Some e-tailers with religiously observant owners and executives say their businesses are not hurt by shutting down operations in observance of the Sabbath, according to the New York Times, despite consumer expectations of 24/7 customer service online.Ice.com, an online jeweler based in Montreal, keeps it website up and running on the Sabbath, but does not complete orders, work on the site or otherwise do anything to help customers. Ice.com CEO Shmuel Gniwisch tells the Times: “I actually think we’ve gained. Customers know if they need something they can wait until Sunday when we’re open, and people at the company have the chance to recharge and come back stronger.”Douglas W. Phillips, president of San Antonio-based online retailer Vision Forumm is a Christian who forbids employees to work on Sunday and does not allow the site’s technology systems to complete orders on Sunday. Yet, Phillips says company sales increased 10 percent to roughly $5.5 million. “Especially in the fourth quarter, when people are cramming to buy things at the last minute, this policy really seems crazy,” he tells the Times. “But we think that if we honor God on this point, the Lord blesses us.”Investors may not be as understanding. Ice.com’s Gniwisch is considering venture capital financing, putting the company on the road toward IPO which could some day jeopardize his Sabbath observance policy. –Stephanie Overby Related content brandpost Sponsored by AWS in collaboration with IBM How digital twin technology is changing complex industrial processes forever As the use cases for digital twins proliferate, it is becoming clear that data-driven enterprises with a track record of innovation stand the best chance of success. By Laura McEwan Dec 05, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by AWS in collaboration with IBM Why modernising applications needs to be a ‘must’ for businesses seeking growth Around one-third of enterprises are spending heavily on application modernisation and aiming for cloud native status. The implications for corporate culture, structure and priorities will be profound. By Laura McEwan Dec 05, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation opinion 11 ways to reduce your IT costs now Reorienting IT’s budget toward future opportunities is a big reason why CIOs should review their IT portfolios with an eye toward curbing unnecessary spending and realizing maximum value from every IT investment. By Stephanie Overby Dec 05, 2023 11 mins Budget Budget Budget news analysis SAP faces breakdown in trust over innovation plans The company’s plan to offer future innovations in S/4HANA only to subscribers of its Rise with SAP offering is alienating customers, user conference hears. By Peter Sayer Dec 05, 2023 6 mins SAP Cloud Management Innovation Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe