Retiring Woolworths chief executive Roger Corbett says Australian retailers must strive to deliver world class standards. He also said Australian retailing had a bright but competitive future.

Mr Corbett’s departure comes only weeks after the company delivered its first $1 billion net profit, after grabbing more than $4 billion in acquisitions during his term. The Profit result is around four times what the company was making when he took over the position.

Mr Corbett who says his Christian faith has helped him in his work was known to go price checking in rival supermarkets, and to visit his own Woolworths stores and take over the PA system to praise staff & thank customers.

He wont be retiring completely as he leaves with a 5 year $3 million consultancy arrangement and retains his board seats at John Fairfax and the Reserve Bank.

I would like to make a quilt for a baby from some nice flannelette in shades of beige/cream/coffee colours.

Naturally I can’t find the material or the colours. There is a certain selection of colours out there but not in the shades I desire. It feels like I’m looking for such colours or should I say neutrals that are such a “latest/newest fashion that you can’t find them anywhere.

Mate, it’s only out there everywhere for the last five years, so don’t worry mate, it’ll come eventually!

I tried to search the web, the yellow pages; I called up retailers and wholesalers …nothing. Not to mention that summer is only 3 months away so we can’t be possibly sewing with something that is perceived to be a winter fabric.

I am tempted to go and search the US market as it looks like there’s everything there and more of it too. Why?

Sometimes it’s even cheaper to buy from half a world away too. Why? So what makes us so expensive in everything here? Is it because owning a continent is not a cheep affair or is it because there aren’t enough people on this continent to make the economy bustle and hustle?

I know! Hey! You want to make a quilt!!?? Oh well, Mrs, then we have to charge you triple the price. Reason? Well, if you’re able to spend that teeny-weeny free time of yours on some leisure sewing than you should pay the price for it.

(and make do with what’s there! @#!!*#!) ……. Claudia

World famous U.S. retailing Giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will end layby service before the end of this year. Referred to in the US as “layaway”, and in some Australian firms as “laybuy”, the service will be scrapped by Wal-Mart due to reduced demand and rising processing costs. The Wal-Mart layby tradition started when Sam Walton founded the chain back in 1962 catering to low income rural shoppers in northwest Arkansas.

Is layby shopping also on the way out in Australia?

A layby system allows customers to make a down payment to hold an item and then gradually pay it off, with varying time frames usually reduced during the peak Christmas season.

Pat Curran, executive vice president of Wal-Mart store operations says demand for layaway service has declined steadily as consumers turn to current options including online shopping, shopping cards and zero cost credit alternatives that were not available when the company was started.” The company is working on ways to make other time payment methods available to customers with limited credit, such as Wal-Mart cards with zero interest for the first 12 months.

In other changes this year, Wal-Mart has introduced bonus caps for hourly workers, after forty years of unlimited annual Bonuses. It has also ceased retailing guns and ammo in about a third of its stores to make room for other sporting gear. The company is also deliberately tailoring each store to local demographics rather than presenting the same stock in all outlets. It is evident that big changes are taking place in major retailers in all western countries.

Many Australian retail stores still offer a layby service including major department stores David Jones and Myer. David Jones however recently more than tripled its fee for lay-by purchases, worrying consumer groups who fear people are being pushed into expensive store cards instead.

There are also a plethora of smaller Australian retailer and online shopping sites that offer layby. Will the major Australian retailers also push shoppers on to cards and eventually retract the layby system like Wal-Mart in the US? Will offering layby services then be another way that smaller retailers can better compete with the majors?

What are your thoughts on the layby service? Is it still needed? What stores offer it in your local area? Are they all charging fees for layby purchases? Are the terms excessive? Please tell our readers about your layby experiences.

http://www.agha.com.au

Gift & Homewares Australia (GHA) will be presenting its final trade fair for 2006 from 23-26 September at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. This trade only event will house over 400 exhibitors from across the country featuring the latest in gift and homewares products.
The September trade fair is your last chance for retailers to stock up for the 2006 Christmas period. Exhibitors from across the country will showcase their new and exciting ideas from around the globe.

As the GHA Trade Fair is an industry event designed specifically to provide a forum for buyers and sellers to interact, this event is not open to the general public. Buyers are most welcome and need only present their ABN and two forms of business and personal identification in order to register. For more information please visit the GHA Website.