Setting up a business is no easy task, however, with the help of internet solutions, many companies are now able to create their own business with ease. So, if you want to know more about setting it up, here is a simple guide: 4 necessities when setting up a business . Make sure to visit the site Aspiring Entrepreneurs for more information.

4 Necessities When Setting Up a Business

4 Necessities When Setting Up a Business

1. Research

First, you will need to conduct a lot of research. This is because setting up a business involves a lot of planning, and the first thing that needs to be planned is the business itself. This involves determining the services or products that will be provided, the location of the business, and the number of employees that will be needed. You will also need to research the various costs that will be associated with running the business, such as taxes, licenses, and costs for advertising. With research comes customization. You will need to conduct research regarding the industry that you are interested in, such as beauty or fashion, as well as the competitors in that industry. This will give you an idea of what to expect when you are starting out. For example, if your area of business is selling goods, you will need custom Mylar bags for sale or packaging material. This will allow you to know how much you will need to invest in getting your business off the ground. The research that you do will also allow you to determine the long-term goals for your business. Do you want to eventually have your own location, or do you want to do most of your business online? You can have both, but you will need to make a choice. 

2. Create a Business Plan    

After you have conducted research, the next step is to create a business plan. A business plan is a document that outlines the goals and objectives of your business. It will also include a description of the services or products that will be offered, the location of the business, the number of employees that will be needed, and the cost of advertising. It is important to note that a business plan is a roadmap, not a set of instructions on how to set up your business. A business plan is a vital document, and it will help you understand more about your business and what you will need to do to achieve it. It will not only help you with setting up your business, but it will also help you with the design of the marketing strategy and the production of the business. Also, it will help you know where your money is being spent and what areas you can cut.                                     

3. Licenses, Taxes, and Insurance

Next, you will need to acquire the appropriate licenses, taxes, and insurance for your business. Most states require that businesses be licensed, and this is often a simple process. All you need to do is to acquire the appropriate licenses, and you are good to go. The licenses that you need will also depend on the type of products or services that you are offering. For example, if your business provides financial services, such as loans or credit cards, you will need to acquire a license from the state that you are operating in. The licenses that you will need will also depend on the type of business that you are setting up. By state, there are two types of licenses that you will need, a retail sales license and a professional sales license. The retail sales license is needed if you intend to sell goods, such as apparel or accessories, in a store or from a sidewalk. The professional sales license is needed if you intend to sell goods, such as apparel or accessories, by appointment. You will also need to acquire the appropriate taxes and insurance for your business.

4. Business Name and Logo

Next, you will need to acquire the appropriate business name and logo for your business. A business name is a unique identifier for your business. It should be easily recognizable, and it should also be memorable. It is best to go with a name that is similar to your brand name so that it is easily remembered. It is also important that the name you select is not already in use. You can either acquire the name through a trademark search or by checking the website of the Secretary of State. A logo is a symbol that is used to identify your business. It is often a combination of words and/or images that will help customers identify your business. Many people use a logo as the symbol of their business on social media and websites. You can create a logo using a graphics program such as Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Office.                                                           

When you set up your business, you will need to acquire the four necessities that are listed above. This will allow you to get your business up and running as soon as possible, which will save you a lot of time and money. You will also be able to tailor your business to your specific needs, which allows you to achieve your goals faster.  Good luck!

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

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Recent years have witnessed a surge in the adoption of digital payments worldwide, driven by the rising number of smart devices and the booming eCommerce market. As one of the first and most significant players in the digital payments landscape, PayPal has played a huge role in building a cashless society.

According to data gathered by StockApps, PayPal hit 346 million active users and more than 3.7bn transactions in the second quarter of 2020, a 25% jump year-on-year.

PayPal Transactions Rocket 105% in Three Years

Compared to its biggest rival, Alipay, built on the Alibaba ecosystem with a much larger user base, PayPal operates as a standalone company. Moreover, it scores the Chinese competitor both in terms of worldwide popularity and international acceptance.

Today, the PayPal platform provides digital commerce and peer-to-peer money transfers in more than 200 markets across the world. Statistics show its massive global reach has been driving steady growth in the number of transactions over the years.

In the second quarter of 2016, PayPal reached more than 1.4bn transactions worldwide, revealed Statista data and PayPal Q2 2020 Results. In the next twelve months, this figure rose by 25% to over 1.8bn. The quarterly number of payments continued growing in the following years and hit more than 2.9bn in the second quarter of 2019. Statistics show the quarterly number of PayPal transactions jumped by 105% in three years. The group’s Q2 2020 Results also revealed the net revenue hit $5.26bn in the second quarter of 2020, a 22% increase year-on-year.

Five years ago, PayPal had 169 million users all around the world. Since then, this number soared by 104% to 346 million in the second quarter of 2020. Statistics indicate the number of people actively using PayPal services jumped by 105% in the last three years.

PayPal’s Market Cap Soared by 83% Year-on-Year

The increasing number of both PayPal transactions and users worldwide has been followed by the group’s steady stock performance.

In September 2019, PayPal had $121.6bn in market capitalization, revealed the Yahoo Finance data. By the end of the last year, the total value of the group’s stocks increased to $126.8bn. This figure dropped 11% to $112.3bn in March amid the stock market crash caused by the coronavirus crisis.

However, the second quarter of the year brought a recovery, with the market cap rising to $204.3bn in June, an 81% increase in three months. In September, the combined value of PayPal stocks stood at more than $223bn, an 83% jump year-on-year.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

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Entrants have the opportunity to win £15,000 in Grand Prize

Winners of 11 categories will each receive £5,000 cash to boost their business

Awards launch as eBay UK reveals June saw the biggest year-on-year spike in new businesses joining the platform during lockdown, up 335% compared with June 2019

eBay has today opened entries for this year’s eBay for Business Awards, offering eBay entrepreneurs the chance to win up to £20,000.

The eBay for Business Awards is eBay UK’s fourth annual nationwide competition to find and celebrate the most successful, innovative, and inspiring entrepreneurs from the platform’s 300,000-strong community of small businesses.

Following an incredibly challenging start to the year for many small businesses, each of the 11 category prize winners will receive a £5,000 prize. They will also be given a free one-year eBay Anchor Store Subscription and access to eBay’s Concierge, the gold-plated customer service team, together valued at over £15,000, to support them in navigating the effects of the crisis. This year’s Grand Prize winner will receive an extra £15,000, totalling £20,000, as well as a unique marketing bundle worth over £100,000, in recognition of their entrepreneurial success.

The launch of this year’s Awards comes as eBay reveals the trend of setting up a start-up has become more mainstream in lockdown, as the number of new businesses joining eBay surged 335% in June. This figure represents the biggest year-on-year spike in new businesses joining eBay UK since the pandemic began.

The data also shows the number of new start-ups joining eBay UK grew consistently each month during lockdown, as the number of new businesses joining the platform in June was almost 40% greater than in April when the impact of lockdown was first felt.

Rob Hattrell, VP, eBay UK, commented: “This year has been an undoubtedly tough one for many small businesses, as SMEs up and down the country have fought to continue trading throughout the pandemic. Our sellers have shown real agility and resilience in dealing with the disruption to keep their businesses moving, which is why we want to celebrate the achievements of our valued sellers with bigger prizes than ever for the 2020 Awards.

“I’m looking forward to finding out about the unique stories behind the brightest and best of our small business community on eBay. Whether you’re a kitchen table side hustle, a family-run business or a lockdown start-up, we want to hear from you!”

 Jake Harris, owner of Into Music and winner of last year’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award commented: “Working closely with the eBay team over the past year has been one of the best parts about winning my award. As a Young Entrepreneur, to receive this recognition has given me the confidence to take my small business to the next level. I used the prize money to help secure a lease on a new premises, in order to increase our online capacity and also open a physical store. Even though this had to close during lockdown, I could never have expected that sales would be up by 120% on the first six months of this year compared to 2019!”

Winners will be chosen by a panel of expert judges, including eBay UK VP Rob Hattrell and a selection of last year’s award winners, and will be announced on social media at the end of October. Entrants should submit their entry on the eBay for Business awards website www.ebayawards.com.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post eBay opens entries to 4th annual eBay for Business Awards to celebrate entrepreneur success appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

• With the furlough scheme drawing to a close in October, a surge in unemployment is on the cards. Only a third of businesses said that they would definitely retain all of their furloughed staff, while nearly one in five (18%) indicated that they would not be doing so.
• Business conditions continued to improve in July, but only at a modest pace. Businesses’ profits are 26% lower than would have been expected were it not for the coronavirus crisis. This is only a slight improvement on the 29% figure recorded at the height of lockdown in mid-April.
• The continued easing of lockdown restrictions contributed to an uptick in business sentiment. The share of businesses with a positive assessment of current trading conditions (34%) is now similar to the share with a negative assessment (35%).
• Despite the reopening of the hospitality sector on July 4^th, 80% of businesses in this sector had a negative assessment of current trading conditions in the latest survey (carried out between 9^th July and 15^th July). This suggests that for most pubs, restaurants and hotels, social distancing requirements, low numbers of tourists and many people’s reluctance to venture out mean that the business remains tough.

James Endersby, CEO at Opinium said “Britain’s businesses are clearly eager to get back to normal trading as soon as possible and most of the business community have responded positively to the government’s initial measures to get the economy moving again. Nevertheless, profits are still stubbornly down, and a sizable minority are still facing a serious threat of insolvency. This has left most business leaders still very much holding their breath, waiting to see if reality meets the hopes that consumers will return to spending in large numbers next month.”

Pablo Shah, Senior Economist at Cebr said “Economic conditions continued to improve in July, as further lifting of lockdown restrictions were met by a brightening of sentiment and reduction in insolvency risks. However, a concerning finding is that profits remained 26% down due to the coronavirus pandemic in early July, which is only a marginal improvement compared to the height of lockdown.

“Since March, many businesses have engaged in the fight of their lives to survive the unprecedent deterioration of trading conditions brought about by the coronavirus crisis. For many households however, the true test will come towards the end of the year as government support – most importantly the furlough scheme – is gradually withdrawn. While businesses remain broadly supportive of the government’s economic response, only a minority feel the £1,000 job retention bonus is the right path forward.”

Business Distress Tracker – full findings

Business insolvency risks

The gradual re-opening of the economy continued in July, most significantly with the re-opening of the hospitality sector on July 4^th. However, the road ahead is littered with obstacles, and more than a third (36%, or 1.9 million) of businesses still feel there is a risk they will enter insolvency as a result of coronavirus-related disruption.[1] This includes more than one in twenty (6%) of firms that say there is a high risk of being forced to close permanently as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

Employment impacts

The latest instalment of the Opinium-Cebr Business Distress Tracker has uncovered a positive shift in the ways in which businesses are dealing with the global pandemic. Here, the proportion of workers facing furlough has dropped considerably from 30% two weeks ago to 23%. This change is further boosted by the fact that businesses do not appear to be offsetting this return to work with cuts elsewhere – there has only been a very slight increase in the percentage of workers who have had their hours reduced (27% increasing to 28%) and no change in the amount facing salary/wage cuts (remaining at 29%).

Business activity rates

The measure of economic activity provided by the Opinium-Cebr Business Distress Tracker has so far proved itself to be among the most accurate real-time measures of output, available several weeks before official data releases. It is therefore a significant cause for concern that despite the re-opening of key sectors such as retail and hospitality, businesses’ profits remain on average 26% below where they would have been were it not for the coronavirus crisis. This is only slightly better than the 29% slump in profits during the height of lockdown.

Economic recovery

Businesses’ expected recovery times appear to have plateaued in recent weeks. In the latest wave of the tracker, businesses said on average that they would need 34 weeks after the lifting of restrictions to return to their pre-crisis levels of production. This is unchanged from the previous two waves of the Business Distress Tracker.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Only a third of businesses fully confident of retaining furloughed staff appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Data shows significant spending decline in entertainment, travel, and transport categories, while services and shopping spending increased. However, data shows signs of recovery in May

European businesses reduced their spending by 41 percent in April, compared to the previous month, according to the Soldo Spend Index. The resource, compiled by spend management platform Soldo, features data from a sample of 28,000 businesses across Europe.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced mid-June that UK GDP fell by 20.4 percent in April 2020, and the effects of this significant drop are clearly reflected in business spending habits. According to the Soldo Spend Index, the average spend for businesses in the UK and Ireland decreased by 65 percent year on year in April. In the rest of Europe, it decreased by 57 percent.

However, there were signs of a slow recovery in May, as spending increased by 38 percent over the previous month. This corresponds to the government’s easing of lockdown restrictions, which were loosened on the 11th of May. Average business spending in the UK increased by 20 percent during the week commencing the 11th of May, compared to the previous week. This data suggests that the increased freedom of movement is providing a much-needed boost for some businesses while others continue to adjust to working remotely.

Areas of increased spending

From March to May 2020, business spending on services – including professional services, subscriptions, and software – increased by 81 percent on the previous year. Services accounted for 35 percent of all purchases made using Soldo during the month of April 2020. Business spending on shopping, such as purchasing stationery, tools, and relevant equipment, also increased, accounting for 30 percent of all Soldo transactions in May 2020. Online spend accounted for 58 percent of the expenditure over the period and people had to resort to borrowing money form lenders and brokers like CashFlex, for example.

Carlo Gualandri, Founder and CEO at Soldo says: “Businesses all over Europe have been hit hard by the coronavirus, and as these resilient businesses fight to stay solvent, cashflow and cost-control will be top priorities. For employees working from home, we’re heartened to see increased spending on software and business equipment, as this suggests that businesses are spending to ensure workers have the tools they need to work productively.

“The increase in business spending in May is positive, but we won’t be going to go back to what we once called ‘normal’ any time soon. It’s all about balance – you need to watch costs very closely while still spending in order to survive – and for this, real-time data is essential for full visibility into the financial health of your business.”

Most impacted sectors

The Global Business Travel Association anticipates $820 billion loss in revenues for the business travel industry, which is also reflected in Soldo’s Spend Index. Business transport spend, which includes money spent on taxis, motor freight carriers, local delivery services decreased by 74 percent in April 2020 compared to 2019 and accounted for just 17 percent of transactions made through Soldo. This increased to 21 percent in May, indicating a slow increase, although it is still 59 percent lower than the same period in 2019.

Business travel spend, which includes travel arrangement services, such as hotel or flight bookings, decreased by 92 percent in April 2020, compared to 2019. Average spending on travel increased slightly in May, however it continued to account for just two percent of transactions made with Soldo, up from one percent in April.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Business Spending Drops 41 Percent In April As Coronavirus Consequences Hit, Research Reveals appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

• Machines in the Netherlands are most likely to encounter cybercrimes; Ireland is least likely

• 10.17% of machines in Belarus encounter malware every month, making them the least cyber-secure country for malware encounters

• The UK and Ireland are among the countries least likely to encounter ransomware attacks and cryptocurrency mining (0.01% and 0.02%)

The severity of cyber-breaches has become more and more intense in recent years. As a result, security experts at Specops Software sought to find out which (Western) European countries are the most cyber-insecure for citizens.

To find out, Specops Software calculated which country is most likely to encounter cyber-crimes by analysing the percentage of cloud provider attacks on Azure and the monthly percentage of machines that encountered cryptocurrency mining, malware and ransomware.

Cloud attack encounters

The Netherlands received the highest number of cloud provider incoming attacks, with data stating that 16.28% of Azure accounts have faced breaches. They are followed closely by Bulgaria (11.68%).

Other countries among the highest cloud attack encounters include France (2.73%), United Kingdom (2.02%) and Finland (1.72%).

Cryptocurrency encounters

On average, Belarus has the highest number of cryptocurrency mining encounters every month, with 0.42% of machines recording the issue.

Next is Ukraine (0.33%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (0.25%) and Bulgaria (0.17%).

The least vulnerable country is Ireland, where only 0.01% of machines encountered cryptocurrency mining.

The United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Germany and Netherlands are second least likely to encounter cryptocurrency mining, as only 0.02% of machines in each country had.

Malware encounters

Belarus has the most malware encounters in Europe, with 10.17% of machines in the country encountering them each month on average.

In second place is Ukraine (9.57%), followed by Bosnia (6.76%), Romania (5.92%) and Bulgaria (5.66%).

The country with the least malware encounters is Ireland, where only 0.7% of machines in the country encountered malware each month on average.

Finland (1.27%), Norway (1.33%), Netherlands (1.33%) and Denmark (1.35%) are among the countries least vulnerable to malware encounters.

Ransomware encounters

0.09% of machines in Ukraine encountered malware on average every month, making them the most insecure country to malware encounters in Europe.

Belarus are second most vulnerable, with 0.06% of machines encountering malware, followed by Bosnia (0.05%), Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Greece and Croatia (0.04%).

Ireland, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Finland encountered the smallest number of ransomware threats, with only 0.01% of machines facing them each month.

With the risk of cyber-crime high in many European countries, Aimée Ravacon from Specops Software has suggested three distinct tips to reduce your risk of attacks:

“1. Stop re-using passwords. When you reuse your passwords, you are opening yourself up to cyber-crime since attackers use your login information from one site to target another site.

2. Use multi-factor authentication. Many online services now offer multi-factor authentication, but too few people are taking advantage of this extra security layer. This simple step just takes a minute but can protect you from falling victim.

3. Don’t click on strange links. Phishing emails are designed to look real and can even appear to come from people you know. But clicking on links in a phishing email can open a backdoor for an attacker.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Research: European Countries Most at Risk of Cyber Crime appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

• Major retailers could lose the equivalent of 4% of revenue per month due to handling cash – an average annual loss of £7.2 million each. 

• Global Payment Trends reveals the financial and societal impacts of going cashless, as society shifts towards exclusively digital transactions. 

• Analysing the sales of the UK’s ten fastest-growing retailers reveals a potential total £6.026 million to be regained each month by going cashless. 

• ASOS could reclaim £3.2 million each year, Lush could save £43,333 each month, and Tesco could attain a whopping £48 million annually. 

Analysing the annual revenue of the UK retailers with the fastest profit growth reveals a total potential recovery of £7.232 million each year as a result of refusing cash payments.

Cash usage is declining in every region around the world, with eWallets, bank transfers and credit cards becoming the most popular payment methods in 2018, new research shows.

Research has revealed that the UK has seen a significant decline in cash use, accounting for just 28% of overall transactions last year, or 7% of eCommerce purchases. This represents a 16% decrease from 2017 to 2018, and a 32% decline in cash payments since 2008.

This decline in cash has the potential to save retailers money, as till theft, counterfeit money and cash register shortages can cost organisations an average of 4% of revenue each month – with an additional 2% lost due to processing incoming non-digital payments.

The potential recovery sum increases to £108 million, or £10.8 million each, when the 2% lost due to the average float time, security, transportation and banking expenses retailers experience each year as a result of processing cash payments is taken into account.

Global Payment Trends collates official reports to reveal the potential societal and financial repercussions of digital exclusivity, whereby coins, banknotes and cheques are replaced by eWallets, cryptocurrencies and bank cards.

Loss prevention remains a key focus for retailers over the Christmas period, with external or internal cash theft, unbalanced cash drawers and other cash handling mistakes easily rectified by a switch to sole digital payment methods.

The number of ATMs has declined in the UK over recent years as a result of increased digital payments, with almost 1,500 cash machines closing between November 2017 and April 2018 alone – equating to a closure rate of around 300 each month.

Debit card use is on the rise, with consumers using them 13.2 billion times in 2018, up 14% compared to 2016 figures. Cash transactions have dropped by 15% in the same period. Although reduced cash use could have benefits for businesses, concerns have risen around the impact of digitalisation on marginalised groups of society.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post UK Retailers To Regain £7.23 Million Each Year By Going Cashless appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

The constantly evolving internet and the rising number of cybercrime threats have affected the trust of global online users. According to PreciseSecurity research, 53 percent of them have become more concerned about their online privacy compared to a year ago. The statistics show it is the first time the level of internet privacy concerns has increased since 2014.

Europeans are the Least Worried About Their Online Privacy

The statistics show that concern about online privacy is the highest in developing countries. With 82 percent of citizens worrying about their internet safety, Nigerians ranked first on the global list, followed by Egypt, India, Kenya, and South Africa.

The 2019 data confirm that growing concern on web-related privacy issues is inversely proportional to the economic growth of the state, which explains why are some of the most developed countries of the world at the back of the list.

France, Japan, and the United States have 47 percent of citizens who have become more concerned about their online privacy this year. During 2019, only 26 percent of Germans expressed growing concerns about the same issues, which makes them the least troubled nation in the world. It is a surprising fact considering a recent PreciseSecurity.com research, which showed that 75 percent of German companies had been affected by some IT security incidents in 2019, causing total damage of €102.9 billion this year.

Cybercriminal is the Leading Online Security Issue

Compared to a year ago, cybercriminals remained the leading factor of increased global online security concerns. Global citizens also believe that eCommerce companies and other internet users are most likely to affect their online security. However, during recent years, concerns about domestic and foreign governments have increased the most.

At the same time, growing concern about online security has delivered some significant behavioural changes, as well. The 2019 data show that 45 percent of global web users started avoiding emails from unknown senders. Other most common behavioural changes include not visiting specific Internet sites, using antivirus software, resetting the password regularly, and avoiding certain web applications. Only 12 percent of users decided to make fewer eCommerce purchases to ensure their online security.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 53 percent of Web Users More Concerned About Online Privacy in 2019 appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Premier League match-going fans will have to shell out £1.3 billion this season to follow their teams – as increases in the price of home tickets, TV subscriptions and merchandise hit their wallets.

The eToro Fan Financial Statement, research carried out by multi-asset investment platform eToro in association with KPMG Football Benchmark, provides a comprehensive study into the financial commitment UK football fans make to support their Premier League clubs and which clubs offer the best value.

Key findings include:

• Premier League match-going fans will spend an estimated £1.3bn this season

• Increase of 31% since 2014/15, and 5% since last season

• Overall cost of tickets for a ‘dedicated fan’ risen only 1% since 2014/15

• Biggest increases per match-going fan are TV subscriptions (40%), merchandise (21%), home tickets (14%) and food and beverage (11%)

• Dedicated fans will spend £1,888 this season, 8% of the average UK take home salary

• 4 of the ‘big 6’ clubs in the top 6 most expensive to follow as a dedicated fan

• Man City fans got the best value for money last season – £16.90 per goal scored

The report explores spending by match-going football fans over the past five Premier League seasons, incorporating car and rail travel, merchandise, tickets, in-stadium food and drinks and TV subscriptions.

Sky Sports Pundit and Manchester United legend, Gary Neville said, “Football needs to check itself. There are lots of positives about football. The stadiums are better, the quality of play is fantastic, and the atmosphere is far more inclusive, but for me affordability is something that needs to be addressed.

“This report lays out the facts and I hope it will serve as a wake-up call. Football has to stand above other leisure businesses. It is more than just a game. It is about community and we need to ensure we are doing all we can not to price fans out of the game.”

Premier League match-going football fans are forecasted to spend an estimated £1.3billion over the course of this season, a figure that has risen by 31% since 2014/15. Inflation, as indicated by the UK Consumer Price Index, rose by 8.4% over this period.

To better understand the real cost of fandom, the eToro Fan Financial Statement analysed the spend of football’s most faithful supporters. The research focuses on the ‘dedicated fan’ – an adult fan who attends all 19 home games & travels to at least 5 away games. Dedicated fans will on average spend £1,888 this season. This equates to 8% of the average UK take home salary according to the Office of National Statistics.

While ticket prices make up a significant proportion of this total cost, the overall cost of tickets for a ‘dedicated fan’ has risen only 1% since 2014/15. This demonstrates the positive impact of the Premier League wide cap on away ticket prices. It also reflects efforts by clubs to support dedicated fans including season ticket price freezes.

TV Subscriptions and merchandise, the biggest cost

The biggest cost increases per match-going fan are TV subscriptions (40%), merchandise (21%), home tickets (14%) and food and beverage (11%). The price of a pie has risen 17% since 2014/15. At Chelsea a pie will now cost you £4.60, compared to £3 at Burnley. In the 2019/20 season dedicated fans are expected to spend over £23.8 million on replica shirts, a 32% increase in total spend since season 2014/5.

Andrea Sartori, Global Head of Sport at KPMG said, “The data shows that not all costs have risen equally and that the most significant increases are due to external factors outside of the clubs’ control such as travel, TV subscriptions and merchandise. This research also reveals that it is not all doom and gloom for Premier League fans. Initiatives, such as the price cap on away game ticket prices means that the overall cost of tickets has risen only 1% since 2014/15, which is significantly below inflation.”

Arsenal are the most expensive team to support with dedicated fans each paying £2,238 per season. However, that cost has risen by just 2.4%, the least of any current Premier League club since 2014/15. Newcastle United are the only club outside of the traditional “top 6” to feature in the 6 most expensive clubs to follow. This is largely due to the increase in season ticket and food and beverage prices, leading to a forecasted 4.1% increase in spend year-on-year and a 16.7% increase since 2014. Travel also plays a part. It should come as no surprise that this season Newcastle United fans will travel 68% more miles by train and 65% more miles by car to away matches, than the average Premier League fan.

Every club has a different offer when it comes to serving fans. The eToro Fan Financial Statement looked at whether some fans get better value for money than others by examining the total spend by dedicated fans last season in relation to the amount of goals scored and points won.

This approach reveals that whilst dedicated Liverpool fans may spend more versus other fans in the Premier League, they saw good ‘value for money’ based on a low cost per goals scored and points won, last season. Of all the clubs, Manchester City fans got the most entertainment for their money paying £16.90 per goal and £16.30 per point. This was helped by having 12% less overall spend than the Premier League average and their top of the table finish. Huddersfield Town fans got the worst deal overall, spending £70 per goal and £96 per point a situation not helped by their bottom of the table finish and subsequent relegation.

Gary Neville continued: “This isn’t just about money. It is about the family that lives a mile from the club dreaming every weekend that they can go to the game and afford to watch their heroes play. Every Saturday when I was growing up it was the only thing I thought about. It was the most important thing in my world. It fuelled my dreams for those 15 years until I joined United.”

Iqbal V. Gandham, UK Managing Director at eToro concludes: “As a sponsor of six Premier League teams we try to ensure that we are giving back to the fans as much as possible. Our Le Tiss Air competition was well received by Southampton fans and this is just the first of many initiatives we will be carrying out this season to reward loyal fans who invest in what they love.

“We understand that football fans have a deep emotional investment in their club and they’ll move mountains to support their team both home and away. We wanted to do something on behalf of the fans, to look at the hard costs involved in being a loyal fan and how that financial investment has changed over time. By doing so we hope to start a conversation about the future of football and how we can work together to bridge the gap between investment and value for the fans who are at the very heart of the game.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Premier League Fans To Spend £1.3bn To Support Their Club This Season, Up 31% Since 2014/15 appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

UK businesses are unaware and unprepared when it comes to protecting themselves against cyber-attacks. That is what a new research of IT employees working in UK companies has revealed, with 43% of those surveyed saying that they don’t know how to defend their company from a security breach.

Used as an umbrella term, ‘cyber attack’ is used to cover everything from a simple phishing email, right across to a server attack, however, many IT workers have never seen or understand what the actual detail of an attack actually looks like.

A survey of 1,032 IT workers in full or part-time employment, carried out by technology services provider Probrand has revealed that more than one in five (21%) don’t actually know what a ‘cyber-attack’ constitutes.

Almost half (43%) of the IT workers surveyed admitted to being unaware of how to defend their company from a cyber-attack, with one in three (32%) relying on external agencies for crisis support.

Furthermore, only one in ten (12%) of respondents admitted to knowing what their company’s business continuity plan fully constitutes.

As stated by a recent survey carried out by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, this year only, 32% of businesses and 22% of charities have identified breaches or attacks. Among these organisations, the most common attacks were phishing emails (80% of businesses and 81% of charities experiencing breaches or attacks); others impersonating their organisation online (28% and 20%) and viruses or other malware, including ransomware (27% and 18%).

Matt Royle, marketing director at Probrand comments: “The term, ‘cyber-attack’ is firmly set in business vocabulary, and rightly so as cyber threats present the greatest risk of crisis to most organisations. However, it is worrying to discover many do not know the details of what a threat looks like, so have little chance of protecting themselves from it. Where no IT team exists, business leaders are exposed to threats without knowledge of how to protect themselves. Where IT teams do exist, managers are hampered by end user issues, lack of budget or time to truly focus on IT strategy, which includes security.”

And he went on: “Business leaders need to take another look at prioritising investment in people, technology and employee training to combat cyber security and protect the continuity of their business.”

Probrand is a leading technology services provider, with a marketplace to save users time and money buying IT, and a market leading portfolio of IT services that help businesses run, manage and transform operations by cutting cost and risk from their IT .

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Revealed: UK Businesses Are Unprepared When It Comes To Protecting Against Cyber-Attacks appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.