The Daily Valet. - 12/2/19, Monday
✔️ Big Spenders and a Christmas Tree Shortage
Monday, December 2nd Edition
I brought leftover pumpkin pie in my lunch today ... and I’m not ashamed.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
↦ It's Cyber Monday ...
↦ And because we know you'd rather shop than work, we've pulled together the best deals and discount codes.
↦ We sent it in its own email (there are that many) ... or you can click the link near the bottom of this newsletter.
Today’s Big Story
Black Friday Was Big ...
But today’s shopping might break every record
There's still plenty of shopping days left in the season, but this past weekend's kickoff definitely got things started. E-commerce retailers killed it this Black Friday, with digital sales up nearly 20%, reaching $7.4 billion across the 4,500 retail websites that Adobe Analytics tracks. It became the second-largest online shopping day in history, eclipsed only by Cyber Monday last year, when $7.9 billion in sales were done, reports Forbes.
Adobe Analytics measures transactions from 80 of the top 100 US online retailers. Not only was the overall spend up this year, but so was the average order value per consumer, according to CNBC. At $168, it marked a nearly 6% increase over 2018 and also set a new Black Friday record.
Not only did consumers shop more online, but they shopped on their phones. Friday was also the biggest day ever for mobile sales, as $2.9 billion came from smartphones. Many also sidestepped deliveries in record numbers, driving a 43% uptick in buy-online-pickup-in-store orders—a sign the company said of retailers “successfully bridging online and offline retail operations.” According to the Wall Street Journal, Target now sources 80% of its online orders from stores, not warehouses.
What's more, they predict that today's Cyber Monday sales will blow last year out of the water. Their estimate of a 20% increase will ring in to the tune of $9.4 billion in sales.
↦ Beware of the Bots: Didn't score the item you wanted? That may be because you're competing with "grinch bots" programmed to sweep up the best deals.
Iran Cracks Down on Demonstrations
What started as a protest over an increase in gas prices turned into widespread demonstrations
Iran is experiencing its deadliest political unrest since the Islamic Revolution 40 years ago, with at least 180 people killed—and possibly hundreds more—as angry protests have been smothered in a government crackdown of unbridled force, reports the New York Times.
It all started two weeks ago with an abrupt increase of at least 50 percent in gasoline prices. Within 72 hours, outraged demonstrators in cities large and small were calling for an end to the Islamic Republic’s government and the downfall of its leaders.
In many places, security forces responded by opening fire on unarmed protesters, largely unemployed or low-income young men. Over 7,000 have already been arrested.
According to the Times of Isreal, cheap gasoline is practically considered a birthright in Iran, home to the world’s fourth-largest crude oil reserves. Gasoline there remains among the cheapest in the world, in part to help keep costs low for its underemployed, who often drive taxis to make ends meet.
↦ Go Deeper: A five-day internet blackout hid the initial response to the protests, but personal stories from activists are now coming to light.
Public Libraries Are Scrapping Late Fines
The average fee is 17 cents a day
Well this seems like good news: An increasing number of libraries are dropping their late fees. Why? Because the penalties drive away the people who stand to benefit the most from free library resources, reports NPR.
Public libraries in Boston and Chicago have changed their policies in some way to address what they've deemed as social inequality in the public library system. The San Diego Public Library in April cleared outstanding late fees, which affected more than 130,000 people.
Some libraries also have certain days when they forgive fines. In 2017, San Francisco's public library recovered almost 700,000 items in six weeks during a forgiveness period.
↦ By the Numbers: There are 9,057 public libraries in the United States.
Why Christmas Trees Cost More This Year
Thank the Great Recession for fewer trees and higher prices
We got our live Christmas tree over the weekend and I was surprised at the prices. I figured I was just being kind of cheap, thinking about the quality bottle of bourbon I could get for the cost of this pretty, albeit completely non-alcoholic, tree.
But it turns out, Fraser firs are in short supply this year. The fir, known for its fragrance, shape, strong limbs and ability to retain its soft needles, is one of the most popular Christmas tree varieties in America. And despite millennials buying more live Christmas trees these days, there are fewer to go around.
It turns out, decreased plantings during the Great Recession of 2008/'09 is largely to blame for the shortage, as it takes approximately a decade for a Fraser fir to grow to the average height for a Christmas tree. To make matters worse, a 2012 drought killed off many saplings.
So if you have your heart set on a tall, healthy tree that hangs onto its needles this season, you may want to hustle to your local tree lot.
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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HIV Vaccine by 2021?
Leading experts are optimistic about ongoing trials
Yesterday was World AIDS Day, now in its 31st year. And the theme for the 2019 observance is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Community by Community.”
With any luck, the end could be closer than we thought. Because while HIV remains one of the deadliest viruses on the planet (770,00 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2018), scientists are getting closer to developing a vaccine.
As significant advances in treatment and medication are allowing many people with HIV/AIDS to live longer, healthier lives, a proper vaccine would be the first step to stop new infections and work towards a cure.
There has been a rapid pace of vaccine-related developments in recent years, with three late-stage vaccine trials underway in 2016, 2017 and 2019. And the world’s leading HIV experts say that these ongoing trials are the reason to be hopeful that there will be a test-worthy HIV vaccine within two years.
↦ By the Numbers: 37.9 million people worldwide were living with HIV at the end of 2018
Cyber Monday’s Best Deals
There are still some big discounts to be had … the Valet. team picked the sales and promo codes to help you wrap up the long weekend of shopping.
↦ Browse 95 Cyber Monday sales
Morning Motto
Could this mean buying yourself something with a Cyber Monday discount? Maybe ... Okay, sure.
↦ Follow: @oliviasantnerdesign
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