Retail
October’s Commonwealth Bank Business Sales Indicator (BSI) remained flat in October after contracting for ten consecutive months, suggesting retail spending has hit a plateau prior to the the Christmas retail period.
Rather than waiting for the “good old times” to come back, it really is time for retailers to adapt to a new reality. In some market segments trading conditions will remain tough and may deteriorate further.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will block the proposed acquisition of the Franklins supermarket chain by Metcash Trading Limited, who operate the IGA chain of supermarkets and wholesalers.
Groupon clone ‘OurDeal’ has been bought into by Network Ten today, with the broadcast network looking to leverage its mass consumer reach to promote OurDeal’s discounts and offers.
Westfield managing director Steven Lowy has this morning opened the first stage of the $1.2 billion redevelopment of Westfield Sydney located on Pitt Street Mall in Sydney’s CBD.
Woolworths joint venture with US hardware giant Lowe’s has been given planning approval by Victoria planning Minister Justin Madden for ten Woolworths hardware stores across Melbourne and in Ballarat.
September showed the first back-to-back gains for the Commonwealth Bank Business Sales Indicator (BSI) in ten months, a promising sign for retailers.
Woolworths sales for the September quarter are 4.1 percent higher on the corresponding quarter last year, with gross sales of $13.9 billion during the reporting period.
Bunnings Warehouse and Dymocks retail outlets have both committed to rolling out PayPass contactless payments terminals across all their stores, partnering with Commonwealth Bank to roll out the service.
kikki.K, the ‘fashion stationary’ retailer established by Swedish born Australian entrepreneur Kristina Karlsson 10 years ago in Melbourne will open in Singapore’s Changi Airport next month.
Costco has blamed supermarket heavyweights Coles and Woolworths for slowing the retailer’s expansion in Australia, with chief financial officer and executive vice-president Richard Galanti claiming competition for bulk-goods retail sites in Australia was fierce.
South Australian restaurants are rejecting plans to place food safety notices on the doors of eateries in the state, following a successful ‘scores on doors’ scheme in New South Wales.
Direct Factory Outlet founders David Wieland and David Goldberger are demanding an inquiry into ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel, The Australian reports.
Australia’s services sector is contracting at an ever increasing pace as the Reserve Bank of Australia uses a blunt tool, interest rates, to slow down inflation from Australia’s rampaging resource sector.
Bunnings plans to spend $600 million in NSW over the next three years including a 20,000m² Bunnings Warehouse in Alexandria which will be the largest home improvement store in Australia, creating over 255 permanent jobs.
Metcash’s $215 million offer to acquire Franklins 85 supermarkets and distribution chain from South African based Pick n Pay Retailers (Pty) Limited has the ACCC considering whether to block the deal on competition grounds.
Woolworths has had the rezoning of its planned Woolworths hardware big-box store with US hardware giant Lowe’s rejected by Victorian Planning Minister Justin Madden.
Creating an online retail website is the easy part, making sure you integrate it properly with your existing retail store and are able to service your customers effectively is where things get tricky, so we got the low down on creating an online retail store.
Getprice.com.au the Australian online price comparison/shopping site co-founded by Jared Oken in 2005 has been bought by News Digital Media for an undisclosed sum.
Microsoft and PBL yesterday launched Cudo.com.au, yet another Groupon clone in an already crowded Australian market filled with the likes of JumpOnit, Ouffer, Spreets, OurDeal and Scoupon run by Catchoftheday.
