Customer Experience
Uber’s Newest Feature Alerts Drivers that Pets Will Be Joining the Ride
A new feature will warn Uber’s drivers when a rider is bringing a pet. “The feature, called Uber Pet, will be available beginning October 16 in Austin, Denver, Nashville, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Tampa Bay. Riders will pay for the privilege of taking their pets with them through what Uber describes as a ‘small surcharge.’ And drivers will have the option of avoiding trips with non-service animals by opting out of Uber Pet trips in the driver preferences menu in the app.”
Teen Spending Goes Down, but When They Splurge, They Love Nike and Chick-fil-A
Teens’ annual spending has reached its lowest since 2011, but they’re shopping habits still include occasional indulgences. “When teens are spending, food still takes the top share of wallet for the males at 23 percent of their spending, and clothing is tops for females at 27 percent—though apparel spending is down 3 percent over last fall. The categories swap for second among the genders. Video game spending is third for males and personal care is third for females. Outside the top three spending areas, shoes gained share among all teens, hitting peak historical spending levels.”
Made.com Targets Generation Rent with UK Furniture Rental
The online furniture retailer is exploring furniture rental options for young people who cannot afford to purchase homes. Made.com CEO Philippe Chainieux said, “People are now renting things, they don’t want to spend as much money if they are not somewhere permanent but they do aspire to own nice things, so we are working out how to respond to that demand in a sustainable way.”
B2B
Yesway Acquiring Allsup’s 300-Plus Convenience Stores
Yesway has entered “into a definitive agreement to purchase Allsup’s Convenience Stores. Clovis, NM-based Allsup has a portfolio of 304 stores in New Mexico, West Texas, and Oklahoma. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.”
Corporate Social Responsibility
From the Rooftops, Big Box Stores Are Embracing Solar
With Target leading the way, retailers are embracing solar-powered stores. “Target is so serious about being viewed as a friend of the planet that by November, the company said, it will have erected rooftop solar panels on 500 of its stores in the United States. That’s more than one-quarter of its total 1,855 stores, and Target expects to reach that goal one year earlier than projected.”