 |
|
|
|||||
In our consumer-driven culture, when the cost of goods is soaring, one of the most radical things you can do is not to buy anything on Black Friday. That’s the message from “Mass Blackout,” a coalition of grassroots groups that are protesting the Trump administration’s policies and urging you not to participate in this year’s extended Black Friday sales. The “blackout” will start on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26) and end the day after Cyber Monday (Tuesday, December 2). This is not the only holiday protest, either: There’s also a second boycott underway targeting Amazon, Target, and Home Depot. It’s called “We Ain’t Buying It,” and it is happening around the same time. In fact, it’s been a big year for boycotts, and some of them have been quite effective. For example, Target just reported another lackluster quarter and declining sales that are partially due to backlash and a boycott from customers after a rollback of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. And it’s not just the U.S. Many Canadians have started to forgo American products and are only buying “locally,” as the “Buy Canadian” movement has drawn record participation as a reaction to President Trump’s high tariffs on their country’s goods. Here’s what to know about the upcoming “Mass Blackout” and “We Ain’t Buying It” boycotts. What’s happening with the “Mass Blackout” protest? The Mass Blackout, a nationwide economic action organized by a coalition of grassroots organizations, is calling Americans to: Stop online or in-store shopping (except for small businesses) Stop streaming, cancel subscriptions, and make no digital purchases Stop work (if you can) If you must spend: Support small, local businesses, and pay in cash “No spending. No work. No surrender. The system isn’t broken. It’s working exactly as designedfor the wealthy,” reads the movement’s website. “Were not targeting small businesses or communitieswere targeting the corporate systems that profit from injustice, fuel authoritarianism, and crush worker power.” The boycott also includes avoiding nonessential travel, restaurants, and normal consumer behavior; staying off ad-driven platforms unless organizing; halting spending; logging off entertainment platforms; and donating to Feeding America to support those refusing to work. What’s happening with the “We Ain’t Buying It” boycott? The “We Aint Buying It campaign is made up of a coalition of progressive groups including the No Kings Alliance and Indivisible, which were behind other anti-Trump protests earlier this year. It targets three companies: Target, Home Depot, and Amazon. It is asking Americans “to withhold their purchasing power from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday” (November 27 to December 1) to protest the three retailers who, they allege, are cooperating directly with the Trump administration in these ways: Target, for its rollback on DEI Home Depot, for working with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), which has been arresting, detaining, and deporting immigrants Amazon, for allegedly funding the Trump administration to secure corporate tax cuts When corporations align with cruelty and authoritarianism, they must understand that our purchasing power matters, LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, a member of the “We Aint Buying It” coalition, said in a statement. Economic noncooperation is a powerful, nonviolent tool for a free people, and we plan to use it to make America better for all of usnot just the wealthy few. Why are these Black Friday boycotts happening now? The boycotts come as the gap between the richest and poorest Americans is widening in an increasingly bifurcated economy. They target billionaires and businesses supporting the Trump administration, which they argue is eroding civil rights; labor protections; diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; and weakening the United States’ democratic institutions. In that sense, they are both political and economic boycotts.
Category:
E-Commerce
Earlier this year Pepsi purchased probiotic drinker maker Poppi, and now the soda giant is introducing a new prebiotic cola drink in its quest to capture Gen Z drinkers: Pepsi Prebiotic Cola. The drink drops on November 28 and will be available at Walmart, on Amazon, and TikTok shop, as well as in select markets on Kroger.com, DashMart, and GoPuff. The “Unbelievably Pepsi” drinks will be available in two flavors: Original and Cherry Vanilla and contain 30 calories and five grams of sugar. They also have three grams of prebiotic fiber. Still, the drinks are highly marketable, given they’re a soda alternative, and appear to offer some health benefits. As many Americans have turned to weight loss drugs like Ozempic, options that fit into their new diets are more desirable. That may be especially true when it comes to drinks that contain protein, a trend which Pepsi has also jumped on given Americans are desperate to consume more protein. According to the brand, 71% tried to up their protein intake last year. In the wake of the protein craze, the brand introduced a ready-to-drink Starbucks protein coffee and a protein water by Propel.We want to redefine the protein conversation, Ram Krishnan, CEO of PepsiCos U.S. beverages business, previously said in an interview with Fast Company. Everybody in the country is talking about protein, but its actually crowded and confusing and the consumers really dont understand all of the science behind protein. Previously, Pepsi has offered healthier alternatives. Back in 2016, the brand partnered with KeVita, which makes sparkling probiotic drinks and kombucha. At the time, the brand said it was “continuing to evolve” its “health and wellness offerings to meet consumers’ changing needs.”Of course, Pepsi isn’t the first brand to launch a “healthier” soda option. There’s been a surge of prebiotic and probiotic sodas appearing on shelves in recent years. In addition to Poppi, Culture Pop and Olipop are also well-known brands that claim to have gut-boosting benefits. But while prebiotic and probiotic sodas are typically lower in sugar content and have fewer calories than regular sodas, some critics have questioned how beneficial the sodas are, given they don’t have the same variety of good bacterias that fermented foods do. Here, youre only getting the type of prebiotic thats added in, while youd likely benefit more from the variety of prebiotics in fiber-rich foods, says Amy Keating, RD, a Consumer Reports (CR) nutritionist, per the outlet. “At Pepsi, we are experts in great tasting cola and have been for decades. The launch of Pepsi Prebiotic Cola marks a significant moment in our brand’s history and the cola category,” Gustavo Reyna, VP of Marketing at Pepsi said in the release. “This breakthrough innovation upholds the iconic taste of Pepsi that people love, now with no artificial sweeteners, lower sugar and functional ingredients. It’s an inimitable taste designed to meet the demands of cola lovers, cola newcomers, and everyone in between.” Pepsi’s new cola will drop on Black Friday and be around “until supplies last”. According to the release, you can check out the drink during Amazon Prime Video’s Black Friday Football game. It said, “the spot will bring bold flavor and feel-good refreshment to homes nationwide with the ability to shop it live, right from your TV screen.”
Category:
E-Commerce
Want more housing market stories from Lance Lamberts ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. Back in May, ResiClub teamed up with Stessa, an asset management and accounting software for real estate investors, to survey real estate investors about how they were navigating the rental market. Over the past month, we teamed up with Stessa again to survey real estate investors about their market conditions, portfolio plans, and property management strategy. Investors who own at least one single-family investment property were eligible to respond to the Stessa-ResiClub Real Estate Investor SurveyQ4 2025, fielded between October 24 and November 16. In total, 211 single-family investors/landlords completed the survey. Here are our topline findings: 44% of U.S. real estate investors say they plan to grow their portfolios in the near-term, holding steady from the 45% of landlords that said they plan to grow in the near-term in Q2 2025. Two-thirds of real estate investors (65%) say the most frustrating part of the buying process is finding deals that cash flowthat share is even higher among landlords based in the West (75%). About six in ten real estate investors (59%) say they are not willing to buy a property unless the cap rate is at least 6.00%. 63% of surveyed real estate investors said theyd only accept a mortgage rate of 6.00% or lower on their next purchase. 51% of real estate investors say they self-manage their properties. 21% of real estate investors say they first look at off-market deal sources. 19% of real estate investors who currently self-manage say they would consider switching to professional property management in the next 12 months. The big picture: Even as nearly half of investors say they want to grow their portfolios, todays buyers are disciplinedinsisting on strong cash flow, cap rates at or above 6.00%, and deals that pencil even with 6.00% mortgage rates. The result is an investor landscape thats still expansion-minded, but far more selective and operationally focused than in prior years. Lets take a deeper look at the results:
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||