Diapers With Crypto, 500k Cars From A Single Factory, Trucker Salary Bump

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We’re troublemaking our way into Friday with stories orbiting the Retail Automotive ecosystem. Starting with an easier way to use crypto for regular purchases, moving on to the opening of the GigaFactory in Austin, TX, and rounding the corner to talk about Wal Mart’s new wage for high-demand truck drivers. Guess what, if you are in Retail Automotive (or retail in general) these stories apply to YOU. 

• Paying for diapers in crypto is one step closer thanks to a new partnership between mobile payment app, Strike, and Shopify
  • “"It's a new, innovative, superior payments rail that is finally embedded and distributed into our lives," Strike CEO Jack Mallers explained to a packed crowd at a Miami Bitcoin conference yesterday”
  • Showed a video of him paying w crypto at a Chicago grocery store
  • “Mallers showed a list of major U.S. companies that he says would be able to accept payments this way, including McDonald's, CVS, Walgreens, Whole Foods and Wal-Mart, in addition to several other grocery stores and restaurants.”
  • According to Mallers' presentation, Blackhawk Network is integrated with 400,000 storefronts and has 37,000 partners
• Giga Texas rode wild with event in Austin Tesla factory
  • 1000 attendees and factory tours
  • Announced a 2023 cybertruck launch and up to 500,000 vehicles produced next year. Mostly Modely Ys
  • “Half a millions units a year in a single factory of one product is the biggest dang thing in the world. This will be the highest volume car factory in America.” -Musk
  •  In total the facility is 338 million cubic feet, or 15 city blocks, Musk said. “It’s equivalent to three Pentagons.”
  •  All manufacturing on one site, including battery packs
  • Also announced a new robotaxi and large van to come
• Walmart starting pay for truck drivers raised to between $95-110k
  • Driver shortage and increased demand to move freight cited for the increase
  • Average long haul driver in the US is only $56k
  • “Walmart said it's coming off a record year for hiring truck drivers with over 4,500 hired and that it plans "keep hiring aggressively to meet customer demand."
  • What will autonomous driving do to this number? A university of michigan study says it could eliminate 500k jobs

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