Retail

Ruslan Kogan has asked JB Hi-Fi to remove its “Always Cheapest Prices” slogan, in response to what he said was an admission by the CEO and chairman earlier this week that prices are cheaper online.

PayPal says new estimates show e-commerce will account for $37.7 billion worth of spending by 2013, as retailers begin to wake up to opportunities presented by the internet and invest more in online strategies.

In the eyes of customers, it’s small businesses that are winning the service stakes, with over 81 percent reporting a belief that SMEs place more emphasis on looking after customers than do large businesses.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has the market power of Coles and Woolworths in its sights, warning it will be watching for any “unconscionable conduct” when it comes to negotiating supply arrangements.

According to retail in-store traffic expert Mark Ryski, same-store sales are looking a little flat and retailers need to find ways to deliver better results.

“There’s still a scent of the financial melt-down lingering, but you survived that crisis and it’s time to start getting the sales needle to move in a positive direction.”

The Australian Gift & Homewares Association (AGHA) has kicked off a campaign calling the Federal Government to cancel the carbon tax, due to concern over how the tax will impact the already struggling retail and wholesale sector.

Bunnings Warehouse has taken out the top award at the inaugural International Customer Service Professionals (ISCP), thanks to its delivery on a range of customer service fronts.

A rise in consumer demand to know the footprint behind products has seen Melbourne’s Moral Fairground fair-trade event achieve phenomenal growth, with organisers expecting some 75,000 visitors this year.

Some good news has been spelled out in the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures, with retail turnover rising 0.6 percent in August.

StyleTread has taken home the OIRA Best New Online Retailer award only 12 months after launching, marking it as one of the country’s most exciting online retailers.

The Federal Court has reached a verdict in the case of ALDI versus EFTPOS Payments Australia Limited (ePAL),ruling in favour of full and fair disclosure of EFTPOS fees in Australia.

An “unacceptable number” of payment system outages over the past 12 months has led the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) payment arm to warn the industry to boost innovation and stability or face regulatory intervention.

Apple is continuing the expansion of its retail footprint in the country with the opening of its 13th store this Saturday, in the Sydney suburb of Hornsby.

Local businesses will put more money into developing mobile web sites and boosting their overall web presence over the next 12 months, as they attempt to combat economic uncertainty by bettering their digital presence.

Google has noted a change in the volume of local searches of foreign brands and retailers, with key drivers of this trend including better availability, range and price.

Sales at Myer fell 3.8 percent in the year to 30 July, with CEO Bernie Brooks warning that if trading conditions don’t improve sales will continue to be flat and profit could fall by 10 percent in FY2012.

BigCommerce has rolled out a new Facebook application allowing online retailers to convert their Facebook pages into fully functioning online stores, for free.

Shoppers want everything; from ‘touch and feel’ and the customer service to the social interaction. Increasingly, shoppers also want digital browsing at their fingertips, online access to stock details and round-the-clock notifications. The question is; is the Australian retail market meeting their needs? 



The Good Guys is leading the electrical retail industry when it comes to customer satisfaction, according to new Roy Morgan research, beating out rivals Retravision, Betta Electrical and Dick Smith.

Retailers are overlooking their regular wholesalers and sourcing merchandise from overseas manufacturers, in a bid to remain competitive during the online retailing boom.