Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Consumers in the United States scoured the internet for online deals as they looked to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people's regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it. Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, expected consumers to spend $13.2 billion Monday — a record, and 6.1% more than last year. That would make it the biggest shopping day for e-commerce for the season — and the year. Online spending was expected to peak between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday night, per Adobe — reaching an estimated $15.7 million spent every minute. Hammonton police sergeant accused of failing drug test, stealing drugs from evidence room Mays Landing man charged in hit-and-run that injured man, killed dog in Absecon $680,000 Atlantic City charter bus purchase mostly covered by state, Small says Atlantic County Sheriff's Office warns of new scam Mainland Regional falls to Old Tappan in state final 19 arrested following street operations in Atlantic City Everything you need to know about Mainland Regional's state title game Holy Spirit overcomes rain, mud, Atlantic City to win Thanksgiving rivalry, clinch WJFL division Mays Landing man busted for meth Biden pardons his son Hunter despite previous pledges not to Ocean City residents speak against Bible study on school time Holy Spirit and Millville win Thanksgiving rivalry games Atlantic City mayor waives first appearance on witness tampering charge Memories of special season will last for Mainland players, families, fans Longport administrator and former police chief Scott Porter dies For several major retailers, a Cyber Monday sale is a dayslong event that began over the Thanksgiving weekend. An Amazon Prime delivery person lifts packages while making a stop Nov. 28, 2023, in Denver. Amazon kicked off its sales event right after midnight Pacific time on Saturday. Target's two days of discount offers on its website and app began overnight Sunday. Walmart rolled out its Cyber Monday offers for Walmart+ members Sunday afternoon and opened it up to all customers three hours later, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five major shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — provides a strong indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays. Many U.S. consumers continue to experience sticker shock after the period of post-pandemic inflation, which left prices for many goods and services higher than they were three years ago. But retail sales nonetheless remain strong, and the economy kept growing at a healthy pace. At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies are rising. More shoppers than ever are also on track to use "buy now, pay later" plans this holiday season, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items. Many economists also warned that President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs next year on foreign goods coming into the United States would lead to higher prices on everything from food to clothing to automobiles. A FedEx delivery person carries a package from a truck Nov. 17, 2022, in Denver. The National Retail Federation expects holiday shoppers to spend more this year both in stores and online than last year. But the pace of spending growth will slow slightly, the trade group said, growing 2.5% to 3.5% — compared to 3.9% in 2023. A clear sense of consumer spending patterns during the holiday season won't emerge until the government releases sales data for the period, but some preliminary data from other sources shows some encouraging signs for retailers. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that discounts from Thanksgiving onward "exceeded expectations" and online spending throughout Cyber Week is on track to cross a record $40 billion mark combined. U.S. shoppers spent $10.8 billion online on Black Friday, a 10.2% increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That's also more than double what consumers spent in 2017, when Black Friday pulled in about $5 billion in online sales. Consumers also spent a record $6.1 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, Adobe said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce, which also tracks online shopping, estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $17.5 billion in the U.S. and $74.4 billion globally. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 3.4% from a year ago. A United Parcel Service driver sorts deliveries July 15, 2023, on New York's Upper West Side. E-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $5 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $4.6 million per minute — with top categories by volume including clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, according to the Canadian company. Toys, electronics, home goods, self-care and beauty categories were among the key drivers of holiday spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to Adobe. "Hot products" included Lego sets, espresso machines, fitness trackers, makeup and skin care. Other data showed physical stores saw fewer customers on Black Friday, underscoring how the huge crowds that were once synonymous with the day after Thanksgiving are now more than happy to shop from the comfort of their homes. RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in stores, said its early data showed store traffic on Friday was down 3.2% in the U.S. compared to last year, with the biggest dip happening in the Midwest. Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, said its preliminary analysis showed retail store traffic on Black Friday was down 8.2% compared to 2023. Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, noted that in-store traffic was getting spread across multiple days since many retailers offered generous discounts before and after Black Friday. "Some of the extended Black Friday promotions really ended up leading to a little bit of a softer day-of traffic than expected," Gustafson said. In 2024, staying small on purpose seems to be paying off big for small businesses. They're keeping operations small and targeting niche, highly specialized customers. And some business owners find this strategy results in more time, energy, and money to intentionally capitalize on unique, small cap opportunities. The data tells the story of growth in small businesses for the year. According to NEXT , the Small Business Administration (SBA) reports awarding 38,000 SBA 7(a) loans under $150,000: double the amount they awarded in 2020. Here are the related small-business trends paying off in 2024. Commercial real estate agent Ryan Beckenhauer of Market Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, has noticed that small businesses are growing smaller, and that their office and warehouse spaces are starting to reflect that as they shop for business space. In commercial real estate, many small business owners gravitate toward industrial condos and other flexible spaces. These are small-scale industrial spaces with a 90:10 or 80:20 split of warehouse to office. "More individuals are leveraging skills acquired at larger organizations to venture out on their own," explains Beckenhauer. And he goes on to say that they don't need a large commercial space as they make that leap to start a business. His clients include engineers, consultants, builders and other tradespeople. Beckenhauer's clients like the flexibility of being out of an office and being close to their inventory and workshop space. "The clients want to see and touch the finishes," he says. Small business owners both rent or buy these spaces. But he's seeing his clients opt to own industrial condos to stabilize costs due to rent increases in Boulder. And because these spaces are smaller, it can be easier for new buyers to qualify for financing. Mariana Alvarez, owner of Controller Works , an online bookkeeping and advisory firm, has noticed that small business owners outsource financial support services because they don't want to increase headcount. "Outsourcing gives them the possibility of having access to the knowledge and the skills of a CFO without having to pay for the salary," she says. "They don't have to manage or deal with the workload, employment taxes , and all that comes with it," says Alvarez. Additionally, many small business owners in fields like construction are family-owned, and this makes it easier for business owners to hand off delicate financial work to a trusted person with financial experience. Every small business has recurring tasks that can benefit from some level of artificial intelligence automation . And Alvarez sees a lot of value in using AI for small business bookkeeping. She explains that you can automate the data entry on Quickbooks. "When you create rules, as long as you create the rules correctly, it pretty much does itself," says Alvarez. From there, you can lean on financial experts to help you analyze the data and make more informed decisions. She uses AI as a background resource when guiding her accounting clients. "I believe that we still need the human-to-human interaction that comes with more perspective for financial analysis," she explains. According to the SBA , 77% of consumers feel that human interaction is still required for a positive customer experience. People turn to small businesses every day for a human experience. According to Arvind Rongala, CEO of Edstellar , small business workers can show up for their customers but still use AI for routine tasks like customer queries. "This balance allows companies to scale their operations without losing the personal touch that makes them unique. It's important to remember that AI isn't there to replace the human element—it's there to enhance it," he says. "By really focusing on one very small weakness that Amazon has, I've been able to carve out a successful business by offering something different," says Lou Harvey owner of Tank Retailer , a retailer of commercial water and fuel tanks. "When you read our customer reviews, many of them actually mention me by name because of how much we focus on customer service and go the extra mile." One of Harvey's most successful business strategies this year has been to lean into his small, niche market and offer the kind of customer experience that large retailers like Amazon don't. "Any small weaknesses that Amazon has (however small those weaknesses may be) needs to become a strength of a smaller business focusing on a niche market," says Harvey. Harvey has his company's customer service phone number front and center on the website to help earn customer trust. "I prominently feature our phone number, and a real person always answers the phone (usually it's me)," says Harvey. Lucie Voves, CEO and founder of Church Hill Classics , an online, woman-owned diploma framing company that uses sustainable materials, has noticed an uptick in customers seeking services from a business on a mission. "This year, we've seen a growing inclination for consumers to actively seek out and support small businesses owned by women and minorities," says Voves. When consumers shop small, they choose to make their dollars count. "Customers are fueled by a desire to promote social impact through purchasing power," says Voves. Long gone are the days of online retailers "building it and they will come." In 2024 we've seen more small businesses than ever turn to social commerce to sell directly on social media platforms like Instagram Shopping , Facebook Marketplace , and TikTok . Small business owners are turning toward influencers, social media ads, and organic content to target their customers. Mike Vannelli of Envy Creative creates online ads for businesses, and he has seen his clients succeed on TikTok of late. "I've seen businesses, especially in retail, use TikTok's short-form video format to make their products go viral. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing on steroids," says Vannelli. He uses the platform's algorithm to push a company's content to the right audiences, and it works because TikTok loves storytelling. "I know small brands that use behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, and even playful challenges that tap into trends to humanize their products and build trust," explains Vannelli. To stand out on TikTok, he says, smaller brands need to embrace authenticity and emotional connection. Show your team, share your journey, and involve your community in content creation. This story was produced by NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.Provide MSP & DAP to Pb farmers, says Harsimrat
How to protect your communications through encryptionCibus director Prante Gerhard sells $9,579 in stock
Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded to the burgeoning trade tension between Canada and the United States with a threat that the province could cut off energy exports to the U.S. in retaliation to president-elect Donald Trump ’s threat of sweeping tariffs. But what would it look like if Ontario and other provinces carried out that threat? Some experts say Canada doesn’t have much room to work with when it comes to potential retaliation. On Wednesday, Ford along with other Canadian premiers met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss the 25-per cent tariffs Trump has threatened to impose on all Canadian imports on his first day in office, which will be Jan. 20, 2025. After the meeting, Ford offered a threat of his own: to “cut off” millions of American residents living in border states from Ontario’s energy exports. “It would turn off the lights to a million-and-a-half Americans,” Ford said. “If they come at us we have to stand up for Canadians, we have to stand up for Ontarians.” A spokesperson for Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), Ontario’s energy regulator, said discussions are currently taking place. “There are active discussions underway with government about this matter and the IESO is not in a position to comment at this point in time,” IESO spokesperson Andrew Dow told Global News in a statement. Drew Fagan, a professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, said Canada may have more to lose from an energy war than the United States. “I’d be very careful about trying to get into a full war where they have a gun and we have a knife,” Fagan said. Fagan said risking a trade war with the U.S., particularly in the energy sector, could jeopardize Canadian jobs. “Tit-for-tat means we will damage our economy far more than we will damage their economy. And that means (a negative impact on) economic growth and jobs. And when we’re talking about the energy sector, we’re talking about good, high-paying jobs,” he said. Last month, Global News reported that according to documents filed with the B.C. Utilities Commission , BC Hydro imported 13,600 gigawatt hours of electricity in fiscal year 2024, at a cost of nearly $1.4 billion. Much of the power came from the U.S. and Alberta, where it was generated by burning fossil fuels. While three U.S. states — primarily Michigan and New York, but also Minnesota — receive Ontario energy, it does not account for the majority of their energy consumption. According to IESO data , Ontario sent 7,718 gigawatts of power to Michigan. However, the state produced 120,656 gigawatts of electricity domestically. New York had similar figures, producing 124,039 gigawatts domestically and importing 4,149 gigawatts from Ontario. Minnesota received 66 gigawatts from Ontario last year. One premier who doesn’t share Ford’s enthusiasm for cutting off energy exports to the United States is Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Fagan said, “She (Smith) wouldn’t take that step because it would be something close to economic Armageddon for her economy. It’s interesting that Premier Ford didn’t suggest cutting off cars. He suggested a product that is important (to Ontario) but secondary.” On Thursday, Smith said, “Under no circumstances will Alberta agree to cut off oil and gas exports.” “I don’t support tariffs on Canadian goods and I don’t support tariffs on U.S. goods. Because all it does is make life more expensive for everyday Canadians and everyday Americans,” she said. As of 2022, Canada’s biggest export to the United States in terms of value was crude oil, worth $152.6 billion. According to Statistics Canada, the U.S. accounted for 97.4 per cent of Canada’s crude oil exports, with Alberta contributing to 87.4 per cent of the total volume exported to the U.S. Fagan cautioned that a tit-for-tat trade fight with the United States may not be contained to the energy sector. “What if they retaliate to his retaliation by doing something with regard to cars, which is a much bigger part of the Ontario economy?” Ontario is the highest-value exporting province to the United States, with its exports to its southern neighbour amounting to an annual $220.5 billion. Ontario’s highest-value export is motor vehicles, amounting to $36 billion, followed by gold at $17.66 billion. With conflict in the Middle East and in Eastern Europe currently raging, Fagan said Canada could pitch itself as the best bet for meeting U.S. energy needs. “Who do you want to buy from? You want to buy from Canada. We should be doing more trade, not less, in all forms of energy,” he said. Fagan said a larger trade war would hurt Canada more. “The Canadian economy is roughly the size of New York State. There’s a huge imbalance,” he said.
The boil water advisory that went into effect Thursday for parts of Swatara Township has been lifted, according to Veolia Water. Users were advised via a Facebook post to begin boiling drinking water after the company’s Oberlin-area water tank was discovered to have a damaged screen that might have allowed contaminants in, according to Veolia. RECOMMENDED • pennlive .com Dauphin County provider gives update on boil water advisory Nov. 22, 2024, 9:51 p.m. Pa. Capitol gathering commemorates transgender lives lost amid growing political hostility Nov. 20, 2024, 6:44 p.m. The advisory was lifted Sunday, as “lab results indicate that the water meets all safe drinking water standards,” according to Veolia. A map provided by Veolia showing the affected area in Swatara Township.Credit: Veolia Veolia
The Green New Deal—From BelowWHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. (AP) — Jordan Sears scored 25 points, Jalen Reed had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and LSU defeated UCF 109-102 in triple overtime on Sunday to take third place at the Greenbrier Tip-Off. LSU trailed by 18 points early in the second half, then failed to hold a lead at the end of regulation and each of the first two overtime periods. The Tigers went up by five with a minute to go in the third overtime. UCF cut it to three, then Vyctorius Miller made a driving layup, Jordan Sears followed with a dunk and the Tigers were able to hold on when leading by seven. Cam Carter scored 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey 14 for LSU (5-1). Darius Johnson had 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds for UCF (4-2). Keyshawn Hall had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Jordan Ivy-Curry scored 20. South Florida led by 15 points at halftime and maintained a double-digit lead for all but a few possessions in the first 11 1/2 minutes of the second half. UCF led 62-48 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining but Sears hit three 3-pointers and LSU drew to within 64-59 with 6 minutes to go. The Tigers scored the last six points of regulation to force overtime. In the first half, LSU led 15-13 about eight minutes into the game but the Tigers missed 15 of 16 shots while being outscored 25-3 over the next 10 minutes. South Florida led 40-25 at halftime after shooting 46% to 25% for LSU. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Polls close in Uruguay’s election, with ruling coalition and opposition headed for photo finish
viewers are unanimous about the 'terrific' show, with some saying they have 'binge-watched all six episodes' already. Viewers of the BBC show have taken to social media to express how much they enjoy the show. 'Binge-watched all 6 episodes of Moonflower Murders until 2am the other night. Terrific stuff. Bravo,' wrote one fan on X, formerly Twitter. Binge-watched all 6 episodes of Moonflower Murders until 2am the other night. Terrific stuff. Bravo. Meanwhile, another said, 'Moonflower murders, very enjoyable.' Moonflower murders, very enjoyable Another fan of the BBC show wrote, 'Very much enjoyed the ‘ ’ on @BBCiPlayer 'Adapted by @AnthonyHorowitz himself 'Looking forward to ‘Marble Hall ’ next year.' Get the What to Watch Newsletter The latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! Very much enjoyed the ‘Moonflower Murders’ on @BBCiPlayer Adapted by @AnthonyHorowitz himself 👌🏻Looking forward to ‘Marble Hall Murders’ next year While another wrote, 'Daniel Mays' and Tim McMullan's accents in Moonflower Murders are wonderful. A real treat to hear East Anglian tones on the telly. And as for Atticus Pund's gorgeous southern German, it's almost like listening to Anton Walbrook again.' Daniel Mays' and Tim McMullan's accents in Moonflower Murders are wonderful. A real treat to hear East Anglian tones on the telly. And as for Atticus Pund's gorgeous southern German, it's almost like listening to Anton Walbrook again. Meanwhile, another wrote, 'Moonflower Murders is the most innovative detective drama on TV in years! Anthony Horowitz’s writing is always so terrific, I read him all the time! 'Congratulations @eleventhhourtv @jillgreen13 @DanielMays9 @willtudor1 @Rosiemae @masterpiecepbs - & Leslie Manville is amazing!' Moonflower Murders is the most innovative detective drama on TV in years! Anthony Horowitz’s writing is always so terrific, I read him all the time!Congratulations @eleventhhourtv @jillgreen13 @DanielMays9 @willtudor1 @Rosiemae @masterpiecepbs - & Leslie Manville is amazing! 🌙 But fans have some questions about the BBC show, 'Can someone answer me this please, are and the same series?' asked one viewer. Can someone answer me this please, are Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders the same series? To which another fan of the BBC show replied, 'Moonflower murders are I think a sequel to magpie murders, same author and cast.' And another clarified, 'Seems to be a follow on serious.' But not everyone agreed that the series is a hit, with another fan writing, 'If I was having a serious off day, and wanted to invent a s**t TV show which perfectly exemplified the desperate lack of creativity and originality in British TV and culture generally, I would invent 'Moonflower Murders'. And I would be disappointed in myself.' If I was having a serious off day, and wanted to invent a shit TV show which perfectly exemplified the desperate lack of creativity and originality in British TV and culture generally, I would invent 'Moonflower Murders'. And I would be disappointed in myself.Ways To Invest In Gold & Silver: Bullion, Etfs & Mining Stocks Guide Released