a project of the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program. Learn how EOP is helping low- and moderate-income Americans connect to and thrive in a changing economy. Follow us on social media and join our mailing list to stay up-to-date on publications, blog posts, and other announcements.


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Microsoft and TomTom have reached a settlement in patent infringement cases.
Both companies had sued the other in recent weeks, with both claiming that the other had breached patents. Microsoft claimed that TomTom had breached eight of its patents that related to innovations in car navigation technology and other computing functionality that Microsoft has licensed to other companies, such as rival Garmin.
Meanwhile TomTom countersued in the U.S. District Court for the eastern district of Virginia, claiming Microsoft violated a number of its patents.
Under the terms of a five-year agreement, Microsoft said TomTom will pay Microsoft for use of the eight car navigation and file management system patents in the case Microsoft brought against TomTom.;
Microsoft will be able to use the four patents included in the TomTom countersuit without any payment to the company.
TomTom confirmed there was a settlement but declined further comment and specific financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.


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Technology companies run into trouble from time to time. Today it's Yahoo, Dell , and Motorola. Tomorrow it could be Google, Cisco Systems, or Apple.
Lest we forget, it wasn't that long ago that Apple flat-lined for an entire decade before ousting Gil Amelio in favor of ex-chief Steve Jobs. Jobs restructured the company by first cutting Newton and other unprofitable products, then introducing exciting new core products like iMac, and finally branching out into consumer devices like iPod and iPhone.
But that's nothing new. It happens to most companies, sooner or later.… Read more


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Need a reprieve from all of this talk about Google and Twitter with a little bit of news about...Google...using Twitter. Okay, well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, I guess. While Twitter attempts to nail down an affective ad model, Google has managed to come up with its own method for capitalizing on the microblogging service, integrating customers' tweets into AdSense.
TurboTax publisher Intuit is the first company to take advantage of the new feature--just in time for the close of tax season. The company's five most recent tweets are incorporated into ads that will go out across the AdSense network, an attempt, in part, to bolster the company's number of followers.


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New securities of FSN E-Commerce Ventures are listed and permitted to trade on the exchange with effect from Wednesday, November 16, 2022, BSE said in a notice on Tuesday. Nykaa allotted 2,37,35,63,075 bonus equity of Re 1 each on November 12, 2022.
At 10.23 am, the scrip was trading 4.17% lower at Rs 184 per share on BSE. In the last two trading sessions, the stock has slipped 17% while it is down 59% from its 52-week high of Rs 429.86 per share.
The e-commerce company earlier announced a bonus share issue in the ratio of 5:1, which means that existing shareholders got five shares against every one share held as of the record date i.e. November 11, 2022.
A day after the stock started trading ex-bonus, Nykaa rallied over 19% to hit the day's high at Rs 224.45.
Brokerages have, however, remained bullish on the stock. Out of the 17 analysts with coverage on Nykaa, 10 have strong buy ratings, two have buy, three have hold and 2 have sell calls, shows Trendlyne data.
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)
Wednesday, 06 Dec, 2023
- Adani Stocks Zoom up to 20% in Best Single-day Show
Adani Group stocks surged on Tuesday, adding ₹1.93 lakh crore to market capitalization and marking their best single-day market performance, following a report by Bloomberg that quoted an unnamed official of the US International Development Finance Corp (DFC) as saying that the allegations by Hindenburg Research were not relevant.Apple Taps Cos in India, Taiwan, S Korea, Japan for Critical Parts
Apple is scouting for new suppliers — Indian, Japanese and South Korean — which can provide crucial components to its contract manufacturers in India, people aware of the matter told ET.Manipal Tech Looks to Raise ₹1,000 cr
Manipal Technologies (MTL), the largest manufacturer of banking and smart cards in India, plans to bring in a financial partner into the eight-decade-old, Pai family-owned business at a valuation of around ₹4,000-4,200 crore ($500 million), multiple people aware of the initiative told ET.
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October 11, 2013
Deloitte has issued a report, CFPB’s Consumer Complaint Database: Analysis Reveals Valuable Insights, that provides valuable — but superficial insights — into the CFPB’s massive database of consumer complaints.
Deloitte’s main insights are
- Troubled mortgages are behind the majority of the complaints – a growing trend
- Customer misunderstanding may create more complaints than financial institution error
- Affluent, established neighborhoods were more likely sources of complaints
- Complaint resolution times have improved (2)
As to the second insight — customer misunderstanding may create more complaints than financial institution error — Deloitte notes that
Financial institutions have a number of options for resolving consumer complaints. They can close a complaint in favor of the consumer by offering monetary or non-monetary relief, or they can close the complaint not in favor of the consumer, perhaps providing only an explanation. The percentage of complaints closed in favor of consumers declined during the analysis period, falling from 30.9 percent in June 2012 to 18.0 percent in April 2013,6 a trend that was reflected in the monthly complaint [resolutions] for all products. (4)
The report continues, “In spite of fewer complaints closed with relief, consumers have been disputing fewer resolutions. In aggregate, the percentage of resolutions that were disputed fell from a peak of 27.9 percent in January 2012 to 18.6 percent in January 2013.” (5) Deloitte finds that “the data suggests that many complaints may be the result of customer misunderstanding or frustration rather than actual mistakes or operational errors by financial institutions.” (5)
This conclusion seems like a big leap from the data that Deloitte has presented. I can imagine many alternative explanations for the decrease in disputes other than customer misunderstanding. For instance,
- the consumer does not see a reasonable likelihood of a favorable resolution and abandons the complaint
- the financial institution can point to a written policy that supports its position even if the consumer complaint had a valid basis, given the actions of the institution’s employees in a particular case
- in the case of a mortgage complaint, the consumer is moving toward a favorable or unfavorable resolution of the issue with the financial institution on another track (e.g., HAMP, judicial foreclosure)
To be clear, I am not saying that customer misunderstanding plays an insignificant role in customer complaints. Nor am I saying that the reasons I propose are the real reasons that that complaints do not proceed further. I am only saying that Deloitte has not presented sufficient evidence to support its claim that “customer misunderstanding may create more complaints than financial institution error.” Given that these are fightin’ words in the context of consumer protection, I would think that Deloitte would choose its words more carefully.


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We are pleased to announce that San Miguel Yamamura Australasia Pty Ltd (“SMYA”) will be acquiring Portavin Holdings Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries. This purchase will be completed early 2017.
This acquisition is in line with the growing confidence of both companies in the Australian wine industry and related packaging businesses in both the domestic and overseas markets.
All stakeholders can be assured of “business as usual” and the continuing high standard of products and service from the Portavin group of companies. This will be enhanced further given SMYA’s extensive packaging offering and experience through its Australian companies, Cospak and Vinocor.
I will be continuing as General Manager of Portavin reporting directly to Mr Rene Cabrera, Managing Director of SMYA, and will continue to work with the same management team.
We are very pleased and excited to be a part of the San Miguel Yamamura Australasia family.


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By CANDICE CHOI
NEW YORK (AP) - Twinkies are back, but they may be a bit smaller than you remember.
The new boxes hitting shelves this week list the spongy yellow cakes as having 270 calories and a weight of 77 grams for two cakes, or 135 calories and 38.5 grams for one cake.
Right before it went out of business, the predecessor company had told The Associated Press that Twinkies were 150 calories per cake. Photos of past boxes online also indicate the weight to have been 42.5 grams per cake.
A spokeswoman for Hostess, Hannah Arnold, said in an email Monday that the size change was made in "mid-2012" by the predecessor company. That would mean it happened in the months leading up to its bankruptcy, as the company was trying to keep its head above water financially.
FULL story at link.
Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/201...DA7I5H9O2.html
In this Friday, July 12, 2013, file photo Jo Mullen picks up a box of Twinkies at Wal-Mart, in Bristol, Pa. The new owners of Hostess have leaner operating costs now that they're no longer using unionized workers. It turns out the spongy yellow cakes may also be a little smaller than the last Twinkies people remember eating. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)


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Independent Lincoln-based jewellery retailer and Hot 100 2016 Retail Star John Greed has risen to the challenge of growing a business in an environment which continues to demand a strong digital presence.
In turn, the company has become one of the fastest growing jewellery businesses in the market and John Greed’s online strategy has certainly played a part in this.
The reach rankings for independent jewellers are naturally much lower than the big brands and online-specific retailers, however the importance of the reach number remains the same for each category.
With 20,000 followers on Twitter, 42,321 likes on Facebook and 1,449 fans on Instagram, John Greed understands how to engage with its customers online. The store’s social media feeds are packed with regular updates from brand promotions to strong stylised imagery enticing potential customers to ‘shop the look’.
The content on John Greed’s retail website also succeeds in appealing to customers, with visitors to the site staying around three to four minutes, browsing on average between three to four pages at a time.
Over a quarter of traffic to John Greed’s online store comes from search engines. Interestingly, the top five most popular search terms that guide browsers to the site include the word “Pandora” in them. These are in order: “Pandora jewellery”, “Pandora rings”, Pandora charms”, “Pandora men” and “John Greed Pandora”.
John Greed Jewellery founder John Greed comments: “We specialise in selling Pandora online but for the last 18 months we have invested a lot in developing other major jewellery fashion brands such as Swarovski and Nomination. This has paid off and we are now seeing a large uplift in sales of these brands as well.”


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Artist Tania Blanchard had just finished building a new home studio when COVID-19 hit and, as the economy plunged into recession, she began to feel nervous.
- Auction houses say art sales have doubled since COVID-19 hit
- An increasing number of investors are choosing art over property
- New art gallery HOTA, on the Gold Coast, has welcomed 28,000 visitors in its first month
“I was really worried that I wouldn’t be busy and people wouldn’t be able to afford art,” Ms Blanchard said.
But her concerns were short-lived.
With people spending more time at home, embarking on renovations and unable to book overseas holidays she witnessed a COVID-inspired renaissance.
Cashed-up art lovers opened their pandemic purses and started spending big.
“Suddenly, I just became really busy,” Ms Blanchard said.
“It was a really crazy time.”
Ms Blanchard recorded a…


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Founder-director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self and author of Alone Together explains the consequences that people face in creating a culture of constant interruption.
Consumer Electronics Association president-CEO argues against overtaxing innovators and creating policies that discourage creative businesses from operating in the U.S.
Award-winning personal tech writer and host of NOVA‘s ‘Making Stuff’ explains materials science and describes the current image crisis affecting science.
Best-selling author of The Big Switch talks about his latest—The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains.
If you intended to Google your pesky neighbor this morning only to find that you were forced to “Topeka” his name, then you fell for an April Fools’ prank. LOL! Here’s a quick round-up of all things foolish so that you won’t get caught off guard again. 1) See here, here and here for explanations [...]
Social Media Rule #18,526: Don’t tweet while playing in an NBA game. If you do tweet while playing in an NBA game, Amar’e Stoudemire (@amareisreal) and Tyson Chandler (@tysonchandler), the NBA will fine you $7,500 each.
If you were among the throngs of Americans out shopping and buying a bunch of items marked down from their original marked-up prices, then you might have missed these news items that are (arguably) interesting but have little-to-no impact on your life. 1) The FAA released the recordings from Northwest Flight 188. If you recall, [...]
Twitter co-founder shares lessons learned from the site’s recent crash, talks about the growing influence of the brand and speculates on the micro-blogging site’s future.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks they should. When California high school students return to school this month they will have access to free digital science and math textbooks that meet state standards as part of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Digital Textbooks Initiative. Ten online textbooks meet state standards, and proponents say California school districts will save money [...]
This is shaping up to be an interesting week around the universe. The Moon, Sky, Mars and Google: President Obama marked the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing by vowing (with no specifics) to uphold NASA’s mission. Google, which is already being accused of trying to take over the Milky Way, marked the [...]


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DC Comics was a popular comic reader for our Windows Phones. I say was because Comixology, the driving force behind the DC Comics app, has pulled the app from the Windows Phone Store and will no longer support those of us who still have the app installed on our phones.
Any purchases already made will still be accessible in your Comixology account but after May 1st, the app will no longer support purchasing new content.
Emails were sent out to DC Comics subscribers and while the notification was nice, the only reasoning behind the move was that Microsoft was phasing out the platform. Guess Comixology has never heard of Windows Phone 8.
Thanks, everyone, for the tips on this!
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George is the Reviews Editor at Windows Central, concentrating on Windows 10 PC and Mobile apps. He's been a supporter of the platform since the days of Windows CE and uses his current Windows 10 Mobile phone daily to keep up with life and enjoy a game during down time.


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Toyota showed off no fewer than 15 new low/zero-emission concept cars in an online event on Tuesday, December 15, 2021.
Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda said during the event that the shown cars can be categorised into two types: Carbon-reducing vehicles such as HEVs and PHEVs and carbon-neutral vehicles such as BEVs and FCEVs, adding that Toyota will do its utmost to realize the latter.
Of the shown vehicles, four were of Toyota's new upcoming 'Beyond Zero' marque. These were a compact SUV, a small crossover, a mid-size sedan and a three-row SUV.
Besides these, eight new 'diverse Toyota EVs' were shown. These included an FZ Cruiser like crossover, an MR-2 type sports car, a Tacoma look alike double cab pick up, a CH-R-esq compact crossover, a microcar, a van and another small SUV.
The remaining four vehicles belonged to the company's luxury marque, Lexus. First shown was the Lexus RZ, an upmarket variant of the bZ4X. The second car looked like an electrified spiritual successor to the legendary LF-A, which is claimed to be capable of 0-100 in two seconds. The other two concepts were a large SUV and a mid-size sports sedan. Akio also revealed Lexus plans to switch to a fully electric line-up by 2035.
All of the vehicles are based on the company's new e-TNGA platform.
Except for the previously unveiled bZ4X, all other concepts had their windshields and side glasses fully tinted, indicating the Japanese automaker is not yet prepared to show off the interiors.


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It is certainly good news for Windows Phone platform and for that reason Nokia which spearheads the Windows Phone assault. The only major carrier missing from Windows Phone bandwagon in USA “Sprint” has let it go that “Windows Phone 8 is coming soon“. On its community page, there is one particular page dedicated to”Windows Phone 8” and it mentions the above message of coming soon. Though no other details are known and even Sprint has not admitted it officially, but the page makes it clear that some announcement may be coming !!
We are certainly betting on some variant of Lumia 820 coming to “Sprint”, as it seems highly unlikely that Sprint will get a high-end Lumia before Verizon.
Thanks Rodrigues for the Tip!!


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The agency will now manage all aspects of Kleenex’s social channels, content creation, influencer engagement and digital activity.
MHP has worked with Kleenex for over nine years and has led on the consumer and trade PR for the brand, providing strategic and creative support across campaigns and managing its press office.
Rachael Samson, head of brand at MHP, said: “We believe that approaching Kleenex’s digital needs from an earned media perspective will amplify the brand’s paid and owned efforts to places it might otherwise never reach. It’s really exciting and we’re delighted to be embarking on this new chapter of the comms story with such a long-standing client.”
Matt Stone, marketing manager, brand activation family care at Kimberly-Clark – owner of Kleenex, added: “Having worked with us for many years, MHP understands our business, recognises the brand’s objectives and has the expertise to help us talk to audiences in a more connected manner. As we strive to offer our consumers a consistent and seamless experience, bringing different media disciplines together enables us to do just that, and MHP is well placed to help us get there.”


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As part of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB)’s Radio Works initiative, the advocacy group’s next live presentation will place its focus on one of radio’s most important categories.
Specifically, RAB will share how sellers can best prospect automotive clients in the current climate.
The presentation “Radio Works for Automotive” is scheduled for June 15 at 1pm Eastern. It will address the economy, gas prices and the future of energy and how all impact consumer auto purchase decisions. Courtney Godshall, VP of Media Insights, and Casey Taylor, VP of Client Success at CivicScience, will provide current research on the automotive market and consumer purchase behavior. They will also share the role that radio plays in delivering information to auto buying intenders. Jodi Korlacki, an integrated media consultant at Cox Media Group, will share client success stories.
Registration for the presentation is free for RAB members. The presentation will also be available for on-demand viewing.
To register, click here.


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When the recession decimated the corporate-gift- market accounts of the Goulet Pen Company, founder Brian Goulet sought out new ideas—and customers—at a foun- tain pen show near his Richmond, Virginia, home. “It was a revela- tion, seeing all these fanatical people in fishing vests with pockets stuffed with fountain pens,” saysâ€‹ Goulet, who quickly realized that pen fans represented a community that he’d missed. He wrote a new business plan, going from pen maker to online fountain-pen retailer. He began to participate in online message boards and forums, and also created a large social media presence, a newsletter, a blog, and more than 1,800 how-to videos, along with interactive, live-stream ones, generating hun- dreds of comments daily. With revenue in the low eight figures after growing 25 percent in 2018— his wife, Rachel, is co-owner and COO—Goulet has simple advice for companies eager to generate posi- tive consumer comments: “Go where the conversation is happen- ing, solve problems, and add value.”
"Amazing" > "Perfection"
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Tandem Bank acquires green lending business in key step to becoming the UK’s first green digital retail bank
There have been some exciting developments for Allium Lending Group, a business that has been supported with by Honeycomb since 2016, which has just been sold to Tandem Bank. For the past six years, Allium has been helping customers transform their homes, to become more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, by financing a range of products including home insulation, energy efficient boilers, double glazing, solar panels, battery storage, heat pumps and home charging stations. By acquiring Allium, Tandem will become the UK’s first green digital retail bank. Honeycomb Investment Trust will retain an interest in Tandem and Pollen Street will continue to support the management team as they seek to build a bank for people and the planet.
Tandem Bank announces an exciting milestone for the business today and its aim of becoming the UK’s first green digital retail bank, as it acquires Allium Lending Group, a leading green lending business, as part of a £60million fundraising deal that was finalised last week.
For the past six years, Allium has been helping customers transform their homes, to become more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, by financing everything from home insulation, energy efficient boilers and double glazing, to solar panels, heat pumps and home charging stations.
To complement its existing suite of award winning products and services Tandem will introduce new green savings and green mortgage products, together with new innovative digital solutions, which will enable its customers to directly contribute to reducing their environmental impact and help to create a more sustainable planet.
Allium’s CEO, Paul Noble, will join the Tandem executive team.
Allium CEO Paul Noble says: “This is great news for our customers and the team that have worked tirelessly to develop the business focussing on financing improvements for our environment. The combination of Allium and Tandem will create the ability to rapidly scale a green banking proposition and help more customer access green finance products.”
Tandem Co-Founder and CEO Ricky Knox Says: “Our journey so far has been filled with finding innovative solutions to customers’ money problems such as our incredibly successful Autosavings feature. We now have an opportunity to do even more than that. We’re delighted to welcome Paul, Allium’s team and their thousands of environmentally conscious customers to Tandem and we are excited for our future together. I look forward to helping many more people help the planet over the coming months and years.”


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Offshore trade body Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) will use a series of online seminars to advise members on the financial support available during the Covid-19 pandemic.
OGUK supply chain director Matt Abraham said:
“Many companies in our industry, especially in the supply chain, are still financially fragile after the previous downturn so the UK Government’s commitment to supporting both workers and companies is very welcome.
“It’s now crucial for us to ensure these companies understand how they can effectively access the money they need to maintain their cash flow through these challenging times.”
The first seminar will be on 9 April, and focus on furlough support for workers. The following session will look at business loan options.


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Westlake Village, California – Domestic brands as a whole have demonstrated higher initial quality than import brands for the first time, according to J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 U.S. Initial Quality Study. Overall, Porsche led the rankings for fewest quality problems.
The study, which has been conducted annually for the past 24 years, found that the industry average for initial quality is 109 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), increasing slightly from 108 PP100 in 2009. However, initial quality for domestic brands as a whole improved by four PP100 to an average of 108, slightly better than the initial quality of import brands, which averaged 109 PP100 in 2010.
The overall improvement was driven by substantial improvements in many domestic models, including the Ford Focus, Dodge Ram 1500 and Buick Enclave, the company said. In particular, the initial quality of Ford models has improved steadily for the past nine years.
“Domestic automakers have made impressive strides in steadily improving vehicle quality, particularly since 2007,” said David Sargent, vice-president of global research. “This year may mark a key turning point for U.S. brands as they continue to fight the battle against lingering negative perceptions of their quality. However, there is still a long road ahead, and domestic manufacturers need to consistently prove to consumers that they can produce models with quality that equals or beats that of the import brands. Achieving quality comparability is the first half of the battle; convincing consumers, particularly import buyers, that they have done this is the second half.”
Initial quality of new models and major redesigns continues to improve in 2010, led by new launches such as the Ford Mustang, Fusion and Taurus, Lexus GX 460, Honda Crosstour, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Porsche Panamera, all of which launched with notably high initial quality levels.
The study measures new-vehicle quality at 90 days of ownership. J.D. Power said that initial quality has been shown over the years to be an excellent predictor of long-term vehicle durability. The study captures problems experienced by owners in the areas of design-related problems, and defects and malfunctions.
Porsche led the overall nameplate rankings, averaging 83 PP100, followed by Acura (moving from 14th in 2009 to second in 2010), Mercedes-Benz (improving from sixth to third), Lexus, and Ford (which moved into the top five for the first time since the inception of the study).
Mini posted the largest improvement in 2010, reducing problems by 32 PP100 from 2009. Toyota increased by 16 PP100, moving from sixth position in 2009 to the twenty-first spot in 2010. “Clearly, Toyota has endured a different year,” Sargent said. “Recent consumer concerns regarding Toyota’s quality are reflected in the nameplate’s performance in the 2010 study. That said, Toyota’s success was built on a well-deserved reputation for quality, and there is little doubt that they will do everything possible to regain that reputation.”
Among individual vehicles, Ford and Lexus each received three segment awards. Ford took awards for the Focus, Mustang and Taurus, while Lexus received awards for the GS, GX and LS models. The Lexus LS has the fewest quality problems in the industry, with just 55 P100.
Tied with two awards were Chevrolet, for the Avalanche and Tahoe; Honda for the Accord and Accord Crosstour; and Toyota for the FJ Cruiser and Sienna. Also receiving segment awards were the Acura RDX, Cadillac Escalade, GMC Sierra, Hyundai Accent, Mazda MX-5, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Nissan Frontier, Scion xB and Volvo C70.
The Daimler assembly plant in East London, South Africa received the Platinum Plant Quality Award for producing vehicles yielding the fewest defects and malfunctions. The plant, which averages 28 PP100, builds the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Plant awards are based solely on average levels of defects and malfunctions, and do not include design-related problems.
Among North and South American plants, Toyota’s assembly facility in Cambridge, Ontario achieved the Gold Plant Quality Award. The plant builds the Lexus RX.
In Asia Pacific, Toyota took the Gold Plant Quality Award for its Kyushu plant in Japan, which produces the Lexus ES, IS and RX.


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Temi Otedola, the daughter of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, recently stepped out for an event look stunning in a black and white dress.
If there is one thing Temi knows how to do, then it is definitely the art of rocking expensive items with such class and elegance that leaves many in awe.
The fashion influencer who has amassed over a million followers has risen to become one of Nigeria's most stylish young celebrities.
Just recently, she took to her Instagram page to share photos of herself rocking a black and white mini dress by Miscreants.
The black non-stretch velvet has a handmade, white thigh-high satin ruffle trim that follows the hem of the dress around the split.
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This dress comes with matching opera gloves and according to their official website, it costs N207k (£385).
The Black Yasmin 100 Silk Crystal Buckle Sandals are from Alexandre Vauthier and they are currently out of stock.
Swipe to see more photos below:
Tiwa Savage in expensive designer wear
Popular award-winning Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage, was among the stars who turned up for the MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards in the United Kingdom and she did this in grand style.
The singer who was seen on stage, while presenting the Best Male Act award, was a sight to behold as she shone in a double take-worth look.
The singer-songwriter was adorned in a golden off-shoulder dress designed by top Nigerian brand, Lanre Dasilva Ajayi alongside designer jewellery, purse and shoes bringing the total of her ensemble with the exception of her dress to N815k.
Nollywood star Iya Rainbow in stunning new look
For many people, it is hard to see Iya Rainbow in anything but an asoke with an elaborately styled gele and some chunky jewellery.
This is why her recent photos as shared by Lawani is buzzworthy. The Nollywood veteran had some of that Tiannah styling goodness and came out looking like the Duchess of a powerful land.


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A number of entrepreneurs have launched ketchup products that offer healthy and flavorful alternatives to Heinz ketchup.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. You can check out online retailer Ketchup World to see what other ketchups are out there.
Do you have a favorite ketchup that isn't Heinz? Let us know in the comments below.
Anika Anand is a freelance business journalist who recently graduated from the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. Follow her on Twitter at @anikaanand00.
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Social media can cause digital currency price fluctuations, for better or worse. For instance, the trending news about a big cryptocurrency exchange hack can cause a massive fall in token value. CoinIdol, a world blockchain news outlet, researches how the top 4 social media treat cryptocurrency and blockchain.
Currently, Facebook (FB) is the largest social media site in the entire globe. As of 2020, the giant had over 2.6 billion monthly active users. Generally, almost every social media user has an account on Facebook. Several companies, people and brands use this platform to market their products to an immense audience.
When it comes to cryptocurrency, Facebook planned to roll out its own cryptocurrency called Libra in January 2021 but up to now, the target has not yet been achieved. The social media platform had originally planned to roll out the proposed Libra and wallet over the summer of last year.
Rumors that FB is creating a distributed ledger technology (DLT) and its own token Libra started way back in 2018, but it was until mid-June 2019 that an official presentation of the project was released. At that time, Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, stated that sending money online should be made as fast, effective, transparent and simple as sending photos.
This showed that Facebook was pro-cryptocurrency. Additionally, users were able to use Facebook Messenger Payment for trading Bitcoin instantly and securely with certain crypto exchanges such as Paxful.
In January 2018, FB first started suspending ads promoting Bitcoin and other digital currencies and ICOs following the rising concerns that users were being scammed by ICOs being offered by some unlicensed cryptocurrency startups. Nevertheless, the firm relaxed its restriction starting from June 26, 2018, to allow ads from promoters and advertisers that got prior written approval but continued to ban ads that were promoting binary options and ICOs (initial coin offerings).
In December 2020, following the massive criticism from the regulators accusing it of using a name that was identical to another startup, Facebook later rebranded its Libra Foundation to The Diem Association, and the project is now doing well.
In May 2021, Zuckerberg came out to post that he has a goat named Bitcoin, a post that left the crypto-community optimistic that the CEO FB owns BTC.
Currently, Twitter has over 353 million monthly active users and a good chunk of them use cryptocurrency including Bitcoin.
Some of the big names in the crypto industry that use Twitter to promote BTC, Ethereum and other tokens include Vitalik Buterin, Vlad Zamfir, Andreas M. Antonopoulos, Joseph Lubin, Gavin Wood, Naval Ravikant, Taylor Monahan, Nick Szabo, Simon De la Rouviere, Chris Burniske, etc., Twitter has become an arena for meaningful engagement and healthy discourse towards blockchain and crypto-asset industry.
When it comes to Blockchain technology, Twitter is also creating a public DLT site and decentralized Twitter protocol, a thing that will be a future for the company in question, as well as the future of blockchain and bitcoin.
In March 2018, Twitter decided to follow Google and Facebook to ban Bitcoin ads. The aim was to protect crypto investors from scams. Also, in early March 2021, Twitter came out to suspend the accounts of many influencers in the cryptocurrency industry citing the violation of Twitter Rules.
When Elon Musk criticized Bitcoin for using too much electricity and not being environmentally friendly, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey came out to support and defend Bitcoin tweeting that “BTC incentivizes renewable energy.”
To show that Dorsey supports Bitcoin, his other financial firm Square added more than $170 mln worth of BTC to its balance sheet in the first quarter of this year following its first investment in BTC in October. The CEO of Twitter now plans to make a hardware wallet for BTC which will be supported on either Square or Twitter.
Youtube, a video streaming platform, was purchased by Google at about $1.65 billion back in 2006. Some of the most popular crypto YouTube channels include Ivan On Tech, Doug Polk, Crypt0sNews, Ian Balina, Crypto Bobby, Data Dash, BitBoy, CryptoBoy, Historical, and many others.
YouTube has been blocking crypto and blockchain channels citing ‘promotion of unlawful activity’. For instance, the platform blocked Altcoin Daily channel that was operated by Aaron and Austin Arnold who used to inform the community about what is happening in the nascent industry. In fact, in 2020, YoTube has launched a massive anti-Bitcoin campaign called “Crypto Purge”. Many of the cryptocurrency bloggers including Ivan on Tech, the Moon, Chris Dunn and others suffered from the platform’s hostile policy.
Back then, this move caused a stormy reaction in the community. Nevertheless, YouTube tried to defend itself stating that they wanted to combat scammers that were taking advantage of the video streaming service.
Indeed, cryptocurrency fraudsters used this platform to advertise fake giveaways using the names of popular people such as Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, a thing that caused huge losses to users and investors - so it had to take the necessary measures to protect its users by banning Bitcoin-related ads.
WeChat is the most popular social media in China and over 78% of China's population uses this platform - it is currently having 1.17 billion monthly active users putting it in the 5th most used social media platforms in the world.
The company has played a big role in the cryptocurrency industry. For instance, it has launched payment networks such as WeChat Pay to help users instantly, securely and efficiently send and buy Bitcoin and other supported fiat currency.
There are various peer-to-peer marketplaces including Paxful and LocalBitcoins that accept WeChat Pay as a payment method.
Nevertheless, other social media in the country are less friendly to the nascent industry. According to the report by CoinIdol, a world blockchain news outlet, another social media site called Weibo blocked accounts of several crypto influencers, following the lead of YouTube. But unlike YouTube, Weibo is fully controlled by the Chinese government. So this move is generally treated as the country’s attempt to eliminate the community.
In this age of global digitization, social media plays a significant part in trendsetting across all industries. So, depending on their attitude, they can boost or stall cryptocurrency adoption.


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ONTO Korean Version Released and Will Support Kakao’s Klaytn Soon
In the previous article, our Founder Li Jun explained the meaning of “TRUST Redefined”. Jesse Liu, Marketing Director of Ontology, announced at the Korea Media Conference that ONTO is available in Korean for the first time and now supports node staking. What’s more, ONTO will soon support Klaytn, Korean social giant Kakao’s public blockchain project. More details will be released soon.
Jesse also revealed that the Ontology Global University Workshop will soon kick off in top Korean universities in Seoul. The workshop will be the largest of its kind so far in the blockchain industry as it will cover dozens of top universities in cities in Korea, Japan, Russia, the US, and Germany. Ontology is aiming to go to the campus to meet aspiring young students developers and build a younger, more innovative and vibrant developer community in the next 1–2 years.
In the media Q&A session, Jesse explained that: “the reason the Ontology team chose to hold the media conference in Seoul is that we see the huge potential of the Korean market. The blockchain technology is widely known in the country and many Korean companies are adopting the technology to transform and upgrade their businesses. More and more university students in the country are starting their own blockchain businesses after graduation in the hope of making their first fortune.”
“The integration of Klaytn into ONTO is another major breakthrough of Ontology in the Korean market. Klaytn is the global public blockchain project of Kakao, a Korean social media giant with hundreds of millions of users. Klaytn now supports a variety of ecosystems and can help us integrate with various industries. We will announce more Korean companies from the traditional industries to join as Ontology nodes in Q3 and Q4 of this year and Korean users will then be able to stake into them and thus participate in co-building the Ontology ecosystem.”
Jesse ended his speech on a positive note, saying that: “in the midst of a speculative market, Ontology differentiates itself by taking a down-to-earth approach to developing our technology and promoting our brand. We think it is more important to let more people learn about us. We are pleased to see that our first media conference in Korea garnering wide attention from the press, making it the most influential media conference in the blockchain sector so far. Moving forward, Ontology is looking forward to working with the Korean media and business partners. You will be able to learn more about Ontology in the upcoming Global University Workshop. Stay tuned!”
Kakao’s global public blockchain project Klaytn is an enterprise-grade, service-centric platform that brings user-friendly blockchain experience to millions. It combines the best features of both public blockchains (decentralized data & control, distributed governance) and private blockchains (low latency, high scalability) via an efficient ‘hybrid’ design. Klaytn is secured by participation from numerous highly-reputable brands around the globe, working together to create a reliable business platform atop a robust system of decentralized trust. Klaytn enables businesses and entrepreneurs today to capture value using blockchain technology.
Learn more here: https://www.klaytn.com/


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The study explores the potency of brand love in advertising, along with its impact on listeners’ consumption in key regional markets like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Five out of 10 music streamers listen to music online on a daily basis, with around 30% using these services for at least five hours a day, according to research conducted by market research company Ipsos.
Titled “Music Steaming in MENA – Why it Matters to be Local”, the research was commissioned by media company Choueiri Group and music streaming service Anghami. It explores the potency of brand love in advertising, along with its impact on listeners’ consumption in key regional markets (Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE).
With total brand awareness about most music streaming platforms increasing swiftly across Saudi Arabia, especially among millennials aged between 25 to 34, this year has also been a breakout year for podcasting worldwide, resulting in more listeners picking up on this relatively new channel of entertainment. This has been specifically proven in the region as around 30% of UAE’s and 20% of Saudi Arabia’s population consider themselves as podcast listeners.
In the past decade, many local and international players have set foot in the audio streaming arena across the MENA region, which created a highly competitive space for platforms, all fighting for listeners’ ears and complete undivided attention. In that space, there are international brands that have been in this industry for some time now such as Spotify and Deezer, both originating from Europe, and are undeniably making waves in the region. Then, on the other hand, local players such as Lebanon-based Anghami have positioned themselves as the MENA streaming platform offering content that is close to the Arab streamers’ culture and identity.
It was also proven that, aside from Facebook, music streamers dedicate a big chunk of time during the day to listening to music online on weekends and weekdays, more so than they do with radio and other social media platforms such as Instagram.
Music streamers also enjoy listening to music online the most when they are relaxing in the comfort of their own homes, followed by when they are commuting or driving around. Moreover, it was noticeable that music streaming platforms are the best and most used method in helping music lovers explore and discover new releases and up and coming artists.
Amongst numerous interesting insights which were garnered from this research, the most important area identified was regarding the potency of having a platform with a localised personality appearing on the audio streaming scene.
Listeners in the Middle East were missing the flavour of home and the sense of relatability which was tenuous among the international music streaming platforms available for users. Arab listeners were also growing a need to feel recognised and have their identities understood and identified with. With all of these findings coming into play, having localised attributes and an essence of “home” built in your music streaming brand are highly appreciated and favoured by consumers, as this helps platforms lever for growth and creates more relevance to listeners in the market. Consequently, it helps to place them on a higher pedestal for their unique offerings, especially in the audio streaming sector. The study serves as a mere reflection of the rapidly evolving world of audio streaming, and only time will tell how this will inherently shape up the music and advertising industry in the future.


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Cyprus Goat Meat Destroyed for Illegal Slaughter
52 kg of goat meat have been destroyed after a random check revealed that it had come from non-branded animals that were illegally slaughtered, said the Veterinary Services today.
The meat was found at the 'Amarillis' farm in Arakapas, they added. As the animals were not slaughtered in a licensed abattoir the meat was destroyed. The owner of the farm has been reported to the necessary authorities.


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December 17, 2016 9:14:32 pm
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Saturday took a Metro ride, interacted with people and promoted cashless modes of transactions among them during the trip. Interacting with youths he encouraged them to adopt e-banking facility and spread awareness about it among friends and families.
Tiwari boarded a train from Sultanpur and got down at Patel Chowk station on the Yellow line of the Delhi Metro network. Several youths, whom he spoke, claimed that they use e-banking facility and praised the Centre’s demonetisation move, Delhi BJP’s media in-charge Praveen Shankar Kapoor said.
Attending a workshop organised by Delhi BJP’s Scheduled Caste Morcha on banking apps available on mobile phones, he said “The Centre has made such arrangements for expansion of mobile banking apps that even with the help of ordinary mobile phones transactions and shopping can be done easily.”
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.


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By Ken Williams | Editor
‘Coolest Hardware Store on the Planet’ is in Hillcrest
Hillcrest Ace Hardware really is a unique place. While “unique” is one of those often misused and overused adjectives, franchise owner Bruce Reeves can make a good case that his store is one of a kind.
For the past 20 years, Hillcrest Ace Hardware has been serving customers from the Uptown and Mid-City communities with a distinctive blend of goods ranging from traditional hardware products to niche merchandise targeting the LGBT community.
About a month ago, Hillcrest Ace Hardware completed its move into a newly remodeled space next door to its original site. The new store at 1003 University Ave. is in a prime location on the corner of 10th Avenue, and can be easily accessed via state Route 163. It is also across the street from The Hub shopping center, a busy destination with two grocery stores as well as a number of restaurants and small businesses.
“We’re one of the unique Ace Hardware stores because we have three floors,” Reeves said.
In addition, the store is unique on two other fronts. One, Reeves said his store is distinguished as being the first gay-owned franchise in Ace’s history. Two, the Hardware Stores of America (HSA) recently named his business the “Coolest Hardware Store on the Planet.”
With pride, Reeves shows off his “trophy wall” in the hallway outside his office located on the mezzanine level, where he displays seven local Nicky Awards and his newest prize from HSA.
Reeves is happy the move is over.
“It took us six months to move, but we never closed for one day,” Reeves said.
“I’ve been wanting this space for 20 years!”
The corner location was vacant for more than two years after Natvia Furniture closed in 2013. The distinctive building with its Mediterranean façade and Spanish tile roof formerly housed Metropolis, and a carpet company before that.
The new space is much larger than the old location. “Fifteen thousand square feet is considered a large store,” Reeves said, noting that the old location was 10,000 square feet.
Reeves gives credit to Zane Feldman, of the Feldman Family Trust, for working closely with him to make upgrades to the building that has been at that intersection for more than a century. Original wood floors and chandeliers on the main floor were restored. Electrical wiring and plumbing were modernized. New lighting fixtures, coupled with natural lighting from huge windows along University and 10th avenues, make the main floor and the mezzanine look bright and airy.
“We were true to the original design,” Reeves said of the remodeling job.
He also thanks Joe Jeter, his former co-founder, who he bought out 15 years ago, for coming back to help with the remodeling project.
Customers entering the new store are greeted by an employee, who can immediately direct them to the products they may be shopping for. The main floor is spacious and open for two stories, featuring a mezzanine forming a U-shape that can be accessed via two grand staircases at the back of the store.
The expansive basement, however, remains a work in progress. Reeves said that project would take a couple of months to finish before lighter colors are painted and brighter lighting fixtures are installed. The basement — which encompasses all the area below the new store as well as the old one — is where customers can find the nuts and bolts, bathroom and kitchen supplies, and the more traditional hardware items.
Reeves said Ace allows its franchises to cater to their local markets. That flexibility allows Reeves and his staff to reach out to the LGBT community by offering products for that niche market. Although he doesn’t have specific demographic information about his customers, Reeves estimated that 30 percent to 50 percent of his customers would identify as LGBT.
“Ace allows us to design our stores as we see fit,” he added. “They encourage us to have our unique niches.”
For Ace Hillcrest, those niches include same-sex greeting cards and stationery, gourmet cookware, health and beauty products, home décor, LGBT-specific items, and even “gay pride” socks.
In recent years, the closure of Hillcrest boutique stores such as Babette Schwartz, Cathedral, Column One, Obelisk and Establish has left holes to fill for shoppers, and Reeves said Ace Hillcrest has added products in an attempt to fill those needs.
“We have expanded our line of gifts and quirky things and home decor,” he said.
Moving into the larger space also meant the need to expand the staff.
Brooks Edwards, the assistant manager, said they added five or six new employees. He said with the Christmas merchandise going up in two weeks, the store would be hiring again and encouraged anyone “who is good at retail” to apply for a job.
Reeves noted that this was the third time he has expanded the store’s space in 20 years. He has watched Hillcrest grow over the past two decades, and has reshaped his store to reflect those changes.
Edwards, who has been with Ace Hillcrest for five years, said the biggest change during his watch has been the growth of the “B2B” (Business to Business) program.
“Since I’ve been here, we’ve been working more with local businesses like Whole Foods, Rich’s and Flicks,” Edwards said. The nearby businesses work with Hillcrest Ace Hardware to purchase cleaning and maintenance supplies or building materials needed for in-house construction projects, he added.
Ahead of the annual San Diego Pride festivities in July, Rich’s and Flicks and other local organizations call on Ace Hillcrest to round up supplies to build floats and decorate them.
Reeves promises customers that Hillcrest Ace Hardware will always be there for them.
To emphasize that point, Reeves said he has signed a long-term lease with the building’s owner, the Feldman Family Trust. “We hope,” he said, “to be here in Hillcrest another 20 years!”
—Ken Williams is editor of Uptown News and can be reached at email@example.com or at 619-961-1952. Follow him on Twitter at @KenSanDiego, Instagram at @KenSD or Facebook at KenWilliamsSanDiego.


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9 Now: In Australia, a woman lost hundreds of thousands of rubles because of a false predictor
AT Sydney, Australia, a woman tired of failures decided out of curiosity to turn to a fortuneteller, lost 12 thousand Australian dollars (about 500 thousand rubles) and did not get any result. The story of the victim of a false fortune teller publishes 9 now.
A woman named Panum was walking through the shopping districts of the city with her mother when she noticed numerous signs advertising the services of fortune tellers. The inscriptions were full of promises to solve all problems, return loved ones and help earn hundreds and thousands of dollars. “I just went through a divorce and a car accident, so when my mom and I saw one of these signs, I thought: “Why not!” Panum said.
As if sensing the woman’s desire, a diviner’s assistant named Pandit Valmiki Krishna approached her and invited her to go to a session in a tiny fortune-telling shop. Panum paid 30 Australian dollars (1174 rubles), and Krishna began to examine the lines on her palm. “He said that an evil curse lies on me, and all my problems are due to black magic. He warned that the curse must be lifted, otherwise the lives of my children would be in danger, ”recalls the woman.
For getting rid of the curse, the “great magician” demanded another 830 Australian dollars (32.5 thousand rubles), and then completely stated that for the full effect, he and several other sorcerers needed to come to Panum’s house and clear the premises of evil spirits. The woman also agreed to this. As a result, a whole show began at her house: magicians squeezed lemons, sprinkled fake blood and removed small figurines of evil spirits.
After the procedure, Krishna issued the client a new invoice of 21 thousand Australian dollars (822 thousand rubles) and offered her to sell the car and jewelry to pay off the bill. Then, according to Panum, the fortuneteller forced her to drink some kind of liquid, after which she transferred the necessary amount to him.
The expensive ritual did not change the woman’s life for the better, and her mother advised her to find Krishna and threaten him with the police for fraud. Frightened, the false soothsayer returned part of the money to the victim.
Previously reportedthat a resident of California, USA, Mauro Restrepo sued the fortuneteller and demanded 25 thousand dollars in moral compensation for the fact that she did not remove the damage imposed by his ex-girlfriend from him. He said that he decided to seek the help of a fortune teller when his marriage began to have problems.


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Can Your Cola Contain Cannabis Oil?
It’s a clear prospect, after reports that the giant beverage company is talking to the Canadian cannabis company about creating a wellness drink containing cannabidiol (CBD). Oil is a part of marijuana that does not produce high, but is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and relieves pain.
Marijuana will become legal throughout Canada on October 17, and cannabis companies have recently come to the country to raise funds and start their businesses there, according to the Associated Press.
Although Coca-Cola did not confirm the report, it said it expected a possible new segment of the beverage market, the Associated Press reported.
“Along with many other companies involved in the beverage industry, we are closely monitoring the growth of non-psychotropic CBD as a component of healthy health beverages worldwide,” said Kent Landströld, Coca-Cola spokesperson.
The telecommunications service pointed out that Coca-Cola’s attention points to the growing acceptance of cannabis by existing companies and the importance of Canada in the development of these companies.
Constellation Brands, a major corporation that makes Corona beer, recently purchased a minority stake in Canopy Growth, a Canadian producer of medical marijuana.


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Stories about the shambolic Victoria’s Secret fashion show – which is slated to take place Tuesday Nov. 28 in Shanghai – just keep getting weirder.
Chinese bureaucrats have so far refused to cooperate with the show’s producers and planners, denying visas to Gigi Hadid, one of the show’s highest-profile models, and Katy Perry, the US pop superstar who was slated to be the musical guest.
The Communist Party has also inexplicably refused to issue press passes and visas to members of the western media who were supposed to travel to China to cover the event.
Already, we imagine the marketing brass at L Brands have learned their lesson, and that this will be both the first, and the last, VS fashion show held in China.
But as if all this weren’t enough, the New York Post is now reporting that the show’s organizers believe the Chinese government is spying on them. Which, of course, is probably true, given Chinese authorities’ well-known penchant for monitoring foreigners.
This post was published at Zero Hedge on Nov 19, 2017.


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According to Nielsen data, the average bottle price for direct distilleries continues to decline as overall sales volume in the channel increases, while the retail channel is seeing the opposite trend.
Photo courtesy of: Wine Click
According to the latest retail and DtC data from Nielsen and Wines Vines Analytics/Sovos ShipCompliant, November DtC shipments were up 17% year-over-year to more than 977,0009l cases, while the value of off-market sales increased 11% to nearly $1.8 billion.
For the 12 months ending November 2020, Nielsen tracked $20 billion and 209 million cases, respectively, in the retail channel, while DtC decreased $3.65 billion from 8.2 million cases.
While both channels were up from the previous year, the growth rate was the lowest since the 2019 New Crown outbreak first roiled the market in March. It is also the first time since March that retail price increases have outpaced DtC shipping price increases.
The data also shows that this year"s holiday season did not have the traditional increase in sales, as most consumers celebrated the holidays while noting that the epidemic was spreading.
DtC shipments hit a record high in November.
Price tier growth increased dramatically, from less than $30 per bottle to more than $30, with volume growth doubling the value growth. The result is that the average price per 750 ml bottle is down nearly $4 from a year ago to just under $44.
Large wineries (producing over 500,000 cases per year) continue to drive significant growth in DtC. The average bottle price (traditionally the highest) for limited production wineries (producing less than 1,000 cases) declined significantly.
While dollar growth continues to outpace retail volume growth, the gap between the two narrowed significantly therefore, non-operating transactions at price points were less pronounced this month. At the same time, however, all price levels above $11 rose by double digits.
Sparkling wines significantly outperformed all other major wine varietals in the retail market, with rosé being the only wine varietal to show double-digit growth in both price and volume.


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The number of Dutch companies that went bust was again lower in July than in the previous month. The number of bankruptcies has fallen for three months in a row and has now reached the lowest point since April 2000, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reports Thursday.
The number of companies that went bankrupt in July was 204. That was 27 fewer than in June and 61 fewer than in May. This year’s peak was in April, when 335 companies went bust. April was the first month of lockdown from start to finish.
Because of the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, you would expect the number of bankruptcies to increase. Nevertheless, there has been a decline since April.
CBS economist Peter Hein van Mulligen suspects that this is related to the government’s support measures. These are intended to keep companies afloat temporarily.
It is also possible that receivers and judges are less inclined to declare bankruptcy, because some companies that are now in trouble would be financially healthy without a corona crisis. They therefore want to wait and see whether the companies might become profitable again in the coming months.
Van Mulligen: ‘Maybe it will be a calm before the storm’
However, Van Mulligen is not 100 percent sure of this: “It remains a bit of a guess, which keeps the number of bankruptcies low. And maybe it will be a calm before the storm.”
Trade was the sector with the highest number of bankruptcies in July: 39. However, there are many companies active in this sector. Relatively speaking, the catering industry was the sector in which most companies went bust.
Statistics Netherlands also released figures on last week’s bankruptcies. Between 3 and 9 August, 41 companies went bankrupt. That is five fewer than in the previous week.
For the entire year, the counter is now at 2,225. Despite the lockdown measures that have hit the corporate sector hard, there are still 81 fewer companies than in the same period last year.


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Arts and crafts of all kinds will be on display and available for sale at this weekend's two-day Oro Valley Festival of the Arts, Nov. 28 and 29 at Oro Valley Marketplace.
Dozens of local artists are showcasing jewelry, ceramics, sculptures, paintings and more "in what should be an excellent shopping opportunity for folks looking for that one-of-a-kind gift this holiday season," a release said.
Admission to the event is free of charge.
The festival, of which the Town of Oro Valley is the title sponsor, takes place at Oro Valley Marketplace, on the southwest corner of Tangerine and Oracle roads.
Activities run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29.
Various food vendors will provide sweet treats, baked goods and a variety of all-American fare to hungry festival-goers. Holiday music is being piped throughout the outdoor festival, and Santa Claus himself will make a special appearance (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) both days.
Proceeds from the Oro Valley Festival of the Arts will benefit the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance's educational programs. Also, donations received at the festival's gift-wrapping station will aid area schoolchildren.
For more information about the festival, go online to http://www.saaca.org/events-festivalofarts.html">www.saaca.org/events-festivalofarts.html.


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Website Footy Headlines has announced this will be the new United strip for next season as Adidas enter the second year of their contract with the Red Devils.
The German sportswear giants have done away with the white V-neck in favour of a more simplistic style, but appear to have split the kit into two different shades of red, as reported last year.
This new kit will apparently be split into two different shades of red
The trademark adidas stripes return, running the length of the shirt, and the top will be paired with white shorts and black socks, according to reports.
The design is understood to have been inspired by former club, Newton Heath, who famously payed in a split-colour shirt of green and yellow.
And the theme is continued onto the back of the shirt with a Newton Heath logo positioned just below the neckline.
Adidas signed a record-breaking contract with the club in 2014 worth £750million, entitling them to make the kits for 10 years.


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Telstra cops whopping $10 million fine
TELSTRA has been fined $10 million after it signed up as many as 100,000 customers for ringtones, gaming and other digital content without their knowledge.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced the penalty on Thursday after the Federal Court found "that Telstra misled customers and breached the ASIC Act when it charged them for digital content, such as games and ringtones, which they unknowingly purchased".
More customers could be impacted and not know it. The ACCC expects the cost the telco will be "much higher" after customers are reimbursed, estimating another $5 million setback.
It is the highest fine ever levelled under Australian consumer law, equal to a similar judgment against Coles.
"It illustrates just how serious and aggregious their conduct was," ACCC chairman Rod Sims told ABC News Radio.
The court found that in 2015 and 2016, Telstra did not adequately inform customers it had set a third-party billing service, known as Premium Direct Billing, as a default on their mobile accounts. If customers accessed content through this service, even unintentionally, they were billed directly by Telstra.
"Thousands of Telstra mobile phone customers unwittingly signed up to subscriptions without being required to enter payment details or verify their identity. By introducing and operating the Premium Direct Billing service, Telstra generated substantial profits by exposing customers to unauthorised charges," Mr Sims said in a statement.
"Telstra was aware that children were at risk of inadvertently subscribing on a family member's phone. The $10 million penalty imposed by the Court recognises the seriousness of Telstra's conduct. In the ACCC's view, such conduct falls below community expectations for appropriate corporate behaviour."
Mr Sims said the penalty was a "good result" for consumers after Telstra had treated their customers "very badly".
"All you had to do was one click and you were held to the service," he said.
The consumer watchdog started proceedings against Telstra after the nation's largest telco both permitted and profited from the service.
After receiving an "enormous number of complaints" - sometimes in excess of 10,000 per month - Telstra admitted that more than 100,000 customers may have been affected and has committed to offer refunds to these customers.
"We took the action because there were many complaints about this service. It's disappointing," Mr Sims said.
Telstra customers are encouraged to check their Telstra mobile account and, if they believe unauthorised charges have been applied under the PDB service, they should contact Telstra to seek a refund.
Mr Sims said Telstra had so far reaped $62 million in revenue from 2.7 million mobiles.
Telstra says it has already provided $5 million in refunds and will contact customers it identified. It has stopped operating the PDB service entirely.
- View the full statement from the ACCC here.


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Retail News Breaks Archives
Navarro lands financing as expansion rolls ahead
January 9th, 2012
MIAMI – In the midst of a multiyear growth plan, Navarro Discount Pharmacy has secured $65 million in financing from GE Capital.
The Miami-area drug chain said Monday that the funding, an asset-based credit facility from GE Capital Corporate Retail Finance, will be used to refinance debt and for general corporate purposes.
"GE Capital understands retailing and has a great deal of experience financing drug stores. This allowed us to secure the right capital structure to help build our business," Juan Ortiz, chief executive officer of Navarro, said in a statement.
In early December, Navarro announced the opening of its 30th drug store, in Homestead, Fla. The chain's next new location, one of more than 20 new stores planned under a three-year expansion program, is slated to open in Pembroke Pines, Fla., in the spring.
And in late November, Navarro said it was set to begin the chainwide roll out of its Vida Mia private label, believed to be the nation's first brand targeting Hispanics across all product categories. The retailer had announced the new brand in April.
Part of Navarro's growth strategy is expanding its wholesale and export business. Plans call for Vida Mia to be rolled out through Magellan Distribution Solutions, a Navarro wholesale and export subsidiary, and to be offered via a licensing program to other retailers with a strong Hispanic customer base. In February 2011, Navarro announced that Magellan acquired the assets of Buxco Inc. of Miami and that, with the deal, Magellan will be providing fulfillment solution services for a network of 150 independent retail pharmacies.
"Providing growth capital to retailers is one of our specialties," stated Jim Hogan, senior managing director at GE Capital Corporate Retail Finance. "Working with clients to understand their needs and structuring smarter financing to fuel their plans is what we do."


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It’s an age-old question that more important now than it has ever been. Do comic-book superheroes thrive better on the big-screen or in episodic fashion at home on your television? It’s time to find an answer to that question.
That’s right, mother#%$^ers! While “news” might have broken before that Deadpool was getting the dreaded PG-13 rating that so many fans were afraid it might get, Ryan Reynolds himself decided to take part in a little video clip to [...]
Huge potential news for fans of Valve’s infamously delayed Half-Life 2 sequel. According to a source, who leaked the news on Pastebin to presumably maintain their anonymity, the game is not only in development, it’s actually got an estimated release date!
Agents of SHIELD returned this week with an episode that was definitely a little heavier on the action than the storytelling, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have a bunch of important revelations (and a few neat MCU connections).
Happy April Fool’s Day! In honor of the “holiday,” Matt, Jen, and Sean have a lively discussion on humor in video games. Of course, that doesn’t actually mean that this podcast is funny. I mean, it is, but correlation does not [...]
There were a ton of great games that came out in March, but not all of them were Assassin’s Creed or Call of Duty entries. Some of these fun gems may have escaped your gaze and gone unnoticed but fear not, loyal reader. We have 10 of them compiled [...]
In just two months, DC will introduce Convergence, a massive universe-mixing event that will see characters from multiple eras of DC Comics coming together, and eventually forming a brand new multiverse.
2015 is shaping up to be a good year for games, something that is sorely needed after the string of bombs that dropped in 2014. Naturally, Springtime always sees the launch of some great games. Here’s what’s coming out in April 2015 that you [...]


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29 February 2012
By Sumitra Deb Roy
Even today, acid burn wounds remain the trickiest of all burn injuries to tackle because the chemicals penetrate deep into the skin injuring other organs. Despite the technology available, a victim may still have to undergo anywhere between three to 20 surgeries, but still not be able to regain functionality of the damaged organs. Most victims in India, however, are unable to fork out the lakhs of rupees required for repeated—and expensive–—surgeries, and are often forced to “live with the deformities,” say doctors.
“There’s no ignoring the fact that financial constraints are a major hurdle in the healing process, It can drain a family of all its monetary resources,” said a doctor.
Also, the deformities and disfigurement caused by the deep burns add to the victim’s woes.
In the recent years, certain medical advancements have increased the chances of healing as well as survival for the victims. Plastic surgeon Dr Sunil Keswani said that the advent of artificial skin called ‘Integra’ has significantly contributed to the management of burn victims. “The artificial skin helps to cover the wound and later do the grafting. It helps the wound heal faster and with lesser chances of getting infected,” he said, adding that better antibiotics are also now available in the Indian market.
Though labelled as one of the best innovations for burn injury, artificial skin is also very expensive, beyond the reach of most families. A patch of artificial skin slightly smaller than the size of a bread slice could cost up to a lakh.
Besides artificial skin, associate professor of department of surgery at the JJ Hospital, Dr Rajat Kapoor, said that epithelial tissues can now be grown in the laboratories. This way, a small patch of skin can be grown into multiple sheets of skin measuring about 10x4cm. “It takes two to three weeks, but the results are remarkable,” he added.
In India, burn victims have a tough time because there are very few cadaver skin donations. But, the scenario is fast changing. Former head of Sion Hospital’s surgery department Dr Madhuri Gore said that it is only recently that the hospital’s skin bank has started getting a good response through cadaver donation. The skin bank was conceptualised 11 years ago, but for many years we received only about five to six donations annually.


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No more no-shows
A new system from Dimmi will charge diners who fail to turn up for their reservation; a new front in the battle against no-shows.
In response to the frustration spreading within the industry over no-shows, restaurant booking site Dimmi has launched a new system that demands diners leave their credit card details upon booking, facing a no-show fee if they fail to attend their dinner or lunch date.
It may be in its infancy – the system was launched early April – but Dimmi Guarantees is already attracting some of the country’s top restaurants, eager to eliminate the financial irritant of no-shows that can challenge an establishment’s survival.
According to recent figures, the no-show rate for the country’s restaurant industry is around 4%, which can represent a sizeable pain for restaurants trying to make ends meet on a 3-5% profit margin. In top restaurants, a Saturday evening slot is a golden ticket, and a table left empty due to a no-show is a costly irritant.
Australia is lagging behind the likes of the UK and US when it comes to clamping down on no-shows – in both countries some restaurants are charging customers in advance for their meal regardless of whether they turn up to eat it or not. Chicago’s Next was one of the first to start selling ‘tickets’ for dinners in 2011, reducing no-shows to such a level that, in one year, only five tables didn’t show.
The owner of Next, Nick Kokonas, refined the system with his newer venue – his cocktail bar still sells tickets but takes the money off the customer’s final bar tab – and is exporting the approach to some restaurants in the UK.
Other countries’ restaurants have adopted creative means of ‘punishing’ the no-shows, such as publicly listing the names of customers who don’t turn up for their reservation on social media.
Dimmi Guarantees, the first booking system to charge for no-shows in Australia, has attracted 100 of the top restaurants already listed on the main site, with top venues such as Ester, Ormeggio at the Spit, Restaurant Orano and Six Penny singing the praises of the new approach.
Anna Pavoni of Ormeggio at the Spit complained that no shows were “financially crippling us as well as leading to many disappointed customers who couldn’t book as we were fully booked at the time. Dimmi Guarantees has completely solved this issue for us. Completely.”
Those signed up have reported the no-show impact dropping from 4% to 1%, with the system working to protect the restaurant from the reams of people who change their plans without informing the venue.
This article is written by our media partner, foodService Magazine. Click here to view more articles.


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April 6, 2018
The Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Line by Allen Edmonds includes three golf shoes named after some of the most renowned Nicklaus-designed courses, as well as socks, belts, hats, a glove, cedar shoetrees and coasters.
The new line is available now at golf specialty retailers and Allen Edmonds stores.
Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry.
Join 62,000+ members. Yes, it’s completely free.


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TEANECK, N.J., Dec. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH), a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process services, today announced presentations at the following investor conferences:
Barclays Global Technology, Media and Telecommunications Conference
- Presenter: Gajen Kandiah, President, Cognizant Digital Business
- Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2016
- Time: 1:00 PM ET
A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available at Cognizant's website:
A replay of the webcasts will remain available on the company's website for 90 days.
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process services, dedicated to helping the world's leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for client satisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry and business process expertise, and a global, collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work. With over 100 development and delivery centers worldwide and approximately 255,800 employees as of September 30, 2016, Cognizant is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world. Visit us online at www.cognizant.com or follow us on Twitter: Cognizant.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cognizant-to-present-at-investor-conferences-300371708.html


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A pilot program started in 2012 has been granted long term approval according to NIPSCO.
The company’s Green Power Rate program is offered to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Currently there are 940 homes and businesses enrolled in the Green Power Program.
NIPSCO Spokesperson Denise Rodriguez says this gives energy consumers options.
“Instead of going out and buying everything to put a windmill in your backyard to go green, we’re offering them a cheaper version to be able to do that,” says Rodriguez.
According to a press release, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the project as a long term program.
Residential customers can designate between 25 and 100-percent of their electric usage to renewable energy sources. Businesses can designate up to 10-percent. Rodriguez says businesses have lower percentages because they use more.
“Obviously their bills are more expensive, so they were given the option of between 5 and 10-percent, and also it depends on their energy usage,” says Rodriguez.
NIPSCO says its green power purchases will come from Indiana and Midwestern resources.


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Think you’re going to find online the frozen vegetables and toilet paper you can’t find in stores? Think delivery is going to be quick?
Grocery stores aren’t just battling to stock shelves in stores. They also are swamped with online shoppers who are placing more orders and buying more. The average order at grocery delivery service Instacart is up 20% so far in March compared with the same period in February, the company said.
Grocery chains say they’re doing their best to keep up with the surge, including hiring more workers, but still warn shoppers could face longer-than-expected lead times or issues with out-of-stock items.
Connor Ulrey, 25, of Chicago, said he got a voicemail from Jewel-Osco saying the order he placed earlier this month for canned goods and bottled water was canceled. The message also promised a $50 credit, which Ulrey said he has not received.
A replacement order couldn’t be delivered for another five days, said Ulrey, who buys groceries online because he doesn’t drive and is hesitant to use public transit during the pandemic. That order arrived when promised, but Ulrey said the missed delivery made him nervous.
“The drivers and people in the store are working so hard. I’m not trying to sound like a jerk here, but I also need to know if I’m going to get these or not.” he said.
How long a shopper will wait for an online order varies by store and depends on when customers place orders, as well as whether they are picking up their purchase or having it delivered.
About 67% of U.S. consumers expect to do more shopping online if the pandemic continues, and nearly 70% of those shoppers said they thought they would buy more food online, according to a survey conducted by Coresight Research last week.
It’s hard for grocery stores to react to growth like that overnight, said Neil Stern, senior partner at Chicago-based retail consultancy McMillanDoolittle. Delivering them isn’t easy: A single order likely has a variety of oddly shaped products that need to be kept at different temperatures.
Adding workers focused on online orders who pick items off store shelves and pack them up for delivery can help, but they also compete with other customers for merchandise, Stern said.
In other words, there are no shortcuts. The employee filling your online order may lose out to another shopper reaching for the same product.
“Now grocery stores look like war zones. They’re not going to have any more success getting toilet paper than you are,” Stern said.
Several companies are hiring to help handle the demand, including Instacart, which said Monday it plans to add 15,000 people who will shop for and deliver groceries ordered through its service in Illinois and 300,000 nationwide. Walmart announced plans to recruit 150,000 temporary employees to work through May, including 5,000 in Illinois. Walmart also said it will give current employees bonuses, as did CVS and Walgreens, while Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods and Amazon said they’re temporarily raising wages.
Companies also are tweaking how the orders are delivered, such as by introducing “contact-free” delivery, where items are left at shoppers’ doors.
Instacart said 25% of orders last week were made using the new contact-free option. It also said it wouldn’t penalize workers who received customer ratings under five stars and worked with stores to make sure caps on the number of in-demand items shoppers could buy in stores applied to online buyers too.
Shoppers might have better luck going to an independent grocer’s website, but it’s no sure bet.
John Mourikes, owner of Foodsmart Urban Market in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, estimated he’s getting 10 times his usual number of online orders, some coming from as far as the South Loop. His online customers are usually people looking for a single tough-to-find ingredient.
“Now I’m getting people just desperate for groceries,” he said.
Dealing with out-of-stock items has been a challenge, especially when the customer indicates a substitute, like a different brand or size, isn’t acceptable, Mourikes said. If too many items are missing, he’ll cancel the order.
Mourikes handles orders through online grocery company Mercato. The 900 grocery stores using Mercato’s service are now getting 20 times the number of orders they received during the second week of March, said CEO Bobby Brannigan.
Mercato is making changes to better track whether items are in stock, since many grocery stores don’t monitor inventory in real time. It has started listing in-demand items like hand sanitizer as out-of-stock if a store hasn’t sold one in an unusually long time, he said.
“We never had to do that before, because we’ve never seen things move this way,” he said.
Erik Archambeault, who owns specialty food stores Provisions Uptown and Rogers Park Provisions in Chicago and sells online with Mercato, said he now has an employee count inventory daily to keep the online store up to date.
He hadn’t been getting enough online orders to require daily checks until last week, when his stores got more online orders during a single hour Thursday evening than it had in the past six months.
But will shoppers frustrated by long wait times or out-of-stock items, especially those trying online grocery shopping for the first time amid the pandemic, give online grocery shopping another shot once things return to normal?
Jonathan Thomas, 36, of LaPorte, Ind., said he wasn’t upset when his Instacart order from Kroger had more items than usual requiring a substitute and a couple of things were out of stock altogether. He tipped 20% instead of his usual 10% because delivery workers “are just as important” as health care workers, he said in a message on Twitter.
“They’re maxed out right now and deserve a bit extra,” he said.
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