(Newser) – Google Product Search will soon become Google Shopping, and the new name will be accompanied by a big, and potentially irksome, change to the service. In a nutshell, companies will now have to pay for their position in search results. "We are starting to transition Google Product Search in the US to a purely commercial model," a VP tells Reuters. "This will give merchants greater control over where their products appear on Google Shopping." Up until now, the service had been free—and the shift is "a very big deal," says an e-commerce insider.
Product Search currently leads to an estimated $650 million in annual sales, so companies have a lot at stake: "That's the free sales that are going to disappear unless they decide to pay," says another online sales expert. "The winner in this is Google." To see that level of sales, one expert predicts merchants will have to spend $270 million a year on advertising. But Google defends the plan: "Having a commercial relationship with merchants will encourage them to keep their product information fresh and up to date," the VP blogs. "Higher quality data ... should mean better shopping results for users, which in turn should create higher quality traffic for merchants." The change will go live by October.
Drivers won't benefit from falling oil prices - Citywire.co.uk
The price of oil fell below the $100 a barrel mark on Friday for the first time since last October, but a weaker pound means drivers won’t save a penny at the pumps.
A barrel of Brent crude fell to $98, down from $120 a barrel last month.
The 2p saving drivers should see at the pumps as a result of lower oil prices, however, has been 'knocked out' because the pound has fallen in value by 4% since the middle of May, the AA explained.
'Had the pound remained worth $1.61 instead of around $1.53 now, further falls in the NW Europe wholesale price of petrol (taking it below $1000 a tonne for the first time since January) would have saved drivers a further 2p a litre,' the AA said.
Meanwhile, retailers have also yet to pass on the full 10p a litre saving from previous falls in wholesale prices to drivers.
Drivers have seen a saving of just seven and a half pence per litre at the pumps, Luke Bosdet of the AA explained. So while a weaker pound means they will not benefit from the most recent drop in wholesale prices, they are still owed a two and a half pence saving from the wholesale price falls seen since mid-April.
Yesterday the average price of petrol in the UK stood at 134.92p a litre, down from the record high of 142.8p seen in April. The cost of diesel, meanwhile, has fallen from 147.93p to 140.52p.
Earlier this week, the government warned fuel companies that they were being given 'one last chance' to improve transparency in the market.
Retailers have long been accused of responding to increases in wholesale prices much more quickly than price falls – prices shoot up like a rocket and fall like a feather, said Bosdet.
Transport secretary Justine Greening has now ordered retailers to set up a code of practice that allows drivers to monitor changes in petrol and diesel prices. If they don't, the government has said it will implement legislation.
Retailers claim that the industry does not understand the complex pricing mechanism, said Bosdet. Yet this fall in the price of oil is a perfect example of why greater transparency in the market would benefit suppliers as well as drivers.
On the one hand transparency would show drivers that a quarter of the savings from the original fall in wholesale prices was yet to be reflected at the pump, while on the other retailers and suppliers accused of pocketing the benefits of falling oil prices, would be able to defend themselves as to why a weaker pound means there will be no added savings.
Wholesale Debt Market witnesses trade worth Rs 2,865.07 crore on NSE - Economic Times
Top securities (non-repo) traded at the WDM were: The 8.79 per cent government securities maturing in 2021, which traded at Rs 1015.00 crore at a weighted yield of 8.37 per cent, the 9.15 per cent government securities maturing in 2024, which traded at Rs 590.00 crore at a weighted yield of 8.41 per cent and the 364-days Treasury bills (issue no.190413), which traded at Rs 105.00 crore at a weighted yield of 8.13 per cent.
During the week ended today, the total turnover was Rs 12,207.44 crore and the total number of trades during the week at 516.
The highest amount of trade during the week was at Rs 2,865.07 crore as on today, while the lowest volume Rs 1,956.11 crore as on May 31.
This week, the weighted yield on government securities with a maturity period of 0-3 years, 3-7 years, 7-10 years and more than 10 years was quoted at 8.10 per cent, 8.39 per cent, 8.51 per cent and 8.57 per cent, respectively.
The weighted yields on treasury bills maturing within 90 days was 8.34 per cent, it was 8.36 per cent for bills of 91-182 days tenure, and 8.27 per cent for bills of 183-365 days' tenure.
During the week, the cumulative value of government securities, treasury bills and state government securities trading on the WDM was Rs.10,179.09 crore, trading in Non- Government securities was at Rs 2,028.35 crore, representing 83.38 per cent and 16.62 per cent of the total traded value, respectively, the NSE release said.
Shopping police illegal parking caught on camera (From Watford Observer) - Watford Observer
Police caught on camera parking on yellow lines for shopping trips in Watford
10:00am Friday 1st June 2012 in News By Mike Wright, Chief Reporter
Police officers in Watford have been caught on camera for the second time in two weeks parking on double yellow lines to go on shopping jaunts to supermarkets.
The town’s force is facing a mounting outcry after officers were snapped on Friday parking up on a pavement in central Watford for a trip to Iceland.
The revelation comes just a week after pictures emerged of police illegally parking in St Albans Road to visit a Tesco Express.
The pictures have been branded “disgraceful” by one former police detective who said the abuses damaged the force’s standing with the public.
Watford’s Chief Inspector Nick Caveney has also come down hard on the practice, saying the officers involved have been reprimanded and prosecuted.
The town’s top policeman also described the two incidents as a “rare lapse” in the behaviour of his committed and dedicated force.
The latest picture taken by a Watford resident who saw officers park their car on the pavement in Albert Road South, a stone’s throw away from Watford Police Station, where there are double yellow lines.
The resident, who asked not to be named, said: “A patrol car pulled up with all four wheels on the pavement, two officers jumped out slammed the door shut and left the engine running, presumably with the keys inside.
“I thought they were going to make an arrest but they strolled over to Iceland to do a bit of shopping.
“They emerged from the shop 10 minutes later with a bag of shopping. I wouldn’t mind but it would be quicker to walk from the police station in Shady Lane than to drive there.”
A retired Metropolitan Police detective, Terry Hymans, who lives in Rickmansworth, said he felt there was no excuse for officers misusing parking privileges.
He also said actions like the ones caught on camera damaged the public’s trust in the police.
“I think it is disgraceful personally,” he said “I don’t think there is any excuse. This is part of the reason people have little regard for police officers today.
“It sends out a signal of don’t do as I do, do as I say. People will naturally assume they (the police) all do it and that is not true.”
The first pictures police parking on yellow lines was first captured by Abbots Langley resident Kevin Brown who submitted them to the Watford Observer last week.
He said he was “amazed” to see an officer park on a double yellow lines on a pavement in St Albans Road before spending seven minutes in Tesco Express and emerging with a shopping bag.
Following the revelations Chief Inspector for Watford, Nick Caveney said he was “shocked and surprised” to see the pictures.
He said: “As police officers, we have a very clear responsibility to operate totally within the law, whether this is when dealing with people we have arrested or while using a public highway in a police vehicle.
We have to set a good example to our communities and these incidents clearly do not. I am glad these have been brought to my attention and have since spoken with the officers concerned to establish the circumstances.
“Had they been responding to an emergency, illegal parking is justified and allowed, but this was not the case.
The officers concerned have been reprimanded for their behaviour and just like any other member of the public, are being prosecuted for their actions.”
“I’m very proud of our team here in Watford who work beyond the call of duty on a daily basis in order to keep our communities safe.
“These incidents are a rare lapse in an otherwise committed, dedicated and upstanding team.”
Comments(14)
TRT says...
10:02am Fri 1 Jun 12
Hornets number 12 fan says...
10:04am Fri 1 Jun 12
Taximan says...
11:07am Fri 1 Jun 12
AWatfordTaxpayer says...
11:34am Fri 1 Jun 12
One of the horses then did his business right there in the middle of the pedestrian walkway, a few yards from the entrance to McDonalds, leaving a load of manure for any lucky gardener passing by, or any unlucky pedestrian going by, if you get my drift.
I asked the rider, a policewoman, what she was going to do about it. She replied it was a job for the council and that she was going to do nothing about it. After chatting a while longer, the riders went on their separate ways, leaving the steaming deposit for the people of Watford to enjoy at their leisure.
As a dog owner, I would be liable to a £1000 fine for leaving a dog poo on the pavement. The police leave something altogether more impressive and just ignored it, and that outside a popular fast food restaurant.
It really is one rule for us, and one for them, isn't it? The policewoman was not embarrassed at all, it was really just a case of "tough luck, shoppers".
I took photos to send to the council, of the horse in the act and the mess left afterwards, but decided not to as I doubted they would care or do anything about it.
I must admit, I was very disappointed in the police for leaving this steaming manure in the middle of the street and doing nothing at all about it. The policewoman just tried to ignore it until I brought it to her attention, whereupon she dismissed it.
Taximan says...
11:47am Fri 1 Jun 12
Reg Edit says...
11:53am Fri 1 Jun 12
Reg Edit says...
11:59am Fri 1 Jun 12
garston tony says...
12:12pm Fri 1 Jun 12
TRT says...
12:25pm Fri 1 Jun 12
garston tony says...
1:05pm Fri 1 Jun 12
LSC says...
1:10pm Fri 1 Jun 12
TRT says...
1:14pm Fri 1 Jun 12
onlyonerodthomas says...
1:22pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Maclanx says...
2:57pm Fri 1 Jun 12
Daniel Craig has shopping disguise - Belfast Telegraph
Friday, 1 June 2012
Daniel Craig wears a hat to disguise himself when he's out food shopping.
The James Bond star is married to Rachel Weisz and they live together in New York City. They are famously secretive about their whirlwind relationship, although Rachel has let slip they enjoy picking up groceries together.
"Of for goodness sakes, no, no, no," she laughed to the latest edition of UK Vogue, when asked if she feels too exposed to go shopping nowadays. "I don't have any hassles at all! [Daniel] does [come with me], he does, he just, er? wears a hat!"
Rachel and Daniel had only been dating a few months when they tied the knot last year. They did so in front of just four witnesses and haven't discussed the intricacies of the wedding. Rachel will only say she was "made a very beautiful dress" and that Daniel was "very sweet" on the day.
The pair got together not long after Rachel split from her fiancé Darren Aronofsky and Daniel's engagement to Satsuki Mitchell broke down. They both have children from previous relationships, which Rachel has said is part of the reason they keep things to themselves.
"Look, there are other people involved, it's not just me," she said. "If I was a solo show? If I didn't have a child who could almost read?"
Rachel's friend the author Carole Radziwill has given an insight into the romance. She and Rachel spoke about Daniel when they met for coffee in Los Angeles and she is in no doubt they are meant for each other.
"I was talking about my rather dull-at-the-time love life when Daniel called her," she recalled. "They spoke for only a few minutes and when she hung up she looked at me and giggled and blushed. At that very moment I felt they would get married. I knew it was a big love, real big love - and that it came with a face and body like Daniel's?"
© Cover Media
Shopping night focuses on supporting local girls - TribLocal
A “Ladies Night Out” charity shopping event at Pandora’s Rack in Orland Park next month will benefit two local teenagers and their families.
The shopping night at the resale boutique is scheduled for Friday, June 8.
Ten percent of the proceeds from the event will be donated to 14-year-old Courtney Van Ryn, who has a virus that attacks her muscular-skeletal system, and 17-year-old Katie Vree who was suddenly paralyzed last summer.
Ryn contracted the virus in spring 2011. It has severely damaged muscle fibers in her body and causes pain and weakness in her arms, hands and upper legs. The virus has forced Ryn to be hospitalized to for many months and receive physical therapy.
Vree was traveling to Guatemala last summer with a group of students from Chicago Christian High School and began experiencing pain and numbness in her left arm on the plane ride. Vree was paralyzed from her neck down within hours.
Vree has undergone rehabilitation, which has led to her ability to make slow, small movements. It is unknown to what extent she will be able to recover.
Mary Kay products will be available to purchase at the charity shopping event, along with light refreshments and a 50/50 raffle. The event is scheduled for 6-8 p.m.
Pandora’s Rack is located at 15218 S. LaGrange Road, in Orland Park. The boutique can be reached at 708-966-4643.
Google Shopping to charge retailers - The Business Journal
Google Inc. is converting its Google Shopping site into a paid service for retailers, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) will require retailers to bid to display their products on the site, which is free now.
The move, part of Google's effort to bring in more revenue from its search engine, will also affect how Shopping search results are displayed, the report notes.
Google is No. 1 for search, but trails far behind Amazon.com and eBay for shopping searches.
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