RETAILER BLOGS

Different wheat flours read more

Woolworths have recognised a need to service its growing customer base by providing a more comprehensive shopping experience. Until now most shoppers have used its stores as an auxiliary format to purchase only certain items on their shopping list or as a "top up" type daily purchase of convenience items. The group has performed well on this basis but have found themselves vulnerable when trading conditions have tightened. Already we have seen pricing strategies change with more products becoming falling into line with competitive supermarkets, a premium shopping experience without the associated cost is certainly a comfortable proposition for consumers. read more

Private labels are taking on a new role in retail, positioning themselves as higher quality products on supermarket shelves, rather than the “low quality’ option they were initially perceived to be.  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

With online consumer spending on the rise in South Africa last year, brick and mortar retailers should jump on the bandwagon and capitalise on the Internet as a sales platform.  read more

Marketing to consumers is at the heart of any retail business and although retailers may follow a similar procedure to roll out their marketing campaigns, the brand perceptions they create are often very different. But, what brand perceptions are our retailers creating? And, can a retailer’s performance be measured by the brand perception it creates? read more

Moving into 2012, retailers are going to have to begin implementing the ambitious expansion plans set out in recent months. The bulk of new store openings by South African retailers will be taking place outside of our borders. It’s not only grocery retailers that intend to open new stores in Africa, Foshini, Mr Price, Woolworths and Pep are looking to aggressively develop their footprint in Africa as well. read more

Retailers play an essential role in the recycling chain. They are the last exit point for food packaging and should be the first point of entry for re-useable waste. read more

Africa has become a prime destination for retailers in their quest to break into new markets. Our growing consumer populations combined with slower growth in developed markets, among other factors, all contribute to making it a sought-after business destination. But, as with most ventures, there are challenges to overcome in order to succeed in the untapped markets of Africa. read more

All retailers are faced with the difficult task of driving sales in specific periods for specific categories, regardless of what food items or apparel they’re selling. The major hurdles they face in driving sales are getting customers into a store and in turn giving them enough incentive to buy a particular product in a short space of time. Retailers can invest a great deal of money and time in setting up loyalty offerings to achieve this, but there’s a much quicker and less expensive way to do this – by implementing a short-term loyalty programme.  read more

Regulations set by the Consumer Protection Act have businesses in the food industry scrambling to ensure that their product packaging meets all the necessary requirements before the deadline in March 2012. An off-set to this is that consumers will become more aware of what food products contain and how they are sourced. One retailer and a few food producers are taking it a step further to ensure that their offerings come from sustainable supply chain, keeping their offerings in the best interests of the consumer and those involved in producing it.  read more

Electronic Shelf Label technology has, for some time, been a concept that could clearly deliver significant benefits and cost reductions to retailers but costs have made that investment case just a little too risky for most. That scenario has begun to change as a number of retailers have now adopted this technology. As more units are sold the price per unit will drop and, as that happens, the use of ESLs will become the standard.  read more

While reports suggest that consumer confidence has declined in South African retail, the recent international interest in South African retail and logistics paints a completely different picture read more

With the Walmart / Massmart deal in the final throws of approval, it is only a matter of time before the South African retail landscape changes significantly. The giant’s entry will have implications for all South African retailers, it’s not just the grocery specialists who will find themselves under fire. read more