Retailers' sentiments were confirmed by the latest sales indicator released on Friday by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), which showed that the sector struggled to achieve sales targets last year. Nevertheless, although the numbers are disappointing, they revealed that with some creativity and technological savvy, more sales can be achieved.
In Fonterra’s latest online auction, where the average price increased and the winning price also hiked at US$3701 a tonne, the results bolstered the optimism of NZ economists.
If 2011 was a bad year for Australian retailers, their losing streak would likely continue through 2012.
Retailers from all over the country are looking through rose colored glass despite many online competitors threatening to lower sales this year. Sales expectations plummeted by 26 points (index of nine) as compared with the same time frame for the past year.
Several cases of underpayment among workers in the retail and services industries have been noticed and acted upon by Fair Work Australia (FWA).
It is not easy to penetrate a very discerning and astute Korean market. Korean consumer standards are quite high in all aspects especially for agriculture products.
More Australian retailers are set to join in 2012 the online bandwagon. The shift to e-commerce over traditional bricks-and-mortar stores confirms the truth behind the cliché - If you can't beat them, join them.
Growth of Australia's services sector has remained subdued in December with business services posting headwinds ahead of the consumer-related services offered by local firms in December, according to the latest survery conducted by the country's Australian Industry Group and the Commonwealth Bank.
It was a copy editor's nightmare. An unnecessary apostrophe in Myer's sign spread across Australia is now the subject of lampoon in social networking sites.
The bearish market that characterised 2011 for Australia's retail industry would likely be replicated for the first quarter of 2012. A survey by Dun & Bradstreet showed that 55 per cent of retailers expect continued slowdown of consumer demand.
Australia's manufacturing sector churned a positive growth in December, according to the latest Australian Industry Group - PwC Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®).
Since the 2008 global financial crisis, Australians have been saving at a record-high rate, to the detriment of the country's retail industry. For the September quarter, Aussies' ratio of net household savings to disposable income went up to 10 per cent from 9 per cent in the June quarter.
The Boxing Day aftermath proved encouraging enough for the Australian retail sector, and major players are still cautiously optimistic about the general picture.
Italy's Antitrust Authority fined three Apple companies $1.18 million (900,000 euros) for misleading local consumers on warranty terms and customer assistance.
Australian supermarkets are passing off foreign products as Made in Australia by using loopholes.
A survey by consumer watchdog Choice found that 52 per cent of shoppers are unaware of their rights regarding the purchase and return of products.
Gone are the days where the use of smartphones was limited to “geeks”. Nowadays, shoppers are now utilizing the potential of smartphones as a tool to help them get through their shopping needs.
Proving the old adage "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em", Gerry Harvey has decided to launch a new website that will sell import European copies of video games at discounted prices.
A survey released on Friday by the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) found that 20 per cent of Aussies plan to give gift vouchers for the Yuletide.
In another display of generation gap and digital divide, a survey released Friday by research firm Roy Morgan found that older women comprise the main market of greeting cards and wrapping paper manufacturers.
Australians who want to buy computer games could purchase these items at a lesser cost at retailer Harvey Norman. The lower cost is made possible by removing the general sales tax (GST).
Australians drank less beer in 2011 causing a 6 per cent decline in domestic beer consumption. Despite this development, brewer Coopers expanded its market share by 1.5 per cent and produced a record 62.9 million litres of beer.
From Morrison Securities Pty. Ltd.
U.S. stocks rallied as domestic home building jumped to the highest level in nearly two years and another successful Spanish debt auction buoyed investor sentiment.
More kids aged 6 to 13 are receiving money as Christmas gifts instead of boxed presents. Market research firm Roy Morgan, in a report released on Tuesday, said 66 per cent of young Aussies get cash as Christmas present, up from 62 per cent in 2007.
Stocks of Billabong International Limited (ASX: BBG) fell 34 per cent after the Gold Coast firm forecast lower earnings for the first half of the financial year and issued a profit downgrade due to the chilly summer weather.
U.S. stocks fell Monday after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi made cautious comments on the state of Europe's economy and as bank stocks sagged in expectation of tighter capital standards.
Days after menswear store Fletcher Jones announced the closure of several outlets, the weak retail environment claimed another victim. Giant Myer (ASX: MYR) announced on Monday it would shutter in 2012 weak performing chains.
Australians are searching for wide and various things through Google. This could be the best way to describe the 2011 “most googled” list of Australia released by the giant search engine.
From Morrison Securities Pty. Ltd.U.S. stocks gained after investors took heart from stronger U.S. economic data, but fell off session highs after the head of the International Monetary Fund stoked fears that Europe's sovereign-debt crisis is worsening.
Amazon will release an update for the Kindle Fire in two weeks after early consumer complaints about the tablet have surfaced.
