Consumer and retail news: 10 things you need to know today
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1. Keurig is getting acquired for $92 per share Keurig Green Mountain, which makes the Keurig coffee brewers and K-cups, is being acquired by JAB Group for $92 per share. This deal values the company at $13.9 billion. Year-to-date, shares of Keurig had lost about 60% of their value and after reaching an all-time split-adjusted high of around $150 per share last November, the stock had lost about two-thirds of its value.
2. People are loving a new Coca-Cola bottle you can turn into a festive bow
Coca-Cola has released fun new packaging in Britain that allows drinkers to transform its label into a festive bow. The limited edition "bow bottles" are available from major supermarkets in the region across its 1.75 liter range of drinks.
3. Everything you ever wanted to know about how McDonald's food is made
In the face of growing consumer demand for transparency, McDonald's has launched marketing campaigns in theUS, Canada, and Australia to answer consumer- submitted questions such as, "Are McDonald's eggs organic or free-range?" and "Does McDonald's import beef from other countries?" McDonald's has also addressed the rumored existence of "pink slime" in its meat and information about which egg dishes are cooked in the restaurant and which ones are pre-made and frozen.
4. These new leggings designed by a full-time college student solve an annoying part of exercise
Women often face the same annoying problem while wearing leggings — there is no pocket for a cell phone. Lume Lifestyle is a small athletic apparel company that developed a smart pocket for leggings. The smart pocket is made of a touch-responsive, mesh fabric. This allows the wearer to slip the phone into a pocket on the front thigh and use it without taking it out.
5. Costco has one secret that makes it 'Amazon-proof'
Costco stock is on the rise after a strong November led to analysts declaring the company "Amazon-proof." Deutsche Bank's Paul Trussell upgraded Costco's rating from hold to buy and raised the price target from $152 to $200, saying that Costco's potential was too great to ignore. Costco has been able to hold its own because of its membership model and ability to incentivize visits to brick-and-mortar locations.
6. Grocery stores are using spy technology to get you to spend more money
In November, Target expanded its test of beacons installed in LED light bulbs that track and guide customers to relevant products via their cellphones in 100 stores.With the system, wireless signals travel between customers’ Android devices and the stores’ LED lights, pinging them with promotions, as well as guiding them to relevant and discounted products.With this data, Target can reduce the staff needed to assist customers, place items more thoughtfully in high-traffic areas, and target customers even more specifically in promotions via app as they walk around the store.
7. These two entrepreneurs cleverly negotiated a $1.4 million 'Shark Tank' deal with Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner
After some careful negotiation in the latest episode of the show's seventh season, Trunkster founders Jesse Potash and Gaston Blanchard made a deal with Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner for $1.4 million in exchange for 5% equity, giving the company the $28 million valuation the founders initially proposed. Last year they began developing a "smart" luggage prototype they believed would appeal especially to young professionals.
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8. Hershey Pioneers SmartLabel QR Codes to Promote Transparency
The Grocery Manufacturers Association is rolling out a platform that will allow consumers to scan a QR code on product packaging to access an online landing page, or even talk to a company’s customer-service hotline to get more information about participating products. The industry-wide effort is a new mobile-enabled tool that helps you make informed decisions about food and household products and even includes a glossary. Holiday packages of Hershey’s Kisses are the first products to bear the SmartLabel QR code.
9. 4 sneaky ways retailers make more money with the same amount of business
While the easiest way to raise profits might be to sell more, companies often find clever ways to eke out more money from the same amount of business. Some aren't very sexy or particularly amusing. Swapping out cheaper materials can raise the bottom line, as can moving production to a location that offers tax breaks.
10. Here's how to decide whether to buy that expensive tech gift this holiday season — or wait for the price to drop
Data analysts at Graphiq have come up with a guide to whether you should buy that brand new product this holiday season or whether you should wait for the price to drop. To do this, they looked at six popular categories of tech gifts, and estimated how much the blockbuster items will drop in price in the next year. On average, TVs dropped about 34%, fitness trackers 28%, smartwatches 27%, smartphones 21%, tablets 14%, and headphones 13%.