By Scott Martin, USA TODAY
Apple’s iPad and the tablet revolution are beating at the gates of the traditional PC sector, biting into the category and bringing uncertainty about the future of the industry.
The worldwide PC market suffered a 1.1% decline, with 84.3 million units sold in the first quarter of this year, according to technology research firm Gartner. Forecasts had called for 3% growth in PC shipments worldwide for the quarter.
Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa blamed the slowdown in PC shipments on “the hype around tablets.”
Gartner’s report underscores the change in consumer buying trends that’s underway as people around the world turn to tablets for mobile Internet consumption. The data also mark the first year-over-year worldwide PC decline in six quarters. The story for PCs in the United States was even more grim: a 6.1% decline from a year ago.
The quarter following the Christmas buying season is traditionally slow for PC sales. But the holiday hangover this year was especially hard for the likes of Hewlett-Packard, Acer and Dell, whose shipments declined 3.4%, 12.2% and 2.2%, respectively.
Acer was hardest hit because its netbook segment was affected the most by the tablet market’s rise.
Across the U.S., PC makers logged huge declines, with the exception of Toshiba and Apple. The Mac maker was the biggest winner, bagging 18.9% gains and 9.3% of the market. Toshiba tacked on 10.9% growth, to bump up to 10.4% of the U.S. market.
Gartner’s report found that the launch of the iPad 2 had more consumers either buying an alternative device to a personal computer or simply holding back from buying a PC altogether. “The tablet and consumer electronics devices’ effect on PCs will depend on how the tablet market and smartphone continues to evolve going forward,” Kitagawa said. “There are a lot of uncertainties in the market.”
Gartner forecasts Apple will ship nearly 48 million iPads worldwide this year.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Fortunes of Home Improvement Chains Improve as Americans Tackle Repair Projects
After several years of perusing real estate listings and spending Sunday afternoons at open houses, Denise Majeski decided to stay put and fix up her 25-year-old Gurnee, Ill., home.
As the housing market languished even as the economy improved, Majeski determined the financially prudent course would be to fix up the house a little at a time, starting with replacing the windows and renovating the bathrooms.
"Initially we were thinking about moving," said Majeski, 55. "But that would require a mortgage and additional amounts of money. We can do a home improvement at a pace that we can afford."
It is a choice more homeowners are making these days and one that is lifting the fortunes of the long-suffering home improvement industry.
Seasonal hiring at Lowe's Cos., the nation's No. 2 home improvement retailer, is up 15% this spring as homeowners, feeling more secure in their jobs, tackle maintenance projects delayed during the recession.
And Home Depot Inc., the largest home improvement retailer, in February reported its first annual sales increase since 2006, before the housing market crashed. The home improvement business is stabilizing despite the continued weakness of the housing market, Home Depot Chief Executive Frank Blake said at the time.
"People are doing what it takes to be happy where they are," said Jack Horst, retail strategist at Kurt Salmon, a consulting firm. "They are more likely doing maintenance and replacement than big fundamental changes."
A few buckets of paint, brighter lighting and some new door handles are enough to make Rebecca and Bill Klies happy in their new home. The couple, in their 30s, bought their first condo last October in a short sale, in which a lender allows a homeowner to sell a property for less than the amount owed on the mortgage.
Now the Klieses spend weekends at Home Depot and Lowe's getting ideas on how to fix up their West Loop loft in Chicago without spending a fortune. They've swapped out light fixtures, recaulked the shower, put up new towel racks, installed a ceiling fan in the bedroom, bought new light switch plates, painted several rooms and touched up the molding.
"These are simple little fixes that make a big difference overall," Rebecca Klies said.
At the same time, home improvement stores are getting an extra sales boost as homeowners dig out from a winter of lengthy cold spells. The severe weather has left shingles, gutters and downspouts in need of repair and lawns littered with broken shrubs and damaged trees.
"These are the have-to-do projects," said Jim Kane, president of Home Depot's northern division. "We've just come through a tough winter, and the winter has just taken its toll on all those things."
Maintenance and repairs account for about 40% of Home Depot sales, up sharply from recent years when home sales slowed, said Daniel Binder, an analyst at Jefferies & Co., in a report last month.
Spending on home remodeling is expected to rise 9.1% in the first quarter to $125.1 billion from the same period a year ago, according to a widely followed index from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. The last time remodeling activity for a three-month period topped $125 billion was the second quarter of 2008.
The center predicts the industry to gain momentum this spring with sales jumping 12.7%, to $132.9 billion, in the second quarter from a year ago, before tapering off to a 6.5% gain, to $123.5 billion, in the third quarter.
More homeowners are tackling basic house projects on their own instead of using general contractors, bringing in electricians or plumbers only for the toughest jobs, said Rich Cowgill, Chicago-area chapter president of the National Assn. of the Remodeling Industry.
Cowgill said he had noticed an increase in the size of the do-it-yourself classes he teaches as a volunteer at ReStore for Habitat for Humanity as more homeowners try to lay tile, replace windows or put up drywall.
"People are dressing up their homes because they've come to the realization with housing devalues that they're not going to move," said Cowgill, who also owns a home remodeling business.
Kris and Dennis Cortes of Flossmoor, Ill., are typical of the post-recession home remodelers, industry experts said. The parents of five children said they chose to stay in the home they bought 20 years ago and to give the house a face-lift. They are adding a couple of gables to the roof, installing a new garage door and updating the landscaping.
"We could buy the megamansion, but we choose not to," said Kris Cortes, 46. "We're choosing to allocate our resources more toward education, charity and savings. I do think the country at large is headed in that direction."
(Source: Chicago Tribune, 04/13/11)
As the housing market languished even as the economy improved, Majeski determined the financially prudent course would be to fix up the house a little at a time, starting with replacing the windows and renovating the bathrooms.
"Initially we were thinking about moving," said Majeski, 55. "But that would require a mortgage and additional amounts of money. We can do a home improvement at a pace that we can afford."
It is a choice more homeowners are making these days and one that is lifting the fortunes of the long-suffering home improvement industry.
Seasonal hiring at Lowe's Cos., the nation's No. 2 home improvement retailer, is up 15% this spring as homeowners, feeling more secure in their jobs, tackle maintenance projects delayed during the recession.
And Home Depot Inc., the largest home improvement retailer, in February reported its first annual sales increase since 2006, before the housing market crashed. The home improvement business is stabilizing despite the continued weakness of the housing market, Home Depot Chief Executive Frank Blake said at the time.
"People are doing what it takes to be happy where they are," said Jack Horst, retail strategist at Kurt Salmon, a consulting firm. "They are more likely doing maintenance and replacement than big fundamental changes."
A few buckets of paint, brighter lighting and some new door handles are enough to make Rebecca and Bill Klies happy in their new home. The couple, in their 30s, bought their first condo last October in a short sale, in which a lender allows a homeowner to sell a property for less than the amount owed on the mortgage.
Now the Klieses spend weekends at Home Depot and Lowe's getting ideas on how to fix up their West Loop loft in Chicago without spending a fortune. They've swapped out light fixtures, recaulked the shower, put up new towel racks, installed a ceiling fan in the bedroom, bought new light switch plates, painted several rooms and touched up the molding.
"These are simple little fixes that make a big difference overall," Rebecca Klies said.
At the same time, home improvement stores are getting an extra sales boost as homeowners dig out from a winter of lengthy cold spells. The severe weather has left shingles, gutters and downspouts in need of repair and lawns littered with broken shrubs and damaged trees.
"These are the have-to-do projects," said Jim Kane, president of Home Depot's northern division. "We've just come through a tough winter, and the winter has just taken its toll on all those things."
Maintenance and repairs account for about 40% of Home Depot sales, up sharply from recent years when home sales slowed, said Daniel Binder, an analyst at Jefferies & Co., in a report last month.
Spending on home remodeling is expected to rise 9.1% in the first quarter to $125.1 billion from the same period a year ago, according to a widely followed index from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. The last time remodeling activity for a three-month period topped $125 billion was the second quarter of 2008.
The center predicts the industry to gain momentum this spring with sales jumping 12.7%, to $132.9 billion, in the second quarter from a year ago, before tapering off to a 6.5% gain, to $123.5 billion, in the third quarter.
More homeowners are tackling basic house projects on their own instead of using general contractors, bringing in electricians or plumbers only for the toughest jobs, said Rich Cowgill, Chicago-area chapter president of the National Assn. of the Remodeling Industry.
Cowgill said he had noticed an increase in the size of the do-it-yourself classes he teaches as a volunteer at ReStore for Habitat for Humanity as more homeowners try to lay tile, replace windows or put up drywall.
"People are dressing up their homes because they've come to the realization with housing devalues that they're not going to move," said Cowgill, who also owns a home remodeling business.
Kris and Dennis Cortes of Flossmoor, Ill., are typical of the post-recession home remodelers, industry experts said. The parents of five children said they chose to stay in the home they bought 20 years ago and to give the house a face-lift. They are adding a couple of gables to the roof, installing a new garage door and updating the landscaping.
"We could buy the megamansion, but we choose not to," said Kris Cortes, 46. "We're choosing to allocate our resources more toward education, charity and savings. I do think the country at large is headed in that direction."
(Source: Chicago Tribune, 04/13/11)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Study Examines Gender Differences in Vehicle Purchases
TrueCar.com, a provider of new-car pricing and industry trend information, recently released a demographic study based on gender differences in car-buying behavior during 2010.
"The study shows that women car buyers are more cost-conscious and purchased fuel-efficient vehicles while male buyers were completely the opposite, purchasing vehicles that were either big and brawny, like a large truck, or choosing a high-priced, high-performance vehicle," said Jesse Toprak, Vice President of Industry Trends and Insights at TrueCar.com.
Some of the key findings of the TrueCar.com study, which was based on over eight million retail purchases in 2010, include:
• The brand with the highest percentage of retail sales to females in 2010 was MINI (47.9 percent), followed by Kia (46.8 percent), and Honda (46.0 percent) compared to 2009 when Saturn and Kia tied at 45.2 percent and MINI came in third at 45.0 percent. Rounding out the top 15 brands in 2010 were Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Hyundai, Mercury, Mazda, Mitsubushi, Lexus, Volkswagen, Volvo, Saturn and Toyota.
• The highest percentage of male buyers primarily purchased exotic brands. There were five brands in 2010 at 10 percent or less for retail sales to women, including Ferrari (6.4 percent), Lotus (7.2 percent), Lamborghini (7.4 percent), Maybach (8.0 percent), and Rolls Royce (9.3 percent) compared to 2009 when there were six brands; including Bugatti (0 percent), Maybach (3.7 percent), Ferrari (5.1 percent), Lamborghini (5.5 percent), Rolls Royce (8.0 percent), and Aston Martin (9.0 percent). Also in the top 15 brands with the highest percentage of male buyers in 2010 were Tesla, Aston Martin, Maserati, Porsche, Bentley, GMC, Jaguar, Dodge, Land Rover and Ford.
• The top ten models that had greater than 50 percent retail sales to females and at least 1,000 annual retail sales in 2010 were: Volkswagen New Beetle, Nissan Rogue, Volkswagen Eos, Volvo S40, Jeep Compass, Honda CR-V, Nissan Sentra, Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Yaris.
• The top ten models that had greater than 50 percent retail sales to males and at least 1,000 annual retail sales in 2010 were: Porsche 911, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-Series, BMW M3, Ford Ranger, Toyota Tundra, Dodge Ram and Audi S5.
(Source: TrueCar.com, 04/07/11)
"The study shows that women car buyers are more cost-conscious and purchased fuel-efficient vehicles while male buyers were completely the opposite, purchasing vehicles that were either big and brawny, like a large truck, or choosing a high-priced, high-performance vehicle," said Jesse Toprak, Vice President of Industry Trends and Insights at TrueCar.com.
Some of the key findings of the TrueCar.com study, which was based on over eight million retail purchases in 2010, include:
• The brand with the highest percentage of retail sales to females in 2010 was MINI (47.9 percent), followed by Kia (46.8 percent), and Honda (46.0 percent) compared to 2009 when Saturn and Kia tied at 45.2 percent and MINI came in third at 45.0 percent. Rounding out the top 15 brands in 2010 were Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Hyundai, Mercury, Mazda, Mitsubushi, Lexus, Volkswagen, Volvo, Saturn and Toyota.
• The highest percentage of male buyers primarily purchased exotic brands. There were five brands in 2010 at 10 percent or less for retail sales to women, including Ferrari (6.4 percent), Lotus (7.2 percent), Lamborghini (7.4 percent), Maybach (8.0 percent), and Rolls Royce (9.3 percent) compared to 2009 when there were six brands; including Bugatti (0 percent), Maybach (3.7 percent), Ferrari (5.1 percent), Lamborghini (5.5 percent), Rolls Royce (8.0 percent), and Aston Martin (9.0 percent). Also in the top 15 brands with the highest percentage of male buyers in 2010 were Tesla, Aston Martin, Maserati, Porsche, Bentley, GMC, Jaguar, Dodge, Land Rover and Ford.
• The top ten models that had greater than 50 percent retail sales to females and at least 1,000 annual retail sales in 2010 were: Volkswagen New Beetle, Nissan Rogue, Volkswagen Eos, Volvo S40, Jeep Compass, Honda CR-V, Nissan Sentra, Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Yaris.
• The top ten models that had greater than 50 percent retail sales to males and at least 1,000 annual retail sales in 2010 were: Porsche 911, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-Series, BMW M3, Ford Ranger, Toyota Tundra, Dodge Ram and Audi S5.
(Source: TrueCar.com, 04/07/11)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Cheers: Alcoholic Beverage Spending Increases
2010 was a positive year for alcoholic beverages, with the exception of non-craft domestic beers, according to the just-released "Handbook Advance 2011" report from the Beverage Information Group (BIG).
Meanwhile, a new Harris Interactive poll on Americans' alcohol consumption habits provides some additional insight. Notably, 29% of those 21 or older -- or three in 10 -- report drinking alcohol at least once per week, including 5% who drink daily and 10% who drink several times per week.
The Beverage Information Group reports that distilled spirits and wine both saw gains last year, continuing to grab share from the overall beer category. The analysts attribute the trends largely to the improving economy and a return to a "trading up" trend that had dominated the industry prior to the recession.
Distilled spirits -- which have seen steady growth over the past two years and 13 consecutive years of at least some growth -- saw sales increase 2.1%, to 192.7 cases, last year. On-premise or restaurant/bar consumption of distilled spirits also showed a slight uptick, especially in casual dining chains.
The wine category saw consumption grow by 1.7% (up from 0.8% in 2009), to 301.9 million 9-liter cases. Domestic table wines showed a particularly strong performance, outpacing imports.
Wine sales continue to increase in large part because of the wide range of products and growing number of available varietals, notes BIG manager of information services Eric Schmidt. "The Millennial generation continues to be a target for wine marketers as they position their brands as affordable and fun," he points out.
Total beer consumption declined 1.9% to 2.83 billion cases, although imports returned to showing some sales growth, in part because consumers are returning to on-premise consumption, according to the report.
Domestic beer consumption decreased 2.8%, with all categories showing declines except the super-premium, craft and flavored malt beverages category, which continued to see growth due to the craft beer segment.
Craft beers' growing popularity has been well documented, and spotlighted by developments such as Anheuser-Busch InBev's recent announcement that it is acquiring Chicago craft brewer Goose Island for $38.8 million as part of a broader strategy to increase its premium/craft offerings.
The Brewers Association reported that sales volume among small, independent craft brewers rose 11% last year, in contrast to a decline of 1% among total U.S. brewers (although crafts still represent just 4.9% of the overall beer market). MillerCoors' overall sales declined 3%, but its craft and import brands, led by Blue Moon (now the country's largest-selling craft -- at least as defined by MillerCoors), saw double-digit growth, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Who's drinking what?
On the consumption front, in addition to the stats cited above, the Harris Poll -- conducted online in March -- also found that 20% of adult Americans report drinking alcohol at least once per month, and 15% drink it several times per year. Nearly one-quarter (22%) say they never drink alcohol.
Nearly two in five men (38%), versus 21% of women, report drinking alcohol at least once per week.
And while overall beer sales have slowed, among those who imbibe at least several times per year, beer is the top choice. Nearly two-thirds (63%) report that beer is their choice when they drink, while 54% report drinking domestic wine. In addition, 41% drink vodka. These top three preferences have remained consistent over the past two years, according to Harris.
As for other choices, about one-third (34%) drink rum, 28% tequila, 28% imported wine, and 20% various types of whiskies, such as Irish or Canadian. Further down the list are champagne (17%), cordials and liqueurs (17%), bourbon (15%), gin (14%), scotch (11%), cognac (8%) and brandy/Armagnac (7%).
More men than women drink beer (75% versus 50%), bourbon (23% versus 6%) and scotch (17% versus 4%). More women than men drink domestic wine (63% versus 45%), champagne (23% versus 13%) and foreign wine (31% versus 26%).
Beer comes out on top when people are asked which type of alcoholic beverage they drink most often. One-third of those who drink at least several times a year (34%) say they drink beer most often, versus 22% saying they drink domestic wine most often. One in ten (12%) drink vodka most often, versus 6% for rum and 5% for imported wine. All other alcohol types are below 5%.
Alcoholic beverage consumption declines somewhat with age: 33% of Echo Boomers (21-34), 30% of Gen X/Millennials (35-46) and 29% of Baby Boomers (47-65) report drinking at least once per week, versus 26% of those 66 and older.
Beverage choices clearly vary by age. Beer is the dominant choice among the youngest groups, with 37% of Echo Boomers preferring beer (versus 20% preferring domestic wine), and 41% of Millennials preferring beer (versus 14% preferring wine). The beer preference is somewhat less marked among Boomers, with 33% saying they drink beer most often versus 22% who report drinking domestic wine most often.
However, among those 66 and older, wine is the preference of 36%, versus 22% who prefer beer.
(Source: Marketing Daily, 04/06/11)
Meanwhile, a new Harris Interactive poll on Americans' alcohol consumption habits provides some additional insight. Notably, 29% of those 21 or older -- or three in 10 -- report drinking alcohol at least once per week, including 5% who drink daily and 10% who drink several times per week.
The Beverage Information Group reports that distilled spirits and wine both saw gains last year, continuing to grab share from the overall beer category. The analysts attribute the trends largely to the improving economy and a return to a "trading up" trend that had dominated the industry prior to the recession.
Distilled spirits -- which have seen steady growth over the past two years and 13 consecutive years of at least some growth -- saw sales increase 2.1%, to 192.7 cases, last year. On-premise or restaurant/bar consumption of distilled spirits also showed a slight uptick, especially in casual dining chains.
The wine category saw consumption grow by 1.7% (up from 0.8% in 2009), to 301.9 million 9-liter cases. Domestic table wines showed a particularly strong performance, outpacing imports.
Wine sales continue to increase in large part because of the wide range of products and growing number of available varietals, notes BIG manager of information services Eric Schmidt. "The Millennial generation continues to be a target for wine marketers as they position their brands as affordable and fun," he points out.
Total beer consumption declined 1.9% to 2.83 billion cases, although imports returned to showing some sales growth, in part because consumers are returning to on-premise consumption, according to the report.
Domestic beer consumption decreased 2.8%, with all categories showing declines except the super-premium, craft and flavored malt beverages category, which continued to see growth due to the craft beer segment.
Craft beers' growing popularity has been well documented, and spotlighted by developments such as Anheuser-Busch InBev's recent announcement that it is acquiring Chicago craft brewer Goose Island for $38.8 million as part of a broader strategy to increase its premium/craft offerings.
The Brewers Association reported that sales volume among small, independent craft brewers rose 11% last year, in contrast to a decline of 1% among total U.S. brewers (although crafts still represent just 4.9% of the overall beer market). MillerCoors' overall sales declined 3%, but its craft and import brands, led by Blue Moon (now the country's largest-selling craft -- at least as defined by MillerCoors), saw double-digit growth, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Who's drinking what?
On the consumption front, in addition to the stats cited above, the Harris Poll -- conducted online in March -- also found that 20% of adult Americans report drinking alcohol at least once per month, and 15% drink it several times per year. Nearly one-quarter (22%) say they never drink alcohol.
Nearly two in five men (38%), versus 21% of women, report drinking alcohol at least once per week.
And while overall beer sales have slowed, among those who imbibe at least several times per year, beer is the top choice. Nearly two-thirds (63%) report that beer is their choice when they drink, while 54% report drinking domestic wine. In addition, 41% drink vodka. These top three preferences have remained consistent over the past two years, according to Harris.
As for other choices, about one-third (34%) drink rum, 28% tequila, 28% imported wine, and 20% various types of whiskies, such as Irish or Canadian. Further down the list are champagne (17%), cordials and liqueurs (17%), bourbon (15%), gin (14%), scotch (11%), cognac (8%) and brandy/Armagnac (7%).
More men than women drink beer (75% versus 50%), bourbon (23% versus 6%) and scotch (17% versus 4%). More women than men drink domestic wine (63% versus 45%), champagne (23% versus 13%) and foreign wine (31% versus 26%).
Beer comes out on top when people are asked which type of alcoholic beverage they drink most often. One-third of those who drink at least several times a year (34%) say they drink beer most often, versus 22% saying they drink domestic wine most often. One in ten (12%) drink vodka most often, versus 6% for rum and 5% for imported wine. All other alcohol types are below 5%.
Alcoholic beverage consumption declines somewhat with age: 33% of Echo Boomers (21-34), 30% of Gen X/Millennials (35-46) and 29% of Baby Boomers (47-65) report drinking at least once per week, versus 26% of those 66 and older.
Beverage choices clearly vary by age. Beer is the dominant choice among the youngest groups, with 37% of Echo Boomers preferring beer (versus 20% preferring domestic wine), and 41% of Millennials preferring beer (versus 14% preferring wine). The beer preference is somewhat less marked among Boomers, with 33% saying they drink beer most often versus 22% who report drinking domestic wine most often.
However, among those 66 and older, wine is the preference of 36%, versus 22% who prefer beer.
(Source: Marketing Daily, 04/06/11)
Independent Pharmacies Earn Top Scores from Consumers
An overwhelming majority of Consumer Reports readers are highly satisfied with their independent pharmacy experiences, as compared with experiences at some of the national chains, a report to be published in the magazine's May issue found.
While customers said they generally were satisfied with their pharmacies, some were irked by long waits and lagging service at some big-box stores. "Chalk one up for the little guy," stated Tod Marks, senior editor of Consumer Reports. "We found that the independents made fewer errors, offered swifter service at the pharmacy counter and were more likely to have medications ready for pickup when promised."
More than 90% of Consumer Reports readers gave independent drug stores top scores across the board for pharmacists' knowledge about drugs and other products, helpfulness and courtesy, speed, accuracy and personal service. Included in this group were McKesson's HealthMart franchise group and Cardinal Health's The Medicine Shoppe. Readers who shopped at independents were twice as likely as chain drug store shoppers to characterize their pharmacist as easy to talk to and able to give them a one-on-one consultation.
Almost 1-in-4 Consumer Reports readers fill their prescriptions at big-box stores, up from 14% in 2002, with price cited as an important reason for shopping there. One-in-4 mass merchant shoppers complained of a long wait at the service counter. And when a store was out of a drug, 33% waited for two or more days to get their prescriptions. Almost as many readers reported their pharmacy was out of stock on the medicine they needed at least once in the past year.
More than 1-in-5 cited slow service at the big-box counter as a complaint; and 15% of those surveyed complained that their medicine wasn't ready for pickup when promised.
Convenience was a key factor in customer satisfaction -- almost half of readers surveyed reported that the ability to get in and out quickly with medicine in hand was an important consideration when choosing a drug store.
(Source: Drug Store News, 04/05/11)
While customers said they generally were satisfied with their pharmacies, some were irked by long waits and lagging service at some big-box stores. "Chalk one up for the little guy," stated Tod Marks, senior editor of Consumer Reports. "We found that the independents made fewer errors, offered swifter service at the pharmacy counter and were more likely to have medications ready for pickup when promised."
More than 90% of Consumer Reports readers gave independent drug stores top scores across the board for pharmacists' knowledge about drugs and other products, helpfulness and courtesy, speed, accuracy and personal service. Included in this group were McKesson's HealthMart franchise group and Cardinal Health's The Medicine Shoppe. Readers who shopped at independents were twice as likely as chain drug store shoppers to characterize their pharmacist as easy to talk to and able to give them a one-on-one consultation.
Almost 1-in-4 Consumer Reports readers fill their prescriptions at big-box stores, up from 14% in 2002, with price cited as an important reason for shopping there. One-in-4 mass merchant shoppers complained of a long wait at the service counter. And when a store was out of a drug, 33% waited for two or more days to get their prescriptions. Almost as many readers reported their pharmacy was out of stock on the medicine they needed at least once in the past year.
More than 1-in-5 cited slow service at the big-box counter as a complaint; and 15% of those surveyed complained that their medicine wasn't ready for pickup when promised.
Convenience was a key factor in customer satisfaction -- almost half of readers surveyed reported that the ability to get in and out quickly with medicine in hand was an important consideration when choosing a drug store.
(Source: Drug Store News, 04/05/11)
Monday, April 11, 2011
50 Million And Growing: Why It’s Time For Businesses To Pay Attention to Hispanics
By GLENN LLOPIS
The following is an editorial I wrote that was featured on AOL Latino last week (in Spanish) in response to the most recent US Census results and the growing Hispanic population.
Hispanics’ presence, impact and influence in the workplace in growing faster than corporations know what to do with it. Because most corporations don’t support a dedicated infrastructure to recruit, retain and create leadership development programs for Hispanics, the majority of Hispanics simply assimilate in the workplace to be accepted and thus are not given the opportunity to showcase their authentic identity and unique skill-sets that make them potentially great leaders.
It’s time we all we begin to actively engage in how to best maximize the opportunities that 50 million American Hispanics can bring to the revival of our economy.
I would appreciate your candid feedback.
It’s official: the Census counts more than 50 million Hispanics in the US. This acknowledgment of the new prominence of Hispanics in the US brings with it a “to-do” for both the country and the Hispanics themselves:
To-Do #1: It’s time for the US to embrace diversity and get real about becoming a 21st century country.
To-Do #2: It’s time for Hispanics to stop believing themselves to be victims and embrace their leadership identity.
As the Hispanic population continues to grow, America’s corporations, schools, colleges and universities must provide culturally tailored training and educational programs to allow Hispanics to flourish in the post-2008 economy. These programs need to focus on helping Hispanics discover their authentic identity as leaders.
It’s time for America as a whole to understand the real value, the unique characteristics and the new types of opportunities that Hispanics can create for the country. The identity crisis that Hispanics are faced with each day has made it difficult for them to advance, thus damaging their identity and limiting their contributions to the economy.
The fiercely competitive global market requires everyone to begin contributing in newly meaningful and purposeful ways to the global economy. Hispanics must embrace this to-do like everyone else. They cannot afford to continue thinking of themselves as victims, and the US economy cannot afford that victim thinking either.
As I discuss this issue with executives in the boardroom and professors in the classroom, they often refer to Hispanics as second-class citizens. And because of this, Hispanic professionals, adults and children would rather assimilate and reject their essential identities. If this assimilation continues, we will lose the brilliance and innovative flair of the Hispanic population, and the US economy will suffer as a result, in the competition with the rest of the world.
To be sure, Hispanics have created their own barriers to advancement. Because Hispanics in the US are not a homogeneous community, they waste time debating which of their mother countries has more clout in the US, rather than getting on with it and investing in themselves.
The time has come for Hispanics to embrace their unique cultural differences and realize the power that this diversity gives them. Hispanics must recapture their authentic identities and train non-Hispanics to understand them. Hispanics must embrace their immigrant perspective, circular vision, Latin passion, entrepreneurial spirit, generous purpose and cultural promise – the natural characteristics that are inborn in their culture and that allow them to be highly effective contributors to the economy. It’s time for Hispanics to take it upon themselves to break out of their identity crisis and claim influence amongst their non-Hispanic peers.
Hispanics need to stop being viewed as victims of lost opportunities in their mother country and start being held accountable as new sources for innovation, economic prosperity, global influence and the economic revival of our country.
It’s time for Hispanics to earn the right to be more influential in America. Population growth alone does not entitle Hispanics or any other group in society to own the resources of our great country.
Until Hispanics discover their authentic leadership role, they will continue to be misrepresented and misunderstood. Today, many non-Hispanic whites believe they are financing the Hispanic population growth. Hispanics must seize the moment, take on their responsibilities, and change the role of the Hispanic immigrant in the United States. At 50 million strong, and growing faster than any other group, Hispanics must grow up now.
The following is an editorial I wrote that was featured on AOL Latino last week (in Spanish) in response to the most recent US Census results and the growing Hispanic population.
Hispanics’ presence, impact and influence in the workplace in growing faster than corporations know what to do with it. Because most corporations don’t support a dedicated infrastructure to recruit, retain and create leadership development programs for Hispanics, the majority of Hispanics simply assimilate in the workplace to be accepted and thus are not given the opportunity to showcase their authentic identity and unique skill-sets that make them potentially great leaders.
It’s time we all we begin to actively engage in how to best maximize the opportunities that 50 million American Hispanics can bring to the revival of our economy.
I would appreciate your candid feedback.
It’s official: the Census counts more than 50 million Hispanics in the US. This acknowledgment of the new prominence of Hispanics in the US brings with it a “to-do” for both the country and the Hispanics themselves:
To-Do #1: It’s time for the US to embrace diversity and get real about becoming a 21st century country.
To-Do #2: It’s time for Hispanics to stop believing themselves to be victims and embrace their leadership identity.
As the Hispanic population continues to grow, America’s corporations, schools, colleges and universities must provide culturally tailored training and educational programs to allow Hispanics to flourish in the post-2008 economy. These programs need to focus on helping Hispanics discover their authentic identity as leaders.
It’s time for America as a whole to understand the real value, the unique characteristics and the new types of opportunities that Hispanics can create for the country. The identity crisis that Hispanics are faced with each day has made it difficult for them to advance, thus damaging their identity and limiting their contributions to the economy.
The fiercely competitive global market requires everyone to begin contributing in newly meaningful and purposeful ways to the global economy. Hispanics must embrace this to-do like everyone else. They cannot afford to continue thinking of themselves as victims, and the US economy cannot afford that victim thinking either.
As I discuss this issue with executives in the boardroom and professors in the classroom, they often refer to Hispanics as second-class citizens. And because of this, Hispanic professionals, adults and children would rather assimilate and reject their essential identities. If this assimilation continues, we will lose the brilliance and innovative flair of the Hispanic population, and the US economy will suffer as a result, in the competition with the rest of the world.
To be sure, Hispanics have created their own barriers to advancement. Because Hispanics in the US are not a homogeneous community, they waste time debating which of their mother countries has more clout in the US, rather than getting on with it and investing in themselves.
The time has come for Hispanics to embrace their unique cultural differences and realize the power that this diversity gives them. Hispanics must recapture their authentic identities and train non-Hispanics to understand them. Hispanics must embrace their immigrant perspective, circular vision, Latin passion, entrepreneurial spirit, generous purpose and cultural promise – the natural characteristics that are inborn in their culture and that allow them to be highly effective contributors to the economy. It’s time for Hispanics to take it upon themselves to break out of their identity crisis and claim influence amongst their non-Hispanic peers.
Hispanics need to stop being viewed as victims of lost opportunities in their mother country and start being held accountable as new sources for innovation, economic prosperity, global influence and the economic revival of our country.
It’s time for Hispanics to earn the right to be more influential in America. Population growth alone does not entitle Hispanics or any other group in society to own the resources of our great country.
Until Hispanics discover their authentic leadership role, they will continue to be misrepresented and misunderstood. Today, many non-Hispanic whites believe they are financing the Hispanic population growth. Hispanics must seize the moment, take on their responsibilities, and change the role of the Hispanic immigrant in the United States. At 50 million strong, and growing faster than any other group, Hispanics must grow up now.
Facebook China? What Would The U.S. Say About It?
By GADY EPSTEIN
Facebook as the rest of the world knows it is still blocked in China, but with Baidu’s help, Mark Zuckerberg may be bringing Chinese users a government-approved version. Before Facebook China records its first status update, though, we will hear first from the authorities — not only in China, but also in the U.S.
The Web portal Sohu.com reported today, citing Baidu sources, that Facebook and the Chinese search giant have agreed to launch a Chinese social networking service that would stand alone from the worldwide service (the companies aren’t confirming this yet, and Sohu.com’s original report was taken down). The report follows up on respected China tech expert Hu Yanping’s tweet on Sina Weibo on Friday that Facebook has signed such a deal with a Chinese Internet company, and Baidu makes sense because it has so far, like Google in most other places, failed to gain traction in social media.
What happens now? For a while yet, nothing, beyond some brow-furrowing in China and perhaps some grandstanding in the U.S. If there is a deal, it must still make it over some imposing regulatory hurdles in China, and it will attract some attention from Capitol Hill. A lot has happened since Zuckerberg’s diplomatic mission to China in December, when he visited with most of the heads of China’s biggest Internet and mobile companies, including billionaire Robin Li’s Baidu, billionaire Jack Ma’s Alibaba Group, Sina Corp. and China Mobile.
I said back then that this “vacation” of his was laying the groundwork for an eventual deal to get Facebook into China somehow, and I believed Zuckerberg would inevitably succeed. I still think that, because he is fully committed to make the kinds of concessions to do business in China that did not come so easily for Google.
Still, Zuckerberg has his work cut out for him on both sides of the Pacific. This year the environment for the world’s most influential social networking service, already difficult in China, has become even more so. With protestors in the Middle East openly thanking Facebook and Zuckerberg for their help, and with calls for a Jasmine Revolution in China spurring an extremely harsh crackdown on lawyers and activists, Chinese authorities will be wary about welcoming a Facebook China. The imprimatur of Baidu, the trusted anti-Google, would help, but would not guarantee success. Beijing’s distrust of the foreign Internet should not be underestimated, as China tech blogger Bill Bishop notes:
Writing in the Party journal Seeking Truth in December 2009, Meng Jianzhu, the Minister of Public Security, wrote: “The internet has become a primary method for the anti-China forces to infiltrate us and amplify destructive energy. This provides new challenges in maintaining state security and social stability.” Censorship of foreign content has shifted from news sites to Web 2.0 services with superior communication and organizing functions, such as Twitter and Facebook, which the government accuses of becoming a rallying point for dissidents and separatists. A report on new media published by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in July bluntly states: “Foreign social networking sites have become a tool for political subversion used by Western nations.”
In the U.S., too, there will be questions for Zuckerberg, from some members of Congress and the Obama administration, about all the concessions he would have to make to a country that is in the midst of blackening its already lamentable record on human rights. The recent detention of artist-dissident Ai Weiwei on suspicion of “economic crimes” has intensified scrutiny of China, at least for the moment.
Ultimately, though, I still believe Facebook China will happen because Zuckerberg wants it that badly. So must Li: Baidu has failed to find the right formula for social networking in China, while Facebook clone Renren (soon to IPO) and Twitter-Facebook hybrid Sina Weibo have been hugely popular; Facebook.cn can be Baidu’s social solution.
Facebook and the anti-Google, teaming up, a year after Google pulled out of China. Some people in China and the U.S. wouldn’t like a Zuckerberg-Li deal, but I suspect the two men reportedly making it think it makes perfect sense.
Facebook as the rest of the world knows it is still blocked in China, but with Baidu’s help, Mark Zuckerberg may be bringing Chinese users a government-approved version. Before Facebook China records its first status update, though, we will hear first from the authorities — not only in China, but also in the U.S.
The Web portal Sohu.com reported today, citing Baidu sources, that Facebook and the Chinese search giant have agreed to launch a Chinese social networking service that would stand alone from the worldwide service (the companies aren’t confirming this yet, and Sohu.com’s original report was taken down). The report follows up on respected China tech expert Hu Yanping’s tweet on Sina Weibo on Friday that Facebook has signed such a deal with a Chinese Internet company, and Baidu makes sense because it has so far, like Google in most other places, failed to gain traction in social media.
What happens now? For a while yet, nothing, beyond some brow-furrowing in China and perhaps some grandstanding in the U.S. If there is a deal, it must still make it over some imposing regulatory hurdles in China, and it will attract some attention from Capitol Hill. A lot has happened since Zuckerberg’s diplomatic mission to China in December, when he visited with most of the heads of China’s biggest Internet and mobile companies, including billionaire Robin Li’s Baidu, billionaire Jack Ma’s Alibaba Group, Sina Corp. and China Mobile.
I said back then that this “vacation” of his was laying the groundwork for an eventual deal to get Facebook into China somehow, and I believed Zuckerberg would inevitably succeed. I still think that, because he is fully committed to make the kinds of concessions to do business in China that did not come so easily for Google.
Still, Zuckerberg has his work cut out for him on both sides of the Pacific. This year the environment for the world’s most influential social networking service, already difficult in China, has become even more so. With protestors in the Middle East openly thanking Facebook and Zuckerberg for their help, and with calls for a Jasmine Revolution in China spurring an extremely harsh crackdown on lawyers and activists, Chinese authorities will be wary about welcoming a Facebook China. The imprimatur of Baidu, the trusted anti-Google, would help, but would not guarantee success. Beijing’s distrust of the foreign Internet should not be underestimated, as China tech blogger Bill Bishop notes:
Writing in the Party journal Seeking Truth in December 2009, Meng Jianzhu, the Minister of Public Security, wrote: “The internet has become a primary method for the anti-China forces to infiltrate us and amplify destructive energy. This provides new challenges in maintaining state security and social stability.” Censorship of foreign content has shifted from news sites to Web 2.0 services with superior communication and organizing functions, such as Twitter and Facebook, which the government accuses of becoming a rallying point for dissidents and separatists. A report on new media published by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in July bluntly states: “Foreign social networking sites have become a tool for political subversion used by Western nations.”
In the U.S., too, there will be questions for Zuckerberg, from some members of Congress and the Obama administration, about all the concessions he would have to make to a country that is in the midst of blackening its already lamentable record on human rights. The recent detention of artist-dissident Ai Weiwei on suspicion of “economic crimes” has intensified scrutiny of China, at least for the moment.
Ultimately, though, I still believe Facebook China will happen because Zuckerberg wants it that badly. So must Li: Baidu has failed to find the right formula for social networking in China, while Facebook clone Renren (soon to IPO) and Twitter-Facebook hybrid Sina Weibo have been hugely popular; Facebook.cn can be Baidu’s social solution.
Facebook and the anti-Google, teaming up, a year after Google pulled out of China. Some people in China and the U.S. wouldn’t like a Zuckerberg-Li deal, but I suspect the two men reportedly making it think it makes perfect sense.
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