RETAIL NEWSLETTERS

Chains”. Integrate or disintegrate! This was one of the messages that Volition Consulting Services managing director Dean Tebbutt shared in his presentation at the recent SAPICS Conference. Volition, a leading independent supply chain consulting firm in SA, is a member of the IMPERIAL Logistics group. read more

The Foschini Group (TFG), one of South Africa’s largest retail groups, is expanding its consumer offering with the launch of a stand-alone accessory brand, Mat & May, as well as an updated gift card range across its 18 retail brands. read more

Stability, traceability and consistent representation – three vital areas of consideration for anybody looking to invest in a potential development. Significantly, these are also facets of business that a well-established franchising industry is able to offer local and international investors. read more

South Africa is no stranger to labour dispute and issues that have plagued the mining and agricultural sectors of late reflect growing concern over the rights of workers and the need to balance these with efforts to sustain operations. The potential behind HR and payroll management technology should not be overlooked as stakeholders try to find practical, lasting solutions claim experts in business management. read more

With core economic fundamentals holding steady in SA, and global economies showing the first signs of recovery, key retail indicators are set to show modest, but positive, gains in 2013.  read more

A review of the latest Forbes rich-list, which names the 40 wealthiest citizens in Africa, not only reveals 10 new business people added to the list, but also indicates that Africa is a burgeoning well of prospects and a place of continued business growth.  read more

Gamification is the way forward for retailers wanting to span the virtual and physical worlds to enhance the shopping experience of their customers, says Deloitte Digital Director, Andre Hugo. read more

Price comparison and pre-shopping tools are changing the way consumers shop and ultimately make a purchase, making it easier for them to find the “best deal” using online services, without having to physically bargain-hunt in each and every store. read more

In the face of an influx of imports from the East putting strain on local clothing, textile and footwear manufacturers, outdoor clothing manufacturer K-Way has successfully adjusted to the challenges of global competition.  read more

With more than 200 retail offerings at South Africa’s international airports in total (O.R. Tambo, Cape Town and King Shaka), including 10 exchange banks and 160 specialty shops, dominated by apparel, these bustling hubs have become a shopping niche. read more

Understanding customer demand, planning for that demand and fulfilling demand is key to retail success. Be it an art or a science, one thing is for sure, clarity throughout the supply chain is a fundamental necessity if retailers are to meet consumer demand while still managing to maintain a lean and efficient operation. read more

Shopper marketers got it wrong when they claimed 70% of purchase decisions were made in store. It’s actually 76%, says new US research by Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI). Half a decade ago when POPAI first quoted the 70% number it created a furore. There may be less fuss this time around. Telling and selling have been getting closer for some time and shopper-centric communication has taken off. read more

Apart from the new international retail and clothing brands entering South Africa, such as, Spanish retailer Zara (opened earlier this year in Johannesburg) and Gap (opened two independent stores in March this year), consumers are being introduced to new store layouts designed to create a more exciting in-store experience and respond to consumer shopping habits, particularly in sports and lifestyle retail.  read more

Retail brands need to give more attention to their consumer care strategies as regulatory frameworks and consumer demands dictate the accuracy and speed at which they respond to grievances and complaints. read more

The consumer experience is an integral part of successful retailing and in order to deliver the best possible experience to shoppers, retailers need to pay close attention to shifts in consumer habits as well as the demands of modern shoppers.  read more

Employee Self Service (ESS) and Manager Self Service (MSS) are effective tools used to help businesses handle the intricacies of Human Resource management. In today’s business they should form the foundation of a successful HR management strategy. read more

The exercise of setting up a temporary store and trading for a short period of time is not new (look at the many boerewors stands that pop-up at sporting events), but what is becoming a more accepted practice is to set up a temporary store, or a pop-up store in a shopping centre. read more

The development and rollout of security systems remains a critical focus in business as threats to physical infrastructure, people and internal communication systems continue to escalate. read more

If Walmart’s entry in SA has done anything, it’s given South African retailers a kick start to expand their footprint in Africa. They can no longer be complacent with the operations already in place and are now compelled to look more closely at the future of their business.  read more

Africa and in turn South Africa have fast become lands of opportunity for global brands, as they look to tap into our emerging markets for new business. This presents retailers and related service providers, both big and small, with many possibilities to expand and grow their business interests.  read more

It’s estimated that all South Africans will have a smart phone within the next three years. While this estimation may be a little ambitious, South African retailers and brands certainly need to look at how they can embrace digital as mobile devices increasingly dominate the lives of consumers.  read more

The Consumer Protection Act, which came into effect on 1 April this year, has seen a drastic change in the way call centres handle customer queries. The consumers of today are more aware of their rights and responsibilities; they demand more information and quicker response times. As a result call centre consultants have to up-skill and offer more support in the fast-changing environment of customer care.  read more

Lightstone, a company specialising in analytic solutions, provide insight as to how they ensure the accuracy and recency of their proprietary population profiling tool, DemProKey. read more

With reference to the retail sector conditions improve article on fastmoving.co.za it’s encouraging to know that retailers are feeling more confident about business as a whole. But will this confident attitude withstand the recent activity in our economy? read more

Last week we had the opportunity to sit down with Dale Good, CEO of GLS Supply Chain Equipment, and talk about the current state of distribution and logistics in South Africa. He gave us exclusive insights into the industry and offered his advice on how SA can optimise its operations and in doing so catch up with its foreign counterparts.  read more

Over the past few weeks you may have noticed a dip in activity on www.theretailer.co.za. This is not due to a lack of effort though, in fact it is quite the opposite! Over the past few months we’ve been working away, putting the finishing touches on our brand new site. The Retailer has now merged with its sister site, www.fastmoving.co.za. read more