TWICE SmartBrief
Howard's Appliances Closes After 79 Years, Filing Chapter 11 Amid Industry Pressures | Are Digital Cash Payments a New Threat to Traditional Gift Giving? | How Trump's trade war is playing out inside U.S. supply chain as retailers stocked up for the holidays
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December 18, 2025
 
 
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Howard's Appliances Closes After 79 Years, Filing Chapter 11 Amid Industry Pressures
Howard's Appliances Closes After 79 Years, Filing Chapter 11 Amid Industry Pressures
Howard's Appliances, a 79-year-old Southern California appliance retailer, has permanently shuttered all of its remaining locations and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. The closure, effective December 6, 2025, surprised employees and customers alike, coming just weeks after the busy Black Friday shopping period.
Full Story: TWICE (12/18)
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See you in Las Vegas!
Verbatim is excited to participate in the largest tech event in the world! At CES 2026, we look forward to connecting with our partners and exploring what's "next" for the upcoming year.
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Retail
 
Are Digital Cash Payments a New Threat to Traditional Gift Giving?
 
Are Digital Cash Payments a New Threat to Traditional Gift Giving?
(SOPA Images/Getty Images)
A new survey from Wells Fargo finds younger generations are increasingly open to receiving and giving digital cash for holiday gifts. Asked for their preference for receiving holiday gifts (more than one answer allowed), 45% of Gen Zers and 42% of millennials prefer to receive digital payments, as compared to Gen Xers (27%) and boomers (10%).
Full Story: RetailWire (free registration) (12/18)
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How Trump's trade war is playing out inside U.S. supply chain as retailers stocked up for the holidays
CNBC (12/17)
 
 
Retail Strength Challenges Predictions Of Holiday Spending Cuts
Forbes (tiered subscription model) (12/17)
 
Streamline Retail with Semantic Layer Insights
Discover how leading retailers are enhancing operations by utilizing a semantic layer for unified metrics and strategic data. This guide showcases successes from brands like Vuori and Sainsbury's in omnichannel governance and AI readiness. Explore the guide.
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Enter Your Products In The 2026 TWICE Picks Awards At CES 2026
Enter Your Products In The 2026 TWICE Picks Awards At CES 2026
The world of technology is ever-evolving and it's important to recognize those brands who are leading the way with their innovative products and creative solutions. TWICE, Residential Systems, and TechRadar Pro are again proud to celebrate those products and solutions with the CES Picks Awards for 2026. These awards provide an opportunity for you to earn the publicity and accolades your business deserves as we enter the new year.
Full Story: TWICE (10/21)
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The Future of CX Quality
On January 21st at 3 PM EST, join the webinar with Salesforce and Leaptree. Neil Young, CEO at Leaptree, will reveal the Six Stages of CX QA Maturity and show how top operations shift from reactive checks to AI-powered quality insights. If you want a scalable, modern approach to CX, this session delivers the roadmap. Register now!
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Deloitte To Ignite Innovation At CES 2026
 
Deloitte To Ignite Innovation At CES 2026
At CES 2026, Deloitte will be bringing together the people, technologies, and experience to help organizations shape their future and secure a competitive edge.
Full Story: TWICE (12/18)
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