#mashable-shopping
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jessaerys · 3 months ago
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god black sails is legitimately the creme de la creme of television alongside the sopranos and breaking bad and the wire and better call saul and atlanta fx like it should've had 46 emmy nominations and like one single win because it kept losing to game of thrones and it should've been in the covers of 2010s Vogues and Hollywood Reports and Varieties with photoshoots of the ensamble cast doing either blasphemeously risque renaissance painting reproductions but its their characters or like they're all dressed in white and are lying tangled in a bed shot from above and there should've been clearance rack t-shirts with a really bad vector of flint's face and an out of context "macho" quote in shopping mall pop culture stores and they should've had a handful of unfunny SNL skits parodying it and tying it somehow to US politics and there should be online 2020s mashable thinkpieces titled something like "things we missed in 2014: is toby shmitz....kind of a sex symbol?" and toby stephens and luke arnold should own a brewery together and jessica parker kenedy should be parading around a 65 year old butch lesbian wife that she hard-launched in 2021. sorry i am really really really really stoned
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cindylouwho-2 · 5 months ago
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Etsy's Adult Content Ban: Some Things You Might Have Missed, & Some Reasons Almost Everyone Has Missed
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As almost everyone knows, Etsy announced a wide-ranging ban of many types of sex-related items on June 27, to take effect on July 29, 2024.
While the corporation was predictably vague about the reasons for this change, it's not overly-difficult to figure out why this happened, although at least one reason seems to have slipped by many. It's slightly more trying to make the logic work when we consider what they still allow. It may be more interesting (and vital, for some sellers) to consider what Etsy might ban next, or ban by accident when this policy takes effect.
While this post isn't intended to be a deep dive into all of the revisions to Etsy's official policies, I will briefly go through certain highlights of the new rules, followed a few alternative ideas for both sellers and shoppers. I'll then discuss why Etsy did this, and we should expect in the coming weeks, months and years.
First. here are the relevant materials:
the much-quoted announcement
Etsy's new Adult Nudity and Sexual Content Policy
the revised Mature Content Policy
as well as some of the media coverage:
Mashable was the first large outlet to publish
The New York Times (soft paywall)
The Guardian
The BBC
Modern Retail (soft paywall)
What's Out, And What's Still OK to Sell or Display
As has widely been reported, Etsy will no longer allow sex toys that touch genitals or enter the body, a female product model's nipples in photos, photos or "photo-realistic" images of sexual acts, types of nudity with "sexual context", fetish items such as used underwear and foot pics, and "sexual language referencing familial relationships". (Pornography was already banned before now.)
Plenty of other items are still permitted, though, including:
BDSM accessories
body harnesses
kegel weights
sex furniture
non-photorealistic nudity and "sex acts without visible genitalia or anuses"
female nipples in photos if the photo is the product and the first listing image obscures them
These exceptions lead to all kinds of questions. For example:
Etsy likes to position itself as LGBTQ2S+ positive. That means a topless photo of a trans male with visible nipples is ok even if they never had top surgery, right? Especially if they have legally transitioned and have government-issued ID that lists them as male, correct?
Where is the "non-photorealistic" line drawn? If a painter attempts to be photorealistic, but is not very skilled at the process, is that painting ok to sell on Etsy?
I am sure you can think of plenty more. But holes in the policies are not my main concern in this article, so I will move on (after noting that Etsy is going to have some enforcement messes with the policies as written).
Where Should Sellers and Shoppers Go After July 29?
(Mention in this section is not an endorsement of the platform. Please carefully research any option before signing up. Some links are not "safe for work".)
Etsy gave business owners just one month's warning that they were no longer wanted on the site. Many are still scrambling to replace their steady income that their Etsy shop provided. The alternatives are not always simple, and it does depend on what a shop sold.
There are a few small marketplaces for adult items, including https://spicerack.market/ and https://charmskoolshop.com/ (links not safe for work). These are not going to have the level of traffic Etsy had, but that also might improve now that many businesses and shoppers are looking for new venues.
There are also larger marketplaces that do allow many of the products Etsy banned, but each has its own restrictions and exceptions, making it risky to copy existing Etsy listings over directly. Always carefully research the rules everywhere. Amazon does have a sexual wellness category, but it is not part of Amazon's Handmade section. eBay also has sex toys. The Artisans Cooperative currently has some adult items listed, but the site is still in beta, so only coop members can sell there at the moment.
Freestanding websites and self-promotion are another approach, but this can be daunting for makers who chose Etsy for its built-in traffic, plus some platforms and payment processors do have rules against certain types of adult content. Shopify's Shop app bans pornography and "sexually gratifying" fetishes, and the bot filters can sometimes block allowed content by mistake.
If you have a favourite seller, they have likely already posted where they plan on going next; if not, ask them.
Why Did Etsy Ban Many Adult Listings, and Why Now?
The various media articles lay out numerous possible reasons for the new sex policies. They include:
Some jurisdictions have laws that limit what children or under-18s can see online, which is likely why Etsy's short announcement uses the word "safe" in 3 different places.
Some social media sites restrict adult content - "evolving industry standards", perhaps?
Some payment processors restrict what adult items can be sold.
We're forced to speculate, because Etsy has refused to answer questions or release additional statements since June 27. That's problematic when talking about destroying livelihoods, because none of these reasons seem to dictate an absolute ban.
As mentioned above, many sites still allow most of the prohibited products, either openly, with age minimums, or with siloed categories that don't appear in generic searches. A big tech company should easily be able to program for this. There's been no indication that any of Etsy's payment processors have withdrawn due to this content, either. So that list simply doesn't add up.
Instead, it's clear that the core explanation is that Etsy wants a bigger slice of the ecommerce pie, and is willing to reject long-standing sellers and product lines to better appeal to shoppers who find sex and related topics distasteful. But again, why not just separate the categories better, as Amazon and eBay do? Amazon is certainly not lacking for customers despite having a sexual wellness category where many things Etsy disallowed still happily reside.
This all boils down to a key reason few are discussing: Etsy's faulty algorithms don't seem capable of keeping such merchandise out of sight of really picky shoppers. They've in fact been trying to do that for a few years now, as the 2022 Transparency report detailed. Etsy stated that the “mature content classifier” led to "a 17% decrease in flags of mature content from our member community". Let's be honest - 17% isn't a great reduction. Even worse, that classifier led to shadow banning such innocuous items as dog diapers and "nude" coloured leggings, while endlessly missing actual porn, including deep-fake AI celebrity images [Forbes; soft paywall].
CEO Josh Silverman has made it clear that Etsy isn't going to focus on improving search relevancy any more, and will instead be focussing on product quality and shops' customer service records to determine search ranking. Problem is, niche searches still display tons of irrelevant items - go check; I'll wait - and this is frequently where one might see things they weren't looking for. If the search and other algorithms aren't able to give shoppers accurate results even when Etsy is attempting to filter out mature items, then Etsy's alternative is to ban the items outright.
Let's face it: if the real problem was female nipples being seen by kids, they'd all have to be blurred out, instead of just the first image. The first image is what shows up in search, ads, and recommendations across the site, so that is what Etsy is censoring. Kids are welcome to look at butt cracks to their hearts' content, as long as they click on the listing first. The real problem is instead that Etsy can't deliver accurate searches and tailored recommendations that people want to see, and regularly serves up things shoppers were not expecting.
But why now? Other than the recent promises to change the search focus from relevancy to quality, what made Etsy drop this notice on unsuspecting sellers on June 27?
The answer appears to be Etsy's new creativity standards, released on July 9. Those standards codify previously unofficial exceptions to Etsy policy, such as allowing 100% commercial goods to be sold in gift boxes. They are also the first official mention of Etsy permitting AI art to be sold on the site, although Silverman had already announced that unofficially.
The policy changes are likely to increase the number of listings on the site that are not handmade, vintage or craft supplies, and Etsy obviously felt the need to stem the eventual tide of sexual gift boxes of dildos from AliExpress - yes, there are already some listed on Etsy - and even more AI-generated nudity etc.
Note as well that July 29 falls just 2 days before the second quarter report is given to investors, providing Etsy with a topic to discuss during that call. They can claim they are taking action against mature listings without being expected to have removed 100% just 2 days after the ban, and the topic will likely be forgotten 3 months later when the third-quarter call happens. It's possible that, 3 months from now, no analysts will check to see if the ban was actually successful. Perfect timing, I'd say.
What Next?
First, any experienced Etsy seller knows that Etsy attempts to remove now-banned items will result in plenty of legitimate listings being deactivated as well; see the dog diaper example above. Items won't even have to be related to the prohibited categories, as the image recognition bots can be particularly bad. Every time Etsy bans something, even if only within one country or area, there is always collateral damage in the form of non-offending listings being removed. (I've had items deactivated for being amber, drug paraphernalia and illegal plant material, when they were nothing of the sort.)
At one time, you could expect Etsy to reinstate such items after an investigation, but that is less common these days, and frequently takes weeks to months when it does happen. This means all sellers should be alert and watch their deactivated listings folder in the coming weeks, and be resigned to losing best-selling products for no good reason, due to bad bots.
Long term, I doubt this is the last time Etsy narrows what can be sold in the interests of appeasing sensitive shoppers. Even if you 100% support Etsy banning everything that they did last month, you should be uneasy about what could be coming next. If age-limit laws were really behind some of this recent decision, what happens when some US jurisdictions start restricting no-fault divorce? Everything from party supplies to t-shirt slogans to happy divorce gifts could be on the chopping block.
It's also possible the company will try to continue to refine its bots and algorithms instead of outright banning other products. Since Etsy is already shadow banning items for certain searches, are shops with a few LGBTQ2S+ articles invisible right now in places where laws are discriminatory? In places where birth control is illegal or severely restricted, are birth control pill cases still ok? I am not sure we can assume Etsy won't continue down this path.
Whatever your thoughts on the listings Etsy is currently banning, remember that these are businesses who were allowed to sell their wares on the marketplace until this month, and have therefore done nothing wrong. Things you believe in could be the next target.
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funnyfooddatabase · 1 year ago
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Idaho Potato Commission / Van Leeuwen Malted Milkshake & Fries Ice Cream
Food
Type of Funny Food: Tie-In Product
Introduced: March 2023
Location: Online / Van Leewen Scoop Shops
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In partnership with the Idaho Potato Commission, ice cream company Van Leeuwen created an ice cream meant to replicate the taste of dipping french fries into a milkshake.
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The Malted Milkshake and Fries flavor was available for purchase online from the Van Leeuwen website or in person at their multiple "scoop shop" locations.
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Images courtesy of Van Leeuwen and Haley Henschel at Mashable.
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kamari2038 · 2 years ago
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Marty the grocery store robot made a brief escape into the parking lot yesterday. I don't know how I even found this video but I guess that Google has really pegged my interests: Marty the Robot Escapes a Grocery Store - YouTube
More on Marty the Robot:
"I just got chased by a robot in Stop n Shop, the future is now" Funny Tweets About Marty, The Shady Stop & Shop Robot | HuffPost
Grocery Store Robot Marty Celebrating First Birthday With Party, Cake (businessinsider.com)
Ethical Issues:
Marty the robot: Non-essential worker | Mashable
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yournewfriendshouse · 7 months ago
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that link just goes to mashable. here is a link to the website. they still seem to be selling them but they’re breathtakingly expensive like so much assistive stuff
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The cognitive and sensory impairments associated with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia often result in difficulty eating. 
Eatwell bowls are designed with slanted bottoms that help food collect to one side for easy scooping. The interior of the dining ware is also bright blue in color, an uncommon hue for food which helps users with dementia identify food in their bowls with ease. Spoons are intentionally designed to hug the side of the dinnerware, making collecting food easier and preventing spillage. Handles for drinking cups and utensils are made to allow for easy gripping and stability.
The result of all these intentional elements working together is a dining set that has been found to allow users with dementia to consume 24% more food and 84% more liquid.
Learn more about this Eatwell set here.
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surajworldnews · 19 hours ago
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AdGuard VPN Subscription: Save 90% on 5-year family plan
TL;DR: Protect your privacy with a 5-year AdGuard VPN subscription for £27.90 (reg. £286.77). This VPN deal is only available at the Mashable Shop for a few more days. Ever been frustrated by region-locked content when traveling? Or maybe you’re more concerned about leaving your digital footprint all over the internet? With geo-restrictions tightening and privacy concerns growing, a solid VPN is…
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lahtilbooks · 27 days ago
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The 19 Best Black Friday Deals Under $50 to Shop Right Now
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Black Friday 2024 is in full swing, bringing countless opportunities to snag high-quality products at unbeatable prices. If you’re hunting for deals that won’t break the bank, this curated list of the 19 best Black Friday deals under $50 is perfect for you. From tech gadgets to home essentials, these items are both affordable and worth every penny.
1. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max — $26.99
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Elevate your streaming experience with this powerful device, offering 4K resolution and access to all major streaming platforms.
2. Echo Dot (5th Gen) — $22.99
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Get a smart home assistant with crisp sound and Alexa integration for a fraction of the price.
3. Tile Mate Bluetooth Tracker — $19.99
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Never lose your keys or wallet again. The Tile Mate is the perfect companion for the forgetful.
4. Anker Portable Charger (PowerCore Slim 10,000mAh) — $39.99
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Stay powered on the go with this slim yet high-capacity portable charger.
5. JLab Go Air Pop True Wireless Earbuds — $15.99
Compact and affordable, these earbuds offer quality sound and a snug fit.
6. Hario V60 Pour Over Coffee Dripper — $14.99
Coffee enthusiasts will appreciate this affordable way to craft barista-level coffee at home.
7. Home Security Camera by Wyze — $29.99
Enhance your home security with this budget-friendly, high-resolution camera.
8. Yankee Candle Large Jar — $14.99
Fill your space with seasonal scents without breaking the bank.
9. Magnetic Phone Car Mount by iOttie — $17.95
A secure and convenient solution for hands-free driving.
10. Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle — $21.99
Keep drinks hot or cold for hours with this durable and sleek bottle.
11. LED Desk Lamp with USB Charging Port — $34.99
Light up your workspace while charging your devices simultaneously.
12. Portable Hand Warmers — $12.99
Perfect for chilly days, these rechargeable warmers fit in your pocket.
13. Target’s Cozy Throw Blanket — $10
Add warmth and style to your living room with this soft and affordable throw.
14. Best Buy’s KitchenAid Measuring Cups and Spoons Set — $15
An essential for home bakers, this set is sturdy and precise.
15. Walmart’s Roku Premiere — $29.99
Stream in HD and 4K for a fraction of the price with this popular device.
16. Kohl’s Electric Milk Frother — $19.99
Whip up café-style lattes at home with this handy frother.
17. Staples Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo — $24.99
Upgrade your workspace with this reliable and stylish combo.
18. Samsung 32GB MicroSD Card — $8.99
Expand your device’s storage without spending much.
19. Target’s Multi-Functional Tool Kit — $14.99
A compact and versatile tool set perfect for small home projects.
Tips for Shopping Black Friday Deals
Act Quickly: These deals are time-sensitive and may sell out fast.
Check Reviews: Ensure product quality by reading customer feedback.
Compare Prices: Confirm you’re getting the best deal by comparing prices across retailers.
Don’t miss out on these stellar finds. Whether you’re buying for yourself or shopping for gifts, these under-$50 deals prove that great quality doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.
Sources:
NBC News
PCWorld
Mashable
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hotnew-pt · 1 month ago
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Obtenha o MS Office vitalício no seu PC por £ 20,78 #ÚltimasNotícias #tecnologia
Hot News DR: Até 21 de novembro, economize algum dinheiro adquirindo a versão 2019 do Microsoft Office Professional Plus para Windows. Está à venda por apenas £ 20,78 (reg. £ 176,41) na Mashable Shop. Se você pudesse usar algum suporte de produtividade, um conjunto testado e comprovado de aplicativos de um grande nome do software poderia ajudar. Crie, organize e muito mais com a ajuda do…
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ronnietech312 · 2 months ago
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prcg · 3 months ago
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Las 7 mejores aspiradoras robotizadas autovaciantes para comprar en el Prime Day de octubre
Cómo probamos Los reporteros, editores y probadores de productos de Mashable Shopping han revisado docenas de aspiradoras robóticas y siempre estamos en el proceso de probar más. Específicamente para esta guía, probamos recientemente Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Eufy X10 Pro Omni, Roomba Combo j5+, Narwal Freo X Ultra, Shark Detect Pro y Dyson 360 Vis Nav, algunos de los cuales reemplazaron algunas de…
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mikunziv · 4 months ago
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X is closing operations in Brazil due to 'censorship orders' | Mashable
Smart Shopper Tech Science Life Social Good Entertainment Deals Shopping Travel ... According to a document that, X says, are "censorship orders," de ...
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cindylouwho-2 · 5 months ago
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RECENT ECOMMERCE NEWS (INCLUDING ETSY), LATE JULY 2024
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Things have been hectic so this is a long one update - all the Etsy and other ecommerce news from the past month, broken down for your convenience!
Next week could be a big Etsy news week, with the 2nd quarter report being released, and the mature items ban kicking in. I'm also working on analysis of the new Creativity Standards, but we may not have more substantial information on those until Etsy makes another move. Right now the categories are a mess, but that could change.
A reminder that you can receive more timely updates plus exclusive content - including live chats with me on select topics such as Etsy's new Creativity Standards - by supporting my Patreon: patreon.com/CindyLouWho2
TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 
The European Union is considering making packages valued under 150 euros subject to customs duties when entering the EU. This is widely seen as a way to reduce Shein and Temu orders. 
The Etsy Creativity Standards announced on July 9th have a lot going on; here is my short summary so far. [post by me on Patreon] While I would not worry too much about this just yet, I expect them to be more important in the near future.  Etsy adding "Made by", "Handpicked by" to every listing is currently full of errors, but more disturbingly, even when a seller points out these errors with arguments from the written policy, Etsy Support is sometimes insisting that the designations are correct. For example, original paintings are lumped in with AI designs and digital downloads. [Post by me on LinkedIn] 
Amazon is imposing new rules regarding on-time delivery rates (OTDR); sellers that do not meet the standard of 90% on time delivery will not be able to continue selling. Businesses are exempted if they use the following tools: Shipping Settings Automation, Automated handling time, and Amazon Buy Shipping. Amazon is allowing only 5 days after shipment for products to arrive within the US. You can read the announcement and vigorous forum discussion here, and EcommerceBytes did a summary of the changes and some complaints.
ETSY NEWS 
As Etsy's widespread ban on many adult-themed products is about to take effect on Monday, I considered why Etsy felt the need to take far more drastic steps than Amazon & eBay has in the same markets. [post by me on Tumblr] The upcoming ban started by getting media attention from Mashable, and quickly escalated to the New York Times [not a gift link; soft paywall]. Etsy is still not commenting on why they are doing this. From the NYT article: "Even before the ban, it was getting harder to run his business, Mr. Goldstein said. So, he thought, “Why don’t we just make our own marketplace?” This year, he started the website Spicerack as an independent alternative to Etsy. The online boutique already has about 75 sellers, which are vetted to make sure they’re not “dropshippers” or simultaneously listing products on e-commerce behemoths like AliExpress or Amazon. Mr. Goldstein said that Spicerack is in the process of adding about 100 more sellers, half of whom signed up when the Etsy ban was announced." From the BBC: “In many countries there is pressure on platforms, sometimes backed by new legislation, to do more to prevent under-18s from encountering explicit content, and to remove illegal or "harmful" content from their platforms. Payment processors are also increasingly wary of working with platforms that enable sex based commerce....those concerns could be addressed by more clearly labelling and separating adult product listings..." The Guardian interviewed a few sellers who are affected.
While Etsy previously stated that the new shop set-up fee would be $15 USD, they quietly changed that, to whatever they feel like charging. [post by me on Patreon]
In case you missed it, the new listing form seems to be triggering Etsy Ads campaigns to start without the seller’s knowledge. [post by me on LinkedIn] Since my post, there are still more reports of this happening, and even more. 
I regret to inform you that Etsy’s Search Analytics are going to disappear after August 14 [post by me on LinkedIn], per a banner on the page.
Canadian sellers will have to pay a 1.15% “Regulatory Operating Fee” on all of their sales income (including shipping and gift wrap) starting August 15. This is likely due to a new law taxing large ecommerce platforms 3% of their Canadian income, which came into effect June 28. The tax applies retroactively back to the beginning of 2022, so Etsy is likely overcharging us to cover those earlier amounts. 
Sellers having difficulties with the domestic pricing tool not working correctly may want to try these tips from an Etsy forum thread: Set the domestic price to the global price amount, save, and then go back in and change the domestic price to your preferred amount, then save again. This apparently works for both new and existing listings, but there are 3 drawbacks: 1) it is time-consuming, 2) it needs to be done any time a listing is changed/edited (including renewals), and 3) it doesn’t seem to work for France. (I don’t ship to France so I cannot test the last point.) Remember, if you have a sale go through for the wrong price, contact Etsy and demand to be compensated the difference. 
Still don’t believe that Etsy is serious about shipping on time? See this Reddit thread by a seller who ignored a 30-day warning, so all of their items were removed from search. From this screenshot, it appears their average order value was fairly high, but that doesn’t mean Etsy will tolerate late shipping from shops with cheaper items, so beware. 
Etsy is testing filtering out digital items from search results unless the terms match a digital item search. See Etsy forum threads here and also here. 
A new academic study calls out Etsy and other online marketplaces for allowing illegally-killed bats to be sold on their sites. “We refute any assertion that the online bat trade is ethical. Again, statements that bats were captive-bred are absurd—bat farms are nonexistent—and it would be impossible for suppliers to find bats that have died naturally in the kind of condition and numbers needed to supply an ornamental trade. These bats were hunted.” The New York Times has also now covered this story [soft paywall]. 
The virtual seller education event Etsy Up is scheduled for September 10. You can register here, but there is no program yet. Usually this event has almost nothing worthwhile for experienced shops, and Etsy generally uses it to push their paid services and integrations along with basic info. 
Etsy is looking for sellers to join their Advocacy program and “share your story”. Beware that sometimes Etsy’s “advocacy” is as much for Etsy as for its sellers, so they are looking for stories that fit Etsy’s own goals. 
The Etsy Design Awards have opened; the final date for submissions is August 8. 
Etsy’s second quarter results for 2024 will be released July 31.
ECOMMERCE NEWS (minus social media)
General
Shein and Temu are facing investigations under the EU’s Digital Services Act. “In a press release, the EU said it’s asking Shein and Temu for more information about measures they’ve taken to meet DSA obligations related to what’s known as “Notice and Action” mechanisms, which should allow users to notify the marketplaces of illegal products.It has also requested info related to the design of their online interfaces, which the pan-EU law mandates must not deceive or manipulate users, such as via so-called “dark patterns”.” Temu is also being sued by Arkansas for having an invasive app that is accused of harvesting data without user permissions. “According to the complaint, Temu is allegedly obscuring its unauthorized access to data through misleading terms of use and privacy policies that do not alert users to the full scope of data that the app can potentially collect. That includes not telling users about tracking granular locations for no defined purpose and collecting "even biometric information such as users’ fingerprints."
Amazon
Amazon now has an AI shopping “assistant” on its US app, called Rufus. “Customers can ask questions about products, comparisons and buying considerations. The AI can provide suggestions for specific tasks or projects.” As per usual with AI, “tests show Rufus doesn’t always provide accurate information.” A review from Marketplace Pulse notes that “Amazon’s AI assistant fails to help shoppers find the best product among the millions in the catalog. It transforms broad questions like “What are the best cycling gloves for winter?” into a few links to product searches — the same searches a shopper could have typed themselves. It refuses to make product recommendations, show specific products, or suggest from the thousands of options. It can’t directly answer the question, “What are the cheapest batteries for my TV remote?”
Any sellers who had items removed for being plants or seeds when they actually aren’t should follow the instructions linked to here to get the situation resolved. An Amazon employee warned sellers: “Please do not acknowledge the violations as these will result in the deactivation of your listings.” Affected businesses should instead appeal the flags.  
Amazon is planning a discount drop shipping from China section, widely seen to be competition to Temu and Shein. However, “[i]t is not clear if these shipments will be made using a U.S. trade provision that exempts individual packages worth less than $800 from U.S. customs duties.”
The European Commission has asked Amazon for more information on “recommender systems, ads transparency provisions and risk assessment measures.” 
Only 1% of US Amazon sellers also offer their items outside of North America. “Due to its proximity to the U.S., Canada has more successful sellers from the U.S. than Canada.” If you have a unique product, this could be an opportunity.  Amazon returns are creating huge workloads for UPS stores and other retailers that accept them. “Amazon “makes up about one-tenth of our profits, but it takes up about 90 percent of the working day,” said Jeremy Walker, a store associate who worked at a UPS Store near Dallas that received between 300 and 600 returns per day.”
Depop
After trying it out in the UK, Depop is removing selling fees for the United States, starting July 15. Payment processing fees still apply. “[B]buyers will now be charged a "marketplace fee" of up to 5% plus a fixed amount up to $1.”
An interview with Depop CEO Kruti Patel Goyal reveals they plan “to bring Depop to a bigger and broader audience over time.” 
eBay
eBay is slowly rolling out changes to the Active Listings page. 
eBay sellers can now get cash advance loans through Liberis, the balance of which gets paid as a percentage of the seller's sales. 
New sellers in the UK might see “automated feedback” on some of their orders, to "help [users] buy and sell with confidence". It will say "This seller successfully completed an order", and is removed once the actual buyer leaves feedback. 
Michaels MakerPlace
Abby Glassenberg reviews Michaels’ MakerPlace popups inside their retail stores. Results seem mixed.
Shopify
A few hundred thousand Shopify users may have had their names, addresses and other data put up for sale on July 3 after a breach. Shopify denies it had any security issues and claims the data came from a third-party app. There was a known data breach at Evolve Bank and Trust in June; that institution is a supporting partner for Shopify Balance. It does appear that Shopify is notifying the affected individuals.
Walmart Walmart is adding pre-owned collectibles to its marketplace. “Eligible categories include Toys (Figures, Dolls, Trains, Plushies, Games, LEGO, Funko, Diecast Cars & Hot Wheels); Media & Music (Movies, Vinyl, Music, SteelBooks, Musical Instruments & Entertainment Replicas); Trading Cards; Comic Books & Books; Sports Memorabilia; and Coins.”
All Other Marketplaces
Indiegogo is opening an ecommerce website for items created through crowdfunding campaigns on the platform, called IndieShop. 
Etsy-owned Reverb now has an “outlet” page, where businesses can sell off their overstock, seconds and out-of-date models for 20% off and free shipping. Most products sold through the main portion of Reverb are used, not new, so this competes with regular sellers. 
Not sure if selling on Faire is right for your business? Here’s a handmade-focussed review of the wholesale site.
Payment Processing
Klarna is now available through Adobe Commerce (previously Magento). 
Shipping
USPS rates for labels on most platforms went up July 1, ahead of the previously-announced July 14th increases. Ina Steiner re-posted the numbers from eBay and Pirate Ship. 
USPS released the addresses and other data of logged-in Informed Delivery users to Meta, LinkedIn and Snap. The company claims it didn’t know the data transfer was happening. 
The free USPS Priority medium shipping tubes are no longer being made, but you can still order existing stock. 
Royal Mail’s Tracked 28 & 48 are now available at post offices. 
UPS’s holiday surcharge rates for the US have been released; the lower surcharges start September 29th.
Shippo has new Canada Post rates from now until January, and the Tracked Packet rates to everywhere but the United States are cheaper than Etsy’s (which are based on Level 4 of Solutions for Small Business). Remember that Shippo makes you pay for a higher tier of service if you use over 30 labels per month.
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davidfegan · 10 months ago
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10 Best App Review Websites
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1. TechCrunchbest app review websites
TechCrunch needs no introduction; the finest online technology news portal offering a wide range of information and insights on technology. A very popular website among techies and non-techies. It will be a super boost for your app startup if you can get your app featured on TechCrunch. You can easily do it if your app stands out of the box and delivers a unique value. The website is invaluable for entrepreneurs looking to stay up-to-date with the latest tech trends, startups, product launches and venture capital funding. It provides comprehensive coverage to the startup ecosystem, letting entrepreneurs connect with potential investors and customers. Also, they regularly host events and conferences that let entrepreneurs, investors and stakeholders in the startup community. But to reach out to TechCrunch is more challenging than it might sound. A lot of effort is required to stand unique among millions of app ideas.
2. Mashableapp review websites
Mashable is another great and very popular digital website where you can get your app in front of a massive audience. The website covers ample different topics related to technology, science, entertainment, culture, social media, business and more. You can write a story or an informative post about your app and contact the Mashable editorial team to get it featured. The team of experienced journalists and writers who produce good quality content that appeals to a diverse audience. Not only it has an editorial team, but offers other services such as job listings, events and a shop that sells branded merchandise. A section of the website, Mashable Deals, where you will get daily offers on various tech and lifestyle products. The website’s engaging content and innovative approach makes it to stay on top of the latest trends and developments.
3. ProductHuntapp review site
ProductHunt is a tech product review website and is surely one of the best platforms to showcase your product to tech enthusiasts. The community-based website lets makers and marketers to launch their products or services and meet their first real users. It provides a valuable opportunity to entrepreneurs to gain exposure and feedback to their products. The website hosts discussions, and Q&A sessions, allowing entrepreneurs to connect with other like-minded individuals and share insights. Before submitting your app/product to ProductHunt, we recommend you to read about the best practices and how its product curation algorithms work. Also, keep a catchy title and tagline, an appealing thumbnail, write an engaging product description, try to give a personal angle to your product, and link all your social media accounts before submitting. After app submission, if the community members upvote your product, it might be featured on its homepage.
4. AlternativeTobest app review website
AlternativeTo.net is on a mission to get users with alternative software recommendations for well-known applications. The website is active since 2008 and offers a user-driven platform that allows users to suggest and recommend alternatives to popular software products. The database of AlternativeTo contains 400,000 apps and software products along with alternatives, ratings and reviews. Here you will find a comprehensive list of options, along with user reviews and ratings. A valuable resource for individuals who are seeking alternatives to software products or applications that they are already using. The extensive database of the website assists users with informative information and recommendations. Hence making it easier for them to select the right software or applications as per their needs.
5. AppAdvicebest app review website
AppAdvice is another great app review website for iPhone, iPod, and iPad apps. We really like the UI of the website as the reviews are written straight with pros and cons and to the point, and the app list is presented in a good visual manner. Visit the website and contact the admin to write a review of your app. If you want your app to be listed on AppAdvice, you need to follow some basic set of rules fixed by the platform. And to submit an app, you must send a request to [email protected] with the subject “Apps Gone Free.”
6. 148Appsapp review website
148Apps is another app review website. The website only covers iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad app reviews. So, if you are an iPhone app developer, then do consider submitting your app on 148Apps as it brings in targeted website traffic which can boost your user acquisition strategy. Submit your app with all details, screenshots and Youtube videos that help in understanding the app working quickly.
7. MobileAppDailybest app review websites
MobileAppDaily is a leading media house in the tech industry showcasing the unique user value of your app to a dedicated audience that’s likely to bring organic leads, and not merely traffic. Their marketing plan for your app doesn’t stop at textual app reviews but extends to creating a brand image with App Walk through Videos, CEO Interviews, Press releases and SM promotions. So if you’re an App owner, PR agency or App development company, contact MobileAppDaily to elevate your product’s reach and expand your brand presence to the right audience.
8. BetaListapp review website
BetaList is not an app review website but you can use it to submit your app and present it to a global audience. On this website, post your app as a startup. Before you can submit your app, you need to sign up with either your email id and create a username or sign up with Twitter id. Once you sign up with them, you can submit your app by sign in. The website has monthly visits of approximately 231k. The platform comes up with fresh articles every day and is up-to-date with the content.
9. GetAppbest app review site
GetApp ranks 9th in our list of app review sites, is one of the best websites to uncover and compare apps. The platform offers a wide range of software categories, including project management, accounting, CRM, human resources, and more. Because of the user-friendly interface and extensive filtering options, businesses can easily get the software solutions they are seeking for their specific needs. The platform also covers vast categories for app reviews, along with business intelligence, billing & invoicing, project collaboration, customer support, campaign management etc.
10. KillerStartupsapp review website
KillerStartups describes itself as a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their startups to a global audience. One of the advantages of your mobile app getting featured over here is it will potentially reach out to 5000 prospective customers regularly. Well-Known successful companies such as Plum have listed their mobile apps on KillerStartups. Submitting the app doesn’t guarantee placement, but the submission process is quick and smooth. The potential benefits are huge as they receive over 15K-30K monthly visitors. Are you ready with your app fill up the form and who knows, your app is featured at KillerStartups.
11. AppSafariapp review websites
Another app review website that writes honest iPhone, iPad and iPod touch app reviews regularly since 2007. The devoted team of AppSafari helps you to find the best apps and their reviews help you to reveal what to buy and to be alert from the App store. So far, they have covered 6K reviews and still counting. They try to keep things simple and fun and offer information on the latest and greatest apps and software developed only for iPhone or iPod touch. On a daily basis, new apps are released, and they try to stay updated with the latest data. You can list your app on AppSafari, the 2 million monthly page views, it is the primary directory listing for all Apple products apps. You only need to fill out the form and click the submit button to get your app featured on the website.
12. AppAggapp review sites
AppAgg-Application Aggregator is a platform that lets users find, download and manage all apps from one place. A comprehensive directory of apps that offers users a friendly interface to locate exciting apps that meet their needs. AppAgg collects app information from various sources and presents it in a clear and concise manner, allowing users to find new apps. The platform mentions a detailed app description, reviews and screenshots to help users to make an informed decision about the apps they download. From Android to iOS apps/games, Windows to MacOS apps/games, Steam to Nintendo games and PlayStation to Xbox games, a one-stop-shop to find your next app. For your app submission, you need to sign up with the platform and then submit your app easily by following the steps. 
13. Nettedbest app review website
Netted, is an online platform that curates and focused on sharing the best new products and services on the Internet. A team of well-respected Webby awards runs it, also known for recognizing excellence in internet content. They are on a mission to assist people to discover innovative and useful products. Mostly they feature consumer-focused apps, and if you are lucky enough to be featured, your app will get unmeasured exposure. The wide range of categories includes technology, fashion, wellness and entertainment. The team of experts scours the internet for new and interesting products and then shares with their audience via daily email newsletters and on their websites. The commitment is solely to feature products and services that are valuable, and resourceful. You can connect with them with your pitches on sites, apps, digital services and more.
14. StartUp Pitchbest review app sites
Startup Pitch, born with an experiment in user-generated news termed D.I.Y Startup News, is a concise and compelling presentation. The aim is to introduce the business ideas and persuade potential investors or partners to provide funding. Initially, the platform gave people the opportunity to post-startup-related stories without having to have a blog or get more coverage for their up-and-coming blog or startup. But as the website evolved, it gave the Startups the ability to answer questions about their product and have it turned into an appealing pitch among investors. Humans check every pitch submitted to the website with no editorial on any post. If the pitch is not deemed spam, rude or racist, it gets displayed. You can post your startup pitch by following the pitching rules. You can also use their paid marketing services to increase your app’s visibility in front of the right audience. 
15. TheWebAppMarketapp review websites
TheWebAppMarket is an online marketing, ratings and reviews website specializing in digital promotions of mobile apps and web products. Despite being a relatively new entrant into the market, this content marketing specialist is dominating the web. They also offer affordable ASO services for app developers. Both app developers and app development companies, they offer a variety of marketing campaigns that are affordable, even for emerging startups. If you are a fellow app entrepreneur seeking an app review, get in touch with them today. 
Source: https://www.agicent.com/blog/best-app-review-websites/
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fahrni · 1 year ago
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The Musk Files - Definitely not a Genius
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This guy is just like every other bully in the world. And to top it off he has money so he’s allowed to get away with behavior most people find abhorrent.
He ignores rules and laws and generally does whatever he wants free of consequence.
He’s a terrible human being.
Some of these links are fairly old since I haven’t posted one of these in a long time.
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Yoel Roth • The New York Times
Backed by fans on social media, Mr. Trump publicly attacked me. Two years later, following his acquisition of Twitter and after I resigned my role as the company’s head of trust and safety, Elon Musk added fuel to the fire. I’ve lived with armed guards outside my home and have had to upend my family, go into hiding for months and repeatedly move.
Chris Taylor • Mashable
“This X shit’s got to go,” author Stephen King tweeted Thursday. That post received 71,000 likes by the end of the day. Elon Musk, creator of “this X shit,” responded to King with a “XX” and a winking-kiss emoji. Musk’s reply had a relatively tiny 7,300 likes at time of writing, despite the fact that Musk has 150 million more followers than King.
Jacob Kastrenakes • The Verge
Elon Musk wants X to be the center of your financial world, handling anything in your life that deals with money. He expects those features to launch by the end of 2024, he told X employees during an all hands call on Thursday, saying that people will be surprised with “just how powerful it is.”
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Dan Sinker
A year ago Elon Musk took over Twitter. Too much has happened in the 365 days that followed to even begin to chronicle it all here, but the short version is that he quickly fired 80% of the staff, broke a bunch of things, paid racists, misogynists, and homophobes to set up shop, picked (sometimes literal) fights with anyone who struck his fancy, lost billions of dollars, and changed the iconic name and logo to the letter X just because.
Zoe Schiffer • platformer.news
On Friday, the National Labor Relations Board issued its first complaint against Elon Musk’s X Corp. The board accused X of illegally firing Yao Yue, a widely respected principal engineer at the company, for pushing back on Musk’s return-to-office policy, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by Platformer.
Eric Hananoki • mediamatters.org
X’s internal reporting system repeatedly responded that posts claiming “Hitler was right” and that there needs to be a “final solution” regarding Jewish people don’t violate the platform’s “safety policies.” This isn’t an isolated example: The Center for Countering Digital Hate similarly released a report today finding that X has failed to remove neo-Nazi content on its platform in numerous cases.
Techdirt
CNBC is running an excerpt from the new Walter Isaacson book about Elon that details what happened with the closing of the data center, and it is way, way, way crazier than even I expected. When Musk talked about how he “disconnected one of the more sensitive server racks,” he meant that entirely literally, in that he literally unplugged it, involving a series of improbable (and ridiculously dangerous and stupid) decisions that resulted with him under the floorboards in the data center pulling the plug, after multiple people warned him not to.
Unprecedented
In July 2023, Mohammed al-Ghamdi, a Saudi Arabian Twitter user who had criticized the Kingdom’s corruption and human rights violations via an anonymous account with only 9 followers was sentenced to death.
Kylie Robison • Fortune
Elon Musk plans to remove headlines from news articles shared on X
Anne Applebaum • The Atlantic
But the drones ran into a problem: Starlink, the satellite-communications system that Ukraine had been using since Russia invaded early last year, unexpectedly wasn’t working. This was a surprise to the engineers. Several people, in Ukraine and elsewhere, frantically called and texted Elon Musk, the owner of Starlink, to persuade him to enable the system.
Sheldon Cooper • Forbes
Twitter, the social media platform officially known as X, appears to have deleted all images from the website that were posted between 2011 and 2014. Links that used Twitter’s native shortening service are also broken.
Pete Syme • Business Insider
An NYU professor with 560,000 followers says he’s been locked out of his X account for over 2 weeks after declining to meet with Elon Musk
Casey Newton • platformer.news
Today let’s talk about a wild weekend of backtracking at the company formerly known as Twitter — and how it should inform the way we cover Elon Musk and his frequent promises in the future.
Nitish Pahwa and Nitish Pahwa • Slate
An Interview With the Guy Who Was @Music on Twitter Until Elon Musk’s X Took the Username Away
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johnbrownnn · 1 year ago
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Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons.Haley received a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and honed her sifting and winnowing skills at The Daily Cardinal. She previously covered politics for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, investigated exotic pet ownership for Wisconsin Watch, and blogged for some of your favorite reality stars.In her free time, Haley enjoys playing video games, drawing, taking walks on Lake Michigan, and spending time with her parrot (Melon) and dog (Pierogi). She really, really wants to get back into horseback riding. You can follow her on X at @haleyhenschel or reach her via email at [email protected]. var facebookPixelLoaded = false; window.addEventListener('load', function() document.addEventListener('scroll', facebookPixelScript); document.addEventListener('mousemove', facebookPixelScript); ) function facebookPixelScript() if (!facebookPixelLoaded) facebookPixelLoaded = true; document.removeEventListener('scroll', facebookPixelScript); document.removeEventListener('mousemove', facebookPixelScript); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script','//connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '1453039084979896'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link
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breezingby · 1 year ago
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"We love food and drink photos (clearly) … but the TikToks and Instagram photoshoots have gotten a bit out of control for us."
. . . Today compared to decades ago. I remember, before I was even into my teens age, we were in Japan, walking around a street that was marked No Vehicles. It was Loaded with all kinds of places to shop or to eat at. After coming out of one store, my Dad had my mother, sister and I pose to have our picture taken. At a short distance behind us were several foreigners, some type of Europeans that did NOT want Their picture taken. They approached my Dad and was going to take the camera and smash it, but somehow he talked them out of it.
Now look at people today, many taking pictures like a kid eating Candy...! Don't get me wrong, I Love taking pictures myself, but I try Not to tie other people into my pictures for Their privacy and I'm not Looking for Their pictures...
'Mashable' By Meera Navlakha
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