Did anyone watch Insight on SBS on Tuesday ?

http://rachelbeaney.com/wp-content/uploads/420ebay-420x01-248x300.jpg

http://www.sbs.com.au/insight/episode/index/id/424/The-Big-Sell


Quote:

Retail spending is at its lowest level for 50 years - shops are closing and thousands of jobs are at stake and some stores are finding they're being used in a very different way. DAVID BRAUE STORY: DAVID BRAUE:  I tend to shop around a lot - I'm a bit of a tight-wad when it comes to spending money on things - I like to make sure I'm getting a good bargain. There's a nice Fossil handbag - $319 here. There you go - $178 in the US. A bit of a price difference, isn't it? $254 price, which I believe is Australian pricing. Red Laser is an app that runs on a smart phone and basically it uses the camera in the smart phone and you point the camera at the bar code on the back of the product. It will read the bar code. It checks with a number of online merchants. It will get their best prices on that product. I love James Bond - $249 here. Let's have a look - $217 online. Interestingly, that's from an Australian seller, so it's not even coming from overseas. They've just undercut them by $32. I think I'll get it online. OK. Have a look... Nice Dutch oven - Le Creuset - Sounds very designer and posh. I'll scan it there - $399 here and $207 online. It's basically half the price online.

Hi Nail,

Try one third the price for most items even with the cost of shipping.

Buy online & save big bucks.  ;)

Bobby. wrote on Sep 1^st, 2011 at 3:17pm:

Hi Nail, Try one third the price for most items even with the cost of shipping. Buy online & save big bucks.  ;)

 no than ks I would sooner keep this country going if the stores close which they will do following your advice.. there wont be any Westfield or browsing.... we have watched our corner stores closed down.. so that now unless you have a car basically you are stuck..if we see the demise of the bigger sentres.. where does that leave us??.. buying everything from the big 2 or will that end up being the BIG 1 ..

great idea

Why should I support Frank Lowy and his shareholders while they rip the rent for Westfield store holders?

Support the shops all you like cods, retail will still move to predominantly online, there's no stopping progress, if you could call it that. Few people will lose out for the sake of the store holder. Almost everyone looks after themselves first and foremost. I always check Australian online before International and if I get the better deal locally, that's how I go.

We want capitalism, we get capitalism. We want free trade, we get free trade, no good complaining when the tide turns.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Sep 1^st, 2011 at 4:15pm:

Why should I support Frank Lowy and his shareholders while they rip the rent for Westfield store holders? Support the shops all you like cods, retail will still move to predominantly online, there's no stopping progress, if you could call it that. Few people will lose out for the sake of the store holder. Almost everyone looks after themselves first and foremost. I always check Australian online before International and if I get the better deal locally, that's how I go. We want capitalism, we get capitalism. We want free trade, we get free trade, no good complaining when the tide turns.

How about you don't support Frank Lowy, but just support ALL the people who work in the retail sector in Australia???

Having no shops will 'hurt' Lowy....but it will hurt the 100,000+ people who work in the shops in Westfield shopping centres a lot more....

People will pay extra for service, so retailers have dug their own graves by not providing it to a satisfactory level.

gizmo_2655 wrote on Sep 1^st, 2011 at 4:48pm:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Sep 1st, 2011 at 4:15pm: Why should I support Frank Lowy and his shareholders while they rip the rent for Westfield store holders? Support the shops all you like cods, retail will still move to predominantly online, there's no stopping progress, if you could call it that. Few people will lose out for the sake of the store holder. Almost everyone looks after themselves first and foremost. I always check Australian online before International and if I get the better deal locally, that's how I go. We want capitalism, we get capitalism. We want free trade, we get free trade, no good complaining when the tide turns. How about you don't support Frank Lowy, but just support ALL the people who work in the retail sector in Australia??? Having no shops will 'hurt' Lowy....but it will hurt the 100,000+ people who work in the shops in Westfield shopping centres a lot more....

It's a dog eat dog world. Welcome to capitalism. I'll support Australian business if they are competitive, if not, bad luck for them. The retail workers don't support the retail workers, they buy online too if they get the better deal that way.

I know because I work with a department store full of retail workers and we all support online shopping, especially now the Aussie dollar is so high.

The same as tourism. Who would support the jacked up prices of our tourist destinations, hotels, resorts, restaurants when they can get an overseas holiday at half the price.

Same as house prices, should we all go and buy an overpriced house because the building industry is slacking off?

Be competitive or die.

People are saving - Not spending.   ;D

cods wrote on Sep 1^st, 2011 at 3:25pm:

Bobby. wrote on Sep 1st, 2011 at 3:17pm: Hi Nail, Try one third the price for most items even with the cost of shipping. Buy online & save big bucks.  ;)  no than ks I would sooner keep this country going if the stores close which they will do following your advice.. there wont be any Westfield or browsing.... we have watched our corner stores closed down.. so that now unless you have a car basically you are stuck..if we see the demise of the bigger sentres.. where does that leave us??.. buying everything from the big 2 or will that end up being the BIG 1 .. great idea

what about the landlords greed ?? Why don't they come clean and tell us how much rent they are paying per day in some of these shopping centers ??

corner stores have closed down because of the greed and predatory behaviour of the likes of large corporations. Gerry Harvey and his share holders wouldn't think twice about running a small electrical retailer out of town, There are no friends in business and what goes around comes around ;)

Yes Nail once again correct as usual, but what is the answer?.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  These shops are paying to much rent, so they try take it out on the consumer with their high prices.  To bad for them though, that the Australian consumer, is now wide awake to them.  If people can get goods cheaper, they will, and who can blame them?.  People are sick and tired of paying high prices.   ;)

wrote on Sep 1^st, 2011 at 7:42pm:

Yes Nail once again correct as usual, but what is the answer?.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  These shops are paying to much rent, so they try take it out on the consumer with their high prices.  To bad for them though, that the Australian consumer, is now wide awake to them.  If people can get goods cheaper, they will, and who can blame them?.  People are sick and tired of paying high prices.   ;)

The retailers should come clean and start apportioning blame to the greedy landlords. Because of the obsession with property in this country there seems to be an unwritten rule that you never talk about landlords and their ridiculous rents !!

Instead the retailers want to blame a lousy 10 percent GST for their lost sales when we all know the markups are a lot more than the GST !!!

Im gonna download the red laser app today.

Time is money.

The retailers should just open a store on E-Bay

move with the times or get left behind or just blame it on the carbon tax