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  • Trump Blasts Amazon Yet Again, Says eCommerce Giant Uses USPS as Its ‘Delivery Boy’

    Trump Blasts Amazon Yet Again, Says eCommerce Giant Uses USPS as Its ‘Delivery Boy’

    President Donald Trump once again attacked Amazon and the Washington Post in some of his recent tweets.

    In his latest Twitter rant against the company, the President railed that the Washington Post “has gone crazy against me” since Amazon lost their Internet Tax Case in the Supreme Court. He also jibed that the Washington Post is losing a fortune and described it as “nothing more than an expensive lobbyist for Amazon.”

    Trump also blasted Amazon for using the US Postal Service as a “delivery boy” for its packages at only “a fraction of real cost.”

    Trump’s latest tirade came on the heels of a Washington Post’s report that was critical of how he handled North Korea. The paper claimed the president was frustrated with how long it was taking to see some progress after his talk with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Trump tweeted the country had not launched a rocket in 9 months and that “all of Asia is happy.” He also said what the “Fake News” is claiming is wrong and said that he was “very happy” with the way things with North Korea were proceeding.

    Amazon’s shares dipped slightly after Trump’s tweets. However, the loss was minuscule when compared to the company’s 55 percent gains since the start of 2018. Trump’s tirade also did little to harm Jeff Bezos’ standing as the world’s richest man. The owner of Amazon and the Washington Post has a net worth amounting to about $150 billion.

    This isn’t the first time that Trump attacked Bezos and Amazon regarding the e-retailer’s use of the USPS. In a tweet last December, Trump questioned why the USPS was charging the online store so little when they “Should be charging MUCH MORE!” He also tweeted in April that the Post Office was losing a fortune but that this will change.

    It is true that the Post Office is losing money. The USPS reported a loss of $2.7 billion in 2017. Increasing the rates of shipping packages is one way to resolve the situation. However, the USPS’ main function is not to generate profit but to serve civilians. This is why the department’s shipping rates are very low.

    Amazon also isn’t the only company using the US Postal Service. FedEx and UPS also drop off packages and utilizes the USPS as their “last mile” delivery. If the postal service does raise prices, it would affect all companies that ships packages, including small businesses that may find it difficult to cover increased shipping costs. 

    [Featured image via YouTube]

  • US House of Representatives Passes JOBS Act 3.0, Bill Aims to Help Small Businesses Get More Funding

    US House of Representatives Passes JOBS Act 3.0, Bill Aims to Help Small Businesses Get More Funding

    Small businesses won big on Tuesday night when the House of Representatives passed JOBS Act 3.0. The bill passed on a 406-4 vote, a surprisingly solid consensus from a chamber that has gained infamy due to its present bipartisan differences. But what is the JOBS Act 3.0 and what does it mean for small businesses in the US?

    Understanding JOBS Act 3.0 and Its Significance

    Originally known as the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, the legislation has been under discussion for several years as Congress tried to hammer out changes that both parties would be happy with.

    JOBS Act 3.0, or the JOBS and Investor Confidence Act of 2018, is an amalgamation of 20 distinct bills. These bills are all designed to encourage and boost entrepreneurship by making it easier for small businesses to gain access to capital markets.

    Under JOBS Act 3.0, new legislation will ease banking regulations, allowing startups to get the financial help they need. It will also stimulate venture capital and make it possible for initial public offering (IPO) to become more manageable and affordable.

    This move certainly garnered the approval of Tom Quaadman, the Executive Vice President of the US Chamber Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness. According to Quaadman, these pro-growth policies will not only help get new businesses off the ground, it will also improve the chances that these enterprises will grow, innovate, and boost the job market.

    “It is a win for entrepreneurs, businesses, and job creators across the country,” Quaadman said.

    Ways the JOBS Act Can Benefit Small Businesses

    There are numerous ways JOBS Act 3.0 will help small businesses. For one, it will remove barriers that hinder companies from raising capital.

    The US Chamber of Commerce revealed that three-fourths of the country’s business financing comes from capital markets. However, the sheer number of regulations makes it challenging to keep up with demand. This has resulted in a decline in the number of US startups in recent years. Now China is leading the IPO revolution, producing more than one-third of the world’s startups compared to the 11 percent by the US.

    New regulations would also permit a larger number of accredited investors to invest in startups and small businesses, thus improving their chances. For instance, people who earn more than $200,000 a year or those who have a net worth of $1 million or more could become accredited investors. This will boost the pool of investors and provide more capital funds.

    The Act will also clarify how businesspeople and angel investors can discuss their investments without running into trouble with securities laws. A clear understanding of these regulations would increase venture capital movement and make acquisitions by small businesses easier.

    What’s Next for the Bill

    The JOBS Act 3.0 has garnered a lot of support from numerous organizations and companies. The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) even praised it for being a “tremendous step forward for small, pre-revenue innovators.” However, the bill still has some ways to go.

    The legislation is now in the hands of the Senate, the chamber of Congress that has become known for not getting things done. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will now have the job of wrangling enough votes to get the bill in front of President Trump by fall.

    [Featured image via Pexels]

  • Businesses Struggle to Fill Open Positions as US Workers Quit Their Jobs in Record Numbers

    Businesses Struggle to Fill Open Positions as US Workers Quit Their Jobs in Record Numbers

    According to the latest statistics from the Bureau of Labor, a large number of US workers have been quitting their jobs recently. In May, US workers said goodbye to their jobs in record numbers. The statistics showed that 2.4 percent of employees left their companies that month, a higher number than the previous high reached in April 2001.

    Some analysts see this as a positive indication of how strong the job market is these days. After all, employees usually only quit their jobs for greener pastures. People who switch employment often receive higher pay and greater benefits than those that stay put.

    Government data also revealed that there were fewer jobs advertised in May than in April. The numbers showed that there were 6.84 million jobs in April and only 6.64 million the following month. The 3 percent drop was the highest in the almost twenty years that records have been saved.

    However, the number of open positions were higher than that of the unemployed for the second time in as many years. A look at the available jobs in May, factored in with the number of unemployed workers, shows that there are 0.91 out-of-work individuals for every available job.

    The figures mirror a solid job market pushed by employers who are moving to expand their employee base. The recent job report also indicated that the hiring rate was good and that unemployment numbers remained at a low 4 percent.

    The current shortage in the labor pool and the competition for jobs should prompt businesses to increase salaries in order to secure workers. However, wage hikes remain at modest levels. Hourly earnings increased to 2.7 percent in June but aren’t commensurate with the 4 percent yearly gains that are typical in a healthy economy.

    The large discrepancy between unfilled job positions and unemployed workers is forcing companies to become more flexible with their hiring. Where businesses used to employ people with specific skills, now they’re more open to choosing applicants who could thrive in the company’s culture and are willing to learn required skills.

    However, companies are still cautious and are embracing change much slower than they did in the 1990s, the last time the country enjoyed a solid job market. Staffing experts say that the hiring process has become more thorough in the last twenty years, as background checks intensified and more screening steps were introduced. This is also why it’s taking longer to fill many open positions.

    [Featured image via Pexels.com]

  • Twitter Gets Rid of 70 Million Fake Accounts in May and June, Cracks Down on Trolls

    Twitter Gets Rid of 70 Million Fake Accounts in May and June, Cracks Down on Trolls

    Twitter has been aggressively suspending false accounts in a bid to curtail the spread of fake news. The company’s massive crackdown on trolls and bots have resulted in one million dubious accounts being deleted or suspended per day.

    According to the Washington Post, Twitter has been coming down hard on fake accounts, trolls, and bots since late last year. The purge of these accounts was reportedly brought about when testimonies from Google and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter revealed that millions more Americans were exposed to fake news than previously estimated.

    Fake Accounts But Real Damage

    Fake accounts with links to Russia are said to have tweeted false information in an attempt to affect the 2016 US presidential elections. This disinformation campaign involved a troll factory based in St. Petersberg that used state-of-the-art technology to fool voters and exacerbate the tension in the already worsening political and social environment.

    Data compiled by the Post revealed that Twitter got rid of more than a million accounts per day in the past several months. The company reportedly suspended 70 million or more accounts in May and June. The purge apparently continued until July.

    Twitter’s aggressive steps to shut down these malicious accounts could lead to a major backlash against the company as it could result in a decline in monthly users. But the company appears unfazed as it continues its campaign against the bots and trolls responsible for the propagation of false news.

    Taking a Stand Against Fakes

    Twitter has repeatedly garnered criticism for failing to control the spread of bots and trolls that were created with the sole purpose of spreading disinformation. But the social media platform’s new and harsher stand against fraudulent accounts shows a clear shift in the company’s ideology. Twitter had previously refrained from checking possible abuses with regards to tweets due to free speech.

    The company’s Vice President for Trust and Safety, Del Harvey, revealed to the Washington Post that they are changing their stand on “balancing free expression versus the potential for free expression to chill someone else’s speech. Free expression doesn’t mean much if people don’t feel safe,” Harvey explained.

    While a lot of Twitter users applaud the company’s move to delete fake accounts, President Donald Trump has taken to the platform to tweet about getting rid of the accounts of news organizations like the New York Times and the Washington Post.

    While the two companies’ accounts are legitimate, Trump has been blaming them for the spread of fake news or at least news that paints him in a negative light.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • Google Rebrands AdWords, Introduces ‘Smart Campaigns’ for Small Businesses

    Google Rebrands AdWords, Introduces ‘Smart Campaigns’ for Small Businesses

    Google has revamped how its ad services and products are organized and sold in a bid to make its advertising system easier for brands to understand.

    After two decades, Google is retiring AdWords and DoubleClick names and rebranding them instead. They are also being reorganized in order to better showcase their capabilities and growth trajectory. DoubleClick products and the Google Analytics 360 Suite will now fall under the umbrella of Google Marketing Platform. DoubleClick Ad Exchange and DoubleClick for Publishers will be integrated into the Google Ad Manager while AdWords will now be called Google Ads.

    The newly introduced Google Marketing Platform is designed to assist clients in planning, buying, measuring and optimizing their digital media and customer experience. The decision to merge the DoubleClick and Analytics 360 Suite brands was the result of marketer feedback regarding the advantages of using analytics and ads technology to create improved customer understanding and bigger business results.

    Meanwhile, Google Ads will represent the extent of the company’s advertising capacity across its numerous properties, like Google Maps, Google Play, and YouTube. Google Ads will also roll out a new type of ad strategy called Smart Campaigns. This feature will be utilizing machine learning technology and focuses on small businesses. It will be the default experience of start-up companies.

    As for the Google Ad Manager, the unified programmatic system is developed to help partners to generate higher revenue in a more efficient manner.

    The three new brands are being hailed as a way to help all advertisers and publishers pick the right solutions for their business, regardless of the size. It also aims to make it easier for companies to provide consumers with trustworthy ads and an improved experience regardless of the channels and devices used.

    The restructuring of its ads business was announced on Tuesday by Sridhar Ramaswamy, the SVP of Ads at Google. According to Ramaswamy, the company’s extensive ad offerings is challenging for advertisers, ad agencies, and publishers to navigate. He also mentioned that while advertising opportunities have never been greater, it has also become more complicated.

    “It is harder for advertisers, publishers, and agencies that help them choose the right products for their business and know how to use them,” Ramaswamy said.

    Despite the changes, brands have nothing to worry about as Ramaswamy emphasized that Google’s “underlying products aren’t changing.” But while the rebranding is basically just a name change, there will be small changes in some ad interfaces that will streamline the different services that the company’s advertising and marketing products offer.

  • Shopify’s ‘Ping’ App Streamlines Customer Conversations for Merchants

    Shopify’s ‘Ping’ App Streamlines Customer Conversations for Merchants

    As an entrepreneur, time is your most valuable resource, especially when you’re in a highly competitive market. Shopify is now helping businesses maximize their time with a new app that manages customer conversations across multiple messaging platforms.

    The company recently rolled out ‘Ping,’ for iOS devices. The standalone app can streamline customer interactions from SMS, Facebook Messenger, or a company website.

    Shopify is putting more focus on mobile solutions for businesses as half of its estimated 600,000 retailers are already using its mobile application. Most of these merchants currently use the shopping platform to process their business needs and handle their payment system.

    Communicating with Ping

    The Ping app will enable retailers to communicate directly with clients and respond quickly to their requests. All conversations a company has with their clients on any messaging app can be accessed using Ping.

    The fast response time is a great way to assist companies in delivering excellent customer service and building better relationships with clients.

    Shopify explained in its blog that the company developed Ping as another means for online merchants to run their company. With the app, retailers “can spend less time shuffling between separate tools” and spend more time on essential things like serving clients and expanding their business.

    What Can Kit Do

    Ping comes with a built-in virtual assistant dubbed Kit. This little helper can help you conceptualize, develop, launch, and manage your marketing plans. Shopify explained that Kit is designed to run your Instagram and Facebook ads, manage your email marketing campaign, retarget clients, and more depending on the information collected from customer messages.

    Kit can also implement complicated workflows, like touching up product images and searching for new products to expand your inventory.

    The marketing bot was purchased by Shopify in 2016 and an upgraded Kit Skills API is slated to be released later this year. Some improvements expected to be introduced is a natural language processing system that will provide business owners with more insights and the capacity to represent their company in a chat environment. The built-in assistant will be able to respond to frequently asked questions and shipping inquiries. Of course, there will still be instances when human intervention is needed, like when dealing with a large order from a client.

    The Ping app and Kit will also be able to do other AI processes like flag conversations that could lead to big deals or alert the owner of a customer complaint regarding an order.

    Retailers big and small can now download Ping for free on iOS. However, it’s not clear just when the app will become available to Android users.

    [Featured image via Shopify]

  • States Can Now Collect Sales Tax From eCommerce Businesses, Supreme Court Gives Go-Ahead

    States Can Now Collect Sales Tax From eCommerce Businesses, Supreme Court Gives Go-Ahead

    Online shoppers will soon be shelling out more money for their purchases now that the US Supreme Court ruled that states can demand e-businesses collect sales taxes.

    The case, which will have a profound effect on the consumer economy, saw the country’s Supreme Court justices voting 5 to 4 that states have the right to impose taxes on online sales even if the retailer does not have a warehouse or a physical store in their jurisdiction.

    Brick-and-mortar shops have been blaming online stores and the apparent tax break they enjoy for slow sales. Meanwhile, eCommerce businesses have claimed that their success was because of the convenience they offer, not the sales tax (or lack thereof).

    Doing Away with Years Worth of Laws

    The surprising ruling ended years of legislative battles as it overturned a 1992 decision. It also answered the question of whether the law had fallen behind the digital economy. According to the Supreme Court ruling, the requirement that sales taxes are bound to retailers with a “physical presence” in a state was “unsound” and outdated.

    South Dakota is a clear winner in this ruling. The state had petitioned the court to uphold recently passed legislation imposing a sales tax on online retailers. Marty Jackley, the state’s attorney general, defended the law by claiming that South Dakota was “losing millions for education, healthcare and infrastructure” and that the unfair playing field was hurting its citizens.

    The ongoing issue that eCommerce businesses had an unfair advantage over brick-and-mortar shops was pushed to the forefront again when President Donald Trump tweeted in April that online retail giant Amazon was paying “little or no taxes to state & local governments.” It should be pointed out, though, that Amazon has been collecting sales taxes from customers in 45 states since April 2017.

    Impact of Supreme Court Ruling on eCommerce

    The decision to levy sales tax on online retailers had traditional retailers celebrating while the stocks of ecommerce companies took a dive.

    Wayfair, an online furnishings retailer, saw its shares drop 3.8 percent while Overstock.com and eBay fell 2.5 percent and 2 percent respectively.

    Amazon’s shares also took a hit, going down 1 percent. However, the retail giant’s situation is more complicated. While the company enjoyed the tax exemption for several years, a policy change in 2012 has seen it collecting tax on its own sales in the District of Columbia and 45 other states. But its third-party sellers haven’t been required to do so and thus will feel the impact of the court’s decision.

    President Trump has declared the Supreme Court ruling as a “big victory for fairness” in the US and a “great victory for consumers and retailers.” However, consumers would be paying more once this ruling is implemented.

    There’s no telling yet how the new ruling will affect the retail landscape as this will largely depend on how states choose to exercise their authority regarding online sales. Some experts have noted that the emphasis placed by the justices on South Dakota’s law provides small online businesses with some protection as only sellers that engage in transactions of 200 or more or those that deliver goods worth more than $100,000 will be taxed.

    However, the numbers could vary as $100,000 can be considered quite low from a company income tax perspective. But it’s safe to say that states will try to implement these tax sales, whether via existing or new legislation.

    [Featured image via Pexels.com]

  • Brex Raises $57 Million to Launch New Credit Card for Startups

    Brex Raises $57 Million to Launch New Credit Card for Startups

    American fintech company Brex has just launched a new corporate credit card designed specifically to assist startups.

    The news of this unique credit card also comes on the heels of Brex’s recently concluded Series B funding round. The company was able to raise $57 million courtesy of investors like PayPal co-founders Max Levchin and Peter Thiel, Facebook’s Yuri Milner, VC Ribbit Capital, and the Y Combinator Continuity.

    Brex is the brainchild of young engineers cum entrepreneurs Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franchesci. The two are known for founding Pagar.me, a Brazilian payments processor, when they were still in their teens.

    Brex wants to rebuild B2B financial products, and one key step to doing that is to start with a corporate credit card service. The company provides tech startups and various companies with instant approval of credit cards. What’s more, these have higher than expected credit limits and users don’t require any kind of personal guarantees.

    The San Francisco-based company basically underwrites businesses and foregoes credit history in lieu of factors like its investors and the equity the company holds, its cash balance and spending habits. Brex offers the first five cards of the startup free of charge. Any additional cards after that will cost $5 monthly.

    Brex credit cards offer several distinct features, like the capacity to capture receipts using your smart device and matching them to the card holder’s credit statement. The card can also be integrated with accounting software like Expensify, NetSuite, and QuickBooks.

    Dubugras and Franchesci reportedly spent the previous year talking with customers about developing a product that could successfully navigate the regulatory and financial challenges that usually prevent early-stage startups from getting credit card approval.

    According to Brex CEO Dubugras, “startups that have raised millions and are poised for hyper-growth can’t get slowed down hassling with banks requiring personal guarantees and offering meager credit limits.”

    Unfortunately, traditional credit models look at how much a company can pay back annually based on revenue. This practice automatically disqualifies startups. But Brex has gotten around that problem by focusing on the cash that the investors have given the startup.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • Small Businesses are Struggling to Find Workers Due to Low Unemployment Rate

    Small Businesses are Struggling to Find Workers Due to Low Unemployment Rate

    A recent LinkedIn employment report has revealed that the US job market is hale and hearty. The country’s unemployment rate is down across the board while hiring is 4.5% higher when compared to this same time last year. While the news certainly is encouraging, the report also underlines the challenges that small businesses are facing with regards to hiring and keeping the right people.

    Numbers Point to Good News

    Aside from the news that hiring rates are high and unemployment rates are down, the LinkedIn Workforce Report for June also revealed some interesting specifics. For instance, there’s a 12.4% increase in hiring in cities that rely heavily on the oil industry. Tech firms, financial and insurance services, architecture and engineering firms, and automotive and transportation companies are also hiring more people.

    Hiring in San Francisco Bay Area - June 2018

    However, there are also several cities where the demand for skilled workers is simply not being met. These cities include Austin, Washington DC, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Conversely, Hartford, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach have thriving communities of skilled workers, making it easy for small and big businesses to fill their employment requirements.

    The LinkedIn study isn’t the only one touting these numbers. Reuters has also reported that job growth in the US went up in May while the unemployment rate dropped to 3.8 percent, an 18-year low for the country. Total payrolls rose to 223,000 and the average hourly earnings have increased by 0.3 percent month-to-month.

    Image result for 2018 us unemployment rates

    The report does paint a rosy outlook for American households. Tom Porcelli, Chief US Economist of RBC Capital Markets admits the news about unemployment rates “literally checks off all the right boxes.” He also said that they have been looking for any negatives about the findings but admits that so far, they haven’t found anything.

    What it Means for Small Businesses

    The LinkedIn report doesn’t mean everything’s smooth sailing though. One key takeaway from it is the fact that with more businesses hiring, the labor market has become a tight one. This means companies are fighting for a workforce that’s steadily growing smaller.

    The labor shortage means that the majority of businesses will have no other option but to increase wages in order to attract the workers they need and keep the ones they want. This is good news on the side of the employees, as it implies that salary growth is picking up.

    Unfortunately, not all small businesses can go head to head with bigger and more established companies who have better financial backing. This year’s Randstad US Salary Guide says that wages have risen by as much as 3% across different industries, a rate that not all small businesses can meet.

    Low unemployment rates also mean small companies will start to lose out on business. A Federal Reserve survey showed that in some states, restaurants struggle to find waiters and cooks while construction and manufacturing companies simply can’t find workers, regardless of whether they’re skilled or not. This lack of workers has translated to rising production costs, as well as canceled or delayed projects.

    So what can small businesses do to attract skilled workers? Aside from matching the going rate, they can offer an incentive program or a profit sharing option. Work from home options and extensive training can also be used to sweeten the deal. In short, small businesses would have to be more creative with their perks.

  • US Podcasting Revenue Hit Record High in 2017, Up 86% from Previous Year

    US Podcasting Revenue Hit Record High in 2017, Up 86% from Previous Year

    The US podcast industry had a great run in 2017. According to the latest joint study conducted by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the industry raked in $314 million last year.

    The IAB, which was responsible for the Podcast Advertising Revenue Study for the second year in a row, stated that 2017’s revenue showed an 86% growth for the year. The medium generated $169 million in 2016.

    The two companies also predicted that the podcast market will be worth around $659 million by 2020. That’s a 110 percent growth between 2017 and 2020.

    [Graphic via InsiderRadio]

    The IAB study even touched on the kind of podcasts that benefited from the increasing interest in the medium and the advertisements that suited it.

    Unsurprisingly, the most-preferred ads were the host-read spots. This accounted for more than two-thirds of the ads in 2017. Direct response ads, which are designed to generate an instant reaction from the show’s listeners, captured a big chunk of the marketing campaigns. Brand awareness came in third at 29%. Meanwhile, ads integrated into the podcast or embedded into the show took up 58% of the combined ads of the year.

    While there are different types of advertisers willing to shell out money for that all important air time, the top three spenders are financial services companies (18%), direct-to-consumer sellers (16%) and marketers from the arts and entertainment sectors (13%).

    It goes without saying that not all podcasts are created equal. Some types are just better when it comes to money-making. Fourteen genres were tested, and the top four categories for content are Arts and Entertainment (17%), Gadgets and Technology (15%), News and Politics (13%) and Business (11%).

    The revenue generated by podcasts is even more impressive considering that this avenue is still growing.

    According to Anna Bager, the EVP of IAB’s Industry Initiatives, the “strong numbers speak to advertisers’ increasing recognition that podcasts provide a powerful platform for reaching and engaging audiences.” She also stated that advertisers are just now starting to tap into the medium’s “highly engaged audience.”

    This bodes well for podcast startups. The boost in consumer interest has certainly helped companies like Wondery, which raised $5 million this year thanks to Greycroft, Shari Redstone’s Advancit Capital, and Lerer Hippeau Ventures. Meanwhile, Castbox has already raised $13.5 million for its new podcast app.

    The rising interest in podcasts is also largely attributed to how people now listen to content, which is through mobile devices and smart speakers as they go about their lives.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • The Death of Net Neutrality and What it Means for Consumers

    The Death of Net Neutrality and What it Means for Consumers

    It finally happened. The repeal of net neutrality laws by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took effect on Monday.

    According to the FCC, the repeal will put an end to the “unnecessary, heavy-handed regulations” implemented by the previous administration and move forward with “common-sense regulations that will promote investment and broadband deployment.”

    The net neutrality rules, which were passed in 2015 during the tenure of President Barack Obama, prevented internet providers from giving special treatment to specific websites or charging them more for particular content. However, current FCC Chairman Ajit Pai opposed these regulations as he believed they impeded innovation.

    What It Means for Consumers

    Most internet users and consumer advocates are rightly worried that the repeal of Title II, or the net neutrality bill, means that broadband providers would start to sell their services in bundles, much like how cable television is packaged. For instance, some providers might require users to pay for a social media premium bundle in order to access platforms like Instagram and Twitter.

    There are also concerns that without the protections of the neutrality law, internet providers can slow down their competitor’s traffic or any other site they want to slow down. Conversely, they can also create “fast lanes,” which companies with deep enough pockets can take advantage of in return for faster connectivity.

    This also means that the playing field could be biased against small companies or eCommerce startups that will have to fight harder for exposure. Freelancers and other remote workers might also have to shell out more money to work from home.

    Can Net Neutrality be Revived?

    While it’s understandable for consumers to be wary about the FCC repeal, it will reportedly be months before any changes are felt. In the meantime, several states have already taken steps to protect net neutrality. The governors of Montana, New York, and Washington have either signed a law or issued executive orders to counter federal rules regarding the internet.

    There’s also a motion in the lower House right now that could push Republicans to vote to reinstate the 2015 net neutrality rules. Voters still have a say on this as they can either force their state representative to take a stand or vote out and replace them with someone who supports their stand on a free internet.

    For their part, some internet providers have publicly pledged that they will not throttle or block sites even with the repeal of Title II. Their only argument against the bill was the fact that the FCC had so much control over their business and that the regulations made expansion difficult.

  • PayPal Will Soon Integrate More Payment Options Into Google Services

    PayPal Will Soon Integrate More Payment Options Into Google Services

    Google’s rebranding of Google Pay this year was done to make twofold transactions go more smoothly. Now, the company is integrating PayPal into the mix. This will enable PayPal users to pay bills and make purchases without having to log in or out of Google services.

    The integration between Google and PayPal will go live later this year. It will cover any services and apps using Google Pay, like Gmail, the Google Store, and YouTube and will also work with peer-to-peer transfers.

    The two companies working together is not new. PayPal has already been a payment option for Google Play since 2014 and in online and in-store transactions that are handled by Google Pay since 2017. Google is also working with other payment partners like Braintree, Cybersource, Mastercard, Stripe, and Visa.

    The expanded relationship between Google and PayPal will undoubtedly benefit the two companies. For the former, it will mean a reduction of users leaving the site just to complete a transaction, a move that more often than not results in abandoned purchases. This will also give buyers more payment alternatives, ensuring that more sales are completed. As for PayPal, the union will also give its members an incentive to use its services to buy things, thereby leading to higher transaction revenue.

    This partnership also underlines the changes and challenges happening to online payments. A large number of consumers are already willing and ready to pay for services and items online. The problem is that with so many payment options and shops, it’s difficult to keep consumer interest. The challenge now for app publishers, shop owners and platform owners is how to keep people engaged in the product and not migrate to another site.

    The solution is to introduce services where payment transactions are already enabled at the point that they’re needed with minimum fuss. This means no jumping to another site or app, no logging in several times or taking additional steps just to finalize a payment. 

  • Did Senate Democrats Really Save Net Neutrality? The House Has Yet to Vote

    Did Senate Democrats Really Save Net Neutrality? The House Has Yet to Vote

    The US Senate voted on Wednesday to save net neutrality. The chambers used the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to stop the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision to undo regulations regarding Internet usage set during the term of President Barack Obama.

    The bill was passed with a 52 to 47 vote, with the Democrats and Independents receiving some surprising support from Republicans John Kennedy and Lisa Murkowski. The duo represents Louisiana and Alaska respectively. As expected, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine also voted in favor of net neutrality.

    Collins had long announced her support for the CRA move, but Kennedy and Murkowski’s stand on the matter was relatively unknown.

    Kennedy later admitted to the Washington Post that it was difficult to make a decision but it all boiled down to who you were going to trust. As Kennedy explained, those who trusted their cable companies won’t be happy with his vote but “If you don’t trust your cable company, you will.”

    Meanwhile, Murkowski emphasized in a statement that she’s still against some of Obama’s FCC’s regulations but understands the need to safeguard the rights of Internet users.

    “I have voted to pass this resolution today so that we can reset the discussion and move beyond the politics at play here to what is really needed—lasting legislation that will provide certainty and move us beyond shifting regulatory standards that depend on who is running the FCC,” the senator explained.

    Under the Obama administration, regulations prevented broadband providers from blocking, limiting or discriminating against lawful internet content. However, the FCC voted last December to disregard those rules. The FCC’s decision was slated to take effect on June 11, but the new Senate measure effectively blocks that order.

    While the vote to block the FCC might be a major triumph for those supporting net neutrality, they still have a long fight ahead of it. For one, the bill still needs to be approved by the House and signed by President Trump.

    This is where things will potentially get tricky, as net neutrality activists would still have to secure the support of more than 20 Republicans. This is despite having the unanimous support of Democrats. Meanwhile, the White House has been vocal of its support for FCC head Ajit Pai’s move to reverse the regulations set under the previous administration.

    Net neutrality supporters remain hopeful, though. After all, President Trump has changed his mind several times on key issues. There’s also the fact that some Republicans might feel that siding against net neutrality could cause problems in the upcoming midterm elections.

  • Microsoft Pay Streamlines Online Payment in Outlook

    Microsoft Pay Streamlines Online Payment in Outlook

    Microsoft is integrating its digital wallet service into Outlook, as announced during Build 2018 on Monday. Called Microsoft Pay, users can soon make payments on invoices and bills through emails without leaving Outlook and switching to another app or service. All it takes is a click on an Adaptive Card that details the invoice and payment action.

    According to Microsoft, fintech companies Stripe and Braintree will be some of the payment processors under the upcoming integration. Meanwhile, Zuora, FreshBooks, Intuit, Invoice2Go, Sage, Wave, and Xero will be tapped for billing and invoicing services for the new Outlook feature.

    The tech giant also revealed that the streamlined payment system will roll out in phases. For the first weeks, only a few Outlook.com users will have the capability in their email. Microsoft assured that more users will have access to the payment feature over the subsequent months.

    Microsoft emphasizes that Payments in Outlook is a solution developed for its users and not a service where it earns revenues. Instead, its partners earn commissions for every completed transaction. It is an opportunity for developers to monetize on several Microsoft platforms.

    For Microsoft, it isn’t about money but the convenience it offers to platform users. This integration is a way to make customers remain inside the ecosystem and use Microsoft services more often.  

    Microsoft may be a tad too late compared to its competitors, Android Pay and Apple Pay. However, the company’s broader shift to handy Adaptive Cards and integration-friendly developer mechanics has allowed the company to catch up. After all, Microsoft is known to have extensive capabilities in different aspects of computing.

    For businesses, this latest development lets them get paid faster by making the entire process simpler with a few clicks. Stripe agrees with this. “By removing the friction and time needed to complete a payment, Stripe and Microsoft can help businesses around the world reduce missed or late payments, ultimately increasing their revenue,” the company expressed in a statement.

  • Brand Transparency: Why It Should Matter to Your Business

    Brand Transparency: Why It Should Matter to Your Business

    Consumers nowadays have become savvier, thanks to the easy accessibility of information via the Internet. They are not easily swayed by false advertising claims and fancy marketing spiels. Younger consumers have become especially more loyal to brands that appear to be transparent in how they do business. 

    But what is brand transparency, exactly? Why is it crucial for companies, and does it really have an effect on consumer behavior and loyalty?

    Brands are developed as a means to identify and differentiate one business from the other. Effective branding creates inherent value that affects purchasing behavior and consumer preferences. These days, consumers are demanding more detailed information about a product before making a purchase. They want to know all the product specifications, the materials used to make it, where those materials came from, and the actual people who make and distribute the products. For these reasons and more, brand transparency should not be considered just another marketing buzzword; it should be a top priority for businesses.

    Studies have shown that transparency resulted in increased loyalty and boosted brand worth.  A 2016 Label Insight Study, revealed that out of 2000 respondents, 94 percent were likely to be loyal to a brand that commits to full transparency. About 56 percent would remain loyal for life if a company remained open to its disclosures. Of those surveyed, 73 percent were willing to pay more for a brand that is completely transparent. 

    Some consumers will even switch to a brand and consider its entire product portfolio, all because of its openness.  

    Brand transparency builds lifetime loyalty and strengthens trust from consumers. About 58 percent remain distrustful of a brand without ‘real world proof’ of its promised claims. Businesses are seen as ethical if they are truthful in informing people of what to expect from offered products and services. It is a guiding principle for companies and advertising channels alike in their marketing strategy to earn trust. 

    Full transparency requires a conscious effort in disclosing information to the public. It allows companies to prevent mistrust from happening when information is only made available after the incident. There are several ways to promote brand transparency and earn consumer trust.  

    1. Holding Your Brand Accountable

    Any lapses in brand standards should be pointed out and serve as an example to do better. A business is responsible for delivering its brand’s promise on products and services. If possible, everyone in the company should share accountability, as behaviors in the workplace also reflect the brand’s values.

    2. Focusing on What Your Brand Represents

    Avoid portraying the company inaccurately. Staying true to what your brand stands will help it to maintain a positive image. Amidst the changing business landscape, companies must remain open with their consumers without losing sight of the brand’s purpose. Core values and a clear mission statement should be communicated and upheld throughout the company.

    3. Connecting With Consumers

    Companies should take advantage of social media in communicating their messages to target markets. With digital-savvy consumers, businesses must turn to social networking platforms and acknowledge feedbacks or queries addressed through these channels. By adjusting how they communicate, companies can establish a recognizable brand voice and encourage engagement with consumers. This builds trust in the brand and establishes a loyal relationship with its customers.  

    Keep in mind that brand trust and loyalty do not happen overnight. There are several factors involved in creating a long-lasting relationship with your customer, but one that stands out is brand transparency. 

    [Featured image via Pexels]

  • Kabbage Teams Up with Ingo Money to Disburse SMB Loans Within Minutes

    Kabbage Teams Up with Ingo Money to Disburse SMB Loans Within Minutes

    Mobile lender Kabbage has partnered with push payments innovator Ingo Money to speed up disbursement of loans to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) accounts in real-time. The team-up, slated for a summer launch, is welcome news to SMBs that need fast loan payouts for their additional working capital.

    By leveraging Ingo Money’s “push payments in a box” platform, Kabbage can make the funds available to business debit cards or wallet accounts immediately. Whereas loan application and approval from financial institutions take weeks, online lenders like Kabbage has reduced the entire process to mere minutes.  

    According to PYMNTS website, Kabbage President Kathryn Petralia addressed the necessity of SMBs having quick access to funding and pointed out that customers often resort to using PayPal to withdraw loan payouts. With Ingo Money, clients now have more available options in moving money within the Kabbage platform.

    According to Lisa McFarland, chief product officer at Ingo Money, the push payments functionality means that Kabbage doesn’t need loan originating banks to handle the money transfer transaction to its customers. Apart from the technology, Ingo will also facilitate the SMB authentication and account verification of Kabbage customers prior to real-time funds transfer.

    Innovations like mobile lending have become crucial in keeping up with fast-paced technology and the changing business landscape. Small business owners have become more digitally savvy and increasingly depend on mobile platforms for conducting business. With available data online on business activity, sales, shipping, and accounting information, Kabbage can get a comprehensive snapshot of an applicant’s performance right away.   

    In a study done by Kabbage, about 17 percent of small business loans were made through a mobile device. Following this trend, mobile lending may account for 20 percent of SMB lending by the end of 2018. Kabbage even increased its available credit line up to $250,000 for businesses with larger and expanding operations. As of December 2017, the mobile lender has extended over $4 billion in loans to over 130,000 SMBs in the US.

    The mobile lender’s investors include SoftBank Group Corp., BlueRun Ventures, and Mohr Davidow Ventures, as of writing.

    [Featured image via Kabbage]

  • Would You Stop Advertising on Facebook if It Offered Users an Ad-Free Subscription?

    Would You Stop Advertising on Facebook if It Offered Users an Ad-Free Subscription?

    The idea of having a paid but ad-free Facebook account has been floating around for a long time now. While Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was usually adamant that it wasn’t going to happen, the Cambridge Analytica issue appears to be swaying his thoughts. The question now is— “how much would an add-free Facebook cost?”

    Zuckerberg had previously stated that people, in general, do not like paying for a service. He also emphasized that Facebook doesn’t “offer an option today for people to pay to not show ads.” However, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be an ad-free service in the future.

    Some sectors have pegged the cost of an ad-free Facebook to be somewhere between $11 to $14 per month. The amount is based on the social media giant’s recent financial reports. The company earned $84 per user last year in its most lucrative markets, the US, and Canada. If the company’s expected 35% growth rate holds in 2018, then it could earn as much as $113 per user. But, if you take into consideration that subscribers would likely have more disposable income than free users, thus making them more attractive to marketers, then it would make sense that an $11 monthly fee would be needed to make up for the revenue Facebook would lose.

    Analysts have speculated that even if 10 percent of users subscribed to the proposed ad-free version of Facebook, there would be no drop in revenue for the company. In fact, Facebook could see a boost in revenue because it would bring in earnings from the subscription fees and advertising budgets would’nt change much.

    However, if the subscription fee is low enough to be broadly accepted by users, advertising on Facebook would be less effective and brands and businesses would advertise elsewhere.

    For now, most advertisers don’t seem to be put off by Facebook’s proposed ad-free subscription. The social media giant’s two billion active users mean that every other person you know has an account on the platform. And unless ad-free subscriptions cause a big decline in Facebook’s user base, advertisers are not likely to jump ship.

  • PayPal Ventures Into Banking, Targets Customers Who Don’t Have Bank Accounts

    PayPal Ventures Into Banking, Targets Customers Who Don’t Have Bank Accounts

    PayPal is venturing into new territory. The online payments company is reportedly set to offer traditional banking services to their consumers. Features like debit cards, direct deposit paychecks, FDIC insurance, and other financial services are expected to be introduced in the first half of 2018.

    What makes PayPal’s move more interesting is the fact that the company does not have a US banking license. However, the San Jose-based company has gotten around that little detail by collaborating with small banks that can handle those services. For instance, a Delaware bank will be managing debit cards while a Utah bank can offer loans to small businesses and other PayPal customers.

    At the moment, PayPal Holdings Inc. is only offering these features to a select group of clients. The company won’t be requiring a minimum balance nor will it charge any monthly fees. However, users will have to pay ATM fees if they use machines that are not included in PayPal’s MoneyPass system. They will also be charged one percent of any checks deposited via the smartphone camera system.

    Bill Ready, PayPal’s Chief Operating Officer, said the company’s new services are not intended to replace conventional banking system. He further explained that what the company wants is to offer banking choices to customers that have difficulty accessing them, which is something PayPal believes is vital as the world moves towards a more digital ecosystem.

    “We’re trying to bring more of those people into the digital economy,” Ready said. “For folks who don’t have bank accounts, for folks who don’t have credit and debit cards, we want to give them something so they’re not turning to prepaid cards, check cashiers and payday lenders.”

    PayPal’s COO also noted that there are around 30 million people in the US without bank accounts and that they spend about nine percent of their pay on fees and interests from alternative monetary services. With PayPal’s new banking features, these people will hopefully be given access to the digital economy.

  • Stripe’s New Subscription-Billing Service is Making it Even Easier for Online Businesses to Get Paid

    Stripe’s New Subscription-Billing Service is Making it Even Easier for Online Businesses to Get Paid

    A lot of transactions and payment services are now being done online—from subscribing to streaming services like Netflix, to ordering food or buying clothes. This has led to a need for tools that will let companies, particularly small businesses, get paid.

    Stripe is stepping up to meet these demands with Stripe Billing. This subscription-billing service was developed to help both starting and established businesses get paid on time and without any problems.

    The company is known for supplying developers with the means to charge customers and conduct transactions in a simpler way. But now they’re taking it further by rolling out a billing product geared for online businesses.

    Stripe Billing reportedly uses machine-learning technology to help curb late or missed customer payments. The system can handle tasks like invoicing and subscription recurring revenue. It’s easier and faster to use than other payment systems. What’s more, it uses predictive technology that pinpoints the optimal time to retry collecting on a missed payment with the goal of reaching the client.

    Stripe has also coordinated with major credit-card providers like American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa to allow customers to receive their updated or new credit card numbers without having them re-enter their personal information.

    Stripe Billing also supports ACH payments and wire transfers, a feature that will undoubtedly help corporations and companies with larger accounts.

    Tara Seshan, PM on Stripe’s billing product, explained that even large companies with enough resources to develop in-house billing would lament on how challenging the process is. This prompted them take a step back and think about how to devise billing tools that are accessible to everybody.

    “That meant something really flexible and really easy to implement,” Seshan said. She also added that even if you’re a small business, you should have “the same subscription tools as Spotify.” Stripe Billing can be considered the “building blocks” that a company can use to have a fast and flexible payment service.

    [Featured image via Stripe]

  • Amazon Gets Patent for Delivery Drones with Gesture and Voice Recognition

    Amazon Gets Patent for Delivery Drones with Gesture and Voice Recognition

    Amazon has obtained approval on a new patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office for a delivery drone that can respond to human gestures and voices on Tuesday.

    The patent, filed in July 2016 and published recently, is in line with the company’s goal to maintain a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles that will rapidly deliver packages in 30 minutes or less. Through visual cues, voice commands, and a person’s gestures, the drone can establish its flight path, release the package, or ask humans about the delivery.

    Patent illustration for Amazon drone

    The document included several illustrations of the design, one of which shows the delivery drone and a man outside his home. He was wildly flailing his arms in what Amazon called an “unwelcoming manner,” a gesture as if to shoo away the drone overhead. A blank voice bubble suggests possible voice commands for the drone.

    A diagram of the drone’s communication system includes speakers and microphones, as well as navigation components like depth sensors and cameras to detect visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light. Through its array of sensors, the delivery drone would recognize audible and visible gestures and react accordingly.

    The patent also detailed the steps a drone would take when it reads body language—thanks to its human gestures database—as it delivers the package. Once it’s clear to deliver, the drone releases the parcels from the air or lands on a certain spot to place the package. It would be able to verify the recipient’s identity via an app, speech recognition, or remote operator.

    Moreover, the delivery drone can add new movements to its database to improve the accuracy of its gesture-recognition system. “In some examples, when in the learning context, a human operator may interact with the UAV in order to ‘teach’ the UAV how to react given certain gestures, circumstances, and the like,” the patent stated.

    The eCommerce giant has declined to comment on the gesture-recognition concept, but this isn’t the first time that Amazon has applied for something this ambitious. Since announcing plans to design an air delivery service, the company filed patents for mobile flying warehouses by using airships and self-destructing drones.  

    [Featured image via Amazon]

  • eBay’s New AR Feature Makes Finding the Right Shipping Box a Lot Easier

    eBay’s New AR Feature Makes Finding the Right Shipping Box a Lot Easier

    eBay has now made it easier for sellers to ship their items by using augmented reality to pick the right USPS box, the company announced in a Monday press release.

    Using Google’s ARCore platform on Android, eBay leverages motion tracking and environmental recognition to help sellers superimpose virtual shipping boxes of various sizes over a physical product.

    Aside from accurate sizing, the new AR feature will help sellers quickly compute for actual shipping costs, as well as save time from having to test boxes at the post office.

    The new feature can be found in the “Selling” part of your eBay account. To try it, tap on “Will it Fit?” option on your smartphone. You’ll then have to place your item on a flat, non-reflective surface, say a wooden tabletop, for the AR to work.

    Next, tap on your item to place the virtual box over it, then aim the smartphone camera around it to map the surrounding area. You can move around the box and look from all angles to see if the product sticks out while adding room for padding. Once you’ve picked the box, you’re now ready to ship out the item.  

    Sellers on eBay ship billions of items annually, so any innovation that simplifies the shipping process will likely be well-received.

    “By coupling Google’s ARCore platform with premiere AR technology built at eBay, we are continuing to make the selling experience more seamless,” James Meeks, eBay mobile head, pointed out. “This technology is just one example of the types of innovation we’re working on to transform eBay. It demonstrates our continual innovation on behalf our sellers to help them save time and remove barriers.”

    However, the AR feature of the updated eBay app is currently only available on a few Android ARCore-compatible devices in the US. There are plans to eventually extend the feature to iOS devices, but no timetable has been set yet.

    [Featured image via eBay]