| 5 Mar 2012 |
| Retail | South Africa |
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Retail, Associations, Banking & Finance, Brand news, Clothing & Textiles, Cold chain, Commercial property, CRM, CSI, Distribution, e-Commerce, Exhibitions & Events, FMCG, Franchising, Green sustainability, Health & Safety, Hospitality, Import/Export, Informal retailing, Instore, Logistics, Manufacturing, Merchandising, Packaging, Refrigeration, Regulatory, Research, Retail marketing, Retail services, Retail trends, Retailers, Security, Shipping & Transport, Shopfitting, Supply chain, Technology, Training, 2012 Design Indaba
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New month, new likes, lots of bikesIt's a new month, so no points for guessing what's up this Wednesday. In today's edition, John Boe asks "What are you selling?", while SARB's deputy governor explains why a fixed exchange rate isn't ideal for SA. Last week, the IPD released its December trade density index; we saw the launch of the Brand Council, new fashion platform FabHunter, and Samsung's new online store. Next week we can look forward to the second SACSC Research Conference. For Wal-Mart, the wait is almost over! The Competition Appeal Court will announce its ruling on the US retail giant's merger with Massmart this Friday, so stay tuned. If you were in Cape Town over the weekend but weren't able to see the 2012 Design Indaba, you can catch up on all the news here. This coming Sunday however, the Cape plans its annual shutdown in aid of the (mostly) two-wheeled warriors who overrun the city and most of the peninsula. Yes, it's Argus cycle tour time again. Headline sponsor Pick n Pay is also running a social media-based CSI initiative that will find Expresso presenter Liezel van der Westhuizen cycling to "likes". So move her along, like her bike and in the process, help donate some bicycles to the Velokhaya Life Cycling Academy. Happy pedaling! 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: Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.netTop stories
Retail |  |
 SA's biggest clothes retailer, Edcon, may return to the JSE as early as next year as the company seeks to repay debt owed to bondholders by 2014. Read more >>
The margin squeeze on traditional retail products, driven by fierce competition in the South African retail industry, is sending a stream of South African retailers north into the rest of the continent, Marsh Africa said on Tuesday, 28 February 2012. Read more >>
Associations
 The Brand Council of South Africa (BCSA), which launched Thursday, 1 March 2012, has set its first 100 days as a timeframe for measurable achievements, with chairman Sean McCoy of the HKLM Group describing the roll-out of its action plan as "aggressive and exciting." Its identity was also unveiled, a bold stylised 'zigzag' emblem designed by Grid. Read more >>
Banking & Finance
Brand news
 Maped, a French family-owned international leader in school and office stationery, has acquired Helix, a UK family owned business famous for its Helix Oxford math set, used by millions of pupils worldwide. Helix has developed markets in Britain and overseas (mainly in commonwealth countries). Maped has developed globally in 125 countries, with subsidiaries and a comprehensive network of exclusive importers. A Hong Kong branch and a distribution centre in the US support its international network. Read more >>
Clothing & Textiles
David Tlale has just returned from New York, where he presented his "Glam-Intersections" collection at the South African Consulate General, but his schedule is not about to slow. Read more >>
Commercial property
 [Herman Manson: @marklives] People are expecting real change real fast. This is true for the Middle East and North Africa. It's also true here at the Southernmost point of Africa. Urban environments that imprison and entrench poverty rather than provide economic mobility has immense socio-economic and cultural ramifications for an increasingly urbanised nation. Read more >>
Corporate Social Investment
 UnLtd South Africa, a non-profit that supports social entrepreneurs, has launched a competition offering R50 000 in support, including a monetary grant, access to training and networking events, relevant mentorship and business resources around legal requirements, finance, marketing. It is open to people, based in the Western Cape and at least 18 years old, in the early stages of developing enterprising and sustainable solutions. Entries close on 12 March 2012. Read more >>
CRM
 [Kevin Meltzer] In the US, Wal-Mart and Albertsons are among the high profile chain stores that are either cutting back or completely doing away with self-service checkout because it is not meeting expectations in terms of efficiency, customer satisfaction and cost-savings. They add that self-service checkout systems have proven to be slow and error-prone. Read more >>
e-Commerce
Group buying, a fairly new-concept introduced into US markets a few years ago, has proved to be a large industry with the most successful company being Groupon. This success has led to it going public on the US market with the highest IPO opening for a tech company since Google. Read more >>
Vaimo has released Magento, the e-commerce platform as used by eBay, in South Africa. Described as the fastest growing e-commerce platform in the world, the open source platform solutions are easy to use and quick to deploy delivering on customer requirements at a fraction of the cost and time commonly experienced with proprietary e-commerce solutions. Read more >>
 FabHunter is a new social fashion discovery and sharing platform, where fashionistas can put together their own inspiration board or fashion scrapbook, follow new fashion trends from around the globe, collect images of what they like (from handbags to hairdos), share them, comment on images and follow others whose fashion sense inspires them. Read more >>
 Meeting a growing demand by consumers for convenience, the Samsung Online Store, launched 27 February 2012, will not only provide safe, accessible shopping, but also allow consumers to compare products and accessories that best suit their specific needs. Read more >>
Exhibitions & Events
 The complex relationship between retailers and consumers will be highlighted at the SA Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) Research Conference on 14 March 2012 at the Hilton, Sandton. This one-day session will combine insight from some of the best minds in South Africa and abroad, to bring delegates the latest research, best practice and trends. Read more >>
 The International Small Business Congress (ISBC) 2012 will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 15-18 September 2012 to highlight the critical importance of small business and entrepreneurship worldwide and consequently help governments reduce unemployment. Read more >>
Franchising
 Spur Corporation (SUR) today, 2 March 2012, announced that Pierre van Tonder had been appointed as the group's chief executive officer. Read more >>
Hospitality
Import/Export
Fixing SA's rand exchange rate against another currency as a way to help the manufacturing sector during and after the 2008 crisis would not have been ideal, says Lesetja Kganyago, Deputy Governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Read more >>
Informal retailing
Manufacturing
The February seasonally adjusted Kagiso SA Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) and the global PMI compiled by JP Morgan showed divergent movements as SA manufacturers seem to decouple from the rest of the world. Read more >>
Packaging
 There has been a significant increase in mandatory information that must appear on food labels, including details regarding the product identification, ingredients, allergens, usage and so on, following new legislation in South Africa. Brand owners are now forced to re-evaluate how their products are packaged. Read more >>
Regulatory
Wal-Mart will learn at the end of next week if its bid to gain a foothold in Africa by buying 51% of South African retailer Massmart has been rejected on appeal, a report said on Wednesday, 29 February 2012. Read more >>
Research
 Research from the IPD South Africa Retail Trading Density Index, based on a sample of 80 shopping centres from 17 portfolios covering 3.5 million m2 of lettable area at the end of December 2011, shows that super regional shopping centres achieved the highest increase in trading density. Read more >>
The country's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the fourth quarter of 2011 rose to 3.2%, says Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). Read more >>
Retail marketing |  |
 [John Boe] When I ask sales reps to boil down the entire "selling process" into a one word answer, I get a wide variety of interesting responses such as service, education, or consulting. Seldom do I get the answer that I'm expecting to hear... relationship. Regardless of your industry, at the end of the day you're in the "people business". As the old saying goes, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Read more >>
Retail services |  |
Entersekt, the mobile technology company that offers banks a comprehensive solution for secure online and mobile banking, having had significant interest from banks in both the UK and Europe, has opened an office in the UK. Read more >>
 Property24.com has launched a website that allows both buyers and sellers to view property values through a street-by-street listing of latest purchase prices and property valuation reports, with sales history and suburb trends. A mobile version is in the pipeline. Read more >>
Retailers
 On the former driving range on Hendrik Potgieter Road in Little Falls, Roodepoort, Atterbury Properties and Pick n Pay will create a R160 million flagship 10 000 sqm next-generation 'green' store in a JV. Read more >>
Supply chain
 Since the 2009 recession, grape and wine consumers have opted to buy cheaper, leaving producers in a cost-price squeeze with income failing to keep up with rises in production costs, according to a recent study by wine producers' body Vinpro. Read more >>
AFGRI Poultry, the broiler producing and processing arm of AFGRI (AFR), has been appointed a third supplier to the chicken restaurant chain KFC. Read more >>
Technology
Training
According to Leigh Blochlinger, head of Retail Relate, a South African organisation providing retail skills training among South Africa's rural youth, there is a threat of severe skills shortages in the retail sector. Read more >>
 MOSCOW, RUSSIA / JOHANNESBURG, SA: Statistics* show that 13.9% of South African households own Tablet devices, and 66.3% of South Africans personally own a smartphone. What's more, 74.2% of local tablet users indicate that they also use a desktop PC, laptop and smartphone - in essence, multiple devices, all of which access the Internet. Read more >>
 TORONTO, CANADA: comScore, Inc, a leader in measuring the digital world, recently released the 2012 Canada Digital Future in Focus report. This annual report examines how the prevailing trends in general web usage and demographics, social media, online video, digital advertising, mobile and search are defining the current Canadian marketplace and provides insight into what these trends mean for the year ahead. Read more >>
 PARIS, FRANCE: The Global Editors Network (GEN) has announced the launch of the annual Data Journalism Awards (DJA), the international competition recognising outstanding work in the growing field of data journalism. The GEN initiative is supported by Google and is organised in collaboration with the European Journalism Centre (EJC). Read more >>
 DUBAI, UAE: The Dubai Lynx Advertiser of the Year award is presented to advertisers in the MENA region who have distinguished themselves for inspiring innovative marketing of their products and who embrace and encourage the creative work produced by their agencies. This year the winner is P&G. Read more >>
More International...
FMCG
 Magic happened on 6 March 1912 when two decoratively embossed chocolate-flavoured biscuits met up with a rich crème filling: Oreo was born! In honour of this milestone, Oreo is on a mission to reignite the spirit of childhood by celebrating the kid inside all of us. Read more >>
KFC flash mob at Idols season eight Soweto auditions
More
Cavendish Square LIFTED school arts project, day two
More
 The confusion over the kind of land that made up the government's 30% land redistribution target had led to a debate by Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder and others over South Africa's land issues, the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Gugile Nkwinti said on Thursday last week. Read more >>
 [Gabi Khumalo] Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi is forging ahead with his campaign to ban alcohol advertisements. Read more >>
 The Cosatu-led protest against labour broking and e-tolling appears set to cause major disruption on Wednesday in Cape Town's CBD. Congress of SA Trade Unions Western Cape general secretary Tony Ehrenreich told reports on Sunday afternoon that a planned march on parliament across the city centre would likely attract 30 000 people on the day. Read more >>
 [Nicky Smith] The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) will use the Criminal Procedure Act to ensure that commuters on the roads that are part of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project pay toll fees when tolling is implemented on 30 April. Read more >>
 The public hearings into allegations of misconduct by suspended National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele are to start today. Read more >>
The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) is to look into allegations of nepotism at the National Lotteries Board. Read more >>
 Representatives of Impala Platinum mine management and the National Union of Mine Workers (NUM) have agreed to end the violent strike which had dragged on for weeks. Management and the union held talks on Wednesday afternoon. Read more >>
 [Paul Vecchiatto] National Treasury's review of 3000 government leases, as announced in the national Budget Speech, is an opportunity to confront the corruption that has become endemic in the negotiation of these contracts, says the Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Dion George. Read more >>
 Over R147bn invested over 15 years is needed to alleviate the massive backlog and improve conditions for student housing, revealed a report released by the Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande yesterday. Read more >>
 [Paul Vecchiatto] The issue of tolling urban roads is up for "re-discussion and government has said 'whoa' to further projects," says Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele. Read more >>
 The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has dismissed the claims made by the DA on 27 February 2012 as 'misleading and incorrect'. Read more >>
More Government news...
 [Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] It's been a long time since any vehicle has stirred up so much international emotion and devotion as the provocative Range Rover Evoque has been doing since its launch last year. Yes, there are a few who find its spaced-out styling too over the top but the rest of the planet love it and crave it. Read more >>
More Motoring news...
 Pilots landing at OR Tambo international airport in Johannesburg have been falling prey to laser-wielding pranksters, according to a report issued on Thursday last week. Read more >>
 [Brian Berkman: contributing editor, travel] Conservationist, international best-selling author and Thula Thula lodge owner Lawrence Anthony has died. Read more >>
 Can anyone honestly, truly swear they have never taken anything from a hotel room when they check out? But here's another thing... Can you honestly say you have never left anything behind when you have checked out... perhaps even something that you'll deny is yours when the hotel gives you a call? Read more >>
 Busabout, claimed to be the most exciting youth travel brand in the world, is available directly to the South African market from today, and to mark the occasion, an incredible 15% discount on the standard prices of selected Busabout products is being offered in March and April 2012! Read more >>
 According to a recent poll conducted by a leading South African hotel, 48% of travellers will consider Cape Town as a tourist destination due to the spate of recent accolades bestowed on the city. Read more >>
 According to a News24 report, Velvet sky has suspended all its flights until 5 March. Read more >>
More Travel news...
 [Daniel Dercksen] Wagner's thunderous climax to The Ring Cycle, Gotterdammerung, will delight opera lovers on the big screen from 2 March for one week only! Read more >>
 [Alan Hughes] I was excited to go to the Townhouse Hotel last night to listen to Dr John Demartini's talk on "Successfully Setting and Achieving Goals". As a life coach, I have presented several talks on the same subject, so I was very curious to see how this world-renowned expert would go about it. Energetically, passionately and with humour, was how he shared his wisdom with more than 200 people who gathered to listen to him. Read more >>
 [Eugene Yiga] My mother's Italian, my father's Jewish and I'm in therapy. Wait, that's not me. So what was I doing watching an 80-minute show about a man for whom this was true? Laughing my butt off, that's what! Read more >>
 [Daniel Dercksen] If you are looking for a hard core journey into the bleeding hearts and tortured souls of a group of young soldiers fighting for their dignity and individuality, make sure to see Anthony Akerman's powerful Somewhere On The Border at the Baxter Flipside before it ends its run on 17 March. Read more >>
 [Sindy Peters] Raised in a home that had Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and the like, regularly blaring from our record player, I'm not new to the enigmatic album art of Storm Thorgerson. On hearing the opening of the Raging Storm exhibition in Cape Town, I jumped at the chance to meet the man behind the fascinating surrealism, and possibly make an addition to my budding art collection. Read more >>
 [Eugene Yiga] It's all fun and games until you almost get hit by a plane. Actually, no, that only applies to people with more than half a brain. When you're dealing with a group of teenagers, who literally don't know what the word "hubris" means, the fun continues until someone gets hurt. Then it continues some more. Will these kids stop before it's too late? Read more >>
 [Daniel Dercksen] It is not always possible to have the correct answer, unlock unsolved mysteries, or explore unfamiliar crises. With the exceptional Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, director Stephen Daldry proves that it is indeed possible to resolve everything by allowing yourself to get lost; to lose yourself fully in the fear of indecision and the moment of discovery. Read more >>
More BizLounge news...
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- Marketers executive forum XTALK - Port Elizabeth, 5 March
- Flawless consulting Symphonia - Johannesburg, 6 March
- Customer experience management course Consulta ClientX / Consulta Research - Hatfield, 6 March
- The business value of social media analytics SAS Institute - Johannesburg, 7 March
- Executing strategy Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business - Pietermaritzburg, 7 March
- The business value of social media analytics SAS Institute - Cape Town, 9 March
- Business and internet morning seminar Online systems - Pretoria, 9 March
- Breaking the sales barrier The Meeting Room - Somerset West, 10 March
- Frontline excellence The Peer Group - Johannesburg, 15 March
- High impact sales training The Peer Group - Johannesburg, 16 March
Click here to customise your events section
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