Latest news with #merchandise
TechCrunch
8 hours ago
- Business
- TechCrunch
Etsy faces user boycott over ‘Alligator Alcatraz' branded products
The Florida GOP isn't the only one profiting from the detention center known as 'Alligator Alcatraz' by selling merchandise. A subset of Etsy buyers and sellers began a boycott of the online marketplace this month over its decision to allow 'Alligator Alcatraz'-branded merchandise on its site. Today, this sort of merchandise — including T-shirts, hats, mugs, stickers, patches, and other items — can be found across e-commerce platforms beyond Etsy, ranging from large retailers like Amazon to online marketplaces like eBay to seller storefront providers like Shopify and more. However, Etsy users have taken particular issue with the company's decision to allow the merchandise, which celebrates the controversial ICE detention center in Florida, where detainees are held in cages and subjected to reportedly horrible conditions, according to outlets like the AP, Newsweek, The Washington Post, CBS, The NYT, Tampa Bay Times, and others. Etsy, its users argue, has a published Discrimination and Hateful Content Policy, which lists 'immigration status' as a protected class — meaning both behavior and merchandise cannot contain or display discriminatory behavior toward the listed protected classes. Boycotters believe that Etsy is in violation of its policy, as the company notes that prohibited behavior includes not only hate speech, but also 'content which directly or indirectly contains violent or degrading commentary against protected classes listed above.' Etsy's site has 20 pages of 'Alligator Alcatraz'-branded merchandise. Image Credits:Etsy screenshot The Etsy boycott has been loosely organized on social media platforms like Meta's Threads and Reddit so far, where there are thousands of posts and comments. For example, one Threads post that references the boycott received more than 26,500 likes and a Reddit post exclaiming 'What are they thinking over at Etsy?!' has 69,000 upvotes. When searching for the term 'Boycott Etsy' on Threads, you'll find a long stream of posts debating the boycott, many of which have hundreds of replies. Some Etsy sellers worry their online businesses will suffer as a result, even though they are not selling this type of merchandise. Others, including those who disagree with the Trump administration's policies, believe the merchandise is protected free speech. On Reddit's Etsy Community and elsewhere, boycotting sellers are threatening to close their shops, and buyers say they're closing their accounts. There are also references to the boycott across other social media sites like X, TikTok, Facebook, and others. Because the effort is so far only loosely organized, it's difficult to tell how many are participating. According to data from app intelligence provider Appfigures, Etsy's iOS app in the U.S. hasn't slipped in the ranks at this time — it's been in the top 20 apps in the Shopping category throughout the month. Etsy is not alone in profiting from this type of merchandise, as some sellers and buyers have also pointed out. Many major selling platforms have not banned 'Alligator Alcatraz'-branded products at this time. Among those TechCrunch reached out to, only Amazon was willing to defend its choice to host this merchandise, pointing us to its policy around controversial products and content. The company also said the 'Alligator Alcatraz' merchandise was compliant with its guidelines. Etsy did not respond to multiple requests for comment. eBay responded to an email request, but never shared a comment. Shopify didn't respond, nor did smaller platforms like Redbubble and Teepublic. (Walmart and Target were not found to be hosting this type of merchandise at this time.) Etsy also featured a couple of sellers with pro-'Alligator Auschwitz' branded merchandise, among other listings for merchandise calling for its abolition (as seen in the screenshot below). Image Credits:Etsy screenshot E-commerce platforms have weathered storms like this before, and have been known to host products that promote both right-wing and left-wing views without taking a political stance themselves. But in more extreme cases, the companies have capitulated to customer backlash. For instance, earlier this year, Shopify was caught hosting a storefront run by Kanye that was selling a Swastika T-shirt and took it down, though it continued to host other stores that featured antisemitic content. In previous years. Amazon also previously faced backlash over its decision to host right-wing militia merchandise and products celebrating QAnon conspiracies, and also pulled those products down.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Luke Littler selling signed sketches of himself online for eye-watering sum
DARTS sensation Luke Littler is selling sketches of himself for £1,295. There are four framed drawings of the teen arrows ace to choose from — each signed with his nickname, The Nuke. One shows him after his world championship win and another holding the Grand Slam trophy. They are the highest priced items on 18-year-old Littler's online shop. The pictures come with a certificate of authenticity from The Fan Cave — a site which lists the same items for less than half the price at £595. As well as images, clothing, darts and mugs, Littler's merchandise shop is also selling rubber-backed 'The Nuke' feeding mats for pets at £15. The listing states: 'Whether your furry friend is a messy eater or you want to add colour to their space, this mat is the perfect solution.' Luke recently left fans divided with a new look for the World Matchplay Darts. The teenager had ditched his iconic shirt that he had worn since last year. Luke kept his traditional purple and yellow but with a new design. The new shirt featured yellow paint strokes on the sleeves with a main purple body. However, the nuclear logos had been removed from the body, as had the yellow panelling under the sleeve. Luke Littler reveals gruelling new training regime that saw him almost break darts record 2
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dave Portnoy Begrudgingly Compliments Angel Reese
There are few, if any bigger critics of Chicago Sky star Angel Reese than Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who also happens to be a huge supporter of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. However, even he had to give Reese props for her business acumen, something that has been on full display lately. Since entering the WNBA, Reese has been the center of jokes surrounding her infamous ability to grab rebounds off her own missed shots, which have been called "mebounds" by her detractors. The Sky star has taken it all in stride and recently filed to trademark the phrase and is now selling merchandise under the same name. Upon the unveiling of the Angel Reese 1 Mebounds sneakers from Reebok, Portnoy took to social media to pay his respect to Reese for turning a joke into a business opportunity. "I hate (sports sense) Angel Reese. Hate her. That's how much it pains me to admit how brilliant it was for her team to trademark Mebounds and make it her thing. Brilliant. I hate how brilliant it is," Portnoy admitted. If you go to Reese's official website, it is filled with "Mebounds" merch, including shirts, hats and even slides. Reese is also doing some good with proceeds from the sales, which will be used to "support cyber bully prevention through The Angel C. Reese Foundation." Reese, who is set to play in her second WNBA All-Star game on Saturday, is averaging 14 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game and has been playing some of the best basketball of her career this Portnoy Begrudgingly Compliments Angel Reese first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 19, 2025
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Walmart in city plagued by soft-on-crime laws becomes poster child for shoplifting chaos
Walmart was once praised by consumers for being one of the few retailers that did not lock up its merchandise, but it is now increasingly being forced to do so in the face of out-of-control shoplifting. Alarming pictures of a Walmart store in Happy Valley, a suburb of Portland, Oregon, have shocked customers who claim shopping in person is now a dreadful experience. Portland, known for its liberal politics, has seen areas of the city suffer terrible decline after a failed attempt at drug decriminalization. The city has been overrun by theft - 10,000 cases were reported to police last year, triple the number from three years ago - forcing retailers including Walmart to close stores that cannot sustain the losses. A series of viral images posted to Reddit show row after row of Walmart stock, from children's toys and gadgets to frozen food and batteries, behind locked glass cases. Retailers including CVS and Walgreens have resorted to such extremes in areas where shoplifting is so rampant, such as in downtown New York and San Francisco, that it damages stores' bottom lines. The system - which forces customers to call an attendant to open the case every time they wish to add something to their basket - is loathed by consumers. Businesses have also admitted that it does not actually help, as stores which employ the tactic often see sales plummet. 'What is even the point of shopping in-person anymore?' one Walmart customer seethed about the Happy Valley store on Reddit. 'If theft is that bad they're willing to lock up everything they might as well make it a pickup center,' another agreed. Another shopper argued that Walmart is deliberately making it difficult to shop there as they are more keen on boosting their online business. 'They don't want you in the store. They want you to order it online instead,' the Walmart customer alleged. 'Stores don't want you in there, it costs them money. Walmart would rather be Amazon.' Retail experts have suggested the scale of theft must be significant for Walmart to even consider locking its products behind glass. 'Walmart has run the numbers. If they're willing to sacrifice convenience - their second biggest competitive advantage after price - the theft losses must be substantial,' retail analyst Carol Spieckerman told Spieckerman argued that the inconvenience for consumers will undoubtedly have an impact on the store's bottom line. Portland, known for its liberal politics, has seen areas of the city suffer terrible decline after a failed attempt at drug decriminalization Rows of children's toys were among the goods pictured locked up in the Happy Valley location More expensive items such as cameras and computer devices were also locked up Everyday essentials such as toothpaste were also placed behind the Perspex glass Batteries are locked up in a store in Happy Valley, Oregon 'Price alone isn't enough if shopping becomes a hassle,' Spieckerman explained. 'The problematic locations must drive enough business to warrant keeping the doors open despite the friction.' Like San Francisco, Portland's 'doom loop' accelerated in the years following the pandemic. Big firms cutting back on office space hurt local businesses who rely on workers' footfall. As they too pulled back, the homeless population expanded with theft and rampant drug use proliferating. Last year, Oregon was forced to end the state's decriminalized drug laws after overdose rates soared. Portland's new mayor Keith Wilson is also considered to be more pro-business and his district attorney, Nathan Vasquez, tougher on crime. Walmart has also resorted to permanently closing stores in Portland because of the scale of theft. It is not the only chain that has been forced to do so, with beloved outdoor store Next Adventure recently closing all of its Oregon locations amid historic crime rates.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Shoppers are rushing to get their hands on Disney dolls for under £3 at Home Bargains – and they'd make great gifts
ANYONE who has a Disney-obsessed son or daughter will know that merchandise doesn't come cheap. But mums are in luck ahead of the summer holidays as Home Bargains is selling Disney dolls for under £3. 4 4 Taking to the Facebook group Extreme Couponing & Bargains UK, one mum revealed that Encanto dolls were on offer at the bargain shop. Down from £12.99 the Mirabel Madrigal doll is priced at just £2.99, giving shoppers a hefty £10 off the RRP. Meanwhile you can also pick up a five pack of Encanto dolls, including Antonio, Pepa, Camilo, Felix, and Dolores, for just £6.99 down from £40. Whether you're stocking up on birthday gifts or just feel like treating the kids this summer it means you can bag six dolls for under £10. Fellow bargain hunters were seriously impressed, with Disney fans quick to like the post and make plans to grab the bargain for themselves. If you're on the hunt for more Disney bargains, fans are raving about both Tesco and Asda's crockery ranges, with some designs reduced to just a few pence. Asda has launched a brand new Beauty and the Beast collection, with one shopper sharing a snap of some adorable cups to Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK. The teacups have classic characters from the film, including Belle, Lumiere and Cogsworth, while an inscription on the pink-themed chinaware says 'never give up'. Sharing a snap of the cups online, one woman said: 'Beauty and the beast fans Asda have these new mugs for £3.50 each.' Meanwhile another Disney fan spotted some reduced cups in Tesco featuring their most iconic character - Mickey Mouse. Inside brand new Lilo and Stitch cafe in Scots store The cups feature the letters of the alphabet with Mickey in various poses, which have been slashed from £1.50 to just 38p. Snapping them up, one happy shopper wrote: 'All different letters.... reduced to 0.38p.' 4 4
