Is TEMU the Amazon Slayer?
Story by Mandaar Mandhu
In the vast and extraordinarily competitive world of networked shopping, behemoth like Amazon and eBay have long ruled the landscape. However, smaller platforms and startups are finding innovative ways to compete effectively in this scope. One such platform, which we will regard as "TEMU," demonstrates how smaller players can carve out their own niche and thrive in the shadow of e-commerce behemoths.
One of the key strategies employed by smaller online shopping platforms like TEMU is niche focus. Rather than trying to compete head-on with the comprehensive product lists of Amazon and eBay, smaller platforms frequently devote effort to something specific niches or industries. This focused approach allows them to offer more specialized products and services that may not be readily available on larger platforms.
For example, TEMU might specialize in eco-friendly and sustainable products, providing to environmentally conscious customers. By doing so, they can build a committed customer base pursuing exactly those types of products.
Having a unique value proposition is crucial for smaller platforms looking to mimic the giants. TEMU, for instance, might set itself apart by offering a curated choice of artisanal goods from around the world. This uncommon offering can attract consumers who are looking for something further the mainstream.
Personalized customer service, inventive features, or exclusive partnerships with manufacturers are all ways in which smaller platforms can diversify themselves from larger competitors.
Providing an exceptional customer experience is paramount. Smaller platforms can frequently excel in this regard by offering responsive customer support, smooth navigation, fast transportation, and a user-friendly interface. The ability to provide more personalized and attentive customer service can be a significant advantage.
Collaboration is another strategy employed by smaller platforms. By making partnerships and agreements with other businesses, manufacturers, or local retailers, they can gain access to a wider range of products and services. These strategic connections can be influential in competing effectively.
Effective marketing is essential for smaller platforms to gain recognition and reach their target audience. Leveraging social media, partnering with influencers, and investing in content marketing are common policies. Building a distinctive brand character helps them stand out in a crowded market.Smaller platforms may choose to contest on price, offering cutthroat or even lower prices than their larger competitors. They can achieve this through efficient operations, lower overhead, or unique pricing methods.
Staying ahead in terms of technology and innovation is critical. Smaller platforms can adopt new payment methods, integrate emerging automations like AR/VR, or offer creative browsing experiences that set them apart.
Another strategy is to focus on a specific geological region or offer local products. Localized platforms can have a better understanding of regional consumer preferences and needs, sanctioning them to cater to a specific market effectively.
Building trust among users is crucial. Smaller platforms can do this by encouraging user reviews, ratings, and by maintaining honest policies.
In conclusion, while giants like Amazon and eBay continue to dominate the online shopping landscape, smaller platforms like TEMU demonstrate that there is room for modernization and specialization. By targeting specific niches, offering unique value, providing exceptional customer experiences, and leveraging strategic partnerships, smaller competitors can compete effectively and prosper in the competitive world of e-commerce. These strategies showcase the flexibility and adaptability of smaller platforms, allowing them to not only coexist but also succeed alongside the industry titans.
Teen fighting for life after being abducted while walking home from school
James Chantry - 12/09/2023
The teenage victim, who is a Year 9 student from Glen Eira Secondary College, was walking home from school yesterday when he was abducted by a group driving a grey Volkswagen in Glen Huntly at about 3.35pm.
The grey Volkswagen took off, Shortly afterwards the teenager found his way out of the moving car, “it was unknown how the boy escaped”. He escaped near the intersection of Neerim and Grange roads.
The boy was taken to the Royal children's hospital in critical condition, he had upper body injuries and is still there on Tuesday morning in a serious condition. The attackers have not been identified and no arrests have been made.
Premier Daniel Andrews said
“Our thoughts are with the young student and, of course, their family and the school community,” he said. “I’m confident the Department of Education will have reached out to the school and we’ll be providing them with whatever support they need.
Glen Eira College sent an email to parents a few nights ago about the incident.
"This is a horrible situation which has no doubt shocked many of our school community," the email said."Our hearts go out to the student, student's family and friends during this time."
Glen Eira College is doing everything they can to support the boy, his family and the school community.
A parent Elle at Glen Eira College has said many parents are worried about their kids walking home after the "really scary" incident.
"It's not the first attack, and I'm really hoping they do something about it," she said.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined and investigations are still ongoing.
No go - student slow
story by Zak
Students going to Thornbury High School are simply distraught by the inevitable fact that they are unfortunately incapable of accessing certain areas of the school through a more efficient route. This is evidenced by the fact that certain areas of the school are blocked, thus preventing the students’ accessibility to those areas, disabling them from taking the more efficient route to reach different areas more quickly. Students have confirmed that they are, in fact, distraught by the fact that they cannot access these areas. A professional Year 10 student going by the moniker of “William Cartwright” has thoroughly convinced us that “Butt stinky. Bad. Bad.”. This further influences my contention that this situation is rather bad.
Mandaar Madhu - who, according to our sources, is an absolute schlepper - has expressed that “It’s rather difficult, having to walk around through small doors and staircases. It’s hurting to see that even though we have a multimillion dollar STEAM centre, we cannot afford simple staircases and pathways.” This further supports my justified contention that this is a very unfortunate event.
We keenly await the eventful day where luck befalls us in the form of a new pathway, allowing us to take shortcuts and efficiently approach yonder rooms across the vast, exquisite school that we spend many of our days in.
Military Aircraft Tragedy
Story by Rukia Gabow
On Sunday the 27th of August, 23 American Marine passengers were on board. The V-22 Osprey aircraft crashed at 9:30 a.m. that morning over the Tiwi Islands off the Northern Territory coast during a training drill. The cause of the crash is unknown and still under investigation. A statement that was covered by the Marine force has confirmed “Three have been confirmed deceased while five others were transported to Royal Darwin hospital in serious condition,”.
Of the other 20 Marines, three are still being treated in Royal Darwin Hospital. One of them is in critical condition, the other two are stable. The remaining 17 were treated for minor injuries and released.
The crash took place during a military exercise called “Exercise Predators Run,” a training drill that involves people from Australia, the US, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste.
Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his heart and the hearts of all Australians go out to the families of the marines who lost their lives and those injured.
He stated " At a time like this, we reach out to our American brothers and sisters to express our condolences to them, our commitment to continue to work with them," he mentioned
"This is a difficult time for families, friends, and all of the US defence personnel."
The US President Joe Biden said he and his wife Dr. Jill Biden pay condolences to the victims of the crash
"Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the Marines who lost their lives in this deadly crash," he said. On the social media platform X (known as Twitter)
The Osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but during flight, it can tilt its propellers forward and cruise much faster like an airplane. Before Sunday, there had been five fatal crashes of Marine Ospreys since 2012, causing a total of 16 deaths.
The U.S. Embassy in Australia issued a statement offering condolences to the families and friends of the dead Marines and thanking Australian responders for their help.
The Silent Epidemic
by Nina Pham on August the 28th
Child exploitation has remained a global problem that preys on children’s purity and innocence for profit. It’s an issue that often operates in the shadows, hidden from the public eye. In this article, we delve into the disturbing reality of child trafficking and explore how celebrities, often unwittingly, become connected to this grave problem.
Child trafficking is a multi-faceted issue that knows no borders. It encompasses the abduction, recruitment or deceitful transportation of children for various forms of exploitation, including forced labour, sexual exploitation and organ trafficking. Governments, NGOs and activists have raised awareness and have combatted this heinous crime that continues to persist, affecting millions of innocent lives.
The Vulnerability of Children
Children living in poverty, conflict areas or unstable family environments are particularly vulnerable to trafficking. Economic deprivation, lack of education and the absence of a protective support community can make these children easy targets for traffickers. It’s within these circumstances that the paths of celebrities and child trafficking sometimes intersect.
The Celebrity Connection
Celebrities, due to their influence and global reach, often find themselves unintentionally connected to the issue of child trafficking.
Some celebrities have endorsed products or brands without thoroughly investigating their supply chains. In doing so, they may support exploitative practices that involve children. Celebrities who remain silent on the issue inadvertently contribute to a lack of awareness. Their silence can keep alive the issue that child trafficking is a distant problem rather than a global crisis that requires urgent attention.
In the age of social media, celebrities' support and promotions can inadvertently steer their followers towards websites or platforms involved in child exploitation. Predators exploit the invisibility of the internet to target vulnerable children and celebrities unintentional promotion can play a role in this tragedy.
On a more positive note, some celebrities use their platform to raise awareness about child trafficking and fund anti-trafficking organisations. Their influence can be a powerful force for positive change.
Child trafficking is a deep problem that requires everyone’s approach, involving governments, NGOs and individuals. Celebrities, as influential figures in society, possess a platform to amplify the message against child trafficking. While they can inadvertently be connected to this issue through various means, many are also using their status for good by supporting initiatives and organisations working tirelessly to eradicate child trafficking.
In the end, the fight against child trafficking transcends and it is the collective responsibility of society to shine a light on the shadows, raise awareness and protect the world’s most vulnerable citizens… our children. Celebrities can play a big role in this crisis by leveraging their influence to promote a world where every child can grow up safe, free and without fear.
Ex-President Legal Troubles
Story by Mason Dunmore
Donald Trump, former American president, has been hit with numerous charges regarding conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, an attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. Trump has been facing a grand total of 91 charges across all of the 4 indictments; a charge or accusation for a serious crime; after a leaked phone call was brought to the attention of officials. The former president could be heard asking to “find 11,780 votes'' If convicted with the maximum penalty, he could be facing a grand total of 641 years behind bars.
Mar-a-Lago Classified Documents Case
Last month, Trump was hit with a case over storing hundreds of classified documents in his Mar-a-Lago estate, a private beach in Fflorida, owned by his own company. Trump claimed that this charge was an attack and act of political bias, calling Jack Smith, the special counsel who brought this case to life, a “radical”. This trial has been scheduled for may 2024, interfering with his next presidential run.
Manhattan “Hush Money” Case
34 counts of falsifying business records have been handed out to Trump after he allegedly paid an adult star, Stormy Daniels, and a model, Karen McDougal to keep quiet about alleged affairs that happened between them. This event occurred in 2016, before the election results. This act was seen as an attempt to hide damaging information that could have resulted in the loss of the election. This trial is now scheduled for March 2024, which will also interfere with Trump's run for president.
Special Counsels Jan 6 Investigation
On January 6, Trump supporters rioted and stormed the capitol building in Washington D.C. This led to violence, vandalism, and led to the evacuation of all congress members as they were in the process of peacefully handing over the power to Joe Biden. Trump is being charged with encouraging this behaviour and rallying the riots indirectly. Jack Smith, Special counsel for this case, described the act as an “assault on the seat of American democracy". This trial will also interfere next year with the election at hand
Election Interference in Georgia
An investigation has been launched due to Trump’s conduct in the 2020 election. This stems from a leaked phone call where Trump was heard saying “find 11,780 votes” to the Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger. This phone call sparked the investigation into his fraudulent acts to try and coerce the election. However, this case has a twist that is different to the others. In the case of the 3 other charges, Trump can pardon himself from them if he becomes president, meaning the charges will be immediately dropped. The Georgia case is different because it is a state charge, meaning that he will not be able to pardon himself from this. Trump argued that the timing of the case was deliberate, to ruin the chances of being elected again
The numerous charges that Trump faces will most definitely ruin his run for election in 2024, with most charges landing just a month or two beforehand. From holding classified documents in his estate, paying out women for an alleged affair, interfering with the special counsels meeting, and interfering with the 2020 election, Trump is charged with multiple lifetimes behind bars.
High School’s Week Gets All Scienced Up
Last week, Thornbury High was faced with an annual phenomenon commonly referred to as Science Week. Numerous students decided on participating in the provided activities, escalating their understanding on this year’s subject.
Science Week provided resources to any student willing to participate, expanding their knowledge on whatever subject Science Week decides to base itself upon. The subject changes each year, enabling students to understand various things beyond what they ever understood before. This year, the theme for Science Week was ‘innovation’. Students grasped information regarding how AI could be utilised in industries, energy renewal, data science and environmental monitoring. Science Week is a national event, thus being hosted in not only schools; but universities, research institutions, libraries, museums, and science centres as well.
“Science Week was packed full of events,” said Tara Quenault, the current head of science in Thornbury High School, “starting with our fire and foam demonstrations on Monday at lunchtime. Mr Bason and Ms Farmarkis demonstrated the methane bubble and elephant's toothpaste phenomena with great success! We also had a Science Scavenger Hunt organised by the student academic committee, a coding competition where robots needed to complete a track in room 38, binary bracelet and rover making, drone races in the STEAM Centre, and a Year 7 Quiz where 7C took out the prize of a pizza lunch. Prize winners are being announced and prizes awarded next week!”
CONTROVERSY ERUPTS AS FEDERATION SQUARE BANS WORLD CUP VIEWING
Date: August 23, 2023- Nina Pham
Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square has announced a ban on public viewing of the upcoming FIFA World Cup matches, sending shockwaves through the local sports community and fans worldwide. The decision, made by the Federation Square Board, has ignited a fiery debate about the use of public spaces for holding communal events and sports enthusiasm.
A STAGGERING BAN
Federation Square has been a popular gathering for sports enthusiasts during major international sporting events. Whether it’s the Australian Open, the Olympics, or the FIFA World Cup, the square has traditionally been the centre of communal sports watching.
However, the Board’s recent decision to bar the public from getting together to watch World Cup matches has taken many by surprise. The ban will encompass all outdoor screens in the square, effectively prohibiting large gatherings during the event.
REASONS BEHIND THE BAN
According to Federation Square management, the decision was motivated by concerns over public safety and COVID-19 precautions. The ongoing pandemic has raised concerns about the utility of large gatherings in a crowded and populated area like Federation Square.
In a statement, Lord Mayor Sally Capp explained, “Our top priority is the safety and well-being of all visitors to Federation Square. Given the erratic number of crowd sizes and the challenges posed by maintaining social distancing in the square, we have made the difficult decision to prohibit public viewing of World Cup matches this year.”
MIXED REACTIONS
The ban has sparked mixed reactions across the city and beyond. While some applaud the decision as a responsible move in light of the health crisis, others see it as a disappointment and an insult to Melbourne’s vibrant sports culture. Local sports bars and restaurants that rely on the foot traffic generated by major sporting events are also expressing concern. Many business owners had been preparing for a rush of customers during the World Cup, only to be met with this unexpected ban.
POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES
As Melbourne residents and World Cup enthusiasts struggle with the news, discussions are underway about other possible alternatives. Some have suggested the use of socially distanced viewing areas or the exploration of other locations within the city where fans can safely gather to watch matches. Local authorities and the Federation Square Board are reportedly open to exploring alternative options to ensure that the spirit of the World Cup is not completely dampened in Melbourne.
CONCLUSION
The decision to ban the World Cup viewing at Melbourne’s Federation Square has ignited a controversial debate over public safety, community spirit and the use of public spaces during major sporting events. As the FIFA World Cup approaches, the people of Melbourne and sports fans worldwide are eagerly awaiting updates on potential alternatives that will allow them to come together, to celebrate the beautiful game.
Maui Battles Devastating Wildfires as Communities Evacuate
Nafissa - International Correspondent - 23/08/08
MAUI, Hawaii — A massive wildfire raged across the western slopes of Maui's iconic Haleakalā volcano, prompting widespread evacuations and threatening homes, wildlife, and natural beauty. The fire, which ignited several days ago, has rapidly spread due to dry conditions and strong winds, challenging firefighting efforts and creating a state of emergency for the island.
The wildfire on Maui has now consumed thousands of acres of land, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The flames have encroached upon residential areas and popular tourist destinations, causing panic and chaos among locals and visitors alike. Emergency response teams worked around the clock to control the fire's progression, but the challenging terrain and shifting wind patterns have made the containment difficult. Helicopters equipped with water buckets have been deployed to douse the flames from the air, while ground crews battle the blaze from various vantage points.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for several communities situated in the fire's path, including areas along the Honoapiilani Highway and portions of Lahaina. Local authorities set up shelters to accommodate those displaced by the wildfires, providing them with essential services and resources. The evacuation process was particularly challenging due to the urgency of the situation and the need to move people and animals to safety. Evacuees were urged to follow official directives and stay informed about the changing conditions.
Firefighters from Maui Fire Department, along with additional resources from nearby islands and the mainland United States, are collaborating to contain the blaze. The fluctuating weather conditions, including winds that can change direction unexpectedly, have posed significant challenges to their efforts.
As the firefighting efforts continue, the people of Maui remain resilient in their resolve to protect their island and its communities. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fire prevention measures and the need for preparedness in regions prone to wildfires.
Authorities are urging residents and visitors to stay informed through official channels and to adhere to evacuation orders and safety guidelines. The road to recovery will undoubtedly be long, but the spirit of unity and determination displayed by the people of Maui provides hope for a brighter future despite the challenges that lie ahead.