Shoppers Urged To Put Jobs First
An interesting article in today's West paper from the Australian National Retailers Association about buying products online. Murray Gibbs from Cannington Camera House had an interesting insight to this.
"The retail sector has launched a national campaign to remind Christmas shoppers how important it is to the jobs market, as shops battle a patchy economy and stiff online competition.
In its $5 million national radio campaign, the Australian National Retailers Association highlights the sector's 1.2 million jobs through 140,000 outlets.
It comes ahead of expectations of a relatively lacklustre Christmas sales period.
Chief executive Margy Osmond called on the Federal Government to help local retailers by taxing online items priced at more than $100, in a bid to even out the competition with the imports, which do not attract a GST.
Ms Osmond said most other Western countries already had an online tax and usually on values well below $100.
Murray Gibbs, who runs the family-owned Gerry Gibbs Camera House in Cannington, refuses to serve customers who use him to help them buy online.
"If people are prepared to give me the time of day as a retailer, and not stand there in the shop surfing their iPhone for the same product I've just discussed with them, then I'm prepared to give them all the customer service they require," he said.
"If they're going to ask me questions so they know what to buy through some grey market online provider, then I'm not interested."
Mr Gibbs said most Australian retailers could not compete with some foreign retailers on price because of higher wages, rents and advertising costs.
But they could provide secure warranties, after-care service and a guarantee it met Australian safety and power standards.
"I have 11 people and their families who rely on me to make a living," he said.
"I have cut prices as much as I can, but I can't sell cheaper than some online providers or we will all be out of a job.""
Article taken from The West website which you can visit at the following link: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/11930685/shoppers-urged-to-put-jobs-first/
"The retail sector has launched a national campaign to remind Christmas shoppers how important it is to the jobs market, as shops battle a patchy economy and stiff online competition.
In its $5 million national radio campaign, the Australian National Retailers Association highlights the sector's 1.2 million jobs through 140,000 outlets.
It comes ahead of expectations of a relatively lacklustre Christmas sales period.
Chief executive Margy Osmond called on the Federal Government to help local retailers by taxing online items priced at more than $100, in a bid to even out the competition with the imports, which do not attract a GST.
Ms Osmond said most other Western countries already had an online tax and usually on values well below $100.
Murray Gibbs, who runs the family-owned Gerry Gibbs Camera House in Cannington, refuses to serve customers who use him to help them buy online.
"If people are prepared to give me the time of day as a retailer, and not stand there in the shop surfing their iPhone for the same product I've just discussed with them, then I'm prepared to give them all the customer service they require," he said.
"If they're going to ask me questions so they know what to buy through some grey market online provider, then I'm not interested."
Mr Gibbs said most Australian retailers could not compete with some foreign retailers on price because of higher wages, rents and advertising costs.
But they could provide secure warranties, after-care service and a guarantee it met Australian safety and power standards.
"I have 11 people and their families who rely on me to make a living," he said.
"I have cut prices as much as I can, but I can't sell cheaper than some online providers or we will all be out of a job.""
Article taken from The West website which you can visit at the following link: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/11930685/shoppers-urged-to-put-jobs-first/
Labels: The West
posted by Unknown at
2:45 PM
4 Comments:
Pity they never came close to JB HiFi's price, id rather but camera gear from a camera shop but unless the electronic companies give boutique shops the same wholesale price as big business they'll never be able to compete. If anything these businesses need to lobby their suppliers to have the same wholesale cost as their asian competition rather than an Australian wharehouse taking their cut and ramping up the local price.
as Pix says How about changing how the retail sector works so that some equity can be generated against foreign retailer who operate in a much simpler system. Get rid of the middle me, wholesalers etc etc that would help. Adding GST to online sales will do very little when the reality is that many goods can be bought for 20-50% less than that in Australia.
Thanks for the interesting information Pix. It is a pity we have become a society that does not value knowledge anymore. It is great that JB HiFi can offer cheap prices but can they tell you how to work the equipment? These big companies are just box movers, they sell everything at cost and hope to move enough products to make a profit. It was the same when Harvey Norman sold camera gear to customers and told them to come down to Camera Electronic and we would teach them how to use it. What price should we put on this? We have started a training facility so maybe we should become box sellers, have a counter with a roller shutter - you come to the window ask for your product, pay and walk away. We could staff it with very cheap labour out of Asia with no knowledge and when asked how to use it we could send the customer to our training facility.
As for your second point about lobbying our suppliers - we do this all the time. The problem we encounter is that we are not America – with a population of 300 million, low wages, low taxes and low standard of living. All suppliers are based in Australia and they face high overheads. What if the industry you worked in said “Sorry we are not interested in keeping your job as we can source it overseas cheaper”?
The “middle men” you refer to are directly connected to their parent companies in Asia – Canon, Nikon, Olympus, etc. They have to research what the market wants and needs, advise their parent company, receive and warehouse the goods for distribution here in Australia, ship it as expediently as possible, train the retail sales force, and then back up what they – and we – sell with enforceable warranties here. By here I mean here in Australia – under Australian law.
Cut them out and where are we? Imagine the state of customer service or satisfaction if the supply line was a sea container dumped on the docks – or an air parcel heaved out of a cargo plane onto a trolley – and then busted open on a concrete discount store floor for the customers to paw through. Professional? Comfortable? Reassuring? Grab a box and run for the door?
Imagine your state of mind if you switch the camera on in three weeks and nothing happens....who ya gonna call – Ghostbusters?
The “middle men” are essential to you getting what you need. Cut them out and you run the risk of getting what you deserve.
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