#it is probably too early in this blog's life cycle for polls | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

coopdigitalnewsletter · 4 years ago

Text

24 August 2020: 11% of UK food is now bought online. John Lewis will go online first. Loyalty cards.

Hello, this is the Co-op Digital newsletter - it looks at what's happening in the internet/digital world and how it's relevant to the Co-op, to retail businesses, and most importantly to people, communities and society. Thank you for reading - send ideas and feedback to @rod on Twitter. Please tell a friend about it!

[Image: Peter Bond on Unsplash]

11% of UK food is now bought online

Tesco is hiring 16,000 staff in its online business: 10,000 to pick customer orders from shelves and 3,000 delivery drivers. Many of them will be “lockdown temps” already working for the company. This is Tesco’s answer to one of the big lockdown questions for retailers: would shoppers return to the shops as lockdowns ease, or would they stick with online shopping?

💥 Why this matters: the shift to online has been very big and very fast but hasn’t snapped back at the same speed as lockdowns started easing. This suggests that some shopping activity formerly done in store may have permanently shifted online. If so, the virus accelerated online shopping’s share of spend by years.

Three quarters of UK does grocery shopping online: “Waitrose polled 2,000 people across the UK and found that 77% now do at least some of their grocery shopping online, compared with 61% the year before”. If that’s how many people do *some* of their shopping online, how much of total spend is now online? The Office for National Statistics says:

“In July 2020, retail sales volumes increased by 3.6% when compared with June, and are 3.0% above pre-pandemic levels in February 2020. [...] Online retail sales fell by 7.0% in July when compared with June, but the strong growth experienced over the pandemic has meant that sales are still 50.4% higher than February’s pre-pandemic levels.”

Ocado thinks the shift to online is permanent, but that’s their business so they would say that! Research company Retail Economics thinks that “almost half of consumers feel that the pandemic will have a permanent effect on the way they shop” (link to that BBC story because Retail Economics’s site is paywalled).

Benedict Evans’s The ecommerce surge which compares UK and US growth in online shopping in various categories.

Walmart sales up 6% but most of that is from online sales, which doubled.

“We expect John Lewis to be a 60% online retailer”

John Lewis plans to reinvent itself for an era of online, and Chair Sharon White sent a plan to partners (staff) in the group. “We expect John Lewis to be a 60% online retailer, from 40% pre-Covid-19; and Waitrose to rise above 20%, from 5%.”

One interesting part is a new “rental/resale/recycle” option for furniture in which furniture can be rented until purchased, or rented and then returned:

“The scheme means shoppers can use the service to try before they buy - payments stop if they reach the original purchase price before the end of the hire period, and they can keep the item or have it collected. After two 12-month rental periods the items will have been paid for outright.”

The other interesting bit is:

“Private rented housing: As we repurpose and potentially reduce our shop estate, we want to put excess space to good social use. We are exploring with third parties the concept of new mixed-use affordable housing.”

Loyalty cards, membership programmes and delivery costs

Tesco plans to add free grocery delivery to its Clubcard Plus service. Responding to Amazon including free grocery delivery in Prime for some customers, CEO Dave Lewis said:

“I understand the move [from Amazon]. The idea of Prime is very similar to where we are in Clubcard Plus, in terms of bringing a whole bunch of benefits together. So an opportunity into the future for us is to think about how we put delivery into Clubcard Plus. That’s always been the direction of travel.”

Elsewhere in retail, Walmart’s Prime-like membership programme Walmart+ is delayed.

💥 Why this matters: supermarkets are working out how they might recoup delivery costs. One logical end point might be the Costco model, in which the retailer sells goods at 0% markup but finds its margin in membership fees. A big risk is that if the retailer bundles too much or the wrong things into a membership whose fees keep increasing, it starts to look like poor value for money.

UK government and exam results: move fast and break things

The exams results controversy is an early and obvious example of what “life under the algorithm” would be like. Often painful. The problem they were trying to fix (standardised grades that made sense from one year to the next) ended up being a smaller problem than the algorithmic fix (moderating grades downward in a way that ended up disadvantaging pupils from poorer areas). The algorithm’s decisions looked unfair and capricious. The eventual fix was to revoke the algorithm.

Rachel Coldicutt’s piece is good on how the current UK government likes to dismantle things and move faster. It’s not clear that the answer is governance, in that Ofqual no doubt had endless governance process and documentation. Maybe the answer is making sure leaders are empowered to form teams that can achieve the desired outcomes, and held accountable.

💥 Why this matters: it would be good if algorithms were more open and opportunities for redress clearer. “Getting rid of the algorithm is v welcome, but not enough.”

Other retail news

M&S to cut 7,000 jobs over next three months - challenging times ahead for all retail, as job uncertainties increase. Better news: UK retail sales climb back to pre-pandemic levels.

Morrisons considers ditching all 'bags for life' - “It said a full replacement of its bags for life would save 90 million plastic bags being used each year, the equivalent of 3,510 tonnes of plastic per year.”

Google can now read grocery labels for the blind - an update to Google's assistance app adds AI image recognition for food shopping.

Various things

Amazon launches online pharmacy in India.

4 ‘CovTech’ success stories you probably haven’t heard of - Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, Togo and Rwanda responding decisively with digital transformation projects.

Apple’s low-carbon aluminum is a climate game changer - the same metal but a manufacturing process that doesn’t result in the direct release of greenhouse gases. Apple plans to be “carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by 2030”.

Amazon is now delivering 66% of its own orders - gradually bringing in house all of its logistics. It shipped 415 million packages in July. But thanks to the virus delivery cos like Fedex and UPS are still growing.

South Wales police lose landmark facial recognition case.

Co-op Digital news and events

Introducing our accessibility policy for Co-op products and services - “The policy makes accessibility standards more tangible because colleagues can see what their responsibilities include”.

Free of charge events:

Andy’s Man Club – Gentleman's Peer to Peer Mental Health Meet Up – Mondays 7pm

PyData Ethics in Data Panel, 24 August 6.30pm – PyDataMcr welcome everyone with an interest in all things data, from beginners to seasoned pros. At next week’s meet up they have our very own Julian Tate from Open Data Manchester and Dr Keeley Crockett from MMU talking everything that is ethical in data. Sign up here.

LGBTQIA – Hackathon – 28-30 Aug

Northern Aze User Group - Meet Up – 2 Sept – 6pm

Motion North – Meet Up – 17 Sept - 7pm

Paid for events:

Invisible Cities - Online Tours of Manchester or Edinburgh – Various Dates & Times

Mandala Yoga – Online Yoga Sessions - Various Dates & Times

Tech Ethics – Meet Up – Various Dates & Times

Future Health Tech – Webinar - 26 Aug - 6.30pm

New & Emerging Technologies: Big Data - Webinar – 26 Aug - 7pm

More detail on Federation House’s events. You can also see how The Federation is planning for a safe return to the co-working floor.

Thank you for reading

Thank you, beloved readers and contributors. Please continue to send ideas, questions, corrections, improvements, etc to @rod on Twitter. If you have enjoyed reading, please tell a friend! If you want to find out more about Co-op Digital, follow us @CoopDigital on Twitter and read the Co-op Digital Blog. Previous newsletters.

0 notes

netherworldwritersguild · 6 years ago

Text

One Step Forward...

This post contains profanity. If that's something you'd rather avoid, you have been forewarned.

My first instinct is always that mental health issues have no business on a work from home blog, and I try to keep the gloomiest bits away from the Deliver Me blog. If anyone is interested in reading my less filtered thoughts on the subject, those reside on the Crazy Creatives Cheerleading Camp blog. This post will duplicate on Deliver Me, Crazy Creatives, and Horror Harridans Writing Sisterhood.

However, the truth is many people who are interested in working from home wish to do so because they live with mental health challenges. Also, I have seen a lot of positive changes regarding the discussion of psychiatric issues not only since the long-ago days of my youth when I was warned by my father that if it came out that I had ever seen a mental health professional no-one would want to hire me, but even since I finally received a proper diagnosis of type 2 bipolar disorder rather than the vague "depression with anxiety" or the incorrect "adult ADD" sixteen years ago.

I think it is important that the discussion of mental health issues not be hidden away in a musty attic and those stupid mantras like "stop that stinkin' thinkin'" go extinct sooner rather than later. The idea that people who are always happy and upbeat (or can at least pretend to be) are somehow superior needs to be put out to pasture and to fall in a sinkhole. Behaving as if people who are depressed can just "snap out of it" and are a burden or "seeking attention" for being unable to do so causes self-loathing, which helps nothing. It also sometimes gets people killed. This is an attitude that needs to be gone.

As I mentioned previously, I have type 2 bipolar disorder rather than unipolar depression, but I don't tend to need a lot of encouragement when I'm euthymic or hypomanic, so I tend to address the depression component.

I rapid-cycle. The pattern changed a bit after I went through menopause. Each state used to last for about ten days at a time. They last a bit longer now that I don't have such extreme fluctuations in hormones.

I prefer being in a euthymic state even though I can be super-productive when hypomanic. I can also be all over the place and therefore not terribly productive when hypomanic. I had been euthymic for a while, and then things slipped into hypomania. I knew I probably had trouble coming on when I started feeling irritable. That's often a sign that things are about to go south, and I don't mean that I'm about to head down to the Southern states and visit the places where my favorite Southern rock bands got their start while eating plenty of good barbecue. (That's a bucket list thing.) I mean that any positivity I have is about to be hammered by a landslide straight down the highway to hell, and I don't mean I'm about to take a journey on the astral plane and have tea with my favorite musicians who have traveled to the other side.

Sure enough, I woke up the morning after looking in the mirror and realizing that I was starting to hate the face looking back at me instead of being able to look at myself and simply say "well, there I am." I am well aware that no-one thinks I'm any kind of raging beauty, and I am very glad to give no fucks about that. In fact, my take on having someone compliment my appearance is the same as Ozzy Osbourne's was back in the early '80s when he was voted "sexiest male rocker" on a poll in one of the music magazines. Ozzy said: "I find the idea that people think I'm sexy fucking hilarious." That's how I feel about it too. I'm the anti-fashion chick and not even in the same Universe as sexy, let alone the same zip code, and I stopped giving a damn a long time ago and couldn't be happier.

In any case, when I start hating the face I see in the mirror rather than being neutral about it, I know I'm on a downhill slide. And, indeed, I woke up wishing an asteroid would hit me and end my misery once and for all. I thought: "here I go, about to lose every advancement I made while I was doing well." My imagination was in the toilet, my desire to work with any survey or GPT sites was lying out on the lawn with a bottle of Night Train beside its unconscious body, and I reflected on the fact that I'm in my 50s and living in poverty, which is not something that anyone wants to say about themselves. My "fuck 'em all" attitude was whimpering in the corner and I was filled with self-loathing and hopelessness.

There has been a trend of discussing "self-care" recently. I will admit that I loathe this term, but I can't think of a better one, so we'll roll with it. The "self-care" movement seems to be divided into two camps: those who think that "self-care" involves foo-foo coffee drinks and bubble bath and getting your nails done, and those who think that "self-care" means putting your goddamn nose to the goddamn grindstone and doing all the shit that you don't want to do but need to do anyway, you goddamn weenie.

I honestly can't say that I find either of these approaches particularly effective. One is impractical and the other leads to self-loathing. I rather appreciate my son's hyperbolic take on self-care, and I will share that here.

My son said there is a certain faction of individuals, many of them who are on Tumblr, whose definition of self-care is: "if you want to shit on the floor, you should go ahead and shit on the floor. You do you!"

This approach is self-serving and does nothing to actually make your life better. It simply relives a momentary urge by a bratty inner child.

The second approach is to say: "If you ever shit on the floor, you are nothing but a goddamn loser who can't control your bowels, and you might as well jump off a cliff, you fucking asshole, because you'll never be any damn good!"

That approach isn't very effective either. It only leads to ignoring your own needs and hating yourself.

The third approach is to say: "Hey, Man, if you shit on the floor, don't beat yourself up about it. Shit happens. But the sooner you clean up the shit, the better you'll feel. You don't want to leave shit just lying around attracting flies."

In other words, acknowledge your issues and work with yourself to try and create a positive atmosphere. Praise yourself for small triumphs. Maybe getting the allegorical shit off the floor is all you're able to accomplish on some days. Acknowledge that you got the shit off the floor and now things are a little bit better because you took action. Go you!

I had a night where everything was going wrong and the icing on the cake was looking and seeing that my gas gauge was below a quarter tank. I decided against going to work because I was in a truly odious mood. With my job, I'm not on a given schedule. If I show up and log into the app, I work. If I don't show up, I'm not penalized.

I was beating myself up for being a loser and not going to work. I really didn't feel like going to work last night either. But I went in for a short shift. People were happy to see me, and I felt better because I managed to go to work.

I'll never be a "real go-getter." I do very poorly with 9-5 jobs because I always end up depressed to the point of non-functional. I can no longer do extreme physical work, which I did for many years, because I start feeling weak, dizzy, and confused fairly quickly. But I can still work, and I can continue working to create other sources of income outside of the traditional paths. It won't happen overnight, but it won't happen at all if I don't keep trying.

I think I'm back on track. Hopefully, there won't be a big mountain of bullshit in my path to bust my groove anytime soon.

Always Keep Fighting,

Cie

amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "ciethehuntr06-20"; amzn_assoc_search_bar_position = "bottom"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "Shop Related Products"; amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "depression"; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "d462c0757abe637dc460784d55870df7";

#depression #creative and mentally ill #type 2 bipolar #the dreaded self care #i hate that fucking phrase

0 notes

itesfashion · 7 years ago

Text

While most patients are aware that taking nitrate-based drugs or alpha-blockers in combination with PDE5 inhibitors can be fatal, what most are unaware of is that these drugs also interact with certain foods.

This lowers the exposure to agricultural chemicals (used to cultivate conventional plants) and harmful microorganisms.http://ift.tt/2iuWUHB Title: Citas a Ciegas According can someone write an essay for me to Kevin Stark, a psychologist at the University of Texas who was not involved with the research, the study convincingly showed for the first time that there pay to have a research paper written are very good options for a child who is going through depression and thought to be at risk for suicidal thinking. “Psychosocial therapies do work on their own, with time. Pat (don’t rub) it dry with a soft towel. Lifting weights that are too heavy for you can lead to improper form and ultimately to injuries. Make a salad the first course. If a health club is too expensive or doesn’t fit your lifestyle consider a home gym. Many women find it useful i need a website to type my essay to schedule their next shot slightly earlier than necessary. When you first begin working with essential i need someone to write my essay for me oils, take care in handling them. title:Obesity and Weight Loss Explained author:Bridget Mwape source_url:http://ift.tt/2B7gzp7 date_saved:2007-07-25 12:30:11 category:health article: They survive on skin flakes and usually live in mattresses, pillows, carpets, upholstered furniture, bedcovers, clothes, stuffed toys and other fabric-covered items. The topmost among the New Year Resolutions, is to give up smoking! Every year, for the last who can do my essay for me several years! Hope you have understood! It’s not a disease, I won’t die from it, unless I fall asleep while crossing the road; no it’s a condition that I have to live with for the rest of my life. Be sure to purchase the powdered form fro immediate absorption. Some pain write my essay for me com, however, is necessary; it acts as a warning system telling us that something isn’t right. The attacks that surround gout are usually sudden, and typically only last for about 5-10 days. So how does resistance training help you burn those extra calories? By toning up your muscles you increase the chances paper to type on of burning extra calories. In the muscle building world, steroid mistreatment or abuse is at its most rife. Internet writemy papers offers you easy & convenient way to buy steroids. Proper exercise is essential to maintain the balance amongst the various muscles in our body. One patient died. This process is called Lipolysis. Scorpions, like most venomous creatures, are the source of the cures to the very ills they cause writemypapers. You may be pleasantly surprised if you have no rebound insomnia, however be prepared for it and know how to deal with it. Keywords: earache pain relief A high 92% of those polled said that they would recommend them to everyone as stated in another Gallup poll. Exceptions are made for those who are older, very young and the injured. Treatment depends on the stage of the disease, the type of cancer, and the patient pay to do my essay’s overall health. We have been told that they lower cholesterol, but they way that they do is not healthy, as it ends up collecting in the liver. With freezing, burning, or cutting the wart, there’s always a great risk that it will grow back. Summary: This article talks about the adverse need someone to write my essay for me effects of over-training on male and femalesexual health These effects may be prevented by engaging in moderate and proper workouts coupled with a healthy and nutritious diet. Keywords: air purifiers, air purifier reviews, best air purifier, air filter, home air purifier, air filtration, air i need a essay written pollution, asthma, allergy, air Fibromyalgia can even cause depression and in this case the fibromyalgia can someone write a paper for me? treatment will include anti-depressives. Hot flashes often begin before a woman notices a change in her menstrual cycle and can start as early as her late 30’s and early 40’s. While some patients who suffer from the said disease only experience mild illness, other MS cases can also lead to permanent disability. An asthma attack can temporarily rob the patient of his ability to speak. Natural sources include coldpressed vegetable oils, leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds someone to do my essay for me and wholegrains. At the core of this medical breakthrough was the discovery that every tumor needs to “recruit” its own website that writes essays for you blood supply to flourish and grow. Using teeth whitening products, combined with proper dental care, will result in wonderful smile. A way to describe copywriting is putting a creative message in front of a consumer. Take a twenty minute walk each morning and after dinner. This is especially true for couples who are trying to keep the household running on a limited budget. While most patients are aware that taking nitrate-based drugs or alpha-blockers pay someone to write your research paper in combination with PDE5 inhibitors can be fatal, what most are unaware of is that these drugs also interact with certain foods. 4. People who have panic attacks usually have a heightened sensitivity to bright lights, temperatures, sudden or harsh sounds, and other my papers for me sources of physical stimulation. We will probably start seeing combination products which contain other well known weight loss supplements such as green tea, Citrimax, and Chromium. She changed literally overnight.

The post While most patients are aware that taking nitrate-based drugs or alpha-blockers in combination with PDE5 inhibitors can be fatal, what most are unaware of is that these drugs also interact with certain foods. appeared first on Guest Blogging Platform for Jewelry & Fashion.

from Blog – Guest Blogging Platform for Jewelry & Fashion http://ift.tt/2jdtNFw via IFTTT from Untitled http://ift.tt/2yTcmPY via IFTTT from Ladies Fashion http://ift.tt/2BEpEoP via IFTTT

#Ladies Fashion

0 notes

fashionoutfit6 · 7 years ago

Text

from Blog – Guest Blogging Platform for Jewelry & Fashion http://ift.tt/2jdtNFw via IFTTT from Untitled http://ift.tt/2yTcmPY via IFTTT from Ladiesfashion25 http://ift.tt/2BuqmCG via IFTTT

#Ladiesfashion25

0 notes

ladiesfashion25 · 7 years ago

Text

from Blog – Guest Blogging Platform for Jewelry & Fashion http://ift.tt/2jdtNFw via IFTTT from Untitled http://ift.tt/2yTcmPY via IFTTT

#Untitled

0 notes