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Will the 2020s see the rise of the retail robots?

Katherine Radin Retail

Given the current retail landscape, it comes as no surprise that retailers are diversifying their strategies to avoid closings or losing business to online shoppers. At the National Retail Federation's recent trade show, robots took the spotlight as a solution for retailers looking to improve their inventory management strategies. Some retailers have already been using robots in their distribution centers, and Walmart has recently adopted these high-tech "employees" as well. What does that mean for the industry, retail workers, and in-store shoppers?

US, China sign partial trade pact, but economic danger remains

Seth Sandronsky Civil & Government

The nearly two-year trade war between the U.S. and China has cooled down since President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a "phase one" pact to reduce hostilities. On one hand, the pact calls for China to buy an additional $200 billion in U.S. goods over the next 24 months. That total includes $40 billion of American agriculture. For the short-term, there is long-awaited relief for soybean farmers in the Midwest. Is it time to pop the champagne corks? Not exactly.

Infographic: Protecting your data from physical theft

Brian Wallace Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Credit and debit card fraud resulted in losses of nearly $28 billion in 2018. We all know by now to cover our PINs at the gas pump because of card skimmers, but did you know that using public USB chargers is even more risky? Criminals can load malware onto USB charging stations and cables left in public places — locking your device or sending data and passwords to the scammer. This infographic outlines the physical threats to information security.

Spotting ‘hidden’ but dangerous terms in a commercial lease

Kanayo Okwuraiwe Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Signing a commercial lease agreement is a huge milestone in the life of your business. It can greatly contribute to the success or failure of your business. When signing a commercial lease agreement, it is important to pay close attention to the business as well as the legal terms of the agreement, as it is usually not easy to change or get out of a commercial lease agreement once it has been signed. You should, therefore, speak to an experienced real estate lawyer before you sign any lease agreement. A good real estate lawyer should explain all the terms of the agreement to you in layman’s terms.

Pancakes and the value of reinvention

Tory Barringer Marketing

How do you like your pancakes? With or without butter? What kind of syrup? Beginning this spring, IHOP is betting that you'll take them to go. Late last year, the breakfast giant announced the upcoming launch of Flip'd, a new fast-casual option designed to attract the Starbucks crowd by offering the usual IHOP fare in more portable options. This latest venture is not unusual for IHOP, a franchise that notably stirred up a tempest on the internet in summer 2018. If you're looking for a way to reinvigorate your brand, you could do worse than to follow IHOP's example of rebranding. But where do you begin?

4 reasons why every spa should have its own protocols

Elizabeth Donat Retail

With so many spas and medical spas in business these days, it's hard to keep up with all the amazing menu offerings that are available on the market, including rejuvenating facials; chemical peels; dermalinfusion therapies; and treatments for the hands, neck and scalp. But as spa practitioners and owners, it's not only a good idea to offer incredible services at competitive prices, it's crucial to have the protocols for these services written down and recorded at your spa. Like a chef writes and follows carefully crafted recipes, spa owners and their staff must create and adhere to protocols.

A look at recent alcoholic beverage consumption trends

Bambi Majumdar Food & Beverage

Global beverage consumption trends are evolving. In the U.S., researchers have found a deep connection between demographics and alcohol consumption. While each country may show vast differences, here in the U.S., we can see differences between states and regions. Being the melting pot of cultures, we have people from all over the world living here, and their backgrounds have a lot to contribute to the numbers. A recent study released by the University of California, Davis states that socioeconomic and demographic variables play a role in these persistent differences among groups.

Year of the Rat opens possibilities to publicize a rodent

Bob Kowalski Marketing

Rats are not exactly an honored species in America, but they're about to get some attention this year. 2020 is the Year of the Rat, according to the Chinese zodiac. The Lunar New Year, also called the Chinese New Year, begins on Jan. 25, and smart marketers have figured out how to take advantage of a unique branding opportunity. The New Year kicks off 15 days of celebrations to welcome in the Year of the Rat, which last occurred in 2008. The Chinese zodiac contains 12 animals, each getting its own year in rotation.

FAA seeks to take back the skies from rogue drones

Tory Barringer Transportation Technology & Automotive

For the past few years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has had a growing problem with unidentified flying objects. Not the kind with little green men, but rather unmanned (and unregistered) aerial vehicles (UAVs) — "drones" for short. Originally designed for military applications, drones are now used widely for a variety of jobs, including aerial surveillance, bridge inspections, wedding photography and package delivery, among others. So how does the government keep track of more than a million remote-controlled flying machines? The answer, at least until recently, is "not very well."

Infographic: 15 things that can be hacked in your life

Christian Castillo Science & Technology

Before, all we had to do was install antivirus software, and we'd be safe from anything online. But thanks to the internet of things, computers and credit cards aren't the only things that can be hacked. Everything from cranes on a construction site to the fridge in your home can be accessed by a malicious hacker. Education is the first line of defense, however, and this infographic will show you a list of some of the most hackable things in your life right now.

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