Woolworths Ltd has reported an 18 per cent jump in first half sales and says it is well positioned to weather the current downturn in Australian retailing with strong second quarter sales in each of its divisions. Its businesses include supermarkets, Big W and Dick Smith Electronics with total sales for the second quarter jumping a significant 22.1% to $10.18 billion. The market pushed Woolworths shares up 3.7% following the announcement.
Woolworths chief executive Roger Corbett is expecting a tougher peroiod ahead, when he says discretionary spending will feel the pinch. He expects tight discretionary spending to have less impact on Dick Smith Electronics than other retailers where purchases can be deferred. He said Australians are enormously technologically sensitive and spend less on traditional toys while spending more on electronic toys. Whilst many smaller retailers have experienced a retail slowdown as consumers reduce discretionary spending due to high petrol prices, Woolworths has been protected by its strength in food sales.

In December, GHA asked its members to vote on the issue categorisation. And have announced that the results of the poll was overwhelming in favour of categorisation. 41% of our membership voted and an a majority of 69% voted in favour of categorisation.
The debate surrounding the categorising of GHA trade fairs is not new as surveys have been conducted since 2001 with the numbers of exhibitors in favor of categorisation steadily been increasing. Calls for categorisation stem from exhibitors complaining that time was being wasted dealing with people who weren’t serious buyers. Similarly, retailers have requested change as the sheer size of the trade fair has become a daunting task. A survey of retail buyers conducted last year revealed that 87% of retail buyers strongly supported categorisation

After 137 years, Gowings old menswear store in Sydney’s city centre, closed next week. Administrators have failed to find a suitable buyer for the retailer, and a liquidation sale at Market Street and Alexandria stores in Sydney is basically finished. Two other stores at Hornsby and Oxford Street have already been closed.
Gowings, which opened in 1868, has been struggling, with poor sales and intense competition from department stores in recent years. The Gowing family stepped away from the retail business five years ago they spun off GRetail on the stock market to concentrate on their property investment holdings. Since then the company has reported three consecutive years of losses. It lost $1.7 million in 2003, $3.4 million in 2004, and 13 million in 2005, compounded by a disastrous expansion to Parramatta. The company was on its way to a fourth loss and talks with rival budget menswear chain Lowes had broken down when the administrator was appointed. The Gowing family have recently advertised for new tenants in its Market Street building