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Want more housing market stories from Lance Lamberts ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. On a nationally aggregated basis, U.S. single-family home prices, as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index, are up 2.8% year-over-year, while U.S. condo prices have risen 0.4% over the same period. In much of the Midwest, Northeast, and Southern California, regional home prices have seen even stronger gains. However, some areasparticularly around the Gulfare experiencing greater softness, with a few even undergoing home price corrections. Look no further than Florida. Among the 26 major Florida condo markets that ResiClub tracks, condo prices are falling on a year-over-year basis in 24 metro area markets. In other words, condo prices are falling in 92% of Floridas markets. The biggest year-over-year condo price declines are in these Florida markets: Punta Gorda, FL: -11.4% North Port, FL: -8.9% The Villages, FL: -8.4% Panama City, FL: -8.4% Cape Coral, FL: -8.2% Tampa, FL: -7.9% Sebastian, FL: -7.7% Port St. Lucie, FL: -7.3% Naples, FL: -7.2% Deltona, FL: -6.6% Condo prices are also down in Floridas three largest metros: Miami (-3.4%); Tampa (-7.9%), and Orlando (-4.7%). !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r
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E-Commerce
Americans are likely to pay more for products from popular Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu as the U.S. Postal Service said it would stop accepting parcels from China and Hong Kong.The move was announced Tuesday, coming after the U.S. imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and ended a customs exception that allowed small value parcels to enter the U.S. without paying tax. Canada and Mexico managed to negotiate a month-long reprieve from 25% tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.It will likely impact online shopping destinations like Shein and Temu, popular with younger shoppers in the U.S. for cheap clothing and other products, usually shipped directly from China.Cheap, direct postal service helps these companies keep costs low, as did the “de minimis” exemption that previously allowed shipments to go tax-free if their value is under $800.The temporary suspension by USPS is likely to delay shipments and could mean higher prices in the long term. What exactly did the USPS announce? The U.S. Postal Service said in a notice that it would temporarily stop accepting inbound parcels from the China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice.Letters and flats mail that measures up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) long or 3/4 inches (1.9 centimeters) thick are not affected. Why did it happen? The USPS did not state a reason in a brief announcement, but the suspension came after Trump closed the “de minimis” customs exemption this week that allowed shoppers and importers to avoid duties on packages worth below $800.The exemption was removed as part of an executive order to levy a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.U.S. Customs and Border Protection previously stated that it processes an average of over four million “de minimis” imports each week. What is the impact and who is most affected? Consumers and companies alike will no longer be able to send parcels to the U.S. from Hong Kong or China.This move is likely to impact Chinese e-commerce firms like Shein and Temu, although Shein is likely to be more affected, according to Jacob Cooke, CEO of e-commerce marketing agency WPIC Marketing + Technologies. Both companies have significant market share in the U.S. “Compared to Temu, Shein relies more heavily on USPS for direct-to-consumer shipping from China, and without this channel, it will have to rely more on private carriers,” said Cooke.“That will increase logistics costs, which along with the recent scrapping of the de minimis exemption for most products from China, could erode its price advantage.”Cooke said Temu operates on a semi-consignment model and often ships bulk orders to the U.S. before fulfilling orders domestically.“Temu’s model of sourcing low-cost goods should also enable the platform to absorb higher logistics costs and remain price competitive,” he said.Shein and Temu did not immediately comment.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China would take “necessary measures” to protect its companies, and urged the U.S. to “stop politicizing economic and trade issues and using them as a tool, and to stop unreasonably suppressing Chinese companies.” What are possible ways for companies to work around the issue? It is unclear how long the USPS suspension will last, but the effort to crack down on the de minimis excemption seems like a longer-term shift in policy, Cooke said.“Shein and Temu will simply need to rely more on private carriers as a workaround to the USPS suspension,” he said.In the long term, Shein could accelerate its warehouse expansion in the U.S., while Temu can double down on its semi-consignment model. By shipping in bulk to the U.S. and fulfilling orders domestically, logistics cost can be reduced, Cooke said.“Shipping in bulk to the U.S. and fulfilling domestically can reduce logistics costs, but for Shein, this poses a longer-term disruption to their business model which has depended on rapidly developing new SKUs and shipping them directly to consumers,” Cooke said. Zen Soo, AP Business Writer
Category:
E-Commerce
Recruitment is a big part of what HR teams do, but its no secret that it can be both challenging and expensive. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), replacing an employee can cost a company anywhere from six to nine months of their salary. For highly trained positions, research shows that number can climb to as much as 213% of their salary! No matter your companys size or industry, thats a serious expense. The good news? A brand-savvy HR team can help bring these costs down. By addressing the key concerns of potential employees and attracting top-tier candidates who are a great fit, they can save valuable time and money in the recruitment and onboarding process. One of the biggest obstacles for job seekers, according to LinkedIns employer branding research, is not knowing what its like to work at a company before applying. Candidates are three times more likely to trust what current employees say about an organization over the company itself. Plus, 75% of job seekers evaluate an employers brand before deciding to apply, with over half checking out the companys website and social media to learn more. By tapping into these insights and building a strong employer brand, HR teams can turn recruitment from a costly challenge into a more streamlined and effective process. How brand-savvy HR professionals can lower the cost of talent acquisition Unlike traditional HR roles focused on administrative tasks, brand-savvy HR professionals combine HR expertise with branding skills like marketing, storytelling, and people engagement. They use this blend to drive better ROI on HR investments and make a real impact on their companys bottom line. These HR teams know when to handle branding efforts internally and when to collaborate with their branding teamsa synergy I like to call Bhranding (Branding + HR). One of the most effective ways brand-savvy HR teams cut recruitment costs is by applying the same engagement strategies marketers usenot to attract customers, but to create a workplace culture where employees feel excited and invested in their work. This kind of engaged culture becomes the foundation of a strong employer brand, naturally drawing top talent in the industry to the organization. And the benefits are undeniable. The same LinkedIn research shows that a solid employer brand can reduce turnover by 28%, cut hiring costs by 50%, and attract 50% more qualified candidates. Even better, it can halve the time it takes to fill positions, saving countless hours of work. All of these improvements add up, translating into significant time and cost savingspotentially millions for larger companies. How savvy HR teams attract top talent Brand-savvy HR professionals dont just stop at creating an engaged workplace culture that attracts top talentthey go a step further. Proactive HR teams use strategies that were once the domain of professional marketers to actively target potential candidates. This means building impactful career websites, creating engaging social media content, and even managing entire social media channels to showcase their company culture and work environment. These efforts directly address a common challenge for job seekers: not knowing what its really like to work at a company. Take Spotify, for example. A quick search for Life at Spotify pulls up their dedicated career website, Instagram page, X (formerly Twitter) account, YouTube channel, and the hashtag #LifeAtSpotifyall designed to give potential candidates an inside look at what working there is like. Understanding that candidates trust employees descriptions of a company more than the companys own messaging, many organizations also encourage employees to share their experiences in their own words. Googles Build Your Future With Google and Marriott Careers blog are great examples of how companies leverage employee stories to attract talent. Some companies even take things further with full-blown marketing-style campaigns. General Electrics Whats the matter with Owen? campaign repositioned the company as a destination for top talent and boosted recruitment eightfold. Similarly, Britains Royal Marines launched the intense Whats Your Limit? campaign, targeting only the toughest individuals willing to endure their grueling training. With the tagline 99.99% need not apply, it made a bold statement and resonated with its audience. These examples show how using storytelling, creative branding, and marketing-inspired strategies can elevate recruitment efforts, turning potential candidates into excited applicantsand eventually into highly engaged employees. Candidates as customers By treating candidates like customers and engaging them as effectively as marketers engage customers, brand-savvy HR professionals can play a big role in attracting and engaging highly qualified candidates, reducing the time to hire, and having a measurable impact on profitability. By treating candidates as customers who need to be wowed by the brand not to buy products and services, but to buy into the companys purpose and vision for the future, brand-savvy HR professionals can optimize their efforts and convert curious candidates into highly engaged employees. If youre looking for ways to positively impact your bottom line, consider encouraging your branding and HR teams to work together and find creative ways to attract the best and brightest of your industry to want to work at your organization. By engaging candidates with the same vigor that your marketing team engages customers, your brand-savvy HR team can help slash the costs of talent acquisition and, by extension, make a positive impact on your bottom line.
Category:
E-Commerce
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