Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • New Bentley To Debut on May 10

    New Bentley To Debut on May 10

    Bentley has shared a teaser for a fifth model in its line-up ahead of its debut on May 10. The teaser gives little away as to what the car could be showing what looks to be the door panel of the upcoming model. The teaser reveals a LED light strip atop the door card with illuminated diamond-like patterning on what looks to be the fabric insert on the door and what looks to be an illuminated bottle holder at the base of the door. While details remain scarce, reports have suggested that the new model teased could be a long-wheelbase derivative of the Bentayga.

    Bentley has been testing a new variant to the Bentayga on international roads recently with the test car appearing to be longer than the Bentayga already on sale. However, there is no confirmation if this teaser previews the long-wheelbase derivative of Bentley’s SUV.

    In a statement accompanying the teaser Bentley said, “With an extra dimension of onboard wellness, the new model will sit in sumptuous comfort at the pinnacle of its range and deliver a breadth of capabilities beyond anything previously offered.”

    The wording “an extra dimension of onboard wellness” could hint at the new model is a long-wheelbase derivative. Additionally, the word “pinnacle of its range” could hint at the upcoming model is based on one of its existing cars.

    The company has also said that it has “gone to new lengths to combine luxury, technology and performance” suggesting that this new model will be both luxurious and comfortable without impeding on the car’s performance.

  • Digital transformation key to Vietnam’s ambitions of getting rich and clean

    Digital transformation key to Vietnam’s ambitions of getting rich and clean

    Digital transformation would be the key for Vietnam to achieve its targets of becoming a high-income country and a ‘net-zero’ emissions economy, an IFC vice president says.

    Vietnam has two big goals by the middle of this century. One is to become a high-income country by 2045 under the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and another is to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as committed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26).

    Alfonso Garcia Mora, the International Finance Corporation’s regional vice president for the Asia Pacific, told VnExpress that Vietnam now faces two major challenges as it has to manage to bring labor productivity to a new level in order to achieve the goal of becoming a rich country while learning to adapt to climate change.

    “From the above two challenges, we have a common key to solve it through technology and digital transformation. It is no longer an option, it is a must,” said Alfonso.

    He said Vietnam has lots of advantages for digital transformation.

    According to World Bank data, the digital sector in Vietnam has expanded by 10 percent per year and could reach over $200 billion by 2045, a huge figure compared to the size of Vietnam’s GDP, which was nearly $352 billion last year.

    The young population rate and high smartphone and Internet coverage are also favorable factors for Vietnam to accelerate digital transformation, Alfonso said.

    To enhance innovation and maximize development opportunities for the digital economy, there are four keys – digital entrepreneurship, digital infrastructure, digital skills and digital financial services, he added.

    “It’s necessary to improve digital skills among the workforce, a step to take the economy to a new level of development and achieving ambitions of high incomes and net-zero emissions,” he recommended.

    According to a World Bank report, only 40 percent of businesses in Vietnam said they have enough capabilities in terms of information and communication technology and it is estimated that the market would face a huge shortage of up to one million ICT engineers by 2023.

    Some large enterprises have already begun adopting digital transformation but the problem is that most of the country’s enterprises are small and medium sized and the top challenge is how to help this group go digital.

    Alfonso said there must be a clear and credible policy, investment in 4G and 5G technology infrastructure and improvement in digital and technology skills while the government should offer fiscal incentives for small and medium businesses so they are ready for digital transformation.

    The IFC expert said many Vietnamese companies have not used digital transformation tools, which poses opportunities for the potential market to develop.

    Besides, the Covid pandemic in the past two years has helped the Vietnamese economy make leaps in digital transformation that should have taken three to five years to achieve.

    He said it’s high time for Vietnam to push up digital transformation.

    In order to achieve successful digital transformation, there needs to be cooperation between the public and private sectors while the government should have a clear strategic vision as to how many percentages the economy would go digital by 2050.

    With specific localities in particular and Vietnam in general, digital transformation is only to help the country grow richer but also to reduce risks and boost adaptation to climate change. Therefore, digital transformation must also pay attention to sustainable development.

    “Today, we see 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions coming from large cities. To achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 we will need changes like digitization and use of electric vehicles,” he said.

    In addition, he said the government should have encouraging policies to motivate businesses to join digital transformation.

    “We must open the market and allow innovative startups to develop to push the digital economy forward. We need to give them a safe environment,” said Alfonso.

    “Four years ago, no one trusted telemedicine but now people are familiar with the service. Similarly, online learning could have been an option before the pandemic but it was mandatory during the lockdown period. These new habits are very important in increasing accessibility for people in remote areas and ensuring inclusive development,” he said.

    Alfonso said the IFC, the largest global development organization focused on supporting the private sector in emerging economies, has invested $13.3 billion in more than 190 projects in Vietnam and will continue to invest in many activities to support Vietnam’s digital transformation.

    IFC would help local banks provide more digital financial services on mobile phones and optimize logistics, encourage the use of clean energy as w

  • Indian grocery startup Zepto raises new funds at $900 million valuation

    Indian grocery startup Zepto raises new funds at $900 million valuation

    Instant grocery startup Zepto has raised $200 million in a new financing round as it looks to expand its 10-minute delivery service to more cities in India and grow its network of dark stores.

    Existing backer Y Combinator Continuity led Zepto’s Series D round, valuing the Mumbai-headquartered startup at about $900 million, up from $570 million in its December Series C round and $225 million in a round unveiled in late October.

    Kaiser Permanente, the giant healthcare firm, which also operates a venture arm, as well as all key existing investors including Nexus Venture Partners, Glade Brook Capital, Contrary Capital and Lachy Groom, participated in the new round, the startup said Monday evening.

    There’s no secondary transaction in the new round, which brings the startup’s to-date raise to $360 million.

    At 19, Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra co-founded Zepto. The duo, who had previously worked on a number of projects, including a ride-hailing commute app for school kids, and dropped out of Stanford two years ago, took Zepto out of stealth mode in November last year.

    Its 10-minute delivery service is today operational in 11 cities across India and it processes hundreds of thousands of orders each day, Palicha, who serves as Zepto’s chief executive, told TechCrunch in an interview.

    The startup’s current annualized revenue is between $200 million to $400 million, he said, a figure he is determined to grow to “at least $1 billion” by the quarter ending March next year.

    The surge in revenue comes as the startup has consistently grown by over 50% each month in recent months, he said. In the most recent quarter, the startup grew its revenue by 800% while slashing its expenses per order by more than five times, he said.

    In India, Zepto is among the earliest startups attempting to prove the quick commerce model, a category that has taken off in several markets, including North America and Europe. However, a number of startups operating in the space have either scaled down their efforts or shut down completely, as many venture investors lose appetite for fast delivery.

    Zepto competes with Swiggy, India’s most valuable food delivery startup and one that has committed to investing more than $700 million on its quick commerce service, called Instamart.

    A number of other players, including Blinkit, formerly known as Grofers, are also attempting to win a slice of the market. The SoftBank-backed startup recently agreed to an acquisition offer by larger food delivery firm Zomato, TechCrunch reported earlier, which in recent months has expressed interest in expanding to the quick commerce category, an area where it has historically performed poorly.

    Zomato last month began a pilot of 10-minute delivery of food items in its home city of Gurugram. Zepto is also piloting a service to deliver a range of prepared food items, including hot beverages and snacks within its signature 10-minute promise in select areas in Mumbai, it said.

    At stake is a $45 billion market, according to analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein. In a report earlier this year, the firm’s analysts reported that India is leading other global markets in the adoption of quick commerce.

    The analysts said customers’ increasing willingness and ability to a pay premium for superior quality products and the growing market for home delivery have contributed to the growth of quick commerce in the country.

    The average size of an order placed on an instant delivery service is currently about $6 in India, compared to $12 to $15 for traditional online grocery orders, they said. “But recent cohorts have shown improving stickiness, with basket size increasing with increase in usage. Quick commerce models have seen improving monthly order frequency (mature cohorts at 3-4 times a week, with healthy AOV of 400-500 Indian rupees). Quick commerce players are focused on driving a high frequency basket which will drive better economics,” they added.

    For Zepto, instant grocery delivery is just the beginning in a decade-long journey ahead, said Palicha. Though he declined to reveal the startup’s audacious plans for the future, he said it’s fair to assume Zepto will expand to categories beyond grocery in the long-term, especially those that are currently underserved by giant e-commerce players.

    The startup plans to expand to an additional 12 to 20 cities in the next 12 months and set up a few hundred more dark stores, which it uses to store inventory. These dark stores are optimized for fast delivery, said Palicha. There, the startup stores the most commonly ordered items and a catalog of SKUs in different price ranges. The startup also plans to nearly double its workforce to 2,000 by the end of this year.

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  • Chip shortage is still a thing says Intel CEO Gelsinger

    Chip shortage is still a thing says Intel CEO Gelsinger

    Just because we don’t constantly hear about it as much anymore doesn’t mean that the global chip shortage has ended; when it comes to chips, the world isn’t all of a sudden “in the chips,” according to Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger who spoke Friday on CNBC’s “TechCheck.” The executive says that important tools used in the chip manufacturing process are not readily available keeping production capacities in check.
    With foundries unable to expand production capacity for their fabs, Gelsinger sees the chip shortage lasting longer than originally thought. “That’s part of the reason that we believe the overall semiconductor shortage will now drift into 2024, from our earlier estimates in 2023, just because the shortages have now hit equipment and some of those factory ramps will be more challenged,” the Intel CEO said.

    Intel, which has promised to regain “process performance leadership” by the end of 2024, has created a road map that includes taking delivery of ASML’s next-generation extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machine. The $150 million machine uses highly polished mirrors to help focus ultraviolet light allowing it to etch circuitry patterns onto a wafer.
    With billions of transistors deployed on chipsets these days, lithography machines need to be able to create patterns that are fractions of the width of a human hair to help foundries manufacture cutting-edge chips. Intel will be the first foundry to use the new machines that raise their numerical aperture from .33NA to .55NA. This means that the machine can collect more light to help it create the circuitry patterns on the wafers that are used to build faster and more energy-efficient integrated circuits.
    Returning to process leadership means that Intel has to continue spending to build new fabs in the U.S. and Europe. The executive says, “We’ve really invested in those equipment relationships, but that will be tempering the build-out of capacity for us and everybody else, but we believe we’re positioned better than the rest of the industry.”
    Before speaking on CNBC, Gelsinger previously said that a supply-demand balance in the chip industry would take place in 2023. Intel did report first-quarter revenue and earnings last week that topped expectations on Wall Street although its estimates for the second quarter came in below analyst’s forecasts. Over the last week, Intel’s shares declined 8.6% from $93 to $85.
    The top two contract foundries in the world that take chip designs created by other companies and turn them into the final components are TSMC and Samsung. The former is known for building the chips designed by Apple including its A-Series and M-Series chips. Unlike TSMC and Samsung, Intel’s foundries usually produce components that Intel itself had designed.
    With two new fabs being built in Arizona, Intel is taking the business model perfected by TSMC and is bringing it to the U.S. But that doesn’t mean that TSMC won’t be a competitor. The Taiwan-based company is building its own plant in Arizona that will turn out 5nm chips by 2024.
    Tech firms are expected to embrace the possibility of having Intel produce chips based on their designs without fear that a geopolitical event will force TSMC to shut its factories in Taiwan and create a massive bottleneck that would make the current chip shortage feel like a walk in the park.
    Creating a valid supply chain for chips in the U.S. and making the country self-sufficient is a goal that the U.S. has been trying to achieve. China too has a goal to become self-sufficient when it comes to building chips. After the U.S. used its export rules to block Huawei from receiving shipments of cutting-edge chipsets, this became a major goal for the country.
    In 2020, the U.S. Commerce Department put in place a rule that blocks foundries that use American technology to build advanced chips from shipping such chips to Huawei even if the chips were designed by the company itself.
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  • Government rejects airlines’ demand for further tax cuts

    Government rejects airlines’ demand for further tax cuts

    The Ministry of Finance has turned down airlines’ requests for further tax breaks, saying they have received enough support from the government.

    In response to several airlines’ request to reduce value-added tax from 8 percent to 5 percent and fuel import tax from 7 percent to zero, the ministry said in a statement Friday that only the National Assembly can decide on VAT cuts.

    The current 8 percent VAT is already a reduction from the normal 10 percent, and aviation companies are also eligible for the lower rate, it said.

    It also pointed out that the aviation industry has already benefited from a lot of support in terms of taxes and fees since the pandemic began.

    Environment tax on jet fuel has been reduced by half to VND1,500 per liter until the end of this year.

    It is important to ensure a balance between the benefits companies and the government get, the ministry said.

    Vietnamese carriers served 14.5 million passengers in the first four months of this year, up 26.3 percent year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office.

    Airlines resumed regular international services in March after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

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  • Physical store or online store: Which is better?

    Physical store or online store: Which is better?

    Physical store or eCommerce, which do you prefer?

    This question has been at the center of the reflections of small companies for the last past few years. And they try to understand whether or not it is worth investing in a website to sell on the internet.

    Let’s say that there is no one answer to those who want to know if it’s a better physical store or eCommerce. It depends on several factors. But still, we can confirm that the web can be adequate support even for small local businesses.

    Also, those who decide to invest and open a quality shop can make the difference without choosing between a physical store or eCommerce.

    Physical store vs. online store

    The physical store is that establishment or local, in which our potential customers can purchase their products in person at the same place. This type of business has many years since internet platforms and the internet itself did not exist some time ago.

    On the other hand, online stores were born nowadays, and many of the newest companies we know have opted for this type. So, let’s start with the advantages and disadvantages of these two store models.

    Advantages of the physical store vs. the online store

    The physical store has several advantages, which can help you decide on how to sell your products. Therefore, we will give you a summary of some of the benefits that this type of store offers.

    Live product view

    Your customers will be able to analyze and observe all the characteristics of the product at the moment, which can help them decide to buy in this way for the simple reason that they know how the product is one hundred percent.

    Immediate product acquisition

    Having the product in your hands and making use of it without waiting for its arrival is much more convenient, and for occasions when you purchase with urgency, this type of store is much more helpful.

    Customer loyalty

    By being face to face with your potential customer, you can convince him that your store is the best in that sector and above all get his loyalty. For sure he will go to your store before the competition the next time he has to buy a product similar to the one you sell.

    You will also get them to recommend you to other potential customers and thus achieve a more significant number of visits to your establishment.

    Complexity in the sale of these products

    Suppose that in your store, you sell products that, at first glance, are challenging to sell because of the way they work or the type of utility they may have. In that case, the physical store is much more helpful in reaching customers, and encouraging them to purchase online may seem difficult.

    Advantages of an online store compared to a physical store

    As we have said before, an online store or eCommerce is that type of business with which you can make purchases in a much more comfortable way and without leaving home.

    Nowadays, the Internet world is becoming wider and wider, so many companies have opted for this type of store when selling their products.

    Attracting new customers

    With this store model, we can get a wide range of potential customers, which we would not know that we could reach, but with the help of ads and advertising, we can get them to visit our website and decide to buy our products.

    Lower costs

    When we talk about costs, we refer to the money necessary to provide when creating any store. And it is that the expenses of the online stores are much lower since the most important thing is to acquire a domain and, after that, to dedicate time to the creation. In addition to the own expenses that the brand has and the payment of the shipments of your products. While in a physical store, you need to have a store, pay the electricity, the expenses of the brand itself, etc.

    But if we make a balance, the expenses of the online store are much lower than the expenses of the physical store.

    The same applies to customers: purchasing products or services from online stores is often cheaper and more convenient.

    For example, online betting shops like sbo.net are perfect for those who want to bet online wherever they are, without the need to travel to their local betting shop. On the site, you can find trusted expert reviews of the best sports betting sites that provide the best odds, promotions, banking options, and customer service. This can all be done conveniently on a desktop or any mobile device, allowing you to place your bets anywhere, anytime.

    Plus, you’ll consistently receive better odds when you bet online.

    Greater convenience

    Another advantage is the possibility of working from wherever we want and is that when working through the web it is not necessary to be in the same physical place always.

    In addition, this type of store offers greater convenience to the store’s creator, but our customers can also get our products at any time they need.

    Extended opening hours

    Usually, in every physical store, there are opening and closing hours. However, in the case of online stores, this does not happen; why? For the simple fact that although we have our working day, the page is open 24 hours a day, allowing us to get more sales of products.

    For example, if you watch a movie at night and want to eat popcorn, you know you can order them online on ubereats.com, even if the physical shops are closed.

    Conclusion

    As you know, the business world continues to grow and change, so we recommend that before making the final decision, you analyze well what type of store is the one that can work best with your business.

    Also, in many cases, many companies decide to create both types of stores and join both to reach a more significant number of customers and future customers that will help your business grow.

    The negative side of deciding to create both types of stores is the cost since when making both, the money you will have to spend will be twice as much as choosing one of the two.

     

     

  • How Much Does ITIL Certification Cost in USA

    How Much Does ITIL Certification Cost in USA

    Introduction

    Today, IT services are required everywhere. As world is making progress in IT, its services are increasing day by day. A business always needs IT experts who can provide the business with the IT services, and lead the business. You learn the skills that make you capable of delivering IT services to the customers.

    For an ITIL® ® certified professional, you need to pass the exam. KnowledgeHut provides the course in this area, and lets you learn each and everything to get your ITIL® certification.

    General Information of Course

    KnowledgeHut ITIL training course covers all the tactics regarding teaching, learning, webinars and much more. There is an immersive learning for the learners, and the whole course is led by a very expert team.

    The course is very comprehensive that you learn, and ace the certification. There is an uninterrupted support from the team, and tests, quizzes, mock tests and assignments and much more on the go.

    Features

    • KnowledgeHut has a record of preparing the most number of professionals. There are experts in team. They lead from the basics to an advanced level.
    • This course provides you with continuous support. There are many mock tests in the course that let you tackle the difficulties of interviews. It builds a strong self-confidence. There will be practical and theoretical learning.
    • This course will last for six months, and teach you through real world problems. There will be case studies for you.
    • You will have webinars, interaction with new people, tutorials, interviews questions, articles and much more on the go. The team will by your side in this journey.
    • Team is very expert, and experienced. You will be going through the case studies, and this part is included in the course to make you expertise. There will be assignments, and mock tests so that you could learn the best.
    • There are always new tips by the experts of them. They have experience of years in this field, and they know the market values. They always give you tips, and tested techniques that will help you in achieving the best.

    Places of Interest

    Lifetime Access

    You will have a lifetime access to the whole course when you pay once. You can have access to the course at any time, and get your desired information or if you want to see a particular video or anything else like that. There is no restriction regarding course even if course has ended. You have access forever.

    No Extra Expenditures

    This course does not charge you any extra fee for exams, tests or anything else. You just need to pay once, and you will have access. You will never ever be charged again for any kind of assignments, tests or learning.

    Earn 16 PDUs

    You will earn 16 PDUs on the end of course, and this will depend on your activities during your course. The better you do while listening to, learning, helping other and all other such activities, the more you will get.

    Tests

    To make you prepare well, there are 6 recall quizzes, 8 assessments and much more. Additionally, there will be mock tests for you to build self confidence in you in order to make you capable of answering with a great confidence. Mock tests actually prepare you stay calm, and answer correctly in all situations.

    16 Hours of Live Sessions

    There are 16 hours of live sessions for the students. You will be able to learn everything in live sessions, and it lets you ask anything in a live session, and you will have your answer there. There will be more course members interacting with you, and you will learn from the basics.

    Self-Paced Learning

    This course includes 40 hours of self-paced learning. It depends on the interest of a student that how he studies. If any student demands for help, or further learning for better understanding, there will be 40 hours. This session clears all the ambiguities, and lets students prepare well.

    Other Benefits

    • There will be an advanced learner insight
    • Track and Measure Progress
    • Identification of areas to be improved
    • There will be case studies
    • Observed Learning
    • You will get videos on demand
    • There will be quizzes, assessments, mock tests and flashcards
    • There will be comprehensive assignments for you.
    • Real-world stimulations
    • You will have access to community groups, discussion forums and much more on the go.
    • Whenever need arises, self-paced learning will be provided.
    • There will be experts in the team reviewing your codes, and daily work.

    Prerequisites

    This course does not have prerequisites. Anyone can get enrolled into this course.

    Who Should Join

    • Business Process Owners
    • ITSM Managers
    • IT Professionals in Digital
    • Business Mangers
    • IT Professionals
    • Project Managers
    • Professional Transitioning to ITIL® 4
    • IT Professionals in Product
    • IT Professionals in Development
    • IT Professionals in Service

    What You Will Ace

     

    • You will learn the fundamental modeling and governance structuring.
    • You will be able to develop a comprehending of objectives of many management systems and services.
    • Students will comprehend the principles that will guide them for an operative service organization decision.
    • You will learn concerning facility worth chain activities, and building it at many levels.
    • You will get comprehending of activities of Change Management, Incident Management and Problem Management.
    • You will understand the four extents of service management and aspects which affect it.

    Conclusion

    We have discussed the ITIL® training course in a detailed way.  To be a great IT Service provider, and create your career in this field, then this is the best option to go for it. This covers everything you need for your best preparation concerning your certification.

    The best and expert team will lead you thoroughly. Mock tests, assignments and recall quizzes and much more make you capable of acing your certification.

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  • India to launch open e-commerce network to take on Amazon, Walmart

    India to launch open e-commerce network to take on Amazon, Walmart

    The Indian government is all set to launch an Open Network for Digital Commerce to end the dominance of the US-based e-commerce companies like Amazon and Walmart in India. The ONDC platform will let buyers and sellers interact with each other and transact online. The launch of the ONDC platform comes in the wake of India’s antitrust body raid on domestic sellers of Amazon and some of Walmart’s Flipkart. The company’s were accused of violating the laws.

    With the launch of ONDC, the government aims to promote an open platform for the exchange of goods and services through electronic networks. The open network platform will be launched in five cities including Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Shillong and Coimbatore, an official said on Thursday. It would later be expanded to other cities.

    As per Reuters report, the Modi government and its key supporters have long contended that Amazon and Flipkart only benefit a few big sellers through predatory pricing. However, the companies have always maintained that they comply with the laws set by the Indian government.

    Amazon and Flipkart are yet to react to the government’s ONDC platform. The report stated that India’s ONDC plan aims to onboard 30 million sellers and 10 million merchants online. The plan is to cover at least 100 cities and towns by August. The government will focus on apps in local languages for buyers and sellers. The apps would highlight small merchants and rural consumers.

    The government in a document revealed that the retailers and venture capital firms have lended support to the ONDC plan. Banks such as State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and Bank of Baroda have already committed total investments of 2.55 billion rupees.

    As per an investigation conducted by Reuters last year, Amazon was accused of giving preferential treatment for a years to a specific group of sellers on its platform and used them to bypass Indian laws. Amazon had denied the allegations.

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  • Expats’ salaries topped $34,000 a month in Q1

    Expats’ salaries topped $34,000 a month in Q1

    The monthly incomes of foreign experts ranged between US$8,500 and $34,000 last quarter, according to a recent report by recruitment firm Navigos Search.

    The report said enterprises operating in Vietnam “pay very high salaries” to attract foreign candidates.

    Navigos Search said some sectors like a garment, tourism, and hospitality have a high demand for foreign personnel due to a shortage of local expertise.

    The garment industry, for instance, lacks Vietnamese talent for jobs requiring high levels of expertise like pattern development, innovation and quality control, while candidates from Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan are interested to work in Vietnam due to competitive salaries and opportunities to work abroad.

    The resumption of international flights last month has fast-tracked the recovery of the tourism and hospitality sectors, driving demand for senior managers, Navigos Search added.

    The previously reported highest salaries in Vietnam were VND400-600 million ($17,520-26,275) paid to HCMC-based general managers in the healthcare sector with more than five years’ experience, according to headhunting agency Adecco Vietnam.

    HCMC ranked sixth among top cities for expats to live and work last year in a survey by InterNations, with 75 percent of respondents saying their income was more than enough to cover expenses, and 77 percent satisfied with their financial situation.

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  • YouTube TV is getting the long overdue account switcher feature

    YouTube TV is getting the long overdue account switcher feature

    YouTube TV made headlines quite a few times this month thanks to the many changes the service has been going through lately. After adding several new channels to its offering, including The Weather Channel, and introducing picture-in-picture (PiP) for iOS devices, YouTube TV is now getting a long-overdue feature aimed at users who share their subscriptions with other people from their household.

    One of the best streaming services in the United States, even better than traditional live TV for many, YouTube TV will finally allow subscribers who use multiple accounts on their TV to switch between them on the fly. The new feature will be rolling out to accounts in waves, YouTube TV confirmed after revealing the news.

    YouTube TV subscribers can add as many new accounts as they want to make family sharing that much easier. The newly added feature will only hep YouTube users on non-Android/Google TV device since the original app already has a switcher that does the same thing.

    The streaming service that offers live TV, on demand video and cloud-based DVR from more than 85 television networks, YouTube TV is available in the United States for $65. Created as an alternative to traditional live TV services, YouTube TV looks even more appealing in a world where smart TVs have become the norm.

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  • Alibaba tipped to take Lazada to Europe

    Alibaba tipped to take Lazada to Europe

    Chinese tech giant Alibaba is taking Lazada to Europe as part of its strategy to drive growth in overseas countries.  It was reported that the plan to expand Lazada to Europe was due to Alibaba’s slowing opportunities in China.

    The company’s latest interim report published in December 2021 unveiled that its revenue from its China commerce retail business for the six months ended on 30 September 2021 was US$40.8 billion, an increase of 33% compared to US$29.7 billion for the same period of 2020. However, revenue from international commerce retail business for the same period last year was US$3.29 billion, a year-on-year increase of 43% compared to US$2.23 billion for the same period of 2020.

    When it comes to wholesale business, revenue in China for the six months ended on 30 September 2021 was US$1.26 billion, an increase of 14% compared to the same period of 2020. The increment was better in its international business, as the revenue was US$1.42 billion, an increase of 36% compared to the same period of 2020. Reuters’ report said that Lazada will target European vendors, while Lazada Thailand CEO James Dong will help spearhead the initiative. The destination of the expansion is still unknown at the moment. Moreover, Alibaba’s international digital commerce Jiang Fan visited Singapore in April to discuss the plan too.

    The potential expansion plan is Alibaba’s another step to tap into opportunities in Europe. Its logistic arm Cainiao opened a hub in Belgium last November which, reportedly, was the largest of its kind in Europe and a key part of the agreement between the Alibaba Group and the Belgian government concluded in 2018 to join the global Electronic World Trade Platform initiative.  Alibaba’s present in Europe also includes AliExpress, targets consumers looking for goods such as fashion, accessories, computer electronics, toys and tools from Chinese manufacturers.

    Last year, Alibaba reorganised its international and domestic commerce platforms into two units to better drive synergies, including international digital commerce and China digital commerce. International digital commerce brings together Alibaba’s overseas consumer-facing and wholesale businesses under the leadership of Jiang. It will include AliExpress, Alibaba.com, and Lazada. According to Alibaba, these businesses propel its globalisation strategy and the newly-created unit is in line with Alibaba’s goal of serving two billion consumers globally. In its last quarterly earnings, the company said it had reached 285 million annual active consumers overseas.

    Meanwhile, Lazada competitor Shopee also decided to pull out of France, after its foray into Europe. Shopee said that following a short-term, preliminary pilot, the company has decided not to continue the Shopee service in France. It added that other markets are unaffected, and Shopee will continue to adopt an “open-minded and disciplined approach to exploring new markets”.

    Last year, Shopee said that it is looking to grow its presence in Spain with the launch of a new Instagram page. At that point, the expansion into Europe is still in the early stages and that Shopee was understood still testing the waters. Shopee’s strategy to enter the Spanish market came shortly after it announced its expansion plans into Poland.

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  • Shein unveils a purpose-led clothing range

    Shein unveils a purpose-led clothing range

    SHEIN, an online retailer of fashion, beauty and lifestyle products, today announced the launch of evoluSHEIN, a purpose-driven collection available to SHEIN customers around the world beginning April 29. With inclusive sizing, responsibly sourced materials, and the collection supporting women’s empowerment projects worldwide, the new line will be an affordable option for customers seeking to make a positive impact with their product choices.

    By shopping the evoluSHEIN line, customers can proudly say they are supporting the work of Vital Voices – a leading international non-profit that invests in women leaders taking on the world’s greatest challenges, including gender-based violence, the climate crisis, economic inequities, and more.

    The first release of evoluSHEIN clothing will feature recycled polyester – a fiber obtained from plastic waste. To produce the fabric, materials such as used plastic bottles are carefully cleaned, shredded into pieces, melted down, and spun into polyester fiber. Compared to virgin polyester production, the recycled polyester process requires less source materials and significantly reduces the amount of water and energy needed. Reducing waste and introducing recycled materials are key pillars of SHEIN’s vision of a circular economy and a sustainable future for accessible fashion. EvoluSHEIN will serve as a testing ground for new purpose-drive innovations SHEIN will be adopting throughout its greater collection.

    These evoluSHEIN recycled polyester pieces and packaging have been produced exclusively with suppliers certified to the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). This globally recognized certification supports traceability of recycled material through all stages of the supply chain, and sets strict social and environmental requirements. The GRS is managed by Textile Exchange, a global non-profit leading the apparel industry toward a more sustainable future. With more than 700 members representing leading brands, retailers, and suppliers in the industry, Textile Exchange is a force for collaboration and positive impact, and SHEIN is proud to be a member of this community.

    “We are committed to building a more responsible fashion ecosystem,” said Adam Whinston, Global Head of Environmental, Social and Governance at SHEIN. “Launching evoluSHEIN is one important step in our sustainability commitments this year, which touches on each of our key focus areas – protecting the environment, supporting communities, and empowering entrepreneurs. We invite all our partners and customers to join us in the journey.”

    Founded in 2012 as an e-commerce retailer with the mission of making the beauty of fashion accessible to all, SHEIN’s strategic small-batch production and digital retail model have helped the brand avoid many of the environmental impacts associated with traditional retail store footprints. Over the last ten years, SHEIN has advocated for a fashion revolution and developed tools to help suppliers with advanced technologies that support the planet. These collective efforts include turning traditional factories into agile supply chains with collaborative technology systems that drastically reduce inventory waste and help conserve natural resources in the production process.

    Customers worldwide are invited to join the evoluSHEIN starting April 29. The initial evoluSHEIN product line will feature women’s tops, dresses, and bottoms, with extended sizes dropping early this summer. SHEIN plans to expand the line to more than 1,500 product SKUs by the end of September 2022, with future evoluSHEIN styles featuring additional preferred materials options, including forest-safe viscose, consciously cultivated cotton, and additional certification programs for recycled fibers.

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  • 4 Tips For Choosing An Online Vape Store

    4 Tips For Choosing An Online Vape Store

    Are you looking for an easier and more convenient way to buy vape products?  Online stores may be what you’re looking for. A major advantage is that the Internet allows you to choose among various shops and compare prices. This way, it can be much easier to get quality products at an affordable cost, while in the comfort of your own home. 

    However, since vaping has become quite popular today, several stores are available online. If it’s your first time purchasing vape products on the Internet, you might not know which seller is the best. This article provides some tips that could be useful to make things easier for you. 

    When looking for an online vape store, it may be best to:

     Pick A Seller With An Easy To Use Website 

    A company’s website can be one of the ways to tell if they’re genuine, professional, and have quality commodities. On the other hand, poorly designed sites may be used by scammers to sell non-existing products to unsuspecting buyers. Also, some websites with a bad layout may reveal the incompetence of a company and show that the items displayed may be substandard. 

    Therefore, before buying your vape products from an online seller, consider taking a few minutes to go through their site. If it’s challenging to maneuver, it may be best to check out another store. A good site is easy to utilize. This means its content is legible, navigation bar is straightforward, products are well visible, and links are identifiable. Also, there has to be a search bar, and the site’s pages should have a similar structure so that it’s easier to go back to previous ones. 

    The above features are essential in an online store’s website. This way, you as a buyer will use less time and effort finding and purchasing what you want. As a good example, you may look at this site. 

     Choose An Affordable Merchant

    Before buying vape products from any online shop, first, compare the prices of different sellers. This may be helpful, especially if you’re a novice purchaser and don’t know the average cost of various e-liquids, vape accessories, and other products. 

    Shopping around will help you identify online stores that are highly expensive, too cheap, or reasonably priced. It may be best to keep off merchants that are too costly. Also, vape products that seem suspiciously cheap should be a cause of concern. For instance, batteries or pens that are too lowly valued are more likely to overheat, catch fire, or burst. Also, extremely cheap e-liquids could have contaminated additives or toxic chemicals that can be risky to your health.

    Consider A Store With Good Reviews

    Checking out the customer reviews of an online vape store is quite =essential. These could help you know what kind of products the seller has and if their commodities are of excellent quality. If you find a shop with more positive and genuine feedback about their items, it may be best to buy from them. 

    You could also rate a store’s customer service quality by checking their testimonials. Find out how different sellers respond to clients’ negative and positive feedback before settling on one online shop. 

    If you find that a merchant replies offensively, defensively, or after a long time to customer complaints, it may be best to move on to another seller. Such unprofessional behaviors could show that you might receive the same feedback if you experienced a challenge with the shop’s products or services. However, if you find a merchant that’s quick and ready to help, consider buying from them. Such actions show they value their customers’ needs. 

    Select A Store With Favorable Shipping And Return Policies

    It’s also advisable to check a vape store’s shipping and return policies before buying anything from them. In some cases, you’ll find online shops that only ship locally. It may be advisable to avoid such if you don’t live around their area. 

    It may also be good to keep off sellers who ask for expensive delivery fees or don’t offer shipping discounts. If you’ve ordered many products from them, it might be too costly for the items to reach you. Besides that, a good store should also use effective and professional means of managing slow shipping, like being honest to you as their customer about delays. This way, you’ll know if you should still consider them or not before buying from them. 

    Checking a store’s return policies is also essential because you may get a damaged, wrong, or defective product delivered to you. A seller who takes back such items and offers refunds to customers is the best to consider. 

    Conclusion

    Buying vape products online may be more convenient and affordable. However, there are many merchants on the Internet, making it challenging to identify the best store to buy from, especially if you’re a new vaper. This article provides tips on selecting an online seller that’s worth your hard-earned money and trust. As advised, you should consider a shop with good customer reviews, an easy-to-use website, fair prices, and favorable shipping and return policies. 

     

     

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  • How To Become A Successful Trader And Make Money In The Forex Market

    How To Become A Successful Trader And Make Money In The Forex Market

    Forex trading is an exciting, interesting, and accessible way to earn money online, which opens a lot of opportunities for self-realization. But despite all the advantages, there is always a possibility to lose money. To help you avoid this, we wrote this article.

    Training

    Before you can become a professional trader, you need special training. Free courses will allow you to master the basic terminology, as well as get a general idea of how to become a trader in the stock market. You can also familiarize yourself with trading tutorials and expert advice from top market analysts. They are constantly improving their skills and communicating on various specialized forums, so they can provide you with useful information and market insights.

    The right daily routine is the key to successful trading

    The trader’s morning begins, unfortunately, not with coffee. For those focused on the U.S. market, trading is tied to North American Eastern Time (EST). Trade signals begin at 9:30 a.m. and traders need to get up at least an hour earlier in order to be up and running before trading begins.

    Preparation includes

    • Sketching out a daily trading plan
    • Checking your trading account balance to accurately assess the risks of each trade
    • Checking the economic calendar for daily analytics and market predictions
    • Make sure the trading platform is working without interruptions

    And so — the work begins

    Trading in the first hour after the official opening is very interesting for Forex traders due to the high volatility of the market. The market remains active until about noon (11:00-11:30 a.m. EST). From about that time onwards, volatility tends to decrease as lunchtime begins.

    As traders presumably begin to return from lunch and meetings, markets rise again and price movement comes to life. Traders take advantage of this second wave by looking for additional trading opportunities before the final close of the markets (4:00 p.m. EST).

    Fundamental and Technical Analysis

    The basis of successful trading in the Forex market is fundamental and technical analysis —  the first concerns the current situation assessment in the Forex market based on technical analysis, and the second – is the fundamental trends in the economy and world finance.

    • Fundamental analysis takes into account political attitudes in the behavior of states, the state of their economies in comparison with the economies of other countries, monetary policy, and the global conjuncture of world financial, stock, and commodity markets.
    • Technical analysis is based on the study of price index series, and supply and demand indicators for the past period and can be carried out on the basis of different methods: graphical and analytical.

    It is possible to find high-quality analytical reviews on the Forex market in a variety of places. However, you should refer to analytical articles only on time-tested resources, such as daily market analytics by FBS experts.

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  • 5 Things You Should Know about Singapore’s Global Investor Programme

    5 Things You Should Know about Singapore’s Global Investor Programme

    Among numerous efforts that the Singaporean government has made to drive up economic growth in the country, one of the initiatives that’s gotten the most traction is the Global Investor Programme (GIP). The GIP, an official division of Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB), is a programme whose goals are (1) to attract promising investors and entrepreneurs from across the globe, and (2) invite them to contribute their talents to Singapore’s world-class economy.

    If it’s been a dream of yours to work in Singapore—and to earn a comfortable life there for your family—find out if you’re eligible for the GIP. Here’s everything you need to know about Singapore’s flagship residency-by-investment programme.

    It Affords You the Chance to Secure Permanent Residency or Citizenship in Singapore

    One of the most appealing incentives of the GIP is that it serves as a way to attain either permanent residency (PR) or citizenship status in Singapore. If you are successful in your application, you’ll be able to earn a Singapore investment visa. This will allow you to work and reside in Singapore in the long term and even secure citizenship for you and your nuclear family two years after you obtain PR status.

    Not only will you be able to do business in Singapore and contribute your investment acumen towards the country’s economic growth, you will also be able to live in a city-state that is consistently lauded for its healthcare system, public infrastructure, and general quality of life. If it’s within reach, this is one of the best avenues to start a prosperous life in Singapore.

    It’s Open to Established Business Owners, Next-Generation Business Owners, Family Office Principals, and Founders of Fast-Growing Businesses

    At a glance, there are four types of investors who are welcome to apply to Singapore’s GIP:

    • An established business owner with rich entrepreneurial experience spanning at least 3 years, and whose annual business turnover is at least SGD 200 million
    • A member of a high-value family business whose immediate family possesses at least 30% of shares, and whose annual turnover for the said business is at least SGD 500 million
    • A founder and one of the largest shareholders of a fast-growing company that’s worth at least SGD 500 million
    • A family office principal with at least 5 years’ worth of experience in entrepreneurship, management, or investment activities and net investable assets of at least SGD 200 million

    Does your investor’s profile match any of these? If it does, look up the additional eligibility requirements from EDB and see if you meet them.

    You Must Be Involved in Certain Industries to Be Qualified for the Programme

    The GIP is a highly selective programme, and one criteria that an applicant must meet is that their business and investment interests must be represented in the GIP’s list of accepted industries. Some examples that reflect Singapore’s biggest economic drivers are the sectors of consumer business, automotive business, logistics and supply chain management, financial services, healthcare and medical technology, electronics, energy, and information communication. Other exciting areas of investment that are eligible under the GIP are aerospace engineering, marine and offshore engineering, nanotechnology, the arts, and sports businesses.

    A full list of eligible industries is available on the EDB’s official website. If you intend to apply for the programme, be sure that your sector is represented.

    You Can Invest in a New Business Entity, a GIP Fund, or a Family Office with SGD 200 Million in AUM

    There are three options for investing your money into the GIP, and they comprise the following:

    • Investing SGD 2.5 million in a brand-new business entity. If you choose this route, you will need to submit a detailed business or investment plan to the EDB complete with financial projections, anticipated expenditures, and employment schemes.
    • Investing in an existing GIP fund that’s based and incorporated in Singapore. The EDB will assess you based on the viability and thoroughness of your investment plans.
    • Investing in a new or existing family office with at least SGD 200 million in assets under management, or AUM. Offshore assets count, but at least SGD 50 million must be transferred to and held in Singapore.

    You Must Be Ready to Make Your Investment within 6 Months of Your Application Approval

    Lastly, if you’ve been approved for entry into Singapore through the GIP, you are required to complete your investment within six months of your application approval. This should be made through your personal bank account, under your sole name, with a Singapore-registered bank that’s based in the country.

    You will also need to take stock of all true copies of your investment documents, like bank statements, credit and debit advisories, a bank reference letter certifying the validity of the transaction, and other additional documents required by the EDB. Be prepared to complete this paper trail so that you are not amiss in your standing with the agency.

    Final Words

    The requirements may be tedious and the field may be quite competitive, but you’ll have an exceptional opportunity to live and invest in Singapore if your GIP application is successful. Contact an authorised representative from the EDB and see how you can get started on the application process!

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