Retail South Africa weekly newsletter - 21 May 2012

Prices, portals and takeout

Last week, Statistics SA reported a rise year-on-year in wholesale and retail trade sales for March. While wholesale trade lost some ground on February's stats, retail trade had a bump up from the previous month. Commenting on the retail trade figures, banks see the increase more as a bounce than the start of an incline.

The International Franchise Expo opened last week with a call on government to give small business the credit it deserves for the contribution it makes to the economy. Chief strategist at Investment Solutions, Chris Hart, commented that the many regulations imposed by government on business is hampering, rather than fostering, growth. However, a new portal has been launched to aid entrepreneurial growth and employment in Cape Town.

The mobile price war has finally become interesting with Cell C making the first slash to its prices with a 99c p/min off-network call rate, followed hotly by Vodacom with a similar offering.

And last, but certainly not least, if you've been missing your weekly Biz Takeouts, we're back on the airwaves, baby, and better than ever before...

Happy dining!

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.

Brand Building & Engagement - hear latest trends & best practices at Branding Conference
Taking place on 13 - 14 June this event will cover topics like Integrated Marketing, Brand Engagement, Vodacom Rebrand case study, Digital trends, Internal Branding, Brand Positioning & Execution, Co-creation and many more.
More information: CLICK HERE

New Cape Town portal for entrepreneurs

A new portal with an array of online resources, tools and links for those who want to start and develop a business or secure employment in Cape Town, was launched by the City of Cape Town's mayoral committee member for economic, environment and spatial planning, Alderman Belinda Walker. Read more >>

Holdsport to expand distribution network

[Zeenat Moorad] Holdsport, which runs the Sportsmans Warehouse and Outdoor Warehouse stores, is set to develop two new distribution centres over the next 15 months to increase the capacity for its retail stores as it focuses on future growth. Read more >>

E-retailers need to engage consumers

According to Dirk Dijkstra, head of communications at Ensight, an international multi-channel marketing company, too many South African retailers are focused simply on having a functioning website as their sole point of contact, despite a recent report by PayU that 75% of local respondents actively participate in e-commerce. Read more >>

Uncork the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Showcase

Wine lovers are invited to experience the exceptional wines that will go under the hammer at the 2012 Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction when members of the Guild present the auction showcase in Cape Town on 23 August and Johannesburg on 30 August. Read more >>

IFE 2012 opens with call for SMEs to be taken seriously

At the official opening of the International Franchise Expo this morning, 17 May 2012, Chairman of the Franchise Association of South Africa Jan Davel called on government and business to recognize the contribution that franchising makes to the economy. Read more >>

Manufacturing seen shrinking 0.7% in 2012

Inflation-adjusted manufacturing value added is expected to shrink by 0.7% during 2012, with a rebound only expected in 2013, Iraj Abedian, economist and compiler of the manufacturing quarterly bulletin says. Read more >>

R5.75bn to help boost manufacturing sector

The manufacturing sector is to get a R5.75bn injection over six years from the Department of Trade and Industry to help factories become more competitive in the increasingly difficult global economic environment. Read more >>

Banning alcohol advertising misses the point - and the objectives

[Justin McCarthy] There is no doubt that South Africa has an alcohol-abuse problem. Alcohol-related problems such as foetal alcohol syndrome, physical and emotional abuse, drunk driving, severe medical conditions and a raft of social side effects are significant health and social concerns. Read more >>

March real wholesale sales up 5.3% y/y

Wholesale trade sales at constant (2000) prices for March 2012 grew by 5.3% year on year (y/y) compared with an upwardly revised 14.0% (13.9%) y/y increase in February after a 6.2% rise in 2011, Statistics SA data showed on Thursday, 17 May 2012. Read more >>

[Biz Takeouts Lineup 21] Back and better than ever before!

Bizcommunity.com's Biz Takeouts Marketing & Media radio show is back and bigger than ever before! This time around we've teamed up with the highly successful and energetic internet radio station 2OceansVibe Radio and the multi-talented Brendan Jack to host the show every Wednesday 5pm-6pm via audio-streaming. The lineup on 16 May 2012, featured entrepreneur Rich Mulholland. Read more >>

Sony, Panasonic eye next generation TV tie up

TOKYO, JAPAN: Japan's cash-bleeding electronics giants Sony and Panasonic are looking to join forces to produce next generation televisions in a bid to claw back market from South Korean rivals, a report said on Tuesday, 15 May 2012. Read more >>

Brand advertisers go digital in Brazil

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL: comScore, Inc, a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the latest insights on the display advertising market in Brazil from its comScore Ad Metrix service, which showed that 190.5 billion display ads were delivered to Brazil's Internet population during the first quarter of 2012. Read more >>

Facebook sponsored ads - 44% of people say they would 'never' click on them

LONDON, UK: A global survey undertaken by leading independent digital marketing agency, Greenlight, reveals 30% of people 'strongly distrust' Facebook with their personal data whilst 44% say they would 'never' click on Facebook sponsored ads, all of which indicates Facebook's advertising programme is facing an upward struggle. Read more >>

The return of vinyl

BRASILIA, BRAZIL: Even in media, sometimes an old idea is worth revisiting. Budweiser's latest campaign in Brazil is actually a collection of old ideas. Securing a high-profile musician to front a campaign has been a standard advertising tool for many years, but when the combination fits, it works perfectly. Read more >>

2012 CLIO Awards - SA winners

NEW YORK, US: The awards evening for the winners of the 2012 CLIO Awards, one of the world's most recognised awards competitions honouring excellence in advertising, design and communications, was held last night. Among the winners - out of more than 11 000 submissions from around the world, were a number of South African entries. Read more >>

Game celebrates the donation of 100th Amalunchbox kitchen

On 16 May Game handed over its 100th Amalunchbox mobile kitchen to 935 excited learners at Moriting Primary School in Tembisa, Johannesburg marking an incredible investment in changing the lives of an estimated 100,000 children across South Africa. Read more >>

Can nature's beauty lift citizens from poverty?

Using nature's beauty as a tourist draw can boost conservation in China's valued panda preserves, but it is not an automatic ticket out of poverty for the humans who live there, a unique long-term study shows. This study can also have relevance here in South Africa, where there are many projects to assist local communities in benefiting from local tourism attractions. Read more >>

Company news

Brand news

Kodak announces partnership with major European retailer - Fore Good

Kodak, a worldwide leader in retail print solutions with 105 000 Kodak Picture Kiosks, and DM-Drogerie Markt, Germany's second largest drug store chain, have decided to continue their successful relationship. Read more >>

Logistics

IMPERIAL's North East carriers goes the extra mile with "green" transport initiative - IMPERIAL Logistics

A ground-breaking collaboration between IMPERIAL Logistics company North East Carriers (NEC) and client Lafarge has culminated in the launch of a new "tear drop" trailer that will set new standards for sustainable transportation in Africa. Read more >>

Consumer commissioner cocks snoot at dti minister

National Consumer Commissioner Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi believes that she has a good chance of being reappointed even though she has cocked a snoot at her political boss Trade & Industry Minister Rob Davies. Read more >>

Unpredictability dents SA image

The postponement of the e-toll system creates an element of unpredictability in government finances. Kristin Lindow, senior vice-president and lead analyst for SA at Moody's, said last week the ratings agency is paying attention to this unpredictability. Read more >>

SAA capital injection to boost competitiveness in Africa

A new planned capital injection by the government into South African Airways (SAA) is part of a plan to make the carrier more competitive in routes on the African continent, and does not constitute a bailout of the national carrier, says Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba. Read more >>

Absenteeism costing SA billions in lost production

Fin24 reports that high levels of absenteeism and sick leave are costing the South African economy about R3,9bn a year in lost production and that the average output per worker was just R574,92 a day. Read more >>

Scorcher Merc with bad-boy tattoos

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] In this day and age of impersonal "likes" and distant Facebook "friends", light beer, political correctness and over-enthusiastic environment prophets it is a real treat to come across something real for a change - a car that loves to rip off its Ralph Lauren Blue Label suit and to slip on a pair of tatty jeans and T-shirt to party big time. Read more >>

McLaren MP4 breaks all the records, but the Aston Martin Virage will win your heart!

[Riaan Kriel] Daytona Group is having a road show of their Best of British brands in South Africa, and I was at the One & Only to drive the Aston Martin Virage and the McLaren MP4-12C. These are supercars that will make you stop and look whenever you see one, but getting to drive both of these beauties was a dream come true and I realise that these are truly brands of distinction. Read more >>

Travel trends that will influence 2012 and beyond

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), reputed to be the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, has worked with some of the most influential hospitality experts and travel commentators to identify key global trends that will have potential impact in 2012 and beyond. Read more >>

Indaba 2012 news wrap

Thousands of travel professionals from across the globe gathered in Durban, South Africa, this weekend for Indaba 2012, Africa's largest travel trade show that aims to demonstrate there is more to destination marketing on the continent than luxury safaris and adventure tourism. Read more >>

A weekend of thought provacation

[Daniel Dercksen] It's the weekend and there's plenty of action to stimulate the mind! If you're heading for the movies there are two adaptations of best-selling books that are sure to stir up some conversation. In writer-director Andrea Arnold's controversial adaptation of Emile Bronte's Wuthering Heights a Yorkshire hill farmer on a visit to Liverpool finds a homeless boy on the streets. He takes him home to live as part of his family on the isolated Yorkshire Moors where the boy forges an obsessive relationship with the farmer's daughter. Read more >>

Dates announced for Rocking The Daisies 2012

The dates for Rocking The Daisies 2012 have been announced as Thursday, 4 to Sunday, 7 October, 2012. This year the camping area will be open on Thursday evening and there will be campsite entertainment. There will also be an earlier start on Friday and an earlier close on Sunday. Read more >>

Barbara Wildenboer: Canaries In The Coal Mine

[Kelly-Eve Koopman] At first glance, the bustling, buzzing crowd outside the Erdmann Contemporary Gallery made it look like a Long Street club on a Friday night. But the ironic wearing of Doc Martens, the selection of anachronistic hats, the brocade waistcoats, and raised glasses of red wine soon identified the crowd as artists, art students and art fundis gathered for the grand opening night of Barbara Wildenboer's Canaries In The Coal Mine. Read more >>

How sweet the sound of Kat and the Kings

[Eugene Yiga] Kat and the Kings, the hit musical by David Kramer and the late Taliep Petersen, has come home to District Six. Produced by Eric Abraham, the show began previewing at Cape Town's Fugard Theatre earlier this month and will run until 31 July, 2012. Judging by the sold-out performances and nightly standing ovations, you'd better act fast if you want to see it too. Read more >>

The Burn

[Sarale' Bock] To those who have been and experienced the life-changing transformation that occurs in this space, it is referred to as the "AB" or "The Burn". And it burns all right; it burns all day and all night with the most culturally diverse, creative and conscious beings, all there to share a beautiful space and with the intention to gift. Read more >>

Vhembe drama and film acting workshop Dzhatsha Films - Thohoyandou, 22 May
The empowered woman ThuCo - Johannesburg, 24 May
Flawless consulting 1 - contracting Symphonia - Johannesburg, 24 May
Tina Turner tribute Door 6 Entertainment - Cape Town, 25 May
Find your voice as a writer The Write Voice - Cape Town, 26 May
Twitter blanket drive Fastdate - Fourways, 26 May
Invasion party at Sibaya HLM - Umhlanga Rocks, 26 May
Managing quality for a profit Adapt To Change - Cape Town, 29 May
International Wilton cake decorating course Baked Boutique - Johannesburg, 29 May
Wilton cake decorating courses Baked Boutique - Johannesburg, 29 May

Prices, portals and takeout

Top stories

Retail

Associations

Banking & Finance

Brand news

Clothing & Textiles

Commercial property

Corporate Social Investment

CRM

Distribution

e-Commerce

Exhibitions & Events

FMCG

Franchising

Hospitality

Import/Export

Manufacturing

Packaging

Regulatory

Research

Retail marketing

Retail services

Retailers

Supply chain

Technology

Brand news

Kodak announces partnership with major European retailer - Fore Good

Logistics

IMPERIAL's North East carriers goes the extra mile with "green" transport initiative - IMPERIAL Logistics

Today's weather

New people on biz

Portals

Follow us