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Today β€” 22 December 2024Main stream

I tried roast-beef sandwiches from Jimmy John's, Subway, and Jersey Mike's. None were perfect, but one stood out.

22 December 2024 at 04:34
wrapped sandwiches from subway, jimmy johns, and jersey mike's
I compared roast-beef sandwiches from Subway, Jimmy John's, and Jersey Mike's.

Steven John

  • I compared roast-beef sandwiches at Jimmy John's, Jersey Mike's, and Subway to find the best one.
  • The bread at Jimmy John's never fails to impress me, but I thought the rest of the sub was bland.
  • My Subway sub was made with remarkably crisp produce, but Jersey Mike's easily had the best meat.

I could probably eat a sandwich for lunch every day for the rest of my life.

On my quest to compare popular chains, I put roast-beef subs from Jimmy John's, Jersey Mike's, and Subway to the test.

I ordered each sandwich on the shop's standard bread and piled them with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

Here's how the roast-beef sandwiches stacked up.

Subway is easily one of the biggest fast-food chains.
outside a subway sandwich shop
I'm not always that impressed by Subway.

Steven John

Subway is one of the largest global chains, but its ubiquity hasn't necessarily led to an overly positive public opinion.

I'll admit that I've been let down by the restaurant more than once, but nonetheless, I count myself among its fans. Because Subway has over 30,000 locations globally, it's still nice to know I can probably grab something familiar at one, no matter where in the world I am.

I ordered a 12-inch roast-beef sub for $16.28, which breaks down to about $1.36 an inch.

The produce at Subway tasted surprisingly fresh.
12-inch roast beef sandwich from subway cut in half
The freshness won me over at Subway.

Steven John

Subway employees can sometimes go a little heavy on the sauce, but the few stripes of mayo I got were well-portioned.

The bread and cheese were nothing special, but the roast beef was actually pretty tasty β€” I just wish there was more of it.

The produce truly stood out here. The tomatoes were thickly cut and actually had good flavor, and the lettuce tasted fresh and crisp.

I'd argue that roast beef should be the star of a roast-beef sandwich, but I'm certainly not mad at the Subway sub.

Jimmy John's Big John sandwich was next on my list.
inside a jimmy johns sandwich shop
I had to pay extra for cheese at Jimmy John's.

Steven John

Jimmy John's is a Midwest staple that's spread to over 2,000 locations across the US. It's perhaps most famous for its fresh-baked bread.

I ordered a regular (8-inch) Big John but paid $1 extra to add provolone cheese. The total came to $11.41, or about $1.43 an inch.

The bread makes the meal at Jimmy John's.
jimmy johns roast beef sandwich cut in half
I love Jimmy John's bread.

Steven John

Sadly, I thought my roast-beef sandwich from Jimmy John's tasted rather bland overall.

It needed a bit more meat, the meat needed a bit more salt, the cheese was all but undetectable, and the veggies faded into the background.

You'd think that would mean I didn't enjoy this sandwich, but that wasn't the case because of one thing: the bread.

Jimmy John's French bread is good enough to be enjoyed on its own with just some butter or perhaps a spread of Dijon mustard. It readily elevates what would've been an underwhelming sandwich into a perfectly decent meal.

Jersey Mike's served up freshly sliced meat.
outside a jersey mikes sub shop
I had high hopes for Jersey Mike's.

Steven John

New Jersey-based chain Jersey Mikes has over 2,000 locations throughout the US and Canada.

It's famous for building sandwiches with freshly sliced cold cuts, and it was the only chain where I watched an employee slice my roast beef seconds after I placed my order.

My No. 6 (roast beef and provolone) 7-inch sub cost me $12.36, or about $1.77 an inch.

My Jersey Mike's sandwich reminded me of one from a mom-and-pop deli.
jersey mike's roast beef sandwich cut in half
The meat was piled high at Jersey Mike's.

Steven John

The roast beef piled onto my Jersey Mike's sandwich was well over an inch thick. I pulled a few pieces of meat out to try on its own and found that it tasted high quality, too

The provolone cheese also had good flavor, but I didn't think there was enough lettuce, and the tomatoes tasted a bit bland.

However, the biggest issue I had with the sandwich was the rather sloppy, messy assembly. It was difficult to hold together as a cohesive unit, and the mayo was slapped on too heavily and unevenly.

I haven't ordered this enough to know if it was a one-off problem or a consistent problem with the chain's sandwich assembly.

There were pros and cons to each sandwich β€” I wish I could combine them.
roast beef sandwiches from subway, jimmy johns, and jersey mikes
It was hard to pick the best roast-beef sandwich.

Steven John

The generous portion of roast beef and the quality of the meat at Jersey Mike's easily would've made it my favorite sandwich had it been assembled with more care.

However, as it is, there were things I liked and disliked about each sub. Jimmy John's sandwich tasted pretty bland despite its amazing bread, and Subway's felt underfilled but had lovely tomatoes and lettuce.

It would be divine if I could combine the meat from Jersey Mike's and the produce from Subway on the bread from Jimmy John's.

Read the original article on Business Insider

How to help your Amazon delivery driver get a tip of up to $25,000 this holiday season

22 December 2024 at 02:05
Amazon workers pose with a $25,000 check
Amazon offered their drivers $5 tips this holiday season, and customers jumped on the promotion.

Amazon

  • Amazon drivers can earn up to an extra $25,000 for the holidays if you thank them for a delivery.
  • The company has brought back itsΒ "Thank my driver" feature after first launching it in 2022.
  • Amazon covered a limited amount of $5 thank-yous at no cost to customers.

Amazon brought back its promotion that'll allow you to thank your delivery driver this holiday season.

If you're pleased with your ride, you can participate by typing "Thank my Driver" into the search bar of your Amazon app or asking Alexa to "thank my driver." You'll have to thank them within 14 days of your last delivery.

It's already got a lot of traction in 2024.

The "Thank My Driver" promotion began on December 4 this year, and Amazon tipped drivers $5 for the first 2 million thank-yous from US customers.

Amazon hit the 2-million limit within six days. However, there are still ways to help your delivery person earn extra cash.

Similar to 2023, the company is offering "additional awards" for drivers who receive praise for their deliveries, according to a press release from Amazon.

Here's what Amazon is offering: "$100 each for the 1,000 most-thanked drivers each day through the rest of December; $10,000 for the seven top-thanked drivers each week until the end of December."

Meanwhile, the seven most-thanked Amazon drivers from December 4 to December 31 will receive $25,000 plus an extra $25,000 to be donated to the charity of their choice.

"Alexa, Thank my Driver" confirmation from Amazon
Amazon will give your driver a big tip if they get enough appreciation.

Steven Tweedie/Business Insider

"Treat your customers like family, and they will do the same to you," driver Andrew Shearouse, one of the 2023 recipients of the $25,000 tip, said.

Only US-based drivers are eligible, and they must be an Amazon Flex partner, drive for a delivery service partner, or be a hub delivery associate. A delivery driver can only be thanked once per delivery. Amazon package deliveries from the Post Office and companies like UPS aren't eligible for the extra rewards.

Those looking for other ways to thank their delivery people can check TikTok, where creators are posting about the care packages they leave on their doorstep β€” especially during the busy holiday delivery season.

During the holiday season, Amazon drivers' shifts can be as long as 10 hours β€” and a serious workout. There are some Amazon drivers who earn $18 an hour compared to full-time UPS drivers who earn an average total compensation package of $145,000 per year, according to UPS.

In September, Amazon announced that it will spend $2.1 billion to give its delivery drivers a pay raise. Although the exact rate depends on location, the boost may bump drivers' pay to a national average of $22 an hour.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Yesterday β€” 21 December 2024Main stream

The Walton family empire: Inside the lives of the billionaire Walmart heirs

the walton family walmart
The Walton siblings.

AP/April L. Brown

  • The Walmart heirs' combined estimated net worth is nearly $380 billion.
  • All three of Sam Walton's surviving children have now made it into the $100 billion club.
  • In public, the Waltons live relatively modest lifestyles despite their wealth.

All three of Walmart founder Sam Walton's surviving children have made it into the $100 billion club as the retail giant's share price continues to soar.

The combined wealth of the Walmart heirs β€” which include founder Sam Walton's children, Rob, Jim, and Alice, as well as his grandson Lukas β€” is nearly $380 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Together, they're significantly ahead of the top individual names on the list, such as Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault, or Mark Zuckerberg, though Elon Musk has recently seen his fortune outstrip their collective net worth.

While some have worked in the family business β€” whether that's serving on the company board or working to manage the family's wealth β€” others chose to pursue areas of personal passion.

Sam Walton, the original man behind the company that now encompasses both Walmart and Sam's Club, set his family up for financial success when he divided the ownership before he died.

Most recently, the Walton children have expanded voting control to their own, giving eight of Sam's grandchildren a say in the family holdings.

Sam wasn't a man of flashy luxury, but you can see how his children are living a slightly more lavish life now. Here's a look at how the Walton family empire spends its money:Β 

Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962.
sam walton
The original Wal-Mart name tag used to look like this one, worn here by Sam Walton.

Associated Press

As he grew his retail empire, Walton, an experienced pilot, would often fly in unannounced to check in on a particular store location.

He married Helen Robson on Valentine's Day in 1942.
Helen Robson
Sam and Helen had a Valentine's Day wedding.

April L. Brown/Associated Press

Together, they had four children: Rob, John, Jim, and Alice.

By the time Sam died in 1992, he had set up the company ownership in a way that minimized the estate taxes anyone on the receiving end would have to pay.
Walton family
Sam Walton died at the age of 74 of cancer.

Rick Wilking/Reuters

Source: Fortune

He set up his ownership of Walmart's stock in a family partnership β€” each of his children held 20% of Walton Enterprises, while he and Helen each held 10%. Helen inherited Sam's 10% tax-free when he died.
sam walton
The stocks were carefully divided among the family.

Courtesy of Walmart

Source: Fortune

Samuel Robson "Rob" Walton is the oldest Walton child. He is 80 years old.
Rob Walton
Rob served as chairman of Walmart for many years.

Reuters

He served as chairman of Walmart from 1992 until 2015 and remained on the board until this year.
Rob Walton Walmart
He'll retire from the board in 2024.

Rick T. Wilking / Stringer / Getty Images

He retired from Walmart's board at the end of his term in 2024.

Rob made a splash in 2022 by leading an ownership group to buy the Denver Broncos.
Denver Broncos
The group was led by Rob Walton, his daughter Carrie Walton Penner, and her partner Greg Penner.

Joe Mahoney/AP

The group purchased the NFL team for a $4.65 billion in summer 2022 in a record-breaking sale at the time.

Rob has purchased a house in Paradise Valley, Arizona, near the base of Camelback Mountain.
Paradise Valley Arizona
Walton owns a house in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Tim Roberts Photography/Shutterstock

In the past, protesters have rallied outside of his Arizona home to advocate for better wages and benefits for Walmart workers.
Walmart protest florida
Protesters at a Walmart in Boynton Beach, Florida, called for better wages and benefits.

J Pat Carter/Associated Press

Besides real estate, Rob has a large collection of vintage cars.
vintage cars
Walton's personal vintage car collection is not pictured.

Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images

In 2013, he ran his Daytona Coupe, which was worth $15 million at the time, off the tracks and wrecked it. The car was one of only five ever made.
Daytona Coupe
Walton's Daytona Coupe was totaled in a crash.

AP Photo/Tom Mihalek

Sam Walton's second-oldest child, John Walton, died in a plane crash in 2005.
John Walton
John (right) with his mother (center) and older brother, Rob (left).

April L. Brown/Associated Press

He was 58 years old.

He was married to Christy Walton and had one son, Lukas.
Lukas Walton
Lukas Walton, pictured here, is the grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton.

Walton Family Foundation/YouTube

John left about 17% of his wealth to his wife, and he gave the rest to charity and to his son.
Christy Walton
John Walton left half of his fortune to charitable trusts and a third to his son.

AP

John served in Vietnam as a Green Beret. When he returned from the war he held a series of jobs β€” like the Walmart company pilot, a crop duster, and the owner a few yachting companies β€” before becoming a Walmart board member.
John T Walton
John (second from left) pictured with members of his family.

AP Photo/Spencer Tirey

Source: Fortune

In 2013, Christy decided to sell their Jackson Hole mansion. She also sold the family's ranch for an undisclosed price in 2016 after listing it for $100 million in 2011.
Christy Walton Wal-Mart wyoming mansion
The family had a mansion in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Jackson Hole Real Estate

The 8,606-square-foot home was put on the market for $12.5 million.
Walton Jackson Hole Mansion
An aerial view of John and Christy Walton's mansion.

Google Maps

Source: Curbed

James "Jim" Walton is the youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. He is 76 years old.
Jim Walton
Jim Walton is now 76.

Walmart

He is chairman of the board of the family's Arvest Bank Group. One of the state's largest banks today, Arvest Bank has assets totaling more than $26 billion.
Arvest
One of many Arvest Bank locations in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Google Maps

Source: Bloomberg

He also served on the Walmart board, starting in 2005 to fill the vacancy after his brother John died. Jim Walton's son, Steuart, took over his father's seat on the board in 2016.
Jim Walton
Jim served on the board for more than a decade.

Rick T. Wilking/Stringer/Getty Images

Now, he presides over Walton Enterprises β€” the private company that deals with the investments and finances of the Walton family only β€” from modest offices in Bentonville, Arkansas.
walton enterprises inc
Jim now manages the family's finances.

Google Maps

Source: Fortune

The youngest of founder Sam Walton's children, Alice Walton is worth $112 billion, according to Bloomberg. She has been divorced twice and has no children. She is 75 years old.
Alice Walton
Alice Walton is the youngest of Walmart founder Sam Walton's children.

AP/April L. Brown

Alice has never taken an active role in running the family business.
Alice Walton (Jim out of focus)
Alice Walton with Jim Walton in 2013.

REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Instead, she became a patron of the arts, which she fell in love with at a young age.
Alice Walton
Alice has spent millions building her art collection.

D Dipasupil/Getty Images

When she was 10, she bought her first work of art: a reproduction of Picasso's "Blue Nude" for about $2, she told The New Yorker.
Picasso Blue Room
Picasso's "The Blue Room."

Evan Vucci/Associated Press

Source:Β The New Yorker

She has an immense private art collection, with original works from Andy Warhol and Georgia O'Keeffe. Alice opened a museum in Bentonville called Crystal Bridges in 2011 to house her $500 million private art collection.
crystal bridges calder
The museum displays both paintings and sculptures, like this one by Alexander Calder (center).

Danny Johnston/Associated Press

The collection includes a Georgia O'Keeffe painting that Alice spent $44.4 million on in 2014 β€” the biggest sale for a woman's piece of art in history.
Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia O’Keeffe, "Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1" (1932), Sotheby's.

Courtesy of Sotheby's

Source: The Observer

Alice also breeds horses.
FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2013, file photo, mustangs recently captured on federal rangeland roam a corral at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's holding facility north of Reno, in Palomino, Nev. Two House committee chairmen are trying to put the brakes on money for a new Trump administration proposal to accelerate the capture of 130,000 wild horses across the West over the next 10 years. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner, File)
Besides art, she loves spending time with horses.

Associated Press

Her Millsap, Texas, property, Rocking W Ranch, sold to the Three Amigos Investment Group of Kermit, Texas, in September 2017 for an undisclosed amount.
Rocking W Ranch
Alice Walton's ranch was called Rocking W Ranch.

Courtesy of WilliamsTrew

It had an initial asking price of $19.75 million, which was reduced to $16.5 million. The working ranch had over 250 acres of pasture and outbuildings for cattle and horses.
Rocking W Ranch
It was also next to a large lake.

Courtesy of WilliamsTrew

Source:Β WilliamsTrew

Her other, 4,416-acre Texas ranch was previously listed at a reduced price of $22 million.
Fortune bend ranch
A huge fire pit was built in the backyard.

Courtesy of WilliamsTrew

The modest, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home overlooks the Brazos River.

Alice also bought a two-floor condo on New York's Park Ave. for $25 million in 2014.
park avenue new york
Park Avenue pictured above at night.

Getty Images/Arata Photography

It has more than 52 large windows overlooking Central Park plus a media room, a winding staircase, and more than 6,000 total square feet of space.
shutterstock_571830520
View of Central Park from the southeast.

evenfh/Shutterstock

In January 2016, Alice donated 3.7 million of her Walmart shares β€” worth about $225 million at the time β€” to the family's nonprofit, the Walton Family Foundation.
Walton Family Foundation
The Walton Family Foundation website.

Facebook/Walton Family Foundation

Sam and Helen started the foundation as a way to teach their children how to give back and how to work together.
Sam and Helen Walton
The Walton Family Foundation was established in 1987, when Walmart celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Walton Family Foundation/YouTube

The charity awards millions of dollars in grants to causes that align with the foundation's values.
Screen Shot 2018 12 05 at 5.29.18 PM
The foundation awarded $566.5 million in grants in 2022, according to its website.

Walton Family Foundation/YouTube

The foundation has three main areas of focus:
Screen Shot 2018 12 05 at 5.30.57 PM
A project put on by the Walton Family Foundation.

Walton Family Foundation/YouTube

The foundation's focus on education was led by John. His brother Jim said John was really interested in being able to give parents choices when it came to their child's schooling.
John Walton
The foundation was dedicated to supporting children's education.

Walton Family Foundation/YouTube

Rob spearheaded the foundation's venture into environmental protection. One of the first grants they gave helped develop a sustainable fisheries label.
Walton Family Foundation
Rob launched the environmental and sustainability branch of the foundation.

Walton Family Foundation/YouTube

A commitment to the family's home of Arkansas is another large part of the foundation. The website says this area of focus is about "advancing our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta."
Home Range arkansas
The Bentonville town square.

Walton Family Foundation/YouTube

Walmart Inc., which owns Walmart and Sam's Club, is the largest retailer in the US in terms of revenue.
walmart 1
In fiscal year 2023, Walmart reported $648.1 billion in revenue.

Business Insider/Jessica Tyler

Even though the Walton family is raking in billions as a result of the company's success, they remain relatively under-the-radar in terms of flashing their wealth β€” much like their patriarch, Sam, did in the early years.
the walton family walmart
The Walton siblings.

AP/April L. Brown

In December, Walmart disclosed that Sam's children had granted voting rights to eight of their own children, bringing the total number of voices in the family fortune from three to eight, and keeping with Sam's vision for his legacy.
Sam Walton flying in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

Walmart Museum

Source: SEC filings

Read the original article on Business Insider

I shopped at Walmart in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Here are 7 surprising differences I noticed.

21 December 2024 at 02:49
A Walmart store with the Walmart logo and gardening products on display.
Walmart stores vary by region.

Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

  • I visited Walmart in Wisconsin and New Jersey to compare stores in the Midwest and the East Coast.
  • Milk was less expensive in Wisconsin, but a dozen eggs cost the same at both locations.
  • New Jersey's Walmart had a food hall startup, Wonder, founded by a former Walmart executive.

As a Midwesterner who moved to New York City a decade ago, I still find myself surprised by regional differences in national brands.

As part of an ongoing series comparing nationwide retailers in the Midwest and on the East Coast, I visited Walmart locations in Wisconsin and New Jersey to compare their prices, offerings, and store amenities.

First, I visited a 200,000-square-foot Walmart store in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

The following week, I visited a Walmart in Teterboro, New Jersey, around 8 miles from Manhattan. Unions and politicians have long blocked Walmart stores from opening in New York City due to concerns about its potential impact on local businesses.

The 150,000-square-foot Teterboro store is one of 12 flagship Walmart stores in the country, offering technologies and amenities unavailable in all locations.

Here are the most surprising differences I noticed.

At Walmart in Manitowoc, Wisconsin's state flag was displayed at the checkout counters.
American and Wisconsin flags at Walmart in Wisconsin.
American and Wisconsin flags at Walmart in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Wisconsin's state flag features a coat of arms and a badger flanked by a sailor and a yeoman.

New Jersey's state flag was displayed at the Walmart I visited in Teterboro.
American and New York state flags at Walmart.
American and New Jersey state flags at Walmart.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

New Jersey's flag depicts its state seal in the official state colors George Washington chose during the Revolutionary War: buff and Jersey blue.

"In almost all stores, a US and state flag are displayed near the storefront as a show of support to the communities the company serves," a Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider.

The Walmart store in Wisconsin had an entire aisle of beer including many local brews.
Spotted Cow beer at Walmart in Wisconsin.
Spotted Cow beer at Walmart in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Wisconsin is known for its beer, and New Glarus Brewing's Spotted Cow is one of the state's most beloved brews.

In New Jersey, Walmart didn't sell alcohol because of the state's liquor licensing laws.
Ginger beer at Walmart in New Jersey.
Ginger beer at Walmart in New Jersey.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Teterboro Walmart had plenty of ginger beer, sparkling grape juice, and non-alcoholic cocktail mixes, but I was surprised it didn't sell any alcohol.

New Jersey's liquor laws dictate that only two locations of corporately owned supermarkets can sell beer, wine, and spirits in the state, NJ.com reported.

In the Midwest store, toiletries like CeraVe face wash were stocked on open shelves.
CeraVe products at Walmart in Wisconsin.
Skincare products at Walmart in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

In Wisconsin, the only personal care products kept on locked shelves were sexual wellness items like condoms, emergency contraceptives, and pregnancy tests.

In the East Coast store I visited, the same items were kept behind lock and key.
Skincare products at Walmart in New Jersey.
Skincare products at Walmart in New Jersey.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

I noticed the same phenomenon when I compared Target stores in the Midwest and New York City. On the East Coast, more items were kept in locked cases to prevent theft.

A Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider that "some products are subject to additional security," determined "on a store-by-store basis."

A gallon of store-brand skim milk cost $2.96 at Walmart in Wisconsin.
Skim milk at Walmart in Wisconsin.
Skim milk at Walmart in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

In February, the government benefits resource website HelpAdvisor analyzed findings from the 2023 US Census Household Pulse Survey and determined that Wisconsin had the lowest average grocery costs out of any state.

The same gallon of milk cost $3.29 in New Jersey, a price difference of 33 cents.
A gallon of skim milk at Walmart in New Jersey.
A gallon of skim milk at Walmart in New Jersey.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Milk at New Jersey's Walmart costs 11.2% more than it did in Wisconsin.

Grocery prices often vary by state due to differences in labor costs, food distribution costs, and the overall cost of living.

"We're committed to meeting our customers' shopping needs wherever they shop with us and understand in-store pricing can differ due to regional operating costs, extensive supplier networks, strict regulatory compliance, and competition," a Walmart spokesperson said.

In Wisconsin, a dozen large eggs were priced at $3.97 and came in Styrofoam cartons.
A dozen eggs at Walmart in Wisconsin.
A dozen eggs at Walmart in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The grade-A eggs were also from Walmart's Great Value brand.

At Walmart in New Jersey, the eggs were also $3.97 but came in paper cartons.
A dozen eggs at Walmart in New Jersey.
A dozen eggs at Walmart in New Jersey.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Styrofoam food service products have been banned in New Jersey since 2022, although egg cartons were exempt from the ban until earlier this year.

I was surprised that eggs cost the same at both locations even though they were packaged differently.

In Wisconsin, an outdoor services counter offered assistance with hunting and fishing licenses.
An outdoor services counter at Walmart in Wisconsin.
An outdoor services counter at Walmart in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The store also stocked pellet guns and air rifles for small game hunting.

I didn't see an outdoor services counter at the Walmart in New Jersey.
The sports and outdoors section at Walmart in New Jersey.
The sports and outdoors section at Walmart in New Jersey.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

A Walmart spokesperson confirmed that outdoor sporting licenses are not offered at the Teterboro location, though they are available at other store locations in New Jersey.

The Teterboro store also didn't stock any guns other than toys and water guns.

The Wisconsin Walmart sold a variety of prepared foods in the grocery section.
Bakery and deli sections at Walmart in Wisconsin.
Bakery and deli sections at Walmart in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Walmart store in Manitowoc featured a bakery and deli. It also sold packaged salads and take-and-bake pizzas.

In New Jersey, the Teterboro Walmart featured a Wonder food hall, a startup founded by former Walmart executive Marc Lore.
A Wonder food hall at Walmart in New Jersey.
A Wonder food hall at Walmart in New Jersey.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Lore previously served as Walmart's president of e-commerce. His startup, Wonder, offers dine-in, delivery, and takeout meals from restaurants by celebrity and Michelin-star chefs.

Teterboro is the third Walmart store to open a Wonder location. The others are at Walmart stores in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and Ledgewood, New Jersey.

Wonder has continued to grow, acquiring the meal-kit company Blue Apron for $103 million in 2023 and GrubHub for $650 million in November.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Before yesterdayMain stream

Party City is reportedly going out of business and closing all stores

20 December 2024 at 11:22
Vehicles are parked in front of a Party City in Alberta, Canada.

Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

  • Party City's CEO told employees the specialty retailer is "winding down" operations, CNN reports.
  • The company was impacted severely by the COVID-19 pandemic and never fully recovered.
  • The company spent much of the past two years in bankruptcy proceedings and has closed 80 locations.

Party City's balloon is out of air.

CEO Barry Litwin, who took the job in August, told Party City's corporate employees on Friday that operations were "winding down" immediately, CNN reported.

The news follows reports last week that the company was contemplating a second bankruptcy in two years as debt continued to weigh on profitability.

A spokesperson for Party City did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Litwin told employees the company had done what it could to avoid shutting down but that, "unfortunately, it's necessary to commence a wind-down process immediately," CNN reported.

Party City navigated a pre-pandemic shortage of helium for balloons, securing a new supply source.

It was impacted severely by the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdowns and social distancing ended many celebratory gatherings, and other mass retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target stepped up their party supply offerings.

The company spent much of 2023 in bankruptcy proceedings and reportedly closed 80 locations, or roughly a tenth of its store fleet.

It exited bankruptcy in September 2023, after a judge canceled $1 billion of its debt. Litwin was appointed CEO a year later.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Big Lots says it will hold going-out-of-business sales at its remaining stores as it tries to find a buyer

20 December 2024 at 09:34
Big Lots carts
Big Lots says it does not expect the going out of business sales will preclude it from negotiating a new deal, which it hopes to achieve by early January.

Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

  • Big Lots said Thursday it does not expect to close the deal to sell itself to a private equity firm.
  • The company will hold going-out-of-business sales at remaining stores as it looks for a new buyer.
  • Hundreds of Big Lots stores are slated to close across the US.

The fate of Big Lots is getting down to the wire.

The discount retailer said Thursday that it will hold going-out-of-business sales at its remaining stores as it does not expect to close its sale to private equity firm Nexus Capital Management.

However, it is not officially going out of business.

"While we remain hopeful that we can close an alternative going concern transaction, in order to protect the value of the Big Lots estate, we have made the difficult decision to begin the GOB process," CEO Bruce Thorn said in a statement.

The company did not specify why the deal β€” which was worth roughly $750 million and had received court approval in November β€” fell through.

Big Lots said it does not expect the going-out-of-business sales will preclude it from negotiating a new deal, which it hopes to achieve by early January.

In addition to its announcement, Big Lots added hundreds of new locations to its list of more than 200 closing stores, which has been growing since it filed for bankruptcy protection in September. The fleet previously counted nearly 1,400 stores across the US.

Business Insider visited one location before it was included on this latest list and found empty shelves, an unusual assortment of merchandise, and few actual bargain prices.

Big Lots positions itself as a store to find great deals, which it offers by sourcing products at low costs from suppliers and other retailers.

But declining sales, a growing mountain of debt, financial losses, and a high percentage of underperforming stores have put the company's future in doubt.

If you are a Big Lots worker who wants to share your perspective, please contact Dominick via email or text/call/Signal at 646.768.4750. Responses will be kept confidential, and Business Insider strongly recommends using a personal email and a non-work device when reaching out

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The fragrances successful women are wearing this year, from expensive Aesop scents to a Gucci perfume dupe

20 December 2024 at 02:31
Vintage woman with perfume bottle and twinkles around

Getty Images; iStock; Natalie Ammari/BI

  • Perfumes were massively popular in 2024, especially those from prestige brands.
  • Business Insider asked successful women across industries to name their favorite scents.
  • Some like expensive, trendy options from Aesop, while others enjoy body sprays and classic perfumes.

The key to everyday luxury in 2024 was simple: spray some perfume.

The fine fragrance industry boomed throughout the year, with Women's Wear Daily reporting that prestige scents were the fastest and largest growing sector of the overall beauty industry.

Colognes were also extremely popular with men, and members of Gen Z became obsessed with smelling good.

So, Business Insider turned to successful women across industries to learn which perfumes they recently favored. Here are their picks.

The founder of a sustainable marketing agency loves unisex scents from Aesop.
A bottle of Tacit perfume from Aesop.
Viviene New York founder Estella Struck uses two Aesop scents, including Tacit.

Aesop

Estella Struck founded Viviene New York, a marketing agency that promotes sustainable businesses. She's also a rising star of influencer management.

The 23-year-old told BI that she's "not a perfume maximalist" β€” but there are two scents she loves.

"I really like Aesop. I think they have an amazing line of fragrances, and they're unisex," she said.

She's purchased the Tacit scent for herself, which costs $160 or $220 depending on the bottle you buy, and the $200 Karst scent for her boyfriend.

"I'll use his Aesop scent depending on my mood," she added.

She also likes a clean version of a popular Gucci fragrance.
A bottle of Floral Honeysuckle from Dossier
Rather than buying Gucci perfume, Estella Struck prefers this Dossier dupe.

Dossier

Struck told BI that she loves the scent of Gucci Bloom but doesn't find it to be the most sustainable and skin-friendly option on the market.

It's also priced pretty high, between $110 and $128 each for full-sized bottles.

So, the marketing professional turned to Dossier, a brand known for selling clean, inexpensive fragrances inspired by designer products.

Struck said the brand's Floral Honeysuckle perfume smells exactly like Gucci's, and the bottle costs $39.

One media strategist is loyal to a classic Victoria's Secret perfume.
Boxes of Bombshell perfume from Victoria's Secret.
Media strategist Abby Carlos uses Victoria's Secret Bombshell every day.

NurPhoto/Getty Images

Abby Carlos has spent the past two years working as a media strategist for Warner Bros. Discovery.

So far, she's worn the same perfume each day on the job: Victoria's Secret Bombshell.

She prefers the brand's original scent, which is sold as a body mist, lotion, and perfume (though the latter is sold out).

Other variations of the fragrance β€” including Bombshell Intense β€” are still available on the Victoria's Secret website for upward of $60.

For nights out, she turns to a designer brand.
A bottle of Carolina Herrera perfume.
Though the scent Abby Carlos uses is a limited edition one, Carolina Herrera sells various others.

Carolina Herrera

Carlos told BI she likes to wear a limited-edition Carolina Herrera scent called Good Girl Fantastic Pink for nights out.

"It's packaged in a sparkly pink bottle, and I get so many compliments on that one," she said.

She also previously enjoyed the brand's Very Good Girl scent, packaged in a red, heel-shaped bottle. But over time, she thinks it's become a bit overrated.

"It felt like everyone started wearing it," she said of the perfume. "I was like, 'Oh my God. Now I've got to find a new scent.'"

Bottles of the latter fragrance β€” and others in Carolina Herrera's Good Girl line β€” range in price between $94 and $192 per bottle. The brand no longer sells the Fantastic Pink line, but it can be purchased on fragrance websites and Amazon.

One entrepreneur sprays an underrated Viktor and Rolf perfume as a mood booster.
A bottle of Flowerbomb Tiger Lily from Viktor and Rolf.
Sabrina Guler enjoys the floral, feminine scent of Viktor & Rolf.

Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

Sabrina Guler, 31, is an author and entrepreneur who cofounded the real-estate investment company Techvestor, which landed her on BI's rising stars of real estate list.

"I love Viktor & Rolf's Tiger Lily," she said. "That's been my go-to, and I always get complimented on it."

She describes the scent as floral, feminine, and "very sexy."

"I'm someone who wears fragrance when I want to enhance my self-love," she said. "If I want to feel better about myself, if my mood is kind of off, or if I just want to feel more connected to me, I'll add a little bit of perfume."

An influencer talent agent layers multiple fragrances to create her signature "vanilla cupcake" scent.
A bottle of Cashmere Vanilla body spray from Being Frenshe.
This Being Frenshe scent is just one piece of Asia Gousse's fragrance routine.

Being Frenshe

Asia Gousse found herself on BI's list of rising stars in influencer talent management thanks to her work with Slash Management. She works with an all-female client roster that she discovered on TikTok.

Even when her job is busy, the 28-year-old makes time for a thorough fragrance routine.

Gousse always begins by applying unscented body oil to help her perfume last longer. She then uses the $14.99 Being Frenshe body spray in Cashmere Vanilla as a base layer for a rotating perfume.

Sometimes, she sprays Valentino's Born in Roma Intense, which costs between $110 and $140. On other days, she chooses Maison Margiela's Replica Afternoon Delight ($35 to $165) or Viktor & Rolf's Flower Bomb Ruby Orchid ($38 to $225).

Finally, she uses a niche fragrance from Idult Paris called Tiholta, which she says is the "truest vanilla" scent she can find. It costs 180 euros, or about $187.

"I want to always walk around smelling like a vanilla cupcake. It's my pride and joy," she said.

A fashion designer has found her signature scent in YSL's line.
A bottle of Black Opium Over Red from Yves Saint Laurent.
Designer Anna Molinari says she enjoys the Over Red version of YSL's Black Opium.

Franziska Krug/Getty Images

Anna Molinari is a 26-year-old content creator and sustainable fashion designer. She's also a newly cemented fragrance fan.

"I never used to be a fragrance person, but now I've been learning about them as I receive them in PR packages," she told BI. "My favorite is the YSL Black Opium Over Red."

In addition to the YSL scent, which costs between $35 and $160 per bottle, Molinari enjoys the Mugler Alien scent, which retails for around $150 per bottle.

"My issue with perfumes is that, to me, they can smell like old ladies," she said. "So what I like about the YSL cherry scent specifically is that it does smell very fruity. Same thing with Mugler Alien. I can wear them every day."

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Nike's new CEO said the company messed up 3 key areas that he's trying to fix — and it's bad news for customers who like cheap stuff

19 December 2024 at 22:32
Pedestrians walk past a Nike store in China.
Nike needs to refocus on five key sports areas and hold fewer sales, among other areas, the CEO said.

Cheng Xin/Getty Images

  • Nike's CEO Elliott Hill said that there are three things he wants to fix at Nike.
  • One mistake was being "too promotional" and offering too many discounts.
  • The company will also focus on five areas: running, basketball, training, football, and sportswear.

Nike's new CEO said that two months into the job, he's working hard to fix three key mistakes that the sneaker maker has made in recent years.

Hill rejoined the company in October as chief executive after retiring from his post as president of marketplace and consumer in 2020. He's a true insider, having worked his way up from an apparel sales representative intern in 1988.

His post came at a crucial time for Nike, which has been struggling with lackluster sales and dealing with the backlash of trying to sell directly to consumers instead of through marketplace retailers. The company's stock is down more than 36% in the last year.

On Thursday, the company reported revenue of $12.4 billion, down 8% from the year before, for the three months ending November 30.

On Thursday's earnings call β€” Hill's first in the new job β€” he highlighted three mistakes he's trying to amend:

1. Becoming "far too promotional"

Hill said that the retailer has been offering too many discounts and becoming "far too promotional."

"Entering the year, our digital platforms were delivering roughly a 50/50 split of full price to promotional sales," he said. "The level of markdowns not only impacts our brand but it also disrupts the overall marketplace and the profitability of our partners."

To counter this, Hill said that Nike would rein in the number of sales.

"Being premium also means full price," he said. "We'll focus promotions during traditional retail moments, not at the consistent levels we are today, and we will leverage NIKE Value Stores to profitably move through any excess inventory."

2. Losing its "obsession with sport"

Hill also highlighted a big-picture reorientation.

"We lost our obsession with sport," Hill said on the call.

"Moving forward, we will lead with sport and put the athlete at the center of every decision," he said, adding, "We will get back to leveraging deep athlete insights to accelerate innovation, design, product creation, and storytelling."

Hill said Nike is focusing on five categories: running, basketball, training, football, and sportswear. Training refers to performance wear for sports training-related activities, while sportswear refers to more casual athleisure apparel.

Analysts have previously slammed Nike's innovation stagnation.

Jim Duffy, a Nike analyst for Stifel Institutional, told BI's Lloyd Lee in September that the company had fallen behind, relying too much on its retro line.

"From a product standpoint, there's been kind of an air pocket of innovation," Duffy said. "The brand, the revenue base, and the profit pool became overly dependent on a short list of retro styles. As they will do, consumer preferences have changed."

3. Souring relationships with marketplace retailers

The third mistake that Nike has made, Hill said, was to sour its relationships with marketplace retailers.

Pre-pandemic, the company started pushing direct-to-consumer sales andΒ cut tiesΒ with small sporting goods stores and sneaker boutiques. And it reduced product allocations for sneaker giants like Foot Locker and Dick's Sporting Goods.

"The final action we prioritize is building back and earning the trust of our key wholesale partners. Some partners and channels feel we've turned our back on them and we stopped engaging consistently," Hill said.

He added that he personally connected with the top executives of retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods, Foot Locker, and JD Sports, and named them on the call.

Duffy, the Nike analyst, previously told BI that Nike had "de-emphasized some of the wholesale distribution," which had "created oxygen for some competitors to gain shelf space and recognition."

Wholesale revenue was down 3% in the last quarter, to $6.9 billion, from a year ago. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Poonam Goyal wrote that out of the last quarter's results, "better-than-expected wholesale and apparel revenue were the standouts, with each besting consensus by a wide margin."

Hill's comments come shortly after Nike and Foot Locker announced that they would deepen their partnership by expanding Foot Locker's interactive Home Court basketball section.

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Starbucks baristas extend strike to locations across the country ahead of Christmas Eve rush

Former employees and supporters join unionized Starbucks employees as they carry signs in support of a strike in Virginia in 2023.
Former employees and supporters join unionized Starbucks employees as they carry signs in support of a strike in Virginia in 2023.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

  • Starbucks' largest workers' union announced that it would begin an escalating strike on Friday.
  • The union first announced a work stoppage in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago before expanding.
  • The union said it was protesting Starbucks' labor practices and wages.

Starbucks' largest workers union announced that it would go on strike in cities nationwide, including Seattle, where it is headquartered, just days before Christmas.

Baristas from Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle were the first to announce their strike. On Saturday, a union representative confirmed to Business Insider that additional workers from Columbus, Denver, and Pittsburgh had joined the labor stoppage.

"We've been in contract negotiations with Starbucks for several months now, and things have been going smoothly up until this point β€”Β when they have now refused to offer us a viable economic package," Shay Mannik, a barista in Denver who is on strike after working at Starbucks for two years, told Business Insider. "They just have not been offering us anywhere close to a living wage."

In a statement made on the union's X account, Starbucks Workers United said the strike would "escalate each day through Christmas Eve... unless Starbucks honors our commitment to work towards a foundational framework."

On Wednesday, the union told BI that it would strike to protest what it described as the company's failure to negotiate a sufficiently comprehensive pay package and hundreds of unresolved cases related to labor disputes.

"Starbucks baristas are going on five days of escalating ULP strikes in response to the company backtracking on our promised path forward, starting tomorrow in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle," Starbucks Workers United said in Thursday statements.

It added that the strikes would soon be "coast-to-coast."

The union said the strikes could reach hundreds of stores unless the company works to achieve collective bargaining agreements.

The company has 11,161 self-operated stores and 7,263 licensed stores in North America. As of October, about 500 β€” or about 4.5% β€” of all stores were unionized.

"It's been really reassuring seeing a lot of our community members and the customers coming to support us," Diego Franco, a barista in the Chicago area who has worked at the coffee giant for over five years, told BI. "We've had a lot of our regulars come by, drop off supplies, drop off food, and stuff to help keep us warm."

In a Thursday post on Instagram, the union said, "Since February, Starbucks has repeatedly pledged publicly that they intended to reach contracts by the end of the year - but they've yet to present workers with a serious economic proposal."

Starbucks said in a public statement that the union delegates "prematurely ended" the bargaining session this week and that it was "disappointing they didn't return to the table given the progress we've made to date."

"We are ready to continue negotiations to reach agreements," the company wrote. "We need the union to return to the table."

A spokesperson for Starbucks told BI in a statement that the company "offers a competitive average pay of over $18 per hour, and best-in-class benefits."

The spokesperson said Starbucks also offers competitive benefits, including "health care, free college tuition, paid family leave, and company stock grants."

"No other retailer offers this kind of comprehensive pay and benefits package," the spokesperson added. "Workers United proposals call for an immediate increase in the minimum wage of hourly partners by 64%, and by 77% over the life of a three-year contract. This is not sustainable."

The union, which represents more than 10,000 baristas, said on Tuesday that 98% of its member baristas had voted to authorize the strike.

News of the strike came just days after CEO Brian Niccol announced a change in the company's parental leave policy for US store employees.

Starting in March, Starbucks will offer up to 18 weeks of paid leave for birth parents and up to 12 weeks for nonbirth parents. The company currently offers US store employees six weeks of paid parental leave and up to 12 weeks unpaid. The increased benefit will apply to employees averaging at least 20 weekly work hours.

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I visited the Skims flagship store in New York City. It embodied Kim Kardashian's monochromatic and modern branding.

19 December 2024 at 13:04
Racks of Skims clothing and mannequins line a wall. A large platform features a vase with greenery.
There are multiple display rooms throughout the store.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

  • Skims opened its flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City last week.
  • Kim Kardashian launched the brand in 2019, and it was valued at $4 billion in 2023.
  • The store matches the monochromatic, modern vibe Kardashian and her team created for Skims.

Valued at $4 billion in 2023, Skims has become a fashion industry staple since Kim Kardashian launched the shapewear brand in 2019.

The brand has expanded from its origins under the leadership of Kardashian and her cofounders, Emma and Jens Grede. In addition to its iconic shapewear, it now sells underwear, activewear, loungewear, swimwear, and men's clothing.

Last week, the brand took another step to becoming a fashion powerhouse by opening a flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

"This flagship is a dream realized for Skims. We've created a space that perfectly embodies our brand and elevates the customer experience," Kardashian said in a press release about the opening shared with Business Insider.

Take a look inside.

Kim Kardashian opened her Skims flagship store in New York City on December 11.
Jens Grede and Kim Kardashian at the opening of the Skims flagship store in New York in December 2024.
Jens Grede and Kim Kardashian at the opening of the Skims flagship store in New York.

Jeenah Moon for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Skims previously opened pop-ups and placed its merchandise in stores like Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman. However, the business is expanding with a new flagship store in a multi-story building formerly home to Versace.

Skims tapped designer Rafael de CΓ‘rdenas to transform the Fifth Avenue space to fit the brand's monochromatic, modern aesthetic.

It officially opened on December 11, and the brand celebrated the opening with a star-studded launch party at the store on December 12.

"From the brand's inception, we envisioned physical stores as an integral part of our business model," Skims CEO Jens Grede said in the same press release shared with BI. "The success of our pop-ups and partnerships with trusted retail partners allowed us to refine our approach and learn what truly resonates with our customers."

"This flagship store is the culmination of those learnings, offering an unparalleled experience where customers can fully immerse themselves in the world of Skims," Grede added.

Kardashian and Grede told Women's Wear Daily that their New York flagship is just the beginning; they already plan to open other stores in places like Los Angeles and Charlotte.

I visited the store a few days after it opened.
The Skims flagship store sits between Longchamp and another building. Cars drive down the road and people wait in line.
The Skims flagship store exterior.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

Skims was easy to spot as I rounded the corner onto Fifth Avenue. Sandwiched between Longchamp and Cartier, the storefront's cream stone exterior already looked consistent with the neutral tones Kardashian gravitates toward for the brand.

I had to squint to see the small Skims logo sitting between the second and third floor of the building, while arched windows on the first floor gave me a glimpse inside the space β€” including a peek at a large sculpture sitting in the entryway.

There was a line of people waiting to go inside the store.
A line outside of the Skims store in New York City.
There was a line outside the store.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

When I arrived a little after 11 a.m., around 40 people were gathered in line to get into Skims, even though it opened at 10. Two security guards and a Skims employee periodically let groups of people in.

As I looked through the window, I didn't see too many people, so it seemed like the line was designed to prevent the store from becoming overwhelmed with customers.

I only had to wait about 10 minutes before I was ushered inside.

The entryway almost looked more like a museum than a store.
A large white statue with no arms sits in a store.
A statue sits right inside the store.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

When I walked inside, I found that the store was divided into distinct rooms, each spotlighting different Skims products and collections.

A massive statue of a woman greets you inside the first room, which has beige tile floors and matching curved walls. The statue depicted a naked woman, though its arms were cut off, and she had no head or feet.

De Cárdenas shared on Instagram that Vanessa Beecroft designed the 15-foot sculpture, which almost looked like a modern cross between Michelangelo's David and the Venus de Milo by Alexandros of Antioch.

Two large cream platforms framed the statue, each topped by a large leafy plant. Between the statue and the plants, I could barely see the merchandise lining the room's walls.

The first Skims products you see in the store are some of its classics.
Racks of Skims clothing and mannequins line a wall. A large platform features a vase with greenery.
There are multiple display rooms throughout the store.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

Once I made my way around the statue and planters, I saw shapewear, bras, and underwear in varying flesh-colored tones β€” the products for which Skims has become best known β€” displayed on racks.

Mannequins cut off at the thighs sat above the racks on shelves, wearing items most people associate with Skims, like bodysuits and underwear.

The mannequins were diverse in shape, which is true to Skims' offerings. Its clothes come in sizes XXS through 5X.

Mannequins were also grouped in the hallways connecting the display rooms.
A stairwell with mannequins wearing underwear, tights, and t-shirts standing in front of it. The stairwell is curved.
The stairs featured curved architecture.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

A stairwell with curved detailing sits between the display rooms positioned in the front and back of the building.

The beige tones and curved design reminded me of the clips of Kardashian's home in her "73 Questions" video with Vogue from 2019.

The stairwells are mostly empty, with the exception of groups of five mannequins wearing Skims merchandise.

I spotted employees stocking merchandise and helping customers as I wandered the store.
A hallway with people shelving clothing. A room with mannequins displayed on a wall is visible in the back.
Employees wore matching sweatsuits.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

When I visited the store, the Skims workers wore matching pale-purple sweatsuits.

At least one Skims employee was in every display room to help shoppers, though I saw two to three in most of them.

While there, I also saw two different Skims employees mopping the floors with Swiffers. They paused their efforts whenever a shopper walked by their cleaning path.

The back room featured more merchandise.
A large room with mannequins hanging on the wall. Other mannequins and clothes sit on platforms, and shoppers walk throughout the space.
The store had a wide array of products.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

In the back room on the first floor, mannequins acted as decor, as 24 of them were displayed on the back wall.

The back room had a lot more merchandise than the front room, attracting more foot traffic from shoppers, though it kept up the sleek aesthetic. Clothes hung from racks on the walls, and rounded storage drawers were pushed together to serve as platforms for additional merchandise and mannequins.

The neutral theme continued in the back, but there was some subtle holiday season decor if you looked for it. Christmas lights wrapped around the mannequins and sat next to gifts wrapped in sheets.

Colorful items seemed to be intentionally tucked away at Skims.
A  room with curved walls and clothes displayed in it.
The color wasn't front and center.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

Skims is known for its muted-toned products, but it does sell colorful items, like the red and pink pieces in its holiday shop.

However, I noticed that the brand's colorful merchandise was arranged to be mostly out of sight. Everything in the front room was neutral-toned, and the more pigmented pieces in the back room sat mostly on the sides of the room that you couldn't see when you walked into the space.

Walking upstairs, I saw display rooms with more undergarments and pajamas.
Mannequins stand between two racks of clothes with shelves above them.
Some of the mannequins at Skims.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

The second and third floors were laid out similarly to the first, though clothes were the focus in both the front and back display rooms instead of plants or sculptures taking up space.

I also saw a checkout counter on each floor, so shoppers didn't have to wait in one line.

It was fun to see Skims pieces in person as I walked around. I like online shopping for its convenience, but it's helpful to feel the fabrics before making a purchase.

I liked that I got a 360-degree view of Skims' pieces in the store.
Mannequins wearing assorted bras and underwear sit on a platform.
The mannequins can be viewed from 360 degrees.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

The upper floors featured more present decor, a myriad of Skims products, and more headless mannequins, which were diverse in shape and color.

It was helpful as a shopper that many of them were positioned on raised platforms, as I could see the clothes from all angles as I walked around the store.

The more exclusive Skims pieces, including its Dolce & Gabbana collaboration, were on the top floor.
Mannequins wearing leopard clothing stand in front of a window.
The Skims Dolce & Gabbana collection.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

The store seemed to have every piece from the Skims and Dolce & Gabbana collaboration, including a $698 sleep set.

Skims' beloved slip dresses were in the same room.

There was also a dedicated men's shopping room on the top floor.
Mannequins wearing boxers sit on a platform in front of similar mannequins arranged on a wall.
Skims sells men's products, too.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

Skims started selling menswear in 2023, and it became the official underwear of the NBA, WNBA, and USA basketball shortly after.

The menswear room at Skims was arranged similarly to the back room on the first floor, with mannequins displaying underwear on the wall and raised platforms.

The mannequins of men didn't have as much diversity in shape as the women's mannequins did, but they were diverse in color.

Shoppers eagerly checked out Skims' well-known pieces on every floor.
Two racks of clothes are framed by partial mannequins.
I saw shoppers on every floor.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

As I wandered the store, I understood why Skims only let small groups in at a time. Shoppers were taking their time looking through the merchandise and chatting with employees about sizes and variations of dresses or shapewear.

There was a line for the dressing rooms, too. I heard an employee telling a shopper she could wait on some couches until her name was called for her turn to try on some items.

The Skims flagship store felt like the embodiment of the brand's success.
A large shopping area with platforms with plants on them and a tall, white statue in the front.
The entryway of Skims flagship store.

Samantha Grindell/Business Insider

In the years since its creation, Skims has become a modern, stylish, and sophisticated yet accessible brand.

Everything about the Skims store felt true to that brand, from its contemporary architecture and artistic additions to its wide product selections.

Even the mannequins arranged throughout the store seemed to speak to Kardashian's vision for the company, as they were both practical and aesthetically pleasing, much like Skims' products themselves.

And if the line outside the store was any indication, the store is likely here to stay.

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Some Amazon warehouse workers are striking. The company says it isn't affecting holiday deliveries.

19 December 2024 at 08:56
Teamsters president Sean O'Brien appears with Amazon workers outside an Amazon facility.
Some Amazon fulfillment workers affiliated with the Teamsters will strike starting Thursday.

AP Photo/ Stefan Jeremiah

  • Amazon workers at several warehouses went on strike on Thursday.
  • The strike comes in the middle of Amazon's key holiday shopping and shipping season.
  • Amazon said that it wasn't seeing an impact on its operations.

Amazon workers at seven Amazon fulfillment centers went on strike Thursday, though the retailer said it wasn't seeing effects on its holiday delivery operations.

The workers are walking off the job after Amazon refused to bargain with them over a contract, according to a statement from the Teamsters, which represents the employees.

The strike will affect three Amazon fulfillment centers in Southern California as well as one each in New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Illinois, according to the Teamsters. The union said it will also set up picket lines at other Amazon facilities.

The action comes in the middle of the key holiday shopping season. Amazon's highest quarterly revenue has historically come during the final three months of the year. This year, that period included the company's October Prime Day as well as deals for Black Friday.

"If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon's insatiable greed," Sean O'Brien, general president of the Teamsters, said in the statement.

O'Brien said that the Teamsters "gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members."

"They ignored it," he added.

An Amazon spokesperson said Thursday morning that the company hasn't seen its operations affected by the strike.

Spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement that the Teamsters recruited non-employees to participate in the strike and intimidate Amazon employees. When Business Insider asked for evidence of those claims, an Amazon spokesperson said, "We know our employees, and we know they are not out there. Our employees repeatedly claim to management that they experience harassment from activists."

"We appreciate all our team's great work to serve their customers and communities, and are continuing to focus on getting customers their holiday orders," Nantel said.

Workers at some Starbucks stores were also preparing for a potential strike this week. On Tuesday, a union representing about 10,000 baristas said its members had voted to authorize a strike, though negotiations with Starbucks have continued and no strike date has been set.

Do you work for Amazon and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected]

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Starbucks' new CEO said he wants to improve work for its baristas. They aren't happy yet.

18 December 2024 at 11:16
A Starbucks barista works at an espresso machine
Roughly 10,000 Starbucks baristas are close to going on strike.

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File

  • Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has talked about improving conditions for baristas.
  • A potential strike at some Starbucks stores represents a test on that front for the new CEO.
  • Niccol has made some operational changes, but Starbucks Workers United wants better pay.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has talked about improving working conditions for the company's baristas.

Now, as thousands of them prepare for a potential strike, Niccol faces a test of that commitment.

Baristas who are part of Starbucks Workers United, which represents about 10,000 Starbucks workers in the US, voted to authorize a strike, the union said on Tuesday. About 98% of members voted in favor of action, though they haven't selected a walkout date, according to the union.

The union said Tuesday that it's focused on winning better raises for its members. It also wants to resolve hundreds of unfair labor practice charges, or ULPs, filed with the National Labor Relations Board.

The contract negotiations predate Niccol's arrival at Starbucks in September. Starbucks and the union have been at odds for three years. The first Starbucks store to unionize β€” a location in Buffalo, New York β€” was organized in 2021. The parties restarted talks in April after about a year of no meetings and have struck agreements on some provisions of the contract.

Starbucks and union representatives continued to bargain on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Starbucks Workers United told Business Insider.

"It is disappointing that the union is considering a strike rather than focusing on what have been extremely productive negotiations," Starbucks spokesperson Phil Gee said. "Since April, we've scheduled and attended more than eight multi-day bargaining sessions where we've reached thirty meaningful agreements on dozens of topics Workers United delegates told us were important to them, including many economic issues."

Since becoming Starbucks CEO, Niccol has said he sees opportunities to improve some operational aspects of baristas' working conditions as part of a broader push to revitalize sales. In an open letter in his first week as leader, he said the company would focus on "empowering our baristas to take care of our customers" and that he wanted to make it "the best place to work, with career opportunities and a clear path to growth."

Some Starbucks workers have told BI that their stores are understaffed, including during some of the busiest times of the day, such as the morning and after-school rushes. Other workers have said that Starbucks' frequent promotions for app users result in a crush of mobile orders that they struggle to prepare in just a few minutes.

Niccol's early actions at Starbucks have included fixes to some of those issues, such as rolling back the frequency of promotions and adjusting staffing, he said on an earnings call in October. Starbucks also plans to bring back self-service milk and other condiments at its stores in 2025 to lighten some of the barista load.

One sign of progress came on Monday, when Starbucks said it would offer employees up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave β€” triple its current benefit of six weeks. Employees represented by Starbucks Workers United had previously proposed doubling the paid time off for parents.

On Tuesday, Starbucks Workers United said that the company had yet to agree to make changes to other aspects of workers' jobs. The union represents baristas at about 500 Starbucks stores.

"It's time to finalize a foundational framework that includes meaningful investments in baristas and to resolve unfair labor practice charges," Silvia Baldwin, a Starbucks barista in Philadelphia barista and bargaining delegate, said on Tuesday.

Starbucks spokesperson Gee said: "We remain committed to working together and committed to reaching a final framework agreement. This is our goal."

Do you work at Starbucks and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected].

Read the original article on Business Insider

We ranked chicken nuggets from 6 fast-food chains. Taco Bell's new nuggets came out on top.

18 December 2024 at 09:43
kfc chick fil a taco bell chicken nuggets
We tried chicken nuggets from six popular fast-food chains, and Taco Bell emerged as the winner.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

  • We tried chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A, KFC, Burger King, Wendy's, McDonald's, and Taco Bell.
  • Chick-fil-A and KFC's nuggets had a similar texture and size but distinctly different textures.
  • Taco Bell's crispy chicken nuggets stood out for their crunch and innovative sauce flavors.

Before the chicken tender became the hottest fast-food must-have, there was the humble and hearty chicken nugget.

Its small size made it the perfect side dish, post-work snack, or, as millennials will recall, the perfect drunchie (drunk munchie).

One way that fast-food brands can capitalize on chicken's current popularity β€” especially among Gen Z diners β€”Β is by starting small and introducing nuggets to its menus.

Taco Bell, which is best known for its Mexican-inspired tacos and burritos, tested a chicken nugget launch last year and, until then, did not serve any fried chicken. But this week, the chain officially entered the fried-chicken market with its limited-time crispy chicken nuggets, available nationwide starting November 19.

To test the brand's latest menu drop and see how its nuggets compare to chains that have been serving them for decades, we tried and compared chicken nuggets from six popular chains.

Here's how the six fast-food chain chicken nuggets ranked, from our least to most favorite.

6. Burger King
burger king chicken nuggets
Burger King chicken nuggets.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Cost: $3.89 β€” excluding tax and tip β€” for an eight-piece pack at a Burger King in New York City.

Note: All prices listed here may vary in different markets.

The breading was thick and a little bland.
burger king chicken nugget
Burger King chicken nugget.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Erin: I thought the nuggets' coating was well-seasoned, but the breading was slightly on the thicker side. While they were a good vehicle for one of the chain's dipping sauces β€” such as the Zesty sauce, which is a personal favorite β€” these nuggets work better as an accompaniment to one of the chain's burgers rather than an entrΓ©e themselves. Burger King is known for its burgers, after all.

If you're craving chicken the next time you visit a Burger King, I suggest opting for the chain's chicken sandwich or one of its chicken-tender wraps.

Priyanka: When I held the chicken nugget in my hand, I could feel its crisp texture and was excited to try it. However, upon taking my first bite, I found the bread coating, although crunchy, was too thick and overpowered the chicken, leaving a slightly salty aftertaste.

I agree with Erin that the chain's nuggets are a side order,Β best enjoyed when dipped in some sweet-and-sour sauce.

Business Insider reached out to Burger King for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

5. Wendy's
wendys meal
Wendy's chicken nuggets.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Cost: $3.36 β€” excluding tax and tip β€” for a four-piece pack at a Wendy's in New York City.

The chicken nugget was crispy, but instead of being juicy, the chicken tasted a little chewy.
wendys meal
Wendy's chicken nugget.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Erin: Like Burger King and McDonald's, Wendy's is primarily a burger chain. So, it should come as no surprise that its chicken nuggets are pretty unremarkable, in my opinion.

They were well-seasoned, and the breading had a lot of flavor, but they were also pretty small. Wendy's nuggets definitely act more as a side dish than a reason to go to the chain.

Priyanka: I'd heard great reviews about Wendy's chicken nuggets, especially its spicier offering, so when the time came to try them, I was looking forward to becoming a loyal fan, too.

Instead, I found myself yearning for old favorites, like Chick-fil-A.

While Wendy's does a great job with the nuggets' coating, which is both well-seasoned and crispy, it fails to show off the star ingredient: the chicken.

It took some effort on my part to pull apart the chicken, which felt slightly chewy instead of how I usually prefer it: juicy and easy to bite into.

4. KFC
kfc chicken nuggets
KFC chicken nuggets.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Cost: $4.90 β€” excluding tax and tip β€” for a five-piece pack at a KFC in New York City.

KFC's nuggets were the least breaded out of the ones we tried.
kfc chicken nuggets
KFC chicken nugget.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Erin: They were a little bland in the flavor department, but I thought the chicken itself tasted higher quality than the nuggets from Wendy's, Burger King, and McDonald's. It was more shreddable and paired well with the chain's new Comeback sauce β€” launched in October with its new chicken tenders β€” but I would have liked more breading to give it that crunch.

Speaking of KFC's chicken tenders, I'd probably recommend those over the chain's nuggets.

Priyanka: For a chain that specializes in fried chicken β€”Β and one that I usually enjoy eating at β€”Β I also felt a bit let down by KFC's chicken nuggets, which were only introduced last year.

In terms of size and texture, KFC's chicken nuggets look pretty similar to Chick-fil-A's, and yet, when it comes to taste, the two are quite different.

While KFC delivers with its succulent chicken, it falls short when it comes to seasoning. I agree with Erin: skip the nuggets for its much nicer tenders instead.

In a comment to Business Insider, KFC said, "Feedback on our nuggets has been overwhelmingly positive, and we sold more than 100 million nuggets in the first eight weeks that they were available. Our fans can enjoy KFC Chicken Nuggets nationwide seven days a week, and we take pride in their quality."

3. McDonald's
mcdonalds chicken nuggets
McDonald's chicken nuggets.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Cost: $5.39 β€” excluding tax and tip β€” for a four-piece pack at a McDonald's in New York City.

The nuggets from McDonald's were predictably good.
mcdonalds chicken nugget dunked in ranch
McDonald's chicken nugget.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Erin: McDonald's chicken nuggets are the stuff of legend. They've been around since the early '80s, and there's something about the tempura-style-fried chicken nuggets that keep me coming back for more.

They're always crispy, always salty, and always the same β€” I always know what I'm going to get with a McDonald's nugget.

Priyanka:Β I'm a big fan of the brand's spicy chicken nuggets, which were introduced for a limited time earlier this year but not so much of its regular recipe.

While they're consistently crunchy, I find them slightly underseasoned, and the salty after-taste a tad bit too overpowering for my liking.

2. Chick-fil-A
chick fil a chicken nuggets
Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Cost: $5.79 β€” excluding tax and tip β€” for a five-piece pack at a local Chick-fil-A in New York City.

The nuggets were flavorful and juicy, with just the right amount of seasoning in the breading.
chick fil a chicken nuggets
Chick-fil-A chicken nugget.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Erin: While some of the other nuggets leaned on the drier side, these nuggets were moist and would likely pair well with practically any dipping sauce. Each nugget was on the smaller side but packed a lot of flavor into a small bite.

Priyanka: Until I tried Taco Bell's chicken nuggets, Chick-fil-A's bite-sized chunks were my go-to. I've had them on multiple occasions, and they've always tasted consistently good. When eaten fresh out of the box, they're satisfyingly crunchy, and the chicken is perfectly juicy.

While they're bite-sized and often thought of as a side dish, I recommend sizing up β€” I usually opt for the 12-piece pack with a side of waffle fries and Chick-fil-A sauce β€” and giving them a chance as a main meal.

1. Taco Bell
taco bell chicken nuggets
Taco Bell chicken nuggets.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Cost: $3.99 β€” excluding tax and tip β€” for a five-piece order and one dipping sauce.

However, we were invited to taste the new chicken nuggets at an early preview hosted by Taco Bell in New York City, so we received complimentary tastings of the nuggets.

The exterior felt hard β€”Β however, when we bit in, the chicken was extremely juicy and flavorful.
taco bell chicken nuggets
Taco Bell chicken nugget.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Erin: These chicken nuggets, coated in a blend of breadcrumbs and crunchy tortilla chips, stood out from the competition with their well-balanced flavor. They were salty, with a subtle corn taste from the tortilla-chip breading. They reminded me more of a boneless wing than a chicken nugget.

Paired with the chain's new Hidden Valley fire ranch sauce, a standard creamy ranch sauce with a slight hint of heat, and the jalapeΓ±o honey mustard, an unusual combination of tangy mustard and strong yet balanced jalapeΓ±o flavor, these nuggets truly blew me away.

Priyanka: When it comes to nuggets, the three things that matter the most to me are a crisp exterior, well-seasoned coating, and juicy chicken. Taco Bell's latest offering checked off all three.

At first glance, the nuggets β€”Β all in different shapes and sizes β€”Β seemed as though they had a tough exterior, but as soon as I took my first bite, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the chicken tore apart. I also enjoyed the "Taco Bell twist," as one representative called it at the preview, wherein breadcrumbs were combined with crispy tortillas in the coating.

Usually, I pair my chicken bites with regular ketchup or mayonnaise, but since I've tried Taco Bell's jalapeΓ±o honey mustard sauce, I've found myself swapping the regulars for this combination instead. The jalapeΓ±o adds a subtle yet nice kick, pairing beautifully with the new nuggets.

Read the original article on Business Insider

I shopped in Target's dollar section and loved its options for last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers

18 December 2024 at 09:06
A Target storefront in Houston.
The author went to Target's dollar section for stocking stuffers and last-minute gifts.

JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock

  • I visited my local Target in New Jersey to shop for gifts in its "Bullseye's Playground" section.
  • All of the items were priced at $1, $3, or $5.
  • From mugs and candles to self-care items, I loved the selection.

Target is one of the biggest retailers in the US, with more than 1,900 store locations, and while I've been a frequent customer for years, I've only recently begun to pay attention to its dollar section.

Known as "Bullseye's Playground" β€” in honor of the store's bull terrier mascot, Bullseye β€” the front-of-store section is stocked year-round with items spanning home decor, organization options, and small toys, all retailing for $1, $3, or $5.

I decided to put "Bullseye's Playground" to the test to see what last-minute gifts, stocking stuffers, and decorations I could find at my local Target in Jersey City, New Jersey.

While the items from this section are visible on Target.com, they appear to only be available in store and are "not eligible for same-day delivery or pickup services," according to the retailer's website, so in-person shopping for last-minute holiday gifts is advisable.

Most store locations are offering extended hours (7 a.m. to midnight) through December 23 and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve, but if you're looking for items outside Bullseye's Playground, the retailer will be offering same-day Christmas Eve delivery for orders placed before 3 p.m. on the Target app or online.

Whether you're in need of some last-minute gift inspiration or just curious about Target's selection, here were some of my favorite options.

Bullseye's Playground is a front-of-store section with affordable options.
An overview of Target's dollar section.
Here's an overview of Bullseye's Playground at my local Target.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

At my local Target, this section is located at the entrance near home decor and fashion items, rather than near the groceries and pharmacy.

I visited on a weekday night, so it wasn't crowded at all.

There were so many different items packed into the displays, so for the sake of time, I decided to focus on highlighting some of my favorite choices.

The first item to catch my eye was a satin pillowcase and eye-mask set.
A gray satin pillow case and eye mask set from Target.
This satin pillow case and eye-mask set retailed for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

For anyone who likes to feel a little luxurious before bed, I found this matching satin pillow case and eye-mask set for $5.

In addition to gray, other colors available in-store and online include beige, pink, and sage.

I loved this headband and wristband set.
A fluffy cream-colored headband and matching scrunchie set from Target.
These fluffy headband and wristband sets retailed for $3.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

If the person you're shopping for is into skincare, a headband and wristband set like this is a great option.

The headband keeps their hair out of their face, while the wristbands prevent the water from dripping down their arms.

These sets retailed for $3 and were available in cream, baby pink, and black.

Also in the beauty category was this LED mirror and makeup brush set.
A mint-green LED mirror and brush set from Target.
There were LED mirror and makeup brush sets for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

The set appeared to fold into an easy-to-carry case and was available in this mint-green color and a cream color for $5.

To go with the mirror and brushes, there was a fluffy makeup bag, too.
A fluffy mint-green makeup bag from Target.
This mint-green makeup bag retailed for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

I didn't love how matted the fluffy fabric appeared to be on this makeup bag, but for $5, it seemed fairly priced.

I was shocked to see a bath tray available.
A wooden bath tray from Target.
I found a bath tray for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

Though this obviously won't fit in a stocking, I was shocked to find a bath tray for just $5.

Its label said it fits most standard tubs and measured at 29.8 inches by 4.7 inches.

There were plenty of scrunchies.
A display of pink, gray, and cream-colored scrunchies at Target.
My local Target had a full bin of scrunchies available.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

As someone who's always in need of a hair tie, I was pleased to find a large bin of scrunchies each priced at $1.

I thought the decorative candles were cute.
A Christmas tree-shaped candle scented like "Cypress & Champagne" from Target.
There were decorative candles scented like "Cypress & Champagne" and "Festive Fir."

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

I saw two Christmas tree-shaped candles at my local Target. The first of which was this 3 oz "Cypress & Champagne" scented option for $3, while the other was called "Festive Fir."

Since the candles were located in Bullseye's Playground and not the nearby candle section, I thought they may have a weaker scent, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Though it's hard to say how such a small candle would impact an entire room, the direct scent was strong and true to their names.

One of my favorite finds on my trip was this pair of iridescent cocktail glasses.
A set of two iridescent cocktail glasses from Target.
This set of iridescent cocktail glasses costs $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

Whether you're into home decor or a fan of hosting, these iridescent cocktail glasses seemed like the perfect trend-forward kitchen gift.

The set retailed for just $5, and I'm already regretting not grabbing them as an early gift for myself.

I liked that right next to the cocktail glasses, there was a bar tool set.
A gold bar tool set from Target.
This bar tool set retailed for $3.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

The bar tool set retailed for $3 and included a bottle opener and a jigger with a handle.

I liked that Target seemed to take some of the guess-work out of holiday shopping by placing similar items near each other to make for an easy collection of coordinated gifts.

All that was missing was the alcohol of your choice.

Also nearby were these holiday-themed rolling pins.
Holiday-themed rolling pins; half have a candy-cane print and the others have a forest-green and leafy print.
There were peppermint and winter foliage inspired rolling pins for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

These peppermint and winter-foliage inspired rolling pins retailed for $5 and seemed like cute options to spice up any holiday-themed kitchen without breaking the bank.

I also found a selection of multicolored mugs.
A variety of mugs, including an orange and purple flower mug, a blue and purple one that says "Just Vibes," a burgundy and orange one that says "Love You," and a white mug with yellow smiley faces.
Target had a variety of mugs available for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

While I wasn't a huge fan of the colors and design choices available at my local store, I do think they're cute options for $5.

In the past, I've also purchased holiday-themed mugs like these.
A gingerbread girl mug and a snowman mug.
I purchased these ceramic holiday mugs for $3 each.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

I originally found these ceramic gingerbread and snowman mugs during a Target shopping trip in early November near my hometown in Maryland.

Both hold up to 13 oz and retailed for $3, and while I didn't see them during my most recent Target trip, both items are still present on Target's website, suggesting they may still be available at other locations around the country.

Any of the mugs would pair perfectly with a peppermint hot drink bomb.
A "cozy peppermint mug hot drink bomb" from Target.
This peppermint hot drink bomb retails for $4.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

A small display of these hot drink bombs were on one of the shelves above the mugs; however, the price of them was hard to locate.

After doing more research when I got home, I realized these treats don't appear to be Bullseye's Playground exclusives, as they retail for $4, but I still think they're an affordable stocking stuffer option to consider.

I love these holiday-themed measuring cups and spoons from another trip to Bullseye's Playground.
A set of snowmen measuring cups and measuring spoons.
The ceramic measuring cups and spoons cost $5 each.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

In addition to the mugs, I also found these ceramic snowman measuring cups and measuring spoons during my November Target trip in Maryland.

Both retailed for $5, and though my local Target didn't have them during my most recent December trip, both items are still present on Target's website, suggesting they may still be available at other locations around the country.

And this ceramic plate, too.
A ceramic tray with doodles of a cookie, a carrot, a candy cane, and milk. It also has writing that says, "Hi Santa!" with circles labeled "A special treat for you," "Milk to wash it down," and "Don't forget the reindeer."
This ceramic plate cost $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

On another shopping trip in November β€” this time back in Jersey City β€” I found a $5 ceramic tray for Santa's Christmas Eve snacks (yes, I shop here a lot).

Though I didn't see it again on my most recent trip, the tray is still listed on Target's website under Bullseye's Playground.

I was surprised to see so many drink-related accessories.
A baby-blue tumbler accessory set from Target.
This tumbler accessory set retailed for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

Sure, Stanley cups have been popular this year, but I wasn't expecting to see so many drink-related accessories.

This tumbler accessory set, for example, came in both a pale-blue and a mint-green color and included a straw cover, handle, and zipper pouch.

It retailed for $5.

Straw toppers and covers were popular, too.
A smiling daisy straw topper and cover set.
This daisy-themed straw topper and cover set retailed for $3.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

There was a large selection of straw toppers and covers available at my local Target, including this daisy set, a cloud and rainbow option, a doughnut and ice cream cone, and a stereo and music note, among others.

Each set sold for $3.

As for home decor, I saw plenty of light-up Christmas tree pillows.
A light-up Christmas tree pillow from Target.
I found this light-up pillow for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

The pillow was small, soft, and retailed for $5.

One thing I noticed, though, was that it requires two AAA batteries, which would have to be purchased separately in order to enjoy its light-up capabilities at home.

According to Target's website, other pillows that may still be available in Bullseye's Playground include a reindeer, a gingerbread man, a gingerbread woman, a gingerbread house, a peppermint, and a star.

There were also some small toys like this finger soccer game …
A holiday-themed finger soccer game from Target.
This finger soccer game retailed for $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

The game includes the playing field, two goals, one ball, and two pairs of elf shoes to play. It retailed for $5.

And this desktop soccer game.
A wooden desktop soccer game at Target.
This desktop soccer game cost $5.

Mykenna Maniece/Business Insider

This toy resembled a miniature foosball table and retailed for $5.

Overall, I was impressed with the selection and even picked up a few items for a friend.
The Target logo on the storefront.
I was impressed with the options in Bullseye's Playground.

Markus Mainka/Shutterstock

I ended my shopping trip pleased with Target's selection, and thanks to all the self-care products, I was finally able to decide what to gift my best friend: her own curated bag of self-care items.

In addition to other goodies from around the store, I chose to add the pillow case and eye-mask set, the headband and wristband set, and the Christmas tree candle from Bullseye's Playground.

Now all I'm left to do is wonder: Is it too soon to go back?

Read the original article on Business Insider

I shopped for holiday groceries at Aldi and Trader Joe's. Only one store left me feeling festive — and it wasn't my go-to budget spot.

18 December 2024 at 06:37
composite images of gingerbread kits at aldi and trader joes
I shopped for my holiday groceries at Aldi and Trader Joe's.

Joe Opaleski

  • I'm a loyal Aldi shopper, but I wanted to see how its holiday groceries compared to Trader Joe's.
  • I found plenty of sweet treats and snacks at both stores, and Aldi's prices were great.
  • However, when it came to a festive atmosphere, Trader Joe's blew it out of the water.

Every winter, Aldi and Trader Joe's roll out an array of seasonal groceries that get shoppers (myself included) excited for the season.

Aldi is usually my go-to grocery store, but I love stocking up onΒ festive snacks and treats, so I decided to visit both to compare their prices, variety, and overall atmosphere.

Although both chains had seasonal items on display, only one truly delivered the holiday spirit.

The Aldi Finds section was packed with holiday treats.
hand holding up a gingerbread kit at Aldi
I tend to avoid the pricier Aldi Finds, but I can't help it around the holidays.

Joe Opaleski

The Aldi Finds section of the store has a variety of specialty items year-round, and it didn't disappoint this holiday season.

The section was filled with everything from desserts and snacks to holiday-themed party favors.

One standout was the gingerbread kit, a classic activity during the holidays. Priced at $8.50, it included prebaked gingerbread, icing, and assorted candies for decorating.

Trader Joe's sprinkled holiday cheer throughout the store.
hand holding up a gingerbread kit at trader joes
There wasn't one section of seasonal products at Trader Joe's; they were spread out.

Joe Opaleski

Unlike Aldi, Trader Joe's didn't confine its seasonal items to one section. Festive snacks and treats were scattered throughout the store, adding little pops of cheer as I walked the aisles.

However, each item was clearly marked as a holiday special, so they were still easy to find.

I saw that Trader Joe's had its own take on a gingerbread-house kit. It was similarly priced at $9.

I spotted panettone, the Italian holiday cake, at Aldi.
panettone cake at aldi
Panettone screams Christmas.

Joe Opaleski

If you're looking for a classic Italian treat this holiday season, Aldi has a 26.5-ounce panettone for $6.

The store had a chocolate-chip panettone as well as a more traditional version of the cake with dried fruit.

Luckily, Trader Joe's had the classic Italian dessert, too.
boxes of panettone at trader joe's
I could only find panettone with dried fruit at Trader Joe's.

Joe Opaleski

Trader Joe's had a traditional panettone for sale through its Trader Giotto's line.

The 26.5-ounce cake was a dollar more here at $7, and I only saw one flavor option.

There was no shortage of cheerful snacks at Aldi.
peppermint kettle corn at aldi
I've never tried peppermint-flavored popcorn.

Joe Opaleski

Both stores offered unique seasonal snacks, but Aldi's peppermint kettle corn caught my eye.

I'd never seen this flavor before, so I was definitely interested in trying it out, especially since the big bag was only $4.

Trader Joe's also stepped up its snack game.
hand holding a bag of spiced cranberry granola at trader joe's
I thought the cranberry granola had a nice festive twist.

Joe Opaleski

Trader Joe's seasonal snacks were fairly similar in price to Aldi's.

I liked the festive twist of the $4 spiced cranberry granola. It was refreshing to see a less common holiday flavor profile.

Aldi's holiday-themed beverages were affordable.
christmas coffee creamer at aldi
There were dairy and nondairy festive creamers.

Joe Opaleski

When it came to beverages, Aldi impressed me with its range of holiday-themed coffee creamers.

I saw peppermint-bark creamer for $2.70, and the almond-milk-based peppermint-mocha creamer was the same price.

Trader Joe's options, on the other hand, seemed a little more fun.
polar bear hot chocolate at trader joe's
I could see the festive hot cocoa being a fun stocking stuffer.

Joe Opaleski

Over at Trader Joe's, the standout festive drink was its hot-cocoa polar bear.

The $2.50 chocolate bear melts into warm milk to make a tasty mug of cocoa. I think these kinds of items make great stocking stuffers or smaller gifts, especially for families with kids.

Overall, I think Trader Joe's brought the most cheer.
hand holding a box of trader joe's cookies
In addition to festive products, there were also a lot of things that would make great gifts.

Joe Opaleski

If you're looking to save money on holiday treats, Aldi might be a safer bet. It had a nice variety, and its prices were pretty great β€” I expected as much from the budget grocer.

However, if you want an overall festive shopping experience, I suggest heading to Trader Joe's. The store really impressed me with its range of unique seasonal offerings.

I'll likely be back to both stores as the season unfolds, but for now, Trader Joe's put me in the Christmas spirit just a bit more.

Read the original article on Business Insider

I used a bot to do my Christmas shopping. It quickly got weird.

18 December 2024 at 01:07
A robot putting a poo emoji in a gift box

iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI

Stumped on what to get my mom for Christmas this year, I turned, desperately, to Perplexity AI's chatbot. In response to my initial broad question: "What should I get my mom for Christmas?," the robo-elf gave me links to several gift guides published on sites including Target and Country Living. Then the chatbot suggested generic favorites like a Stanley mug and a foot massager. But as I scrolled, it also dropped links directly to more esoteric gifts, including a mug with Donald Trump on it. "You are a really, really great mom," the mug read. "Other moms? Losers, total disasters." I hadn't given Perplexity any indication of political ideology among my family, but the bot seemed to think sipping from Trump's visage every morning was a gift any mother would love. Then it suggested I make a jar and stuff it with memories I've written down. A cute idea, but I did let Perplexity know that I'm in my 30s β€” I don't think the made-at-home gift for mom is going to cut it.

'Tis the season to scramble and buy tons of stuff people don't need or really even want. At least that's how it can feel when trying to come up with gifts for family members who have everything already. Money has been forked over for restaurant gift cards that collect dust or slippers and scarves that pile up; trendy gadgets are often relegated to junk drawers by March. As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into online shopping, this whole process should get easier β€” if AI can come to understand the art behind giving a good gift. Shopping has become one of Perplexity's top search categories in the US, particularly around the holidays, Sara Platnick, a spokesperson for Perplexity, tells me. While Platnick didn't comment directly on individual gift suggestions Perplexity's chatbots makes, she tells me that product listings provided in responses are determined by "ratings and its relevance to a user's request."

There are chatbots to consult for advice this holiday season, like Perplexity and ChatGPT, but AI is increasingly seeping into the entire shopping experience. From customer-service chatbots handling online shopping woes to ads serving recommendations that follow you across the web, AI's presence has ramped up alongside the explosion of interest in generative AI. Earlier this year, Walmart unveiled generative-AI-powered search updates that allow people to search for things like "football watch party" instead of looking for items like chips and salsa individually; Google can put clothes on virtual models in a range of sizes to give buyers a better idea of how they'll look. In a world with more options than ever, there's more help from AI, acting as robo-elves in a way β€” omnipresent and sometimes invisible as you shop across the web.

For the indecisive shopper, AI may be a silver bullet to choosing from hundreds of sweaters to buy, plucking the best one from obscurity and putting an end to endless scrolling β€” or it might help to serve up so many targeted ads that it leads people to overconsume.

AI can help people discover new items they may never have known to buy online, but it can't replace that intuition we have when we find the perfect thing for a loved one.

Either way, AI has been completely changing the e-commerce game. "It allows a company to be who the customer wants it to be," says Hala Nelson, a professor of mathematics at James Madison University. "You cannot hire thousands of human assistants to assist each customer, but you can deploy thousands of AI assistants." Specialization comes from using third-party data to track activity and preferences across the web. In a way, that's the personalized level of service high-end stores have always provided to elite shoppers. Now, instead of a consultation, the expertise is built on surveillance.

Companies also use AI to forecast shopping trends and manage inventory, which can help them prepare and keep items in stock for those last-minute shoppers. Merchants are constantly looking for AI to get them more β€” to bring more eyes to their websites, to get people to add more items to their carts, and ultimately to actually check out and empty their carts. In October and early November, digital retailers using AI tech and agents increased the average value of an order by 7% when compared to sites that did not employ the technology, according to Salesforce data. The company predicted AI and shopping agents to influence 19% of orders during the week of cyber deals around Thanksgiving. And AI can help "level the playing field for small businesses," says Adam Nathan, the founder and CEO of Blaze, an AI marketing tool for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

"They don't want to necessarily be Amazon, Apple, or Nike, they just want to be the No. 1 provider of their service or product in their local community," Nathan says. "They're not worried about AI taking their job β€” they're worried about a competitor using AI. They see it as basically a way to get ahead."

AI early adopters in the e-commerce space benefited last holiday season, but the tech has become even more common this year, says Guillaume Luccisano, the founder and CEO of Yuma AI, a company that automates customer service for sellers that use Shopify. Some merchants that used Yuma AI during the Black Friday shopping craze automated more than 60% of their customer-support tickets, he says. While some people lament having to deal with a bot instead of a person, Luccisano says the tech is getting better, and people are mostly concerned about whether their problem is getting solved, not whether the email came from a real person or generative AI.

After my ordeal with Perplexity, I turned to see how ChatGPT would fare in helping me find gifts for the rest of my family. For my 11-year-old cousin, it suggested a Fitbit or smartwatch for kids to help her "stay active." A watch that tracks activity isn't something I feel comfortable giving a preteen, so I provided some more details. I told ChatGPT she loved the "Twilight" series, so it suggested a T-shirt with the Cullen family crest and a "Twilight"-themed journal to write fan fiction. It told me I could likely find these items on Etsy but it didn't give me direct links. (As her cool millennial cousin who has lived to tell of my own "Twilight" phase in 2007, I did end up buying a makeup bag from Etsy with a movie scene printed on it.) I also asked ChatGPT for suggestions for my 85-year-old grandpa, and it came up with information about electronic picture frames β€” but the bulk of our family photos are stuffed in albums and shoeboxes in his closet and not easily digitized.

I could navigate this list because these are deep contextual things that I know about my family members, something AI doesn't know yet. Many of the best gifts I've ever received are from friends and family members who stumbled upon something they knew I would love β€” a vinyl record tucked in a bin or a print from an independent artist on display at a craft show. AI can play a role in helping people discover new items they may never have known to buy online, but it can't replace that intuition we have when we find the perfect thing for a loved one. "We're still really wrestling with: How accurate is it? How much of a black box is it?" says Koen Pauwels, a professor of marketing at Northeastern University. "Humans are way better still in getting cues from their environment and knowing the context." If you want to give a gift that's really a hit, it looks like you'll still have to give the AI elves a helping hand.


Amanda Hoover is a senior correspondent at Business Insider covering the tech industry. She writes about the biggest tech companies and trends.

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Starbucks is on the cusp of a major barista strike

17 December 2024 at 22:12
People picketing outside a Starbucks store in New York's East Village in 2023 during the last Starbucks Workers United strike.
People picketing outside a Starbucks store in New York's East Village in 2023 during the last Starbucks Workers United strike.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

  • Starbucks' biggest workers union on Tuesday went forward to authorize a nationwide strike.
  • It said that the coffee chain had not settled hundreds of unfair labor practice cases.
  • Starbucks said that the union considering a strike was "disappointing."

Starbucks Workers United, the coffee chain's largest union, said workers have authorized a nationwide strike.

The union, which represents more than 10,000 baristas, said in statements on Tuesday that 98% of its member baristas had voted to strike. The group was set to meet with Starbucks later that day for a final round of bargaining.

The union told CNBC in a statement that the strike was prompted by hundreds of unfair labor practice cases that Starbucks had not settled. It also said that the company had not brought a sufficiently comprehensive pay package to the bargaining table.

Starbucks, in a statement to CNBC, said that it was "disappointing" that the union was considering a strike "rather than focusing on what have been extremely productive negotiations."

"Since April we've scheduled and attended more than eight multi-day bargaining sessions where we've reached thirty meaningful agreements on dozens of topics Workers United delegates told us were important to them, including many economic issues," the company told CNBC.

Starbucks has 11,161 company-operated stores and 7,263 licensed stores in North America. As of October, 500 β€” or about 4.5% β€” of all stores were unionized.

More than 150 unionized stores went on strike in June 2023 to protest what the union called the company's "hypocritical treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers." A Starbucks spokesperson told BI at the time that the union was spreading "false information" about its benefits, policies, and negotiation efforts.

News of the possible union strike comes just a day after CEO Brian Niccol announced a change in the company's parental leave policy for US store employees.

Starting in March, Starbucks will offer up to 18 weeks of paid leave for birth parents and up to 12 weeks for nonbirth parents. The company currently offers US store employees six weeks of paid parental leave and up to 12 weeks unpaid.

The increased benefit will apply to employees averaging at least 20 hours of work a week.

"Our benefit was already the best in retail, but after hearing from some partners who shared the leave as new parents wasn't adequate, we reviewed the program and have decided we're making a change," Niccol wrote in his announcement Monday.

Starbucks had a lackluster fourth quarter. On October 29, it posted a 7% decline in comparable sales from last year, including a 6% drop at its US stores. Sales in China declined 14% in the same period.

Its net revenue was down 3% from last year, to $9.1 billion.

The company's stock is down about 1.7% since the start of the year.

Representatives of Starbucks and Starbucks Workers United did not respond to requests for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.

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Walmart is testing body cameras for some front-line employees in Texas

17 December 2024 at 14:07
Axon's new Body Workforce camera for retail workers
Axon introduced its new Body Workforce camera for retail workers earlier this year.

Axon

  • Walmart is testing out body-cams for store employees in one market in Texas.
  • A spokesperson said the goal of the pilot is to improve worker safety and evaluate the results.
  • Earlier this year, Axon introduced a line of cameras designed for retail and healthcare workers.

Walmart shoppers in Texas may want to think twice before losing their cool with a store employee β€” the interaction could be captured from an up-close-and-personal camera angle.

The retail giant is testing body-cams for store employees in the Dallas area. A Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider the goal of the pilot is to improve worker safety and evaluate the results before making long-term decisions about a wider rollout.

"While we don't talk about the specifics of our security measures, we are always looking at new and innovative technology used across the retail industry," the spokesperson said.

One shopper told CNBC they saw a receipt-checker in Denton, Texas, wearing a yellow-and-black camera earlier this month, and an image of a rack of 16 similarly colored cameras was posted last month to the r/Walmart forum on Reddit.

A Walmart-branded poster in the image instructs users in ways to wear the camera, how to stop and start recording an event, and a reminder to remove the camera when visiting break rooms or restrooms.

The charging station for the cameras is marked with the Axon brand, which is most widely known for supplying body cameras for law enforcement officers. Axon declined to comment.

Earlier this year, Axom introduced a line of cameras designed for retail and healthcare workers, which look similar to the ones in the Reddit image.

In a survey, Axon found nearly half of retail workers said they had seen or been a victim of physical or verbal violence while on the job. Of those, most surveyed said they had experienced multiple incidents.

The company said one retailer who used the cameras in an early trial saw the number of incidents cut in half, and another found the cameras to be highly effective at de-escalating confrontations.

Over the summer, TJ Maxx equipped store associates with body cameras as a method to deter crime.

"We hope that these body cameras will help us de-escalate incidents, deter crime, and demonstrate to our Associates and customers that we take safety in our stores seriously," a spokesperson said at the time.

If you are a Walmart worker who wants to share your perspective, please contact Dominick via email or text/call/Signal at 646.768.4750. Responses will be kept confidential, and Business Insider strongly recommends using a personal email and a non-work device when reaching out

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These affordable Chili's menu options aren't going away anytime soon, its CMO says

17 December 2024 at 10:44
Chili's Grill and Bar
Chili's is a casual dining restaurant that offers meals at a range of prices.

Brinker International

  • Value meals at Chili's have boosted the restaurant chain's sales lately.
  • Chili's chief marketing officer says the deals aren't leaving the menu anytime soon.
  • Competitors like McDonald's and Wendy's also offer value meals amid inflation challenges.

Appetizers and value meals are bringing customers to their local Chili's Grill & Bar in droves β€” and they're not leaving the menu anytime soon.

Deals like the Triple Dipper and the 3 for Me combo, both of which allow customers to get sit-down meals for under $20, have helped Chili's parent company, Brinker International, beat quarterly expectations recently. Same-store sales grew nearly 15% at Chili's during the company's latest quarter, which ended in September.

Those affordable deals are standing parts of the restaurant's menu, not temporary offers, George Felix, chief marketing officer at Chili's, said.

While some restaurant chains are "scrambling to throw a low-priced offer out there and try and compete," the 3 for Me deal "is something we believe in," Felix told Business Insider.

3 for Me offers diners a starter, an entrΓ©e, and a drink for as little as $10.99. Chili's has offered the combo for about two years, and it added a smash burger as an entrΓ©e option in April β€” a move the company said took "aim at fast food" at the time.

Other restaurant chains have ramped up deals this year to attract customers, including many whose budgets have been stretched by inflation, back to their dining rooms. McDonald's, for instance, is planning to launch a new value menu in 2025 after extending a limited-time $5 meal this year. Burger King and Wendy's have also offered their own value meals.

Meanwhile, Red Lobster discontinued its $20 endless shrimp deal, which was meant to be a permanent menu item, and ultimately blamed the promotion for an $11 million loss in Q3 2023.

For Chili's, offering food options that range from less than $11 to over $30 allows diners to choose what sort of experience they have, Felix said.

"We believe value is not about the lowest price point," Felix said. "We believe value is what you get for what you pay."

The Triple Dipper is an appetizer sampler that's been having a viral moment on social media recently.

Many Chili's customers who come in for such deals return and order higher-priced items, such as a margarita, which can cost as much β€” or more β€” than some of Chili's value meals, Felix said.

"You bring them in with the Triple Dipper, but then they come back again and it's the Don Julio margarita β€” they treat themselves," Felix told BI. (That margarita cost $12 when ordered for pickup in New York on Tuesday.)

It shows that even diners looking for good deals will splurge, CEO Kevin Hochman said on Chili's October earnings call. "The price-quality equation is critical for this guest," Hochman said.

Are you a Chili's customer or worker with a story idea to share? Reach out to these reporters at [email protected] and [email protected]

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Shein must cede Indians’ data, control of local ops to re-enter India

17 December 2024 at 06:45

Shein must surrender all data of Indian customers and control of its local operations to its partner, Reliance Retail, and keep operations fully local to re-enter the Indian market, according to new government disclosures that reveal how the apparel and accessories retailer secured a rare exception to India’s ban on Chinese-linked apps. In a parliamentary […]

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