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Outdoor Recreation Market Overview and Leading Players: Johnson Outdoors, Black Diamond Equipment, Amer Sports, ExOfficio, Garmin, The North Face, Salomon, VF CorporationConsumers in the United States scoured the internet for online deals as they looked to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people's regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it. Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, expected consumers to spend $13.2 billion Monday — a record, and 6.1% more than last year. That would make it the biggest shopping day for e-commerce for the season — and the year. Online spending was expected to peak between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday night, per Adobe — reaching an estimated $15.7 million spent every minute. People are also reading... ‘I don’t care who’s played': Nebraska’s Dana Holgorsen on personnel changes at tight end Search warrants lead to arrest of man in narcotics investigation Blue Springs family to host 2025 Cattleman's Ball They fell in love with Beatrice. So they opened a store in downtown. At the courthouse, Nov. 30, 2024 La Segoviana finds new home in Court Street Plaza Hospice foundation helps with extra support At the courthouse, Nov. 23, 2024 Board of Supervisors denies permit for Filley telecom tower Fall Farmers Market and Brunch planned for Saturday 'The Message' religious sect sprouts destructive groups across globe Dale G. Lunsford Shatel: Emotions are still simmering, but Nebraska delivered the bottom line for 2024 — a bowl game Sound waves: What others are saying about Nebraska's loss to Iowa Spreading kindness one butterfly at a time For several major retailers, a Cyber Monday sale is a dayslong event that began over the Thanksgiving weekend. An Amazon Prime delivery person lifts packages while making a stop Nov. 28, 2023, in Denver. Amazon kicked off its sales event right after midnight Pacific time on Saturday. Target's two days of discount offers on its website and app began overnight Sunday. Walmart rolled out its Cyber Monday offers for Walmart+ members Sunday afternoon and opened it up to all customers three hours later, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five major shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — provides a strong indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays. Many U.S. consumers continue to experience sticker shock after the period of post-pandemic inflation, which left prices for many goods and services higher than they were three years ago. But retail sales nonetheless remain strong, and the economy kept growing at a healthy pace. At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies are rising. More shoppers than ever are also on track to use "buy now, pay later" plans this holiday season, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items. Many economists also warned that President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs next year on foreign goods coming into the United States would lead to higher prices on everything from food to clothing to automobiles. A FedEx delivery person carries a package from a truck Nov. 17, 2022, in Denver. The National Retail Federation expects holiday shoppers to spend more this year both in stores and online than last year. But the pace of spending growth will slow slightly, the trade group said, growing 2.5% to 3.5% — compared to 3.9% in 2023. A clear sense of consumer spending patterns during the holiday season won't emerge until the government releases sales data for the period, but some preliminary data from other sources shows some encouraging signs for retailers. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that discounts from Thanksgiving onward "exceeded expectations" and online spending throughout Cyber Week is on track to cross a record $40 billion mark combined. U.S. shoppers spent $10.8 billion online on Black Friday, a 10.2% increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That's also more than double what consumers spent in 2017, when Black Friday pulled in about $5 billion in online sales. Consumers also spent a record $6.1 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, Adobe said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce, which also tracks online shopping, estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $17.5 billion in the U.S. and $74.4 billion globally. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 3.4% from a year ago. A United Parcel Service driver sorts deliveries July 15, 2023, on New York's Upper West Side. E-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $5 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $4.6 million per minute — with top categories by volume including clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, according to the Canadian company. Toys, electronics, home goods, self-care and beauty categories were among the key drivers of holiday spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to Adobe. "Hot products" included Lego sets, espresso machines, fitness trackers, makeup and skin care. Other data showed physical stores saw fewer customers on Black Friday, underscoring how the huge crowds that were once synonymous with the day after Thanksgiving are now more than happy to shop from the comfort of their homes. RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in stores, said its early data showed store traffic on Friday was down 3.2% in the U.S. compared to last year, with the biggest dip happening in the Midwest. Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, said its preliminary analysis showed retail store traffic on Black Friday was down 8.2% compared to 2023. Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, noted that in-store traffic was getting spread across multiple days since many retailers offered generous discounts before and after Black Friday. "Some of the extended Black Friday promotions really ended up leading to a little bit of a softer day-of traffic than expected," Gustafson said. The 7 small business trends that paid off in 2024 The 7 small business trends that paid off in 2024 In 2024, staying small on purpose seems to be paying off big for small businesses. They're keeping operations small and targeting niche, highly specialized customers. And some business owners find this strategy results in more time, energy, and money to intentionally capitalize on unique, small cap opportunities. The data tells the story of growth in small businesses for the year. According to NEXT , the Small Business Administration (SBA) reports awarding 38,000 SBA 7(a) loans under $150,000: double the amount they awarded in 2020. Here are the related small-business trends paying off in 2024. 1. Small and cozy office spaces in industrial and flex condos Commercial real estate agent Ryan Beckenhauer of Market Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, has noticed that small businesses are growing smaller, and that their office and warehouse spaces are starting to reflect that as they shop for business space. In commercial real estate, many small business owners gravitate toward industrial condos and other flexible spaces. These are small-scale industrial spaces with a 90:10 or 80:20 split of warehouse to office. "More individuals are leveraging skills acquired at larger organizations to venture out on their own," explains Beckenhauer. And he goes on to say that they don't need a large commercial space as they make that leap to start a business. His clients include engineers, consultants, builders and other tradespeople. Beckenhauer's clients like the flexibility of being out of an office and being close to their inventory and workshop space. "The clients want to see and touch the finishes," he says. Small business owners both rent or buy these spaces. But he's seeing his clients opt to own industrial condos to stabilize costs due to rent increases in Boulder. And because these spaces are smaller, it can be easier for new buyers to qualify for financing. 2. More outsourcing of financial services Mariana Alvarez, owner of Controller Works , an online bookkeeping and advisory firm, has noticed that small business owners outsource financial support services because they don't want to increase headcount. "Outsourcing gives them the possibility of having access to the knowledge and the skills of a CFO without having to pay for the salary," she says. "They don't have to manage or deal with the workload, employment taxes , and all that comes with it," says Alvarez. Additionally, many small business owners in fields like construction are family-owned, and this makes it easier for business owners to hand off delicate financial work to a trusted person with financial experience. 3. Automating bookkeeping tasks with AI Every small business has recurring tasks that can benefit from some level of artificial intelligence automation . And Alvarez sees a lot of value in using AI for small business bookkeeping. She explains that you can automate the data entry on Quickbooks. "When you create rules, as long as you create the rules correctly, it pretty much does itself," says Alvarez. From there, you can lean on financial experts to help you analyze the data and make more informed decisions. She uses AI as a background resource when guiding her accounting clients. "I believe that we still need the human-to-human interaction that comes with more perspective for financial analysis," she explains. 4. AI-driven customer service According to the SBA , 77% of consumers feel that human interaction is still required for a positive customer experience. People turn to small businesses every day for a human experience. According to Arvind Rongala, CEO of Edstellar , small business workers can show up for their customers but still use AI for routine tasks like customer queries. "This balance allows companies to scale their operations without losing the personal touch that makes them unique. It's important to remember that AI isn't there to replace the human element—it's there to enhance it," he says. 5. Personalized customer experiences "By really focusing on one very small weakness that Amazon has, I've been able to carve out a successful business by offering something different," says Lou Harvey owner of Tank Retailer , a retailer of commercial water and fuel tanks. "When you read our customer reviews, many of them actually mention me by name because of how much we focus on customer service and go the extra mile." One of Harvey's most successful business strategies this year has been to lean into his small, niche market and offer the kind of customer experience that large retailers like Amazon don't. "Any small weaknesses that Amazon has (however small those weaknesses may be) needs to become a strength of a smaller business focusing on a niche market," says Harvey. Harvey has his company's customer service phone number front and center on the website to help earn customer trust. "I prominently feature our phone number, and a real person always answers the phone (usually it's me)," says Harvey. 6. Businesses promoting social impact Lucie Voves, CEO and founder of Church Hill Classics , an online, woman-owned diploma framing company that uses sustainable materials, has noticed an uptick in customers seeking services from a business on a mission. "This year, we've seen a growing inclination for consumers to actively seek out and support small businesses owned by women and minorities," says Voves. When consumers shop small, they choose to make their dollars count. "Customers are fueled by a desire to promote social impact through purchasing power," says Voves. 7. Increased social commerce sales Long gone are the days of online retailers "building it and they will come." In 2024 we've seen more small businesses than ever turn to social commerce to sell directly on social media platforms like Instagram Shopping , Facebook Marketplace , and TikTok . Small business owners are turning toward influencers, social media ads, and organic content to target their customers. Mike Vannelli of Envy Creative creates online ads for businesses, and he has seen his clients succeed on TikTok of late. "I've seen businesses, especially in retail, use TikTok's short-form video format to make their products go viral. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing on steroids," says Vannelli. He uses the platform's algorithm to push a company's content to the right audiences, and it works because TikTok loves storytelling. "I know small brands that use behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, and even playful challenges that tap into trends to humanize their products and build trust," explains Vannelli. To stand out on TikTok, he says, smaller brands need to embrace authenticity and emotional connection. Show your team, share your journey, and involve your community in content creation. This story was produced by NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

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The election of Donald Trump for his second presidential term has led to widespread fears of an imminent authoritarian descent in the United States. Quite how that might play out remains speculative, for now at least. But evidence from Trump’s first term, as well as his campaign policies and cabinet nominations since the election, suggest those fears are not without foundation. Another way of looking at this, however, is that Trump’s return simply echoes realities within the international system’s other great powers – China, Russia and India have all displayed similar political pathologies for some time now. Due to their collective power and influence in determining the nature of the world order, Trump’s victory thus marks the amplification of a deeply autocratic era in global politics. The hallmarks of what we might call this nascent “Pax Autocratica ” can be seen in a variety of ways, as these four horsemen of authoritarianism charge ahead with their policies and plans. Strongman politics Donald Trump and his counterparts – China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and India’s Narendra Modi – are all bombastic, divisive and confrontational leaders. They embody the archetype of strongman politics whereby power is focused on a single, would-be omnipotent individual. As well as sharing similar alpha-male psychological characteristics and developing cults of personality around themselves, they seek to rule for long periods. In 2018, Xi removed the presidential term limit from China’s constitution. In 2020, Putin amended the Russian constitution, allowing him to rule until 2036, leading to what’s been described as a “ politics of eternity ”. In power since 2014, Modi has won the past three elections in India. Accused of having a god complex , his success has rested on mainstreaming Hindu-first nationalism , capturing the legal system and rewriting Indian history . Trump, too, has flirted with ideas of a third term (impossible under current constitutional rules), saying, “ we just have to figure that out ”. Strongman politics: Donald Trump meets India’s Narendra Modi in New Delhi, 2020. Getty Images Constraining human rights Each of these leaders has overseen governments that have sought to narrow and constrain human rights. This includes limiting freedoms of speech and expression within Russian media, attacking journalists and protesters in India, and purging opponents in China. In all three countries, this involves using legal mechanisms to stifle dissent. Reports after Trump’s victory suggest he also wants to punish or suppress protest and dissent. The growing politicisation of the US Supreme Court matches similar trends in the other three countries. This has been likened to a shift away from the rule of law (which underpins a free and open society) towards “rule by law” (whereby the law becomes a tool of control). Globally, there have been warnings that reduced freedoms of speech, association and expression threaten the fundamental structures of civil society . The 2024 State of Civil Society Report by watchdog group Civicus estimates 72% of the world’s population now lives under authoritarian regimes. Attacking minorities The first Trump administration actively discriminated against minority ethnic groups, LGBTQ people, those with disabilities, and immigrants. Trump’s 2017 travel ban closed the US border to Muslims, while the planned deportation of up to 13 million illegal migrants was a mainstay of his 2024 campaign. In Russia, attacks against minorities and foreigners are commonplace, with racism in the country described as “ out of control ” by Amnesty International. Since 2014, violence and discrimination against India’s 200 million Muslims has significantly increased under Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Modi government’s actions actively discriminate against Muslim employment, education, justice and housing , especially in Kashmir and Assam. These chime with China’s actions in Xinjiang and Tibet where ethnic minorities are experiencing fundamental human rights violations . Beijing is also building a national social credit system designed to enhance public trust in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and create a society of “ compliant subjects ”. Social control: China’s Xi Jinping with Russia’s Vladimir Putin at the BRICS Leader’s Summit, October 22. Getty Images Weakened electoral systems While ostensibly democratic, there are glaring weaknesses in the US, Indian and Russian political and electoral systems, which undercut claims of electoral equality, fairness and plurality. While not as blatantly authoritarian as China (under the one-party rule of the CCP since 1949, and which consistently silences its opponents ), elections in Russia are essentially non-competitive and only a fac ̧ade of democracy . In the US, the gerrymandering of electoral regions , voter suppression , and vast corporate donations tilt the political landscape towards particular interests. Much the same is true of India, which has shifted towards a form of “ electoral autocracy ”, and is described now as only a “ partially free democracy ” by monitoring group Freedom House. These trends are exacerbated by India’s persistent intergenerational political dynasties and powerful political donors . Surveillance and security All of these authoritarian trends are underpinned by modern surveillance structures , directed inward towards a country’s own citizens as much as outwards, and enabled by Big Tech and now AI. What has been described as “ algorithmic authoritarianism ” takes different forms. The Chinese social credit system uses such technology to instil social control mainly through financial levers. India’s Central Monitoring System allows government agencies to monitor all mobile phone, landline and internet communications with minimal legal restraints . The pervasive reach of Russia’s capabilities has resulted in a “cyber gulag” of “total digital surveillance” . In the US, whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the mass surveillance of telephone records in 2013, which was found to be illegal in 2020. Now, Trump’s alliance with Elon Musk has potential implications for his administration’s approach to AI and national security – including Musk continuing to use his social media platform to boost Trump’s political support. Trump’s return has normalised and supercharged authoritarianism internationally, making it the rule rather than the exception. America’s autocratic drift is now part of a broader global pattern, one that threatens democratic forces everywhere. Chris Ogden is affiliated with the Foreign Policy Centre (London) as a Senior Research Fellow.Ravens QB Jackson leads first NFL Pro Bowl fan voting results

NoneBaltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, leads fan balloting for the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games after one week of voting, the league announced on Monday. Ravens superstar Jackson set the overall pace with 44,681 votes followed by teammate Derrick Henry, the running back leader, in second overall at 40,729 votes. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays

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