New York SBDC Research Network

From Mediapost : A Wisconsin company had its planned ‘chip party’ Tuesday and 41 employees had microchips implanted into them. Those employees, all who volunteered to have an RFID (radio frequency identification) chip implanted between their thumb and forefinger, now can use their hand to unlock doors, log on to computers and pay at kiosks or terminals that take credit cards. “It went really well and was a lot simpler than I thought,” Tony Danna, vice president of international sales at Three Market Square, said. “It hurts more when pinching the skin than the syringe implanting the chip. It takes about two seconds.” There were about 20 employees in the company who did not want them and no one, either those who initially did or did not want them changed their mind, Danna said.

From MarketingProfs : Retail marketers say developing content and promotions well ahead of time is the most effective thing that can be done to prepare for the winter holiday shopping season, according to recent research from Campaigner. The report was based on data from a survey of 100 retailers who are Campaigner clients. Some 62% of respondents say early development of marketing content and promotions is the most helpful approach for preparing for the holiday season. One-third of retailers who began planning before last September say they had a successful 2016 holiday season; only 22% of retailers who began planning in September or later say they had a successful 2016 holiday season.

From the Federal Trade Commission : Some scammers call and claim to be computer techs associated with well-known companies like Microsoft or Apple. Other scammers send pop-up messages that warn about computer problems. They say they’ve detected viruses or other malware on your computer. They claim to be “tech support” and will ask you to give them remote access to your computer. Eventually, they’ll diagnose a non-existent problem and ask you to pay for unnecessary – or even harmful – services. If you get an unexpected pop-up, call, spam email, or other urgent messages about problems with your computer, stop. Don’t click on any links, don’t give control of your computer and don’t send any money. Don’t click that pop-up for a “free virus scan”. Scammers create pop-up ads, make fake websites, and call you pretending to be tech support personnel—but they’re not helping you, they’re just taking your money or stealing your information. The elderly are especially vulnerable to these tric

Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Albany SBDC appears in our 2016 Annual Report .  Alejandro and Sonya del Peral Nine Pin Cider Albany SBDC   Nine Pin is a craft cider company based in downtown Albany. Established in 2013, Nine Pin is dedicated to creating exceptional off-dry ciders, and to the orchards that make them possible. Apple varieties are carefully selected and blended to achieve a complex, balanced flavor with a clean and pleasantly drinkable finish.  Located in the Warehouse District of downtown Albany, Nine Pin Cider is the first cider manufacturer to be awarded a NYS Farm Cidery license in the state. Nine Pin sources apples exclusively from farms in the Capital Region and Hudson Valley. Founders Alejandro and Sonya del Peral are a dynamic mother and son duo that have fostered the development a

From BusinessWire A survey* commissioned by Transaction Network Services (TNS) has found that 85% of adults in the US, UK and Australia believe the number of criminals trying to steal credit and debit card data is increasing. More than two thirds are concerned about the security of their payment card data and 38% feel their private credit or debit card data has been put at risk by a data breach, irrelevant of whether they subsequently were a victim of fraud. Also from BusinessWire : A recent study from Juniper Research predicts that worldwide spending on tools to detect and prevent online payment fraud will rise to $9.3 billion by 2022, an increase of 22% over the spend expected this year. The report says that the threat posed by insecure internet of things (IoT) devices will be a primary driver of anti-fraud investment.

From the Federal Trade Commission : The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 2,711 checks totaling more than $372,000 to  people who paid American Business Builders and related entities for a home-based business opportunity . The defendants claimed that people would earn substantial income offering payment processing services, credit card terminals, and merchant cash advances to small businesses. Under a settlement with the FTC, the defendants – which include American Business Builders, ENF, Network Market Solutions, UMS Group, United Merchant Services, Universal Marketing and Training, and Unlimited Training Services – are banned from selling business and work-at-home opportunities and related services. The average check amount is $137.42. Recipients should deposit or cash checks within 60 days. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund check. If they have questions about the case, they should contact the FTC’s refund administrator,

From MarketingProfs : The appeal of some products is obvious. It's not hard to understand the attraction of an appetizing cheeseburger, a new action movie, or a revolutionary smartphone. Other products, however, have to work harder to explain the problem that they're solving. Moreover, some industries serve fundamental needs in society—but don't receive the kind of attention heaped on upstarts like Snapchat: Think Oracle, the second-highest earning software developer in the world; its name would likely draw a blank stare from the man in the street. There is hope, though. Here are 11 powerful steps for marketing products that, on the face of it, might seem totally unsexy. 1. Define the problem that you're solving Instead of telling people about the reasons that they should like your product, identify what your customers are looking for and frame your pitch around that.