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AncestryDNA is growing its services beyond offering a glimpse at your genetic makeup through at-home DNA testing. Now, it wants to offer you a deeper look at why you have certain traits, like a cleft in your chin or a distaste for cilantro, and how that connects you to others in your genetic line.
AncestryDNA Traits is an interactive platform that customers can purchase for $9.99 that allows you to see up to 18 different traits you’ve inherited that you can share with other members of your family. You can purchase this separately as long as you’ve already completed an Ancestry DNA test.
If you’ve wondered why you have green eyes when the rest of your family has brown eyes, this might provide some insight. Traits such as hair color, skin pigmentation, eye color, and even iris patterns can run in a family and connect to your ethnic origins. Your eye color can be traced to your genetic heritage through an interactive map with the new service. For instance, you can see if your green eyes are common among people with Irish ancestry. Or if you think cilantro tastes like soap, you can also trace this back to your genetic makeup.
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Blue Apron announced in January that it has partnered with Weight Watchers to offer a WW Freestyle menu to its customers. The stock market responded and Blue Apron saw a surge in its value shortly after the news, but investors still remain cautious.
According to a company press release, Blue Apron customers will be offered a rotating selection of recipes weekly that are “inspired by the WW Freestyle program.” The Blue Apron team designed the recipes in collaboration with WW nutrition experts to bring healthy options to its customers. The recipes will be trackable through the WW app, and each recipe will display its SmartPoints value per serving. (Servings include pre-proportioned ingredients designed for two people.)
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This October, DNA testing company 23andMe was granted FDA approval for offering health reports to consumers that lets them see how their bodies process medication.
According to Business Insider, the new tests identify which genes are involved in breaking down heart medication and antidepressants, for example. These types of tests normally require psychiatrists and doctors to get involved, though they can be purchased via genetics-testing kits and pharmacies like Albertsons. These tests can run from $250 to upwards of $750 normally, but with 23andMe results are cheaper and don’t require a doctor to obtain.
A health and ancestry report for 23andMe currently costs $199.
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This fall, DNA testing company Ancestry unveiled a new reporting system that provides a deeper, more detailed look at customers’ ethnic origins.
The new reports provide a more precise breakdown of a person’s ethnic makeup. The company developed a new algorithm that analyzes longer segments of genetic information, and in combination with its growing database of customers, Ancestry has a more comprehensive reference panel that allows them a better understanding of genetic diversity.
For example, “Scandinavia” will now be more clearly broken down as Norway and Sweden. Asia East will be broken down into smaller regions: Japan, Korea, Northern China, China, Southeast Asia – Dai (Tai), Southeast Asia – Vietnam, and Philippines).
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Seventy-seven percent of holiday shoppers will be making at least some of their gift purchases online according to a new study.
While online sales continue to increase year after year, it seems the biggest trend is for consumers to do a mix of both online and in-store purchases. The NPD Group reported that six out of ten shoppers plan to do such cross-channel purchasing, according to website Retail Dive.
The good news for retailers? Shoppers are more likely to spend more money if they shop online rather than just in stores, so it benefits them to have a good online presence. According to NPD Group, online shoppers anticipate spending an average of $748 this year, almost 50% more than the $492 of those planning to go only to physical stores.
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ModCloth unveiled its latest fashion line from a collaboration with iconic designer Anna Sui. Sizes for the Anna Sui line will be offered from 0-24, making it the first time Sui’s clothes will be available for a wide range of body types, including plus-sized women.
The new line features eight dresses, based on patterns and styles from Sui’s previous collections. “It’s always fun to revisit my archives, and reimagine how certain archetypal looks from my past could speak to a new audience,” she said in a press release. She worked with Modcloth over a period of nine months to develop the designs.
Sui is known for being colorful and eclectic with her fashion, and the vintage-inspired styles will include lace, eyelet and bow detailing. This isn’t the first time ModCloth has sold Sui pieces, which have been top sellers, but it is the first time she’s collaborated with the ModCloth brand. The line will be offered at prices ranging from $150 to $225. Sui pieces have usually sold at a higher price point – starting at $499 for a blouse and $755 for s shift dress, making the new collaboration more affordable for a wider range of customers.
