Latest news with #Dum-Dums
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Amazon shareholders vote down all climate, AI and leadership proposals at annual meeting
Amazon shareholders vote down all climate, AI and leadership proposals at annual meeting Show Caption Hide Caption Ever order 70,000 Dum-Dums off Amazon? This Kentucky boy did. Liam LaFavers spent $4,200 on 30 cases of Dum-Dums ordered from Amazon. His mom did this next. AMZN.O investors at its annual meeting again rejected all outside shareholder resolutions, including three meant to address the online retail giant's impact on climate change. Voters approved the reelection of 12 directors and proposed executive compensation. Shareholders put forth eight proposals, all of which Amazon encouraged investors to vote against. Last year, there were 14 resolutions and all failed to get sufficient votes to be enacted. Among the eight this year were a proposal that would have required additional reporting on Amazon's overall carbon emissions, another targeting the climate impact of data centers and one calling for further disclosure about packaging materials, particularly plastic. Amazon said its existing disclosures are sufficient and that it is working towards reducing its environmental impacts. In case you missed it: Amazon Prime turns 20, sets records in US deliveries and cost savings Two other proposals aimed at the development of artificial intelligence software were also rejected. One resolution would have had Amazon assess its board structure to consider how it might develop AI more responsibly, while the other would have required a report on data usage and collection around AI. Seattle-based Amazon asserted that it is a leader in responsible AI development, and so no changes are needed. Shareholders had also proposed that Amazon create a policy ensuring the separation of its CEO and board chair roles. The company already separates the two roles between CEO Andy Jassy and founder Jeff Bezos, but not as a mandatory policy. As CEO until 2021, Bezos had also held the chairmanship. Shareholders voted against a resolution that would have required the company to create a report on risks presented by advertising, in an effort to keep it politically neutral. Also rejected was a proposal soliciting a report on warehouse working conditions, a perennial source of criticism of the company. Jassy, during a question-and-answer session, said tariffs imposed on many imported goods by the Trump administration had not impacted sales. "We also haven't yet seen any meaningful average selling price increases," he said. "When you have two million sellers, they're not all going to take the same action," he said, noting that some had increased prices while others kept prices static. Amazon will later provide a full tally of the investor vote in a securities filing. Shares were down less than 1% on Wednesday to $203.20. Reporting by Greg Bensinger in San Francisco; Editing by Chris Reese, Joe Bavier and Bill Berkrot
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Lexington mom is recovering from shock of child's Amazon order: 70,000 lollipops
If anyone deserves a restful Mother's Day, it might be Holly LaFavers. The Lexington mom has spent the last week handling the aftermath of her 8-year-old son's unauthorized Amazon order: more than 70,000 lollipops. LaFavers said her son Liam's latest obsession is carnivals, and he had hoped to use the 30 cases of Dum-Dums he ordered as prizes at a carnival of his own. LaFavers told Good Morning America she discovered what had happened when she checked her bank account Sunday morning and saw it was in the red because of a $4,200 charge. She said she contacted Amazon immediately and was told she could get a refund if she rejected the delivery of Dum-Dums. But even though she stayed home to try to intercept it, LaFavers said most of the boxes were left on her doorstep without the driver knocking or ringing her doorbell. She said she was able to reject eight boxes that hadn't been delivered yet by the postal service. But what to do about the other 22 boxes of Dum-Dums, each containing 2,340 suckers, that she did find herself with? 'I had fought with Amazon all day long,' LaFavers said. At the suggestion of her family, she said she posted the crates of candy for sale on Facebook in an attempt to recoup her investment. She said friends and family in Lexington and her hometown, Somerset, quickly jumped in and volunteered to buy them. Ultimately, after WKYT reported the issue and reached out to Amazon, LaFavers said the company agreed to a refund. But because the delivery was for a food item, she said it can't be shipped back, so anyone who offered to buy a 25-pound box of Dum-Dums has either been given one or had them donated elsewhere, their choice. Between delivering lollipops and responding to the resulting media frenzy over the situation, LaFavers said on Saturday she's had 'a very eventful week.' 'I've had phone calls from New Zealand, Australia,' she said. And despite the sudden surplus of Dum-Dums, LaFavers said Liam was not allowed to open any of the boxes. Liam, who came into his adoptive mom's life as a baby, has Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which LaFavers said affects his decision-making. 'He fixates on things,' LaFavers said. 'It parallels autism.' She said 'he loves giving,' and had planned out all kinds of activities for the carnival he hoped to throw, with Dum-Dums as prizes. In a way, she said, he was practicing a life skill when he placed that order — organizing an event and following through on a task. Despite the stress of the situation and some unkind responses on social media, LaFavers said it has allowed her to help spread awareness about FASD. And, she said, 'I'm glad that we were able to brighten people's day.' 'People see us out in public and start giggling,' she said, giggling just a little herself.
Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Indian Express
Kentucky boy uses mother's phone to order 70K Dum-Dum suckers to share with his friends
A Kentucky woman was in a sticky mess when she found stacks of boxes containing lollipops on her front doorstep. The surprise delivery was ordered by her young son while he played on her phone. Holly LaFavers says she tried stopping 8-year-old Liam's Amazon order for about 70,000 Dum-Dum suckers before the treats arrived but it was too late. Amazon had already delivered 22 cases to her home. 'He told me that he wanted to have a carnival, and he was ordering the Dum-Dums as prizes for his carnival,' LaFavers said. 'Again, he was being friendly, he was being kind to his friends.' The surprise got worse after a quick check of her bank account. She owed about $4,000 for the order. 'When I saw what the number was, I just about fainted,' LaFavers said. Then she found out that eight more cases from the order were unaccounted for, she said. After a trip to the post office, those cases were returned to sender, she said. Her efforts to get a refund took a bit more time but she got her money back. 'After a long day of working with the bank and talking to a few news stations Amazon called and they are refunding my money,' she said in a social media post. LaFavers said she was changing some settings on her phone to make sure there's never another surprise delivery at home.
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Straits Times
Sticky situation: Boy, 8, uses mum's phone to order over $5,400 worth of lollipops
Twenty-two cases of the candy totalling 50,600 lollies were delivered to Ms Holly LaFavers' house in the south-eastern state of Kentucky. PHOTO: HOLLY LAFAVERS/FACEBOOK Sticky situation: Boy, 8, uses mum's phone to order over $5,400 worth of lollipops A woman in the United States found herself in a sticky situation when her son used her phone to buy nearly 70,000 lollipops online. Ms Holly LaFavers' eight-year-old son Liam placed a bulk order for 30 boxes of Dum-Dum lollipops costing US$4,200 (S$5,460) via her Amazon account, while playing with her phone. She discovered this on May 5 when she checked her bank account and 'immediately panicked' when she saw that her account was in the red. Ms LaFavers said her son, whom she adopted when he was 2½ years old, has foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which results in learning, thinking, physical and behavioural issues. According to the Mayo Clinic, the disorder is caused by mothers who drank alcohol during pregnancy. Ms LaFavers told the Associated Press: 'He told me that he wanted to have a carnival, and he was ordering the Dum-Dums as prizes for his carnival. He was being friendly, he was being kind to his friends.' She tried to cancel the order, but it was too late. By then, Amazon had already delivered 22 cases of the candy, containing 50,600 lollies, to her home in the south-eastern state of Kentucky . 'Liam went outside to ride his scooter and started screaming, 'My suckers are here,'' she told American morning television programme Good Morning America. 'There were just 22 boxes of suckers on our front porch,' she said, adding that she did not receive any alerts that the consignment had been delivered Another eight boxes of the candy with 18,400 lollies arrived two hours later, which Ms LaFavers was able to reject. She said she faced difficulties trying to get a refund from Amazon , so she turned to Facebook for help. 'Hi everyone! Liam ordered 30 cases of Dum-Dums and Amazon will not let me return them. 'Sale: $130 box. Still sealed,' she wrote in a post. Almost immediately, family, friends, neighbours and even strangers offered help and within two hours, every box was purchased. Amazon eventually agreed to give her a full refund, Ms LaFavers said. 'After a long day of working with the bank and talking to a few news stations, Amazon called, and they are refunding my money!!!' she said in an updated Facebook post later on that day. 'Thank you to everyone that offered to buy a box to help us. I will be happy to get you what you 'ordered' or donate them to a charity of your choice.' In a statement to People magazine, Amazon confirmed that it had issued a full refund. 'We're glad we were able to work directly with this customer to turn a sticky situation into something sweet,' the company said. Separately, Mr Kirk Vashaw, CEO of Dum Dums, told People: 'We are excited to hear about such an enthusiastic Dum-Dums fan. We love that so many people jumped in to offer to buy the extra cases and that the family was ultimately reimbursed. We'd also like to offer Liam a job interview in the next 10 to 15 years.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Age
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
‘My suckers are here!' Boy orders almost 70,000 lollipops on Amazon
On Sunday morning, as Holly LaFavers was preparing to go to church, a delivery worker dropped off a 25-pound box of lollipops in front of her apartment building in Lexington, Kentucky. And another. And then another. Soon, 22 boxes of 50,600 lollipops were stacked five boxes high in two walls of Dum-Dums. That was when LaFavers heard what no parent wants to hear: Her child had unwittingly placed a massive online order. 'Mom, my suckers are here!' said her son, Liam, who had gone outside to ride his scooter. 'I panicked,' LaFavers, 46, said. 'I was hysterical.' LaFavers said in an interview that Liam, 8, became familiar with Amazon and other shopping sites during the pandemic, when she regularly ordered supplies. Since then, she has occasionally let him browse the site if he keeps the items in the cart. But over the weekend, Liam had a lollipop lapse. He told his mother he wanted to organise a carnival for his friends, and mistakenly, he said, he ordered the sweets instead of reserving them. And so the double ramparts of suckers rose on their doorstep, where the excesses of e-commerce crossed paths with tight-knit community. LaFavers said that she discovered something was amiss after a shopping trip early Sunday, when she checked her bank balance online. 'It was in the red,' she said. The offending item was a $US4200 charge ($6565) from Amazon for 30 boxes of Dum-Dums. Frantic and upset, she called Amazon, which advised her to reject the shipments. LaFavers was able to turn away eight of the boxes, totalling 18,400 lollipops, but the 22 boxes containing 50,600 lollipops had already landed.
