No More Free Online Returns?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Behavioral and Social Issues Related to Accounting, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized, Video Updates.

According to the Washington Post, the age of free online returns is ending. Questions: What is ” bracketing”? Explain why returns are wasteful from a company’s standpoint. What are the benefits of adding restocking fees? What are the costs of adding restocking fees? Who are companies that help with reverse logistics? Give an example of a… Read more »

Humans: 1 Robots: 0

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Behavioral and Social Issues Related to Accounting, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized, Video Updates.

According to Engadget.com, Walmart announced that they have decided to cancel their original plans to have robots to track and check inventory after they discovered that actual human employees were capable of performing the tasks just as well. Questions: According to the article, which function(s) were humans better at? When did Walmart start testing the… Read more »

What’s Next for Blue Apron?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized.

Back in 2016, the New York Times called Blue Apron, the meal-delivery service, “the Starbucks of the meal-kit business.”  Questions: What are some of the reasons why Blue Apron did not disrupt grocery shopping for overworked millennials? At one point, how many meals was Blue Apron selling per month? In 2017, what did Bloomberg call Blue… Read more »

So, is it a record if you don’t pay for it?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, All Articles, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

For all you Starbuck’s watchers, remember in February 2012 when Logan Warren held the record for the most expensive Starbuck’s drink? It was a 31-ounce Trenta that cost $23.60. Into it went a Java Chip Frappuccino, enhanced with plenty of that’ll-cost-you-add-ons: 16 shots of espresso, soy milk, caramel, banana and strawberry purees, vanilla beans, and… Read more »

Return Fraud

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Fraud Accounting, IFRS, Intermediate Accounting, International Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized, Video Updates.

Return fraud costs the retail industry billions of dollars in lost revenues every year. The growing crime is expected to cost retail stores across the nation an estimated $3.7 billion this holiday shopping season alone, according to the National Retail Federation. If that estimate holds true, it will represent 35 percent increase over last year’s… Read more »

What Does It Cost To Make An Apple IPhone4?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, All Articles, Cost Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

According to market research firm, Apple’s iPhone 4 wireless handset components cost about  $187.51. The iPhone 4 sells for $199 and $299. The most expensive component is the LG display that costs $28.50. According to the consultant, the iPhone has typically hovered around the $170-to-$180 cost range because Apple seems to be trying to hit… Read more »

Donated Inventory

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Intermediate Accounting, Video Updates.

Over the next five years, Wal-Mart plans to donate about 1.1 billion pounds of food to food banks and provide $250 million to help them buy refrigerated trucks, improve storage and develop better logistics. The plan to contribute $2 billion in cash and food to the nation’s food banks is considered to be one of… Read more »

Are Things Improving for Sears Holding Corporation?

Posted by & filed under All Articles, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Intermediate Accounting.

In the third quarter of 2009, Sears Holding Corporation narrowed its losses from $146 million in the previous quarter to $127 million. Despite this, shares of Sears’ stock have almost doubled during 2009. QUESTIONS: The article mentioned that because of inventory management, the company’s gross margin widened by 0.4 percentage points to 27.2%. What are… Read more »