Banks train their guns on start-up 22seven

[Craig Wilson] Financial management website 22seven has been live for just a day and already it's facing its first serious challenge. 30 Jan 2012 14:41

[2012 trends] Reviewing 2012 tech trends

[Toby Shapshak] There is universal agreement that this is likely to be the year of the cloud, the mobile, Africa's emergence as a new economic region, the year of the tablet and the app economy too. Here are 12 tech trends for 2012. 24 Jan 2012 13:43

[2012 trends] Loyalty programme trends for 2012

[Greg Whitfield] When reviewing loyalty programmes, which are proliferating, the key question is, "Are they adding value to the customers' experiences?" Here is what I think will make loyalty programmes stand out from the pack in 2012. 16 Jan 2012 11:50

[2012 trends] Tough year, tighter trends

[Andre Redelinghuys] Anticipating this year's macro environment, most analysts are banking on a European recession. I think this will set the tone for another tough business year globally. With business tightening its belt and household income under pressure, frugality will once again be the driving consumer trend. We can dust off those reports on how to market to tight-budget consumers, not that they have gathered much dust. 13 Jan 2012 12:40

[2012 trends] Online business set to grow

[Martin Rose] If 2011 is anything to go by, 2012 is set to be a fast-moving, event-packed year. Social and consumer trends are developing and morphing faster than ever before and they all influence the way we think, interact, play and do business. So what are the top consumer trends we can expect in 2012? 13 Jan 2012 10:22

[2012 trends] 12 FMCG social, digital, mobile trends for 2012

[Steve Cragg] What does 2012 hold in terms of marketing and advertising in the FMCG sector? It is going to be the year of helping consumers empower themselves through mobile and social media platforms, of turning over cents and creating value, in short, of making peace with technology and its influence on the behaviour of consumers, while taking steps to counter the continued effects of the Great Recession. 12 Jan 2012 13:47

Festive economy bolstered by stokvels and societies

[Tseko Shibambu: @tsekobambu] According to the National Stokvel Association of South Africa (NASASA), four main categories of stokvels can be identified - basic revolving savings schemes, loan schemes, home loan schemes and shared buying schemes. The main economic spenders around the end of the year are the shared buying scheme members, who use wholesalers and other retailers to purchase in bulk. 10 Jan 2012 14:01

South African businesses missing out this Christmas

[Luke McKend] Listening to Bruce Whitfield recently on 702 Radio, I was surprised by an on-air conversation that suggested that it wasn't possible to do all of your Christmas shopping online in South Africa. I decided to find out whether this was true based on three simple tests: Could I find the product online? Was there sufficient information to help me make a buying a decision? Could I buy the product online? 12 Dec 2011 14:21

The customer is always right... even if they're wrong

[Chris Moerdyk: @chrismoerdyk] Walk up to the average South African retailer and whisper the magic words "customer service" and he'll react as though you stuffed a terminally venomous South American crotch eating spider down his shorts. And I really don't understand why. It isn't a stringent set of rules and regulations. In fact, customer service is nothing more than an extremely simple way of making lots of money. No more and no less. 6 Dec 2011 14:36

Difficult customer? Exceed expectation!

[Chris Moerdyk: @chrismoerdyk] There are a lot of cute little phrases in marketing - most of which make those of us who have been in the business for a while want to go outside and throw up in the gladioli. But there are some buzzwords that have a huge amount of merit. Like "exceeding expectation". 28 Nov 2011 14:42

Give a little... to get a lot

[Chris Moerdyk: @chrismoerdyk] There is no question that a little bit of serendipity goes a long way in creating a great shopping experience. And, more than anything else, a great shopping experience brings customers back. And serendipity - that pleasant, unexpected surprise - is staring retailers in the face, if they'd only just look for it. 2 Nov 2011 12:36

SA retailers boost Botswana's malls

[Gwen Watkins] Since I arrived in Gaborone in June 2011, the retail environment has just been getting better. One of the initial reasons that I rented our house in this area, (Broadhurst Ext 44) was the large sign, less than a kilometre away, that read "Sebele Centre opening end June - Pick n Pay, Woolworths and many more shops". 2 Nov 2011 12:16

[Sustainability media seminar]: Business's role in sustainability

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] Sustainability is the process of meeting the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, Nedbank head of sustainability Brigitte Burnett told journalists this week, quoting a definition from the 1987 Brundtland Commission. 26 Oct 2011 13:54

41% of SMEs want to invest in sales, marketing in next year - survey

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] At least 41% of small and medium businesses in South Africa have made investing in sales and marketing one of their top priorities in the next year, according to a Sage Softline Business Index 2011 survey released today, 26 September. The survey also found out that all over the world SMEs are worried about lack of government support and rising costs. 26 Sep 2011 14:56

Over 1700 gather for 2011 Discovery Invest Leadership Summit

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] More than 1700 delegates from different parts of the world and all walks of life gathered at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on 21 September, for the 2011 Discovery Invest Leadership Summit to hear eminent speakers such as Graca Machel, Al Gore and Maria Ramos intelligently unpack leadership strategies and their impact on global, economic and management issues. 21 Sep 2011 13:32

SA to host 2012 International Small Business Congress

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] The global small business fraternity - from America, Europe and other parts of the world - will convene next year at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 15-18 September for the annual International Small Business Congress (ISBC), the organisers announced late last week. 19 Sep 2011 14:02

2011 Business Opportunities & Franchise Expo gets under way

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] The 2011 Business Opportunities and Franchise Expo (BOFE) opened its doors yesterday, Thursday, 15 September 2011, at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg, drawing scores of people looking for new business opportunities or ways to grow existing ones, while speakers geared up to teach business lessons and exhibitors unveil the content of their 'safes' to the world. 16 Sep 2011 12:29

Kodak launches innovative Wi-Fi inkjet printers in SA

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] In the aim of solving the problem of high cost of ink that is affecting home and office printing in South Africa - as the company's director and VP for Europe's consumer inkjet systems Bob Ohlweiler put it - Kodak has launched four all-in-one inkjet printers, including three Wi-Fi, which it said will be affordable, easy to use and provide an intelligent high quality printing. 15 Sep 2011 07:56

Record attendance for seventh Tops Soweto Wine Festival

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] A total of 8550 wine lovers around South Africa flocked to the three-day Tops Soweto Wine 2011 Festival held at the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus last week, as the 'swirl, smell, taste, spit' event entered its seventh edition since it was jointly founded by Mnikelo Mangciphu and Cape Wine Academy MD Marilyn Cooper. 5 Sep 2011 12:48

Skip launches liquid detergent with art installation

[Sindy Peters] Unilever held the launch of its new Skip concentrated liquid detergent in Cape Town last night, 25 August 2011, at the Lampside Court at the V&A Waterfront. Themed "Art, fashion and re-invention", the event featured an impressive art installation, fashion from David Tlale, Malcolm Kluk and Monsoon and the sounds of jazz pop artist Auriol Hays. 26 Aug 2011 10:27

HP partners with Dion Wired, opens store-in-store in Woodemead

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] HP has opened a store-in-store (SIS) inside the Dion Wired in Woodmead, Johannesburg, where most of its new laptops equipped with 'Beat Audio' are being sold. The launch took place last night, Wednesday 24 August 2011, at the Woodmead Retail Park. 25 Aug 2011 14:15

'Cost-shy' Standard Bank bounces back, Africa's results sharp

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] The Standard Bank of South Africa (SBSA), Africa's largest bank in market capitalisation and assets, has posted headline earnings of R6.637 billion for the six-month period ended 30 June 2011, R423 million of which was generated from its Africa's operations and R125 million from Ugandan operations alone, according to the unaudited financial results released yesterday, Thursday 11 August 2011, in Johannesburg. 12 Aug 2011 09:52

Debit cards payments go online as MTN launches payD

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] E-commerce in South Africa has been taken to 'another level', with the launch by MTN MobileMoney of payD, a payment mechanism that allows people to buy online - securely - using their debit cards. The launch function took place yesterday, Thursday 28 July 2011, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rosebank, Johannesburg. 29 Jul 2011 13:23

Sheer optimism as SA consumer confidence rises

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] The South African consumer confidence has recorded its highest rise since 2009, recording a double digit rebound of 10.8 points - from 54.7 six months ago to a current optimistic 65.5, according to figures released this morning, Thursday 28 July 2011, in Johannesburg by the MasterCard Worldwide Consumer Index. 28 Jul 2011 13:56

Are retailers forgetting the basics?

[Dave Nemeth] The retail sector is very aware that they need to do things differently in the wake of the recession, fast-paced technology and ever-changing consumer attitudes. These attitudes are still an unknown and we will be seeing retailers experiment with an array of different techniques and strategies to meaningfully connect with their consumers. While spending a couple of days in the field investigating various stores, what became glaring obvious to me is that in their pursuit of future brilliance, retailers have simply forgotten the basics. 30 Jun 2011 14:26

The changing face of ATMs in the current digital age

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) will soon cease to be what they used to be - just simple machines where someone can go and deposit or withdraw money or check balances. Times are changing and the rise of the machines is paving the way to much more sophisticated and multi-functional digital solutions for payments. This emerged on Tuesday, 28 June 2010, at the JusTTouchIT conference hosted at Vodacom World in Midrand. 30 Jun 2011 11:11

Consumers rule! Stay ahead with self-service kiosks, digital signage

[Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia] In today's world where time-starved and less loyal consumers rule and information confusion and chaos reigns, forward-thinking retailers are turning to self-service kiosks and digital signage to automate transactions, enhance employees' performance and improve the consumer experience, said Dusty Lutz, of NCR Corporation, speaking at the 2011 JusttouchIT retail technology and expo at Vodacom World in Midrand yesterday, 28 June 2011. 29 Jun 2011 13:45

M-commerce is ready to leap forward

[Dr KF Lai] E-commerce has been making waves for years and consumers have higher levels of trust and confidence in remote shopping than ever before. Yet there are millions of people in both developed and developing markets whose primary connection to the internet is via a mobile device. So, it's surprising to those of us who work in the mobile internet, that the leap from fixed internet-based e-commerce to mobile commerce hasn't been quicker. 29 Jun 2011 09:21

Retail needs youth, design input

[Dave Nemeth] Though there seems to be an optimism amongst local consumers, retailers in general seem to be in a state of panic and confusion, with many having put holds on marketing budgets due to conventional methods simply not giving the returns they used to. Some have half heartedly tried to embrace social media but simply seem to be out their depth in this area, or using a company that doesn't fully understand their customers. 9 Jun 2011 12:10

Chefs of the world unite against hunger in South Africa

[Gwen Watkins] At a media launch for the Bidvest World Chefs' Tour Against Hunger, held yesterday 24 May 2011 at Punchinellos at Southern Sun Montecasino, Dr Bill Gallagher made a plea for support from corporates and the public for the forthcoming event, scheduled for 21-30 August 2011. 25 May 2011 14:41