In the age of anxiety the world is fuelled by 24/7 sound bites. Technology has opened up efficient ways of distributing information and led to the advent of 24-hour news channels, mobile information services and more. And what the advent of 24/7 surr...

If I hear another cop-out excuse citing the customer reaction to the “Global Financial Crisis” as an explanation for crap performance by a retailer in this country I think I’ll puke. The GFC did not, is not and will not affect what ...

We have arrived at a moment in time where the political system is so out of whack with the people it purports to represent that it makes increasingly less sense to the average person. The election campaigns of Julia Guillard and Tony Abbott appear...

Nothing excites me more than seeing queues outside shops. The buzz. The noise. The energy. The tell tale signs that a retailer is doing it right and that shoppers love it. Forget media propaganda, if you travel around the world you’ll see it ev...

Interesting media skirmish. The head of the Australian Retailers Association and one of Australia’s most successful retail entrepreneurs clash over the state of retail. In the blue corner, self-made billionaire Gerry Harvey and in the red corne...

Every year I am lucky enough to travel the world and – like a voyeuristic sponge – soak up new knowledge from the best (and worst) the wonderful world of retail has to offer. Of particular interest over the many years of retail gluttony I...

A colleague of mine recently shared with me the story of “The 5 monkeys”. Some of you may already know this story, but please bare with me for a moment while I share with you the version of this story I heard. Some years ago, scientis...

We’ve all read the case studies. We’ve all been taught the principles. When you are managing a business you need to foster the loyalty of your staff and suppliers. We spend money on staff climate studies to help us gauge how well we are d...

While shopper’s willingness to spend is only limited by what they perceive they have to spend, dollars spent at retail continue to grow in Australia to all time highs. Interest rate increases are beginning to affect the cumulative debt levels t...

Our political system has changed a great deal since the ill-feted Athenian system of ‘democracy’ that lasted less than two generations before it was corrupted. And the change has been downhill all the way. Today’s political system r...

We live in times that conspire to create the belief in people that they should follow their dreams no matter how unrealistic, no matter how self-centered, no matter the consequences. Without following your dreams and waking each day filled with the p...

The retail industry in this country is blessed with some of the best retail buyers and buying practices in the world. Combining data analysis with sourcing and negotiating skills, these experienced professionals manage their categories with ultimate ...

I love a good magician. Making you believe something amazing has happened seemingly beyond the realms of physics, reason or inputs is an incredible talent and wonderfully entertaining to behold. When you learn the art of slight of hand and misdirecti...

I love the start of the Truman Show - the movie in which Jim Carey greets each day in a colourful seaside town. With a spring in his step and a smile on his face, he skips through day after day floating on a cloud of happiness and joy, greeted by a p...

At the World Retail Congress in 2009 the Chinese Government delegation presented an interesting snapshot of the changes afoot in China. While the external view of the country may for many be that of a cheap source of production based on low wage cost...