The idea was simple: Build a large catalogue of consumer items and make it accessible in a structured format, unlike what already exists in wide-open search engines like Google. Give users tools similar to what they get on financial web sites. Give a unique online business experience to both the buyers of the goods and the sellers. 30 Jul 2008
The Tour de France ended this past weekend, and if you watched any of it on TV, you were overwhelmed with ads for high-end bicycle brands like Colnago and Pinarello... 30 Jul 2008
Year-over-year profits at Tokyo-based consumer electronics giant Sony fell 47% to US$326 million during the first quarter, and company officials predict a further decrease in profits later in the year. 30 Jul 2008
Expert believes this year's trend is similar to the last two drop-offs - in the early 1990s and earlier part of this decade - when PIB revenue and pages declined, but later recovered as the ad market picked up. 30 Jul 2008
Furniture retailer JD Group says it has acquired 5.42 million ordinary shares, equivalent to 3% of its issued share capital, for a total consideration of R217.2 million in the open market. 29 Jul 2008
The self-service kiosk industry is growing at a fast clip, with transactions at these expected to surpass US$607 billion this year in North America alone, according to the IHL Group. But are the kiosks really increasing efficiency for consumers? 29 Jul 2008
The 2008 Western Cape Special Star Awards gala event took place last week at the Grand West Casino in Cape Town, showing off the best that shopping centres in the Cape have to offer. Introduced by the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) in 2006, the awards honour those retailers and service providers in each region which deliver an exceptional level of customer service and contribute to the South African shopping centre industry. 29 Jul 2008
Apple may be making a lot of noise lately with its new iPhone 3G, but when it comes to fighting software pirates, Steve Jobs' company prefers to speak softly and carry a big stick - the stick, of course, being legal action like its recent lawsuit against computer maker Psystar for producing machines that can run Apple software. 29 Jul 2008
Many men have overdone done it at the gym or on the sports field, and now have aching knees and stiff ankles. Offering a solution to the problem, Fitflop has launched a specially designed shoe for men that incorporates patent-pending microwobbleboard technology to maximize muscle-load while reducing joint strain. 29 Jul 2008
South African online technology superstore targeting sub-Saharan Africa, Click2BuyIT.com, launched yesterday with the backing of international online retail IT knowledge and a multi-million Rand start-up investment in the company. 29 Jul 2008
A recently released study looks at who reads their news in the newspaper - and why habits we acquired when younger, tend to stay with us. 29 Jul 2008
This report relates to the current situation in the UK, where, just as in SA, fuel and other costs have risen, as have interest rates. The result is that companies, including airlines, have closed. 29 Jul 2008
South Africa's apparel Trade Union, the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) has launched a unit to provide a "voice" to designers. The new unit, called the South African Fashion Designers' Institute (SAFDI), will have representation in all of the provinces. 29 Jul 2008
In celebration of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, which start in the Chinese capital on 8 August 2008, Coca-Cola has launched a limited edition “fan can” for avid collectors of Coca-Cola memorabilia, as well as Olympic Games fans. 29 Jul 2008
Johannesburg Executive Mayor Amos Masondo has announced that the increase of 20.6% in electricity tariffs will be effective from 1 August 2008. 28 Jul 2008
High import tariffs, trade barriers and a culture of protectionism impedes economic growth, says Department of Trade and Industry Director General Tshediso Matona. 28 Jul 2008
Travellers and locals looking for a gourmet eating experience in the Lowveld need search no longer with the launch of the Lowveld Gourmet Route by the region's Big 5 restaurants in partnership with Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Board. 28 Jul 2008
POPAI SA is launching a roadshow on 1 September 2008 to assess the feasibility of establishing a pilot study for Marketing at-Retail (MARI) in South Africa. 28 Jul 2008
USA - At first it seemed like ordinary shoplifting - stuffing a few pairs of jeans into an oversize bag and walking out of the store. But the thieves got bolder. They began showing up in groups of five or six in the middle of the day, spraying store clerks with mace and knocking customers out of the way as they gathered armfuls of clothes. Sometimes they tossed a brick through the glass. Sometimes they drove a truck through the front door. 28 Jul 2008
A national Food Control Agency is to be established in the wake of concerns over the consistent increases in food prices, President Thabo Mbeki has announced. 28 Jul 2008
