Global News

[ad_1] TikTok has officially launched its e-commerce service TikTok Shop in the US.  Costfoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Consumers are increasingly turning to social media for their shopping this holiday season, and TikTok's latest venture into e-commerce has emerged at the forefront. For some, it means weighing the convenience of mobile shopping and often low prices against ethical questions. The platform introduced TikTok Shop in the U.S. in September as an in-app shopping experience, capitalizing on the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend. The shop gives opportunities to both content creators who could sell their own products and avid TikTok users who could buy directly on the app, following in the footsteps of other social media apps such as Instagram. Though TikTok Shop previously faced backlash and was forced to shut down in Indonesia, consumers are increasingly trending toward buying off social media. A recent Shopify-Gallup survey says nearly half of respondents ages 18 to 29 s

[ad_1] As the summer hiring market heats up, small and seasonal businesses may find they're missing a key demographic to fill roles – teen workers. Outplacement firm Challenger Gray projected teens will gain 1.1 million jobs in 2023, down slightly from last year's numbers and the lowest forecast since 2011. The group said this spring that teens are once again working at pre-pandemic levels, but cautioned many teens who are willing to take on jobs are likely already in the workforce. The unemployment rate for teens aged 16 to 19 crept up slightly in June to 11% from the previous month, according to Friday's June jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile the labor participation rate fell year on year, to 36.3% from 42.9% in June 2022. That could mean fewer available workers for businesses like Grotto Pizza that rely heavily on teens, according to hiring manager Glenn Byrum. Across Grotto's 20 locations in Delaware and Maryland, teens make up a litt