By Jürgen Bebber & Andrew Sykes Trade mark protection has always been an essential part of any thorough marketing strategy. The emergence of ecommerce has seen many transactions that were traditionally made face-to-face or by correspondence now occurring over the internet. Furthermore, consumers are expecting to find product and service information on websites. In such […]
The Dynamic Business panel of leading Australian business experts share their advice on how SMEs can survive in the face of a tight credit market. MATTHEW NOLAN, MD, PROVIDENT CASHFLOW With additional working capital harder to secure, it’s crucial to get every dollar in your business working harder. Use these tips to squeeze the most […]
The Australian dollar opened weaker today for the 10th consecutive day as more traders buy into the undervalued US currency. At 7am, the Australian dollar traded at US$0.8838/43, down from yesterday’s close of US$0.8868/71. During the overnight session, the Australian dollar traded for as low as 0.8798, its lowest in six months. Suncorp group treasury […]
A recommendation in the Australian Law Reform Commission’s privacy report calls for more thorough credit reporting, which the Australia Privacy Foundation says will allow business to take advantage of consumers. Foundation chairperson Roger Clarke called the move intrusive. “What’s sometimes called ‘positive’ reporting and sometimes called ‘comprehensive’ reporting [are] both gloss words which essentially mean […]
South Australia’s Office of Consumer and Business Affairs is running an advertising campaign to remind consumers of their warranty and refund rights in the state, including ads in newspapers and an information hotline. Consumer Affairs Minister Gail Gago, believes some businesses do not provide consumer with correct information about warranties. In SA, all products are […]
More and more, Australian companies are turning to offshore markets to reduce the cost of business services. But while one in three Australian companies are taking their business offshore, two in three Australians believe outsourcing work damages the economy, according to a recent Talent2 survey. “Outsourcing is a pretty contentious issue and many are concerned […]
Productivity Commission chairman Gary Banks has encouraged continued tariff reform, particularly protection for car manufacturers, to increase national productivity. Banks referred to the recent failed Doha round in Geneva and said it was not an excuse for special interests to get in the way of reform. “The latest multilateral World Trade Organization failure should, if […]
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has found that supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles have been able to work state planning laws in their favour, preventing independent competitors from operating in the same location. Contained in the ACCC’s report into grocery prices was the following: “The complexities of planning applications, and in particular the […]
Overall consumer spending may be dropping, but ethical consumerism is on the rise. More than 90 percent of women look at a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices before making a purchasing or employment decision, found a poll conducted by Heat, marketer to women. The environment and gender equality topped the list of important issues, […]
Queensland will host Carbon Market Expo Australasia 2008, Australia’s first expo wholly dedicated to carbon-related technology and services. The expo will be a mixture of conference and trade show featuring keynote speakers, panel sessions, workshops and a showcase of clean-tech specialists. “The new Australian Government’s commitment to the introduction of an Australian Emissions Trading Scheme […]
