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Hiring difficulties remain a significant challenge for small businesses, particularly in the construction and transportation sectors, according to NFIB’s January jobs report. The report found that 35% of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in January, a figure unchanged from December. Job openings were most prevalent in transportation, construction, and manufacturing, while the agriculture and finance sectors reported the fewest vacancies. The construction sector saw a notable four-point increase in job openings from December but remained two points lower than January 2024. “Small business owners are certainly feeling hopeful about the direction of the economy,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “However, employment remains a top concern as Main Street owners continue to face challenges in finding qualified employees to fill their open positions.” A total of 52% of small business owners reported hiring or attempting to hire in January, a three-point decline from December. Among them, 47% (90% of those hiring or trying to hire) reported few or no qualified applicants for open positions. Breaking this down further: 24% reported few qualified applicants 23% reported no qualified applicants Skilled labor remains in demand, with 29% of businesses reporting openings for skilled workers (unchanged from December), while 10% had openings for unskilled labor, a three-point drop. Despite hiring challenges, 18% of business owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, a slight one-point drop from December. Labor quality remains a top operational concern, though the percentage of owners citing it as their biggest challenge fell one point to 18%. Similarly, labor costs as the single most important business problem dropped two points to 9%, remaining four points below the peak of 13% recorded in December 2021. To attract and retain workers, 33% of small business owners reported raising compensation in January, a four-point increase from December’s lowest level since March 2021. However, forward-looking plans for wage increases showed a decline, with 20% of owners planning to raise compensation in the next three months, down four points from December. Looking Ahead While hiring difficulties persist, small business owners remain cautiously optimistic about the economic outlook. The tight labor market and shortage of qualified applicants continue to pose challenges, particularly in industries that rely on skilled labor. However, compensation increases suggest that businesses are adjusting strategies to attract talent and maintain operations amid ongoing workforce shortages. This article, "Hiring Challenges Persist for Small Businesses, Construction and Transportation Hit Hardest" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Hiring difficulties remain a significant challenge for small businesses, particularly in the construction and transportation sectors, according to NFIB’s January jobs report. The report found that 35% of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in January, a figure unchanged from December. Job openings were most prevalent in transportation, construction, and manufacturing, while the agriculture and finance sectors reported the fewest vacancies. The construction sector saw a notable four-point increase in job openings from December but remained two points lower than January 2024. “Small business owners are certainly feeling hopeful about the direction of the economy,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “However, employment remains a top concern as Main Street owners continue to face challenges in finding qualified employees to fill their open positions.” A total of 52% of small business owners reported hiring or attempting to hire in January, a three-point decline from December. Among them, 47% (90% of those hiring or trying to hire) reported few or no qualified applicants for open positions. Breaking this down further: 24% reported few qualified applicants 23% reported no qualified applicants Skilled labor remains in demand, with 29% of businesses reporting openings for skilled workers (unchanged from December), while 10% had openings for unskilled labor, a three-point drop. Despite hiring challenges, 18% of business owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, a slight one-point drop from December. Labor quality remains a top operational concern, though the percentage of owners citing it as their biggest challenge fell one point to 18%. Similarly, labor costs as the single most important business problem dropped two points to 9%, remaining four points below the peak of 13% recorded in December 2021. To attract and retain workers, 33% of small business owners reported raising compensation in January, a four-point increase from December’s lowest level since March 2021. However, forward-looking plans for wage increases showed a decline, with 20% of owners planning to raise compensation in the next three months, down four points from December. Looking Ahead While hiring difficulties persist, small business owners remain cautiously optimistic about the economic outlook. The tight labor market and shortage of qualified applicants continue to pose challenges, particularly in industries that rely on skilled labor. However, compensation increases suggest that businesses are adjusting strategies to attract talent and maintain operations amid ongoing workforce shortages. This article, "Hiring Challenges Persist for Small Businesses, Construction and Transportation Hit Hardest" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

‘Fast Company’ senior editor Jeff Beer breaks down the price of what a Super Bowl campaign actually costs. Is it still worth it? View the full article

Have you ever been scrolling along, minding your own business, when an ad suddenly hijacks your page with a full-screen warning about a computer virus or account insecurity? These are invariably scams, but to the untrained eye, they could look like a genuine pop-up from a firewall. That’s why Microsoft Edge is using AI to help users spot when someone’s trying to frighten them into downloading malware or giving up sensitive information. Available now to all users via a preview, the browser’s new “Scareware blocker” is an AI-based tool for dismissing and navigating away from these troublesome interruptions. While Edge’s built-in Defender SmartScreen tool already blocks known scams, the idea is for Scareware blocker to help address new threats. The tool uses a local AI model to detect when your browser enters full screen mode, a staple of scareware pop-ups, and then examines what you’re looking at to see if it resembles a scam. It’s been trained on “thousands of sample scams that the scam-fighting community shared” with Microsoft, and supposedly doesn’t save images or send them to the cloud at any point. While users can manually hold the ESC key to exit full screen mode at any point, the model will do this for you, taking a screenshot of the site and moving you over to a page that warns you that it looks suspicious. You’ll then have the option to either close the page or continue. In addition to helping protect users susceptible to scams, Scareware blocker also sets out to reduce some of the panic of coming across one of these ads, as they’ll often also play loud noises and hide the mouse cursor. By quickly closing them out and taking you to a warning page, the feature aims to help you regain your senses. Credit: Microsoft While I have encountered these ads before, I wasn’t able to summon one up while trying to test out the feature, but it’s easy enough to enable. Simply navigate to Settings > Privacy Search and Services and scroll down a bit until you see the Scareware blocker toggle. Switch it on, and you’ll be prepared the next time a scammer tries to scare you into selling yourself out. If you don’t see the toggle, it’s possible you might need to update Edge (in Settings > About Microsoft Edge) or restart the browser. View the full article

All live poultry markets in New York City and some of its suburbs were ordered Friday to close for a week after the detection of seven cases of avian flu, which has also hit farms nationwide, led to the slaughter of millions of birds and driven up egg prices. Gov. Kathy Hochul said there is no immediate threat to public health and that the temporary closure of bird markets in the city and its Westchester County and Long Island suburbs comes out of an abundance of caution. No cases of avian flu have been detected among humans in New York, officials said. The order came after birds infected with the virus were found during routine inspections of live bird markets in the New York City boroughs of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the virus poses low risk to the general public. The agency said there have been 67 confirmed cases of bird flu in humans in the U.S., with illnesses mild and mostly detected among farmworkers who were exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows. The first bird flu death in the U.S. was reported last month in Louisiana, with health officials saying the person was older than 65, had underlying medical problems and had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. In New York, live bird markets where the virus was detected have to dispose of all poultry in a sanitary manner, according to the state’s order. Other bird markets that do not have cases will have to sell off remaining poultry within three days, clean and disinfect and then remain closed for at least five days and be inspected by state officials before reopening. Ahead of the mandatory disposal order for markets with no cases, employees at La Granja, a halal-certified poultry market in Manhattan’s Harlem neighborhood, raced to sell the remainder of its inventory: around 200 live chickens of different varieties, along with turkeys, quail, ducks, roosters, pigeons and rabbits. Any remaining animals would be slaughtered and given away to employees and longtime customers, according to Jose Fernandez, the owner. “We’re going to lose money, for now,” he said. “But the law is the law. They know what they’re doing.” The H5N1 strain of bird flu has been spreading among wild birds, poultry, cows and other animals. Officials have urged people who come into contact with sick or dead birds to wear respiratory and eye protection and gloves when handling poultry. More than 156 million birds nationwide have been affected by the outbreak, many at large farming operations that have had to slaughter their entire flocks. Despite growing attention on the avian flu, New York City’s poultry markets appeared to be doing brisk business Friday. Outside the Wallabout Poultry market in Brooklyn, a line of customers took numbers and picked their chickens, which employees snatched from crowded cages, weighing them upside down, before bringing them to a backroom to be slaughtered. “I’m not worried about any bird flu,” said Stan Tara, a 42-year-old Brooklyn resident, as he purchased a large chicken for $22.50. “It’s the same as you buy from the supermarket. A little more expensive, but at least it’s fresh.” Some animal rights groups, meanwhile, questioned the purpose of a state order that allowed the markets to continue selling fowl, rather than shutting them down immediately. “The public is going into markets where no one knows if there are outbreaks of avian flu, then taking home dead birds that may or may not be infected,” said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of NYCLASS, which has long raised alarms about conditions within the city’s roughly 70 live animal markets. “It’s ludicrous.” U.S. egg prices are likely to remain high past Easter and well into 2025, largely because of avian flu, according to CoBank, a Denver-based provider of loans and other financial services to the agriculture sector. The highly contagious virus has affected nearly 100 million egg-laying hens in the U.S. since 2022. But CoBank said other factors are also causing supply constraints and driving up prices, such as skyrocketing consumer demand for eggs in recent years. Fast-growing breakfast and brunch chains like First Watch are also eating up supplies. —Jake Offenhartz, Associated Press Associated Press writers Anthony Izaguirre and Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report. View the full article

Following a cryptocurrency scandal in December 2024, Haliey Welch (aka Hawk Tuah girl) seemed to drop off the map. Months later, she’s opening up about what really happened. The trouble started when Welch, who rose to fame after a viral street interview moment last summer, announced she would be releasing her own cryptocurrency memecoin called $HAWK late last year. The token was publicized heavily and quickly rose to a $490 million market cap when launched on December 4. It tanked just as quickly, and its value plunged $440 million in just 20 minutes. Now, more than two months later, we finally have an explanation. “How this idea got brought to me, it was supposed to be a ‘long-term coin,’” Welch explained to Richard Bengtson (better known as Banks), founder of the e-sports brand FaZe Clan, on a leaked episode of Welch’s podcast Talk Tuah. (The leaked episode was first reported by Dexerto.) Welch claimed a “friend of a friend” came up with the idea. Welch, who didn’t know much about crypto, trusted his plan—and that, she said, turned out to be her “biggest mistake.” Welch recalled this mutual friend acted “a little weird” on the token launch day. At launch, only 3% of the token supply was made available for trading, while 17% was allocated to “presale investors.” These early investors collectively raised $2.8 million for their share, but two-thirds quickly cashed out, selling off their holdings for an immediate profit. “I feel really bad for all the people that got affected by it,” Welch said through tears. “And it just didn’t go the way I planned.” At the time of the scandal, Bengtson urged Welch to fire her team, calling the token an outright “scam.” Now, he is again making that same demand—but for an entirely different reason. On February 6, 2025, Bengtson revealed on X that he had agreed to appear as a special guest on Welch’s comeback episode under strict conditions, which included “not allowing markets to be manipulated by leaking this episode’s existence before a resolution was found” and “finding a real solution regarding the money she made, where that should go, and what to do with the $HAWK project moving forward.” So in an attempt to hear Haliey Welch’s side of the Crypto scam story, I agreed to do her first podcast back. I had heavy stipulations including; 1) Not allowing markets to be manipulated by leaking this episodes existence before a resolution was found. 2) Her team finding… pic.twitter.com/X3TW5nZmtR — FaZe Banks (@Banks) February 6, 2025 But according to Bengtson, someone from Welch’s team “leaked or inside-traded the token,” causing him to call off the episode on the spot. Yesterday, however, the episode was “randomly” leaked. Though it was quickly taken down, Bengtson wrote, “The price of $HAWK is pumping and they completely fucking fumbled the bag, yet again.” After calling, again, for Welch to fire her team, he added: “Poor girl, it’s a wonder how she found herself in this position in the first place.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Apple community has been finding their lost keys since 2021 with the AirTag, but Tile has been helping both Android and Apple users locate their missing devices since 2013. Over a decade later, their latest tracker (after being acquired by Life360), the Tile Mate, is just $16.95 (originally $27.99) for a single tracker, $33.99 (originally $44.99) for a two-pack, and $55.99 (originally $79.99) for a four-pack, the lowest prices, according to price-tracking tools. If you're an Android user, this is a good opportunity to stock up. (If you're an Apple user, you can use Tiles, but you're better off waiting for the AirTags to drop to $19 to stock up, or get the 4-pack for $69.99 right now; they're much better than Tile's tracker.) Batteries: Yes, Number of Batteries: 1 Lithium Metal Battery, Material: Plastic Tile by Life360 Mate 2024 Bluetooth Tracker (1-Pack) $16.95 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $27.99 Save $11.04 Get Deal Get Deal $16.95 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $27.99 Save $11.04 Batteries: Yes, Number of Batteries: 2 Lithium Metal Battery, Material: Plastic Tile by Life360 Mate (2024) Bluetooth Tracker, Keys Finder and Item Locator for Keys, Bags and More. Phone Finder. Both iOS and Android Compatible. 2-Pack (Black/White) $33.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $44.99 Save $11.00 Get Deal Get Deal $33.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $44.99 Save $11.00 Batteries: Yes, Number of Batteries: 4 Lithium Metal Battery, Material: Plastic Tile by Life360 Mate (2024) Bluetooth Tracker, Keys Finder and Item Locator for Keys, Bags and More. Phone Finder. Both iOS and Android Compatible. 4-Pack (Black) $55.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $79.99 Save $24.00 Get Deal Get Deal $55.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $79.99 Save $24.00 SEE 0 MORE The concept of Tile trackers is the same as AirTags and their usefulness extends to your creativity. Most people use them to find purses, keys, and travel bags, but you can use them to train your dog or as a device to know if people are near a specific spot you want to keep tabs on. (Anyone else want to keep tabs on their abandoned cabin in the woods?) Once the Tile tracker is outside of Bluetooth range (up to 350 feet in direct line-of-sight conditions, but PCMag's review says it realistically gets about 30 feet), the device uses the Tile community of about 20 million people (according to Tile) to update the location of the tracker by using their phone's Bluetooth. (Apple's community is much larger, with about a billion users, according to Apple). The back of the Tile Mate has a QR code that people can scan to notify you when they find it. There is a sealed battery inside that is not replaceable that Tile says will last about three years. There is an optional premium subscription that starts at $2.99 per month for more features, if you're interested in that. View the full article

Thanks to a tight market, sky-high prices, and elevated interest rates, the path to home ownership is more littered with obstacles than ever, but buying property remains a key goal for most Americans—nearly 70% of us still consider it part of the American Dream. But as much as you might think you want it, it's important to weigh all the financial and emotional factors that go into buying a huge. While it sounds impossible, considering the size of the commitment, it's surprisingly easy to get so focused on the anxiety of never being able to find the right house that you buy the wrong house for the wrong reasons. If you don’t want to wind up with a money pit or a house that simply doesn’t serve your needs (or your budget), it’s essential to take a step back from the brink and really examine your reasons for buying a particular property. If it’s one of the five listed below, you should reconsider. The viewSome homes offer spectacular views—of nature, of a city skyline, or maybe the ocean. But buying a home for the view it offers is generally a bad idea, for several reasons: Cost. Homes that offer attractive views almost always come at a premium, meaning you’ll spend more for the same amount of house you could buy in the same area without the spectacular view. And some views come with even more additional costs, like a house with an ocean view that comes with a flood insurance premium. Impermanence. While some views are unlikely to change, you often can’t guarantee that someone won’t build something to obstruct your view in the future, or that other changes to the environment around your house won’t conspire to ruin your view. Imperfections. Amazing views can be distracting—if you focus too much on the incredible skyline, you might overlook other problems with the home or things that aren’t going to work with your lifestyle just so you have a nice view while sipping coffee in the morning. Because “it’s time”It’s easy to compare yourself to other people around your age, and if those folks are all buying houses, you might feel pressure to catch up. Or maybe you suddenly realize you’re the only person in your group of friends who’s still renting. Or just you’ve more or less arbitrarily made home ownership a box to check on your list of accomplishments. But buying a house before you’re financially and emotionally ready for it can be a disaster. Buying a house isn’t just about coming up with a down payment and calculating a monthly mortgage—there are a lot of financial factors you need to consider, including whether you’re ready to make hard choices if find yourself facing an unexpected repair bill. You’ll also need to think about your readiness to tackle the truly endless home maintenance tasks a home requires—or to pay someone else to do them for you. To save on rentIt used to be a golden rule: Paying a mortgage is cheaper than renting—or, if it’s about the same cost, at least you’re not throwing money into a hole every month, but building equity in an investment. The equity part is true enough—your mortgage buys you more and more direct ownership of your property, while rent merely buys you one more month living in that space. But thanks to elevated prices and higher interest rates, the cost part isn’t true anymore, generally speaking: While you might find a specific house in a specific area that’s cheaper to buy than the local rents (particular if it's in a larger city with a hot rental market), nationwide averages show that renting is cheaper than home ownership, and will probably stay that way for the immediate future. Plus, there are those pesky insurance and maintenance costs, as well. If you’re buying a house because you think it will save you money, forget it. You're betting on the neighborhood to improveHomes in neighborhoods with a lack of services, high crime rates, or lots of unmaintained houses are generally cheaper, and if you have reason to believe that robust improvements are coming to the area, it can be tempting to buy low and then celebrate as your property values rise and rise. The problem with this plan, of course, is that nothing is guaranteed: Whether it’s business investment, a government-sponsored redevelopment plan, or you think you see the signs of simple gentrification, any number of factors—canceled contracts, local elections, stalled construction projects, a faltering economy—can change the course of events and leave you holding the bag. Relying on a neighborhood turnaround also comes with plenty of other downsides: Time. Until your hoped-for revitalization comes to pass, you’ll be living in a crappy area and dealing with all the associated downsides, which might include higher crime, nastier neighbors, and worse schools. Taxes. If your property values go up, so do your taxes (eventually). Fewer options. If your life takes a turn you might have trouble selling that house or finding reliable renters due to its location. And if it’s cheap to buy, your equity in it will be relatively low until things pick up (if they pick up), meaning you’ll have limited resources for improvements and repairs. It’s a fixer-upperIf you’re buying a house because it’s a “fixer-upper” at a bargain price, think twice. If you have experience in home renovation and construction and you have a solid plan for renovating the place, that’s one thing. But if you’re buying a run-down place with a vague idea that you’ll fix it up over time, there are a lot of reasons to hesitate: The unknowns. You really have no idea how bad that house is, why it’s been priced so attractively, and how much it will really cost to fix up until you get in there and start opening walls and floors. Your budget? Fiction until you actually see the wiring, plumbing, foundation, and other essential aspects of the house. Living in a construction zone. Whole-house renovations can take as long as a year to complete, and that’s if you’re working nonstop and don’t encounter any soul-chilling problems once you dig into the property. If you’re going to do it piecemeal, the renovation could stretch on for years, and you’ll be dealing with dust in your cereal bowl and splinters everywhere during the entire experience. Price uncertainty. You can buy a cheap house and put quality work into it, but that doesn’t mean the market will cooperate and raise your home’s value enough for you to get the return on that investment you’re hoping for. Keep in mind that the money you spend fixing up a house is part of the total cost of ownership; if you buy a bargain for $200,000 and spend $100,000 fixing it, you really spent $300,000 on that house—not counting mortgage interest, insurance premiums, and other incidental costs. Adding it all up can transform a bargain into a non-bargain pretty fast. Only you can decide if buying a house is the right move—but if your reasons appear anywhere above, you owe it toy ourself to think again. View the full article

Amazon has agreed to pay nearly $4 million to settle charges that the e-commerce company subsidized its labor costs by taking tips its delivery drivers received from customers, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb said Friday. The settlement came four years after Amazon forked over $61.7 million to resolve a complaint the Federal Trade Commission brought over similar accusations. In 2022, the office of D.C.’s attorney general at the time followed up with a lawsuit alleging Amazon violated the District’s consumer protection laws by misleading residents about how tips paid digitally were used. According to the lawsuit, the affected drivers were part of Amazon’s Flex business, which allows people to deliver Amazon packages with their own cars. D.C.’s lawsuit said that after launching the program in 2015, the company represented to consumers that all tips added during check-out for Amazon Flex orders would go to drivers. But both the District and the FTC alleged that Amazon changed its payment model in late 2016 to lower its costs but did not disclose the switch to either customers or drivers. In particular, the FTC’s previous complaint alleged the company algorithmically reduced its own wages for drivers in different locations using data it collected about average tips in a specific area. Amazon then used the tips to make up the difference between its new base pay and the $18-$25 per hour it had promised drivers, the complaint said. The FTC said Amazon didn’t stop taking the tips until 2019, when the company found out about the agency’s investigation into the issue. Amazon has denied the allegations and did not admit to wrongdoing as part of the settlement announced Friday. “Like any successful program, Amazon Flex has evolved over time, and this lawsuit relates to a practice we changed more than five years ago,” Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly said in a statement. Under the terms of the settlement, the company will pay $2.45 million in penalties plus $1.5 million in legal fees. It must also disclose on its website and app how tips impact driver earnings. View the full article

Telehealth company Hims & Hers Health is fighting back after the drug industry’s main lobbying group called out its first Super Bowl ad as “misleading” and in potential violation of marketing rules. The ad is a one-minute spot set to Childish Gambino’s “This is America,” which admonishes the U.S.’s “broken” weight-loss business and instead offers up its “affordable, doctor-trusted” copycat weight-loss drugs. The lobbying group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, said Thursday the ad was “a clear violation” of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and “misrepresents the safety and efficacy of their knockoff GLP-1 medicines.” Hims & Hers, which includes a brief disclaimer in the ad that the compounded drugs aren’t FDA approved, said the pushback from the industry meant its ad had clearly struck a chord. “We’ve called out the system and now the system is asking that our ad get taken down,” a spokesperson says. “This is a blatant attempt to shut down an ad that calls them out.” The telehealth firm operates on the idea that consumers who can’t afford, or balk at, the hundreds or thousands of dollars required to get weight-loss medications such as Wegovy, will pay Hims & Hers for less expensive, compounded versions of those medications. The compounded versions also serve as a way to increase access to weight-loss drugs in a time of steep shortages. To be sure, compounded drugs aren’t the same as generic drugs. They’re not approved by the FDA, so compounded drugs don’t require the same rigorous testing that is required for brand-name drugmakers. They’re often criticized due to their risk for potential contamination. But companies that sell compounded medicines say they offer high-quality drugs. Hims & Hers said that its “commercial aims to highlight why the U.S. is in an obesity crisis, while showcasing that Hims & Hers is committed to being part of easing the strain the weight-loss drug shortage is placing on the millions of Americans who have obesity and are looking for help.” Hims & Hers stock jumped more than 11% on Friday following the pushback. As of Friday afternoon, shares were up nearly 8%. The company declined to comment on the bump, as it’s in a quiet period ahead of releasing its earnings report. View the full article

Bids were due last week for the portfolio of so-called jumbo mortgages from US homeowners with relatively high credit scores. View the full article

While prices and mortgage rates are having an effect on consumers, homeownership is still more affordable than renting in much of the country, new research found. View the full article

Kickoff for the Super Bowl LIX matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 9. Fox is broadcasting the game live from Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, so anyone with a cable or broadcast TV subscription (or an OTA antenna) can view the game via Fox, Fox Deportes, or Telemundo. If you don't have cable, you can still stream the game to your computer, mobile device, or smart TV—even if you're outside the U.S. Here's how. Where to stream Super Bowl LIX in the U.S.Fox-owned Tubi is streaming Super Bowl LIX for free in the U.S. and Canada. The platform supports a wide range of streaming devices and smart TVs as well as Android, iOS, and web browsers, so you can watch from (almost) anywhere, including on your laptop or mobile device. The game will also be available in 4K on Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV. You have to create a Tubi account and be logged in at game time, no credit card required. Alternatively, Fox is available to many U.S. viewers via live TV streaming services like DirectTV Stream, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV. If you're not already a subscriber, most of these platforms offer limited free trials, so you can sign up to watch the game and cancel before you are actually billed. While not free, you can also watch the game using the Fox Sports app (if you pay for Fox via cable, satellite, or live TV streaming) or through the NFL+ app (with a $7 subscription) on mobile. Where to stream Super Bowl LIX outside the U.S. The NFL has a full list of international broadcasts for Super Bowl LIX audiences located outside the U.S. An NFL Game Pass will get you full coverage via DAZN in any country except the U.S. and China. DAZN is available on most game consoles, smart TVs, and streaming sticks, as well as mobile devices, and prices vary by country. The game will also be available on ESPN in many countries and on local sports networks in select areas. For example, UK viewers can stream the game for free on ITV1 (or with a subscription to Sky Sports), and Australian fans can tune in on 7mate and 7plus. How to use a VPN to watch Super Bowl LIXIf you have a streaming subscription (or want to watch via one of the free options) but are in an area where that service is blocked, you can use a VPN to connect back to the country where broadcast rights are available. We've got a list of the best free VPNs, which let you select IP addresses in specific locations so you can stream content even when you're abroad. View the full article

LG Electronics USA is recalling half a million electric ranges that have been involved in at least 28 fires, resulting in numerous injuries and a few pet deaths. But instead of issuing a refund or replacement, the home appliance maker is sending customers warning label stickers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) posted an alert on Thursday that it received at least 86 reports of “unintentional activation of the front-mounted knobs” leading to “at least five fires,” which “caused extensive property damage totaling over $340,000” as well as burns and eight minor injuries, with three fires resulting in pet deaths. According to the announcement, customers and their pets can accidentally activate the front-mounted knobs on LG Slide-In Ranges and Freestanding Ranges, potentially causing fires. In response, LG is encouraging consumers to use the ranges’ “Lock Out” or “Control Lock” features, which “[lock] the cooktop . . . from being turned on even when the knob is turned, reducing the risk of accidental activation,” according to a statement from the company. “I’d like to clarify that this is not the usual kind of CPSC ‘recall,’ because the affected products have a proven safety feature built in,” John Taylor, senior vice president of LG Electronics USA Inc., told Fast Company in a statement. Consumers can find detailed instructions for using the Lock Out/Control Lock features at LGcares.com. Where were the ranges sold? According to the CPSC, the ranges were sold from 2015 to January 2025, for between $1,400 and $2,650, at the following stores: Best Buy Costco The Home Depot Lowe’s In addition, the recall notes the ranges were sold at other appliance stores nationwide and online at LG.com. The model and serial numbers of the affected products are listed here. LG told Fast Company on Friday that for 10 of the 11 models listed, only those units manufactured through 2023, as indicated by serial number, are affected. All units of model LDE4413 are affected. (The serial numbers can be found inside the oven door or storage drawer located on the bottom of the oven.) What should I do if I think my range was recalled? Consumers should contact LG through the company’s website for a free warning label and placement instructions, and use the Lock Out/Control Lock function on the range control panel to disable heating elements when the range is not in use. Here’s LG’s instructional video on how to use the Lock Out/Control Lock features. Consumers should also keep children and pets away from the knobs and check the range knobs to ensure they are off before leaving the house or going to bed, and should not leave objects on the range when it’s not in use. View the full article

As convenient as the internet is, when big tech companies chase endless growth, that can mean bloat. Nowadays, it feels like every company wants to lure me into an algorithm trap, convince me to use their AI services, or try to make me pay a premium to browse like I used to. One of my favorite tools for fighting back against these trends is Tapestry. It's a timeline app for iPhone and iPad that lets you combine multiple feeds from blogs, YouTube, podcasts, and social media, then view them in chronological order, with a beautiful interface. Essentially, you can use it to make your own curated version of (nearly) the entire internet. Tapestry is designed by The Iconfactory, which also developed the excellent (but now-defunct) Twitter client Twitteriffic. What is a timeline app?Timeline apps are a new genre of app that lets you take back control from big tech's algorithms and decide what you want to see and when you want to see it. These apps allow you to create your own personalized timelines with posts from multiple websites. You could use these apps to follow a blog you like, a YouTuber you enjoy, and even a subreddit or social media feed that you like seeing. It's like using an RSS reader, but with support for content from many more types of sources. Making the most of Tapestry on your iPhoneInstalling Tapestry will start you off with a very useful sign-up flow. This shows you a list of various recommended feeds you can add to your timeline with just one tap, which allows you to populate the app in record time. If you're big on customization, you can also skip the recommendations and manually add your feeds to the app by going to the Settings tab and tapping the Add Feed button. After that, you can just paste the URL of the website, YouTube channel, podcast, or Mastodon/Bluesky account you want to follow, and Tapestry will look for the feed and add it to your timeline. There's a bit more than that going on in the back end, but Tapestry's Feed Finder feature is pretty good at locating and loading feeds for you from a simple URL. Once your feeds are added, you'll be able to view them all in a neat, chronological timeline. The app's free tier is quite generous. It allows you to add multiple feeds and follow them all on one infinite scrolling timeline. If you like a post, tap the flag icon below the post to mark it (aka bookmark it) or use the share button to send it to your friends or social media accounts. Without a subscription, Tapestry will show you ads in your timeline. However, these are some of the least intrusive ads I've come across. They follow the design language of the app, and most of the ads I saw were either asking me to add a feed to Tapestry or to install another app. The app is beautifully designed and reminds me a lot about the best of Twitteriffic. A unified timeline can easily get very messy, very fast, but Tapestry handles this well by color-coding posts from various sources and prominently displaying a logo for each feed. It picked up the logos of two newsletters I loaded, too, which is a very nice touch. You can customize this experience by going to the Appearance settings page within the app, where you can change the font and the length of post previews. This lets you make your timeline look neater, and you can make it even better by tapping the three-lines icon in the bottom-left corner of the timeline. That lets you choose different sizes for each post— I find the collapsed view is best for quickly browsing, but the expanded view is better for skimming through newsletters. Credit: Pranay Parab Each post in your timeline is truncated by default, and even the expanded view only shows a few paragraphs at most. However, you can tap the Read More button on any post to read it in full in a new page. This view is free of ads and clutter, loads quickly, and the background retains the color scheme Tapestry assigned to it on your timeline. Tapestry also has two types of filters to help you clean up your feeds—muffles and mutes. Muffles will collapse posts containing specific keywords and are useful when you want to avoid spoilers from a new movie or TV show. Mutes will hide posts containing certain keywords entirely—great for blocking politics, sports, or other subjects from your feed, as an example. The biggest limitation of Tapestry's free tier is that it lets you add just the one timeline. You do have access to certain timeline filters that let you view marked posts, only posts from today, or posts from a single feed at a time. However, if you want to create more than one timeline, you're going to have to upgrade to the paid tier, which costs $2/month or $20/year. There's also a one-time lifetime unlock option at $80, in case you want to avoid subscriptions. Once upgraded, you'll no longer see ads and you can create as many timelines as you like. I've used this to separate social media feeds, newsletters, and other types of feeds, but the good news is that you can craft a timeline to suit your needs. Some people would prefer to combine posts from Bluesky and Mastodon into one chronological feed, and Tapestry allows you to do that, too. One of my biggest complaints about Bluesky is that it doesn't save your reading position, which means that it refreshes to the top of the feed whenever I open the app. I like it when apps remember where I stopped reading and then allow me to scroll to catch up on all the posts that came after the last one I read. Tapestry shows you a nice counter in the top-right corner, which says how many posts are above what you're reading, and it remembers where I paused scrolling. This is great for timeline completionists like me, and I've been using Tapestry to read my Bluesky feed in chronological order, and to follow a few accounts from Bluesky. Credit: Pranay Parab Note that you can't use Tapestry to post anything to social media, to like posts, repost, or interact with them directly. You can tap a button to open the post in the site it's hosted on, and interact with it there. Still, Tapestry is great for creating a timeline and reading, watching videos, or listening to podcasts. This app lets you listen to entire podcast episodes without leaving it if you like, and it also loads YouTube videos in the company's own player. It's a fairly seamless experience if you want to follow a few of your favorite creators. You're going to enjoy Tapestry the most if you're careful about the feeds you add. If you add a high-volume news feed, it could drown out low-frequency feeds, but if you find the right balance, it could become your own cozy corner of the web. The Iconfactory has delivered a very polished app considering it's just version 1.0 at this point. I'm excited to see where Tapestry goes and I hope that it heads to desktop at some point, too. At the moment, there aren't too many timeline apps that do the job that Tapestry does. The best alternative I've come across is Reeder, which is another beautifully designed timeline app with a similar feature set and pricing model. Ideally, you'll try both apps and decide which one works best for you, and I suspect the decision will come down to which design language you like more. Tapestry's bright and colorful design appeals to me, while others may prefer Reeder's subtler tones and animations. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Chances are good that if you've ever owned an e-reader, it was one of the many varieties of the Amazon Kindle. But though the Kindle is the most ubiquitous e-reader, that doesn't mean it's the best—nor does it mean that other companies haven't bettered Amazon at the game it more or less invented. One of the most interesting competitors in the space is Onyx International, a Chinese company that has been producing innovative e-readers for more than a decade under the brand name Boox, often including new features (like color e-ink displays) years before Amazon brought them to the Kindle. Though Boox makes my own favorite e-book device (that would be the phone-shaped Boox Palma, which I'll recommend every time I get the chance), they've expanded well beyond the e-reader market, launching multiple lines of e-ink notebooks. You can think of these devices as a cross between a Kindle and an iPad—they've typically got those familiar greyscale screens, but can run apps and work with a stylus, like a full-fledged tablet. I recently reviewed the Boox Note Air 4C, the latest model of the company's color e-ink digital notebook, and came away very impressed: While the price might be a deterrent for some, it's a fabulous option for anyone looking for a device with a writeable, paper-like screen and enough features and processing power to serve as as a truly versatile productivity tool. For the past two weeks, I've been testing out Boox's newest release in the space, and I think I like it even better than the Note Air 4C, for one simple reason: As the name implies, the Boox Note Max is freaking huge, in a good way. BOOX Note Mac 13.3" E-Ink Notebook $649.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $649.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg BOOX Note Max Keyboard Cover $169.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $169.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg BOOX Note Max Magnetic Cover $50.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $50.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg SEE 0 MORE A truly massive deviceI know they make big iPads, but the biggest tablet I'd used prior to the Note Max had a 10-inch screen. This 13.3-inch device feels much larger. It's like that math equation that proves you should always order the bigger pizza, because it turns out there is quite a big difference between a 16-inch pizza and an 18-inch pizza. The Note Max is roughly the size of my laptop screen, but holding it, it feels a lot bigger—but it's also super thin, which makes it feel truly high-end (as befitting the price tag, I suppose). The included stylus, with a 4096-level pressure sensitivity, is also on par with the Apple Pencil in terms of the writing experience and the solidness of the build. Credit: Joel Cunningham For most of the stuff you'll want to do with this device, you'll truly appreciate the extra real estate. Whether you're marking up a PDF, paging through a recipe book, reading manga, or using split screen to read a book and take notes at the same time, it's wonderful for everything to be so big (and I say that as someone who prefers to read on an e-read the size of an iPhone). The 13.3" Note Max (left) is significantly larger than the 10.3" Note Air 4C, not to mention the iPhone-sized Boox Palma. Credit: Joel Cunningham The screen is an HD E Ink Carta 1300 screen with a resolution of 3,200 x 2,400 pixels (300ppi) that delivers impressive clarity—text looks especially sharp even blown up, and images are crisp enough that you'll have no problem reading the tiny dialogue bubbles in your comic. The Carta 1300 is supposed to look brighter and whiter than older e-ink displays, but to be honest, if you asked me what color the screen is, I'd still say gray. And that brings me to the one big love-it-or-hate-it caveat with this device. There's no front light, for a reasonSince at least the release of the first Nook Glowlight, a front lit e-ink screen has been a standard feature for most every e-reader—certainly any pricier model. So why, then, does the Boox Note Max lack a front light? It has to do with Boox's intended use case for this device. This is a digital notebook aimed at a user with specific and relatively sophisticated needs: reading and editing documents, organizing their calendar, and, most importantly, taking written notes. It turns out that putting a front light on an e-ink tablet involves putting an additional layer between the display and the outer glass. That also means that when you use the stylus, the tip of your pen is that much farther from the surface you actually appear to be writing on. It doesn't affect performance that much, but the effect is certainly a little less smooth—or so I've ascertained from comparing the Note Max to the Note Air 4C I mentioned earlier. Taking notes or doodling on the latter delivers a good approximation of putting pen to paper, but the Note Max really perfects it. Eliminating that little bit of extra distance adds that much more verisimilitude to the experience, which in turn makes the device very satisfying to write on—kind of fun, even, though I assume the novelty will wear off. Apparently the lack of a front light also improves overall clarity, which is a good thing, because you'll need it if you are trying to use the Note Max in anything but direct light. I'm old enough to already need to crank the brightness on my laptop just to read it comfortably, and I had a little trouble with smaller print on the note max unless I was sitting in a fairly bright room. Is the tradeoff worth it? I think if you plan to take a lot of handwritten notes on it, yes—the improved writing experience and larger screen will serve you well. But if you really want that front light, the significantly smaller but still very capable Note Air 4C is probably a better choice. A dream digital note-taking deviceIf a device has been optimized to best serve as a digital notebook, then it had better perform well enough at those tasks—note-taking, marking up PDFs, linking files, working on- and offline—to justify the loss of a useful feature like a front light. And it's here that the Note Max truly excels. It has basically the same functionality as the Note Air 4C, but with a larger screen. Using the Notes app is effortless, and there are a lot of options to customize, from the type of virtual writing instrument you're using to the thickness of the lines. You can zoom into a PDF and move it around with little lag time. The split screen mode allows you to run any two apps side-by-side, so you can, for example, read an online article while taking notes on it at the same time. Credit: Joel Cunningham Though I haven't used the the Kindle Scribe, Amazon's flagship e-notebook, I have read many user reviews filled with complaints about the difficultly in getting files on and off the device. The Note Max solves for that by integrating with most of the major cloud services, like Google Drive and Dropbox. Importing and exporting PDFs, notes, and anything else you are working on is a matter of a few taps (and, OK, mastering the not always intuitive file structure). Credit: Joel Cunningham In short, if you are looking for a digital notebook that can handle any planning, research, and organizational tasks you can throw at it, this one is it. Be prepared for a learning curveConsidering the native Boox apps were likely developed in Chinese and localized for the English-language version, I'm all the more impressed at how straightforward they are to use (this definitely hasn't been the case with every app-in-translation I've used). That isn't to say it's simple, however. The fact is that the Note Max can do so much, that figuring out how to make it work best for you is going to take a lot of poking around, experimentation, and trial and error. Multiple times throughout my testing, I'd have to google how to accomplish a particular task, from opening a PDF in splitscreen mode to linking a website directly from a particular word in my notes or a PDF. On the plus side, I never encountered a need the Note Max wasn't capable of handling—the native notes apps are truly feature-packed, and built with power users in mind—but it took some work to figure them all out. If you're used to Apple hand-holding you through using one of its apps, you might get frustrated, but I think the robust tool set and customization options are worth the tradeoff. A lot more than just a digital notebookWhile the digital notebook capabilities are definitely the reason to pick up the Note Max, that's not to suggest it doesn't excel as an e-reader, for many of the same reasons I praised both the Palma and the Note Air 4C. Like those devices, the Note Max runs on a fairly basic version of Android 13 that allows you to access the Google Play Store out of the box. This means you can install basically any apps you want, and the format agnosticism is great if you've amassed a collection of e-books from different sources over the years—Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and more. A great device for reading books, manga, and black and white comicsThe massive screen is nice to read on if you're sitting comfortably, though I do think the device is heavy enough to make it impractical for reading in bed or while commuting. Still, the size is particularly nice if you want to read anything with a lot of graphical elements, like comics or manga. Credit: Joel Cunningham Granted, black-and-white-only display means it takes some fiddling with the settings to make color images more legible, and certainly something is going to be lost in the translation. But reading manga or other black and white comics is a real joy, thanks to the size and crisp resolution. Use any apps you like (with mixed results)The app store access doesn't limit you to just e-reading apps, and you can definitely use the Note Max to access your Gmail, use Google Docs, play games, and even watch videos. Like Boox's other signature devices, the Note Max includes multiple screen modes, from "Normal" to "Regal" to "A2" that control how quickly the e-ink display will refresh. More than that, you can set how often the screen will perform a full refresh on a per-app basis, which is a good option considering not all tasks will put the same demands on the hardware. Credit: Joel Cunningham High resolution modes will offer super crisp text and images, but you're likely to see a lot of ghosting (afterimages are visible after you change what's onscreen), making them best for relatively static tasks like reading a print e-book. The faster modes allow for faster scrolling and far less ghosting, which is a must when trying to scroll through a website or watch a video, but there's a tradeoff: You'll lose a lot of detail. In short, this means that while the Note Max can technically do anything you'd ask of your iPad short of making FaceTime calls, those experiences won't necessarily be all that satisfying. It's great for reading Reddit, but you probably don't want to use it to watch Netflix. A note about reliabilityTo be clear, I've experienced no hardware issues in my time testing this device. It has continued to perform as you would expect a new device to perform. That said, Boox devices aren't exactly known to receive much in the way of customer support, and if you have a problem with yours—say, you drop it and the screen breaks, or you experience an unexplained screen failure like those I've read about on Reddit—it's likely you'll be footing the bill for a repair. Unhappy customers have reported having little luck getting what they believed were faulty devices repaired under warranty, and mailing it in involves shipping to China. That said, if you purchase the device from Amazon, instead of directly from the company, you'll be covered under Amazon's typically generous return and exchange policies. The optional keyboard case is nice-looking but not quite there yetIf you buy the Boox Note Max direct from Onyx, it comes with a relatively basic magnetic cover (which you can also pick up separately from Amazon, if you're not comfortable ordering from a China-based company with questionable customer service reviews), but you can also pay another $170 for a case with a built-in keyboard. I got one of them to test out alongside the Note Max, and I would say that, like the tablet itself, it's not for everyone. One thing the keyboard case has going for it is build quality: With a faux-leather look, a weight that feels substantial if not heavy, a large trackpad, and a keyboard that feels roughly as comfortable to use as the one on my MacBook Air, it definitely has premium trappings. Just look at it: Credit: Joel Cunningham Unfortunately, it's not nearly as nice to actually use—but I think that's mostly down to the peculiarities of e-ink. You can open up the Notes app or an email window and start typing away, but the lag time between your input and the character appearing onscreen is...not short. It's very noticeable, and if you're an awkward touch-typer like me, it will mean a lot more typos. The trackpad also gave me some trouble; again, the culprit was lag time. You feel less like you're moving the cursor and more like you're dragging it along. This makes it surprisingly hard to do things like select from a drop-down menu or click a button. It's very pretty though, and I've read anecdotal reports suggesting it has continued to improve through subsequent rounds of software updates. The bottom lineAfter spending more than a week testing out the Boox Note Max, I feel like I'm only just starting to realize its potential. Its premium build quality and massive size in comparison to other digital notebooks make it a joy to read (and write!) on, but the complex array of features and settings are far from intuitive, and it will take some effort to fully grasp, let alone make work for you. That's not really a negative—all those options mean you can basically configure it how you like—but it does suggest to me that this is a device for power users. That is to say: If your needs include a lot of text editing and digital note-taking, you're going to love it. If they don't, it's probably more device than you really need. BOOX Note Max E-Ink Notebook $649.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $649.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Onyx Boox Note Max specsDisplay: 13.3" E Ink Carta Plus (Carta1300), 300 ppi CPU: 2.8Ghz Qualcomm Octacore processor RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5 (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 Lighting: None Operating system: Android 13 Battery/charging: 3,700 mAh via USB-C Size: 287.5 x 243 x 4.6 mm SD card support: None Weight: 615g View the full article

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If you scroll through your old photos from the mid-2010s—the golden era of Snapchat—chances are a fair number of those pictures feature a dog filter or a flower crown. Now, nearly a decade later, one TikToker has now been struck by a unique dilemma. “Your daughter wants to see her baby pictures, but she was born in 2016,” user @themkidzmama3 posted in a video that has since gone viral. As the Adele’s 2015 hit “Hello” plays, a slideshow of her daughter’s baby photos flashes across the screen. Each photo uses a different filter, from the dog ears to a Sia wig. It’s undeniable: Her daughter is a product of the Snapchat filter era. There was a time when baby photos were professionally staged and displayed proudly in parents’ homes. But with smartphones and social media parents now have the ability to snap hundreds of photos a day (not all of them keepsake-worthy). The TikTok video gained over 26.5 million views, with other parents’ relating to Snapchat filters of that era. “There’s gonna be money in defiltering apps in the future,” one user wrote in the comments. “Kids nowadays won’t get photo albums, they’ll get an icloud folder,” another added. Following the virality of @themkidzmama3’s video, another mom jumped on the trend, showing off her daughter’s baby photos from the same era. “I have nothing to say for myself apart from I’m sorry my princess. A true victim of the Snapchat era,” she wrote in the caption of the video. Her slideshow includes a face-swap photo featuring mom-and-daughter and a picture with the ever-present flower crown. “The flower crown was a universal baby photo for 2016-2017,” one person wrote in the comments. Another confessed: “The amount of photos I have of my baby as a chicken nugget.” View the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Like any surface, a wood floor can get stained and dirty, but you have to be really careful with how you clean it. You shouldn't use harsh chemicals, whether your floor is sealed or unsealed, because you don't want to damage the wood itself, but that leaves you with fewer options. I tried two—well, three, but we'll get to that—simple techniques that didn't require any intense chemicals today and they both worked well. Remove stains from wood floors with vinegarFirst, I assessed the stains I was dealing with, which I noticed while cleaning under my couch earlier in the week. They appeared to be leftover from a project I did a while back involving glue, newspaper, and paint, so I had a big selection of stain types to test my methods on. In general, whether you're working on sealed or unsealed floors, you want to dab, not drench, your stain, so liquid doesn't seep into any cracks and cause damage underneath, which I kept in mind while I got to work with my first test: vinegar. If you're not sure whether your floor is sealed or unsealed, place a few drops of water on the surface. If they stay beaded up on top, it's likely sealed, but if they absorb quickly, it likely isn't. I am a renter in my home and wasn't here when this floor was put down, which means I don't know anything about it for sure, so checking that was important. If your floor is unsealed, try these steps with soap and water before moving on to vinegar if you have to, but since mine is sealed, I went straight to the cupboard staple. I mixed equal parts vinegar and warm water, then dabbed it up and down on the stains, pausing every few seconds to give the stain I was working on a good scrub with my rag. The dilution here is important, as pure vinegar can be too acidic and can break down sealant if it's too strong. It definitely took some time (and smelled bad, of course) but slowly, darker stains started to lift up. Once I'd removed them most of the way, I went in with a melamine sponge and they basically disappeared—and with them went the fear I'd need to make an emergency Target run to get something stronger. Remove harder stains with baking soda paste The problem on the left. Baking soda paste and vinegar on the right. Credit: Lindsey Ellefson A few stains seemed more deeply set-in, but I knew I didn't want to leave them drenched in vinegar and risk the integrity of the floor. For those, I made a paste by filling a small bowl halfway with water, then adding and stirring in baking soda until it was thick. I'm a fan of the abrasive quality of baking soda when used to clean, but also its lack of acidity. I left the paste on the stains for about 20 minutes, wiped it off, and proceeded with my melamine sponge. These, too, came right up. You shouldn't use this technique to clean the whole floor. It's just not necessary. The best uses for baking soda paste on wood floors are these: When a stain is really set in there and regular cleaning doesn't budge it When the stain is oily or greasy Bonus: Glue and squished sticky stuff get the hair dryerThose two methods worked really well and thankfully didn't require harsh chemicals or cause any damage to my floors, but at the end of my experiment, I was still left with some splotches. They were raised, not technically "stains," but they deserve inclusion here nonetheless. I'd been afraid that those were made up of glue, but now I was sure. I tried prying them up with a knife and got nowhere; they were stuck. I read up on what to do and found that most pros suggested I trek to the hardware store for professional adhesive remover. For under $15, you can definitely do that, but before I spent hard-earned money on a solution I needed to use just once, I had the idea to try something else for free. Two weeks ago, I wrote about how easily you can remove stickers from household goods by blasting them with a hair dryer. It couldn't hurt to give that a shot on the floor, right? I directed the heat at all four glue spots, one at a time, for about 45 seconds. Each one peeled up like magic, despite being very firmly attached just a minute prior. Beyond not having to spend $15 on a product that would then clutter up my cleaning shelf for years to come, I didn't have to apply anything harsh to the floor. For messes that are gelled, stuck, or otherwise squished onto your wood floor, try the hair dryer first. Overall wood floor stain-removing tipsWhichever method you try, do a spot test first in an inconspicuous place, like under a big piece of furniture. As mentioned, dab, don't drench, and avoid using anything really acidic or harsh, like acetone (which I was close to doing for the glue before reconsidering what a nightmare that could be for my sealant). If baking soda paste isn't quite abrasive enough, don't reach for anything too stiff to scrape at stains. Instead, opt for a semi-sturdy sponge or an old toothbrush. The goal here should be spot-treating only, too. Don't distribute your vinegar or baking soda paste any farther than you have to. Just keep it on the stain and dab up and down. When I finished up and had all my stains removed, I definitely had some crusty baking soda left over, as well as some suds from using the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy, so the job didn't end there. I wiped the whole area down with some Fabuloso, the same as I would for normal cleaning, and then let it air dry. Unless you have great luck with the vinegar from the get-go, this isn't a quick process from spot testing to finishing, so make sure you allot enough time. View the full article

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There was a time when few people in the coastal Pakistani city of Gwadar understood what climate change was. After a decade of extreme weather, many more do. Rain battered Gwadar for almost 30 consecutive hours last February. Torrents washed out roads, bridges, and lines of communication, briefly cutting the peninsula town off from the rest of Pakistan. Homes look like bombs have struck them and drivers swerve to avoid craters where asphalt used to be. Gwadar is in Balochistan, an arid, mountainous, and vast province in Pakistan’s southwest that has searing summers and harsh winters. The city, with about 90,000 people, is built on sand dunes and bordered by the Arabian Sea on three sides, at a low elevation that makes it vulnerable to climate change in a country that has already seen its share of catastrophe from it. “It’s no less than an island nation situation,” warned Gwadar-based hydrologist Pazeer Ahmed. “Many low-lying areas in the town will be partially or completely submerged if the sea level continues to rise.” The sea, once a blessing for Gwadar’s fishing and domestic tourism sectors, has become an existential threat to lives and livelihoods. Warming oceans mean bigger and more powerful waves, and those waves get whipped higher by summer monsoon winds. Warmer air holds more moisture—about 7% more per degree Celsius (4% per degree Fahrenheit)—and that means more big rain events. “Waves have become more violent due to the rising sea temperatures and eroded beaches,” said Abdul Rahim, deputy environment director at Gwadar Development Authority. “The tidal actions and patterns have changed. Hundreds of homes have been washed away. It is very alarming.” Melting glaciers contribute to rising sea levels, another cause of coastal erosion. The sea level at Karachi rose almost 8 inches (almost 20 centimeters) between 1916 and 2016, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It’s projected to rise another half-inch (about 1.3 centimeters) by 2040. In areas near Gwadar, like Pishukan and Ganz, waves have swallowed up mosques, schools, and settlements. There are gashes in the cliffs at the popular picnic spot of Sunset Park, and rocks have cascaded onto the shore. Beaches run flat for dozens of kilometers because no structures remain on it. Authorities have built seawalls from stone or concrete to hold back saltwater intrusion. But they’re a small solution to a massive problem as Gwadar’s people and businesses are fighting climate change on different fronts. Saltwater pools on government land, salt crystals glistening in the sunshine. In the Shado Band neighbourhood, former local councillor Qadir Baksh fretted about water seeping up through the ground and into his courtyard every day, held at bay only by regular pumping. Dozens of houses have the same problem, he said. Officials, including Ahmed and Rahim, said changes in land use and unauthorized building are worsening flooding. Locals said some major construction projects have destroyed traditional drainage pathways. Gwadar is the centerpiece of a massive Chinese-led initiative to create an overland route between its western Xinjiang region and the Arabian Sea through Gwadar. Hundreds of millions of dollars have poured into the town to create a deep seaport, an international airport, expressways and other infrastructure. The more sensitive projects, especially the port, are tightly secured by the Pakistani military, out of sight and off-limits to the public. But there is no proper sewage or drainage system for residents despite a decade of foreign investment, and Gwadar’s porosity, high water table, rising sea levels, and heavier rainfall are rocket fuel for the town’s vulnerability. There’s nowhere for the water to go. “In the past when it rained, the water disappeared up to 10 days later,” said Baksh. “But the rain that came last year hasn’t gone. The water rises from the ground with such speed it will reach the four walls of my home if we don’t run the generator every day to extract it. Officials say it’s because of climate change but, whatever it is, we’re suffering.” Gwadar’s fishing community is also hurting. Catches are smaller, native fish are disappearing, and migration patterns and fishing seasons have changed, said Ahmed and Rahim. There is also algae bloom and the invasion of unwanted marine species like pufferfish. Illegal fishing and foreign trawlers are responsible for a few of these things, but it’s mostly rising sea temperatures. People have migrated from places like Dasht and Kulanch because of water scarcity. What agriculture there was in Gwadar’s surrounding areas is vanishing due to loss of farmland and livestock deaths, according to locals. It’s part of a wider pattern in which Pakistan’s farmers are seeing declining crop yields and increasing crop diseases due to climate extremes, particularly floods, droughts and heat waves, according to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “There are heat waves and dust storms in Gwadar,” said Ahmed. “But the main impact of climate change here is that there is too much water and not enough of it. If nothing is done to address this problem, we will have no option but to retreat.” The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Riazat Butt, Associated Press Mary Katherine Wildeman, Associated Press data journalist, contributed to this report. View the full article

It’s peak season for fevers and runny noses, and when it comes to the flu, the illness has been rampant this year. In some areas, the flu has been so widespread, schools have even closed to help communities get well. This week, local news outlets have reported school closures in at least 10 states due to higher than normal flu numbers. Alabama, Kentucky, Indiana, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Texas, Ohio, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee, have all kept kids home in order to disinfect, and allow teachers and students time to get well. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent data, 27 states and Washington, D.C., are experiencing “very high” flu activity levels, while 14 states are seeing “high” flu activity levels. Hospitalizations have been soaring, too. Just last week, there were an estimated 38,255 hospitalizations from the flu. Over the entire flu season, there have been 20 million cases reported, as well as 11,000 flu-related deaths. Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said, per NPR, the flu is peaking for the second time this season. “Influenza activity first peaked around the turn of the new year—late December, early January. Activity then declined for several weeks in a row, which is usually a sign that the season is on its way out,” Rivers says. “But then it really took an unusual turn and started to rise again. So activity is now at a second peak—just as high as it was at the turn of the new year. It’s unusual.” Still, even in rough flu seasons, school closures due to the flu are rare. However this year, it has felt unavoidable in certain locations, like Northeast Ohio, where a number of schools closed over a staggering number of flu cases. St. Hilary School in Fairlawn, Ohio, addressed its high flu numbers in a post on Facebook, announcing its closure this week, writing, “St. Hilary School will be closed Tuesday, February 4, with over 20% of students and 15% of staff out due to illness,” administrators wrote. “Unfortunately, we are experiencing many of the same illnesses currently prevalent in the general community. We will be disinfecting the building and expect to reopen Wednesday, February 5, but please watch for updates.” While the flu is raging, other illnesses have felt more mild this year. COVID transmissions have been at their lowest yet this season. According to the CDC, only about 4 per 100,000 have been hospitalized during its seasonal peak. Last year, it was twice that at 8 per 100,000. Compared to the winter of 2021-2022, when there were 35 per 100,000, it feels like COVID is taking a backseat to the flu, at least for now. View the full article

If you’re searching for unique, profitable, and trending items to sell online, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we will share 30 of the best products to sell. Whether you’re interested in starting an eCommerce store or just want to know what’s hot right now, you’re sure to find something useful here. So without further ado, let’s get started! The Retail E-commerce Market Technology has made online shopping so easy and during COVID-19 online sales exploded. There are currently somewhere between 12 and 24 million e-commerce stores around the world with 58.4% of users buying online weekly. According to Statista, the e-commerce industry is anticipated to reach around $8.1 trillion in sales, increasing from $5.7 trillion in previous times. Insider Intelligence is predicting that global retail e-commerce sales will reach about $6.169 trillion, which would make up approximately 22.3% of total retail sales. READ MORE: How to Source Products to Sell Online Our Methodology for Choosing the Best Products to Sell Online Choosing the best products to sell online is a dynamic process largely influenced by market trends, consumer behavior, and economic factors. When we evaluate products for online sales potential, we consider several key factors to ensure that what we recommend to our entrepreneurial readers will not only pique interest but also sell successfully. Here are the factors we considered, rated on a one-to-ten scale of importance, with ten being reserved for the most essential factors: Market Demand (Importance Scale: 10/10) Products with high demand or trending in the market. Consider seasonal trends and ongoing consumer interests. Profit Margins (Importance Scale: 9/10) Products with a good balance between cost and potential selling price. Consider wholesale prices, shipping costs, and competitive pricing. Shipping Logistics (Importance Scale: 9/10) Products that are easy and cost-effective to ship. Avoid overly bulky, fragile, or perishable items if possible. Competition Analysis (Importance Scale: 8/10) Level of competition in the market for the product. Look for niche markets or products with less saturation. Supplier Reliability and Quality (Importance Scale: 10/10) Dependable suppliers with consistent product quality. Consider the ease of restocking and lead times. Scalability (Importance Scale: 7/10) Products that offer potential for business growth. Ability to expand product range or scale operations easily. Customer Interest and Engagement (Importance Scale: 8/10) Products that resonate with your target audience. Use social media and market research to gauge interest. Regulatory and Legal Considerations (Importance Scale: 9/10) Ensure products comply with legal and regulatory standards, especially for health, safety, and import/export restrictions. Product Longevity (Importance Scale: 7/10) Products with a longer shelf life or timeless appeal. Avoid overly trendy items that may quickly lose market relevance. Eco-friendliness and Sustainability (Importance Scale: 6/10) Growing consumer preference for sustainable and eco-friendly products. Consider the environmental impact and ethical sourcing. Popular Products to Sell Online Looking to find trending products online that you can sell to your target audience? Check out this list of products that are doing well in various online stores. Video Games Video games are always popular, but they’ve seen a particular surge in market demand recently. With people spending more time at home, they’re looking for ways to stay entertained, and video games are a great option. If you have a passion for gaming, this could be a great niche for you. Video Game Accessories In addition to games themselves, people are also buying a lot of video game accessories. This includes things like controllers, headsets, and other peripherals. Smartphone Accessories Smartphones are another popular category, and there’s a huge market for accessories. And shipping logistics tend to be fairly straightforward. This includes things like cases, screen protectors, chargers, and more. Pet Products People are passionate about their pets and constantly seek ways to pamper them. This high-demand market encompasses a variety of products, including food, toys, clothing, and more. If you are a pet lover, this could be an excellent niche for you to explore. Fashion Accessories Fashion is always changing, and people are always looking for new ways to express themselves. This includes things like jewelry, hats, belts, and more. If you have an eye for style, this could be a great niche for you to get involved in. Fitness Products With so many people looking to get in shape, there’s a huge market for fitness products. This includes things like workout gear, resistance bands, supplements, and more. If you’re passionate about fitness, this could be a great niche for you to get involved in. Maternity Wear As the population continues to grow, so does the market for maternity wear. This includes things like clothes, shoes, and more. If you’re looking for a niche that has a lot of potential, this is it. Subscription Boxes Subscription boxes are a popular way to get people to try new products. This can be used for various niches from food to makeup to clothes. The subscription model leads to ongoing revenue and can contribute to higher profit margins. If you have a good eye for what people want, this could be a great niche for you to get involved in. Digital Products Digital products are becoming more and more popular as people look for ways to save space. This includes things like e-books, online courses, and more. The more you sell, the higher your profit margins, and there’s no shipping and logistics to consider. If you have expertise in a particular subject, this could be a great way to make some money. Skincare Products Skincare is a billion-dollar industry that continues to grow. It encompasses a variety of items, including face masks, serums, and more. If you have a passion for skincare, this niche could be an excellent opportunity for you to explore. READ MORE: Do You Need a Business License to Sell Online? More Great Products For an Online Business to Sell If you’re looking to offer commoditized and niche products, then some of the ones below might be a good fit for you. You can use Google Trends data to verify the popularity of the product categories before deciding. Shapewear Shapewear is a popular niche product category of clothing that helps people to look their best. This includes things like body shapers, Spanx, and more. LEGOs LEGOs have a consistently high market demand with both children and adults. This can be a great niche for those who are looking to target a specific audience. Custom Jewelry Custom jewelry is a popular way to express oneself. This can be a great niche for those who are creative and have an eye for detail. Etsy would be a great place to sell almost anything custom-made. Power Tool Accessories Power tools are a popular way to get things done around the house. This can be a great niche for anyone interested in power tools. Baby Clothes Baby clothes are always in demand as the population continues to grow. If you love babies, this could be a great niche for you. Tumblers Tumblers are a popular way to drink beverages, and they can be used for both hot and cold drinks. What’s great about Tumblers is that they can be customized with logos or personal messages, making them great gift items. Model Train Sets Model train sets are a popular hobby for both children and adults. This can be a great niche for those who are passionate about trains. Smartwatches Smartwatches are a popular way to stay connected. This can be a great niche for those who are interested in technology. Beauty Products Beauty products are always in demand as people strive to look their best. There are also sustainable and eco-friendly options for those looking to invest in clean products. If you’re passionate about makeup and beauty, this could be a great niche for you. Men’s Grooming Products Men’s grooming products are a popular way for men to look their best. You can sell items like shaving cream, razors, and more. Home Office Supplies With the rise of remote work, home office supplies such as ergonomic chairs, desks, and productivity tools have become increasingly popular. This niche caters to the growing number of people working from home who seek to optimize their workspace. Sustainable Fashion Sustainable fashion items made from eco-friendly materials and processes are gaining traction. This includes clothing, shoes, and accessories that appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. DIY Craft Kits DIY craft kits for activities like knitting, pottery, or jewelry making are trending. These kits are perfect for people looking for creative hobbies and cater to a wide range of interests. Plant-Based Foods The demand for plant-based food products is soaring, driven by health and environmental concerns. Items like meat substitutes, dairy-free products, and vegan snacks offer significant market potential. Educational Toys for Children Educational toys that promote learning and development in children are always in demand. This includes puzzles, science kits, and language learning toys, catering to parents focused on educational enrichment. Drone Accessories As drones become more popular for both recreational and professional use, the market for drone accessories like batteries, carrying cases, and camera attachments is expanding. Home Security Gadgets Home security products, such as smart doorbells, security cameras, and alarm systems, are gaining popularity due to increasing safety concerns among homeowners. Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Eco-friendly and sustainable cleaning products are gaining popularity as consumers become increasingly aware of environmental issues. This category includes products such as biodegradable cleaners, reusable wipes, and natural soaps. Health and Wellness Apps Digital products like health and wellness apps, offering meditation, fitness tracking, or diet planning are in high demand. These cater to the growing interest in personal health and well-being. Virtual Reality (VR) Gear Virtual reality gear, including headsets, controllers, and games, is a growing market with the rise in VR entertainment and educational experiences. READ MORE: Best Dropshipping Products to Sell Online Top Tips for Selling Products Online Are you looking to open your own online store? Then, you should consider the following five tips for selling products online to ensure you turn your potential customers into paying ones. Shipping costs. Shipping is often one of the biggest deterrents to shopping online, so make sure you offer free or flat-rate shipping. Delivery time. Be realistic about how long it will take to get the product to the customer. If you can’t ship quickly, make sure you let the customer know in advance. Product descriptions. Write clear and concise product descriptions that tell the customer everything they need to know. High-quality images. Use high-quality images that accurately represent the product. Low-quality images will turn customers away. Customer service. Offer excellent customer service to build trust and keep customers coming back. Tips for Selling Products OnlineDescription Shipping CostsShipping costs are a crucial factor for online shoppers. Offering free or flat-rate shipping can reduce shopping cart abandonment and make your store more attractive. Delivery TimeBeing transparent about delivery time is essential. Realistically estimate how long it will take to deliver the product, and communicate this information to customers. Product DescriptionsWell-crafted product descriptions are vital for informing customers about the product's features and benefits. Clear and concise descriptions enhance the buying experience. High-Quality ImagesVisuals play a significant role in online shopping. Use high-quality images that accurately represent the product to attract customers and showcase your products effectively. Customer ServiceExceptional customer service is essential for building trust and loyalty. Providing excellent support to customers can lead to repeat business and positive reviews. READ MORE: 100 Best Things to Make and Sell From Home What Is the Best Product to Sell Online? When considering the best products to sell online, it’s crucial to focus on items that align with your target audience’s interests and preferences. The following categories have proven to be consistently popular and in demand, making them excellent choices for your e-commerce business: Clothes and Fashion Accessories: Fashion is an ever-evolving industry, and people are always on the lookout for new styles and trends. Selling clothing, jewelry, hats, belts, and other fashion accessories can cater to shoppers’ desire for self-expression. Electronics: In the digital age, electronics remain a top-selling category. From smartphones and tablets to smartwatches and gadgets, electronic devices continue to captivate consumers. Home Goods: Home decor, kitchenware, and practical household items are sought after by homeowners and renters alike. Providing functional and aesthetically pleasing home goods can attract a wide range of customers. Beauty Products: The beauty industry has experienced significant growth, making skincare, makeup, and beauty tools essential in consumers’ lives. By providing a diverse range of beauty products, you can take advantage of this lucrative market. Health and Fitness Products: As more people prioritize their health and well-being, the demand for fitness equipment, supplements, and wellness items continues to grow. Targeting health-conscious consumers can be an effective strategy. Toys: While toys are always popular, their demand tends to spike during the holiday season. Selling a diverse range of toys can be a lucrative choice for your online store. By selecting products from these thriving categories and staying attuned to consumer preferences, you can position your online business for success this year and beyond. Remember to conduct market research and analyze trends to identify the best product opportunities that align with your business goals. What Are the Most Profitable Products to Sell in an Online Store? The most profitable products to sell in an online store are those that have high demand. This could be anything from clothing and accessories to electronics and home goods. By choosing a popular product category, a trending product, a target market, and having a solid marketing strategy, you can ensure that your store will be successful in attracting customers and generating sales. Frequently Asked Questions What is the current state of the retail e-commerce market? Technology has made online shopping incredibly easy, and recent events have led to a significant surge in online sales. There are currently between 12 and 24 million e-commerce stores worldwide, with 58.4% of users making online purchases weekly. The e-commerce industry is projected to reach approximately $8.1 trillion in sales in the near future, up from $5.7 trillion in the past. Insider Intelligence predicts that global retail e-commerce sales will reach about $6.169 trillion, comprising approximately 22.3% of total retail sales. Additionally, for those looking to start their online business, it’s crucial to identify the best products to sell online. What are the popular products to sell online? Some of the popular products to sell online include video games, video game accessories, smartphone accessories, pet products, fashion accessories, fitness products, maternity wear, subscription boxes, digital products (e-books, online courses), skincare products, shapewear, LEGOs, custom jewelry, power tool accessories, baby clothes, tumblers, model train sets, smartwatches, beauty products, and men’s grooming products. How can I find the right products to sell online? To find trending products that resonate with your target audience, consider using Google Trends data to verify the popularity of product categories before making a decision. Additionally, focus on products with high demand, choose a profitable niche, and have a solid marketing strategy in place. What are the top tips for selling products online? Here are five top tips for selling products online: Offer free or flat-rate shipping to reduce shopping cart abandonment. Set realistic delivery time expectations and communicate them clearly to customers. Write clear and concise product descriptions to inform potential buyers effectively. Use high-quality images that accurately represent the products to attract customers. Provide excellent customer service to build trust and encourage repeat business. What are the most profitable products to sell in an online store? The most profitable products to sell in an online store are those with high demand. This includes popular product categories such as clothing, accessories, electronics, home goods, beauty products, and health and fitness products. Toys can also be a profitable niche, particularly during the holiday season. By selecting trending products and targeting the right market, you can ensure the success of your online store. Final Word The world of e-commerce is thriving, presenting lucrative opportunities for entrepreneurs and online retailers. With the retail e-commerce market projected to reach unprecedented heights, it’s an ideal time to explore the most trending and profitable products for online selling. The product categories mentioned in this article reflect the current consumer preferences and market trends. From video games and electronic accessories to pet products, fashion accessories, and digital goods, there is a diverse range of options to cater to various target audiences. The key to a successful online store lies not only in the products you choose but also in your approach to selling them. Here are some overarching takeaways to guide your e-commerce venture: Stay Informed: Continuously monitor market trends and consumer behavior to adapt to evolving preferences. Customer-Centric Approach: Prioritize customer satisfaction by offering transparent shipping, clear product descriptions, high-quality images, and exceptional customer service. Niche Selection: Consider selecting a niche that aligns with your interests and expertise to enhance your ability to identify profitable products. Marketing Strategy: Develop a robust marketing strategy to promote your products effectively, reach your target audience, and drive sales. Data-Driven Decisions: Leverage tools like Google Trends and analytics to make informed decisions about product selection and marketing efforts. Adaptability: Stay prepared to adjust your strategy and seek out new product opportunities in response to market changes and customer insights. Competitive Pricing: Price your products competitively while ensuring profitability and value for customers. Remember that success in the world of e-commerce requires dedication, innovation, and a commitment to meeting customer needs. By embracing the insights provided in this article and remaining agile in your approach, you can position your online business for prosperity this year and beyond. As technology increasingly influences consumer shopping habits, capitalize on the opportunities presented by e-commerce and trending products to create a successful online retail business. Whether you’re starting a new e-commerce store or looking to diversify your product offerings, the possibilities are boundless in the dynamic world of online retail. Stay informed, stay customer-centric, and embark on your journey to e-commerce success. Image: Envato Elements This article, "The Best Products to Sell Online" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re searching for unique, profitable, and trending items to sell online, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we will share 30 of the best products to sell. Whether you’re interested in starting an eCommerce store or just want to know what’s hot right now, you’re sure to find something useful here. So without further ado, let’s get started! The Retail E-commerce Market Technology has made online shopping so easy and during COVID-19 online sales exploded. There are currently somewhere between 12 and 24 million e-commerce stores around the world with 58.4% of users buying online weekly. According to Statista, the e-commerce industry is anticipated to reach around $8.1 trillion in sales, increasing from $5.7 trillion in previous times. Insider Intelligence is predicting that global retail e-commerce sales will reach about $6.169 trillion, which would make up approximately 22.3% of total retail sales. READ MORE: How to Source Products to Sell Online Our Methodology for Choosing the Best Products to Sell Online Choosing the best products to sell online is a dynamic process largely influenced by market trends, consumer behavior, and economic factors. When we evaluate products for online sales potential, we consider several key factors to ensure that what we recommend to our entrepreneurial readers will not only pique interest but also sell successfully. Here are the factors we considered, rated on a one-to-ten scale of importance, with ten being reserved for the most essential factors: Market Demand (Importance Scale: 10/10) Products with high demand or trending in the market. Consider seasonal trends and ongoing consumer interests. Profit Margins (Importance Scale: 9/10) Products with a good balance between cost and potential selling price. Consider wholesale prices, shipping costs, and competitive pricing. Shipping Logistics (Importance Scale: 9/10) Products that are easy and cost-effective to ship. Avoid overly bulky, fragile, or perishable items if possible. Competition Analysis (Importance Scale: 8/10) Level of competition in the market for the product. Look for niche markets or products with less saturation. Supplier Reliability and Quality (Importance Scale: 10/10) Dependable suppliers with consistent product quality. Consider the ease of restocking and lead times. Scalability (Importance Scale: 7/10) Products that offer potential for business growth. Ability to expand product range or scale operations easily. Customer Interest and Engagement (Importance Scale: 8/10) Products that resonate with your target audience. Use social media and market research to gauge interest. Regulatory and Legal Considerations (Importance Scale: 9/10) Ensure products comply with legal and regulatory standards, especially for health, safety, and import/export restrictions. Product Longevity (Importance Scale: 7/10) Products with a longer shelf life or timeless appeal. Avoid overly trendy items that may quickly lose market relevance. Eco-friendliness and Sustainability (Importance Scale: 6/10) Growing consumer preference for sustainable and eco-friendly products. Consider the environmental impact and ethical sourcing. Popular Products to Sell Online Looking to find trending products online that you can sell to your target audience? Check out this list of products that are doing well in various online stores. Video Games Video games are always popular, but they’ve seen a particular surge in market demand recently. With people spending more time at home, they’re looking for ways to stay entertained, and video games are a great option. If you have a passion for gaming, this could be a great niche for you. Video Game Accessories In addition to games themselves, people are also buying a lot of video game accessories. This includes things like controllers, headsets, and other peripherals. Smartphone Accessories Smartphones are another popular category, and there’s a huge market for accessories. And shipping logistics tend to be fairly straightforward. This includes things like cases, screen protectors, chargers, and more. Pet Products People are passionate about their pets and constantly seek ways to pamper them. This high-demand market encompasses a variety of products, including food, toys, clothing, and more. If you are a pet lover, this could be an excellent niche for you to explore. Fashion Accessories Fashion is always changing, and people are always looking for new ways to express themselves. This includes things like jewelry, hats, belts, and more. If you have an eye for style, this could be a great niche for you to get involved in. Fitness Products With so many people looking to get in shape, there’s a huge market for fitness products. This includes things like workout gear, resistance bands, supplements, and more. If you’re passionate about fitness, this could be a great niche for you to get involved in. Maternity Wear As the population continues to grow, so does the market for maternity wear. This includes things like clothes, shoes, and more. If you’re looking for a niche that has a lot of potential, this is it. Subscription Boxes Subscription boxes are a popular way to get people to try new products. This can be used for various niches from food to makeup to clothes. The subscription model leads to ongoing revenue and can contribute to higher profit margins. If you have a good eye for what people want, this could be a great niche for you to get involved in. Digital Products Digital products are becoming more and more popular as people look for ways to save space. This includes things like e-books, online courses, and more. The more you sell, the higher your profit margins, and there’s no shipping and logistics to consider. If you have expertise in a particular subject, this could be a great way to make some money. Skincare Products Skincare is a billion-dollar industry that continues to grow. It encompasses a variety of items, including face masks, serums, and more. If you have a passion for skincare, this niche could be an excellent opportunity for you to explore. READ MORE: Do You Need a Business License to Sell Online? More Great Products For an Online Business to Sell If you’re looking to offer commoditized and niche products, then some of the ones below might be a good fit for you. You can use Google Trends data to verify the popularity of the product categories before deciding. Shapewear Shapewear is a popular niche product category of clothing that helps people to look their best. This includes things like body shapers, Spanx, and more. LEGOs LEGOs have a consistently high market demand with both children and adults. This can be a great niche for those who are looking to target a specific audience. Custom Jewelry Custom jewelry is a popular way to express oneself. This can be a great niche for those who are creative and have an eye for detail. Etsy would be a great place to sell almost anything custom-made. Power Tool Accessories Power tools are a popular way to get things done around the house. This can be a great niche for anyone interested in power tools. Baby Clothes Baby clothes are always in demand as the population continues to grow. If you love babies, this could be a great niche for you. Tumblers Tumblers are a popular way to drink beverages, and they can be used for both hot and cold drinks. What’s great about Tumblers is that they can be customized with logos or personal messages, making them great gift items. Model Train Sets Model train sets are a popular hobby for both children and adults. This can be a great niche for those who are passionate about trains. Smartwatches Smartwatches are a popular way to stay connected. This can be a great niche for those who are interested in technology. Beauty Products Beauty products are always in demand as people strive to look their best. There are also sustainable and eco-friendly options for those looking to invest in clean products. If you’re passionate about makeup and beauty, this could be a great niche for you. Men’s Grooming Products Men’s grooming products are a popular way for men to look their best. You can sell items like shaving cream, razors, and more. Home Office Supplies With the rise of remote work, home office supplies such as ergonomic chairs, desks, and productivity tools have become increasingly popular. This niche caters to the growing number of people working from home who seek to optimize their workspace. Sustainable Fashion Sustainable fashion items made from eco-friendly materials and processes are gaining traction. This includes clothing, shoes, and accessories that appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. DIY Craft Kits DIY craft kits for activities like knitting, pottery, or jewelry making are trending. These kits are perfect for people looking for creative hobbies and cater to a wide range of interests. Plant-Based Foods The demand for plant-based food products is soaring, driven by health and environmental concerns. Items like meat substitutes, dairy-free products, and vegan snacks offer significant market potential. Educational Toys for Children Educational toys that promote learning and development in children are always in demand. This includes puzzles, science kits, and language learning toys, catering to parents focused on educational enrichment. Drone Accessories As drones become more popular for both recreational and professional use, the market for drone accessories like batteries, carrying cases, and camera attachments is expanding. Home Security Gadgets Home security products, such as smart doorbells, security cameras, and alarm systems, are gaining popularity due to increasing safety concerns among homeowners. Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Eco-friendly and sustainable cleaning products are gaining popularity as consumers become increasingly aware of environmental issues. This category includes products such as biodegradable cleaners, reusable wipes, and natural soaps. Health and Wellness Apps Digital products like health and wellness apps, offering meditation, fitness tracking, or diet planning are in high demand. These cater to the growing interest in personal health and well-being. Virtual Reality (VR) Gear Virtual reality gear, including headsets, controllers, and games, is a growing market with the rise in VR entertainment and educational experiences. READ MORE: Best Dropshipping Products to Sell Online Top Tips for Selling Products Online Are you looking to open your own online store? Then, you should consider the following five tips for selling products online to ensure you turn your potential customers into paying ones. Shipping costs. Shipping is often one of the biggest deterrents to shopping online, so make sure you offer free or flat-rate shipping. Delivery time. Be realistic about how long it will take to get the product to the customer. If you can’t ship quickly, make sure you let the customer know in advance. Product descriptions. Write clear and concise product descriptions that tell the customer everything they need to know. High-quality images. Use high-quality images that accurately represent the product. Low-quality images will turn customers away. Customer service. Offer excellent customer service to build trust and keep customers coming back. Tips for Selling Products OnlineDescription Shipping CostsShipping costs are a crucial factor for online shoppers. Offering free or flat-rate shipping can reduce shopping cart abandonment and make your store more attractive. Delivery TimeBeing transparent about delivery time is essential. Realistically estimate how long it will take to deliver the product, and communicate this information to customers. Product DescriptionsWell-crafted product descriptions are vital for informing customers about the product's features and benefits. Clear and concise descriptions enhance the buying experience. High-Quality ImagesVisuals play a significant role in online shopping. Use high-quality images that accurately represent the product to attract customers and showcase your products effectively. Customer ServiceExceptional customer service is essential for building trust and loyalty. Providing excellent support to customers can lead to repeat business and positive reviews. READ MORE: 100 Best Things to Make and Sell From Home What Is the Best Product to Sell Online? When considering the best products to sell online, it’s crucial to focus on items that align with your target audience’s interests and preferences. The following categories have proven to be consistently popular and in demand, making them excellent choices for your e-commerce business: Clothes and Fashion Accessories: Fashion is an ever-evolving industry, and people are always on the lookout for new styles and trends. Selling clothing, jewelry, hats, belts, and other fashion accessories can cater to shoppers’ desire for self-expression. Electronics: In the digital age, electronics remain a top-selling category. From smartphones and tablets to smartwatches and gadgets, electronic devices continue to captivate consumers. Home Goods: Home decor, kitchenware, and practical household items are sought after by homeowners and renters alike. Providing functional and aesthetically pleasing home goods can attract a wide range of customers. Beauty Products: The beauty industry has experienced significant growth, making skincare, makeup, and beauty tools essential in consumers’ lives. By providing a diverse range of beauty products, you can take advantage of this lucrative market. Health and Fitness Products: As more people prioritize their health and well-being, the demand for fitness equipment, supplements, and wellness items continues to grow. Targeting health-conscious consumers can be an effective strategy. Toys: While toys are always popular, their demand tends to spike during the holiday season. Selling a diverse range of toys can be a lucrative choice for your online store. By selecting products from these thriving categories and staying attuned to consumer preferences, you can position your online business for success this year and beyond. Remember to conduct market research and analyze trends to identify the best product opportunities that align with your business goals. What Are the Most Profitable Products to Sell in an Online Store? The most profitable products to sell in an online store are those that have high demand. This could be anything from clothing and accessories to electronics and home goods. By choosing a popular product category, a trending product, a target market, and having a solid marketing strategy, you can ensure that your store will be successful in attracting customers and generating sales. Frequently Asked Questions What is the current state of the retail e-commerce market? Technology has made online shopping incredibly easy, and recent events have led to a significant surge in online sales. There are currently between 12 and 24 million e-commerce stores worldwide, with 58.4% of users making online purchases weekly. The e-commerce industry is projected to reach approximately $8.1 trillion in sales in the near future, up from $5.7 trillion in the past. Insider Intelligence predicts that global retail e-commerce sales will reach about $6.169 trillion, comprising approximately 22.3% of total retail sales. Additionally, for those looking to start their online business, it’s crucial to identify the best products to sell online. What are the popular products to sell online? Some of the popular products to sell online include video games, video game accessories, smartphone accessories, pet products, fashion accessories, fitness products, maternity wear, subscription boxes, digital products (e-books, online courses), skincare products, shapewear, LEGOs, custom jewelry, power tool accessories, baby clothes, tumblers, model train sets, smartwatches, beauty products, and men’s grooming products. How can I find the right products to sell online? To find trending products that resonate with your target audience, consider using Google Trends data to verify the popularity of product categories before making a decision. Additionally, focus on products with high demand, choose a profitable niche, and have a solid marketing strategy in place. What are the top tips for selling products online? Here are five top tips for selling products online: Offer free or flat-rate shipping to reduce shopping cart abandonment. Set realistic delivery time expectations and communicate them clearly to customers. Write clear and concise product descriptions to inform potential buyers effectively. Use high-quality images that accurately represent the products to attract customers. Provide excellent customer service to build trust and encourage repeat business. What are the most profitable products to sell in an online store? The most profitable products to sell in an online store are those with high demand. This includes popular product categories such as clothing, accessories, electronics, home goods, beauty products, and health and fitness products. Toys can also be a profitable niche, particularly during the holiday season. By selecting trending products and targeting the right market, you can ensure the success of your online store. Final Word The world of e-commerce is thriving, presenting lucrative opportunities for entrepreneurs and online retailers. With the retail e-commerce market projected to reach unprecedented heights, it’s an ideal time to explore the most trending and profitable products for online selling. The product categories mentioned in this article reflect the current consumer preferences and market trends. From video games and electronic accessories to pet products, fashion accessories, and digital goods, there is a diverse range of options to cater to various target audiences. The key to a successful online store lies not only in the products you choose but also in your approach to selling them. Here are some overarching takeaways to guide your e-commerce venture: Stay Informed: Continuously monitor market trends and consumer behavior to adapt to evolving preferences. Customer-Centric Approach: Prioritize customer satisfaction by offering transparent shipping, clear product descriptions, high-quality images, and exceptional customer service. Niche Selection: Consider selecting a niche that aligns with your interests and expertise to enhance your ability to identify profitable products. Marketing Strategy: Develop a robust marketing strategy to promote your products effectively, reach your target audience, and drive sales. Data-Driven Decisions: Leverage tools like Google Trends and analytics to make informed decisions about product selection and marketing efforts. Adaptability: Stay prepared to adjust your strategy and seek out new product opportunities in response to market changes and customer insights. Competitive Pricing: Price your products competitively while ensuring profitability and value for customers. Remember that success in the world of e-commerce requires dedication, innovation, and a commitment to meeting customer needs. By embracing the insights provided in this article and remaining agile in your approach, you can position your online business for prosperity this year and beyond. As technology increasingly influences consumer shopping habits, capitalize on the opportunities presented by e-commerce and trending products to create a successful online retail business. Whether you’re starting a new e-commerce store or looking to diversify your product offerings, the possibilities are boundless in the dynamic world of online retail. Stay informed, stay customer-centric, and embark on your journey to e-commerce success. Image: Envato Elements This article, "The Best Products to Sell Online" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article