 15 Feb 2010 |
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Affordable shrinkage? Caught up in the mad rush of last-minute Valentine's shopping on Saturday, I experienced one of those supremely mortifying blonde moments... of distractedly walking out of a big clothing chain store clutching something for which I hadn't paid. I wasn't two metres from the entrance when I realised my mistake, so I hot-footed it back inside, passed the security guard who wasn't paying much attention to me, and headed to the cashier. I was halfway up the aisle when it suddenly dawned on me that there were no alarms ringing, no sirens wailing, no gun-toting mall security rugby-tackling me to the floor. At the pay station, I sheepishly explained to the cashier what I'd done, and pointed out that the item obviously wasn't fitted with a security tag. He looked at me with an expression that said, "You're nuts, why are you telling me this?" and then eventually went on to explain that because the item was under a R100 (by R20.05 to be exact), it's not fitted with a tag. At least he thought this too was mad. It amazed me that management didn't care that such items could be so easily, and in my case so blatantly (albeit innocently), misappropriated. Every cent adds up, so just how much are they losing to sticky-fingered syndicates who've caught on to these things? Fortunately not every retailer is as lax on security, as I found out recently when buying tissue oil. One supermarket franchise only puts empty boxes on display and you have to enquire at the customer service counter to actually get the product. Another health & beauty chain tapes the boxes closed and includes two security tags in each - one stuck to the box itself and one to the bottle. These products also cost less than R100 but clearly these stores know the accumulative value of shrinkage. Now retailers, ask yourself, is there anything you leave untagged in your store, and can you really afford to lose that kind of money, no matter how small, to five-fingered discounts? 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. Top stories
RetailBaron brings top retail trophy back to the Bay[Yolandé Stander] For the second consecutive year, a Nelson Mandela Bay retailer has come out tops in the land. Read more >>Advertisement:  Come harvest with Robertson's The second Hands-On-Harvest at the Robertson Wine Valley will take place Friday 26 February to Sunday 28 February 2010. As some of the participating wineries are not ordinarily open to the public, the focus will be on hosting a series of intimate events to ensure guests enjoy the best, most personalised and 'hands-on' experience. Read more >>ICASA approves reduced interconnection rates ICASA has approved the revised interconnection agreement that was submitted by Vodacom, Cell C and MTN on 9 February 2010. Read more >>Golden ratio challenges students in design competition PG Bison, which has run its Student Design competition for 16 years, has rebranded it as the 1.sixoneeight competition, in honour of the golden ratio 1.618, which is central to architecture, design, art, music and mathematics. Read more >>ABI, union make deal as strike comes to an endThe protracted strike at ABI, the soft drinks division of South African Breweries, ended last night, 8 February 2010, after a settlement was reached with the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu). Read more >>Banking & FinanceGive your '10 cents' on the budget on new Old Mutual siteOld Mutual has launched an interactive new media website, ‘My 10 cents' ahead of the 2010 budget speech to allow any South African to express his or her opinion or prediction about the budget. The company is making it very worthwhile not only for two lucky commentators but also for the charity, The Bright Kid Foundation. Read more >>African Bank eases its lending criteria[Edward West] African Bank (Abil) Wednesday, 10 February 2010, said bad debts had peaked in its financial first quarter and it was starting to relax credit underwriting criteria once more. Read more >>Brand newsLight and lovely rosé from Van LoverenReputedly the first wine release worldwide for 2010, the popular Four Cousins Light Natural Sweet Rosé 2010 will be available to wine lovers from Monday 15 February 2010, initially at Ultra Liquors branches nationwide and soon after in other wine retailers and supermarkets. Read more >>Kraft to shut Cadbury factory in western EnglandLONDON, UK: US giant Kraft Foods said that it will shut a Cadbury factory in western England after clinching a successful takeover of the British confectionery company earlier this month. Read more >>New cellarmaster at Zonnebloem Award winning white wine maker, Deon Boshoff succeeds Michael Bucholz as the new cellarmaster at Zonnebloem. Bucholz has been appointed as operations manager at the Bergkelder. Read more >>Clothing & TextilesBritish press pays tribute to McQueenLONDON, UK: Britain's press today, Friday 12 February 2010, remembered designer Alexander McQueen as "one of fashion's brightest lights", but lamented the star's dark side so often on show in his outlandish creations had won out. Read more >>Ashes to the Big Apple [Andrea Nagel] This year is big for Anisa Mapungwe, the creator of the clothing label Loin Cloth & Ashes, but then, she's had a big year every year for the past three years. Read more >>Mbau 'eyes Uyanda's firm'[Gabisile Ndebele] The Diamond Face Couture fashion house has come apart at the seams as Uyanda Mbuli and Gert-Johan Coetzee have called it quits on their partnership. Read more >>Commercial propertyPort Elizabeth revamp adds value to commercial propertyThe revamp of Parliament Street and upgrade of Govan Mbeki Avenue for the World Cup has benefited the central area of Port Elizabeth, reports Sonja de Necker, Eastern Cape regional manager for JHI, which has offices in the region. Read more >>Corporate Social InvestmentCalling community heroes The 2010 Jet Community Awards, which have opened for entries, will recognise community projects and grass roots organisations in four categories. With more than R1 million in prize money, the competition is open to entries from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland, with the proviso that winners are obliged to reinvest their winnings into their community building initiatives. Read more >>CRMTurning up the volume of the customer's voice [Peter Gilbert] In the 1980s, America wrested the America's Cup from New Zealand by resorting to radical change, and competing with a catamaran which comprehensively outperformed New Zealand's conventional monohull in the prevailing light winds off California. Much the same situation prevails in selling in recessionary markets. Read more >>Cellphone calculations from FNB "FNB customers can now calculate monthly repayments on any unsecured loan via Internet or a dot.Mobi.site on their cellphones," says FNB head of product and marketing, Jeff McDonald. Read more >>e-CommerceNavigating the content management maze[Allen Kung] For online retailers, a content management system should be an easy-to-use solution for supporting branding and e-commerce initiatives without putting undue strain on internal resources. Enterprise customization, the ability to scale globally and locally, and robust automation abilities are a few key elements to an ideal content management system. Read more >>Understanding the pre-shopping ROBO mentality[Carl Prindle] The term "ROBO" (Research Online, Buy Offline) was coined by Yahoo to describe the growing number of consumers who research online but buy offline. Online "pre-shopping" has become a common activity prior to a variety of purchases. According to Forrester, online research will influence US$1 trillion in offline sales by 2012, making it imperative that retailers understand the full impact that their online presence - as well as those of their competitors - may have on consumer in-store behavior. Read more >>ExhibitionsDeliciously theatrical at Decorex
Early bird gets SAPICS seatBook now and enjoy a substantial early bird discount. Read more >>Say cheese at Bien Donné [ActivRetail] The SA Cheese Festival takes place at Bien Donné on the R45 between Paarl and Franschhoek on 24-27 April 2010 and offers a wide range of fun-filled activities for the entire family. Read more >>FranchisingSimply Asia opens in Honeydew Cape Town-based Simply Asia, a subsidiary of Cape Thai Restaurant Holdings, has opened another franchise restaurant in Johannesburg in Honeydew at the Honey Crest Centre. Read more >>Juicy gets new logo, goes greener Juicy Lucy has a new logo, in-store design and menus that are being rolled out across South Africa after its initial successful launches in November 2009 at the new Galleria Mall along the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast and Groblersdal. Read more >>Green sustainability‘Green Goal' bins stream waste collection Jeremy Droyman, MD of Don't Waste Services (DWS) says his company has a solution for the 92% of the country's refuse that is currently placed in black bags and put into landfills. It has pioneered a revolutionary means of recycling on the go, Soccer Recycling Pole Bins. Read more >>Thought leader on climate change at Energy IndabaEnergy Indaba 2010, which takes place on 24-26 February 2010 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, features Dr Robert Schock, present director of studies for the World Energy Council (WEC) as a key speaker. Read more >>HospitalityCape accommodation not overpriced A research survey launched in January 2010 to establish accommodation booking and pricing trends for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, reveals that the majority of the Western Cape's accommodation establishments are charging responsible rates for accommodation during the event. Read more >>Sheraton launches branding campaign Sheraton Hotels & Resorts announced yesterday, Monday, 8 February 2010, that it is highlighting its US$6 billion (about R46 billion) three-year global brand overhaul, with a US$20m (about R155 million) multi-media marketing campaign. Read more >>Import/ExportZim retailers still look to South Africa for stock[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's retail giants are still largely reliant on imports from South Africa, and are hoping a trade pact between the two countries will unlock credit facilities to ramp up imports on favourable terms. Read more >>LogisticsNew logistics division for Communicate PersonnelMonique Cruden, who holds extensive knowledge in both the local and international recruitment industry, will spearhead the new logistics division for Communicate Personnel, located in Bruma, Johannesburg. Read more >>ManufacturingSA manufacturing output -12.5% y/yThe physical volume of manufacturing in South Africa in 2009 reflected a decrease of 12.5% compared with 2008, data released by Stats SA on Thursday, 11 February 2010, showed. Read more >>PackagingNampak in international awards final [ActivRetail] The 2010 FTA (Flexographic Technical Association) International Awards has given Nampak Flexible, two award nominations for its Imana Chicken Noodle soup and Imana Cream of Vegetable soup packs. Judging took place 24-26 January 2010 in New York, where all entries were judged strictly on technical achievement, by concealing the manufacturer's brand through coding. Read more >>New EU organic logo set for supermarkets BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: The European Union unveiled a new Green logo that will have to be shown on all pre-packaged organic products produced in Europe from July. Read more >>RegulatoryNow airlines face probe of ‘hidden' fares [Julius Baumann] The Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Tourism are expected to launch a wide-ranging investigation of the way airlines publish their airfares, and if they are found to be lacking in transparency they face the possibility of regulation. Read more >>ResearchSouth Africans switch banks due to low serviceA new survey conducted by South Africa s online guide to money, Justmoney.co.za, revealed on Wednesday, 10 February 2010, that more than 50% of respondents polled have never switched banks in their lifetime and that those who have, did so primarily because they were unhappy with the service levels of their bank. Read more >>SA still short on customer serviceAccenture's annual consumer satisfaction survey revealed that consumers in South Africa, India, China and Brazil value quick turnaround, speedy resolution of customer complaints and convenient service availability most and 75% of them expect better service for their buck than they did five years ago. Read more >>Retail marketingLuxury brands turn to Asia for salvationSINGAPORE: Wang Jing was all smiles as she strolled out of a Cartier boutique in Singapore after blowing close to US$5,000 on a watch and a ring. Read more >>Toyota will survive in spite of PR foul-up [Chris Moerdyk] The great Toyota recall saga might dent its sales for a short while but the brand won't suffer that badly in the long run from the embarrassment of having to get millions of its cars back into workshops to fix potentially dangerous sticking accelerators. Read more >>Retail servicesCall centre for 2010 tickets [Nthambeleni Gabara] The FIFA World Cup Ticketing Sub-Committee will open a call centre today, Monday 15 February, to assist soccer fans who want buy tickets for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Read more >>Moving to private cloud servicesCloud computing is an emerging trend for the delivery of software and hardware as services via the Internet. It can be either public or private, both with its unique benefits while providing high efficiency, high availability and elastic capacity. Read more >>RetailersVaal to get Builders WarehouseThe Builders Warehouse, which opens in March 2010, is the first of the chain to open in the region. Read more >>Colette opens at Cedar SquareColette Palin, a South African fashion designer and entrepreneur, has opened her first 'Colette' designer store at Cedar Square Shopping Centre in Fourways. Read more >>Ellerines re-engineering starting to bear fruitThe re-engineering of furniture group Ellerines was starting to bear fruit, African Bank Investments Limited CEO Leon Kirkinis said on Wednesday, 10 February 2010. Read more >>Supply chainUK workshops in Cape Town benefit African food suppliersJoint workshop designed to give SA farmers and suppliers a better understanding of what UK retailers require. Read more >>Country Bird profit falls as recovery lags, imports rise[Michael Bleby] Recovery has come slower than expected for Country Bird Holdings, SA's third-largest producer of chicken. Read more >>Have your say in international logistics survey The global supply chain survey being undertaken by Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT) can be completed electronically in 12 minutes and affords South African supply chain and operations professionals the opportunity to participate in global research that is extremely significant for SAPICS and for the local supply chain community. It ends at the end of February 2010. Read more >>Illovo to spend R6bn on Africa expansion[Margie Inggs] Illovo Sugar aims to spend about R6bn on its African expansion over the next five years in a bid to increase the group's annual sugar production from 1,7-million tons to between 2,5-million tons and 2,7-million tons. Read more >>TechnologySamsung seeks to catch up to smartphone wave BARCELONA, SPAIN: South Korean firm Samsung Electronics unveiled on Sunday, 14 February 2010, a new smartphone to lead the charge in its strategy to boost its share of the fast-growing segment of the mobile phone industry. Read more >>Automated 360° digital camera arrives in SAVirtual tours are increasing in popularity on the web but require excellent photography and editing to produce a seamless 360° effect. Giroptic, France has created reputedly the world's first automated 360° digital camera, which takes high-quality panoramic shots with just one click, is now available in South Africa. Read more >>Opera preview for media Opera Software is using the 2010 Mobile World Congress (MWC) as a venue to preview its Opera Mini for the iPhone. Read more >>TrainingTraining OTC dispensersThe Adcock Ingram's OTC (Over the Counter) Academy of Learning is ready for its 2010 intake of pharmacists and assistants. All delegates who achieve over 90% are entered into a draw and the lucky winners each receive a bursary to study for their Pharmacist's Assistant's qualification, valued at R7100 each Read more >>CWG protégés for 2010 The Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) Protégé Programme has selected its 2010 protégés; they are Sacha Claassen from Oudtshoorn and Tamsyn Jeftha from Strand. Read more >>
Brand newsVital Health Matters on SAFM - Vital Health FoodsGeorge Grieve, the MD of Vital Health Foods, was recently interviewed by Karen Key from SAFM Health Matters, regarding the quality standards in the nutritional supplement market of South Africa. Read more >>Pringles Rice wins Product of the Year - Fore Good Investments The Fore Good Group, exclusive distributors for Pringles in southern Africa, has announced that the full range of Pringles Rice Infusions was voted Product of the Year in the snacks category in the Product of the Year consumer survey of product innovation 2010. Read more >>Fore Good, Duracell and Toys R Us light up children's lives - Fore Good Investments Fore Good, Duracell and Toys R Us recently hosted a Toy Run competition, where five eager little winners were chosen to grab as many toys as they could within a thirty-second time limit. Read more >>
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A ground breaking production of Pictures of You RETAIL [Riccardo Spagni] When I went to see Pictures of You, I had no idea what to expect. I am unabashedly lazy and I will gladly admit that I did no research on it. So I was pleasantly intrigued when a little speech was given before the show started and we were given a bit of background. Also mention worthy was the fact that Premier Helen Zille was in the audience. As I have no interest in politics, I didn't know what she looked like, otherwise I would probably have tried to wangle a prosperity shot with her afterwards! Kurt Schoonrad is Home Groan RETAIL [Riccardo Spagni] It has been my experience that the most common reason for any comedian to do a one-man show is that he's feeling a bit out-of-pocket and needs to make the rent for the end of next month. This leads to a rather average rehash of said comedian's most popular jokes, the vast majority of which are only mildly funny at best. Even worse is the fact that most Capetonian comics have a tendency to make jokes that go far over this ex-Joburger's head. I only recently discovered where Lavender Hill was, you know! With much trepidation, therefore, I dragged myself to see Kurt Schoonrad. Will the “Bulgeun Effect” propel Bafana to World Cup glory? RETAIL [Dr Nikolaus Eberl] When Bafana Bafana was drawn to play previous world champions France and Uruguay, along with Mexico, at the Final FIFA Draw in Cape Town, many international football pundits were quick to write off South Africa's chances of advancing to the second round. Die Antwoord take it to the next level RETAIL [Ruth Cooper] Jumping on the bandwagon, so to speak, BizLounge thought we should get in on a little of Die Antwoord hype and action (and Google hits) and do our own little story on the interesting phenomena of the Cape Town zef rap-rave crew that is Die Antwoord. There is no denying that the trio; Ninja, Yo-landi and DJ Hi-Tek, that make up Die Antwoord have recently exploded over the net and have taken not just SA by storm but have also caused quite the stir internationally with their combination of 80's techno beats and dirty Afrikaans rap. With something like 1000 new Facebook fans a day and a site that crashed by the deluge of visitors after a few recent reviews were posted, Die Antwoord does really seem to be “the answer”. But the answer to what is the million dollar question. Nominees announced for Fleur du Cap Awards RETAIL Nominations for the annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, in which all funds raised through box office sales go towards the development of the performing arts in South Africa, have been announced. The awards will take at the Baxter Theatre, on 21 March, 2010.
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