 17 May 2010 |
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High price of support With only 24 days till kick-off, do you have your official supporters' kit yet? Workers at the factory that produces the official Bafana Bafana replica jerseys reckon the shirts are too expensive to buy from licensed retailers - especially since they only cost about R150 to make. Meanwhile, counterfeits are clearly streaming in thick and fast with SARS seizing a major haul last week. Even Sactwu's general secretary calls the price of the official gear (at R600) "a disservice" to local supporters. An anonymous comment on fellow Bizcommunity.com editor Sindy Peters' column addressing the issue of fake goods said that the average SA family with an income of R3000 per month just can't afford it: "Where do you think he is going to get R599.00 to buy one shirt, with this amount he can buy 4 Fong Kongs and have R200 change. [sic]" In a similar vein, Jacquie Myburgh proposed the catch-22 that "high prices make us fake" - that it's the enormous cost of luxury branded goods that is driving the counterfeit goods industry while Joe and Jane Soap try to keep up with the Jones'. So what do you think? Are we paying too much for official gear? [Vote in our poll]
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 Buanews.gov.za. Top stories
Retail90% of World Cup tickets sold PRETORIA: FIFA has sold about 90% of the more than three million tickets made available for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the Local Organising Committee said. Read more >>Advertisement:
 Spar Group moves into the branded pharmacy market[Michael Bleby] Spar Group, the company supplying and branding SA's Spar, Tops and Build it stores, will next month open its first branded pharmacy. Read more >>Enter GWC Best of Wine Tourism Awards The Best of Wine Tourism Awards, established eight years ago to advance standards in wine tourism and to promote the exchange of best-practice internationally, is hosted by the nine-member Great Wine Capitals (GWC) network operating in Africa, Europe, North and South America, and Australasia. Read more >>Banking & FinanceAbsa goes mobile The rapid up-take of mobile handsets, low cost of mobile data and the increasing number of mobile Internet users in South Africa has encouraged Absa to launch its mobile portal. It provides existing and potential customers with a single entry point to interact via the mobile Internet (WAP). Read more >>Reserve Bank keeps rates unchangedThe Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to keep the repo rate steady at 6.5% much to market expectation. Read more >>Businesses, unions want state to peg rand value at R10,50/$[Loyiso Langeni] Eleven major manufacturers and SA's three main labour federations yesterday, 10 May 2010, called for the weakening of the rand to make SA more competitive and save manufacturing sector jobs. Read more >>Brand newsNews Café, Cointreau have new face At the grand finale of the Cointreau Face of News Cafe (FONC), hosted at the newly refurbished Sandton store on Saturday 8 May 2010, 21-year-old Monique Buitendag is the new FONC for 2010. First and second runner-up spots went to Bokang Montjane and Rovika Poole, respectively. All three will be granted automatic entry to the Miss SA 2010 interview process. Read more >>Ports star at tasting Wine Magazine, which judges the different sub-categories of port according to the guidelines laid down by the South African Port Producers' Association, has awarded Boets Nel of De Krans a 5-Star rating for his Cape Tawny Port at a recent tasting. Read more >>Toy store launches own brand of batteries
Purity launches Mama range for moms-to-be "Purity Mama is especially for pregnant women who would like to lead a healthy lifestyle while taking care of their wellbeing and that of their unborn babies," comments Allison Bergh, brand manager for Purity on its launch of the Purity Mama range. Read more >>SAB getting into fan zones[Adele Shevel] SAB has invested an estimated R170-million around the World Cup in infrastructure in South Africa's townships, Castle Lager campaigns and marketing to support the event. Read more >>South African drinks score at international awards Boschendal brought home the only two gold medals for South African wine from the Monde Selection International Wine Competition 2010 held in Brussels recently, for its Grande Cuvée Brut 2006 and the 2009 Chenin Blanc. Read more >>Clothing & TextilesBafana shirts cost too much [Ben Maclennan] It's ridiculous to be asked to pay R599 for an official replica Bafana Bafana shirt and that's the word from the workers who make it. Read more >>Commercial propertyGlut of malls as slump follows on boom They stand out like gaps between teeth. Maponya Mall, the high-end mall that opened in September 2007, is now dotted with empty sites - 11 of its original 160-odd lie fallow - and the first level office floor is a vacant sea. Read more >>Corporate Social InvestmentSmiles for donation from Sandton City Floor tiles, which have been salvaged from the repositioning of Sandton City, will be used in the ward refurbishment at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. Now the ward is not in a usable state, but with Sandton City's help, the Smile Foundation will be able to utilise this ward. The shopping centre recently handed over its donation of floor tiles to the Foundation. Read more >>Rainbow Star Schools programme opens in RustenburgIn a continuation of its Star Schools Programme, Rainbow launched it into Rustenburg late last month. "Learners will receive extra tuition in maths, science and English during weekends and school holidays, which will allow them the opportunity to focus on these subjects with a teacher to help with any problems," explains Warren Farrer, corporate communications manager for the chicken processing and marketing group. Read more >>CRMDoes your CRM vendor actually practice CRM?[Christopher J. Bucholtz] CRM is not a technology; it's a discipline that encompasses people, processes and technology. How many times have you heard that truism? How many times have you heard it from a CRM vendor? Read more >>ExhibitionsGood support for India Pavilion at AB7Africa's Big Seven Food and Beverage Expo (AB7) to be held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand from 25-27 July 2010 is expecting the number of participating companies to double at this year's expo, according to Vikram Doraiswami, the Indian Consul General. Read more >>Vicente Wolf, Nina Campbell at Rooms on View One of the highlights of the upcoming exhibition 'Rooms on View', at Sandton Convention Centre from 27-30 May 2010 will be American designer Vicente Wolf who will take participants a slide presentation of his work, the latest trends in décor and design in America and insight into his world. British designer, Nina Campbell, will join him at a brunch hosted by Conde Nast House & Garden for a presentation entitled 'Two World Class Designers, Two Continents, Two Styles'. Read more >>Franchising2010 FASA award winners The annual Franchising Association of South Africa's (FASA) Awards for Excellence in Franchising recently celebrated the top achievers in the industry. The awards ceremony was the highlight of Franchise Week, which included a Franchise Convention and the incorporated the International Franchise Expo (IFE). Read more >>Health & SafetyNutrition website for parents, teachers A new website, freely accessible to Grade four teachers, parents and learners, offers educational resources and extra content focused on good nutrition, healthy lifestyles and sustainable living. Read more >>HospitalitySchool of Tourism, Hospitality wins top Indaba awardThe School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH) restaurant at the University of Johannesburg was voted the country's winner in the Best Casual Dining Restaurant category and the overall winner title during the South African Tourism's 2009/2010 Welcome Awards held recently at the Indaba Tourism and Travel Show in Durban. Read more >>Food in the news The News Café franchise has announced that in a return to its brand name, the menus have been redesigned as colourful and vibrant newspapers, replaced on a daily basis with a new front cover page every two months. After a soft launch period of three weeks, the brand new menu has officially been introduced across 40 stores countrywide from mid-May 2010. Read more >>Chefs ignore local dishes for World Cup[Namhla Tshisela] Foreign visitors coming for the Soccer World Cup will be fed more of the same foods they are used to because local restaurants have not included local delicacies on their menus. Read more >>Informal retailingJoburg informal traders to benefit from World CupInformal traders in the City of Johannesburg stand to benefit from the increased visitor traffic throughout the city during the World Cups, says executive director for the City's 2010 office, Sibongile Mazibuko. Read more >>Instore mediaNew display holds 10kg on cardboard column The TX Lamá, a patented cardboard display that opens automatically into position, is a fresh and functional marketing tool claimed to be setting an advertising benchmark in the South African market. The new technology is entirely automatic, requires very few set-up actions and is very compact when folded. For the first time, products can be displayed in a three-dimensional stand, which carries up to 10kg of weight per shelf. Read more >>ManufacturingManufacturing maintains growthManufacturing output maintained its upward trend in March, figures from Statistics South Africa showed on Wednesday, 12 May 2010. March was the fourth consecutive month of growth in the sector. Read more >>PackagingLightweight wine bottles save CO2 Distell has worked closely with the UK-based Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) initiative to promote glass savings and has collaborated with local bottle suppliers to develop suitable, totally safe lighter packaging. Through this programme, it has enhanced its eco-credentials, by saving 333.5 tons of glass by reducing the weight of 2.9 million of its wine bottles in 10 months. Read more >>RegulatorySARS seizes 48 000 counterfeit soccer jerseysThe SA Revenue Service (SARS) customs border control confiscated 48 000 counterfeit soccer jerseys worth more than R28 million at the Durban harbour, a spokesman said on Friday, 14 May 2010. Read more >>Labour Dept to inspect food and beverages industryThe labour department will conduct inspections on the food and beverage industry in Gauteng North next week, a spokesman said on Thursday, 13 May 2010. Read more >>Solar water heaters - get that rebate now[Graham Mundy] At present, Eskom has a rebate offer on accredited solar water heating systems which could save consumers up to 40% of their electricity bill. Eskom issues the rebates in cash once an SABS approved solar system has been installed and the rebates are calculated according to the amount of power the system saves the user in heating water. Selection of the correct system is therefore of paramount importance. Read more >>Public to have a say in BCM's early closing plan[Justin Lawrence] Local restaurants and night clubs could be forced to close early if Buffalo City Municipality approves a bylaw for liquor trading hours. Read more >>Preparing business for the red card[Justin Hammann] This article refers specifically to the Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town and the impact on nearby businesses of the influx of fans on game days and how those companies might take measures to minimise disruptions to their business. However, many of the points raised are equally applicable anywhere else in the country where 2010 games will take place. Read more >>ResearchSA pirates cost software manufacturers R2.4 billion The 7th annual software piracy study research figures of the annual IDC white paper, sponsored by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), were released this week. The 2009 figures showed that the South African software piracy rate remained unchanged at 35% and that the value of this illegal software amounted to US$324 million or R2.4 billion. Read more >>SA organic farmers slam UK study [Subashni Naidoo] South Africa's organic farming industry is up in arms over international research that claims organic farming harms wildlife and produces less food - and that its produce is no healthier than conventionally farmed foods. Read more >>Retail marketingZim plans levy on tobacco, beer advertising[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwe's health authorities are pushing for the introduction of levies on alcohol and tobacco advertisements as a punitive measure against consumption, a move likely to face resistance from manufacturers. Read more >>Rooibos says welcome to SA The Rooibos Council has a new campaign to encourage local organisations and overseas trade missions, embassies and expatriate clubs to take up a teabag and offer rooibos as a welcome drink. Its long-term goal is to make rooibos tea synonymous with all South African business, industry and culture. Read more >>Breakfast with the expertsThe South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) is planning a series of informative breakfasts, with guest speakers and presentation in May 2010 in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Both members and non-members are welcome and should RSVP to Tasnim Mustan on +27 (0) 71 235 5582 or email her on tasnimmustan@vodamail.co.za, stating which booking is required. Read more >>International speaker for Brands & Branding conference The second Brands & Branding for Good conference takes place on 5-6 October 2010 at Gallagher Estate in Midrand and responsible marketing practice guru, Leslie Pascaud, will return to further inspire the country's brand owners and marketers to 'buy into' sustainable branding. Read more >>Retail servicesInterconnect rate cuts benefits evident - Cell CCEO at mobile operator Cell C Lars Reichelt on Thursday, 13 May 2010, rejected comments that it had not announced any reduction in the per-minute rate for contract subscribers since the lower interconnect rate came into effect. Read more >>Free cash withdrawals at retailers from Capitec BankNational retailers, such as Pick n Pay and Shoprite Checkers, have partnered with Capitec Bank to offer free cash withdrawals to the bank's clients nationwide on a three-month promotion. As a first for consumers in South Africa, it forms part of the bank's commitment to foster a change in South Africans' banking behaviour by offering clients more convenience and free access to their money. Read more >>Interconnect fee drop does little for subscribersDu Pont Telecoms has calculated the impact Vodacom's recently introduced revised call tariffs would have on business contract subscribers and it works out to a 2% saving for the average business person's cellphone bill, following the almost 29% reduction in cellular interconnect charges in March 2010. Read more >>Greenmarket Square offers free Wi-FiSkyrove Wi-Fi is offering a free Internet service in Greenmarket Square from April 2010 - September 2010, in a unique collaboration with Cape Town Partnership. Read more >>RetailersPick n Pay at the checkout[Sasha Planting] Aubrey Zelinsky, the MD of Pick n Pay's Australian operation, is to retire at the end of June. His departure will accelerate discussion around the future of Franklins, Pick n Pay's operation there. It may possibly smooth the way for greater change. In the decade that Pick n Pay has owned the value retailer, turnover has remained flat, while investment has increased. Read more >>Hobie Beach gets 24-hour fresh food Freshstop will be launching a new forecourt store in association with Chevron SA at the Hobie Beach Caltex in Port Elizabeth on Thursday 27 May 2010. This 24-hour convenience store brand - a member of the Fruit & Veg City group - provides shoppers with fresh and healthy alternatives with a focus on convenience. Read more >>Massmart 44-week sales upRetailer Massmart Holdings said today, Tuesday 11 May 2010, that for the 44 weeks to 2 May, total sales increased to R39.9 billion - growth of 8.6% over the prior period, and comparable store sales grew 1.4%. Inflation for the period is estimated at 0.8%. Read more >>SecurityCard skimming hit new highs The number of card skimming attempts increased significantly this year, according to the First National Bank (FNB) Credit Card's Fraud department. Read more >>Shipping & TransportTransnet shuts down rail lines[Artwell Dlamini] Transnet, the transport utility, said on Wednesday, 12 May 2010, it had temporarily shut down rail lines in the damaged areas just outside Durban after one of its trains derailed in the morning. It called the incident "a callous act of sabotage". Read more >>Utatu, Satawu down tools[Artwell Dlamini] The United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) announced on Tuesday, 11 May 2010, its members had rejected Transnet's revised wage offer, snubbing the union leaders' recommendation and preparing to officially join the strike today, Wednesday. Read more >>Supply chainPiggery pays off for beneficiaries[Siphiwe Nyathi] An emerging piggery project in Doornspruit village near Polokwane in Limpopo has benefited more than 130 families - and now it hopes to become a commercial giant. Read more >>TechnologySaaS apps: The apex of customer service[Joel Slatis] What if you answered the phone one day to a friendly voice offering tech support for some software that had been troubling you? "Not possible," you'd say. We all know the drill with technical difficulties. We call up the software company during business hours and then sit on hold only to get an agent who barely knows the software better than we do. A knowledgeable tech support specialist certainly isn't going to call us at the moment when we're beating our heads against the computer screen. Or will they? Read more >>TrainingNew Cape Wine masters, one wins brandy award Kristina Beuthner, Mike Lee, Lyn Woodward and Sarah Newton (all members of the Wild Yeasts tasting group in Johannesburg) are the four newest Cape Wine Masters (CWM) graduates, having received their Diplomas from the Institute of Cape Wine Masters. The Van Ryn's Brandy Cellar in Stellenbosch hosted this year's graduation function on Friday 7 May 2010. Read more >>
Retail marketingSA-branded Hoodzpeaks for World Cup 2010 - Right Stuff Hoodzpeaks are attachments which fit snugly onto the peak of any regular cap to provide extended protection from the sun. Hoodzpeaks snap onto peak caps, providing additional sun protection for the critical high-risk zones - face and ears. Read more >>
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The talented Mr Brady does it all RETAIL [Ilva Pieterse] Entertainer Wayne Brady has returned to South Africa to once again share his 'Making it Up' improvisation show with South African audiences. Meeting with him shortly after his arrival early this week was an extraordinarily inspirational experience for me. Here is what he had to say. Flying the Black Flag RETAIL [Patricia Pieterse] The three terms I would use to describe Henry Rollins' sense of humour would be political, sometimes self-deprecating and eloquent. The former Black Flag vocalist performed his show, Frequent Flyer, in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town recently. This was his second trip to SA, but his first time in Pretoria. Spandau Ballet and Alphaville, greatest of the 80s? RETAIL [Alan Hughes] I recently had the opportunity to go to see Spandau Ballet and Alphaville at the Grand West Arena. When I arrived, DJs from Heart 104.9 FM were playing great hits from the 1980s and warming up the crowd with humourous banter. They hailed these two bands as being the greatest of the 80s, which seemed a little over the top. Maybe they are the best bands of the 80s who are still making music - and who are prepared to include South Africa in their tour?
"The absolute fundamental aim is to make money out of satisfying customers." - John Egan "Part of being a winner is knowing when enough is enough. Sometimes you have to give up the fight and walk away, and move on to something that's more productive." - Donald Trump "If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." - Thomas Edison "Always think outside the box and embrace opportunities that appear, wherever they might be." - Lakshmi Narayan Mittal "The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure." - Sven Goran Eriksson Print - Print any item in this newsletter.
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