Retail sales figures to be released tomorrow are expected to show further deterioration due to a slowdown in consumer expenditure as higher living and debt-servicing costs are demanding a larger chunk of consumers' budgets. 10 Nov 2008
When's the last time you heard an online retailer complain that their banner ads were too well targeted? How about an online publisher lamenting the torrent of accurate user data they were able to capture, or for that matter a user who just wanted more of the ads they were getting to be irrelevant to them? 10 Nov 2008
More is better, right? Wrong. In The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, Barry Schwartz explains how too many options actually cause more psychological distress than good. And nowhere is the overabundance of choice more prevalent than the Internet, where any given Web site can present us with an overwhelming number of alternatives at once. 10 Nov 2008
As the economy continues to decline, retailers are fighting a fierce battle for a share of the consumer's wallet. Every customer counts, but the loyal customers are particularly valuable, especially when your competitor is just a click away. 10 Nov 2008
Two new multi-award winning board games from Blowfish Entertainment are set to capture the imagination when they launch in South Africa this November. 10 Nov 2008
Analysts are careful not to suggest that Foschini is a bellwether for retail sales - they prefer to look at Truworths or Edcon. 7 Nov 2008
USA: ReCORK America has begun a recycling programme to reclaim a small portion of the estimated 13 billion natural cork wine stoppers sold into the world market each year. 7 Nov 2008
BP Express is Gauteng's most popular forecourt retailer according to the recent Ipsos Markinor Retail Survey commissioned by The Times and Sowetan newspapers. 7 Nov 2008
Keedo, a Proudly South African children's clothing company, is taking its shopping experience online with the launch of their new website. 7 Nov 2008
The meltdown of international, regional and country specific financial institutions and the global economy as a whole and the subsequent trickle-down consequences for consumers is having a negative impact on the apparel industry. However, there are opportunities for companies and in particular for smaller independent boutiques and designers to consolidate their business, revisit their marketing strategy and customer relations in order to capture market growth. It's not necessary for South African designers and small boutiques to become victims of this financial calamity. 7 Nov 2008
Apparel retailer Truworths reported today that sales for the 18 weeks of its full year 2009 rose 14% to R2.065 billion, but said the environment remained challenging. 6 Nov 2008
A fuel theft syndicate, responsible for stealing thousands of Rands of petrol has been uncovered in the Western Cape. Authorities have since urged other large corporations to be on the lookout for similar crimes. 6 Nov 2008
South African independent wine and spirit producer and distributor DGB, has again called upon washroom media specialists TLC to run a university washroom campaign for Zappa, the brand's leading sambuca product. Its latest campaign boasts updated creative and aims to instil brand awareness for the month of October and again from 1 February to 31 May 2009. 6 Nov 2008
SABMiller Plc and Molson Coors has reported a strong performance by their new US joint venture in its first quarter of combined operations. 6 Nov 2008
Reportbuyer: New report identifies green packaging to be a key trend for booming convenience food and drinks market. 6 Nov 2008
The South African Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Review (MPR), released on Tuesday highlighted that price increases in food and oil, coupled with a fluctuating exchange rate has dominated the economy in 2008. 6 Nov 2008
Demand for managed network services (MNS) providers is growing quickly as enterprises of all sizes grapple with increasing network traffic and complexity. At the same time, enterprises are seeing their services budgets shrink. This has created an intensely competitive landscape among global MNS providers, and even the industry's bellwether providers face new and significant competitive threats. 6 Nov 2008
Gone are the days of quaint tailors on cobbled streets, shopkeepers that know your name and product preference by heart, and shops that thrived off a client base of a mere 40 customers. Looking back to the 19th century a lot has changed over the years but the customer focus remains the same and has again come into the limelight, only this time on a much larger scale. 5 Nov 2008
The ability to offer customers a wide range of packaging solutions through a single point of contact was demonstrated recently when Nampak Cartons & Labels (Nampak C&L) and Nampak Inspection & Coding Systems (Nampak I&CS) worked together to deliver a cost-effective and efficient pack for the Jungle Oats 2008 winter promotion. 5 Nov 2008
The Dubai Mall opened its doors yesterday, 4 November, with close to 600 retailers under its roof - marking what is said to be the world's largest mall opening in retail history. 5 Nov 2008
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