Police Issues Warning About Facebook Marketplace After String Of Robberies Across The US...

Reference: Found here

Police officials are warning Americans about purchasing goods on Facebook Marketplace following a string of robberies across the nation.

New York law enforcement have called the rise in Marketplace robberies a ' crime of opportunity' after 90 related crimes were reported this year, up from 58 last year.

'They are luring people to secluded areas because they know there are no cameras there and makes our investigation more challenging,' NYPD Deputy Chief Jason Savino told PIX11 News .

Frustrating And Stressful'? Here Are Ways To Stretch Your Dollars

Read more: Visit website

WEST VALLEY CITY — High food prices are squeezing Utah families, and going to the grocery store can be a frustrating experience.

Tina Hermansen knows all about that. She's a wife, mother, and substitute teacher from West Valley City.

"It's very frustrating and stressful," Hermansen said. "I get anxious going to the grocery store because of how much I'm spending."

"The need for programming or assistance to getting food access has gone up," said Lea Palmer, a dietitian who sees firsthand the impact of rising food prices on Utah families. "I think that inflation rate has hit everybody."

This has many families trying different ways to stretch their dollars even further. Palmer has a lot of tips for that.

Take Out Your Customers' Trash

Reference: Visit website

"Take out the papers and the trash." That was the opening line of the song "Yakety Yak" by The Coasters. It spent weeks as the number-one hit song in 1958. Teenagers everywhere wore out their shoes dancing to the hot song. The lyrics hold a strong message about how to deliver an exceptional customer experience.

Customers today have higher expectations and shorter patience with a much greater propensity to go elsewhere with their cash if hassled. That should be a wake-up call to ramp up close attention to service garbage—whatever agitates your customers. It means user-friendly websites, customer-centric processes, time-sensitive expedience, and customer-facing employees who care about creating a great experience, not just delivering the expected product or outcome. No matter if the contact center is staffed in Mumbai, India or McRae, Georgia, the operator should be graded on how well they make the customer call comfortable…not more rushed or more robotic. Here are three ways to "take out customer trash."

Organize a "service garbage patrol" to identify and report places where the experience is a hassle for customers. Start with all customer entrances—the website and the parking lot. Are the parking lot's users (customers) favored over the parking lot's owners (your people, especially senior leaders). If the customer's experience in the parking lot were a picture of your entire service process, what would it tell customers about what you value, how you felt about them, and your real priorities? How would customers with limited computer skills assess your website?

Customer experience should always be the epitome of calm, secure, and easily accessible. Stop thinking in terms of "store hours!" When does Amazon close? Find ways to give your customer around-the-clock access, even if it is with limited service. Could a chatbot or some form of artificial intelligence make 24/7 access work? Customers of Oconee Cleaners near Lake Oconee, Georgia know comfort starts with owner Scott Joris. If you need to get your clothes on Sunday when Scott is normally closed, regulars know a call to Scott at home will get him there quickly. You may not be able to be as agile or personalized as a small business, but you can gain valuable insight by "thinking like Scott."

This Entrepreneur Just Won $100K To Open Her First Storefront In Detroit

More details: See here

Slowing Shopify Growth Spells Challenges For BNPL Partner Affirm

Read more: See here

Per its earnings report Wednesday (May 8), Shopify saw 23% year-over-year revenue growth in the first quarter of this year, comparable to its previous earnings report and down slightly from earlier in 2023, when it saw revenue growth exceeding 30%. Looking ahead, however, the company expects this progress to slow, predicting that revenue will "grow at a high-teens percentage rate" in Q2, with its gross margin dipping slightly.

That revenue bump last year was due in part to the company increasing the price of its Standard plan in the second quarter, while increases to the price of its Plus plan are under way.

Indeed, Shopify and Affirm are linked. In the United States, the former's Shop Pay Installments payment options are exclusively powered by the later, and Shopify is coming to make up a larger and larger share of Affirm's gross merchandise value (GMV).

Additionally, a significant share of shoppers uses BNPL, per the PYMNTS Intelligence study " Tracking the Digital Payments Takeover: What BNPL Needs to Win Wider Adoption ," created in collaboration with Amazon Web Services . The study found that 28% of consumers had used deferred payments plans in the previous three months, and of those, 19% had used BNPL. Plus, the June survey of more than 3,000 U.S. consumers found that 43% of those who already use BNPL planned to use it in the next year, 15% of those who had not planned to utilize it going forward.

Next-Level Ecommerce: AI's Secret Weapon For Personalized Experiences

More details: See here

As e-commerce competition intensifies and personalized shopping experiences reign supreme, businesses of all sizes are under increasing pressure to keep customers with short attention spans and precious little loyalty devoted and engaged. Artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a pivotal ally in this quest, offering tools to craft hyper-personalized shopping journeys. Without a doubt, AI is reshaping the retail landscape by creating unique, tailored experiences that resonate deeply with individual shoppers.

At the core of AI-driven personalization are advanced algorithms and machine learning models that dynamically adapt to shopper inputs. Next-generation search platforms utilize these tools to refine product discovery processes, ensuring that each search or recommendation is precisely aligned with the shopper's interests. These platforms are capable of real-time learning, which lets them continuously improve their accuracy and relevance based on ongoing user interactions.

One notable technology in the spotlight is dynamic pricing. This approach adjusts product prices in real time based on various factors, including market demand, customer profiles, and purchasing behaviors. This strategy is particularly effective in B2B ecommerce, where pricing can vary significantly based on pre-negotiated agreements and bulk purchasing.

"AI models have advanced to the point where they are able to take in vast amounts of user behavior data to drive a 1:1 personalized experience in product discovery. Every search, browse, or recommendation query can be tailored to individuals at scale," says Arvind Natarajan, director of product at GroupBy, a cloud-native SaaS platform provider that enhances ecommerce through advanced product discovery and search technologies. "Next-generation search platforms that use this kind of AI technology can drive a better, hyper-personalized shopping experience at scale for both B2B and B2C retailers and distributors in any industry or vertical."

9 Winning Insights From ADWEEK's Sports Marketing Summit

Read more: See here

The sports marketing landscape in 2024 is laden with opportunity for those willing to adjust their game plan.

They learned how the rise in women's sports viewership and engagement is as much about the economics behind the surge as it is about the push for equity, but also how sponsors' race toward Formula 1 fortune encouraged them to walk in fans' footsteps.

From brands making inroads through NIL deals and esports to Olympic organizers and golf legends pointing out opportunities along the sports spectrum, here's a highlight reel of the Summit's best postgame takeaways.

Andy Kauffman , svp of marketing strategy and science for the National Football League (NFL), said fandom is evolving beyond family and regional ties as new fans now gravitate toward players through social media, gaming and fantasy sports—which is great for the league.

"As they interact with more and more touch points, their value goes up not just to our broadcasters to our sponsors and partners, but to the league and clubs as well," he told ADWEEK executive editor Jameson Fleming.

Manny Puentes , general manager of advertising at Genius Sports, noted that those changes will make league and club interactions with fans less transactional and more conversational—especially as third-party cookies disappear from platforms and leagues and teams pursue more complex solutions. "Having that ability to have a conversation with the fan, is where we're going in the future versus talking at the fan."

How AI And Business Analytics Foster Better Collaboration

Read more: See here

AI applications are having a very real impact on productivity and collaboration. According to MIT's Sloan School, generative AI can improve the performance of a highly skilled worker by 40% over their peers who don't use it. These improvements don't just apply to individual work, either.

When generative AI and business analytics are combined in an effective manner, it's often referred to as GenBI. As a non-tech person, I find it fascinating how technologies such as AI and and GenBI are being used to help make person-to-tech collaboration far more effective than it has been in the past. And even more interesting is how it can even help foster better person-to-person collaboration, as well.

Generative BI combines generative AI and business analytics tools to help make analytics data more useful and accessible for business users and data teams alike. It works by connecting a generative AI solution with a business's existing data sources and analytics tools.

Notably, GenBI systems don't generally rely on more public-facing generative AI solutions like ChatGPT, largely due to the challenges of uploading so much data to a LLM, and the potential data security issues involved with sharing sensitive corporate data in such a way. However, these systems do still aim to provide a ChatGPT-like experience to create a straightforward and easy approach to business analytics.

By using the natural language processing models inherent to generative AI, the people using that information can enjoy greater ease of use as they try to gain relevant insights from their data.

By helping deliver meaningful data points and reports based on the information request, users don't have to spend countless hours digging through data, coding queries or generating reports manually. Instead, they can focus on actually making use of that information for their own collaborative needs.

Alexis Bittar Ad Campaign Featuring Susan Sarandon Makes Fun Of Fashion

Read more: See here

You won't find this brooding melodrama on Netflix. The narrative spools out instead on social media as a string of darkly comic vignettes conceived and produced by the jewelry designer Alexis Bittar as part of an ongoing marketing campaign for his namesake company.

Mr. Bittar — who started his brand in the late 1990s, sold it to Brooks Brothers in 2015 and bought the business back three years ago — introduced the video campaign last fall. Ms. Sarandon, 77, is the latest and arguably biggest name to appear in the dozens of short episodes that have since been released on the Alexis Bittar Instagram and TikTok accounts. "I was drawn to what he has created with these satirical and unconventional skits," she said via text message.

With the video campaign, Mr. Bittar, 55, wanted to "create a community," he said, one he hopes would respond not just to the bangles and bags he has embedded in each episode but to the series' crazily proliferating cast of barb-spewing characters.

" I wanted people to speak their minds and say inappropriate things," Mr. Bittar said, "the way someone, even in today's woke climate, might actually speak."

He also "wanted to create a love letter to New York," he said. "Part of that love involves showing characters I've known through my years in the industry." Some, like Margeaux, "were horrible people," Mr. Bittar added, but they have influenced him just the same.

AI, But Make It Fashion; Can Travel Be More Accessible?

Source: Visit website

Miss something this week? Don't panic. CBC's Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need.

Have you been duped by AI? Maybe what you bought wasn't what you got, or a chatbot gave you wrong information. We want to hear about it. Email us at marketplace@cbc.ca

Invested with FTX? The company says you'll likely get your money back
It's been nearly two years since the cryptocurrency exchange imploded, and it owes creditors $11.2 billion.

TikTok is suing the U.S. over 'obviously unconstitutional' law that would ban it
If it loses, the company will be forced to shut down next year.

The federal government is trying to coax international grocers to set up shop in Canada
The plan is to drive prices down with competition, but industry analysts are skeptical.

Have you spotted a healthy claim on a product that was too good to be true? Maybe you've seen a product that doesn't have an ingredient or health benefit it claims it does. Send us your ⁘lousy labels⁘ the next time you shop for groceries! marketplace@cbc.ca .

Jennifer Lopez And Emme Enjoy A Day Of Parisian Shopping

Source: Found here

Sporting a chic ensemble that exuded confidence and glamour, Jennifer turned heads in a stunning total denim jumpsuit paired with striking mustard yellow boots that perfectly complemented her matching handbag. With her signature flair for fashion, Lopez effortlessly combined comfort with style, making a bold fashion statement wherever she went.

Despite the Parisian weather, Lopez ensured she stayed cozy by wrapping herself in a soft gray scarf, adding an extra touch of sophistication to her ensemble.

Lopez and Emme's outing also highlighted their special moments as a family. Despite JLo's hectic schedules and global fame, they prioritize spending quality time together, cherishing these intimate moments amidst their busy lives.

The 54-year-old star says that she's been "negotiating" with her twins about coming along. "I was like, 'You have to come for the whole month of July. You can go to camp and do whatever you want with your friends in June, then at the end of August, right before you start school, you can go back and hang out with your friends again. But you have to come with mommy for a little while,'" she said.

New Vision For Downtown Danbury Storefront

Source: Found here

"They've done their homework, and they feel there's a need here that the post office is not fulfilling," DaSilva said. "They're going to open a little bit earlier, and they are going to close a lot later, so they'll have that going for them. They figured it out. This is the spot they want."

Shopify Drops 18.5%

Source: See here

In The News:

ottumwacourier.com

CENTERVILLE — The Davis County Mustangs are back in the "Throne Room" of the South Central Conference.

OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa Community School District will honor 22 retiring staff members totaling 475 years of service in the district during a ce⁘

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed several bills from the 2024 legislative session into law, including measures to extend postpartum Me⁘

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds has officially given Iowa's community colleges the ability to develop the formula that determines state aid dis⁘

CENTERVILLE — It was a night of disastrous moments followed by moments of pure joy for the Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont girls track and field ⁘

Read more: See here

#news

Wall Street's lull stretched into a second day as US stocks drifted to a mixed close in a quiet Wednesday. Uber Technologies slumped 5.7% after reporting worse results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave a forecasted range for bookings in the current quarter whose midpoint fell below analysts' expectations, the AP reports.

On the winning side, Lyft revved 7.1% higher after topping expectations for profit and revenue. It said growth was particularly strong for early-morning, commute, and weekend-evening trips. Reddit, another winner, rose 4.1% after delivering its first quarterly report as a publicly traded company. It reported a milder loss and better revenue than expected, while also giving a stronger-than-expected forecast for revenue in the current quarter. Arista Networks climbed 6.5% for one of the biggest gains in the S⁘P 500 after topping expectations for both profit and revenue.

How Generative AI Is Redefining Data Analytics

Read more: Visit website

The generative AI party is still raging. This zeitgeist has rocked the business world daily in a million ways, and the ground is still shifting. Now, four months into 2024, we're starting to see businesses, particularly those with rarified pragmatic brands, starting to demand evidence of value, of the path to the true ROI derived from AI. As pragmatic voices for value rise, how do thoughtful business leaders respond?

Our survey found that generative AI is already impacting the achievement of organizational goals at 80% of organizations. What led the way, as the #2 and #3 use cases, were analytics—both the creation of and the synthesis of new insights for the organization. These use cases trailed only content generation in terms of embrace.

What makes analytics and generative AI such a potent combination? To explore that, let's get started by diving into what key challenges generative AI solves for, how it works, where it can be applied to maximize the value of data and analytics, and why generative AI requires governance for success.

Companies have long recognized the benefits of using data and analytics to improve revenue performance, manage costs, and mitigate risks. Yet achieving data-driven decision-making at scale often becomes a slow, painful, and ineffective exercise, due to three key challenges.

First, there aren't enough experts in data science, AI, and analytics to deliver the breadth of insights needed across all aspects of business.

Second, enterprises are often hampered by legacy and siloed systems that make it impossible to know where data lives, how to access it, and how to work with it.

Third, even as we struggle with the first two challenges, data continues to grow in complexity and volume, making it much more difficult to use. Combined with a lack of robust governance policies, enterprises are then faced with poor data quality that can't be trusted for decisions.

Generative AI presents two massive opportunities to tackle these challenges by improving the usability and efficacy of enterprise analytics tools.

12 Ways Advertisers Are Using Generative AI For Creative Campaigns

More details: Found here

One of the most popular applications of gen AI is the ability to create images, visuals, and copy that appear on ads seen by millions of consumers.

Business Insider delved into the creative agencies making big consumer-facing work that has harnessed gen AI.

From using gen AI to replace photo shoots, write copy, or help brands with their bigger business goals, here are 12 examples of AI marketing in the wild.

The campaign: To introduce its spring 2024 collection, Coach turned to Imma, a virtual influencer created by Aww Inc., which describes itself as "Japan's first virtual human company and creative studios." Imma is billed as "the most popular virtual influencer in Asia," and has hundreds of thousands of followers across platforms like Instagram, Weibo, and Douyin.

Inspired by AI and created by CGI, according to Women's Wear Daily , Imma stars alongside rapper Lil Nas X, actor Camila Mendes, rapper Youngji Lee, model and songwriter Kōki, and actor Wu Jinyan as they explore a colorful virtual world.

"For us, Imma is the perfect ambassador to tell this story because she is challenging the notion of what we consider 'real' today," said Coach Global Chief Marketing Officer and North America President Sandeep Seth in a press release.

Coca-Cola also launched a platform called "Create Real Magic" last year that encourages artists and consumers to make digital artwork using its assets. The winners of a contest had their images appear on billboards in New York's Times Square and London's Piccadilly Circus.

Baltimore's Midtown Marketplace Hits The Market For Sale

Reference: See here

Midtown Marketplace is 100% occupied by seven national and regional tenants, several in place for almost 25 years. They include Save a Lot national discount grocer, a tenant since 1998. (Photo courtesy of Neuman Commercial Group)

Employees are finding that workplace volunteer programs meet their desires for in-person connections, professi[...]

The NCAA and major college conferences are considering a possible settlement of an antitrust lawsuit that coul[...]

Google's preeminence as an internet search engine is an illegal monopoly, the Justice Department argued at the[...]

Easton-based Shore Bancshares Inc. reported a drop in net income for the first quarter of 2024 amid unexpected[...]

Listen to this article The U.S. Department of Labor last month increased the salary thresholds for t[...]

Low Fee Vanguard Joins The Competition With New Fees For Its Customers

Read more: See here

Vanguard has made its name for close to 50 years as a low-cost asset manager that revolutionized investing by cutting fees to the bone, so some of its customers may now be surprised to see new charges start adding up this summer.

"The people paying that fee are going to be retirees who have probably been lifelong Vanguard customers and aren't good with the internet," says Jeff DeMaso, editor and founder of The Independent Vanguard Adviser. "I understand there's an expense to have someone field those calls, but you're still dinging people who have been your longtime customers."

A Vanguard spokesperson said "the vast majority of mutual funds and ETFs trades placed today are done online," where transactions will remain commission-free, and added that it has invested in revamping the digital experience on its website and app in recent years. "Vanguard is committed to helping clients navigate toward secure, simpler, and more seamless digital pathways, and constantly evaluates our brokerage services and products, inclusive of the commissions and fee schedule," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Through these modernization efforts across web and mobile, client satisfaction has steadily improved year over year, now reaching all-time highs."

The new fees put Vanguard, which has long distinguished itself as the lowest cost provider across a host of financial services, right in step with its competition. The fine print on pricing for Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley's ETrade also includes $25 broker service fees, and Fidelity doesn't share specifics but says "other concessions or commissions may apply if traded with a Fidelity representative." Vanguard's $100 fee to process account closures will be steeper than ETrade's $75 and Schwab's $50 for full transfers.

Vanguard, based in Malvern, Pennsylvania and founded by the late Jack Bogle in 1975, has always branded itself as different from those peers, owned by its 50 million clients who invest in its funds and share in the profits via lower costs. Its weighted average fees of 0.08% are still the industry standard collectively—BlackRock's iShares ETFs have an average fee of 0.25%—but individual index funds managed by companies like BlackRock or Fidelity are comparable or even lower cost now. The Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX) tracking the S⁘P 500 has $512 billion in assets and a 0.015% expense ratio, compared with 0.04% fees for Vanguard's $1.1 trillion 500 Index Admiral Shares (VFIAX)—more than 2.5 times more expensive.

Toast Unveils Digital Storefront And Marketing Suite For Restaurants

More details: Found here

Savant Capital LLC Raises Holdings In Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP)

Reference: Visit website

Shopify ( NYSE:SHOP ⁘ Get Free Report ) (TSE:SHOP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The software maker reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.22 by $0.04. Shopify had a return on equity of 4.48% and a net margin of 1.87%. The business had revenue of $2.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.07 billion. On average, research analysts expect that Shopify Inc. will post 0.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SHOP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Shopify Inc. ( NYSE:SHOP ⁘ Free Report ) (TSE:SHOP).

The Amazon-ification Of Fast-fashion Giant Shein

Read more: Visit website

E-commerce giant Shein is spreading its arms to envelope more than just the fashion and apparel for which it's known—and it's starting to look like another familiar online market platform in the process.

Shein is wooing brands such as household goods conglomerate Colgate-Palmolive , toy maker Hasbro , and skincare brands to sell their products in its marketplace, Reuters reported Tuesday. The company, known for affordable and stylish clothes—albeit made with concerns about labor practices and its environmental impact—is taking steps to create a platform that is everything to everyone.

"Everybody associates Shein with fashion, but we are doing all verticals," Christina Fontana, Shein's senior director of brand operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said at a Paris conference on April 17, according to Reuters.

"Our consumers want brands, [so] if that's what they're looking for, that's what we're going to give them," she added.

Shein's outward expansion is a clear tactic to take a bigger piece of the e-commerce pie, Steve Tadelis, economic analysis and policy professor at the University of California at Berkeley, told Fortune .

Shein has the largest fast-fashion market share in the U.S, and its annual profit doubled to $2 billion in 2023 from the year before. It's eyeing an IPO and a whopping $90 billion valuation . While the size of its retail empire still pales in comparison to Amazon's stranglehold on 38% of the U.S. e-commerce market, Tadelis said Shein will want to go after the industry leader.

"It shouldn't be surprising that with all of the regulators around the world and talking about the Amazon monopoly that needs to be reined in, well, Shein is now taking a bite out of their apple and will probably take more of those bites," he said.

Shein, a China-based fast-fashion platform founded by billionaire Sky Xu in 2008, has skyrocketed to success and 45 million monthly users through its massive and efficient production and distribution strategies.

3 High-Paying Jobs That Do Not Require A Degree In 2024

Source: Visit website

AI (artificial intelligence) supercharged the marketing industry by providing marketing professionals with analytical tools, content optimization, creation, and writing tools, and a range of other helpful software that marketers are already integrating into their everyday work.

One interesting fact that Statista pointed out from their research is that TikTok, YouTube, and Google were projected to witness a significant uptake in marketing spend, as of last year. These three platforms appear to be the favorite of marketing professionals as they are realizing its vast potential, hence the allocations within their marketing budget.

Indeed it is. There are loads of career opportunities within the marketing industry, and what's more, new job titles are also being created.

But what if you have no degree...Can you still land a high-paying job within this booming industry?

The good news is that although many roles require you to have a degree within marketing or similar specialism, employers are becoming much more open these days to hiring those who have the skills, technical knowhow, and willingness to adapt and learn. Even better, if you can demonstrate that you have a portfolio (which you can gain through internships, freelancing, or volunteering) you will be more likely to land a high-paying job within marketing.

Additionally, there are plenty of helpful online courses which you can enrol on—many of them being free of charge or having free trial or freemium options. Some of these sites include Coursera, Google Career Certificates, HubSpot, and LinkedIn Learning.

Now that you know that it is possible to work in marketing without needing to undergo a four-year undergraduate course, check out these three marketing jobs below that do not require a degree:

Tillamook Introduces New Ad Campaign

More details: See here

"Our brand has grown exponentially over the past several years, evolving from a West Coast cult favorite to a household staple in shopping carts, refrigerators, and freezers across the country," said Kate Boltin , Vice President of Marketing at TCCA . "It was time for us to refresh our advertising in a big way, and that's exactly what we aim to do with this campaign - put our truly extraordinary dairy products in a national spotlight with a new campaign that is sure to delight."

The cross-category, omnichannel campaign leverages the well-known voice of actor and singer Josh Gad, known for his roles in the Disney films "Frozen" and "Beauty and the Beast," and features a series of new TV, online video and audio spots and out-of-home creative. Calling specific attention to the wide range of extraordinary dairy products, the creative uses up-close action shots and bold, vivid imagery, inviting the world to experience the delight through the brands multi-category products, used every day and in many ways.

An at once an all-inclusive guide to the meaning of hundreds of technical terms and ideas needed for ice cream manufacturing, as well as a practical introduction to the ingredients, freezing methods, flavoring, and packaging of ice cream, sherbet, sorbet, gelato, frozen yogurts, novelties and many other kinds of frozen desserts.

Shopping For Cannabis In Maine Will Look Different This Summer

Read more: Visit website

Jayson Whitmore, right, and Owen Keel chat as they work at SeaWeed Co. in Portland on Tuesday. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

But with L.D. 40, sponsored by Sen. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop, all of that will to change. The legislation passed in both chambers and will become law without Gov. Janet Mills' signature.

The 86-page legislation aims to more closely align the cannabis and alcohol industries and smooth out the shopping experience by eliminating at-the-door ID checks, allowing minors to enter with their parent or guardian, allowing samples (to be consumed off-premises) and eliminating the opaque packaging requirement.

Alex McMahan, who helped draft the legislation, said businesses have had to bar octogenarians from even entering the building because they didn't have their driver's license on hand or deny entry to a mother with a baby stroller because her baby isn't 21 years old.

At SeaWeed Co., a recreational cannabis company which has locations in Portland and South Portland, business owners opted not to check IDs from a vestibule or behind a locked door, but rather hired a security guard. It makes the process feel slightly more inviting, said Kaspar Heinrici, director of business development. But it's still not ideal and it's an additional cost.

Many people complain that adult-use cannabis is more expensive than product from the medical market, Heinrici said, but recreational businesses often have additional costs like security and testing and track-and-trace requirements that drive up costs.

This Hidden Storefront Is Teeming With Luxe Home Decor And Furniture Finds

Read more: Visit website

If you're looking to upgrade your indoor or outdoor space, consider adding these 12 steals from Better Homes ⁘ Gardens, Beautiful by Drew Barrymore, and Mainstays — starting at just $3.

Shopify Support Division Reorg Raises Employee Concerns

Read more: Found here