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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Online sales will increase 15.5 percent from the estimated $103.88 billion holiday shoppers spent online during the same period in 2017.
Total retail sales, excluding items not normally purchased online like fuel and automobiles, will jump 5.5 percent to $719.09 billion, up from $681.61 billion in November and December 2017, Internet Retailer projects.
That suggests e-commerce will represent 16.7 percent of all holiday retail spending, compared with 15.2 percent in 2017.
“The growth in U.S. e-commerce has been consistent since 2010, averaging 15 percent each year and showing no signs of slowing down. Add to that high consumer confidence, a healthy economy and strong 2018 online growth from retail giants like Amazon and Walmart, and we’re on track for a big holiday shopping season,” said Fareeha Ali, director of research strategy at Internet Retailer.
“Additionally, our research shows that more shoppers are turning to the web to purchase gifts during peak seasons. For instance, we estimate 24 percent of all Valentine’s Day purchases this year were online – far more than the overall 13 percent e-commerce penetration in 2017,” Ali said.
Several factors contribute to what Internet Retailer anticipates will be a record-high e-commerce holiday period.
For one, U.S. consumer confidence is at the highest level it has been in 18 years. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, which is based on a survey that measures consumer sentiment on current economic conditions and prospects for the next six months, hit 133.4 in August.
This is the highest level since October 2000 and 11 percent higher than the August 2017 reading.
Further, more consumers are buying gifts online each year. Seventy six percent of U.S. shoppers said they purchased at least 25 percent of their gifts online during the 2017 holiday shopping season, according to a March 2018 Internet Retailer and Bizrate Insights survey, a 3-percentage point increase from shoppers who said the same after the 2016 holiday season.
For its holiday projections, Internet Retailer’s research team analyzed sales and growth in U.S. e-commerce and total retail over the last several years, identifying trends in consumer spending habits during peak shopping periods.
It also examined large online retailers’ growth patterns leading up to the holidays, historical e-commerce penetration of the overall retail industry and its trajectory, as well as economic indicators, such as U.S. consumer sentiment.
Internet Retailer Research provides data and information about e-commerce that helps retailers, investors and technology companies prosper. The team tracks hundreds of metrics on roughly 6,000 online retail companies around the world.
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- Written by: California Department of Food and Agriculture
This board is partially composed of seven members who are seed labelers, and two members who may be seed dealers.
These nine members are registered to sell seed under provisions of the California Seed Law and represent the functions of seed production, conditioning, marketing or utilization. The board also has two public members.
The term of office for board members is three years. Members typically meet twice a year but can meet more frequently if needed. Board members receive no compensation, but are entitled to payment of necessary traveling expenses in accordance with the rules of the Department of Personnel Administration.
Funded by the seed industry and implemented by the Seed Services Program at CDFA, enforcement of the California Seed Law ensures an orderly market of high quality seeds in California.
The Seed Advisory Board makes recommendations to the CDFA Secretary on all matters pertaining to seed law and regulations, enforcement, seed laboratory diagnostics and annual budgets required to accomplish the purposes of the California Seed Law.
The upcoming vacant positions are for two vegetable seed labelers or dealers from the southern California region, one agricultural seed labeler or dealer from northern California.
The successful candidates will be appointed to serve a three-year term that expires March 31, 2022.
Individuals interested in being considered for this board appointment should send a brief letter of interest and a completed prospective member appointment questionnaire with resume to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Pest Exclusion Branch, 1220 N St., Room 344, Sacramento, California 95814, Attention: Carl Pfeiffer by Oct. 16.
For additional information, and a Prospective Member Appointment Questionnaire, visit the Seed Services Program web page at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/pe/nsc/seed/vacancies/sab_vacancy_notice.pdf or contact Carl Pfeiffer, senior environmental scientist, Seed Services Program, telephone 916-654-0435, fax 916-651-1207 or e-mail
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
“The newly announced U.S.-Canada agreement, in combination with the earlier agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, strengthens relations with two key trading partners,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said, “and we urge Congress to ratify the USMCA without delay.”
Johansson said the agreement will provide California farmers and ranchers with “much-needed certainty” in key export markets.
“We applaud the three governments for working to modernize the agricultural chapters in the agreement,” he said. “It’s a welcome development at a time when farmers have faced obstacles in selling their products to foreign customers.”
Canada represents the second-largest market for California agricultural exports, with sales of more than $3.3 billion in 2016 – the most recent year for which full statistics are available. Mexico is the No. 5 foreign market for California farm products, with sales of just more than $1 billion in 2016.
“Agricultural exports support thousands of jobs in California, both in rural areas where crops and commodities are grown and packed, and in urban centers from which products are marketed and shipped,” Johansson said. “We hope the agreements with Mexico and now with Canada lead to further easing of trade restrictions.”
The new agreements leave in effect Canadian and Mexican retaliatory tariffs on farm goods imposed after the U.S. placed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Johansson urged U.S. negotiators to reach agreements on those issues as soon as possible.
“We’ve seen California farmers, ranchers and agricultural marketers lose sales because of the retaliatory tariffs from Canada, Mexico and in particular from China,” he said. “Until those tariffs come off, farmers won’t see the full benefit of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement.”
The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 40,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 5.5 million Farm Bureau members.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
ABC Supply is the nation’s largest distributor of roofing, siding, windows and other exterior building products and tools that contractors need to tackle their construction projects and build their businesses.
Kris Mason will be the manager of the new branch. Mason joined ABC Supply in 2015 as a driver at the Hudson, Florida, branch and moved to Santa Rosa, California, in 2016 for a delivery services manager role.
Prior to joining ABC Supply, Mason dedicated 13 years to the U.S. Army, with two deployments to Iraq. Mason is excited to partner with area contractors in this new region, providing them with the solutions they need to make their projects successful.
ABC Supply now has 41 locations throughout California with the opening of the Ukiah branch.
“This latest branch addition in Northern California allows our professional contractor customers to have access to the materials they need, while having a strong partner alongside them,” said Matt Cooper, vice president of ABC Supply’s West Region. “Kris brings strong leadership skills to his team, and they will do a great job of working with area contractors to make their jobs easier and businesses successful.”
Branch hours are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 707-462-1059.