What I wrote last week
My thoughts on Apple Business Essentials
What I think about Apple Pay & Apple Card
Good reads on Business
HelloFresh: Delivering on Process Power. This episode goes deep into the operational aspect of Hello Fresh. I certainly under-estimated it and its operational complexity.
Macy’s CEO, a department store veteran, fights to fit in the Amazon future of retail. Macy is an interesting case study in which its online presence is so valuable that activist investors want it to be publicly traded alone, separate from the physical stores. “Of the company’s 5 million new customers that came in over the second quarter, more than 40% came to Macy’s digitally, Gennette said on the earnings call. In an effort to capitalize on its most valuable customers — those who shop at Macy’s both in-person and online tend to spend three times more than those who only shop at one or the other — Macy’s has invested in data analytics so it can follow when and what they shop, then tailor incentive programs and product messaging to them.”
Breaking Down the Payment for Order Flow Debate. A good read on the payment for order flow debate and why orders on trading apps like Robinhood are halted when there is too much volatility.
Apple is sticking taxpayers with part of the bill for rollout of tech giant’s digital ID card. As an Apple shareholder, it is good to see the power that Apple wields against even the states. As a tax payer, I am quite concerned that the few participating states so far seem to give that much ground to a private company.
The end of “click to subscribe, call to cancel”? One of the news industry’s favorite retention tactics is illegal, FTC says. I am really glad that the FTC intervened to protect consumers. If you want an example of how governments can help citizens, this case is exhibit A.
Airlines Are Rewriting the Rules on Frequent-Flier Programs—Again. “The airline will make it possible to earn elite status without taking a single flight starting in March. Credit-card miles will count more toward status than ever before. Those who are true frequent fliers will get some added benefits, and business travelers who aren’t taking as many trips will be able to boost their status with their spending. Small-business owners and others who use their credit cards a lot now can be a top dog at American before they ever lift the buckle on a seat belt. Delta says it will automatically roll over status that SkyMiles customers have this year to 2022. In addition, it will pool qualifying miles earned this year and next together toward 2023 status requirements. Delta is also offering bonuses to qualify for elite-status tiers faster and is counting the flying that members do on award tickets toward status levels.” Another change that was encouraged by the pandemic. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, I guess.
What Went Wrong With Zillow? A Real-Estate Algorithm Derailed Its Big Bet. When you are in a business of risk management and become reckless and carried away by the pandemic, the consequences can be dire.
Stuff I found interesting
Japanese Philosophies That’ll Help You Spend Money Consciously. “Chisoku talks about being content with what you already have. Wabi Sabi talks about finding beauty in imperfection. As things age and decay, they become more beautiful. Mitate teaches us that every object has more than one purpose.”
New Zealand’s 180-million-year-old forest. “While most petrified forests are far removed from the modern forests that grow near them, Curio Bay’s petrified forest, which is a representation of an ancient Gondwana forest of cycads, gingkos, conifers and ferns, still has its descendants in the present-day forests found here. About 80% of New Zealand’s trees, ferns and flowering plants are native having evolved in isolation for millions of years.”
One of the World’s Poorest Countries Found a Better Way to Do Stimulus. “In Togo, a nation of about 8 million people where the average income is below $2 a day, it took the government less than two weeks to design and launch an all-digital system for delivering monthly payments to about a quarter of the adult population. People such as Bamaze, with no tax or payroll records, were identified as in need, enrolled in the program, and paid without any in-person contact.”
Stats
“The state’s venture capital share has jumped from $300 million in 2016, to almost $3.1 billion in 2020 — 866%– according to Crunchbase. That makes it the state with the fastest growing venture capital rate.”
Drug overdose deaths exceeded 100,000 in the U.S in the 12 months ending April 2021
Out of 100 children born prematurely in Vietnam every year, 17 die in the first 28 days. My country has a long way to go in terms of public health.
Minh Quang Duong 