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Buy now, pay whenever? Lockdown lift for online shopping loans

Holly B. Martin

By Nikhil Nainan

(Reuters) – Browsing online during lockdown, Jessica Friend spotted a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses she liked, but the price tag made the 30-year-old Ohio resident think twice.

What persuaded her to click ‘buy’, Friend said, was the short-term credit offered by Afterpay, which split the $260 payment into four interest-free instalments.

Afterpay is among a handful of alternative credit firms which offer small loans, mostly to online shoppers, and make their money by charging merchants a 4%-6% commission.

These buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) firms have benefited from a shift to online shopping during the coronavirus crisis in countries including the United States, where state aid has also boosted retail sales.

“I’m more inclined to use them because they make it easier to afford to get the things I want all at once … and when I want to splurge on something,” Friend said of the loans.

Some investors are

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How Should Fashion Entrants to China Approach COVID-19 Rebound?

Holly B. Martin

Click here to read the full article.

LONDON — Everybody wants a slice of China’s booming luxury and fashion market, especially after the coronavirus put a stop to many businesses around the world.

It’s indeed fascinating to hear stories about how loyal Chinese consumers would queue outside Chanel and Hermès stores moments after the pandemic was contained and spend a record-breaking sum of money on high-price items, and how Burberry’s 100 limited-edition Pocket Bags in collaboration with Mr. Bags sold out within seconds on his WeChat mini-program.

McKinsey predicts Chinese consumers will account for 40 percent of the world’s luxury spending by 2025, but the growing demand is likely to be trapped in the country until 2021 due to pandemic disruptions. Because of this, China’s retail market is expected to overtake the U.S. and become the world’s largest as early as this year.

But the reality is far

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Alexander McQueen opens in the Miami Design District just in time for you to release those pent up shopping desires

Holly B. Martin

Just want to do something normal? We all do. Something like wandering a beautiful boutique, letting something lux catch your eye, taking that something you’re intrigued with to the dressing room, trying it on, falling in love and then finding a place to wear it.

Visitors to the new Alexander McQueen flagship store can shop luxurious summer-ready accessories.
Visitors to the new Alexander McQueen flagship store can shop luxurious summer-ready accessories.

If that sounds like a dream come true, prepare for the opening of Alexander McQueen in the Miami Design District today. Located at 146 NE 41st St, the store will reflect the house’s new design concept, as envisioned by Sarah Burton, creative director, and architect Smiljan Radic. Expect to find the outside world inside. Woods like oak and walnut in dark and light shades bring a warmth to the space’s walls and floors, while glass cylinders reflect light, bringing a weightlessness to the space. Keep an eye out for the cotton-crete around

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The Best Fourth of July Fashion and Beauty Sales to Shop Right Now

Holly B. Martin

Think Fourth of July sales are all about patio furniture and BBQ gear? Think again. This year, a ton of our favorite fashion and beauty sites are having amazing sales that totally overshadow the home deals we’re used to seeing. And the best part is, many of them are already live so we don’t have to wait until this weekend. Here, the 17 best Fourth of July fashion and beauty sales to shop right now.

RELATED: The Best Fourth of July Sales to Shop Right Now

The Best Fourth of July Fashion and Beauty Sales

Fashion

1. Carbon38

In need of some new activewear, swimsuits or loungewear? Use code ‘SPF30’ now through Friday to take an additional 30 percent off almost 500 sale styles as part of the retailer’s Sale into Summer Event. We have a feeling this is only the beginning of Carbon38’s Fourth of July weekend deals…

Shop

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