Learning to stay afloat
This week we have some expert advice to assist those in South Africa's competitive retail space with keeping their heads above water.
Val Nichas and George Bourdos from VBN Consultants discuss how value-added services and in-store staff that display a genuine interest in their customers can yield meaningful consumer experiences and ultimately repeat business.
On the franchising front, a number of international brands have expressed interest in the South Africa market, which will inevitably cut into local brand share.
Abigail Makhubele from Absa Business Banking shares the ingredients that she believes can give local brands the edge.
According to a
new report by Cushman & Wakefield, there has been rapid global growth in consumer spending on eating out, and the tie-in between shopping and eating is stronger than ever. A compelling food and beverage offering is therefore now more critical to the success of any retail scheme.
The retail sector is one of the toughest to operate in, but can be especially difficult for a small business. Kobus Engelbrecht, spokesperson for the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year,
urges SMEs to adopt a creative approach to business and operations to ensure both survival and success.
Lastly, don't forget to keep your eye on our
#CSIMonth special section, chock-full of industry leaders sharing how corporate social responsibility forms part of their overall business strategy.
Lauren Hartzenberg
Retail Editor: Bizcommunity.comComment online in our ed's column archive. Go mobile with apps and m.bizcommunity.com. Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. Subscribe to YouTube and via RSS. Send all your retail news and event invitations to retailnews@bizcommunity.com, exclusive opinion pieces to contributors-retail@bizcommunity.com and international news to internationalnews@bizcommunity.com. Read "How to contribute to Biz, from op-ed pieces to news". | |
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| Lauren Hartzenberg South African beauty franchise group Imbalie Beauty has become a key player in South Africa's robust franchising industry... read | | | We chat to President and CEO of AGT Foods, Murad Al-Katib, the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year 2017, about his win, entrepreneurship and feeding the world... read | | | Sindy Peters CarmiƩn Tea, through its social upliftment arm The Mouton Foundation, has contributed R17m towards community upliftment over the past decade... read | | | Sindy Peters Over the six years since its inception, KFC's Add Hope initiative has managed to raise R387m, partnering with 137 beneficiary organisations to feed over 120,000 children across South Africa... read | |
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| Millennials, born between 1980 and the end of 1994, make up the fastest growing segment of the workforce... read |
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| With big box retailers closing down and leaving vacancies in their wake, some shopping centres across South Africa are starting to feel the pinch... read |
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| The SAB Foundation has contributed R2,100,000 to Hub Employment Ecosystems for People with Disabilities (HeePD) as part of its partnership... read |
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| The sixth Customer Experience (CX) Management Summit in Africa, taking place mid-August, will explore current and future state of CX to strengthen the industry within the African continent... read |
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| With funding from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), PP Excel officially opened its Cape Town plant this week... read |
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| Tom Jackson Nigerian startup VoomNow has launched its assisted shopping platform that enables users to shop and pay for all kinds of international products and services... read |
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| Issued by Rand Show The organisers of Rand Show 2018 have announced the launch of the Sports Expo @ Rand Show - a one-of-a-kind event aimed at families, athletes, fitness fanatics and sports lovers... read |
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| African Fashion International has announced Mall of Africa as the new official venue for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg... read |
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| Issued by Symbiotic Communications Black and white is the ultimate contrast and the perfect partnership... just like that between global skincare brand Nivea and fashion designer, cultural icon and innovator, Laduma Ngxokolo... read |
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| African Fashion International (AFI) - owner and operator of the Mercedes-Benz Joburg Fashion Week has announced the designers showcasing their Spring/Summer collections at the 2017 Joburg Fashion Week... read |
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| Holmes Brothers, the Afrocentric surfer style menswear brand that originated in Durban, has successfully launched in Japanese retailer The Freak's Store... read |
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| Linda Ensor The South African Liquor Brand Owners Association (Salba) has criticised the government's inadequate socioeconomic impact assessment... read |
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| Absa, which previously sponsored the Absa Top Five Olive Oil Awards, will extend this honour to 10 exceptional olive oils. The very best gold award recipients of the SA Olive Awards will be chosen as finalists... read |
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| BMi Research has released its report on the drinking yoghurt category, which continued to grow in volume and value in 2016... read |
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| Internationally, rum has been enjoying a comeback and is believed to be the next hottest category following the recent gin revolution in South Africa... read |
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| According to the managing editor of Wine Enthusiast, South Africa stands the strongest chance of making an impact in the US by linking its wine marketing message with a single varietal... read |
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| The price of food is rising continually. What does it cost to feed a working class family and how does it impact nutrition? read |
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| Juanita Pienaar RĆ©my Martin brand ambassador, Vusa Zaya gives us a taste of what it takes to be a brand ambassador in the world of Cognac and what promoting the brand entails... read |
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| Southern Fried Chicken, a UK brand with some American heritage at the roots of its recipes, recently expanded into the South African market... read |
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| Abigail Makhubele Modern day businesses in South Africa are dealing with a number of challenges that all contribute to consumers having less money to spend... read |
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| Paint manufacturer Prominent Paints has launched its first franchise store in Midrand as it seeks to expand its distribution footprint... read |
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| Farren Collins South Africans will soon be able to dispose of their plastic bags along with the rest of their waste without worrying about negative effects on the environment... read |
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| Devon Koen A food expert has warned consumers of the dangers of eating expired foods that appear on shop shelves... read |
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| Virusha Subban, Lee-Ann Annandale and Busisiwe Vil Importers in South Africa should be aware of the new customs valuation development affecting goods imported under franchise agreements, as this could affect the price they pay for the goods... read |
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| Afruibana, a pan-African association of fruit producers and exporters from Cameroon, the Ivory Coast and Ghana has officially been launched. The association will take steps to support competitiveness and export fruits to EU countries... read |
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| Stephanie Aglietti The pioneer of essential oils in Rwanda said he understood over a decade ago "the need to develop high-value crops" in his hilly nation of just 2.6m hectares... read |
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| Issued by Pyrotec Pyrotec's machinery division, Pyrotec PackMark, has launched the new 9405 Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) coder from the trusted global manufacturer of product identification and traceability solutions, Markem-Imaje... read |
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| The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) have issued a joint statement calling on countries to develop international food standards... read |
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| Megan Hollis Facebook Messenger offers some exciting options for marketers and it seems Facebook knows it... read |
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| Issued by Knowledge Resources Doing business with the poor is complex. Here is your opportunity to get fresh perspective and real insights on how to reach and connect with SA's mass market and low-income consumers!... read |
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| In 2007 brothers Sean and Carlos Gomes established health and wellness retailer Wellness Warehouse in South Africa... read |
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| Colleen Goko Botswana-based Choppies may be a well-established grocery retail chain in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, but the company has found the going tough in SA... read |
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| Giulietta Talevi While the general retailers' index has sunk 27% from its April 2015 peak, two shares in the sector appear to be proving the so-called "lipstick theory"... read |
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| Ann Crotty The Shoprite share price slumped almost 2% after the company released a trading update that pointed to a disappointing performance... read |
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| Prospects for the retail sector remain weak and are unlikely to improve in 2017, as confirmed by Massmart's interim sales update... read |
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| Colleen Goko Investors are lowering their expectations for Woolworths as the outlook for the local retail sector deteriorates... read |
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| Sunita Menon SA's retail sector not only confounded economists who had expected a contraction in May, but growth accelerated from April... read |
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| The direct selling industry is one of the few sectors showing growth over the past 18 months... read |
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| According to the Internet Access in South Africa 2017 study produced by World Wide Worx and Dark Fibre Africa (DFA), the internet has become a vital tool for communication and information in South Africa... read |
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| Cape Town Tourism currently seeks to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced information and reservation consultant. Applications close 4 August 2017. Read more >> |
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Global Trade Show of Networking and Matchmaking South Africa 2017 aims to attract at least 300 exhibitors and more than 5,000 visitors from around the globe. Read more >>Customer relationsProvox Centre for Public Relations & Communication - 24 Aug 2017 to 25 Aug 2017, Johannesburg |
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Jeremy Scott "With the clothes I design, I think about my friends, how I'd want them to dress, what I'd want them to wear." Marc Jacobs "One thing that is exciting about fashion is the surprise element. People don't know what they want. They just know when they see it." Manolo Blahnik "About half my designs are controlled fantasy, 15 percent are total madness and the rest are bread-and-butter designs." Iris Apfel "Fashion and interior design are one and the same." Vivienne Westwood "I just use fashion as an excuse to talk about politics. Because I'm a fashion designer, it gives me a voice, which is really good." |
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