As a self-professed member of the sneakers-only club, I’m willing to share a little secret. I love the way heels look. Although it takes some convincing to get me out of the house, it takes even more persuasion to get me out in heels. I’m a “comfort over everything” type of person, but sometimes, if the shoe fits, I’ll wear it—literally.
While Who What Wear editors love their tried-and-true trendy heels and platforms, some of the best picks aren’t nearly as expensive as they look. Case in point: these under-$100 heels that I’ve vowed to break my “no stilettos during the week” rule for. From trendy metallics to runway-inspired silhouettes, these 32 finds are anything but unattainable. Shop the best affordable heels below.
Read on for our favorite deal picks at Amazon’s sale, or tap the button below to head straight to Amazon to see all the deals.
AirPods Pro 2: $200
Apple
The latest Apple AirPods Pro 2 earbuds have an upgraded wireless chip for improved audio functionality, a new low distortion driver for clearer audio and improved active noise cancelation. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 provide truly custom sound: You can use your iPhone’s camera to analyze your unique ear anatomy and find the perfect audio settings for you.
The design of the AirPods Pro 2 is fairly similar to the previous generation, but Apple has introduced touch control to the AirPods Pro 2 to help users more seamlessly control their AirPods.
The Apple Watch Ultra is designed to be a more rugged and durable option for athletes and adventurers. It provides up to 36 hours of life on a single charge with standard use, or 60 hours of battery life with the soon-to-be-released battery optimization setting. It is made with a stronger titanium alloy material for improved impact resistance. It also offers a larger (49mm), brighter display and a second speaker for better sound and display visibility during outdoor use. Apple says it’s also optimized for diving and water sports.
The Apple Watch Ultra provides enhanced GPS functionality to trace your steps and improve navigation for outdoor expeditions. There is also an action button that can be used to more accurately track your workouts by marking segments of your workout.
Want start on your 2023 tax return for free? Head to the TurboTax website — you don’t need to pay until you file, and you’ll save a few bucks over the price of buy software on Amazon. Some can even file for free. (For simple tax returns only, not all tax payers qualify.)
Blink Mini smart home security camera (2 pack): $42
Blink Home Security via Amazon
Start or expand your smart home security setup with a two-pack of Blink Mini cameras. The Blink Mini smart home security camera features 1080p video recording (cloud-based saving optional), motion detection and two-way audio. Blink Mini works with Alexa, so you can monitor your cameras from your Amazon Echo Show ($35) via voice command.
The Blink Outdoor is a water-resistant security camera designed to monitor the outside of your home. It features two-way audio, motion detection and a live video stream. It is battery-operated and has a two-year battery life.
Like the Blink Indoor camera, the outdoor offering also comes in a variety of multi-packs and bundles.
Theragun Pro is a professional-grade device constructed for physical therapists, trainers and other professionals, but it’s also great for athletes, however amateur. Like the Theragun Elite, it is equipped with an OLED screen and a customizable speed range of 1,750 to 2,400 PPMs (percussions per minute) with three presets. However, instead of 40 pounds of force, the Pro boasts 60 and is the only model with an adjustable arm, allowing for easier use.
The Theragun Pro comes with six attachments: a dampener, standard ball, wedge, thumb, cone and super soft tip. A two-year warranty (compared with just one with the less expensive models) makes it more appealing for anyone who might use the gadget daily.
This orbital massage gun is a thoughtful gift for a loved one this Valentine’s Day. It provides a unique massage experience with needing and sweeping motions designed to mimic a real massage. It comes with three massage heads and 3 different speed settings to allow the user to customize the massage to their needs and preferences.
Right now, you can save over $100 on this top-rated massage gun on Amazon.
Amazon Eero Pro 6E tri-band mesh Wi-Fi system: $250 and up
Amazon
The Eero Pro 6E tri-band mesh Wi-Fi system is the brand’s first Wi-Fi 6E-compatible system — and right now these advanced Wi-Fi systems are up to 21% off.
The Eero Pro 6E supports faster speeds and direct access to the new 6 GHz band when using Wi-Fi 6E devices. It supports network speeds up to 2.3 Gbps and allows for up to 100 connected devices.
The basic Kindle e-reader is the lightest and most compact Kindle. It features a 6-inch 300 ppi high-resolution display designed to provide a glare-free, paper-like experience. It offers 16 GB of storage and a battery that can last up to six weeks on a single charge.
The Kindle Kids e-reader is built specifically to encourage reading. It does not have games, ads, or videos like other tablets to reduce distractions for young readers. The Kindle Kids comes with a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ which provides access to a number of kid-friendly books. There are four cover options to choose from including solid colors and fun prints.
If you’re hoping to travel more in 2023 or planning a romantic Valentine’s Day getaway, you might want to take advantage of this deal on the Delsey Paris Helium Aero hardside luggage. This best-selling suitcase has a 4.5-star Amazon rating and it’s currently 26% off.
The five-inch-wide Keurig coffee maker lets you brew up to 12 ounces of coffee, hot chocolate, tea and more. It offers an energy-efficient feature that automatically turns the coffee maker off 90 seconds after you’ve brewed your cup.
The Roomba 694 is Wi-Fi-enabled. Control the vac with your connected smartphone or device via the iRobot Home app. The Roomba 694 has a 90-minute run time before it automatically docks and recharges.
“We have two dogs, one that sheds moderately,” a customer says. “I purchased in hopes that it at least would help between regular vacuuming. I vacuumed first with my Dyson then set it free. When it was done with the job, I didn’t expect much in the dust trap… I was wrong! It was full! Super impressed.”
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 with a 45mm case is 45% off right now at Amazon. This Garmin smartwatch uses Garmin’s Pulse Ox technology to track your energy levels, respiration, menstrual cycle, stress, sleep, heart rate, hydration levels and more. It can stream downloaded music from Spotify and Amazon Music. When paired with your smartphone, the watch can receive incoming notifications.
This Garmin smartwatch features more than 20 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps. Want a personal trainer on your wrist? This watch can show you animated workouts via your watch screen.
If you’ve never had sous vide cooked meat and vegetables, well — you’re missing out. The 12.8-inch Anova Nano sous vide precision cooker circulates heated water at exact temperatures to cook foods to perfection. Rated 4.7 stars on Amazon.
This multi-purpose cleaning device features 3D object avoidance, which allows it to recognize any objects in its path and move around them to avoid getting stuck. It’s great for pet households, as the Yeedi Vac 2 is designed to avoid your dog’s food bowl, water bowl and toys.
Apple’s high-end tablet, the iPad Pro, features a Liquid Retina XDR display, a pro camera system (12 MP wide; 10 MP ultrawide) and a Thunderbolt port for lightning-speed data transfers. Looking for a traditional laptop experience? It’s compatible with Apple’s Magic Keyboard.
The latest iPad Pro comes with several major upgrades. One of the most notable changes is that the 2022 iPad Pros are equipped with the M2 chip, the same fast and powerful chip included in the latest MacBooks. The M2 chip makes this the fastest iPad yet — and an excellent choice for video editing, streaming or gaming.
This Scwhinn bike is compatible with popular third-party cycling apps, like Peloton and Zwift. It features a full-color, backlit LCD console that monitors your heart rate, speed, time, distance and calories burned while cycling. It also has an adjustable race-style seat and dual-link foot pedals with toe cages and clips for a secure ride.
Blender Bottles are ideal for mixing up protein shakes on the go. Amazon’s offering discounts on the 20 and 28-ounce sizes, so it’s a good time to stock up.
The Amazon Fire TV offers a 4K experience with support for Dolby Vision, HDR 10 and HLG. This smart TV is a must-have for Alexa owners. You can go entirely remote free and ask Alexa to play live TV, stream your favorite TV shows and movies, check sports scores, set timers and reminders, start video calls and more.
The Amazon Fire TV Omni series gives you access to over 1 million movies and TV episodes, plus the streaming platforms you subscribe to. Want to broadcast whatever’s on your phone right into your living room? Use the TV’s Airplay function to share videos, photos and music from your compatible smart devices to your Fire TV.
The Amazon Fire TV Omni series is available in multiple sizes. Prices vary.
Check in on your pets while you’re at work or out to dinner with the Petcube pet camera. The Petcube streams and records in 1080p video, while providing sound and motion alerts.
If it records anything suspicious or concerning, pet parents can access 24/7 live chat with a veterinarian via the Petcube app.
This heat-press machine (available in two sizes, 9 by 9 inches and 12 by 10 inches) eliminates the need for an iron and simplifies heat-transfer projects. In short, it makes applying a decal on a T-shirt a breeze.
This 10-foot-by-10-foot, extra large throw blanket is the perfect last-minute cozy gift for friends or family members. It’s large enough to fit the whole family but still compact enough to fit into a normal washing machine.
Weighted blankets provide enhanced comfort and can help you sleep better in 2023. Right now, you can get this sherpa weighted blanket from Luna for a crazy good price. The blanket is 61% off on Amazon right now, but you can also apply a 5% off coupon for even more savings.
This Luna weighted blanket is made with soft sherpa and premium glass beads. This weighted blanket is available in full, queen and king sizes. Prices vary by size, weight and color.
Consider this under-desk treadmill if you work from home and want to get more movement into your daily routine.
This motorized walking and jogging treadmill offers 12 preset exercise modes as well as the option to manually adjust the setting for your perfect workout.
This compact home gym system can give you a full body workout with over 65 potential exercises. The Bowflex Power Rods can be used to adjust the resistance from as low as 5 lbs to up to 210 lbs. It features an integrated lat tower and a removable leg extension/curl attachment.
Amazon is currently offering an unbeatable deal on this 14-inch Asus Chromebook. The lightweight, portable laptop features an Intel Core m3-8100Y processor, 4 GB RAM and 128 GB of storage.
A vacuum-free space-saving compression bag so easy to use that all you have to do is stick your clothes inside, zip up the bag, roll the bag, and watch all the excess air get squished out of them until your clothes magically shrink.
A set of Sea Bands, which target an acupressure point on your wrists meant to help reduce nausea — a must-have for anyone who gets motion sick on long car rides, cruises, buses, and trains.
A luggage drink caddy for anyone who considers the Starbucks mermaid a copilot — this sticks right into your wheeled luggage and has two roomy pockets for drinks, water bottles, your snacks, your phone, and whatever else was taking up room in your hands on the go.
HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability are subject to change.
Amazon
A hands-free (rotating!) phone mount
Perilogics is a small business that specializes in tech-oriented travel products and backpacks.
Promising review: “I used it for the first time this week, when I was on three flights. I was able to comfortably sit back and watch TV, check the Internet, and even play a game on my phone. Guess what several friends are getting for Christmas from me ♥️.” — adiaphora
A vacuum-free space-saving compression bag
Promising review: “These were the things I never knew I needed for traveling. They work just as advertised and are really useful when going on a trip. I always hate at the end of a trip having to mix dirty and clean clothes — a ‘laundry bag’ or plastic shopping bag never really felt like a good enough separation. These bags seal up and conceal the most stinky, wet clothes from your clean unused clothes. They are going to be one of my new necessities for my big family when traveling.” — Sarbello
A set of affordable, highly popular wireless Bluetooth earbuds
These come with a wireless charging case that provides up to 14 hours of charge (with the earbuds able to play for four-plus hours with each full charge). The earbuds are also sweatproof and waterproof so you can use them during workouts or runs or even in the shower, and have a built-in mic so you can chat on the phone. Psst — these are also a great option for going outside in a mask, since they don’t have wires that’ll get tangled in the mask straps.
Promising review: “So many things to rave about with these! Quality of the design and feel of these is amazing. I could literally wear these all night while on vacation with a roommate who snored, they were that comfortable and good at noise cancelling. I use these most often to listen to music and the sound quality is superb. I have a pair of AirPods that I was *thankfully* gifted and I hardly ever use them because they just aren’t as good as my Tozos!” — Alexis Arnold
A set of Sea Bands
Promising review: “I have always suffered from motion sickness. My whole life I have hated long car rides, even short car rides, as soon as I get in the car and buckle in I already feel the nausea. I couldn’t enjoy rollercoasters (I still have yet to try these bands while riding one). I bought these for a 16-hour road trip and they worked 100%. I felt perfectly comfortable the whole way through. I could even watch movies and text on my phone and feel alright. My two daughters suffer from the same thing (ages one and three) but to the point where they couldn’t keep any food down when going on long car rides. The kids’ bands worked for them 100% of the time too. 10/10 recommend. I’ll be buying more for sure.” — Veronica
A luggage drink caddy
Promising review: “This cup holder is perfect! It helps me a lot! Last time I took a plane with a suitcase and a cup of coffee, when it’s my turn to check my passport and ticket, the coffee cup fell to the ground and coffee sprinkled. It was a nightmare! This time I bought this cup holder, it did do me a favor! I don’t have to worry about where my cup and phone are! I can free my hands to do other things. I love it so much! Hope you love it too.” — Philip
Henney’s Boutique/Etsy
Or a leather passport case with a protective side sleeve
Henney’s Boutique is a California-based Etsy shop that specializes in passport holders.
Promising review: “Shipping was impeccable! The holder is sleek looking. It is nice and large. My COVID vaccine card fits snugly.” — Alexandra Tino
A portable cordless phone charger
Promising review: “This is an amazing product, I use it on a daily basis and it keeps my phone charged throughout the day. When it’s plugged in it perfectly it matches the curve of your hand, making it comfortable to use when charging, it truly gives a huge boost to your battery life and I recommend it to people who frequently have to charge their phone, because this product solves the problem!” — Whistle Blower
A dry shampoo powder
Hair Dance is a US-based cruelty-free, vegan small business that specializes in haircare products.
Promising review: “I was a little unsure about this product but wanted it for vacation to limit aerosols or liquids. I am mind blown! It smells great, doesn’t leave a residue and both volumizes and keeps my hair looking fresh. It also lasts for much longer than an aerosol if you’re someone who uses this daily or every other day. The bottle is small enough to not take up space, but I’ve had my first bottle for months and am barely through half. This will be my go-to from now on.” — E
A waterproof pouch
It fits any phone up to 100 mm x 170 mm (or about 3.9 inches x 6.7 inches). It’s also a great fix for keeping out sand and dirt (and a great option for runners, if you’re caught in the rain but still want to be able to toggle through your music options).
Promising review: “I purchased this case in July for an upcoming canoe trip with a friend, and as luck would have it, we flipped our canoe. Being the rebel that I am, I chose not to wear my phone around my neck, and so it, my ID, and my debit card ended up at the bottom of the river and I just assumed it would be discovered a thousand years from now and placed in a museum as an ancient artifact. Fast forward to this week. I was contacted via FB by an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office diver and guess what he found? Yup, my phone case with all of the contents intact and dry as a bone! He had to cut the case open, but there was not one single drop of water in it and he ended up purchasing a case for himself because he was just that impressed!” — Julie McDonald
A pack of Neutrogena makeup remover towelettes
Promising review: “I always have a few of these in my purse as well as using them for travel. It is perfect for removing makeup and making your face feel fresh. I love that it is great for sensitive skin and the individual packets make it perfect to always have some with you.” — Bonnie Review
Emma Lord/BuzzFeed
A set of wax ear plugs
You can check out my review of Macks Earplugs for more deets: “The moldable silicone of Mack’s Earplugs contours easily to the shape of your ear to block out noise much more effectively than other foam or plastic varieties, and the noise reduction is so good that if I pair them with a white noise machine (or just like a white noise loop on Spotify) I genuinely don’t hear noises from outside my room. Not only that, but once they’re in place, they stay locked there until you decide to pull them out. I’ve also *loved* these for traveling — if you put these babies in on a plane not only does it help reduce some of the YIKES factor when the plane takes off (it’s loud!!), but it cancels out the murmuring noises of passengers on the flight and makes it easier to get some shuteye.“
Promising review: “I have always bought earplugs based on the decibel ratings, but none of them have ever worked very well for me, because they don’t stay in my ears. These have a lower decibel rating than any of the foam earplugs I have used in the past, but they are much more effective. They really block noise, and they don’t go in your ear canal; they just cover the entrance to the ear canal. I find this much more comfortable. I am really glad I found these, and just wish i had found them sooner.” — Portlandia
Emma Lord//BuzzFeed
A pair of super-comfy period-proof underwear
Also, unlike your regular undies, you don’t have to scrub the blood out of these. They’re designed so it rinses right out in the sink with soap and warm water, and can get tossed in the washer and dryer from there. You can read the rest of my review on Bambody period underwear for more deets! Available in sizes XS–6XL, eight colors, and in two, three, and six-packs,
Psst — reviewers love these undies, but suggest sizing up!
Promising review: “My job requires traveling to places that may not always have a bathroom, so when I’m on my period I wear these as a fail safe in case my tampon or pad is at a max and I’m not somewhere I can change them out. It’s worked great so far and it makes it far more comfortable on the job.” — Sam
Amazon
A backseat hook perfect for road trips
Promising review: “We travel a lot and of the few things we have bought to make the trips more comfortable, this is the best! I even use it when we are not traveling to hold bags, purses, diaper bag. It’s great and can hold a lot of weight!” — GothicPoohBear
Amazon
A blister-preventing balm
Promising review: “This stuff is amazing! I won’t wear my ‘pinchy’ shoes without it AND I’ll wear them more often. I jammed my toe on the first day of vacation, but had planned to wear my new strappy platform hells the next evening. This stuff made my new shoes comfortable for a full night of dinner, walking all over the resort, and dancing! Everyone is getting this for Christmas this year!” — SM Housel
A reviewer-beloved travel laptop backpack
A lot of nurses, teachers, and parents also swear by this backpack, since it’s so well-organized, durable, and comfy!
Promising review: “Love how well made this is. I’ve spilled things on it many times and it is easy to clean off. All the pockets are amazing. Fits everything I need for work — laptop, small keyboard, headphones, charging cord, etc. very comfortable even though I have it fully stuffed.” — Denise Wells
Amazon
Plus a Baggallini, aka an anti-theft vacation backpack
Promising review: “I am a bag lover and this one is the best. I thought the straps might not be comfortable, but they are. The size is absolutely perfect. The location of the pockets is wonderful. The outside pocket on the back is genius. The red color is gorgeous. Holds all I need and then some. The locking zipper pulls add security.” — Gina
The Lamare/Etsy
A hybrid travel planner and journal
The Lamare is a Florida-based Etsy shop established in 2017 that specializes in planners and journals.
Promising review: “I loved the journals I received. They are gorgeous. They’re well-made and fun to use!” — Kristy
Tushy
Tushy’s travel bidet
Promising review: “We’ve had the original Tushy for a few years and love it, so we really miss having a bidet when we travel. We were a little skeptical about trying this simple product, but it has a great design! It produces a stream of water that’s not as nice as the powered Tushy but still good, and it collapses/expands nicely and looks just like a water bottle, so we don’t have to worry about any weird looks in a public bathroom. There are a couple of great videos online about the best way to use it, very helpful!” — Brittany
Plus a roomy duffel bag
It’s water-resistant and has an adjustable long strap.
Promising review: “I recently went camping and was able to pack a lot into this bag.. It zipped up easily. I love the color, it’s almost a ‘neutral pink’ and not too ‘look at me, I’m Barbie in the woods!’ The shoulder strap was comfortable, the handles were comfortable, too. It was snowing while unloading from the truck to the cabin and despite this bag getting wet (and VERY cold) everything inside was very dry.” — Smile Saurus
Amazon
A beloved grocery bag carrier
Click & Carry is a Shark Tank and QVC-featured small business that specializes in easy carry accessories.
Promising review: “TikTok made me buy it. This is great when you have a few bags and a box — for example, if you balance the bags, you can throw it over your shoulder and walk inside and have two free hands to carry the box, which is great. Product seems well built, and is comfortable on your shoulder or hand because of the padding.” —Hung
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in seven colors).
Emma Lord/BuzzFeed
A popular water-resistant Under Armour face mask
FWIW, if you’re planning to exercise in a mask while traveling, this mask also has the approval of a *ton* of runners and athletes in its reviews. I have two of them in my own rotation, and I’m impressed by how comfortable they are on long flights *and* while working out. The straps are super soft on your ears — I’ve gotten so used to straps chafing and was surprised by what a difference this made. I gifted one of these to my dad for Christmas, too, and it’s his go-to for walks and errand running. It’s just an overall easier mask to breathe in (while still maintaining a tight fit and keeping the people around you safe!).
Promising review: “Like everyone else we’ve been using masks of varying quality. We work from home so I haven’t thought much about airborne pathogens in close quarter environments, until my first business trip in 18 months, yikes. Bought this mask after great testimonials from colleagues who also travel, it worked perfectly for me. Continuous wearing up to seven hours in airports and multiple flights was no problem, very comfortable with great airflow. Is this an N95? No, of course not, but it is an effective barrier that you will use without ‘taking breaks’ and risking exposure. Highly recommended!!” — T. Martin
Type Of Fit: Around-the-ear loops
Pocket For Filter: No
Fabric Type: Iso-Chill fabric
Shipping Time: Standard shipping
Available in five sizes and 10 colors; for reference, I’m wearing the Small-Medium above.
A fully waterproof, super lightweight Columbia travel jacket
FYI, if you have Amazon Prime Wardrobe you can give this a spin before you buy it! Available in women’s sizes XS–3X and 36 colors.
Promising review: “The jacket is waterproof and very comfortable. I like the bill on the jacket hood that keeps water from dripping into my eyes. A surprise was discovering that there are ‘secret’ inside mesh pockets perfect for securing things you don’t want to fall out of your pockets or get snatched.” — Paula Renfro
A set of DripDrop hydration packets
I’m a long distance runner and recently tried the Strawberry Lemonade and Fruit Punch flavors after some 10-milers in the heat — I wasn’t expecting them to taste so good considering they’re half the sugar of sports drinks, but damn?? These tasted just as flavorful as Gatorade, even when I put them in 16 ounces of water instead of the recommended eight. Usually I feel pretty sluggish by mid-afternoon on days when I go on long runs but I felt fine after chugging one of these packets, so it definitely does the trick.
Promising review: “This was my first experience with DripDrop or any electrolyte powder for that matter. I ordered these to try them out for a beach vacation this summer and it truly made a difference! My family and I noticed we didn’t feel sluggish from sitting in the sun and sweating for hours. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the flavor but the fruit punch flavor reminds me exactly of Hawaiian Punch!” — Mary
Amazon
A transparent TSA-approved toiletry bag
Promising review: “This bag held surprisingly more than expected. I put tiny travel jars for my skincare creams and other small toiletries in it with room to spare. I definitely feel like it was easier to pack and was also easy to grab out of my bag for security. It feels sturdy with nice, thick vinyl. The double zipper moved easily, and I was pleased that it opened completely for ease of getting the items I needed out of it.” — Mrs M Tate
Amazon
An always handy international travel adapter
Promising review: “LOVE this adapter! I travel from time to time internationally and have always used just the ‘standard’ adapters found in airports. Could not pass up the opportunity to purchase this one after reading the reviews. Exceeded my expectations of what it was capable of. Used on a recent trip to Germany and it handled everything needed — laptop, cell phone (USB ports are so very welcome), alarm clock, dryer, etc. Did not miss a beat on the power provided. And, it is also attractive looking 😉 Thank you for making such a great, dependable product!” — Monkey
Promising review: “I bought these before they were on Amazon. I’m obsessed. My kids think it’s a game, and they’re so intent on eating all the food inside. Even my picky eater. As a mom who absolutely hates to hand wash things, I’m so grateful that a) the entire thing comes apart for washing and b) it’s completely dishwasher-safe. This thing is awesome. One of a kind. I own five right now. Will probably be getting more in the future for when the baby is old enough to snack independently.” — Jordan Christman
A set of storage scrunchies
LokiStashed is a California-based small business that specializes in unique and practical hair accessories.
Promising review: “I got these scrunchies so I could stash away money, lip balm, and car/house keys while enjoying a hike, at the beach, or going to festivals … basically places where you don’t want to be worried about carrying a lot or you don’t want people to know where your stuff is. I have very long thick hair and the scrunchie will go around my hair twice while in a ponytail or bun and it is comfortable.” — Amazon customer
Amazon
A set of homeopathic jet-lag pills
According to the instructions, you should take them at take off and then every two hours and then again once you arrive to help with relaxation and combat sleepiness.
Promising review: “I heard about this product from my cousin who used it for a trip to Japan and it was very effective. I used it for a trip to Washington DC that had multiple stops and delays — total of 15 hours to get to my destination. I was comfortable upon arrival. The next morning I was ready for a work day.” — ELEANORE
Amazon
A nifty leakproof, portable pet water bottle with mini dish
Promising review: “I saw this on a TikTok video and checked on Amazon and ordered it. My toy poodle loves it and drank out of it with no hesitation. With the heat wave we are having in California right now I want to be sure she is well hydrated. Before I leave the house I fill the holder with ice and water and I am set. Easy to clean and no spilled water in the car. Easy to throw in my purse and have it when we are out walking around. I know what people with dogs are getting for Christmas this year.” — Amazon customer
A backseat car video monitor
Note: You should only ever look at the camera when the car isn’t in motion!
Promising review: “I saw this product on TikTok and knew I wanted to try it. I LOOOOOVE this product! I hate trying to use my rear view mirror to look into her mirror to make sure she’s okay. The quality of the video is great for the price, and I can easily see if my infant has spit up or I can see her mouth to shove a paci in if needed. I can see details like if her eyes are open or closed. The night vision isn’t too bad but not as detailed but you can see enough. But overall for the price, I would buy this product again hands-down.” — Michael Giblin
A memory foam seat cushion
Promising review: “We enjoy traveling and spend several weeks on the road each year. I have lower back problems that require my getting cortisone shots for pain relief. For the last few weeks, I have also been having trouble sitting for more than a few minutes because of a pain in the area of my tailbone. I ordered this item for our last trip. I could not believe the difference it made! I was able to sit comfortably both driving and riding without any pain, and that made a huge difference in my enjoyment of the trip. When we got home I ordered a second one so I could leave one in the car and have one inside. I am recommending it to all my friends who need some relief.” — Susan S.
Amazon
A 50-count set of super-handy laundry soap sheets
Promising review: “This came SO in handy during my vacation to Europe! I was making lots of different stops to places with different types of weather. With these laundry soap sheets I was able to wash my clothes in the sink — letting me pack just the right amount of clothes for all the different places I went.” — Katie Fujarski
A trusty Tide To-Go stain removing pen
Promising review: “These were a lifesaver. I was walking to the bus and decided it was a great decision to drink coffee while walking. Like a scene from an infomercial, I spilled coffee all over my white shirt. Yes, the classic coffee on the white shirt. Luckily I had one of these in my bag (I put one in each of my most-used purses in anticipation of my clumsiness). I went into a store bathroom and quickly scrubbed the Tide To-Go on my shirt. All of the coffee blobs went away and once the awkward wet splotches dried up, my shirt was perfectly white again. You’ve got yourself a big fan, Tide.” — NAD
Cincha Travel
A quick-release vegan leather travel belt
Cincha Travel is a California-based small business that specializes in adjustable travel belts made out of vegan leather. The brand donates 100 airline miles for each purchase, which are used to reconnect separated migrant families.
Promising review: “I try to go on trips with just a carryon and backpack. The issue is my backpack always gets so heavy and hurts my back in king travel days. This belt completely solves that problem! It is high quality, comfortable, and looks super sleek! It’s my favorite travel precut hands-down! — Benjamin
A pair of compression socks
Promising review: “Prevents your feet and ankles from swelling on long flights. Also gave me an overall more comfortable feel on a 12-hour flight. I didn’t feel the need to stretch or wiggle my feet quite as much. Sizing guide was pretty spot on. They look like regular socks and I didn’t have any issues with impressions on my feet. They also they were not super tight in the toe area which I liked. Time will tell if they stay in shape after multiple uses and wash cycles, but for that price it was a great deal.” — Tar
Amazon
An ultra breathable memory foam neck pillow
Promising review: “I owned a couple of neck pillows previously, but none are nice and soft as this. It is like the memory foam pillow used at night. I used this during my trip to Japan, it is a 12-hour flight and thanks to this travel pillow, it helped me sleep most of the time. I can’t really describe how soft the pillow is… but it’s super soft. The fabric is nice and doesn’t seem like it would irritate over long trips or flights. There’s a zipper for the cover as well, so you could remove it and wash it if you really needed to. Other than the pillow, the black carrying bag also came with an eye cover (I’m obsessed with these, and they’re better quality than the ones you get from the airplanes) as well as earplugs and case for it, which is nice because I sometime lost my earplug or get it dirty. Overall, extremely comfortable, so it’s worth the price if you want a better quality pillow.” — Dang
A pack of Dr. Frederick’s Original Better Blister Bandages
Each pack comes with bandages to fit your heel, toe, and foot. People who wear heels also recommend these!
As a blister-prone human, I swear by these. A few years ago, before I invested in these running socks that prevent blisters, I got a blister on my big toe so unspeakably large and painful that I am cringing even TYPING about it, and no amount of rest from running seemed to heal it; it just kept coming back. I finally used one of these bandages, and the pain was virtually gone from the moment I put it on. It was also so airtight that nothing got inside, and it didn’t loosen in the shower. You’re supposed to take it off when it loses adhesive so it can come off gently without disturbing the blister if it hasn’t fully healed yet. After using two of these in a row over the course of a week and a half, my blister was finally healed up enough that it stopped coming back.
Promising review: “So glad I thought ahead to buy these before going to Italy. I had new fashionable shoes and low-cut socks and we did 10 times more walking that I had anticipated. I tried the shoes on for an hour and got a blister. Wore these for 10 days in Europe and had zero issues, total comfort, left them on for multiple days through showers. I’ll never travel without these again.” — Paul Hinman
Amazon
A packing checklist
Promising review: “We travel frequently and have two children. As any parent knows, packing for yourself and your children can be overwhelming (especially for a trip longer than a few days). I have found this list to be a lifesaver and I also give it as a gift for other traveling families. It is easy to plan, organize, and list out items that are easily forgotten. You can also list the quantity of each item needed. It has a variety of clothing options and space to add more. Overall, wonderful purchase and has likely saved me many forgotten items!” — Mike D.
Kevin O’Leary remembers what a disruptive force Amazon was in the early 2000s. Lucky for him, he was an early investor in the company. Now, he sees similar disruption occurring in the search business courtesy artificial intelligence and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
“ChatGPT certainly is a threat to Google, and Google must know that,” the Shark Tank star told Insider in an interview published this week. About half of his own search queries, he added, are now done via ChatGPT. The “loser is Google,” he said, adding, “the A.I. search wars on are.”
O’Leary indicated he’s now mulling an opportunity to be an early investor in OpenAI, adding he’s “fortunate to be offered a piece of it.” He considers the loss-making venture’s valuation “very, very extreme”—it’s reportedly near the $30 billion mark—given how new the technology is, but he said a deal would likely close in the near future.
If he does invest, he told Insider, it’ll be a modest bet: “Either it’ll have a good outcome or it won’t, but I won’t take down the ship or sell the farm for it. I know there’s going to be a lot of competition and a lot of disruption, but I certainly like always to have a piece of the first mover.”
He favors first movers, he added, because they have a marketing advantage.
OpenAI itself has been stunned by the amount of attention ChatGPT has generated.
“We weren’t anticipating this level of excitement from putting our child in the world,” OpenAI CTO Mira Murati said this month in a Timeinterview. “We, in fact, even had some trepidation about putting it out there.”
But as angel investor Elad Gil noted last month, the rapid uptake of ChatGPT despite it being down much of the time is a good sign of product-market fit. The Google alum added that when an idea works, it tends to work very quickly, something that he’s seen repeatedly with companies he’s worked at and invested in over the years. (Gil was an early investor in Airbnb, Instacart, and Square.)
Of course, OpenAI currently faces heavy losses, not to mention enormous computing costs from all the ChatGPT users it didn’t expect. Microsoft’s large investments should help with that. And this week, the tech giant unveiled an update to its Bing search engine that incorporates ChatGPT technology.
Earlier this month, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Plus, a $20 monthly subscription that provides faster response times and better access to the chatbot when it’s otherwise down due to traffic.
After noting the ChatGPT threat to Google, O’Leary told Insider, “The market hasn’t really punished Google stock for this. But a few quarters from now, if ChatGPT really starts to bring in significant subscriber fees, then we’ll see what happens.”
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Ryan Reynolds and Colin Hanks have plans to shine some light on one of comedy’s greatest stars. John Candy is probably one of the most recognizable comedians of all time. Unfortunately, not all that much is known about his private life. He’s definitely included among the ranks of 20th century comedy legends who were gone too soon, like Chris Farley or John Belushi.
John Candy began his career with a number of friends who were active at Second City Toronto, which eventually created their own television program, called SCTV. Among the cast for the show were other comedy legends who had yet to enter the prime of their careers. The original cast included the likes of John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Harold Ramis, and Dave Thomas. Martin Short and Rick Moranis would join later on. This show was almost a kind of prototype for SNL, and many cast members would eventually make the switch.
Unfortunately, after a huge career and tons of memorable roles, Candy passed away of a heart attack at the age of 43. He was part of some of the best classic comedies, from Spaceballs to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. During this run, he also met Tom Hanks when he co-starred as Hanks’ brother in Splash. This must have made quite the impression on a young Colin Hanks.
Colin Hanks got the support of Candy’s widow to use never-before-seen home videos to create a documentary about his life. Hanks has quietly been working on the project for a long time, but he’s just recently managed to sell the distribution rights to Amazon. Ryan Reynolds is joining the project as producer, something he’s been doing more and more of lately. Of course, it only makes sense that one of the most prevalent comedians of our time would want to pay tribute to one of the greats.
10 Actors Who Got Different Roles Than They Auditioned For
The high-flying tech industry is facing a reckoning as the economy slows and customers pull back on spending.
In the past month alone, tech companies have cut nearly 60,000 jobs, reversing a hiring spree that surged during the pandemic as millions of Americans moved their lives online. IBM was one of the latest to slash its headcount, announcing 3,900 layoffs in January, or less than 2% of its global workforce.
Even with the surge in layoffs, most tech companies are still vastly larger than they were three years ago. But industry analysts expect further industry cuts in 2023 as the Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates as it hits the brakes on economic growth.
This year, “a major theme will be tech layoffs as Silicon Valley, after a decade of hyper growth, now comes to the reality of cost-cutting mode,” analysts at Wedbush said in a research note Friday.
As for what that means for tech workers, it’s too soon to tell, experts say. Despite the cascade of layoff announcements, employment in the information sector rose through most of last year, dropping only in December. That suggests demand for talent remains strong enough that many laid-off tech employees will likely be able to find new jobs.
“While layoffs from high-profile firms make the headlines, plenty of firms are desperate for more workers, especially tech workers. Those workers are in high demand from the auto industry to the Department of Veterans Affairs to not-for-profits,” said Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union.
“The labor market is still so tight that many tech workers, and workers with other skills, are snapped up well before they need to collect an unemployment check. And they are more likely to be snapped up by smaller firms, which have a much greater demand for workers than major corporations.
The tech downturn is an anomaly amid a job market that remains the tightest in decades and has allowed many workers to command higher pay. Across the economy, announced layoffs last year fell to their second-lowest in 30 years of tracking by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, second only to 2021.
But even as overall layoffs fell, tech layoffs rose, with a record 1 in 4 layoffs last year taking place in the tech sector.
Here are the largest tech companies to announce cuts since 2022.
Alphabet
The Google parent said on January 20 that it would let go of 12,000 workers, or about 6% of its 186,000-strong global workforce. The cuts apply “across Alphabet — product areas, functions, levels and regions,” CEO Sundar Pichai said.
Pichai told employees that the Silicon Valley company simply hired too fast during the pandemic.
“Over the past two years we’ve seen periods of dramatic growth,” Pichai wrote in an email that was also posted on Alphabet’s corporate blog. “To match and fuel that growth, we hired for a different economic reality than the one we face today.”
Amazon
The e-commerce company is moving to cut about 18,000 positions, a downshift that began in November and that will continue into this year. That’s just a fraction of its 1.5 million-strong global workforce.
While the vast majority of the company’s employees work in its vast warehouse and logistics operation — which doubled in size during the pandemic — the cuts mostly affect white-collar employees in some of the company’s less profitable sectors, including the division responsible for its voice assistant, Alexa.
Carvana
The online car seller cut about 2,500 workers in May 2022, or 12% of its workforce. The company was widely criticized for its handling of the layoffs, many of which were done via Zoom and email.
The Phoenix-based company, which delivers new and used cars to buyers, blamed the cuts on an “automotive recession.”
Coinbase
The cryptocurrency trading platform cut roughly 20% of its workforce, or about 950 jobs, in January. It’s the second round of layoffs in less than a year, with 1,100 workers losing their jobs in June.
Dell
The computer company in February announced it would slash 5% of its workforce due to a “challenging global economic environment.” The Texas-based company has about 133,000 employees, according to its most recent annual report, putting the layoffs on track to eliminate about 6,600 jobs.
eBay
The online marketplace said in February it would cut 500 jobs, or about 4% of its global workforce, according to an internal email included with a securities filing.
The layoffs allow the company “to invest and create new roles in high-potential areas,” CEO Jamie Iannone said in the message. The will also “[simplify] our structure to make decisions more effectively and with more speed,” he said.
IBM
The company plans to cut about 3,900 workers, its chief financial officer told Bloomberg in January. The cuts amount to about 1.5% of the company’s global workforce, and come even as IBM posted better-than-expected revenue for the most recent quarter.
The Armonk, New York-based firm will continue hiring in what its financial officer called “higher-growth areas.” IBM last year said it would invest tens of billions of dollars across New York’s Hudson Valley to spur semiconductor manufacturing.
Lyft
The ride-hailing service said in November it was cutting 13% of its workforce, almost 700 employees. The layoffs affect its corporate employees, since Lyft’s army of drivers are considered independent businesses, not employees of the transportation company.
Meta
The parent company of Facebook in November laid off 11,000 people, about 13% of its workforce. Meta has struggled more than many tech companies this year; its user base has shrunk, while CEO Mark Zuckerberg has put billions of dollars into building what he calls the “metaverse,” to the consternation of its investors. The company’s stock has lost two-thirds of its value since peaking in August 2021.
Microsoft
The software company in January said it would cut about 10,000 jobs, almost 5% of its workforce, as it refocuses its strategy on artificial intelligence and away from hardware. In the two years ending in June 2022, Microsoft had expanded from 163,000 workers to 221,000.
PayPal
The digital payments company said in January it was cutting 2,000 jobs, or about 7% of its workforce, as it contends with what it called “the challenging macro-economic environment.”
The San Jose, California-based company is the parent of PayPal is the parent of payment apps Venmo and Xoom and the coupon service Honey, among other brands. PayPal said the cuts would affect different brands unequally, although it did not specify further.
Robinhood
The company, whose app helped attract a new generation of investors to the market, announced in August that it would reduce its headcount by 23%, or approximately 780 people. That’s the second round of recent layoffs for the company, which last year cut 9% of its workforce.
Salesforce
The company cut 10% of its workforce, or about 7,300 employees, in January. It also said it was closing some offices, citing a “challenging” environment and lower customer spending.
Snap
The parent company of social media platform Snapchat said in August that it was letting go of 20% of its staff. Snap’s staff has grown to more than 5,600 employees in recent years, meaning that, even after laying off more than 1,000 people, Snap’s staff would be larger than it was a year earlier.
Spotify
The music streaming service said in January it was cutting 6% of its workforce, or roughly 580 jobs, as part of a push to make the company more efficient. In 2022, Spotify’s operating costs grew twice as fast as its revenue, CEO Daniel Ek said, a pace he called “unsustainable.”
“We still spend far too much time syncing on slightly different strategies, which slows us down,” CEO Daniel Elk said in a January 23 letter to employees posted on the company’s site. “And in a challenging economic environment, efficiency takes on greater importance.”
Stripe
The payment processor announced layoffs of roughly 1,000 workers in November, amounting to 14% of its workforce. In an email to employees posted on Stripe’s website, CEO Patrick Collison said the company expected “leaner times” amid worsening economic conditions.
Twitter
About half of the social media platform’s staff of 7,500 was let go after the billionaire CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, acquired the service in October. An unknown number have left, with some objecting to the new ownership and Musk’s demand for an “extremely hardcore” attitude.
Wayfair
The online shopping company announced in January that it would cut 1,750 workers, or about 10% of its global employees, as it adjusts to falling consumer demand after the home-renovation boom of the pandemic. It’s the second round of layoffs for the Boston-based company, which cut 870 employees in August.
CEO Niraj Shah said the company “simply grew too big.”
“In hindsight, similar to our technology peers, we scaled our spend too quickly over the last few years,” Shah said in a statement.
Zoom
The video-conferencing company that surged early in the pandemic said it would lay off 1,300 “talented, hardworking colleagues” in early February. The cuts represent about 15% of Zoom’s workforce, according to a company blog.
The company tripled in size in 2020 as white-collar workers shifted to remote environments, but its user growth then slowed dramatically.
“We didn’t take as much time as we should have to thoroughly analyze our teams or assess if we were growing sustainably,” CEO Eric Yuan said in a post. “[T]he uncertainty of the global economy, and its effect on our customers, means we need to take a hard – yet important – look inward to reset ourselves so we can weather the economic environment, deliver for our customers and achieve Zoom’s long-term vision,” he added.
Yuan said he would forgo his entire salary and bonus for the current fiscal year, and that the executive team would see 20% salary cuts and no bonus. Yuan made $320,000 in compensation last year, and also holds about $3.3 million worth of Zoom stock, according to securities filings.
According to Amazon, this $50 discount puts the AirPods at their lowest price in the past 30 days, another reason to jump on this sale that doesn’t have a clear end date.
If you’re unfamiliar with the famed Apple headphone technology, these sweat-resistant earbuds are Apple’s second generation of the AirPods Pro. They offer up to two times more active noise canceling that the previous generation to smartly detect and block disruptive outside noise during listening. A special transparency mode allows you to simultaneously listen to music or calls and hear the world around you, while finger touch features allow you to control everything from phone calls, volume and skipping songs.
Apple also ensured a more comfortable and immersive sound experience this time around thanks to customizable tapered silicone ear tips and EQ technology that automatically tunes music to ears, while the spacial audio places sound all around the listener.
To sweeten the 20% off deal, Amazon is offering free delivery by Feb. 10 if you order by today. Order some for your loved one (or yourself).
Commerce giant Amazon posted lower-than-expected income in the fourth quarter but saw solid year-over-year growth within its cloud platform, Amazon Web Services. WHY IT MATTERS: The company missed earnings estimates due to both a $2.3 billion loss on electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian and economic uncertainty causing consumers to be more careful with their spending, Chief […]
Federal regulators issued three safety violations to Amazon this week, saying workers at its warehouses in three states are spending too many hours repeatedly lifting heavy packages.
The warehouses in Aurora, Colorado; Nampa, Idaho; and Castleton, New York exposed employees to a “high risk” of lower back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The citations come less than a month after the agency had cited Amazon for similar safety hazards at three other warehouses in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York.
“Amazon’s operating methods are creating hazardous work conditions and processes, leading to serious worker injuries,” OSHA Assistant Secretary Doug Parker said in a statement. “They need to take these injuries seriously and implement a company-wide strategy to protect their employees from these well-known and preventable hazards.”
Some injuries have likely gone unreported because the first-aid clinics at the Amazon warehouses have been understaffed, the OSHA investigation also found.
Amazon violated the general duty clause, a regulation passed in 1970 that requires employers to provide a workplace that is free of hazards that could cause serious injury or death. The company has 14 days to resolve the warehouse violations or face a fine of $46,875, OSHA said.
Amazon plans to appeal the fine, the company said Thursday in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch
“We’ve cooperated with the government through its investigation and have demonstrated how we work to mitigate risks and keep our people safe,” spokesperson Kelly Nantel said. “We also know there will always be more to do, and we’ll continue working to get better every day.”
In the OSHA citations issued last month, safety regulators found that employees were constantly bending, twisting and lifting as they raced to transfer heavy packages to and from carts, conveyer belts, trailers and tall shelves. Workers were clocked making these repetitive moves up to nine times per minute.
Amazon faces $60,269 in fines for violations at those warehouses.
Amazon warehouse employees have complained for years about the taxing pace of work filling orders and shipping boxes around the world. The grueling conditions pushed employees in New York to create the company’s first unionized workforce last April and also prompted workers in the U.K. to stage a walkout last Friday.
Amazon has said its warehouses are no more dangerous than other retailers and that its injury rates are in line with industry rates.
Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering business, consumer and financial stories that range from economic inequality and housing issues to bankruptcies and the business of sports.
Amazon has selected fintech Stripe to assist with payment processing across its numerous businesses. The partnership is an expansion of a 2017 deal and will see Stripe help with volume across Amazon Prime, Audible, and Amazon Pay as well as other businesses of the e-commerce giant. Stripe will expand its use of Amazon Web Services […]
The high-flying tech industry is facing a reckoning as the economy slows and customers pull back on spending.
In the past month alone, tech companies have cut nearly 60,000 jobs, reversing a hiring spree that surged during the pandemic as millions of Americans moved their lives online. IBM was one of the latest to slash its headcount, announcing 3,900 layoffs in January, or less than 2% of its global workforce.
Even with the surge in layoffs, most tech companies are still vastly larger than they were three years ago. But industry analysts expect further industry cuts in 2023 as the Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates as it hits the brakes on economic growth.
This year, “a major theme will be tech layoffs as Silicon Valley, after a decade of hyper growth, now comes to the reality of cost-cutting mode,” analysts at Wedbush said in a research note Friday.
As for what that means for tech workers, it’s too soon to tell, experts say. Despite the cascade of layoff announcements, employment in the information sector rose through most of last year, dropping only in December. That suggests demand for talent remains strong enough that many laid-off tech employees will likely be able to find new jobs.
“While layoffs from high-profile firms make the headlines, plenty of firms are desperate for more workers, especially tech workers. Those workers are in high demand from the auto industry to the Department of Veterans Affairs to not-for-profits,” said Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union.
“The labor market is still so tight that many tech workers, and workers with other skills, are snapped up well before they need to collect an unemployment check. And they are more likely to be snapped up by smaller firms, which have a much greater demand for workers than major corporations.
The tech downturn is an anomaly amid a job market that remains the tightest in decades and has allowed many workers to command higher pay. Across the economy, announced layoffs last year fell to their second-lowest in 30 years of tracking by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, second only to 2021.
But even as overall layoffs fell, tech layoffs rose, with a record 1 in 4 layoffs last year taking place in the tech sector.
Here are the largest tech companies to announce cuts since 2022.
Alphabet
The Google parent said on January 20 that it would let go of 12,000 workers, or about 6% of its 186,000-strong global workforce. The cuts apply “across Alphabet — product areas, functions, levels and regions,” CEO Sundar Pichai said.
Pichai told employees that the Silicon Valley company simply hired too fast during the pandemic.
“Over the past two years we’ve seen periods of dramatic growth,” Pichai wrote in an email that was also posted on Alphabet’s corporate blog. “To match and fuel that growth, we hired for a different economic reality than the one we face today.”
Amazon
The e-commerce company is moving to cut about 18,000 positions, a downshift that began in November and that will continue into this year. That’s just a fraction of its 1.5 million-strong global workforce.
While the vast majority of the company’s employees work in its vast warehouse and logistics operation — which doubled in size during the pandemic — the cuts mostly affect white-collar employees in some of the company’s less profitable sectors, including the division responsible for its voice assistant, Alexa.
Carvana
The online car seller cut about 2,500 workers in May 2022, or 12% of its workforce. The company was widely criticized for its handling of the layoffs, many of which were done via Zoom and email.
The Phoenix-based company, which delivers new and used cars to buyers, blamed the cuts on an “automotive recession.”
Coinbase
The cryptocurrency trading platform cut roughly 20% of its workforce, or about 950 jobs, in January. It’s the second round of layoffs in less than a year, with 1,100 workers losing their jobs in June.
IBM
The company plans to cut about 3,900 workers, its chief financial officer told Bloomberg in January. The cuts amount to about 1.5% of the company’s global workforce, and come even as IBM posted better-than-expected revenue for the most recent quarter.
The Armonk, New York-based firm will continue hiring in what its financial officer called “higher-growth areas.” IBM last year said it would invest tens of billions of dollars across New York’s Hudson Valley to spur semiconductor manufacturing.
Lyft
The ride-hailing service said in November it was cutting 13% of its workforce, almost 700 employees. The layoffs affect its corporate employees, since Lyft’s army of drivers are considered independent businesses, not employees of the transportation company.
Meta
The parent company of Facebook in November laid off 11,000 people, about 13% of its workforce. Meta has struggled more than many tech companies this year; its user base has shrunk, while CEO Mark Zuckerberg has put billions of dollars into building what he calls the “metaverse,” to the consternation of its investors. The company’s stock has lost two-thirds of its value since peaking in August 2021.
Microsoft
The software company in January said it would cut about 10,000 jobs, almost 5% of its workforce, as it refocuses its strategy on artificial intelligence and away from hardware. In the two years ending in June 2022, Microsoft had expanded from 163,000 workers to 221,000.
PayPal
The digital payments company said in January it was cutting 2,000 jobs, or about 7% of its workforce, as it contends with what it called “the challenging macro-economic environment.”
The San Jose, California-based company is the parent of PayPal is the parent of payment apps Venmo and Xoom and the coupon service Honey, among other brands. PayPal said the cuts would affect different brands unequally, although it did not specify further.
Robinhood
The company, whose app helped attract a new generation of investors to the market, announced in August that it would reduce its headcount by 23%, or approximately 780 people. That’s the second round of recent layoffs for the company, which last year cut 9% of its workforce.
Salesforce
The company cut 10% of its workforce, or about 7,300 employees, in January. It also said it was closing some offices, citing a “challenging” environment and lower customer spending.
Snap
The parent company of social media platform Snapchat said in August that it was letting go of 20% of its staff. Snap’s staff has grown to more than 5,600 employees in recent years, meaning that, even after laying off more than 1,000 people, Snap’s staff would be larger than it was a year earlier.
Spotify
The music streaming service said in January it was cutting 6% of its workforce, or roughly 580 jobs, as part of a push to make the company more efficient. In 2022, Spotify’s operating costs grew twice as fast as its revenue, CEO Daniel Ek said, a pace he called “unsustainable.”
“We still spend far too much time syncing on slightly different strategies, which slows us down,” CEO Daniel Elk said in a January 23 letter to employees posted on the company’s site. “And in a challenging economic environment, efficiency takes on greater importance.”
Stripe
The payment processor announced layoffs of roughly 1,000 workers in November, amounting to 14% of its workforce. In an email to employees posted on Stripe’s website, CEO Patrick Collison said the company expected “leaner times” amid worsening economic conditions.
Twitter
About half of the social media platform’s staff of 7,500 was let go after the billionaire CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, acquired the service in October. An unknown number have left, with some objecting to the new ownership and Musk’s demand for an “extremely hardcore” attitude.
Wayfair
The online shopping company announced in January that it would cut 1,750 workers, or about 10% of its global employees, as it adjusts to falling consumer demand after the home-renovation boom of the pandemic. It’s the second round of layoffs for the Boston-based company, which cut 870 employees in August.
CEO Niraj Shah said the company “simply grew too big.”
“In hindsight, similar to our technology peers, we scaled our spend too quickly over the last few years,” Shah said in a statement.
Social media star Charli D’Amelio is adding a new job to her ever-growing resume: co-host of the Kids’ Choice Awards. D’Amelio will host the show along with “CBS Mornings” co-host Nate Burleson at 7 p.m. ET on March 4.
D’Amelio said it is an honor to be a co-host this year and she’s most looking forward to seeing some “intense slimings.”
“That’s obviously the highlight of the show,” D’Amelio said.
D’Amelio has won two Kids’ Choice Awards including Favorite Female Social Star in 2021 and Favorite Female Creator in 2022. She’s nominated for Favorite Female Creator again this year.
“It’s so special to be recognized alongside a group of people that I love and all of my fellow social creators,” she said.
She’s considered one of TikTok’s biggest stars with more than 150 million followers and more than 1 billion likes on her video. D’Amelio’s rise to fame began in 2019 when her friends introduced her to TikTok so she can learn the viral dance movies and teach them.
“From there, it just snowballed and all of these incredible things started to happen,” she said.
Her overnight sensation led to a career in music and business. She also got brand deals with Dunkin’, Amazon and Prada. In 2021, she and her sister, Dixie, launched the clothing line called “Social Tourist.” D’Amelio said it is her family and hometown friends that help keep her grounded even as she finds success beyond social media.
“It’s always good to have a conversation of people that aren’t really in this world as much to just be like, ‘Hey, we love you for you.” I think that’s very special,” she said.
D’Amelio said she hopes her family gets to participate in one of the award show’s highest honors.
“I hope they get slimed because I am going to bring them there and just watching them [get slimed] that would be such a dream come true,” she said.
Nickelodeon is a division of Paramount Global, as is CBS News. Viewers may cast their votes for their favorites on the official Kids’ Choice Awards website, KidsChoiceAwards.com.
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It’s a natural temptation to cave in to the allure of super-long length to frame our favorite looks. The one and only hitch? The ever-so-slightly important process of actually getting that ultra-long length. For many of us, growing out our strands can seem impossible—what with annoying factors like split ends, abuse from our favorite styling tools, scalp buildup, genetics, and basically anything else that poses a vendetta against all of our long hair goals. Luckily, however, there are some effective solutions to help remedy the situation.
Getting regular trims and regularly treating your hair to some hard-earned TLC goes a long way, but sometimes some extra help from hair growth–promoting products and supplements can do the trick too. We’ve heard from countless readers and fellow co-workers that Amazon has an impressive secret stash of products for hair growth, so we decided to dig around and comb through reviews to find out which of said products Amazon reviewers love most. So in the name of longer, stronger hair this season, keep reading for 14 of the best products for hair growth, according to the nitpicky standards of Amazon’s toughest beauty-shopping critics.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Waller-Bridge is attached to the live-action show as a writer, though there’s no word on whether or not the Fleabag star will be in front of the camera at this time. Alongside writing, she’s set to act as executive producer alongside Ryan Andolina and Amanda Grenblatt, who both recently left Amazon to found their own production company, and have worked out further deals with Bezos and co. to work on projects like the Tomb Raider series.
If you’re unfamiliar with Waller-Bridge’s work, she is known throughout the internet for her role as the titular character in Fleabag, a two-season series (also produced by and streaming on Amazon) which is also one of the few examples we have of what perfect television looks like.
Fleabag is two seasons of perfect television.Image: Amazon
You want to watch two short self aware seasons about a woman trying to claw her way out of emotional detachment and grief? It’s streaming on Prime. Don’t thank me, because it will ruin you for days. Come for Waller-Bridge’s sharp writing and performance, stay for Andrew Scott as the Hot Priest.
Vivid colors and deep blacks It’s Oscar season which means it’s time to binge all the nominations before the big day. Why not enjoy these pieces of art on a new TV from our friends at Samsung?
This series will be the third time Tomb Raider has seen a live-action adaptation, with Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander portraying Lara Croft in two separate film series. At the moment, it remains unclear if this show will be based on the classic Tomb Raider games or the survival-oriented settings of the reboot series.
While the Amazon adaptation is in the works, developer Crystal Dynamics is also in the midst of developing a new Tomb Raider game. The studio was recently acquired by The Embracer Group after Square Enix sold it and other studios off in an effort to downsize and shift its focus onto other things like blockchain.
Jeff Spicer / Stringer I Getty ImagesThe Amazon executive chairman’s girlfriend, a former journalist who collaborates with him on philanthropy, is bringing a girl gang to space
Jeff Bezos’ girlfriend, Lauren Sánchez, said in a new interview with the Wall Street Journal that she planned to take an all-female trip to space with the Amazon founder’s space manufacturing company, Blue Origin.
Five women will join her on the journey.
“It’s going to be women who are making a difference in the world and who are impactful and have a message to send,” she told the outlet.
The mission is set for early 2024, and the passengers’ names will be announced at a later date.
The WSJ’s report was Sánchez’s first solo interview, the outlet noted, since her relationship with Bezos went public in 2019, shortly after his divorce announcement from now ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott.
The interview also talks about Sánchez’s relationship with Bezos and the business advice he’s given her (keeping meetings under an hour, speaking last as a boss).
Sánchez is a former broadcast journalist and a helicopter pilot who founded her own filming company Black Ops Aviation, per Insider.
“Right now, I’m immersing myself in philanthropy and strategic giving,” she told the outlet. She also has a new production company, Adventure & Fellowship.
Bezos and Sánchez also work together on picking the winner for the Bezos Award for Courage & Civility, which was awarded to Dolly Parton in 2022, giving her $100 million to dole out to charities as she pleased.
But don’t expect Bezos to crash the girls’ trip. “He’ll be cheering us all on from the sidelines,” Sánchez said, adding that Bezos is “excited to make this happen with all of these women… He’s very encouraging and excited, and he’s thrilled we’re putting this group together.”
Sánchez’s nonprofit work includes This Is About Humanity, which helps give supplies to kids separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border, supporting the Bezos Earth Fund, which fights climate change, and working with the Bezos Academy, a system of free Montessori schools.
Bezos told CNN in an exclusive that aired in mid-November that, like many other billionaires have pledged to do, he would give away most of his money.
Ex-wife Scott, meanwhile, has donated over $14 billion since 2019, much of it coming from the settlement with Bezos.
Bezos has always planned on giving his money away, Sánchez told the outlet.
“Jeff has always told me since I’ve known him that he’s going to give the majority of his money to philanthropy,” she said.
Bright colors are great, prints are punchy, and when it comes to mixing and matching, the more, the merrier. It’s all true, but sometimes you just want to turn off your fashion brain and get dressed. And in that case, there’s nothing easier than basic black.
The color never falls out of favor and matches pretty much everything. And because of all that versatility, the same top can read as elegant or edgy depending on what it’s worn with. It’s a good hue to go with for an investment item—you’re almost guaranteed to get more wears out of a little black dress than a little blue turquoise number—but it’s also a good pick for everyday pieces.
Enter Amazon’s The Drop, its trendiest line that’s reliably stocked with things you’ve had on your mental shopping list. From tanks with Y2K-skinny straps to elegant cutouts, these are the pieces worth considering right now.
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The Drop
Flora Cropped Fitted Collared Ruched Front Top
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The Drop
Christy Cowl Neck Cami Silky Stretch Top
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The Drop
Genievive Cropped Cut-Out Top
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The Drop
Raquel Cinched Cropped Sweater Cami
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The Drop
@lucyswhims Fitted Cutaway Racer Tank Sweater
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The Drop
Doug Cut Out Knit Top
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The Drop
Titus Open Front Cropped Sweater with Ring Detail
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The Drop
Marisol Long Sleeve Ruffle Smocked Top Black
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The Drop
Gage Vegan Leather Twist Front Halter Top
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The Drop
Nicole Crew Neck Muscle Tank Top
Leah Melby Clinton Leah Melby Clinton is a writer, editor, and serious shopper who loves discovering new labels, detailing the best ways to build a wardrobe, and interviewing interesting people.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
For a long time, Amazon has been known as a search engine for people ready to buy. Over the last year, with new features such as Amazon Live, they seem to have gradually positioned themselves as a discovery-based platform. That’s traditionally been the realm of search engines such as Google and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
It seems that social media platforms and online marketplaces are each heading in each other’s direction. If consumers are lucky, they’ll meet somewhere in the middle and end up making the way that we all shop in 2023 more streamlined and fun.
Over the last few years, influencer marketing has become a critical (and very valuable) part of online commerce. The influencer marketing business model has exploded from $1.7 billion in 2016 to $13.8 billion in 2021. Industry analysts predict that this year it will reach $16.4 billion.
And where do all those influencers call home? TikTok, that’s where.
OK, not just TikTok, but also other short-video-format heavy platforms such as Facebook and YouTube as well. Accelerated by the restrictions imposed by the long pandemic, they have all contributed to an exciting new way of effortlessly transitioning from social media engagement directly to shopping for favorite, influencer-recommended products.
TikTok signaled their eCommerce intentions with a recent announcement about a new partnership program designed to assist US merchants with advertising on their app by positioning the TikTok For Business Ads Manager as a home base for their TikTok-based marketing.
TikTok For Business allows merchants to create and manage TikTok campaigns without leaving their own native eCommerce platforms.
As importantly, they can do it by engaging with users right out at the tip of the spear, those users interacting with high-profile marketing trends.
Now, #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has become both a trending hashtag and a place where products become viral eCommerce legends.
TikTok for Business is ground zero for influencers and online sellers looking to find what people are talking about, and, more importantly, buying.
The growing #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag movement doesn’t beg customers to make purchases. Instead, it just shows how cool these trending new products are. And it’s working! TikTok also has a “For You Page” that they say is intended to work as an online “matchmaker” between content and a curated audience.
At the same time, the same thing is happening on Amazon’s marketplace but in reverse!
Amazon just launched Inspire, “a new, personalized in-app shopping feed designed to make it easy to explore new products, discover ideas, and seamlessly shop content created by other customers, influencers, and brands (you) love.”
Sound familiar?
It should. It’s very similar to the experience that a TikTok user would have. Browsers (and not necessarily shoppers) could scroll through curated photos and videos tailored to their selected interests and engagement.
What’s groundbreaking about this new app is Amazon’s seeming willingness to create a platform for users who might not even be interested in shopping. That’s a business model that I’m not sure Jeff Bezos saw on the horizon.
Users of the Inspire app can swipe through the content to simply see what’s out there, get inspired by something new, cool, or crazy, and of course, make purchases with just a few clicks.
Amazon, along with several other large Ecommerce marketplaces, has decided that the long-held acceptance that their platforms were unapologetically for “shopping” had run its course. Now, they’re building entertaining ecosystems that also allow for shopping.
Amazon’s Inspire isn’t available for desktop applications. Instead hinting at the intended functionality as well as the demographic, it’s only available as an app for IOS and Android.
Amazon says it will roll out to select customers in the U.S. in early December, with the projected goal of completing U.S. accessibility completed in a few months.
Marketplace Pulse recently referenced “Prime Day is the best example of social commerce,” with videos tagged #primeday2022 viewed over 52 million times on TikTok.
It seems that very soon, a better representation of “social commerce” might just be groups of Amazon Inspire users passing their phones back and forth, alternately “liking” and making purchases from a marketplace formerly known for its single-minded focus, and let’s admit it, lack of fun.
Amazon is adding a prescription drug discount program to its growing health care business.
The retail giant said Tuesday that it will launch RxPass, a subscription service for customers who have Prime memberships. Amazon said people will pay $5 a month to fill as many prescriptions as they need from a list of about 50 generic medications, which are generally cheaper versions of brand-name drugs.
The company said the flat fee could cover a list of medications like the antibiotic amoxicillin and the anti-inflammatory drug naproxen. Sildenafil also made the list. It’s used to treat erectile dysfunction under the brand name Viagra and also treats a form of high blood pressure.
Amazon said Prime members who participate in the program can get discounts of up to 80% off generic medications and 40% off brand-name drugs at more than 60,000 pharmacies around the U.S. Most health insurance programs are accepted, the company noted.
“Any customer who pays more than $10 a month for their eligible medications will see their prescription costs drop by 50% or more, plus they save time by skipping a trip to the pharmacy,” John Love, vice president of Amazon Pharmacy said in a statement about the new program.
Prime members can sign up for RxPass by Prime members at Amazon.com or on Amazon’s mobile app.
Amazon sells a range of generic drugs through its pharmacy service. Some already cost as liitle as $1 for a 30-day supply, so the benefit of this new program will vary by customer.
The program doesn’t use insurance, and people with government-funded Medicaid or Medicare coverage are not eligible. It will be available in 42 states and Washington, D.C. at launch.
Any program that gets low-cost generic drugs to more patients “is a good thing,” said Karen Van Nuys, an economist who studies drug pricing at the University of Southern California. But she added that she wasn’t sure how much of an impact RxPass will have. She noted that the program is limited to Amazon Prime customers. Other options like the Mark Cuban CostPlus Drug Co. sell more generic drugs, many for under $5.
“I just don’t know that it’s expanding access to a new set of patients,” Van Nuys said.
Still, the move could help the company take up some more space in the health care market, even though it has not always been successful in its aim. Last year, the company shuttered its hybrid virtual, in-home care service called Amazon Care after it failed to get traction from employers. And Haven, a company Amazon created in collaboration with JPMorgan and Berkshire Hathaway to improve health costs, dissolved a year earlier than that.
Amazon has said its online drug store Amazon Pharmacy is a key part of its health care plan, along with primary care organization One Medical, which the online giant is seeking to acquire for $3.9 billion. The Federal Trade Commission is investigating the proposed buyout.
In November, the company also said it would begin offering “Amazon Clinic,” a messaging service that connects patients with doctors for about two dozen common conditions, such as allergies and hair loss.
I love Amazon as much as the next person, but up until now, it hadn’t crossed my mind to order clothing from the site. Household items, books, and cleaning supplies are part of my regular shipments, but for some reason, clothing wasn’t occurring to me. Well apparently, I’ve been living under a rock because the ‘zon has some super-chic fashion items that rival my go-to retailers. I’m talking about all of my favorite brands, from Alo to Anine Bing to Staud and LoveShackFancy.
Now that I’ve made this dangerous discovery, my Prime account is going to see even more action. I can feel my wallet cringing as I type this. If you’re like me and have slept on Amazon fashion thus far, allow me to demonstrate what I’m talking about. Below is a peek inside my current shopping cart that’s basically a collection of all my favorite brands in one place. From cozy knitwear to chunky boots to luxe loungewear, these are the 29 best Amazon fashion items I’m currently eyeing and think you will like too.
