The Dirt on Conventional vs. Organic Farming

Americans continue to embrace and encourage organic farming. It’s important to understand exactly what organic farming means, what the benefits are, and if there are reasonable counterpoints from supporters of conventional techniques. According to the Organic Trade Association’s 2017 Organic Industry Survey, popularity of organic food is continuing its upward trend. In the United States, [...]

Americans continue to embrace and encourage organic farming. It’s important to understand exactly what organic farming means, what the benefits are, and if there are reasonable counterpoints from supporters of conventional techniques. According to the Organic Trade Association’s 2017 Organic Industry Survey, popularity of organic food is continuing its upward trend. In the United States, total sales hit $47 billion in 2016, representing a $3.3 billion increase equaling 8% growth from the previous year. These figures far outpace the food...
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Amazon Turns to India for Ecommerce

As Indian consumers gain spending money and greater access to the online marketplace, Amazon increases focus on the burgeoning market in close competition with China's Alibaba. Domestic businesses strive to hold on to their markets before it’s too late. India is an economic powerhouse with the potential to become even more prominent on a global [...]

As Indian consumers gain spending money and greater access to the online marketplace, Amazon increases focus on the burgeoning market in close competition with China’s Alibaba. Domestic businesses strive to hold on to their markets before it’s too late. India is an economic powerhouse with the potential to become even more prominent on a global scale. It boasts a population of 1.3 billion, the second-largest in the world behind China. Of those 1.3 billion an estimated 420 million are Internet...
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Augmented Reality and Online Shopping

Starting as a gimmick with games and other apps, augmented reality will soon allow consumers to visualize products with their smartphones before they make a purchase. While the technology is still in its relative infancy, it stands to quickly become an ecommerce trend. You look around your room and see a familiar scene. The bed [...]

Starting as a gimmick with games and other apps, augmented reality will soon allow consumers to visualize products with their smartphones before they make a purchase. While the technology is still in its relative infancy, it stands to quickly become an ecommerce trend. You look around your room and see a familiar scene. The bed in which you dream of faraway lands; the desk, at which you pore over ponderous tomes; the chair, upon which is draped your favorite fuzzy...
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The Value of the Internet of Things

During an industry shake-up, those who emerge successfully are those who harness the benefits of new trends better than their competition. As technological innovation continues to proliferate every sector, so too do the connections between the hardware we’ve grown reliant on. The "Internet of Things" is an intricately woven spider web of networks. Knowing how [...]

 

During an industry shake-up, those who emerge successfully are those who harness the benefits of new trends better than their competition. As technological innovation continues to proliferate every sector, so too do the connections between the hardware we’ve grown reliant on. The “Internet of Things” is an intricately woven spider web of networks. Knowing how to make use of it will be one of the driving forces in business for years to come. The term Internet of Things (or simply...
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Welcome to the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Ecommerce continues to act as an upsetting force throughout the industrial world, prompting rapid advances in technology and the way we conduct business. The most recent upheaval a merger between nationwide drugstore chain CVS and Aetna, one of America’s largest healthcare providers. As other corporations like Amazon and UPS change the status quo in their [...]

Ecommerce continues to act as an upsetting force throughout the industrial world, prompting rapid advances in technology and the way we conduct business. The most recent upheaval a merger between nationwide drugstore chain CVS and Aetna, one of America’s largest healthcare providers. As other corporations like Amazon and UPS change the status quo in their respective industries, they’re shaking the very foundations of our economy. The 1800s, the early 1900s, and post-1980s each represent a turning point for technology in...
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Google Loonacy: How Tech Companies Are Restoring A R...

On September 20th, Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria a mere two weeks after a brush with another hurricane, Irma. Recovery efforts in the ravaged U.S. territory have been lackluster, and many are still without power, water, or communication. Surprisingly, some of the most innovative and enthusiastic support has come from non-traditional sources -- [...]

 

On September 20th, Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria a mere two weeks after a brush with another hurricane, Irma. Recovery efforts in the ravaged U.S. territory have been lackluster, and many are still without power, water, or communication. Surprisingly, some of the most innovative and enthusiastic support has come from non-traditional sources — American tech companies. At the time of writing, roughly a month after the storms, aid workers and citizens alike are still putting the pieces back...
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Why Product Reviews Matter

Imagine your target customer. They’re in the market for a product like yours. Opening their web browser, they search. The search brings up your product, or maybe it doesn’t. Your potential customer compares options. What brands offer this product at what price? Are there different models available? What are the differences between them? They settle [...]

Imagine your target customer. They’re in the market for a product like yours. Opening their web browser, they search. The search brings up your product, or maybe it doesn’t. Your potential customer compares options. What brands offer this product at what price? Are there different models available? What are the differences between them? They settle on a product and purchase. So, did you get the business? If not, it may be because of product reviews. When Reviews Matter Most According...
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Interview: The Mount Bakery and the Importance of Su...

Farm-to-table is an increasingly important facet in local food economy that businesses are learning they can’t ignore. While some might consider it a strange movement that has no basis in cost-effectiveness, the Mount Bakery of Bellingham, Washington is a case that proves sourcing food locally not only builds their bottom line, but their bond with [...]

Farm-to-table is an increasingly important facet in local food economy that businesses are learning they can’t ignore. While some might consider it a strange movement that has no basis in cost-effectiveness, the Mount Bakery of Bellingham, Washington is a case that proves sourcing food locally not only builds their bottom line, but their bond with other people and businesses within their community. We have talked about the significant role farm-to-table has on local food economy. From providing people fresh meats,...
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5 Ways Packaging is Fighting Food Waste

Most of us do not realize the staggering amount of food we throw away in today’s society -- and much of it, it turns out, doesn’t need to be disposed of at all. From production, to packaging, to store shelves, to the consumer, there are countless ways for us to fortify our food system and [...]

Most of us do not realize the staggering amount of food we throw away in today’s society — and much of it, it turns out, doesn’t need to be disposed of at all. From production, to packaging, to store shelves, to the consumer, there are countless ways for us to fortify our food system and get it to those that need it, rather than to the landfill. Here’s a list of five. In the United States, 31 percent of our...
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What is Google Express?

In a recent post, we mentioned Google Express as an up-and-coming challenger to Amazon’s tight grasp on ecommerce in the U.S. Despite Google’s own ubiquitous brand, many consumers either haven’t heard of it or don’t know how it works. Google is a household name. It’s a noun, a verb, and likely your browser homepage. Publicity [...]

In a recent post, we mentioned Google Express as an up-and-coming challenger to Amazon’s tight grasp on ecommerce in the U.S. Despite Google’s own ubiquitous brand, many consumers either haven’t heard of it or don’t know how it works. Google is a household name. It’s a noun, a verb, and likely your browser homepage. Publicity is fantastic; getting your company name accepted into the Oxford Dictionary as a synonym for ‘search’ is an entrepreneur’s wildest dream. For years, Google has...
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Why is Amazon’s Whole Foods Acquisition Important?

With Amazon wanting to get its claws into the physical retailing market, a lot of questions have stemmed from their recent acquisition of Whole Foods. Today, we’ll look at what’s happened since the acquisition, along with its current and potential effects on ecommerce and packaging. Earlier this year, natural food store Whole Foods was spiraling before they [...]

With Amazon wanting to get its claws into the physical retailing market, a lot of questions have stemmed from their recent acquisition of Whole Foods. Today, we’ll look at what’s happened since the acquisition, along with its current and potential effects on ecommerce and packaging. Earlier this year, natural food store Whole Foods was spiraling before they were bought out by retail giant Amazon. Although the supermarket chain appeals heavily to a consumer base that increasingly prefers organic produce, the price tags...
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Online Retail Trend Reaches Pharmaceuticals

As with almost all other products that are bought and sold in the 21st century, pharmaceuticals are being ordered over the internet and shipped via mail more frequently. It’s a growing trend, but is it viable -- or even ethical -- enough to become the new way we get our medicine? In the United States, [...]

As with almost all other products that are bought and sold in the 21st century, pharmaceuticals are being ordered over the internet and shipped via mail more frequently. It’s a growing trend, but is it viable — or even ethical — enough to become the new way we get our medicine? In the United States, we hold 45 percent of the global pharmaceutical market, a share valued at almost $446 billion. We spent $425 billion on medicine in 2015, and another...
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