Author: admin

Maybe you have read about the issue in the press recently regarding Apple loading your iPhone battery to slow it down and encourage you to upgrade to a new handset when really all you needed was a replacement battery. The company was so embarrassed when this went public they decided to launch a replacement battery program for its loyal clients. You can read all the Ts and Cs yourself but to make things simple, I have listed the main points you would need to understand if you own an Apple…

I thought it would be a good idea to go and have a look at a South African mall on Thursday 23rd November 2017, the day before the official “Black Friday”. (Tygervalley mall Capetown). Just for clarification this event was born in the United States and if you look into the history of why it started you will find numerous reasons, most of them made up stories or simply popular myths.  For the purpose of this article let us just accept “Black Friday” is a 20th century consumer culture which…

It’s not difficult to understand the South African economy and political situation in the country are both at an all time low at the moment. Consumers are squeezed with wallets carrying far less cash than a few years ago. The writing for retail is on the wall with red flags waving all around us. National chains closing stores, empty shops in malls,  customers shopping down and buying less items. On top of this we have an invasion into our own back yard from big business such as H&M. Yet some…

On 1st November 2015 I wrote the very first blog for this website titled “H&M to change the retail landscape in South Africa”. Only a few days earlier on 17th October 2015 H&M open its first SA store in the V&A waterfront mall. ( you can read this blog again if you wish, just search the title). I ended the article with the following words…………..”Remember this statement from above, H&M will change the retail landscape in South Africa over the next five years”. We are not yet two years into…

As a customer my mind associates the merchandise I can expect to find when I walk into a store to the name above the door.  Let me try and detail what my perception of where stores are positioned on the fashion ladder. a) Entry level fashion would be Pep stores and maybe Ackermans/Jet. b) Affordable throw away fashion would be Mr Price and Cotton On. c) Middle range price and fashionability would be Foschini, Edgars, H&M and possibility Woolworths. d) One up price and fashion would cover Truworths and Zara…

In a depressed economy such as SA is going through at present, casualties become a reality.  (Stores close for a number of reasons. ) Some examples below….. 1. National retailers close marginal profit stores when lease expires. 2. Independent businesses not financially viable to renew a rental agreement when lease ends. 3. Brand pulls out of country and closes all stores, i.e. Mango/Nine West. 4. Business fails, i.e. Stuttafords. When a small store closes in a regional centre it is usually not difficult to find another tenant to take up…

Retailers spend large amounts of money on visual material mostly with the objective of creating an exciting environment for thier customers to shop. Large lifestyle visuals, logos and graphics to highlight the latest trends and seasons fashion direction. Often visuals are used to promote certain product sometimes good value items. While browsing in Edgars recently I was amazed at how poorly the store had utilized the price point visual display cards. Not sure what they were trying to say, but certainly left me totally confused. Firstly I came across a…