CURA Resource Group is a Proud 3-time Sponsor of the Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles

By the closing ceremonies of last weekend's third annual Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles®, it was obvious the race has officially earned its standing as one of the most exciting new athletic traditions in L.A, a city already obsessed with sports, health, and fitness. 

And why walk-in customer pick-up centers are a gift that keeps on giving.

We thought about posting this blog last month, but the Autumn sun was still warm and it seemed too early to talk about Christmas before we’d even had a chance to enjoy Halloween. 

Retail planners, however, have been thinking about how to prepare for a successful holiday shopping season for months now, and industry analysts have been crunching their numbers for 2021 holiday sales forecasts. 

We love cities. Four out of five people in the U.S. live in cities, and they’re not just any people -- they’re Internet-connected consumers who work, play, and shop, from home. So cities, which already have the most people and the most technology, are critical e-commerce growth markets even if last-mile logistics can be hard.

Most consumers don’t spend much time thinking about the innovations that make it easier and more convenient to buy things. They simply adapt to a steady stream of new tools -- like digital wallets, mobile apps, and on-site delivery services -- as they come along.

More than 400 thousand small businesses folded in 2020 due to the pandemic. Single location stores were hit the hardest. Still, the net change in the total number of stores in the U.S. was positive: more stores opened than closed.

Simultaneously, e-commerce sky-rocketed, both out of necessity and an abundance of caution. But, as soon as it was safe to do so, we willingly went back into stores; clothing stores, in particular, because we like to try things on, and because it’s easier to return goods at a physical location. It turns out that online vs. in-store shopping is not a zero-sum game after all. We want both. 

The return of the Tokyo Olympics & L.A.'s Herbalife24 Triathlon

Imagine for a minute that you’re the person in charge of logistics for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. You know the international spectacle is already the biggest transportation and delivery challenge on the planet in a normal year. And now there’s COVID.

Think about any direct selling business and a digital-first approach is probably not what comes to mind. But young entrepreneurs joining the ranks of direct sales distributors have been changing how today’s direct selling brands operate.

Shaped by the needs of Generation Y, more direct sales companies are leveraging digital tools in all aspects of their businesses — from sales collateral to how their independent business owners (IBOs) or distributors operate.

Contactless pickup is here to stay

Social distancing and contactless pickup are here to stay for the foreseeable future. At Cura Resource Group we’re not surprised that a recent survey by Ipsos and USA Today concluded “more online, less in-store” is the clearest shopping trend so far since the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world in early Spring. It turns out that most consumers aren’t in a hurry to go back to the way things were.

Adjusting to our “new normal” means businesses are finding new ways to get customers the products they want when and where they want them. Many restaurants, for example, have turned to curbside pickup as a substitute for serving diners at indoor tables.

Just a few days ago we witnessed the fury of Hurricane Dorian and its terrible toll on the Bahamas. The devastation caused by the giant storm is reminiscent of the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico in 2017. We know, because our Cura Resources Group team has been instrumental in helping the people of Puerto Rico rebuild their lives ever since.