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Stalking, but with a side of Dr Pepper? A number of streamers in Japan have recently had run-ins with a mysterious stream sniper known only as the Dr Pepper Guy. As Dexerto first reported, after tracking down streamers in random locations, the unknown figure silently cracks open a can of cold Dr Pepper, hands it over, and disappears without a word. Stream snipingwhere viewers deliberately join or disrupt a live streamhas become increasingly common as IRL live streaming grows in popularity on Twitch. While it sometimes raises safety concerns, resulting in unwelcome stalking and harassment, other times its a bizarre example of the internet at its weird and wonderful best. In a clip posted two days ago by Twitch streamer Mizkif, the group is seen enjoying sushi in a private restaurant booth when the door slides open and a hand holding a Dr Pepper appears. Silently, the man places the can on the table and retreats without a word. I would love to know how he found us, Mizkif says to the camera, confused. We just drove 30 minutes in an Uber away from where we were, at a random omakase on the fourth floor of this building. That doesnt stop Mizkif from cracking open the can and taking a swig. While stream sniping is typically discouraged, fans seem more forgiving when refreshing beverages are involved. Youre being stalked, but your stalker drops off a can of Dr Pepper, so its okay, wrote one Redditor. Once again perfect example of what a snipe should be, respectful, short, and ambiguous, another viewer commented. Mizkif isnt the only recent target. Streamers Vangard, T10Nat, and Tokyo Sims have all been Dr Peppered in the past couple weeks, with videos of their encounters following a similar format. Some viewers suspect the streamers may be in on the joke, given how easily Dr Pepper Guy seems to find their locationseven at private events. Others wonder if its all just a clever marketing stunt. I rarely fall for marketing, but man this guy actually got me wanting Dr Pepper, a Redditor commented. If Dr Pepper hasnt already, they might want to get this guy on payroll.
Category:
E-Commerce
Stores selling secondhand clothes, shoes and accessories are poised to benefit from President Donald Trump’s trade war even as businesses the world over race to avert potential damage, according to industry experts. American styles carry international influence, but nearly all of the clothing sold domestically is made elsewhere. The Yale University Budget Lab last week estimated short-term consumer price increases of 65% for clothes and 87% for leather goods, noting U.S. tariffs “disproportionately affect those goods. Such price hikes may drive cost-conscious shoppers to online resale sites, consignment boutiques and thrift stores in search of bargains or a way to turn their wardrobes into cash. Used items cost less than their new equivalents and only would be subject to tariffs if they come from outside the country. I think resale is going to grow in a market that is declining, said Kristen Classi-Zummo, an apparel industry analyst at market research firm Circana. What I think is going to continue to win in this chaotic environment are channels that bring value. The outlook for pre-owned fashion nevertheless comes with unknowns, including whether the president’s tariffs will stay long enough to pinch consumers and change their behavior. It’s also unclear whether secondhand purveyors will increase their own prices, either to mirror the overall market or in response to shopper demand. A new audience courtesy of sticker shock Jan Genovese, a retired fashion executive, sells her unwanted designer clothes through customer-to-customer marketplaces like Mercari. If tariffs cause retail prices to rise, she would consider high-end secondhand sites. Until I see it and really have that sticker shock, I cant say exclusively that Ill be pushed into another direction, Genovese, 75, said. I think that the tariff part of it is that you definitely rethink things. And maybe I will start looking at alternative venues. The secondhand clothing market already was flourishing before the specter of tariffs bedeviled the U.S. fashion industry. Management consulting firm McKinsey and Co. predicted after the COVID-19 pandemic that global revenue from pre-owned fashion would grow 11 times faster than retail apparel sales by this year as shoppers looked to save money or spend it in a more environmentally conscious way. While millennials and members of Generation Z were known as the primary buyers of used clothing, data from market research firm Sensor Tower shows the audience may be expanding. The number of mobile app downloads for nine resale marketplaces the firm tracks eBay, OfferUp, Poshmark, Mercari, Craigslist, Depop, ThredUp, TheRealReal and Vinted increased by 3% between January and the end of March, the first quarterly gain in three years, Sensor Tower said. The firm estimates downloads of the apps for eBay, Depop, ThredUp and The RealReal also surged compared to a year earlier for the week of March 31, which was when Trump unveiled since-paused punitive tariffs on dozens of countries. Circanas Classi-Zummo said that while customers used to seek out collectible or unusual vintage pieces to supplement their wardrobes, she has noticed more shoppers turning to secondhand sites to replace regular fashion items. “It’s still a cheaper option than buying new, even though retailers offer discounts, she said. A tariff-free gold mine lurking in closets and warehouses Poshmark, a digital platform where users buy and sell pre-owned clothing, has yet to see sales pick up under the tariff schedule Trump unveiled but is prepared to capitalize on the moment, CEO Manish Chandra said. Companies operating e-commerce marketplaces upgrade their technology to make it easier to find items. A visual search tool and other improvements to the Poshmark experience will pay long dividends in terms of disruption that happens in the market from the tariffs, Chandra said. Archive, a San Francisco-based technology company that builds and manages online and in-store resale programs for brands including Dr. Martens, The North Face and Lululemon, has noticed clothing labels expressing more urgency to team up, CEO Emily Gittins said. “Tapping into all of the inventory that is already sitting in the U.S., either in peoples closets or in warehouses not being used, offers a revenue source while brands limit or suspend orders from foreign manufacturers, she said. Theres a huge amount of uncertainty, Gittins said. Everyone believes that this is going to be hugely damaging to consumer goods brands that sell in the U.S. So resale is basically where everyones head is going.” Stock analysts have predicted off-price retailers like TJ Maxx and Burlington Stores will weather tariffs more easily than regular apparel chains and department stores because they carry leftover merchandise in the U.S. Priced out of the previously owned market Still, resale vendors aren’t immune from tariff-induced upheavals, said Rachel Kibbe, founder and CEO of Circular Services Group, a firm that advises brands and retailers on reducing the fashion industry’s environmental impact. U.S. sellers that import secondhand inventory from European Union countries would have to pay a 20% duty if Trump moves forward with instituting reciprocal tariffs on most trading partners and eliminates an import tax exception for parcels worth less than $800, Kibbe said. A circular fashion coalition she leads is seeking a tariff exemption for used and recycled goods that will be offered for resale, Kibbe said. Trump already ended the duty-free provision for low-value parcels from China, a move that may benefit sellers of secondhand clothing by making low-priced Chinese fashions pricier, she said. James Reinhart, co-founder and CEO of the online consignment marketplace ThredUp, said the removal of the de minimis provision and the 145% tariff Trump put on products made in China would benefit businesses like his. He doubts creating resale channels would make a big difference for individual brands. Brands will explore this and they may do more, but I dont see them massively changing their operations, Reinhart said. I think theyre going to be figuring out how to survive. And I dont think resale helps you survive. Rebag, an online marketplace and retail chain that sells used designer handbags priced from $500 to tens of thousands of dollars, expects tariffs to help drive new customers and plans to open more physical stores, CEO Charles Gorra said. Gorra said the company would analyze prices for new luxury goods and adjust what Rebag charges accordingly. The two historically rose in tandem, but Rebag could not match Chanel’s 10% price increase last year because of lower resale demand, Gorra said. That has nothing to do with the tariffs, he said. Consumers are feeling priced out. Norah Brotman, 22, a senior at the University of Minnesota, buys most of her own clothes on eBay. She also thrifts fashions from the 1990s and early 2000s at Goodwill stores and resells them on Depop. If tariffs upend the economics of fast fashion and discourage mindless consumption, Brotman would count that as a plus. I would love if this would steer people in a different direction, she said. Anne D’Innocenzio, AP retail writer
Category:
E-Commerce
As any investor will tell you, the past month has been absolutely brutal when it comes to the markets. In the past 30 days alone, the Nasdaq is down 9.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 7.8%, and the S&P 500 is down 7.8%. But in the same period, one asset has surged: gold. As of the time of this writing, the price of an ounce of gold has surged over the past 30 days by a remarkable 14.4%. And gold isnt just surgingits hitting all-time highs. This morning, gold peaked above $3,506 per ouncea record for the precious metal. As of the time of this writing, the commodity has pulled back slightly to around $3,453 an ounce, according to Yahoo Finance data. However, even that price is still striking. Thats nearly $800 an ounce higher than gold was at the beginning of 2025. Since then, the metal has surged 32%. Gold’s biggest jump has happened in the past five days alone. During that period, it has surged 7.78% But why? Gold is a historic safe haven during chaotic economic times When the economy is in turmoil or investors fear an economic downturn is coming, they tend to park their money in what are known as economic safe havensassets that have historically been less likely to decrease in value during greater economic downturns. As Investopedia notes, historic safe havens include cash; some currencies like the Swiss franc, the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen; U.S. Treasury bills; and precious metals, most notably, gold. However, investors of late seem to feel that some of these historic safe havensthe U.S. dollar in particulararent as reliable now as in past times. Instead, they seem to be throwing their money into gold, hence the recent rapid surge in price. As for why investors are turning to safe havensand sending gold surging in recent weeksit mainly comes down to two President Trump-related reasons, notes the Wall Street Journal. Trumps chaotic tariffs The first reason is no surprise. Ever since Trump announced his new chaotic Liberation Day tariff policies on April 2, investor confidence has plummeted as the tariffsand their implementationhave spread uncertainty throughout the economy and business world. While many of the tariffs are now paused for 90 days, the ones Trump levied against China are still active, as are Chinas retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. These tariffs mean that Americans are paying more for many common goods, and they are impacting the volume of goods that American businesses export to customers in China. And given the Trump administration’s chaotic implementation of the tariffs, its mixed messaging surrounding them, and the lingering uncertainty of whether deals can actually be reached with other nations before the 90-day pause expires, people are beginning to lose faith in the U.S. economy, and recession fears are rising. If a full-blown recession does hit, it’s likely stocks and other assets may continue to fall, which is why many investors are now seeking safe havens like gold. Trumps attacks on Fed Chairman Jerome Powell But maybe even worse than Trumps chaotic tariffs is his recent and increasing attacks on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Trump wants Powell, who oversees Americas independent central bank, the Federal Reserve, to lower interest rates. The reason Trump wants power to do this is that Trumps tariffs have pummeled the stock markets and consumer confidence. When the Federal Reserve chooses to lower interest rates, the stock markets generally rise and consumer spending increases, as MSNBC points out. That’s because its cheaper to borrow money for things like homes and cars. It can also lower credit-card interest rates, further boosting spending. But Powell has so far refused to acquiesce to Trumps demandsand for good reason. While lower rates can help the economy in the short term, they can have a negative impact in the long term by giving it a temporary artificial boost. As MSNBC notes, if rates are already lowered, and things do get worse with the economy in the future, the Federal Reserve will have one less tool in its arsenal to help fight the economic downturn because it has already lowered rates. But Trump seems to care more about the short term. Thats likely why he has increased his attacks on Powell, whom he has threatened to fire, which most legal experts agree the president cant do anyway. As a matter of fact, the central banks of most countries, including the United States, are set up to be independent of the government precisely so that leaders cant pressure the banks to do something that is beneficial for political reasons instead of being rational for economic ones. Still, Trumps very public beef with Powell is enough to make some investors leery that Trump may indeed be willing to undermine what is seen as a critical pillar of the U.S.s economic credibility. That beef is leading to uncertainty, which is leading to some investors now looking for more stable, safe-haven assets like gold.
Category:
E-Commerce
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