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MVPD Services You Should Check Out
Since February of last year, at least five virtual multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) services have been introduced. Granted, some of these are still in their testing stages, but there are a number that are already made widely available for consumers. With an approach that sticks to the basics in delivering video content to customers, these MVPD services look to threaten pay TV services which rely on customer premises equipment (CPE), truck rolls, and credit checks. Let’s take a look at some of them:
- Go90. When the biggest wireless carrier in the United States completed its acquisition of Cisco’s OnCue video technology back in January of 2014, many expected Verizon Wireless to enter into the pay TV industry. But the Big Red chose instead to announce its Go90 mobile video service, which later launched in October of last year. This service features licensed TV shows and live programs from Viacom, Discovery, Scripps, ESPN, CBS Sports, and Univision, among many others, plus online video content from AwesomenessTV, Maker Studios, and Vice, just to name a few. This ad supported service is available across the United States and is absolutely free of charge.
- DirecTV Now. About a week ago, AT&T revealed that three virtual tiers of its DirecTV service will be launching before the end of this year. The wireless carrier has not divulged any major details yet about its DirecTV offering, but it is expected to be made available nationwide.
- Sling TV. Dish Network launched its Sling TV service about a year ago, with a $20 a month base offering that comes with 20 channels including ESPN, TNT, TBS, AMC, History, CNN, as well as add on channels like HBO, ABC, and Cinemax.
- Playstation Vue. Sony’s live streaming MVPD offering PlayStation Vue was launched in March of last year. Its basic $40 a month service already includes all major broadcast channels, and also AMC, Cartoon Network, and Viacom channels.
- TWC TV Roku Trial. With prices ranging from $10 a month to $50 a month, Time Warner Cable’s TWC TV Roku Trial (launched in November of last year) offers all major broadcast channels in its base package, while it includes over 70 channels (such as ESPN, AMC, TNT, Showtime & Starz) in its top tier packages.
- Xfinity Stream. Comcast also released its Xfinity Stream in November 2015, serving customers in select areas in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and the Chicago metropolitan area. Its offers the Big Four broadcast channels, HB, CW, PBS, and Univision at $15 a month.


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The Parliament has begun dealing with a citizens ' initiative to ban the use of some fireworks.
The consumer sales and use of rockets, fireworks and other firework equipment would therefore be banned. Small flame-lit fireworks, such as star rain sticks and priests, would be excluded from the prohibition. Check out our citizens ' initiative here. What do you think? Should the use of fireworks in the future only be allowed for professionals? The survey has been sent to the online Parliament influenters via email. Support the movement and become a member of support.

domain: news


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|Hoi An is an environmentally friendly city.
Five green tourism models in Hoi An have been successfully piloted. 60 tourism companies have promised to say no to plastic waste. Up to 100 travel companies are expected to have been granted green tourism certificates by 2025. These are the conditions for Hoi An, a famous resort town of central Quang Nam province, to be approved as a green tourist destination.
According to Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, a green economy is an irreversible trend worldwide. Quang Nam’s green tourism models will be replicated all over Vietnam, he added.
“We have defined tourism as our spearhead economic sector that supports other economic sectors. Sustainable tourism development is our way to go. Resolutions to recover tourism have already been in place. We expect it to flourish again in the next two years,” Mr. Hung said.
The National Tourism Year 2022 will officially kick off late March in Hoi An city to promote green tourism.


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BBC iPlayer to show BLAST Premier
BLAST Premier has announced a new partnership with the BBC, that will see the esports tournament organiser’s final three Counter-Strike events of the 2020 season shown on the UK public-service broadcaster’s digital platforms.
The BBC iPlayer will show more than 120 hours of Counter-Strike action across three events where over £1,5M in prize money will be up for grabs, including the Fall Showdown (November 24-29), Fall Final (December 8-13) and Global Final (January 19-24).
The BBC is the latest broadcast partner to join BLAST’s global portfolio of TV and online partners that have a joint reach of over 150m TV households and broadcast in 18 languages.
Alexander Lewin, VP Distribution and Programming for BLAST, said: “The BBC is admired around the world for its standard of excellence, and its digital platforms provide the perfect destination for BLAST Premier’s fans based in the United Kingdom to watch the world’s best Counter-Strike players go head-to-head.”
In 2020 alone, BLAST has increased its output and introduced multiple new lines of tournaments, content series and commercial partnerships, bringing over 500 hours of world-class esports to fans around the world.
BLAST is nominated for Best Esports Event in The Game Awards, for the Spring Final 2020
Voting is open now – https://thegameawards.com/nominees/best-esports-event
BLAST Premier teams up with SteelSeries for the Fall Season
SteelSeries will serve as the Official Mice, Keyboard and Mousepad Partner for the Counter-Strike Fall Season
BLAST appoint Tom Greene as Chief Growth Officer
Greene joins from the Harry Potter franchise and will focus on increasing BLAST’s efforts to grow its audience and consumer base


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AMD is claiming that Mantle can offer a unique and potent improvement to Civilization: Beyond Earth. We take that concept for a test drive.
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First local graduates in FIATA freight logistics standards and management course
For the first time the internationally recognized FIATA course, which focuses on freight logistics standards and management, was presented in Walvis Bay and some 30 logistics professionals attended the graduation ceremony.
More than 50 people completed the grueling course last year in November, with topics ranging from INCO terms, international trade, freight forwarding, to supply chain management among others. The course was presented by GMLS and arranged by the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG).
Congratulating the students the CEO of Namport and Chairman of the WBCG, Bisey Uirab said the graduation ticked off another box in the drive to enhance the country’s skills and competency.
“We are proud to witness the graduation of the first group of FIATA students. This training is a step in the right direction for the local freight forwarders as human capacity building forms part of the development of the country’s logistics industry. We have invested considerable effort and funds to improve our port and logistics infrastructure, but this would be a skewed development, if we did not focus on training people.”
Uirab said it is imperative that Namibia keeps up with advancements and developments in the global logistics industry.
“Foreign trade plays a crucial role in our economy, and it is essential that we continuously improve and build on our efficiencies, skills and infrastructure,” said Uirab.
He urged the graduates to apply and share the best practices of the course in their workplaces, expressing the hope that graduates had now gained better understanding of the port, customs and freight processes.
In his address the Chairman of the Walvis Bay Port Users Authority, Riaan Lottering, said FIATA training creates diligence and efficiency.
“The training refocuses the importance of compliance to regulations in the freight industry. By following the rules and having a clear understanding of the logistics processes, the industry can make the right decisions faster and without fear. This addresses issues such as corruption, incompetence and delays in the industry. In turn with skilled and knowledgeable logistics professionals, efficiency within the corridors are greatly improved. However, like a formula one racing team, the logistics industry needs to work together to ensure that we maintain the diligence and efficiencies. If one team member breaks the chain, then all is broken,” Lottering added.
More than 257,000 people work in the local logistics industry, accounting for about 10% of the country’s population.
The Port of Walvis Bay has a capacity of 350,000 TEUs and the country has 7,568km of tarred roads creating the ideal gateway for imports and exports to and from landlocked countries. The logistics industry contributes about 4.7% of the national GDP.
One of the graduates, Ben Louw of Customs said the long hours of study had paid off and urged his fellow graduates to continue building capacity.
“Now that you understand the processes and freight standards, Customs will not tolerate exceptions and delays,” he jibed, joking that with the graduates’ new-found knowledge, their employers should in turn consider improvements to remuneration.


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- Overall market share rises to 34.2% (+1.8 percentage points from December 2009)
- In the scooter sector, overall share of 40.8% (+2.7 p.p. from December 2009)
- In motorcycles, overall share rises to 9.7% in December 2010 (+1.6 p.p.) thanks to Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Derbi
Milan, 4 January 2011 – In December 2010, the Piaggio Group confirmed the growth of its share of the Italian two-wheeler market previously reported in November, with an improvement from 32.4% in December 2009 to 34.2% in December 2010, a rise of 1.8 percentage points.
According to data published today by Confindustria Ancma, the association of Italy’s leading two-wheeler constructors, the Piaggio Group’s growth stemmed specifically from its excellent performance in scooters, where its market share in December was 40.8%, an increase of 2.7 percentage points from December 2009.
The Group reported a significant YoY improvement in the 50cc scooter segment (57.4% in December 2010 from 55.4% in December 2009), accompanied by growth in the over 50cc scooter segment (31.9% in December 2010 from 30.8% in December 2009).
In motorcycles, the Piaggio Group’s 9.7% market share in Italy in December 2010 was up by 1.6 percentage points from December 2009 thanks to the Aprilia brand (with the new RSV4, Dorsoduro and Shiver models) and the Moto Guzzi and Derbi brands. Growth was particularly important in over 50cc bikes, largely thanks to the success of the Moto Guzzi V7, for which a Racer version was presented recently; in this segment, the Group share rose to 7.9% from 6.9% in December 2009.
Among the most successful vehicle ranges on the Italian market, in December 2010 the Piaggio Group accounted for six of the ten best-selling lines in over 50cc scooters: the Piaggio Beverly, Piaggio Liberty, Scarabeo, Vespa GTS and Vespa LX lines, which traditionally occupy a place in the ranking, were joined in December by the Piaggio Mp3 three-wheel scooter.


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"What started off as an idea to transform the trade ecosystem in the country by solving problems of millions of small businesses across "Bharat" leveraging technology, is today a reality. We are well on track to become India's largest Commerce platform, not just the biggest e-commerce platform," the company said.
Over the years, Udaan's business model has continued to evolve as per the market requirements and become sharper, the founders said in their note, a copy of which has seen.
"We have invested more than Rs 4,000 crore in the past 12-18 months across different pillars of business - technology, supply chain, category, credit, people, compliance, etc - to accelerate and strengthen our capabilities. This is already showing in our growth and we continue to aim for 100% y-o-y growth this financial year," it said.
Founded in 2016, Udaan has over 3 million users and more than 30,000 sellers on its platform. It has over 1.7 million, including retailers, Kirana shops, HoReCa, chemists, and farmers, and more than 5 lakh different products curated across 2,500 brands.
It delivers around 1.5-1.75 lakh orders daily, and 4.5 million deliveries a month.
In February this year, Udaan had said it planned to expand warehouse capacity by fivefold to 50 million square feet across several states in the next 7-8 years. These would include states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Karnataka, among others. Udaan's current warehousing capacity is at over 10 million square feet with 200 warehouses.
The executives, in their mail, said the second wave of the pandemic did "slow down momentum by a quarter".
"Our cost of doing business went up as we decided to serve our customers within the lockdown restrictions. Our commitment and resilience to continue serving our customers in a better way, no matter how hard the challenges, have taught us to adapt quickly and manage these short-term disruptions...As we approach the period of July-December' 21, it is very crucial for all of us to work relentlessly...," the startup said.
In January, Udaan had announced raising $280 million (about Rs 2,048 crore) in funding from investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Tencent, DST Global, GGV Capital, Altimeter Capital, Octahedron Capital, and Moonstone Capital. The company, which has raised $ 1.15 billion in total to date, was valued at over $ 3 billion posts the transaction.
While Udaan had not disclosed its GMV numbers, a report by Bernstein stated that the company's GMV was at about $2.1 billion ARR (annual recurring revenue) in December 2020.
GMV is a term used in online retailing to indicate the gross merchandise value of products sold through the marketplace over a certain period.
In April, Udaan had announced an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) liquidity programme worth about Rs 175 crore.
- Front Page
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- Companies & Economy
- SoftBank, Others Look to Pare FirstCry Stake
Japan’s SoftBank and NewQuest Capital Partners are among investors seeking to sell shares of IPO-bound FirstCry in the secondary market, valuing the omnichannel baby products retailer in the range of $3.5-4 billion, according to several people in the know.Nitish Quits NDA, Joins Hands with RJD to form Govt
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar parted ways with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the second time in eight years and resigned as CM on Tuesday, turning the clock back as he joined forces with the opposition alliance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and Left parties to stake a claim to form the next government.
ETPrime stories of the day
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Microsoft has altered its approach to selling Windows RT tablet/notebooks, at least in Australia, where it will start selling them in Harvey Norman and JB Hi Fi stores.
The hacker group that recently infected Israeli police computers with the Xtreme RAT malware has also targeted government institutions from the U.S., U.K. and other countries, according to researchers from antivirus vendor Trend Micro.
The recent cyberattack that infected Israeli police computers with malware was likely part of a year-long cyberespionage operation with targets in Israel and the Palestinian territories, according to security researchers from antivirus vendor Norman.
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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Samuel Kephart has been appointed interim president and CEO of the World Trade Center San Diego, the organization announced Nov. 26. He succeeds Steven Weathers, who announced his resignation, effective Dec. 4, for personal reasons.
Kephart, 63, has been vice president of marketing for the organization since July, when he was brought in to assist with branding, marketing and creating new sources of revenue. He is a veteran sales and media executive who has run his own consulting firm for the last 10 years. As president of Global Factors Inc., an export management company trading in specialty chemicals in the mid-1970s, Kephart became a charter member of the San Diego World Trade Association.
WTC San Diego Chairman Stephen Austin credited Kephart with successfully leading new strategies for expanding the organization’s reach.
“He has an excellent team and board to work with while continuing to make the [World Trade Center San Diego] an effective business facilitator,” Austin said in a news release.
WTCSD provides research, international trade services and introductions to facilitate and expand business opportunities for regional and worldwide business members and corporate clients. It operates under the World Trade Centers Association, which is headquartered in New York City.
— SDBJ Staff Report


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News and reviews on the latest tech, games, gadgets, software and the Web.
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the highly anticipated next-generation gaming consoles, are finally on their way; Sony's entry even launches sales at midnight Thursday. If you know an avid gamer or even an interested amateur, one of these consoles could very well be on your shopping list this holiday season. Though similar in some aspects, the PS4 and Xbox One offer different gaming experiences -- knowing...Read more »
Activision released its latest iteration of Call of Duty Tuesday -- Call of Duty: Ghosts -- a frenzy-inducing event in the gaming world. The title is the franchise's 10th, and the first new one since Black Ops II launched last November and sold 7.5 million copies (to the tune of $500 million) on opening day in the United States alone. It marked the fourth consecutive year a Call of Duty game...Read more »
Final Fantasy fans have been waiting a long time for developer Square Enix to make up for the debacle of a Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) experience that was Final Fantasy XII. To say the latest crack at an MMO is an enormous improvement would be an understatement. If you’re into MMOs and not playing this already, you should be. We’ve been racking up the hours on this game and it’s fantastic....Read more »
Since the Sept. 17 release of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto V, millions of gamers have been eagerly awaiting the launch of Grand Theft Auto Online, a massive multiplayer online game bundled with the main game that debuted Oct. 2. But excitement has quickly given way to disappointment because the game was riddled with malfunctions. As a result, the game's developer, Rockstar, has become...Read more »
The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) kicked off June 11 in Los Angeles and runs through June 13. The event brings together the biggest names in video game development and offers them a grand stage to unveil their latest, greatest titles.
Click below for our ongoing list of the hottest games displayed during the conference. We'll continue to update it as more games are announced.
The...Read more »
Business leaders searching for seedlings of a technology boom on Long Island, like the one Silicon Valley experienced two decades ago, would have been wise to have stepped into the Charles B. Wang Center at Stony Brook University last Friday. There, an impressive roster of successful video game developers with roots on Long Island gathered to see the work of the next wave of computer science enthusiasts.
The...Read more »
"With an epic story line, nonstop action and a soundtrack to match, this isn’t a game... It’s a full-on experience"
- Warp Pipe
There are few game releases in this world that rival those of Halo. Every rendition of this story has spawned an amazing game to experience. This fourth edition follows suit and does not disappoint.
There are some benchmarks...Read more »
Whether it is your first convention or you a yearly veteran, it pays to be prepared when going to the New York Comic-Con. Proper planning can make things easier so that the only thing you'll have to worry about is witnessing an unpleasant cosplay wardrobe malfunction from some not-so-super men.
Here is some of the items worth tossing into your New York Comic-Con bag:
Bottled Water -...Read more »
At Warp Pipe we encourage kids to get "Off the Couch", especially through our video segments of the same name. One elementary school gym feels the same way and are using video games to help kids learn to stay active.
Catholic Health Services provided Catholic Elementary Schools in Huntington with a $140,000 grant to promote health and education. Using the grant, the school system...Read more »
Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aimes hit the stage this past Thursday morning in New York City to announce that the Nintendo Wii U will hit U.S. retailers Nov. 18 with two price tags of $299 (basic model) or $349 (Deluxe edition which include NintendoLand gaming experience and more). Now that the cat is out of the bag, or should I say the Italian plumber is out of the pipe, is...Read more »


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For most students, the semester begins with sore feet and an empty wallet as they stand in long lines at local bookstores waiting to get the reading material they will need throughout the semester.
With each student needing books and often having to drop hundreds of dollars to get them, it is little wonder that stores catering to the reading needs of students are among the most lucrative Huntsville businesses.
However, since students typically only buy books once a semester, university bookstores must turn to other products to make money after the early semester rush.
Jesse Nelson, store manager of the Barnes and Noble University Bookstore located in the Lowman Student Center, said he agrees most of the store’s profits do come from textbook sales at the beginning of the semester.
Nelson estimated that anywhere from half to two thirds of his store’s semester profits come from sales made during the first two weeks of each semester.
As for the rest of the semester, Nelson said business begins to shift toward sales of other popular items, including clothing and school supplies.
Nelson said that as the weather begins to change during the spring semester, students look to update their warm weather wardrobe. As a result, sales of clothing bearing the SHSU logo become some of the biggest profit makers.
A manager at Bearkat Books said he believes his stores have a more entrepreneurial approach to compensating for lagging book sales after the initial boom.
Bearkat Books offers two locations for area students. One, located at 1108 16th St., offers the clothing and school supplies such as those found at other area bookstores in Huntsville. However, its second store, found at 2223 Avenue J., offers these things also, but in addition has a tanning salon to help students stay golden brown year-round.
In addition to supplies and clothes, local stores also offer other products that help to bolster sales throughout the semester.
Managers said items including graduation supplies, such as caps and gowns, provide extra end of the semester profits. Bookstores also sell collegiate rings that symbolize the nearing graduation for many seniors.
Kampus Korner Bookstore was unavailable for comment at press time.


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Hemmings bought a big green 1981 Chevrolet Suburban. The mission: Drive across the country and upgrade it along the way to turn it into stronger, better, more daily driver-able truck. And we had a camera crew follow our own Mike Musto to document the build every step of the way. The video series is coming soon, and we promise it’s not only a heck of a road trip, it will also have plenty of information and inspiration for anyone thinking of their own Chevy or GMC truck project. In the meantime, here’s an on-the-road report from codriver and Friend of Hemmings Elana Scherr. Oh, and if you’ve already fallen in love with the Suburban before you see the videos, stay tuned – it’s going up for sale this fall, in an auction to benefit the SEMA Cares charity.
Hemmings Big Green


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Cutting a budget is never easy—just ask the U.S. Congress. But in the past five years, Proctor & Gamble (P&G) has cut $10 billion in overall costs and $1 billion in marketing from its budget. That sounds great—unless the budget cuts also mean cuts in sales and profits.
Some of the savings came from P&G’s move into the digital arena, which increased efficiency, such as through an in-house, digital media buying optimization system called Hawkeye. But analysts also worry that P&G is losing its edge and cite several reasons for this dire prediction:
- P&G has lost market share across more than half of its global business. According to consumer surveys, P&G is also falling behind the competition in advertising effectiveness, particularly for its television and print advertisements.
- Retailer ratings of P&G have been falling for approximately four years. A recent survey indicated that P&G has fallen to fourth place, behind Unilever and Kimberly-Clark.
- In recent years, P&G consistently has been unable to deliver on promised product launches, leaving consumers, retailers, investors, and analysts frustrated and disappointed. Some executives blame these failures on capital spending constraints, but a P&G spokeswoman also has asserted that they were due to unexpected consumer demand.
- P&G has been slipping particularly far behind its competitors in the beauty and personal care businesses, which traditionally were mainstays of its product portfolio.
The company’s CEO Bob McDonald has talked about using digital marketing to solve some of these problems. For example, he promises that the use of digital tools will enable P&G to predict demand better and lead to improved product innovations. But at the moment, P&G’s digital portfolio consists only of digital advertising, and there are no universal standards to determine the effectiveness of digital advertising. And even as McDonald promises a move toward more digital advertising, most of its current advertising budget remains focused on print.
Furthermore, P&G’s competition similarly is also looking to put more money into digital advertising. Analysts thus worry about P&G’s ability to put its promises into action. The cost cutting moves helped raise P&G stock value 5 percent, but competitors’ stock values also rose in the same period. If everyone else is doing it too, can Procter & Gamble maintain its traditional lead in the field?
- Should P&G continue to work to cut costs, or is it risking its competitive advantage by doing so?
source: Jack Neff, “Is Procter and Gamble Losing its Edge?” Advertising Age, March 26, 2012.
All McDonald has to offer is a promise, and no metrics have been used to measure/project its effectiveness. I would say that they continue to risk their competitive advantage. They mainly focus on print, which leaves them with tough shoes to fill in terms of implementing an effective digital strategy.
Dan Shaffer said:
P&G should only cut costs if it is entirely necessary either for their stock value to increase or for cash flow purposes. Otherwise, the cost-cutting creates a poor image for the company and may scare customers away, thus costing the company its competitive edge.
Sean McClung said:
By continuing to cut costs, P&G is decreasing its competitive advantage. If they don’t cut costs and put more money into digital advertising like their competitors are ,they will increase their likelihood of gaining a competitive advantage. Because their competitors are investing in digital adverting, they need to keep up to hope to survive in the industry.


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Former owners of Representaciones e Investigaciones Medicas, known as Rimsa, say Teva is looking for ways to back out of the $2.3 billion deal.
Teva agreed to buy the Mexican generics business last year, in order to expand in emerging markets. Now, former Rimsa owners are suing Teva, alleging it made false accusations of fraud in order to void the purchase.
As quoted by Bloomberg: "Shortly after the acquisition, Teva concluded that it had substantially overpaid for the Rimsa companies," the former owners said. It “now wants its money back because otherwise Teva knows that its management will be held accountable by its shareholders.”
But Teva says Rimsa failed to disclose the differences between manufacturing processes and descriptions in product registrations filed with regulators.
“Teva intends to respond strongly to the lawsuit and will be seeking a variety of remedies for fraud and breach of contract,” the company said.


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At the Golden Globes earlier this month, a svelte young star turned heads walking the carpet wearing a sleek, black-spangled Louis Vuitton harness with accompanying Cartier jewels.
It wasn’t the first time that Timothée Chalamet had stolen the spotlight from his fashionable female colleagues.
For A-list ladies and their teams, the power of a perfect red-carpet moment, replete with a gorgeous gown and sparkling jewels, is readily apparent. But now that more male stars are embracing fashion, they’re also reaping the benefits of peacocking, such as positive press and potentially higher salaries, as public adoration leads to highly-sought Hollywood and advertising gigs. And as the men’s red carpet heats up, the business of dressing guys for awards shows and movie premieres is starting to sizzle, too. For all involved — stars, stylists, designers and brands alike — a prominent men’s carpet mainly means one thing: opportunity.
Now, the race to dress the most dashing male stars of stage and screen is on, as red-carpet risk takers such as Chalamet and Donald Glover move the needle on what’s considered acceptable for men’s evening wear.
As a result, brands are offering male stars — and their stylists — bigger financial incentives to show off their wares at events than ever before.
“Women are getting $60,000, $80,000 at the Oscars to wear a gown,” says stylist Van Van Alonso, who styles Mahershala Ali, as well as Big Sean and Miguel. “Now, men are [getting] little past halfway that.”
It might take only a matter of months for rising stars to become marketable fashion plates.
Henry Golding, the chiseled leading man from “Crazy Rich Asians,” is an adventurous dresser. But before the blockbuster comedy — his very first film — came out this summer it was almost impossible to get brands to lend Golding clothing, stylist David Thomas remembers.
“When we started working together [last spring], nobody had heard of him,” Thomas — whose other clients include John Legend, Lionel Richie and country music up-and-comer Kane Brown — tells The Post. Then, for CinemaCon in Las Vegas in April, Thomas put Golding in a slim fitting cornflower-blue ensemble by Strong Suit, with a complementary floral button-down.
The daring look earned the actor his debut best-dressed nod in GQ’s top looks of the week.
Golding’s buzz only built up from there. Now, Thomas says he fields five to 10 requests a week from brands wanting to dress the newly minted matinee idol. “It was a huge turnaround,” says Thomas of the months leading up to the “Crazy Rich Asians” premiere in August. “It’s really exciting to be on a best-dressed list . . . for someone who was not known, and just starting out, that was a big boost for us.”
For men, coming correct to red-carpet events has become “part of the day-to-day work of being a movie star” according to celebrity stylist Michael Fisher, who works with Adam Driver, Sam Rockwell and Ethan Hawke. “And it does make a difference. It’s not just an outfit anymore; it’s furthering the actor’s career and their brand.”
Although looking dapper can now enhance male stars’ bankability with audiences and studios, and lead to lucrative secondary deals such as clothing, accessory or fragrance endorsement deals, that wasn’t always the case.
“ ‘Fashion’ used to be kind of a dirty word for guys,” says Thomas, who has been styling Hollywood celebrities for the past 15 years. “When [actors] used to do any form of advertising, they used to do it in Japan or somewhere where they hoped no one would see it.
But now, it’s cool to have a brand deal, it’s cool to be the face of a campaign.”
This means that — as with the women’s carpet — the lines between style and advertising are getting blurrier.
Rami Malek is a face of Dior Homme, and so that’s frequently what the “Bohemian Rhapsody” star dons for his events. Superstar DJ Calvin Harris, a David Thomas client, has a contract with Emporio Armani, therefore he wears the Italian house’s suits on the red carpet as well. (“It’s really cool, but I find it challenging to always put him in one brand,” Thomas says.)
Even the guys who don’t have the most coveted fashion contracts are promoting something, says Fisher. “Pretty much all of my guys have watch ambassadorships, so they’re always wearing their timepieces.”
Alonso confirms this. “Down to the cuff links, people are getting money [to wear them],” she tells The Post. “Down to the socks.”
While Alonso says she gets why some stars and their stylists take the cash, she and her clients don’t. They like having the freedom to wear whatever they want, however they want and to support emerging designers. (Ali, for instance, regularly wears Zegna, but also steps out in lesser-known labels, including Israel Valencia and Dzojchen.)
Brands understand that, at this particular moment, there’s no better way to amplify their exposure than by getting an item on the red carpet. With the increased global focus on men’s awards-show style, designers can hope for multiple viral mentions — on fashion websites, blogs and social media — in the days and even weeks following an event.
For the Golden Globes earlier this month, Dutch menswear label Suitsupply loaned host Andy Samberg a number of different looks for the show itself, and for his promotional tour that preceded it. Samberg isn’t a paid ambassador — his stylist Sam Spector is simply a fan of the line, says the brand’s vice president, Nish de Gruiter — but the end result is the same either way: Audiences see the comedian wearing Suitsupply.
Samberg appeared onstage in a blue velvet shawl collar tuxedo and, days after the Globes, “in New York and LA, we saw people coming in and asking for it, and definitely saw an uptick in sales on that particular model,” de Gruiter tells The Post. (Unlike the pricey Versace and Stella McCartney couture gowns co-host Sandra Oh wore that night, Samberg’s Suitsupply threads are pretty affordable, with full tuxedos available for $599.)
But the celebrity effect goes beyond just quantifiable purchases, de Gruiter explains.
Samberg also wore the brand’s Lazio green velvet tuxedo jacket ($399) for a pre-Globes spread in the Hollywood Reporter. By modeling an out-of-the-box look, beyond the traditional black and white, he gets guys thinking, says de Gruiter: “Like, ‘Hey, what else can I wear beyond the basics?’ ”
Fisher hopes that the transactional aspect of the carpet doesn’t grow to overshadow the style. “I like building relationships with brands,” he says, referring to the mutually beneficial — but not contractual — connections that form when designers lend repeatedly to certain actors.
“I think it makes red carpet styling more interesting when those [relationships] exist, rather than it just being like, ‘Here’s X amount of dollars for you to put this tuxedo on [your client].’ ”


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One Step Toward a Moral Economy
Imagine more than 100 organizations using their consumer dollars in support of better working conditions and compensation for employees at hotels and convention centers. That's exactly what happened on June 28th when UNITE HERE, the union that represents hotel workers, announced the launch of INMEX–the Informed Meeting Exchange (see press release below). This is a powerful example of how consumer action can help to construct a moral economy that creates real opportunities for people who would otherwise be trapped in poverty.
While the organizing credit goes to the union, Longview Senior Fellow Fred Block was a key catalyst for this effort. Fred helped elaborate the vision for a standard setting organization for the hotel and convention industry, and he played a central role in persuading the American Sociological Association to be one of INMEX’s initial subscribers.
Fred argued from the beginning that the hotel industry illustrates how employers in the U.S. can choose between a low road and a high road. Thousands of hotel and motel workers are paid $6.00 or $7.00 an hour–a poverty wage-- to do back breaking work without health insurance or any kind of job security. In contrast, unionized hotel workers in cities like Las Vegas and New York earn more than $30,000 per year, have health insurance, job security, and an organization that protects them from unsafe working conditions.
But as Fred has stressed in his writings on Market Fundamentalism, the current fashion in the corporate world is to drive executive compensation ever higher while reducing labor costs to a minimum. So some of the largest hotel chains are tempted to follow the low road. This means waging war on the union, stripping workers of health care coverage, and restoring management’s freedom to fire workers for any arbitrary reason.
The reality, however, is that following the high road actually makes more sense for hotel consumers. A skilled and energetic labor force makes all the difference in the quality of a guest’s hotel experience. Few people would actually want to have their convention or annual meeting surrounded by surly workers who have been consistently disrespected by their employer. Moreover, union-management cooperation in this industry has been very fruitful in making employees more productive in providing the full range of hotel services.
The inspiration behind INMEX is that consumers can exert their collective power to tilt this industry towards the high road. There are literally tens of thousands of organizations and associations that use hotel space for meetings, conferences, and conventions, and provide the industry with a substantial share of its revenues. Hence, the hotel industry will have to take notice if some of those organizations band together to support strong labor standards for this industry.
Working alone as individuals, our power is limited. But many people belong to one, two, three, or many different associations–religious, professional, fraternal, political, and avocational. By working to get the associations to affiliate with INMEX, the pressure on the industry to create better working conditions and better labor relations will be magnified.
To be sure, the hotel industry is one small segment of the economy, but the lesson is that institutional creativity and grassroots action can transform this economy sector by sector. The trend of the last thirty years towards growing inequality of income and wealth is not inevitable; it can be reversed. Working together, we can create an economy that is highly productive, fosters innovation, and is consistent with our deepest moral commitments.
Press Release: The Informed Meetings Exchange (INMEX) launches with the support of over 100 organizations
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 28, 2006--More than 100 subscribers representing approximately $200 million in annual direct hotel expenditures formally announce the creation of the Informed Meetings Exchange (INMEX). INMEX is an organization that researches, analyzes and distributes information about the global hospitality industry to subscribers. INMEX is a clearinghouse of information, services and best practices for consumers in the meetings market. At its launch on June 28, INMEX subscribers already represent some of the largest and most highly-respected associations and organizations in the LGBT, African-American, Latino, Academic, non-profit and labor communities.
"We can't take for granted the power of our organizations' dollars in the hospitality industry, and how those dollars affect communities of color in a very concrete way," said Julian Bond, Chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "We want to ensure that our money is spent in a way that is consistent with our organizational values and priorities. INMEX will allow all of our organizations to be more informed consumers before we book our next meetings and conventions. By giving us concrete information on potential labor disputes, strikes, boycotts or upcoming negotiations, our organizations are kept in the loop. As a result, our meetings and conventions will have a higher likelihood of success."
"As a civil rights organization committed to equality and justice, we are excited about the opportunity INMEX provides," said Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "The LGBT community spends billions of dollars every year in the hospitality industry. With INMEX, we are going to be able to make more informed choices about which hotel companies we chose to do business with. Additionally, by joining INMEX with so many key national organizations - many of which conduct several meetings a year, we can exchange ideas and suggestions on best practices and our experiences with different hotels and cities."
Cecilia Munoz, Vice President of the National Council of La Raza, agrees that the impact of their organization's meetings conventions dollars makes them a key consumer in the hospitality industry. "We have approximately 20,000 people participate in our annual conference each year. That translates into millions in economic impact to a destination city. Most of the people that make our conventions successful are the men and women who clean our rooms, serve our food and prepare our meals. We have to make sure that they are getting a fair share of our meeting dollars, as well as safe workplaces and respect. And that's the beauty of INMEX; this is a service that provides us key information about how the hotel industry treats its workers and its customers, so that we can make responsible business decisions that affect our members in a positive way."
John Wilhelm, President of the Hospitality Division of UNITE HERE, which is the Union that helped launch INMEX, sees this as an opportunity to speak to a broad audience about issues that are important to the industry in a unique and meaningful way. "The organizations here represent the most lucrative, consistent and highly sought after customer segment in the hospitality industry. The largest global hotel corporations, like Hilton for instance, rely on meeting and convention business from groups like these for approximately one-third of their annual revenue. INMEX is a useful tool for all organizations to ensure they have the most accurate information about the hotel industry before they book meetings and events."
"The hotel industry has realized record profits in the last few years, and I think our groups are beginning to understand that global hotel corporations rely on our groups' business to sustain those profits," said John Stephens, Executive Director of the American Studies Association and Board Chair of INMEX. "Subscribers will use INMEX to help them make more informed decisions about where and how they spend their highly coveted meetings and conventions dollars. With this type of transparency and information exchange, all of us can ensure that the dollars we spend have a positive impact on hotel workers lives and the communities they live in."


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Asian markets ended mostly higher Thursday after investors welcomed benign U.S. consumer data which eased inflation fears. South Korea led the advanced finishing over 2 percent higher.
Data showing a smaller-than-expected 0.2 percent rise in U.S. consumer prices in April helped soothe concerns that the U.S. Federal Reserve may soon hike interest rates to curb rising prices in the world's biggest economy.
Improving earnings prospects also comforted markets. Japan's Sony surged 8.7 percent after it issued a surprisingly upbeat operating profitforecast despite the challenges posed by a slowing U.S. economy and a stronger yen.
Oil prices retreated from record levels, easing some of the inflation fears that have hit Asian stocks this month, and encouraging investors to sell their safe bond holdings to bet on riskier assets.
South Korea's KOSPI climbed 2.28 percent to hit a 5-½ month closing high fueled by record high closings by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics on their strong earnings outlook on the year. The index has now recouped most of the 19 percent fall which took it to its mid-March low and now stands just 0.6 percent off on the year. Today's gain is the biggest percentage gain in a single day since April 2.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 Average gained 0.9 percent to a four-month closing high, led higher by growing market reassurance symbolized by the surge in Sony shares. Nippon Steel leapt after a report that Toyota Motor has agreed with it and other top Japanese steelmakers to pay more than 30 percent more for sheet steel, while bank shares -- sold recently -- powered higher after a report that no. 2 bank Mizuho Financial Group plans an effective 10-for-1 stock split.
Australian shares advanced, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia rising after reassuring comments on current trading, while Rio Tinto extended gains on talk BHP Billiton may raise its bid. Contractor Leighton Holdings and soft drinks firm Coca-Cola Amatil also gained on upbeat outlooks, further lifting sentiment.
China's Shanghai Composite Index closed 0.6 percent lower after a late-session dip. Many Sichuan-area shares outperformed in earlier trading due in part to expectations of demand from rescue and reconstruction efforts after a devastating earthquake in the region. Chongqing Three Gorges Water Conservancy and Electric Power soared to its 10 percent limit and Chongqing Yukaifa, a property firm, also jumped after saying they had not been affected by the quake.
Singapore's Straits Times Index ended 0.4 percent higher. Shares of Neptune Orient Lines jumped over 3 percent after the shipping company posted a near-tripling in its first-quarter net profit.
Hong Kong stocks bucked the positive trend despite a strong start, reversing course to close almost flat, as cautious investors shrugged off regional gains and offloaded shares, but Hutchison Whampoa jumped 5.5 percent after a broker upgrade.


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June 6, 1993
"Clinton Nightmare: Inflation Rising From the Grave"
San Jose Mercury News
By Timothy Taylor
<< Back to 1993 menu
JUST when the vampire of inflation seems safely buried, with a stake through
its heart and a garlic necklace, the coffin lid creaks open again.
The warnings sounded a couple of weeks ago, when it was announced that consumer
prices had risen .4 percent in April, an annual rate of about 5 percent. Since
then, the Federal Reserve and President Clinton have been tussling over whether
the figures represent a blip or a trend.
Both sides agree on the obvious: Inflation isn't yet stalking among us. Prices
rose just 2.9 percent in 1992; with the exception of 1986, 1992 was the lowest
annual rate since the early 1960s. The consensus forecast seems to be for a 3.5
percent inflation rate this year, perhaps 4 percent next year.
It may seem a lot of fuss about 1 or 2 percent, however, the Federal Reserve
knows two bothersome facts about inflation.
Even small changes in inflation can make a real difference, especially in long-term
economic decisions like saving for retirement or major investments in new industrial
capacity. At a 3 percent rate of inflation, for example, the purchasing power
of a dollar is cut in half in 24 years; at a 5 percent rate, it takes a bit less
than 15 years. Every moment spent trying to protect savings or investments from
inflation is time taken away from working on real, productive economic decisions.
Although low rates of inflation are somewhat worrisome, the big fear is that
slow inflation may accelerate.
After all, the essence of inflation is a cycle of self-confirming beliefs.
Workers demand higher wages because of the increases in prices; employers can
pay the higher wages because of the increases in prices. In fact, a time of rising
wages and prices may, for a brief period, look good to everyone, before everyone
recognizes that they are just riding the inflation treadmill again.
The Federal Reserve has only one cure for inflation: Push up interest rates,
which reduces economic demand and thus the pressure for price increases. Once
an inflationary cycle is entrenched, this process can be extraordinarily painful.
Breaking the back of double-digit inflation in the late 1970s and early 1980s,
for example, required interest rates reaching almost 20 percent, and double-digit
Rather than allow matters to get so far out of hand, the Federal Reserve is
apparently mulling a small, immediate increase in interest rates, to head inflation
off at the pass. As Fed chairman Alan Greenspan recently said, "We need to
be especially vigilant not to be mesmerized by the current tranquillity of the
Such comments must send a chill down Bill Clinton's neck. Since the dismemberment
of his short-term economic stimulus package by Congress, Clinton's primary tool
for giving the economy a short-term boost has been lower interest rates to stimulate
business investment and consumer purchases of houses and durable goods. Earlier
this year, as Congress made encouraging noises about cutting the budget deficit
and the Fed made reassuring noises about inflation being under control, long-term
interest rates were dropping.
If the inflation figures for May (to be released in about a week) equal or
exceed the April rate, it will signify to the financial markets that inflation
is stirring, and that the Fed soon will nudge up interest rates. Clinton will
have no tools remaining to give the economy a quick prod.
Some of this inflation boomlet is no one's fault. Severe March storms led to
shortages in some parts of the country, which pushed up April prices. After several
years of holding the line on price increases, firms in many industries seem to
be testing whether some price increases can fly.
But Clinton can't escape blame. New government regulations and burdens on business,
and the threat of more, are contributing to price increases.
Also, the Clinton administration has been lobbying for a weaker dollar. This
benefits U.S. producers, by making it less profitable for foreign companies to
sell in the U.S. (because the dollars earned here are worth relatively less),
and by making it more profitable for American companies to sell abroad (because
the currency earned abroad is relatively more valuable). However, when imports
are offering less competition, inflation often results.
If the Federal Reserve decides to push up interest rates to nip inflation in
the bud, Clinton will be sorely tempted to threaten and cajole, to downplay the
risk of inflation and stress the need for immediate growth. Such fulminations
would be short-sighted.
The last two Democratic presidents, Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter, both left
a legacy of rising inflation for their Republican successors to clean up. If Clinton
wants to lay a solid foundation for long-term growth, and give the public a reason
to believe that Democrats can be trusted to manage this aspect of the economy,
he has to show a willingness to take inflation seriously, and to fight it.
<< Back to 1993 menu


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Jumia Kenya has entered into a partnership with courier service firm G4S to enable their customers to collect their online purchases from G4S centers across the country.
This move is part of Jumia’s strategy to meet the demands of its growing customer base across the country. In this arrangement, the service will be available in select G4S centres with the list expected to grow in the coming months.
To pick up items from G4S, customers will need to select the centre closest to them during the check-out process after which the product will be dispatched and the customer(s) can pay in cash or through mobile money transfer during pick-up.
Jumia has been on an upward curve as evidenced by the local and international brands which have established online shops on the Jumia marketplace. These brands have launched new products and models exclusively on the trading platform. Some of the companies include Microsoft, Infinix, Innjoo, Bata, Maybelline, Darling hair, Nairobi Sports House, Jua energy among other SME’s.


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According to Rubina Haq, President of the BGMEA, Bangladesh’s garment exports may plummet almost 40 per cent in the next few months as the retail market in the country is yet to rebound. The impact of the COVID-19 on consumers’ behavior is still unknown and factories in the country are still struggling with cash flow and credits to make a turnaround.
Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) revealed that Bangladesh’s export earnings from knitwear garments declined by 5.17 per cent to $1.89 billion during July-May of FY 2019-20.
Similarly, the exports of woven products by the country declined by 14.31 per cent while its overall exports declined by 14.08 per cent compared to the last financial year. Huq further revealed inflow of new orders has also declined by 45 per cent compared to last year.


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Well, he has done it again. Jon Prosser has recently published a new video on his YouTube Channel Front Page tech, where he gives us important details and what could be some of the first images of the new Mac mini with Apple’s new M1X chip.
He started by warning his audience that they will most likely want to get their hands on a new Mac mini after viewing his latest video. And he also suggests that we will get new hardware during the upcoming WWDC. He had previously mentioned this on Twitter, where he also went on to ‘confirm’ we may get the new 14-inch MacBook Pro during WWDC 2021, well, according to his sources. He also claims that Apple could be preparing to brief the press immediately after WWDC about the MacBook Pro.
Now the new Mac mini M1X is expected to arrive with a new design. Let’s remember that the first model with Apple Silicon is not that different from its Intel counterpart. We get the same design on the outside, including the two USB-A, two Thunderbolt USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet ports, along with the audio jack and power input, but it seems that things could change and we could get a smaller, more powerful Mac mini.
Prosser shows us a monster in a smaller package. The new Mac mini could arrive with a slimmer design. Its circular base could also be replaced by a pair of rubber strips like the ones we could get with the new MacBook Air. We could also get more ports, four Thunderbolt ports, and the same magnetic power connector that’s found in the recently launched M1 iMacs, but unfortunately, no SD slot.
M1 Mac mini
The air vent would now be moved from the back to the bottom of the device. And the metal plate on top could be replaced with a plexiglass-like material on top, which would be on top of the aluminum enclosure. These new changes could also give us more color variants, but take this with some salt. But to make things even better, the new Mac mini could come with the same specs as the upcoming MacBook Pro, meaning we could get up to 64GB RAM, a 10-core CPU, 16 or 32 graphic cores, and more.


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WASHINGTON (AP) - Attention online shoppers: The days of tax-free shopping on the Internet may soon end for many of you.
The Senate is voting on a bill today that would empower states to collect sales taxes for purchases made over the Internet. The measure is expected to pass because it has already survived three procedural votes.
The bill faces opposition in the House, where some Republicans regard it as a tax increase. But there is a broad coalition of retailers lobbying in favor of it.
Under current law, states can only require retailers to collect sales taxes if the store has a physical presence in the state. As a result, many online sales are tax-free, giving Internet retailers an advantage over brick-and-mortar stores.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin wants consumers to pay sales tax on their purchases, whether they shop in a local store, or online.
Consumers are already supposed to pay sales tax for online purchases. But very few do since there's no uniform collection method, and the onus to pay is placed on the consumer, not the retailer. In Illinois, for instance, those who file state tax returns are asked to list their online purchases and pay sales tax for them.
Durbin says the current rules are not fair to brick and mortar stores, who must collect sales tax from their customers. Durbin has sponsored a bill that would require Internet stores to do the same.
The Senate will soon begin debate on the Market Fairness Act. It could be voted on as early as this week.
Missouri Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt have both said they favor the move.


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By Elías Jabbe
Riyadh-based entertainment startup, Telfaz11, have been on an international journey after creating immensely popular short films and video series such as Khambalah, Top 5 and Alkhallat that have amassed billions of views on YouTube.
Following their launch in 2011, a presentation of their short films in Los Angeles at the 2017 Saudi Film Days festival and raising venture capital from the likes of UAE-based angel investing experts VentureSouq in 2018, Telfaz11 is launching its Dubai office tonight.
Telfaz11 CEO Alaa Fadan took time to answer questions as his team prepares to expand at a time when Saudi Arabia’s local entertainment industry enters an unprecedented era of growth.
What are some of your plans for your presence in Dubai during the next phase of growth for your startup?
The UAE is a very important commercial hub and our regional expansion is the natural way forward for a growing digital media company like ourselves. With our Dubai team, we plan to expand our commercial presence and build relationships with leading agencies and brands based in the UAE that are targeting the regional local markets.
Are there any new original video series we can look forward to, following the success of Alkhallat?
Yes, we are working on a few new concepts: one is actually currently in production. There’s exciting stuff coming from the Telfaz11 team that also look at a new demographic target while maintaining the same Telfaz11 humor and appeal. Keep an eye out for a new family-oriented show to launch soon.
Can we look forward to some films from you in 2020?
We cannot promise anything yet, but Telfaz11 is constantly looking at film projects that are culturally significant and we will be pursuing some exciting premium productions in the near future.
What insights on brand building can we take away from how actors in Telfaz11 videos have grown over the years and starred in commercials and how you’ve subtly integrated brands as native content in your video series?
Brands who understand their consumers and respect them ultimately win. Saudi youth culture is a beautiful and complicated beast, and we at Telfaz11 know it inside out. That’s why many brands that understand the value and appeal of our content have succeeded at leveraging our reach for their brands and campaigns though brand integrations on our popular shows.
With cinemas being built across Saudi Arabia, how close do you think we are to seeing Saudi filmmakers showcasing their craft across the Kingdom?
Very close: local Saudi filmmakers have been eager for the opportunity to allow them to master their craft professionally, and cinemas will finally allow them to do that. We are excited about the prospects this brings and Telfaz11 will also be riding that wave.


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File photo: AFP
The new scheme is great news for motorists in France, particularly anyone who uses the motorways to commute.
From February, all motorists who make at least ten round trips a month on the same route will benefit from a 30 percent discount at toll booths (peages) from the very first journey.
Drivers will need to subscribe for the deal which they will be able to do from February 1st, with the threshold low enough to be accessible to those who work part time.
Motorists who already benefit from local subscriptions that provide preferential rates to frequent drivers will also be free to subscribe to the new offer and the price of the subscription will not exceed 2.50 euros per month.
The scheme coincides with the planned price hike at motorway tolls, which is set to go up by an average of 1.8 percent on February 1st.
The Ministry of Transport has laid out exactly what the scheme will mean for drivers in terms of savings.
For example, in 2018, a motorist making ten trips a month between Verdun and Metz (using the A4 motorway) in the north east of France had to spend 102 euros per month on tolls but in 2019, this price will drop to 72.80 euros, representing a saving of 29.20 euros per month.
Meanwhile drivers making ten trips a month between Pont-d'Ain and Beynost (using the A42 motorway) in eastern France had to pay 84 euros per month but in 2019, that cost will drop to 60.20 euros, meaning savings of 23.80 euros per month.
And a motorist making ten return trips per month between Nîmes and Montpellier (using the A9 motorway) in southern France had to pay 60 euros per month in 2018 but in 2019 the cost will drop to 43.40 euros, representing savings of 16.60 euros per month.
According to French press reports, the government created the deal to avoid angering drivers, as well as to avoid the subject of the renationalising the motorways being raised in the public debate (le Grand Debat) currently being held by French President Emmanuel Macron in an effort to appease the yellow vests.


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Is South Africa Taking Strides in the Payment Space?
The payment industry has, over the last few years, evolved radically both in South Africa and globally. Constant payment options have popped up over the years and brands have clamored to adopt them to please customers.
Of late, digital payment options have popped up and customers are keen to make use of the seamless, efficient and swift options that they offer. But, is there still some uncertainty among customers around contactless payments? Are the brands keeping up with the continuously evolving appetite for the payments? And, will they be able to manage new options in future?
We took a look at the current digital payment landscape to ascertain what customers were being drawn to, what they want out of the payment options and whether companies were providing them with what they want.
Let’s take a look.
Customers Are Quickly Adapting to the Payment Landscape
Emerging payments are all the talk currently in the digital world, and for a good reason. A whopping 95% of all customers have made use of one of the emerging digital payment options available to them in the last year to make an online purchase.
Customers have been quick off the mark to start snapping up ways to pay for their online goods, and have relished the variety of options available to them from retailers and e-tailers.
Contactless, cryptocurrency, biometrics, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), open banking and account-to-account payments are flourishing, and expected to simply accelerate over the next few years, offering customers a variety of safe, secure and effortless ways to pay for their goods.
More and more customers are now relying on digital channels to pay their bills due to the convenience and heightened financial management. These platforms allow them to budget and effectively manage their money. 51% say they are using digital tools in order to set up recurring payments to reduce errors of payments.
Customers are Still Hesitant about Security, But Trusting of Brands
While security is still top of mind for all customers, ease of use (51%) came in a close second and rewards (41%) were also coveted factors for the payment space. Granted, traditional payment options like swiping or inserting are still considered more secure, but most customers are relishing the options that are being made available to them.
However, customers have become more trusting of the latest tech in digital payments. They have started to recognize the convenience and security that Biometrics can offer.
More than 75% agree that it is easier to make payments using biometrics than the more traditional methods like a card. What is encouraging to brands is that the heightened security is also evident to customers. Roughly three-quarters acknowledge that biometric technologies for identity and payments are more secure than a PIN, password, or other form of identification. They also agree that it is more secure than two factor authentication via text or email.
It Is Up to Brands to Keep Up
But the question stands, are e-commerce stores in South Africa ready to provide the array of options to their customers to keep them happy?
In many cases, especially for start-up companies, having multiple payment options is highly resource intensive. Payment gateways can be costly, security needs to be at the top of the priority list and each option needs to be completely seamless for customers. With all of this to consider for one payment option, having multiple simply means more work and most expense for each company.
So, many ask whether it is worth it having multiple options and if the ROI justifies the spend and resources on payments.
But these challenges can be overcome. Brands all across the country and world are side stepping the hurdles thrown by multiple payment options and providing their customers with the various options they are demanding.
The Bottom Line
As the payment landscape evolves and changes, so does the customer’s appetite for new and efficient ways to pay for their products. It is up to brands globally to provide them with the right options and manage the processes and operations from the backend. Although challenging, it is not impossible as the gateways make it easier and easier to manage it from behind the scenes.


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The European Commission has approved Germany's scheme to roll out a network of user-friendly infrastructure for charging electric vehicles across the country.
The EC decided that the project addresses a real gap in the market without unduly affecting competition in the Single Market. It will cost 300 million euros over four years and will promote the installation of new standard and high-speed charging stations for electric vehicles, as well as the extension of the existing infrastructure.
The scheme is open to all, including companies, individuals and local authorities, and support will be awarded progressively through an open and transparent tender procedure. It requires that the electricity for the charging infrastructure comes from renewable energy sources.
“Electric vehicles can provide real benefits to society by reducing harmful emissions and noise pollution” said Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who is the Commissioner in charge of competition policy. “The German support scheme will encourage consumers and businesses to use electric vehicles. It will provide the necessary infrastructure in a cost-effective way in line with EU state aid rules”.
The Commission believes that the measure will encourage a significant uptake of electric vehicles, thereby making a major contribution towards meeting the common interest of reducing emissions and improving air quality. It will also support the European Strategy for low-emission mobility, in particular in terms of the objective of speeding up the deployment of low-emission alternative energy for transport and contributing to the decarbonisation agenda.
This support measure is expected to stimulate investment in a market that still requires incentives before it can function on its own. The Commission expects that the financial support for the construction of charging infrastructure will create the conditions for its further expansion without any further support in the future. It will also encourage the use of electric vehicles on German and European roads.
The Commission concluded that the measure is in line with EU state aid rules (Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), which allow aid to facilitate the development of economic activities in the common interest under certain conditions.


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A Hat in Time update 0.20 is now available to download on PC(Steam). According to the official A Hat in Time patch notes, the latest update brings gameplay changes and improvements.
Previously, a big update was released with various quality of life improvements. Unfortunately, players are facing various issues with the game. Today’s A Hat in Time patch will address a few of these issues.
Read more details below.
A Hat in Time Patch Notes – July 19, 2022
- Fixed a rare issue where Steam Workshop mod splash screens would display “visit store” instead of “visit workshop page”.
- Fixed the buttons on Steam Workshop mod entries being very narrow
- Fixed a rare crash related to Rift Collapse animations
- Fixed a rare crash that would occur when loading new levels
- Fixed a crash when the max number of particle effects in a level was hit
- Fixed a rare crash on exiting the game while a particle system is playing
- Fixed a rare AI crash
- Fixed a crash related to jigglebones on characters
Download free A Hat in Time update 0.20 on PC (Steam).


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NEW YORK — Eddie Bauer has beefed up its merchandising team. Jean Park has joined the retailer as divisional vice-president of men’s merchandising, and Scott Hutsenpiller has been added as vice-president of outerwear design. Park has extensive experience as a men’s merchant and has spent over 10 years in the industry. Most recently, she was director of men’s and boys’ merchandising for Levi Strauss & Co.’s Signature brand. Before that, she was director of boys’ merchandising for Levi’s brand. She has also been director of licensing and director of brand strategy for the Levi’s label.
Kim Berg, SVP merchandising for Eddie Bauer said in a statement: “In many of her roles, Ms. Park has been accountable for the start or turnaround of the brands she’s worked with. Her significant experience making positive, deep and lasting changes to men’s brands will be a key differentiator for us. I look forward to tapping into her energy and enthusiasm as she works with our men’s team to focus on this critical part of our business.”
To join Eddie Bauer, Park was granted 2,500 restricted stock units that will become 100 percent vested at the conclusion of four years of service, and options to purchase 7,500 shares of common stock. Hutsenpiller has over 15 years of design experience and is credited with designing two alpine collections for Spyder Active Sports. Before that, he spent four years as director of design and product innovation for Eastern Mountain Sports. He has also been with Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Patagonia.
Hutsenpiller was granted 4,250 restricted stock units that will become 100 percent vested at the conclusion of four years of service, and options to purchase 12,750 shares of common stock.


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April 13, 2010 –
The Firekeepers Art Market was held last Saturday in one of the Prairie Band Casino & Resort convention center rooms. It was sponsored by the Firekeepers Elder Center.
LaVerne Hale, Activities Coordinator for the Firekeepers Elder Center, is seen with her son Chago Hale who was in the fashion show wearing a vest made by Jackie Mitchell. Chago is a Tribal Council member and also sings with the Little Soldier Drum Group.
PBPN members who participated in the fashion show were, from left to right, Sylvana Levier, Eddie Joe Mitchell, Julia Lewis, Bernadette Lewis, Andy Mitchell, Juanita Jessepe, Num Hale, and Olivia Pewamo. Not pictured are Rose Hale and Chago Hale.
Monica Suke sold her beadwork and jewelry and that of her family at the market.
Linda Tecumseh sold a variety of Potawatomi t-shirts that she has designed.
Sylvana Levier with her grandmother Rose Jessepe. Sylvana is this year’s PBPN princess.
T. Graham Berry is a PBPN who has recently moved back to the area and was selling beadwork and hammered copper creations.
The Mitchell family had a couple of booths at the market and LaVerne Hale(standing far right) was photographed checking them out.
Tribal Council Member Junior Wahweotten (far right) and his family stopped by the art market that day.


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Editor in Chief
- Dec 30, 2010
- Reaction score
- Austin, TX
It seems like most of last year there was nothing but great news about HTC, then suddenly they fell in a pit. Since then we have been hard-pressed to hear anything good about the mobile device maker. Luckily, that changes today. Despite numerous setbacks in the United States and Europe, HTC is still fighting hard. A new report indicates that the Taiwanese company has made some significant gains in the China and India markets. Here's a quote with the details,
Despite the spotlight that the HTC One series has received, it is the combination of the high-end models and the Desire series, which is aimed for the lower spectrum of the market, that have successfully lifted HTC’s standing in China. HTC’s smartphone market share in the country has moved up from 3% to 5% for the month of May.
If you think that’s a rather insignificant progress, the gained market share now puts HTC ahead of Motorola Mobility. It seems the company’s strategy to work with three major carriers in China and set the price of the HTC Desire series below CNY 2,000 – the equivalent of $310 – has paid off handsomely. The Taiwanese powerhouse currently ranks #8 overall in China’s smartphone market.
HTC was able to emulate the same success story in India, where an annual telecommunication survey reveals that the Taiwanese manufacturer was able to double its year-to-year revenue. From all of the surveyed brands, HTC registered the highest, 105 percent, growth. The company now has a 3% market share in India, ranking sixth overall, behind the likes of Nokia and Samsung, but still ahead of LG, Huawei, Sony, or Motorola.
It's great to see HTC taking their lumps and getting back up anyway. It takes moxie to stay in the fight, and at least they keep striving to innovate and gain ground in the market. At this rate, HTC will no longer be the underdog next year, and we will be wondering what has happened to Motorola (if you aren't already).
Source: Android.net via AndroidAuthority


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Gin fans, rejoice: B&M has released a range of gin-based drinks in three flavour varieties, for just 89p.
Yes, 89p for gin. Amazing.
The pre-mixed tins have launched in B&M stores nationwide.
Sharing the launch to their Facebook page, the store wrote: ‘We’ve got a great range of cans in store right now, ideal for the warm weather when it returns and perhaps Diane Abbott MP!
‘There’s something to suit any taste – perfect if you’re having a tinny on the train (not a TFL train). Which one of these would YOU try?’
The post poked fun at Diane Abbott, who was caught drinking a mojito on the train last week.
The drink comes in the standard gin and diet tonic and pink gin and tonic flavours, but most excitingly the range also features a rhubarb gin and ginger ale combination.
Customers are already super excited for the latter – with one person saying rhubarb and ginger is their favourite while another added they have already tried the drink and it tastes ‘great’.
Someone else said: ‘The rhubarb one is the best, absolutely gorgeous. It’s my new favourite drink.’
While another added: ‘Rhubarb and ginger ale does sound nice. But I like the pink gin and tonic poured in a glass over ice and finished with strawberries.’
One man even said he was stocking up on the tins for his wedding, saying that they’ll ‘make the best favours to give out at the end’.


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Beware LinkedIn users: Now is a good time to change your passwords.
The professional social network confirmed late Wednesday afternoon earlier reports that user passwords were stolen.
“Some of the passwords that were compromised correspond to LinkedIn accounts,” Vicente Silveira, a director at LinkedIn, wrote in a blog post.
A reported 6.5 million hashed and encrypted passwords were leaked, according to Dagens IT, a Norwegian tech website. The passwords were posted to a Russian hacker site two days ago, along with a request for help to crack the codes, Dagens IT said.
Users with stolen passwords will notice that their account password is no longer valid, Silveira said. They will also receive one email from LinkedIn with instructions on how to reset their passwords, and another from its customer support team that provides “a bit more context on this situation and why they are being asked to change their passwords.”
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused our members. We take the security of our members very seriously,” he said, adding that LinkedIn will continue to investigate.
LinkedIn first responded to the reports via Twitter Wednesday morning.
The company said it was “unable to confirm that any security breach has occurred.”
Silveira reiterated the tweet in a blog post published shortly after 2 p.m. He suggested ways to create a strong password and other security and privacy best practices.
“Use this as an opportunity to review all of your account settings on LinkedIn,” he wrote.
But Silveria’s post came too late, according to Karim Kanji, co-founder of thirdocean, a Toronto-based social media marketing company.
“All of this is basically copy and paste. Why couldn’t this have been sent in the morning?” he said. “At least have something to say right away.
“I don’t think they’ve handled it well at all.”
Still, the leak won’t necessarily compromise LinkedIn, Kanji added.
“As a standalone, there’s going to be some bad media and some bad press. And you’ll get people complaining. But at the end of the day, will it really make a dent into LinkedIn’s stock price or LinkedIn’s revenue? Probably not.”
Before LinkedIn confirmed the leak, others were doing it for them on Twitter. “LinkedIn passwords leak is NOT a rumour…My LinkedIn password is in the dump, but not yet cracked,” a user under the handle Avadiax wrote.
Marco Frissen, another Twitter user, said he found his password among the hacked passwords “even though I ‘deleted’ my account about six months ago.”
With the topics “encrypted” and “hashed” trending on Twitter, fellow LinkedIn users urged each other to change their passwords.
Dagens IT said nearly 300,000 passwords have already been cracked.
To change your LinkedIn password, log onto your account, go to ‘Settings’ in the dropdown menu under your name and click ‘Change’ beside ‘Password.’
LinkedIn has been grappling with other security problems this week, after mobile security researchers discovered that the company’s mobile app is transmitting personal data from users’ calendars back to its servers without their consent, reports said.
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social network with over 150 million members, according to its site.


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The Android version of the popular network speed measuring app Speedtest.net got treated to a major update. The new version of the application, dubbed 3.0.0 brings new features on board, as well as revamped UI.
The new user interface of the app now sports the increasingly trendier “flat” look. Along with it, the testing engine has been improved to measure the network speeds more effectively.
Furthermore, Speedtest.net now offers map display for the tests performed in the results history, as well as the ability to remove the ads in the app for 99 cents. Naturally, a host of bug fixes and improvements have also been implemented. In future updates, users can expect improved tablet support and results sharing.
Source | Via


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The climate is right for an energy sector CDR
Retail energy prices, and the energy sector in general, remain the focus of sustained political attention. With its aim to improve consumer choice and facilitate greater competition, it is easy to see why the implementation of a consumer data right (“CDR”) in the energy sector may happen more quickly than initially anticipated.
The Australian Government’s proposed CDR framework, set out in the recently released Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill 2018 (“CDR Bill”), will allow consumers to receive data relating to that consumer or to direct the transfer of that data to accredited third parties, such as comparison sites. The CDR aims to increase consumer value and competition through improving a customer’s ability to understand their energy use and negotiate better deals with a provider.
Rapid implementation timeframes
The Government is adopting a sector-by-sector approach to CDR implementation, with a CDR in the banking sector (in the form of the “Open Banking” reforms) anticipated to be in place by 1 July 2019.
While Open Banking is the focus of attention today (and creating a significant workload for banks, the energy sector won’t have long to learn from this experience. We expect to see an energy sector CDR of some form in place by the end of 2019 and perhaps earlier. This is an ambitious timetable and will require key stakeholders in the CDR scheme, including Treasury, the ACCC and Data61, to implement two industry CDRs essentially in parallel.
The CDR rules are critical
The CDR Bill establishes the draft framework for CDR regulation. However, details of the CDR scheme, including what data sets are covered and how they can be used, will be left to the sector specific “CDR Rules” to be developed by the ACCC.
Draft Open Banking CDR Rules are expected to be released in September 2018 and will help answer existing questions for the banking sector. It is not yet clear when the energy sector CDR Rules will be released.
Challenges and opportunities for the energy industry
Anticipating and influencing the direction of the energy sector CDR Rules will be critical for this sector. Lessons to be learnt from Open Banking may be limited given the differences in the industries and data sets.
If the June 2018 recommendations to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council are adopted, industry participants should anticipate an initial simplified CDR mechanism focussed on sharing electricity meter data and standing data. This will involve huge volumes of data and a central transfer model managed via the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) which has real benefits for consumers and other participants. The proposed model is intended to allow for rapid implementation, and will likely reflect simplified consent and accreditation mechanisms for industry participants.
However, any energy sector CDR will ultimately have a broad application and there are numerous issues arising out of the CDR Bill that require immediate consideration. These include managing data accuracy in the context of large volumes of data and legacy systems, ensuring clarity on what needs to be shared particularly “value added” data and what level of data reciprocity will be adopted. Navigating the introduction of an energy CDR with specific consent, security and privacy requirements, which will be different from existing Australian Privacy Principles, will also require strong security controls and advanced data management systems.
We should not forget that increased access to consumer data through an energy sector CDR also creates a real opportunity for both incumbents and disruptors in the energy industry. Industry participants should be considering today how increased future access to third party consumer data sets could influence and improve their product and technology roadmap.
Get ready now
Implementation of an energy sector CDR will require industry-wide changes in data management processes and technology. Organisations who can best influence the CDR Rules debate, manage its implementation and use CDR as an opportunity to develop more innovative products for their customers will see a genuine competitive advantage.


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Windows Vista may be delayed once again
January launch could be set back by 'few weeks'
Published 10:00 pm, Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer indicated Windows Vista could face further delays beyond a planned January retail release as the company gets feedback from a test version released Tuesday.
The release date could be moved by "a few weeks," Ballmer said at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday. "We are on track for shipping early in the year."
Ballmer's comments come amid concerns Microsoft may have to delay Vista again, further crimping its own sales and those of personal computer makers. Research firm Gartner Inc. and Rick Sherlund, an analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co., earlier this month said the software, initially slated for 2004, may be pushed further into 2007. On March 21, Microsoft moved the retail launch to January instead of this year.
Windows is Microsoft's biggest and most profitable product, and the two-year delay in Vista has eroded sales growth. Microsoft plans to make the program available to business customers in November.
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Test versions of Windows Longhorn server for corporate networks and Office 2007 applications are also being made available, Microsoft said Tuesday.
Along with the release of the test, Michael Sievert, a vice president who heads Vista marketing, said the program was "on track" for the January release.
Each month the product is delayed costs Microsoft $150 million to $200 million in incremental revenue and about 1 cent a share in earnings, Sherlund said in a May 15 note to clients.
Sherlund, the top-rated software analyst according to Institutional Investor magazine, estimated a two-month delay from early January.
"Comments from management indicate that it is a tight schedule and leads us to question if January may be optimistic," Sherlund wrote.
Gartner, based in Stamford, Conn., predicted Vista may not be widely available until the second quarter of 2007.


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Bandai Namco announced that the light novel series Record of Grancrest War that recently got an anime adaption will be getting a PlayStation 4 title that is set to release in Japan this June.
The announcement was made during a live stream today, where we got to see the game’s first trailer and screenshots.
Details are light for the time being, but the above screenshot shares a little bit on what you can expect to see in its battlefields.
Here’s a look at some of the playable characters we’ve seen so far:
Theo Cornaro (CV: Kentaro Kumagai)
Siluca Meletes (CV: Akari Kito)
Irvin (CV: Yuuichi Nakamura)
Aishela (CV: Reina Ueda)
Priscilla Farnese (CV: Natsumi Takamori)
Record of Grancrest War will release for PlayStation 4 in Japan on June 14, 2018.


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Nokia has issued a product advisory for its Lumia 2520 Windows 8.1 RT powered tablet. The Nokia 2520 tablet ships with a charger that goes by the model name AC-300. Nokia has discovered a manufacturing defect with this charger due to which the company has issued an urgent product advisory, requesting users to stop using the tablet for the time being.
According to Nokia, the plastic cover of the charger’s exchangeable plug could come loose and separate. If this happens, Nokia believes a few internal components may cause an electric shock to the user if he/she touches the charger while in use. “While there have been no confirmed consumer incidents related to this potential quality issue, product quality and safety are top priorities at Nokia,” said Jo Harlow, EVP Smart Devices. “We apologize to the owners of the Lumia 2520, and we are working with urgency to minimize the inconvenience.”
Nokia adds that while there have been no issues of a mishap reported due to this defect, they have decided to go ahead with the product advisory anyway. According to Nokia, over 30,000 AC-300 chargers are affected by this quality issue. Only Lumia 2520 tablets sold in the following markets are affected by the problem; Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, UK and the US. For the US, Nokia has issued an additional warning about 600 travel charger accessories it has sold in the market.
Apart from advising users to stop using the Lumia 2520 with the AC-300 charger, the company has also went ahead halted the sales of the device in the affected markets. While the press release announcing this development only states that Nokia is “delaying” the sales of the Lumia 2520 tablet, it more or less looks like a complete sales ban until Nokia fixes this issue.
The Nokia AC 300 is a model that is exclusively supplied with the Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet. Therefore it is safe to assume that other chargers that Nokia supplies with its devices are safe to use.
Nokia will update Lumia 2520 users with further information in the days to come. The company has not yet issued a product recall. Are you an affected Nokia Lumia 2520 user? You might want to use this link to sign up for alerts pertaining to this particular issue.


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Andy’s Frozen Custard, the growing frozen custard chain, will soon be opening an Orlando location, according to a recent report in the Orlando Business Journal. The restaurant will be located at 4161 Town Center Blvd, near Keke’s Breakfast Cafe and Gator’s Dockside.
When asked why the brand has chosen Orlando for their next store, CEO Andy Kuntz says “We’re in Tampa and Lakeland, we think Florida is a great state and a great market.”
“Orlando is currently a franchise market and we’re excited that we have some good franchisees on board.”
Andy’s simple menu offers frozen custard of either vanilla or chocolate flavors then topped and blended with a variety of ingredients such as Oreo, cookie dough, strawberry, espresso, cherries, almonds, and others. Andy’s also serves sundaes, malts, floats, pie, brownies, and seasonal specialties.
And when can readers expect the location to be up and running?
“It should be open by Memorial Day,” Mr. Kuntz says.


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Mitsubishi may delay MRJ’s delivery to All Nippon Airways
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the manufacturer of Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), might delay the first delivery of the aircraft to the launch customer, All Nippon Airways (ANA), due to technical modifications to the airplane.
MRJ was supposed to be delivered in mid-2018, but the deadline might get an extension. Mitsubishi’s spokesperson confirmed that ANA has been notified about the possible delay. However, Mitsubishi did not comment on the length of the delay.
Mitsubishi has 427 orders for the aircraft, including 25 from ANA.
The MRJ has been in development since 2008 and was scheduled for first delivery in 2013. In the end of September 2016, MRJ successfully performed a test flight to the USA after two failed attempts. With the MRJ, Mitsubishi plans to compete with Embraer and Bombardier regional jets.


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After a successful test in St. Louis, Burger King is bringing the plant-based Impossible Whopper sandwich to three new markets. Starting Tuesday, guests can visit their local restaurants in Miami, Florida. Columbus, Georgia; and Montgomery, Alabama; to try out the Impossible Whopper.
The Impossible Whopper is “All Whopper No Beef”. It consists of a flame-fried patty made from plants topped with freshly cut tomatoes and onions, crispy lettuce, creamy mayonnaise, ketchup and crispy cucumbers on a toasted sesame bun.
All the stops are being pulled out to celebrate the launch of Impossible Whopper Burger King restaurants. An Impossible Whopper Tour Bus will only roll through each new market for a limited time, featuring all kinds of games, music, and free swag to celebrate the introduction of the plant-based burger. The tour begins May 16-18 in Miami, then goes to Columbus May 20-21 and Montgomery on May 22nd.
This April, Burger King became the first coast-to-coast fast food restaurant to serve the award-winning plant-based patty from food startup Impossible Foods, maker of Impossible patty. Burger King plans to make the Impossible Whopper available to all guests nationwide by the end of 2019.
The news and information contained in this press release has not been endorsed by QSR, Food News Media, or Journalistic, Inc.


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Myer is launching donation stations in its Melbourne, Eastland and Fountain Gate stores.
The donation stations are part of its partnership with Moving The Needle, a Salvation Army Australia initiative to reduce waste in the fashion industry.
According to the Salvation Army website, all donated items are individually sorted, evaluated, and placed either in store or into one of its recycling streams.
“Once donations are received by a store, they are moved to a sorting room where the store team will separate them into clothing categories or season.
“Each category will be carefully sorted by a team member who will review each item and decide, for example, which pieces of clothing are in saleable condition (clean and undamaged), and which will need to be repurposed.”
“Clothes that have been processed for sale are then priced based on their condition, quality, and original retail value before being displayed on the shop floor for them to find a new owner.”
This move forms part of Myer’s commitment to implementing initiatives that reduce packaging, minimise waste from landfill, promote recycling, and support circular economy schemes. This includes a focus on increasing Myer's recycling diversion rate of 63.6% to minimise landfill.
According to its online report into sustainability, Myer is continuing to improve its packaging standards, which includes a paper reduction project in stores, substituting 70% of soft home packaging to natural fibres, and phasing out plastic shopping bags.
Regarding the latter, the online report states that Myer has decreased plastic bag consumption in stores, with the total number of units ordered down 4.96 million in FY20.
The launch of its donation stations joins over 550 textile drop-off points throughout Moving The Needle’s network.
The initiative will run until October 9.