Toby Shapshak talks gadgets and gizmos in our last official trend forecast for 2011, calling this the "year of the tablet". Incredible Connection is likely to agree, after the local launch of the Apple iPad on Friday saw the store move 70% of its stock in three days. The majority of SA consumers, however, are not feeling so positive, as the MasterCard consumer confidence index released last week reveals an all-time local low. The east and west reaches of Africa show an entirely different story with confidence hitting the high 80s to mid-90s. But while South Africans aren't feeling very upbeat, retailers are feeling cautiously optimistic, Clicks being one of them. The store also welcomes its new CFO, Michael Fleming, next week. I'm sure it'll be a more positive experience for him than his previous post at Tiger Brands as successor to Noel Doyle during the bread price-fixing scandal. And even though you can expect clouds up ahead this year, may they all have silver linings!

Shan Radcliffe, Retail editor
Please send retail news to: retailnews@bizcommunity.com
Responses to this column welcomed in our new online editor's column archive.