A new kind of Stickeez - 11 Jul 2016[Jessica Tennant, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] The new 'Stickeez' craze is here with Checkers introducing its Little Shop Mini Collectables of 29 recognisable grocery brands, such as a miniature toy All Gold tomato sauce, for example, complete with a collectables case and other merchandise like mini trolleys, baskets and storefronts. When you spend R150, you get one to add to your collection, and the first 25 learners to complete their collections could win R10k for themselves and R10k for their schools. read more Doing good in so many ways - 4 Jul 2016[Jessica Tennant, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] It's a promising start to the third quarter with innovative companies like wiGroup, SweepSouth and newly founded FlipSell offering seamless, safe, secure and convenient solutions to the way things were in the retail industry. WiGroup founder Bevan Ducasse recently won the FNB Business Innovation Awards, SweepSouth received a new R10m round of funding earlier this year, and FlipSell, the newest kid on the block, now offers a platform for buying and selling pre-owned goods, with secure payments, convenient pick-ups and direct deliveries. read more Winning at retail - 27 Jun 2016[Jessica Tennant, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] A couple of big wins this week with Local Grill in Parktown North taking top honours in The Wolftrap Steakhouse Championships for the third time, and Woolworths' WRewards 'Are you with us' campaign having won the Best Loyalty Programme Marketing Campaign of the Year. The campaign, featuring Grammy award-winning musician, record producer and philanthropist, Pharrell Williams, enticed customers to join Woolworths' sustainability journey and make sustainability cool for the next generation of South Africans, and at the same time rewarding customers for their loyalty. read more In the face of disruption - 20 Jun 2016[Jessica Tennant, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] In light of Youth Day, the 2016 Sunday Times Generation Next Youth Conference on 10 June saw marketing gurus gather to provide insight into how to understand young people. I covered the opening keynote by Justin Levin, MD of HDI Youth Marketeers, who provided an overview of the 12th Sunday Times Generation Next survey, the results of which were announced at the awards that evening. The Consumer Goods Forum 60th Global Summit 2016 brought together top-level industry executives from across the globe to share experiences around the theme of 'seizing opportunities in the face of disruption'. read more From purchase decisions to payment options - 13 Jun 2016[Jessica Tennant, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Last week saw the launch of the Effective Measure e-Commerce Industry Report 2016 that compares online and offline shoppers and explains what motivates their buying behaviour. 58% of the 12,000 respondents indicated that they prefer to pay with a card and bill payment merchants, while 23% would rather pay on delivery. read more Modern retailing - 6 Jun 2016[Jessica Tennant, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Last week saw a special focus feature on shopper marketing, edited and curated by Louise Marsland, on how technology is changing how people shop, as well as how digital signage will transform the retail environment. Today, based on this year's theme of the Consumer Goods Forum's Global Summit, 'Seizing opportunities in the face of disruption', Marsland shares some of the top shopper marketing and consumer trends that are leading disruption in the retail value chain. A new Nielsen Global Brand-Origin report comparing local and global brands suggests that homegrown brands maintain a powerful hold over local consumers. read more Shopper marketing and #trending products - 30 May 2016[Jessica Tennant, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Today sees the launch of our special focus feature on shopper marketing, edited and curated by Louise Marsland. Expect a week of exclusive, must-read content on how technology is changing how people shop as well as how digital signage will transform the retail environment. Also sharing on the 'best new products this year', Marsland thinks she might have discovered hers for 2016 already: a cat collar called Catterbox that makes your cat 'talk' back. The case of Candace Payne and the Chewbacca mask is one of the best examples Sarah Britten has seen of social media working in tandem with a retailer. read more How to anger online customers - 23 May 2016[Jessica Taylor, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] This week we touch on things making the online consumer sad and glad. First up, on the 'sad' end of the scale, is the 'online sale of a lifetime' that angered many - clothing store Mango customers after a 'technical issue' lead to an unbelievable R1 sale. read more Tech compatibility and online shopping in full swing - 16 May 2016[Jessica Taylor, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Felix Erken of Junk Mail Digital Media writes about instant engagement as the next step for online classifieds. He says businesses wanting to realise the benefits of this change will need to find ways to cater to the anytime-from-anywhere delivery that's currently being demanded and ensure compatibility of their service offering with new and old technologies alike. It's an interesting strategy as research shows US retail giants are feeling pain as online shopping hits. read more The slow online retail shift - 9 May 2016[Jessica Taylor, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Our big focus this week is on big SA retailers slowly making their move to the Web, with Colleen Goko writing that World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck confirms SA is still five to 10 years behind the major Western markets in terms of online retail uptake and innovation. There's little wonder online retailers have become more popular locally over the past decade as consumers look for convenience in a continuously connected world. We also find out about a development that's set to send even more consumers online -Amazon's new air cargo deal, which will provide more independence from freight firms for delivery of online purchases. read more Mall of Africa opening - 3 May 2016[Jessica Taylor, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] A short week, but not short of big news... Top story is the opening of the highly anticipated Mall of Africa in Midrand, said to be the largest shopping centre on the continent. At 131,038m², "it is still far smaller than malls in many developing Asian countries, which tend to average around 300,000m²," reports Alistair Anderson. read more Starbucks in your eyes - 25 Apr 2016[Jessica Taylor, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Top story is the opening of the first Starbucks store in South Africa, which saw fanatics lining up from the night before. A second Starbucks store will open in Attacq's R5bn Mall of Africa in Midrand on Thursday. read more Key insights driving change - 18 Apr 2016[Jessica Taylor, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] The Broll Shopper Segmentation Report 2016 Volume 1 was released at the 2016 South African Council of Shopping Centres Research Conference held in Johannesburg on Wednesday. Of those surveyed, 83% of South African respondents said trading hours are inadequate, suggesting that ideal trading hours would be from 7am to 8pm. read more Investing in African retail - 11 Apr 2016[Jessica Taylor, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] In international news, Gold Brands Investments has secured the exclusive rights to roll out Britain's Harry Ramsden's restaurant chain (world famous for its fish 'n' chips) across South Africa, and Orange has acquired a €75m equity interest in Africa Internet Group. This investment will enable Orange to assist Jumia and other websites owned by the internet group to accelerate their growth and seize development opportunities. In light of #CommerceMonth, Jovago takes a closer look at e-commerce being both a problem and a solution to businesses in Africa. read more A new paradigm of retail - 4 Apr 2016[Jessica Taylor, Retail Editor (@Biz_Retail)] Nic Criticos, head of store design at Woolworths, says that the South African chain of retail stores is about to undergo a paradigm shift and will soon launch the 'store of the future'. He shares some of the trends leading the innovation. read more |
