Consumer Corner
Identifying brands as Black-owned can pay off for businesses Draft
A study reveals that labeling restaurants as Black-owned boosts sales and traffic, particularly in liberal areas, highlighting the potential of visibility for minority-owned businesses.
Oren Reshef, Washington University in St. Louis; Abhay Aneja, University of California, Berkeley, and Michael Luca, Johns Hopkins University
Labeling businesses as Black-owned can significantly boost their sales, we found in a recent study.
In June 2020, the business-review website Yelp introduced a feature allowing consumers to search for Black-owned restaurants. As professors who study digitization, inequality and the economics of technology, we were interested in understanding its effect. So we analyzed more than two years of data from Yelp.
We found that restaurants labeled as Black-owned saw a 65% increase in online traffic, more searches and calls, and higher sales through food orders and in-person visits. These results suggest that for many Black-owned businesses, a simple change in their visibility can create new opportunities for growth.
However, the impact varied by location. The gains were strongest in politically liberal areas and places with lower levels of implicit racial bias, as measured by regional variation in implicit-association test scores. This suggests that platforms are in part channeling, as opposed to creating, customer demand. Interestingly, white customers drove most of the increase, suggesting the label helped raise awareness of businesses they might not have considered before.
This wasn’t just a 2020 trend – in follow-up analyses, we found similar results among businesses that opted into the feature later. We also collaborated with the online furniture company Wayfair, which launched a “Black Maker” label on its site in 2023, and found that it led to a 57% increase in web traffic. Finally, Yelp rolled out a Latino-owned label on the platform late that year, which led to a similar increase in consumer engagement.
Why it matters
This research has implications for business owners, digital platforms and policymakers. Growing awareness of racial inequality – partially driven by the Black Lives Matter movement, especially after the murder of George Floyd in 2020 — has led to increased corporate and customer interest in supporting minority-owned businesses. It also led many companies to make commitments to promote racial equity.
However, more recently, many companies have dismantled these efforts. For instance, Target recently announced that it was eliminating its program to spotlight Black-owned businesses. Our findings suggest that increasing the visibility of minority ownership – a relatively low-cost change – can substantially improve economic outcomes for Black-owned businesses.
Our results also show that diversity initiatives aren’t just about warm and fuzzy feelings. Businesses should measure and evaluate their impact to ensure their programs are effective. A well-designed program can benefit the bottom line, while a poorly designed one risks being ineffective or even counterproductive.
So it’s important to acknowledge the potential risks. Past research, including some of our own, indicates that revealing racial identity sometimes can lead to discrimination or backlash. While our findings suggest that labeling can have positive effects, a poorly implemented policy can backfire. Yelp’s initiative design empowered users looking to support Black-owned businesses while allowing other users to continue searching in alternative ways.
That means policy design is crucial. What matters isn’t just what information is revealed, but also how it’s communicated. Our analysis shows that customer demand and preferences vary considerably across locations and demographics, meaning that context also matters.
What still isn’t known
While our research suggests that businesses experienced economic benefits from adopting the label, it’s crucial to understand which policy designs work best in the long run. For instance, Yelp’s program used an opt-in feature, which may have contributed to its success.
However, open questions remain. How are platforms affected by labeling businesses? What other types of labels might be impactful, and for which types of businesses? Could some interventions backfire?
Another key question is, which customers respond to racial identity disclosures? Recent advances in data analytics can help companies refine their strategies, making it easier to target the right consumer groups for more effective initiatives.
Ultimately, our study is a step toward understanding how transparency and visibility can shape economic outcomes. It highlights a diversity initiative that has benefited both customers and businesses, and provides a road map for companies that want to design initiatives that matter. And, more broadly, it speaks to a question facing all companies: How can companies better understand and shape their societal footprint?
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.
Oren Reshef, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Washington University in St. Louis; Abhay Aneja, Assistant Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley, and Michael Luca, Director, Technology and Society Initiative, Carey Business School, Johns Hopkins University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Slate Auto and Smarties Launch Colorful EV Starter Packs
Slate Auto has partnered with Smarties Candy Company on six pastel customization packages for its upcoming electric truck. Announced October 27, the Smarties x Slate collection gives buyers another way to personalize the minimalist EV before deliveries begin.
The six Starter Packs are inspired by Smarties flavors: Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Grape, Pineapple, Orange and Strawberry. Each package includes a coordinating vehicle wrap, color-matched mirror decals, a Smarties-branded rocker decal, a logo decal, a customized key-fob end cap and a matching interior Slatelet.
Customers will be able to purchase the packages through the Slate Marketplace as their delivery dates approach. Pricing for the Smarties packages was not included in the announcement.
The collaboration fits Slate’s strategy of selling one simplified vehicle platform that owners can customize over time. Every truck leaves the Warsaw, Indiana, factory with gray exterior panels designed to be wrapped instead of conventionally painted. Buyers can keep the two-seat pickup configuration or select one of Slate’s five-seat SUV conversions.
The partnership does not change the truck’s core price or specifications. Slate continues to list the Blank Slate pickup at $24,950 before its $1,450 destination charge, with an estimated 205 miles of range. The range figure is still a company projection rather than a final EPA rating, and Slate continues to say its first deliveries are expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
For Slate, the Smarties collection is more than a seasonal promotion. It demonstrates how branded wraps and accessories could become an important part of the company’s business model while allowing buyers to change the appearance of their vehicles without purchasing a different truck.
Source: Slate Auto’s official Smarties collaboration announcement
home improvement
4 Ways to Make Room for Better Living
Make Room for Better Living: Oftentimes, making your home better suited for your needs starts with rethinking how the doors open. Whether you’re remodeling or building a new home, understanding the options can help you choose doors – and the installation hardware behind them – that make rooms more comfortable and convenient.
4 Ways to Make Room for Better Living
A bathroom door that bumps into the vanity. A closet interior that’s awkward to reach. A home office that needs a little separation from family activity. Oftentimes, making your home better suited for your needs starts with rethinking how the doors open.
Sliding, folding and pocket doors offer practical ways to improve everyday spaces without adding square footage. Whether you’re remodeling or building a new home, understanding the options can help you choose doors – and the installation hardware behind them – that make rooms more comfortable and convenient.
Consider these four ways to put your doors to work from the experts at Johnson Hardware, who make easy-to-install hardware systems in the U.S.:
Free Up Floor Space with Pocket Doors
In bathrooms, kitchen pantries and laundry rooms, a swinging door can compete with storage, taking up to 14 square feet of floor space and interrupting traffic flow. Pocket doors slide into the wall, freeing the area a hinged door needs to swing open.
Made for single pocket doors in compact rooms or two converging doors for larger openings between adjoining spaces, pocket door hardware with its soft-close feature helps doors glide gently into the open and closed positions, reducing slamming. Discuss pocket doors early in your project so your building professional can plan for the space needed inside the wall.
Keep Essentials Handy with Bypass and Multi-Pass Doors
A frequently used mudroom, hallway or bedroom closet can look more organized with sliding bypass or multi-pass doors. The panels travel on separate tracks and slide past one another, letting you reach different sections without doors swinging into the room.
Options like Johnson’s bypass and multi-pass hardware systems help keep walkways clear while concealing storage or everyday clutter. Ask your designer or remodeler about panel arrangements and soft-close options that suit the opening based on how you’ll use the space.
Add Flexibility with Wall-Mount Sliding Doors
If you want the space-saving benefits of a sliding door but a pocket door isn’t practical, wall-mount doors travel along a track outside the wall. With easy-to-install hardware systems, making the switch from a swinging door can be a quick, practical room upgrade.
Often called barn doors, they can complement many decorating styles, from traditional painted wood to contemporary glass designs. Wall-mount sliding doors work well in home offices, bedrooms, laundry rooms and pantries, where soft-close and soft-open hardware can help reduce noise. Plan for clear wall space beside the opening so the door has room to slide.
Open Up Storage with Full-Access Bifold Doors
A closet can hold more than clothes. It might become a craft station, compact workspace or convenient place for laundry supplies.
Bifold doors use hinged panels that fold together as they open. Unique 1601 Full-Access Bifold Door Hardware goes a step further, allowing panels to fold flat against adjacent walls for full access across the opening. That makes it easier to reach shelves, organize supplies and use the space inside.
Thoughtful door hardware choices can make everyday routines easier, from reaching pantry shelves to creating a quiet place to work. As you plan your project, ask your designer, architect, remodeler or building contractor how pocket, sliding and folding door hardware systems can help make better use of your space.
For more ideas, visit johnsonhardware.com.
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Consumer Corner
5 Affordable Bathroom Upgrades That Feel Luxurious
5 Affordable Bathroom Upgrades: If you dream of having a bathroom that feels like a spa-inspired retreat, the good news is you don’t need a full renovation or huge budget to make it happen. Small, thoughtful upgrades can add style, comfort and ambience to your space without breaking the bank.
5 Affordable Bathroom Upgrades That Feel Luxurious
(Feature Impact) If you dream of having a bathroom that feels like a spa-inspired retreat, the good news is you don’t need a full renovation or huge budget to make it happen. Small, thoughtful upgrades can add style, comfort and ambience to your space without breaking the bank.
Consider these five affordable bathroom upgrade ideas to add touches of luxury to your home.
Warm, Soft Lighting
Lighting can completely change the atmosphere of a room; you can instantly create a welcoming, calming vibe by replacing harsh, bright lighting with soft, warm tones. To make your bathroom feel even more like a fancy hotel, think about adding wall sconces next to the mirror, accent lighting around the vanity or candles on the counter.
New Hardware and Finishes
Replacing outdated hardware and fixtures can immediately refresh the space – you don’t even have to buy a new vanity or cabinets if sleek new knobs and drawer handles are enough to make the old ones look like new. Another easy upgrade: A new faucet can give your whole sink area a more modern and sophisticated look. Opt for sleek, durable materials that feel cohesive with the rest of your design, like brushed nickel, matte black or warm bronze.
Upgraded Showerheads
Make your daily routine more indulgent by turning your shower into something that feels like an experience instead of a chore. If you enjoy gentle showers, consider a rain-style showerhead. For water pressure you can customize depending on your preference, look for a combination model. Also decide whether you’d rather have a detachable showerhead for extra convenience or one that’s fixed in place.
Heated Towel Racks
After a shower or bath, enjoy a little extra cozy luxury by wrapping up in a freshly warmed towel from an electric rack. You can install a permanent wall-mounted unit or choose a freestanding option for extra portability. As a hygienic bonus, towel warmers can also help linens dry faster, minimizing dampness and musty odors.
Refreshed Decor
Don’t underestimate how even small details can make a big difference. A few carefully chosen pieces of decor can elevate the look and feel of the whole room. That might be wall art, new curtains, a stylish mirror or even practical things like a new toothbrush holder and soap tray. Also think about choosing one or two plants suited to your bathroom’s natural lighting and humidity levels – a little greenery can make everything feel fresh and classy.
Get inspired with more home design and renovation tips at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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