 11 Jan 2010 |
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Welcome to Twenty-Zen! Welcome back! 2010 has started off on a great note - this being the general consensus for what is going to be a monumental year for South Africa. There's only 150 days left till kick-off and if you don't have your tickets yet, you'd better hurry! There are only 11 more days to get your applications in for the third sales phase and after that, it's first-come, first-served but you could miss out on your preferred matches. Other hot items on the cards this year include 3-D TV, which hit the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in a big way last week, and with the current popularity of the 3-D cinema circuit (I'm still trying to book tickets for AVATAR), it'll only be a matter of time before you're experiencing the thrills from the comfort of your own easy chair. 2010 is gearing up to show even more skin in the fashion industry, with trends tending toward shorter-than-short shorts (a la Lady Gaga), and it would seem the '80s are still kicking it with oversized blazers with rolled-up sleeves and, dare I ask, are shoulder pads really back? We'll know for sure when Audi Joburg Fashion Week hits the catwalk at the Sandton Convention Centre on 20 January. And with the Far East developing a taste for red wines, it looks like the SA wine market may well be in for a truly two thousand and Zen year. Here's wishing you a wonderful, prosperous and peaceful year ahead! 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. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Luigi Diamanti. Top stories
RetailNew vehicle sales slide continuesNew vehicle sales for December continued to show the depressed state of the motor industry according to figures released by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa) with total sales down by 7,2% from a year earlier. Read more >>Wool trade to resume Wool sales will resume on 13 January 2010, with approximately 12,000 bales to be offered at auction in Port Elizabeth. Read more >>Retailer 'using delaying tactics'Mighty Mom, a project to empower South Africa's mothers, has accused listed retailer Pick n Pay of using 'delaying tactics' in the litigation process between the parties. Read more >>Banking & FinanceNeed money? Borrow wisely: NCRDespite interest rates coming down 5% since the start of the rate cutting cycle in December 2008, the economy remains depressed and the National Credit Regulator (NCR) continues to see a monthly average of 9000 consumers applying for debt counselling. “Consumers still need to be highly responsible and conservative when borrowing money,” says Peter Setou, senior manager: Education and Strategy at the National Credit Regulator (NCR). Read more >>Credit demand fall worst in 43 years[Artwell Dlamini] Credit demand has had its sharpest annual contraction in 43 years on weak consumer spending, mounting job losses and tight bank lending rules. Read more >>Cash back program promises to offer more The Absa Rewards Programme offers members the possibility of receiving up to 50% of their purchase back in cash, simply by swiping their Absa debit or credit cards. Read more >>Brand newsHeineken to buy Mexican brewery worth €5.3bn THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS: Dutch beer maker Heineken said today, 11 January 2010, it would acquire Mexico's Fomento Economico Mexicano (Femsa) brewery, valued at €5.3 billion (US$7.7 billion), through an all-share transaction. Read more >>InBev says to cut 10% of European staffBRUSSELS, BELGIUM: The world's biggest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev is planning to cut 10% of its 8,000-strong workforce across Europe, a spokeswoman for the company in Belgium said Friday, 8 January 2010. "Because of a generally declining trend in beer consumption across Europe, it is planned, especially in Belgium, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, that staff numbers will be broadly reduced by 10%," Karen Couck said. The spokeswoman said the plans were communicated to staff represenatatives on Thursday. Source:I-Net Bridge - AFPTiger on R600m expansion trail[Sure Kamhunga] SA's largest food company, Tiger Brands, has budgeted R600m for capital expenditure locally and is planning to make further investments in the rest of Africa to add to operations in Cameroon and Kenya. Read more >>Bronx footwear to kick off new transit media campaign One of South Africa's leading street style footwear brands, Bronx, has launched an extensive transit media campaign to advertise two of the brand's iconic styles, the Hunter boot and the Old Town boat shoe. Read more >>Clothing & TextilesState bailout for Castellano?[Mayibongwe Maqhina] A possible bailout of East London textile manufacturer Castellano-Beltrame, which is facing liquidation, will be discussed at a meeting on Friday, 8 January 2010. Read more >>2010 a year of more skin [Zenoyise Madikwa] The year 2009 was one that most of us couldn't wait to end. Economic woes, terror attacks, bizarre weather, celebrities behaving badly and plain boring local fashion shows were the order of the day. Read more >>PEP offers value and quality in back to school campaign PEP, reputedly SA's largest retailer of school wear, has launched a Back to School campaign offering parents both quality and economy for first time school goers including uniforms and lunchboxes at under R100. Read more >>Commercial propertyNo property boom on Cup expectationsAlliance Group chief executive Rael Levitt believes that the outlook for 2010, while still mild, is far better than 2009, which saw many people tightening their belts to deal with the weak economy and growing unemployment. Read more >>Review to kick-start industrial zones[Linda Ensor] The Department of Trade and Industry is conducting a review of policy on industrial development zones (IDZs), which critics say do not offer enough incentives to attract investors. Read more >>CRMCustomers for life! [John Boe] The most successful companies place great value on developing lifetime relationships with their customers. In today's competitive marketplace, they are aware that their customers are aggressively prospected and their loyalty cannot be taken for granted. Read more >>ExhibitionsLingerie show joins Audi African Fashion Week The Southern Sun hotel group is running its first lingerie show on Thursday, 21 January 2010, at the Sandton Convention Centre Pavillion at 8.30pm during Audi African Fashion Week. It showcases the creations of one of South Africa's premier swimwear and lingerie designers, Dax Martin. Read more >>FranchisingMcCarthy to ensure profitability by multifranchising[Artwell Dlamini] Retail motor group McCarthy is bracing for a slow recovery in car sales, and will turn to multifranchising to boost sales and profitability. Read more >>PackagingNew packaging can be a weapon [Trevor Williams] Private labels have a competitive advantage in this economic recession, because many consumers are relinquishing their brand loyalties in search of values. Private-label products are lower-priced, and stores are giving them prime shelf space and eye-grabbing displays. Not only that, but they are getting smarter, too. Recent packaging makeovers give them another advantage: they are starting to look like brands. Read more >>Ten ways to make your secondary packaging greener in 2010“Secondary packaging is the first thing your customers see but the last thing on your mind” is a great line our marketing director came up with for one of our brochures, because it is so true, especially if you are one of the up and coming e-commerce companies. Read more >>ResearchPoor euro retail sales trigger fears of recovery rutBRUSSELS, BELGIUM: A pre-Christmas fall in retail sales across the euro countries caused flutters among experts on Thursday, 7 January 2010, who worried that recovery prospects could run into a rut. Read more >>Retail marketingSA wines leap east According to Hein Koegelenberg, CEO of Leopard's Leap wines, “China's nouveau riche's attention, coupled with the recent elimination of all wine duties, means that China is fast becoming a focal point for trading and distribution amongst wine buyers and sellers.” He was commenting on his recent Asian wine marketing trip and the potential of this key future market as a wine-buying region and a focus for South African wine export in 2010 and beyond. Read more >>RetailersNew mall puts squeeze on traders [Siya Boya and Anna Suter] East London shopping centres and stores have blamed the newly opened Hemingways Mall for preventing them from enjoying a bumper festive season. Read more >>Retailers hedge on labour brokersThe retail industry is one of the biggest users of labour brokers, but since the debate about banning them broke out early this year, it has been remarkably quiet. Read more >>Technology3-D TV a rage at Consumer Electronics ShowLAS VEGAS, US: A breathtaking wave of 3-D televisions hit the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on Wednesday, 6 January 2010, as the technology was touted as the next big thing in home theater. Read more >>
RetailClover Mama Afrika wins PMR Overall Diamond Arrow Award - CloverClover Mama Afrika has been awarded with the Overall Diamond Arrow Award 2009 from PMR (Professional Management Review) for the best Corporate Social Investment project. Read more >>
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