Ticket booking app YPlan secures big investment

We’ve known for a while now that apps are big business. Angel investors and even venture capital firms have shown time and again that they’re willing to pump big money into fledgling mobile apps. 

The latest of these is YPlan, a last-minute ticket booking app created by a London start-up, which has just secured £8m in investments to expand to the US.

The UK's service sector recovers

The UK service sector is apparently growing so fast that firms are struggling to cope with demand.  The Markit services purchasing managers’ index says growth in the sector is at a two-year high with a score of 56.9, which exceeded the expectations of analysts.

Growth has been so fast that service sector firms are experiencing the biggest work backlogs since 2007.  But despite hiring more people, the inability to cope with demand most likely stems from a lack of confidence in the economy as a whole.

Window shopping and 'showrooming' is hurting retailers

Are you a showroomer?  To put it differently, have you ever gone into a shop to browse the shelves with the intention of buying from an online retailer?  If the answer is yes, you’re not alone.  You’re in the majority.

A new study by the Booksellers Association has found that two thirds of people scout for products in shops before heading home to buy online.  The process, known as showrooming, is harmful to bricks and mortars retailers, who have higher overhead costs which are passed on to customers.