Make yourself heard Amid creeping competition from communications service providers such as Telkom, and MWEB's recent campaign offering an extra 30 days in which to use its data bundles, it looks like Vodacom is finally buckling under pressure and relinquishing its hold on unused bandwidth. Yes, that's right - they have finally introduced a rollover for data, so any bandwidth you have paid for but have been unable to use within the month will automatically carry over to the next month. Having personally lost hundreds of rands in unused data to the service provider, I think it's about time too. And I'm sure their customer service department will be a little quieter this month without irate users phoning in to vent their frustration over losing excessive amounts to this exploitative practice. Perhaps it goes to show that if you yell loud enough and long enough, you'll eventually be heard. ...Or maybe it has something to do with the Consumer Protection Bill that was passed by Parliament in February and is now only waiting for President Motlanthe's signature. In other news, one man, who has been quite vocal about the Gauteng Liquor Board's delay in the processing of liquor licence applications in the region, has indeed played his part in the establishment of the new Gauteng Liquor Agency. The agency will replace the board and will therefore take over its duties. Meanwhile, according to Nielsen IAG's latest survey, if companies aren't waxing lyrical about themselves through advertising and marketing campaigns, it's very likely that consumers will think they're in trouble or, at worst, going out of business. So, whether you're a consumer or business, if you're not getting what you want, it's time to make yourself heard. Shan Radcliffe, Retail editor retailnews@bizcommunity.comResponses to this column welcomed in our new online editor's column archive. | Top stories
Retail
[Artwell Dlamini] Ratings agency Fitch has warned that motor businesses, especially car dealerships, could serve as a “cash drain” on parent companies such as Bidvest and Barloworld in the face of the global economic downturn. Read more >>
While the South African environment is set to benefit from new tariffs designed to stimulate renewable energy development, consumers will feel the pressure of higher prices. Read more >>
[Andrew McNulty] A partial recovery in some industrial commodities has rekindled investor interest in these stocks in recent weeks. Sugar, one of the so-called “soft commodities”, has done considerably better. Read more >>
New vehicles sales in South Africa for March show a substantial gain of 10.3% against February's figures according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa). Read more >>
 [Bathandwa Mbola] Over 1.6 million ticket applications have been made to FIFA for the 2010 World Cup, in the first phase of ticket sales that ended Tuesday night, 31 March 2009. Read more >>
 [Robert McKay] For the first time, the fruits of SA Fashion Week's Fashion Fusion project will be made accessible to a wider audience in the form of Nine Takes, a glossy new book that underscores how important the initiative has been for the fashion industry and the country as a whole. Read more >>
Food group AH-Vest, formerly All Joy Foods, on Monday reported that its diluted headline loss per share for the six months ended December 2008 was at 0.14 cents from the 2.5 cents a share loss in the six months ending December 2007. Read more >>
 Both Pick n Pay and Woolworths have been shortlisted for the World Retail Awards 2009, the former the only South African company to be nominated in the category “Retail Advertising Award - Traditional Media” and the latter the only South African in the category “Responsible Retailer of the Year”, which it won last year. Read more >>
Walmer in the Eastern Cape is to get a new R16-million office block and retail centre, it was announced on Monday, 30 March 2009. Read more >>
 The fashion world thrives on seductive imagery but the clothing industry itself is grounded in business reality. Nkhensani Nkosi, creative director and brand manager of Stoned Cherrie, is the golden girl of SA's couture market but she's paid her dues behind the flash and dazzle. Read more >>
Associations
[Luphert Chilwane] The establishment of the Gauteng Liquor Agency to replace of the Gauteng Liquor Board will reduce the huge backlog of licence applications, according to agency CEO Keith Khoza. Read more >>
Banking & Finance
[Neo Semono] Since its inception in 2004, over six million South Africans have opened Mzansi bank accounts which provide previously un-banked clients easy access to banking services countrywide. Read more >>
Brand news
 Supreme Flour, produced by Foodcorp's Ruto Mills division, has been launched as a replacement for the Ouma flour brand. Read more >>
Engen has assured that fuel deliveries will continue with minimal disruption during South African Transport and Allied Workers Union strike (SATAWU), which is expected to go ahead tomorrow, 7 April 2009, if a dispute with employers is not resolved. Read more >>
[Walaika Haskins] The Wii has sold 50 million units - not bad for less than three years on the market. The console may even be on track to surpass the PS2, which, by the way, is still alive and kicking - but at a better price. Read more >>
 [ActivRetail] Pongrácz, the distinctive Méthode Cap Classique inspired by Hungarian nobleman, Desiderius Pongrácz, has just launched a new addition to the family, the Brut Rosé. Read more >>
 Global brewing giant SABMiller announced on Monday that subsidiaries of its Colombian subsidiary Bavaria S.A. have completed the sale of Bebidas Aguas Gaseosa Occidente SRL (Bebidas). The brewer will also be opening four new breweries in Africa this year as it seeks to benefit from countries economies' growing at about 4% and 5%. Read more >>
Distribution
 [Sipho Masondo] Port Elizabeth company Dynamic Commodities is living up to its name, it started off exporting fruit sorbet and now it has added the mysterious sweet baby pepper to its burgeoning bag of exported products. Read more >>
e-Commerce
 Ukash, a cash payment solution for the internet, has signed a deal with Pick n Pay to make electronic cash vouchers available from its 750 outlets across South Africa. The partnership makes it easier than ever for millions of consumers in South Africa to pay for goods and services online. Read more >>
[Rachel Metz] Shopping on eBay just got a bit more rewarding, at least for some users of the online auctioneer's site. Read more >>
Exhibitions
 [Nicola Mawson] Exhibitions could be a useful way of increasing sales as consumers seek value for money in a blighted economic climate. Read more >>
 [Zenoyise Madikwa] The sixth annual Sanlam Fashion Week Summer Collection kicks off on Thursday, 2 April 2009. Read more >>
Franchising
 With millions of South Africans seeking employment, small business is positioned to be one of the ways to reduce unemployment in South Africa and both the private and public sector is looking to developing a culture of small business in the country. While franchising is seen as a key business driver in this sector, the industry is not without challenges. Read more >>
Hospitality
[Gillian McAinsh] Spar has done it again, with Sherwood Spar winning La Femme's hot cross bun test. The supermarket bakery was the unanimous favourite from an array of nine different hot cross buns in a blind tasting held by La Femme last week at Newspaper House. Read more >>
Import/Export
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's tea exports slid nearly 30% in February due to an output slump blamed on a "severe drought," officials said on Thursday, 2 April 2009. Read more >>
[Mathabo le Roux] As SA considers a comprehensive plan to bail out the clothing and textiles industry, it has opted to dilute the benefit of the industry's flagship industrial policy — the Textile and Clothing Industry Development Programme. Read more >>
Logistics
 The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Imperial Logistics (a division of Imperial Holdings) late last week launched the fifth annual State of Logistics Survey. The survey finds that transport costs are skyrocketing in the weakening economy, with the solution lying in more effective supply chain management. Read more >>
Manufacturing
[Mariam Isa] Manufacturing activity slumped to a new record low last month, a benchmark survey showed yesterday, 1 April 2009, backing the view that SA's economy has joined the global recession. Read more >>
[Sipho Masondo] The government should consider subsidising the retail price of new vehicles as a possible medium- to long-term solution to the sharp decline in vehicle sales in South Africa caused by the global financial crisis, industry players say. Read more >>
[Artwell Dlamini] The motor industry said yesterday it would continue engaging with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on a cure for its ills, despite Finance Minister Trevor Manuel's criticism of a proposed stimulus package. Read more >>
[Mathabo le Roux] The government is considering an ambitious rescue package for the clothing and textile sector to offset the effect of the deepening global recession. Read more >>
Packaging
USA: Tetra Pak today joined with 20 partner companies who make up the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Climate Savers program to reaffirm the company's commitment to achieving its five-year carbon reduction goals and to help mobilize business action around climate change mitigation policies. Read more >>
Regulatory
[Ernest Mabuza] A house in Cyrildene Johannesburg, that was used to manufacture and copy DVDs and CDs in a large counterfeiting operation was forfeited to the state last week, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced late last week. Read more >>
SYDNEY: Australia's consumer regulator has ordered Coca-Cola to publish corrections after it claimed in "unacceptable" ads that health risks from the soft drink were a myth, the watchdog said on Thursday, 2 April 2009. Read more >>
In a bid to stem the abuse of consumers by lenders and ensure compliance with the National Credit Act (NCA), the National Credit Regulator (NCR) has conducted 10 joint onsite investigations with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the North West Consumer Affairs offices in Rustenburg, which led to the arrest of three lenders who contravened the Act. Read more >>
Research
Nielsen IAG's latest survey has found that consumer confidence in financial institutions is heavily influenced by the advertising drives implemented by the companies. Read more >>
 TNS Research Surveys has won Avusa Media's 2009 market research contract for the Sunday Times Top Brands Awards and The Times and Sowetan Retail Awards surveys, after a three-way pitch, it was announced earlier this week. Read more >>
Half the South African population supports the draft bylaw which would prevent guest houses, pubs, clubs and theatres in Cape Town residential areas from selling alcohol past 9pm. Read more >>
Retail marketing
 [Simone Puterman] Cadbury South Africa has relaunched its flagship brand - Cadbury Dairy Milk - with the award-winning international Gorilla television ad by Fallon London. In a “road-block”, Gorilla screened across all major South African TV channels at 7.58pm yesterday, Sunday, 5 April 2009., as well as hitting the big screen at cinemas from the same date. [multimedia] Read more >>
 The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) has said it is “surprised” to learn that ICASA is seeking to promote the promulgation of an entirely new act to control advertising content on radio and television, when freedom of commercial speech is protected by law and regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of South Africa. Read more >>
Retail services
[Alex Jefferies] The traditional sales pressures of lengthening sales cycles and low quota achievement have only been exacerbated by the recent economic downturn. Many businesses have been forced to cut costs, eliminate waste and often freeze spending. The few organisations that might be looking to spend are increasingly engaging in intense due diligence through various online sources, such as consumer-generated content forums and other third-party information providers, to inform their purchasing decisions. Read more >>
[Ron Wegmann Sr.] Automating business processes can result in substantial cost savings through the creation of new efficiencies. However, companies must manage the automation process itself to prevent "scope creep" - the introduction of many small changes to suit individual preferences. Read more >>
[Walaika Haskins] Sometimes when companies lay off thousands of workers, they actively publicise the action in order to appease investors. Other times, little to no fanfare is made at all. Oftentimes, at least some of these eliminated positions are actually being outsourced - are outsourcing firms cleaning up during an overall economic recession? Read more >>
Retailers
Guess opens in PiazzaGuess recently launched its 19th apparel store in Melrose Arch's trendy new Piazza. In true international high street mode, the store layout and design is modelled on Guess Rodeo Drive. The store carries a large range of the latest international men's and ladies apparel and accessories and offers a fun, easy shopping experience.
Security
 Being in the retail game is a challenge at the best of times. Sadly, we are not living in the best of times with an economic recession at the door and few people having any kind of idea when it may be over. Read more >>
Supply chain
 The quality of this year's SA wine grape harvest is outstanding, Erhard Wolf, head of Distell's grape and wine buying team, said on today, 6 April 2009. Read more >>
Technology
South African telecommunications company Vodacom has announced the first phase of the restructuring of its range of broadband and connectivity services which will provide a greater range of options and benefits to its customers. Read more >>
 Navigation solutions provider, TomTom, has launched an online map shop on its website. Read more >>
[Lesley Stones] Telkom expects by year's end to start selling a mobile service that lets customers buy a cellphone and airtime from Telkom shops in direct competition with existing cellular operators. Read more >>
 [Erika Morphy] BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has launched an app store for its iconic device. BlackBerry App World went live Wednesday morning, 1 April 2009, with some 1,000 applications available. Read more >>
 Sahara Computers has launched its new Imagebook, the tech supplier's latest offering to the burgeoning netbook space - a growing and active market segment defined by low cost, feature-rich mobile solutions. Read more >>
 From April, mothers around the country will have a new source of information as the Huggies website launches in South Africa. The site speaks to all women in all stages of family life - from the early planning stages, through pregnancy and into the toddler years. Read more >>
Training
 The Cape Wine Academy (CWA) celebrates its 30th birthday this year, reaching an important landmark of having trained over 90,000 students within its 30 years of wine education prowess. Read more >>
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Brand news
 Featuring snow, icicles, polar bears and other winter cues, the Hunter's Below Zero competition, which runs over April and May, will see six winners each host a Hunter's Refresher Session this winter for 50 friends. Read more >>
Corporate Social Investment
 Kimberly-Clark South Africa's (K-CSA) corporate values are the basis underpinning the day-to-day operational activities of the organisation. Together with its partner Zinto Marketing, three schools in Alexandra were identified as parts of a community in most need of health and hygiene solutions. Read more >>
Instore media
 [Hendrik Bredenkamp] Barriers to entry are lower in these tougher economy times making it essential for businesses to listen to their customers and act fast to counter any negative comments or feedback. Retailers are increasingly competing over markets - for example in the lower income bracket - and hence must focus on improving customer experience to build customer loyalty. Read more >>
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