Increasingly, success seems to me to be less about brand and more about community.  To have an idea gain traction it needs to reach and become part of a large community.  Viral campaigns spread through communities and cross to overlapping communities.  Communities are not self contained, they are an infinite group of overlapping Venn diagrams.

To sell an idea, create a community and own the place where people meet or the microphone that communicates with them.  Own the town hall – a destination, or the intersection through which people find it easy to pass on their journey.

That is what Facebook, MySpace and YouTube have achieved.  The creators, or in the case of Rupert Murdoch the buyers, are now in a position to monitorise the community.

Facebook is currently the hot site.  It occupies an intersection between the web and life.  There are now 4 million teenage unique visitors and more than 3 million in the 25-34 group.  Over 35s users have grown by 98% to 10.4 million monthly uniques.  The 38% growth in the 18-24 demo (which boasts 7.8 million unique visitors) is the slowest growth of all the demos on Facebook over the past year. Facebook has a total of 29 million users (from AdAge).

Facebook’s real power is that it occupies both the intersection and the destination.  Like Google, it draws people to the site, but unlike Google, it also connects them with each other.

Thus CEO Mark Zuckerberg is fighting off US$1bn offers for the business.

Not many people over 40 understand Facebook, but the great majority of those under 25 do. They understand the meaning of poke, the minifeed, tag and the wall. Do you?

Not too long ago I wrote of a Myer viral campaign and how it had all the elements described in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point. 

Professor Duncan Watts believes viral marketing, and comparing campaigns to epidemics may be more myth than maths. 

From AdAge:  Since the term "viral marketing" snuck into vogue in the mid-1990s, the ad business has been sold on sickness as the way to describe how information, ideas and influence spread through populations of consumers. Once a sideshow to traditional marketing, it has developed its own canon of research and books - most famously, Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" - and has become the order of the day in a world where people wear their social networks on their sleeves.

But now a long-taken-for-granted central principle of viral marketing - that large-scale changes in behavior can begin like disease epidemics, with just a few highly connected people - is facing its toughest challenge yet. At the center of a growing fray is an unlikely figure: an Australian-born sociology professor at Columbia University named Duncan Watts, who comes armed with mathematical models that, he believes, unsettle much of what you think you know about viral marketing.

He was a laggard, but the Prime Minister is now demonstrating he is a modern man with a MySpace page and a YouTube clip.  No appearance on Facebook yet.  They may be the beginnings of his online resume, arguing why he is the best candidate for a three-year contract job.

As a recruiter, I see many resumes.  Around our office, there is a belief that candidates who include their photo in a resume are almost invariably those who should not.  However, we recently wondered whether we might have glimpsed the future when we received our first job application containing a link to a video resume on YouTube.

The video resume is standard fare in some sectors.  Elijah Wood is said to have won the Lord of the Rings gig by sending a video of himself in total Hobbitness.  Video posts suit web and graphic designers can show a whole portfolio in a minute.  There was a minor masterpiece on YouTube by Joel Green, a little doco that looked like an application for a job at SBS.  Unfortunately it has been taken down.  

Could video resume be the magic new tool to win a job in sales, hairdressing, academia or politics? 

There are many resumes on YouTube, but most, including the Prime Minister’s, demonstrate a total lack of understanding of the medium. 

Most of the clips contain nothing that could not be put in a written version and read in a fraction of the time.  Almost everything I can find is anodyne or soporific. There is an absence of lighting, focus, framing or fun. Leo is fairly typical.

Ego is more common than production values, as in Impossible is Nothing and this presentation that borders on manic.   Allen Ulbricht says he has no experience in making movies, and sets about proving it.  Ethan and his wife know how to turn the camera on, but no idea about editing.   We found the candidate who says she is creative, but just sits in front a blank wall reading cue cards that are clearly below the camera.  Most of these resumes have much in common with those films of hostages denouncing US imperialism with a jihadist AK47 in their ear.

The downside for the Prime Minister is that a search for his name on YouTube returns hundreds of results, but almost all send him up.

A little secret.  Many recruiters use a resume to rule people OUT. The video resume will also be used to rule people out – with a bit of a laugh while the novelty lasts.

We have now expanded our belief.  People who include a photo or video with their application are those who most definitely should NOT - and that probably includes the PM.

A footnote.  Maybe there are so many poor video resumes because the good ones result in job offers and get taken down, leaving just the rubbish on YouTube. And Joel Green whose resume has been removed?  His video had high production values, a good script and held my attention for 4 minutes.  Joel’s clip was directed by Merkin789.  There is a career awaiting the poet who can tastefully rhyme merkin with firkin and gherkin.

The recruiters at Orex have more than a century of retail management experience and five decades of recruiting.

When you say OTB, GMROI, SKU, Stock turn, Assortment, First Margin or, heaven forbid, Markdown, we know what you mean.

At Orex, you deal with people who’ve been around your industry for quite a while and people who will make great matches.  There is no substitute for in-depth understanding.  This job demands experience.

…it's who we know...

We have a huge databank of retail managers.  It exceeds 60,000 people and growing daily.  If the right candidate isn't in our databank; someone who can point to the right person will be there.

To learn what Australia's leading specialist retail recruiter can do for you, call Rob Lake or Christine Sturgess on 03 9349 8989.

Woolworths has announced an expected profit surge of 25% on the tail of a 12.6% increase in sales.  Supermarkets (+12.5%) Big W (+11.1%) and hotels (+21.4%) all experienced strong sales growth for the year.

Few will be surprised by the excellent result.  Its further evidence of how far Coles has slipped behind, struggling with poor strategy and poorer execution, iced more recently with slaughtered morale and distracted key managers, unsure about the road ahead.

Woolworths brought their results announcement forward.  Was this a bit of mischief, designed to put downward pressure on the Coles and Wesfarmers share prices in the hope of derailing the deal?  Woolworths have not given up on Target and Officeworks, having asked the ACCC to complete its inquiries and determine their attitude.

The Mexican wave at Coles HQ and the dancing in the aisles at stores that greeted the news of the Wesfarmers deal are early signs of positive change.  The party might be starting at Coles, and about to end for their competitors.

Metcash is the third player in the grocery sector supplying 2500 independent supermarkets including IGA, Campbell’s Cash & Carry and FoodWorks.  They announced a similarly strong result last month including 18% sales and 39% EBIT lifts, also riding on the Coles wave.  Surprising the market, Metcash reduced its earnings guidance for the next year, believing that an end to the Coles turmoil will soon make life tougher in the grocery sector.  Metcash believe that competition will inevitably get hotter as soon as Coles lifts its game under new ownership and leadership.

To Coles, Woolworths became taillights vanishing in the distance.  However, retailing, and grocery retailing in particular is a highly labile sector.   Not too many years ago, the positions of Coles and Woolworths were reversed.

Other trends may come into play. In North America and Europe, while the grocery leviathans still dominate, there is a growing sector of the market that prefers tightly held, generally family run, and smaller businesses such as Wegmans.  These retailers operate with a limited geographical spread and offer a different shopping experience.  They tend toward deli, have a superior fresh offer and often include larger ranges of value added semi-prepared meals.  They also offer greater customer intimacy and a very different experience.  We are starting to see these offers here at Leo’s, Macro Wholefoods and the newer FoodWorks stores.

This is what makes retail fun.  Perfection doesn’t exist and the industry lives in a state of perpetual reinvention.

Disclosures: I own a small parcel of underperforming Metcash shares; my wife owns 768 Coles shares and Orex has recruited management for Bunnings and Macro.

The last fortnight has seen the commentariat telling us how Woolworths has Coles in a stranglehold from which they will never arise.  It has been characterised by narrow thinking and lack of understanding of the retail sector and trends here and elsewhere.  The analysis inevitably describes a two horse race.

In Melbourne, we were treated to a piece in Epicure, The Age foodies section.  It compared the duopolists with the offers of Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury.

There has been a focus on price.  A Merrill Lynch researcher believes Woolworths has established a sales and cost platform that Coles will never catch.  Woolworths has skilfully created a view that their pricing is lower than others.  Choice magazine differs, pointing out that on their test basket, Coles is a little cheaper, but the Aldi house brand offer is around 40% cheaper. If price is king, Aldi should share the throne.  But as pointed out in another market, it is sometimes hard to separate the big two by anything more than the width of a credit card.

Some consumers will pursue and embrace substantially lower prices even if quality is poor, the range limited and parking difficult after a long drive.  What saving will keep customers in a queue for 10 minutes or shopping in a dirty store that doesn’t take returns?  Analysts and researchers are empiricists - they love the numbers, and price is the only retail number they understand.  The retail reality is that people shop for many reasons other than price.

The Oz thinks Wesfarmers must split Coles or drop their intention to buy it.  Australian Investment Review differs, and so do I.  WES is an asset builder.  They will turn the company around. They are in the market for $10bn to fix it. 

That Coles will change is absolutely certain.  We will see a change of culture.  We will see at least $1bn spent each year on supply chain and store improvement.  There is likely to be a longer term focus.  Coles was to some extent crippled by their public short term goals.  John Fletcher has been quoted as saying his biggest regret was announcing targets to the market.

Coles may go niche.  Steve Ogden-Barnes of the ACRS believes online, organic and ethnic and specialist foods are all possible segments into which Coles can move.

Woolworths must and will land as many punches as possible while it has Coles on the ropes.  That’s the nature of business.  However, they would be foolish not to expect Coles to loom larger in their rear vision mirror.

With the world of retailing and customer demands changing so fast, it is crucial that retailers come to terms with the increasingly competitive retail environment and new multi-channel complexities of marketing, distribution and customer relationship management.

The Australian Centre for Retail Studies, Monash University has a focus on bringing leading edge information and world class international experts to Australian retailers so that they are able to keep informed about the latest global retail trends.

Their unique program Strategic Value Optimisation in Retailing, which is being held in Melbourne on 15-19 October 2007.

Designed for senior managers, this program will provide a world-class educational experience.  It tackles value optimisation on a number of different fronts, providing a broad understanding approach to decision making that integrates and leverages each business component.   Now in its third year, it is a great follow up program for those who have completed the ACRS Strategic Planning and Management in Retailing program or as a stand alone event to gain greater up to date insights and tools.

Each day covers a different theme including how to optimise your multi-channel operations, customer value, brand equity, pricing and promotions strategy and supply chain performance.

Facilitated by international retail management educators Professor Dale Achabal and his colleagues from Santa Clara University, USA, this 5 day residential program explores the new world of multi-channel retailing.

Read the Strategic Value Optimisation in Retailing brochure for further information at www.buseco.monash.edu.au/centres/acrs

Given the popularity of the program, early registrations are recommended.  Please feel free to call Jeff Rogut (Executive Director) on +61 3 9903 2864.

Jonah or Cassandra

Is the latest word on Coles and Wesfarmers a message from Cassandra (whose prophesy was correct, but was not believed) or Jonah (who got one right, was believed, then got one wrong)?

Merrill Lynch analyst David Errington is being reported widely as having downgraded Wesfarmers shares to sell, believing they will fall to around $35.55.  He believes Coles assets have been driven into the ground and Wesfamers will struggle to turn the company around

He either ignores or underestimates the impact Wesfarmers, and in particular a change of culture, will have on the performance of Coles. 

Myer was similarly troubled before the sale to the TPG consortium last spring.  At $1.4bn TPG were said to have paid too much.  When Myer’s first set of sales numbers were released in March, Coles was wearing the egg.  Myer had turned.  They still have issues to address but the early signs are highly encouraging.  By March, some were saying Coles had sold Myer too cheaply.

Now we read that Myer has sold some Melbourne real estate for $605m, which means they got the company for less than $800m.  On the projected earnings, they have bought a real bargain and the multiples are starting to look very tidy.

Analysts tend to take a simplistic outsider’s view of investments.  An example.  A few years ago, I was conducting a search for a National Loss Prevention Manager (think shoplifting etc) for Bunnings.  Bunnings knew they had a huge problem, with shrinkage around twice the number expected of similar companies – at least $50m too high.  I ran a job advertisement that was headlined “Bunnings want you to save them $50m”  An analyst picked up the story and wrote a client advisory dropping WES from buy to hold because he believed Bunnings had a $50m problem.  He totally misinterpreted the information.  What was about to occur was a $50m improvement, and most of it would be pure EBIT.

Few will argue that Coles is not a troubled company.  However, Myer is an example of what can be achieved quite quickly with the right leadership, a strategy that is clearly understood by the team and strong implementation.  Wesfarmers are highly likely to have a similarly rapid and positive effect on Coles – and it will be sustained.

That some analysts got Myer wrong, or misinterpreted a job ad does not mean that Errington has erred.  However, I believe he has underestimated what can be achieved when good leadership gets hold of a Coles asset.  Time will tell.

The inexorable march from art to science

Retailing was once very seat of the pants.  Some of it still is.  However, in the last decade or more, science has replaced art.

Buyers, who decided what to range, ruled.  Now, retailers understand that the timing and dimension issues around merchandise are at least as important.  The answers to the how many, when and where questions may well be bigger drivers of profitability than the answer to the what question.

Using data to improve decision making is spreading to site selection.

In the US, Wegmans is now supplementing tried-and-true gravity modelling with deeper data such as income level and ethnic makeup.  Kroger, meanwhile, is staying on top of population trends like never before, by using a demographic package that's updated quarterly.  Kroger and other operators are even beginning to dabble in lifestyle segmentation, to home in on populations with specific characteristics.

Getting deeper information avoids the traps of the one size fits all solution – a mistake made by many US grocers in their rush to put dispensaries in stores.

Dream jobs - Merchandise Planners or Planning Managers

Retail planners are in demand.  Are you getting the appreciation, satisfaction and remuneration you deserve?  Big roles on offer but there is a catch...

• You MUST make a difference
• Not for plodders
• Salary packages from $90k – $200k+ (yes, there is serious money on offer)

At Orex we are working with several of the best retail brands in the land.  What’s more, they are doing very interesting things to re-align or re-structure their businesses to get them performing at their best.  This could be where you come in.

An experienced planner can have a significant impact on a business – in fact, it should be your principal objective; what you do best, even.  Today, and in the coming few months, there will be a string of opportunities for senior planners and planning managers in several major retailers.  We are speaking with Bunnings and Myer and you can just imagine what the wash out might be once the Wesfarmers – Coles thingy is resolved. The bottom line of all this change is that there are some serious roles on offer and we can help you push your career where it deserves to go. But we can only do this with you if we know you’re interested and we know who YOU are.

We're in the information business, so we know we already know a lot of retail planners, but, if we do not know about YOU then we’re unlikely to call.  If you’re ready for a change, want the recognition you deserve and know you have a lot to offer then we should be talking.
Over to YOU.

Call us today and get the process started – or just apply NOW and we will get back to you ASAP.

Please contact Tracey Horton on 03 9349 8989

Now it’s  official…COO Hardware and Building Supply Group

Chief Operating Officer or Group Business Manager for a regional hardware and building supply business with retail, trade and manufacturing dimensions.  Our ideal candidate should come with skills across merchandise management, retail and/or trade marketing, retail operations and sales management.  This is a beautiful SME with turnover at $150M+, and on the acquisition path.  The role is based in Melbourne but requires frequent intrastate travel.  The group is robust with a clear business strategy but you will still have plenty of scope to impact on the business. Entrepreneurial leader required with a commitment to people development. Profound business insight anticipated. Package $200K+

See here for more details or call Paul Fetterplace at Orex on 03 9349 8989.

Also worth a look:

• Have fun... make money... develop careers!  A reputable company with a commitment to developing their people, a consistency in providing quality product in an established market and a need for skilled store managers with an ability to lead from the front.  If you have a sense of ADVENTURE, take PRIDE in your work, have a sales ABILITY that is the envy of your colleagues, consistently AIM to achieve more, have a PASSION for training and developing others, then I need to hear from you TODAY!  Please contact Daniel Ross on: (03) 9349 8989
• Regional Manager – Pharmacy retail group Victoria.  Call Tracey Horton 03 9349 8989

And here are some other retail management opportunities.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Discount

Are any retailers making a dollar from the release of the final Harry Potter book this weekend?  Certainly not from the sale of the book alone. 

The seventh and final instalment of this remarkable series will debut at 9.01am AEST on Saturday.  Booksellers are trying to outdo each other with discounts, promotional events and special offers – but mainly discounts.  The price cutting is so steep that retailers risk shooting themselves in the foot.

The book has an RRP of $49.95, but will sell pretty much everywhere for around $30.  The publishers have told booksellers that all retailers are being invoiced at the same price.  Yet many of the large retailers are selling the book at a price below what bookstores are paying.  In Britain, small bookstores are buying the book from Tesco because it’s cheaper than the wholesale price.  Yes, that’s Tesco – a grocer, and their main competitor Asda, are both into Harry.  Such is the power of this book that when Asda said something unkind about the publisher’s pricing practices, the grocer found it necessary to unreservedly apologise to avoid having their order for 500,000 books cancelled.

Many stores are hoping beyond hope that buyers of Harry VII will also buy other books or Potter paraphernalia on which they can turn a profit.

The Harry phenomenon has been very good for the industry.  For quite a time, children were reluctant to list reading as a leisure activity.  Far too nerdy. Harry Potter has produced a generation who feel its fine to be seen with a book.  The Harry effect will be to turn some, but certainly not all, into lifelong readers.  That’s good for the children. 

The challenges for booksellers and the publishing industry are to find the next Potter so this may continue and to steer the kiddies into other titles.  Preferably something profitable.

Cultural differences in card usage

A report from Citibank has revealed both similarities and differences in credit card trends in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea.  The 'Payment Evolution Report' highlights usage, payment and attitudinal trends and concludes that culture plays a key role in both credit card consumption and behaviour.

On average, Australians have 2.1 credit cards each, the lowest in the survey.  At the other end of the scale, Malaysians have an average of 3.26 cards with 84% of the population owning three credit cards.

Australians are heavy credit card users, using their cards an average of 5.4 times per week. Twelve percent of Australians use their card 11 or more times per week and 3.5%, more than 20 times per week. In contrast, in India and Indonesia, six in ten (60%) of people only use their card once or twice per week.

Citibank Australia's director of cards, Roy Gori, said that the study had produced some interesting findings and highlighted the interesting position Citibank finds itself in as a global card issuer: "It is challenging to address and adapt to the needs of so many diverse cultures and needs. We can take a successful finding or product feature in one country but it may not hold appeal in another country."

From The Wise Marketer.

Revamped Retail Expo sparks renewed industry enthusiasm

A refreshed concept, broader focus, and eight new product zones have sparked an overwhelmingly positive response for Australia’s largest retail exhibition, 2007 Retail Expo Australasia, with more than 90 per cent of exhibitor space already snapped up for the three day event.

Recently rebranded this year to encompass ‘everything retail’ and sporting a new look and wider industry appeal, Retail Expo Australasia, 14–16 August 2007, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, will showcase cutting-edge technologies, services and shopfitting solutions from more than 220 exhibitors.

“The exhibition has experienced a complete turnaround. Visitors understand that the revamped Retail Expo offers access to a diverse range of industry-leading products and services that are critical for creating an efficient, profitable and customer-centric store. Conversely, exhibitors recognise the unparalleled benefits of exposing their businesses to a potential 5,000 retailers with $16 billion to spend,” said Timothy Collett, Exhibition Director, Diversified Exhibitions Australia.

Among the industry heavyweights already set to exhibit at Retail Expo are sponsors Fujitsu Australia and Praestegaard Australia, as well as Epson, mei + picci, Telstra and Panasonic.

Organisers believe the new timing of the annual exhibition – taking place a month earlier than last year – and the strength of the concurrent National Retail Forum line-up are also contributing factors driving the success of this high exposure industry event.

Registrations for Retail Expo Australasia and National Retail Forum 2007 are now open: visit www.retailexpo.com.au or www.retailforum.com.au for more information.

Killer hours – some love them

Most large organizations have at least a few employees who regularly work 70 hours or more a week. Though many say they relish the work style, HR is right to be concerned about the impact on health, family life and long-term productivity. 

For many, the 40-hour working week is standard.  Of course, many managers and professionals often work more than eight hours a day or five days a week. But for some, a 50-hour week is just getting started.

From HRE Online.

Anything is possible at Wal-Mart

It’s hardly surprising that people have been born or died at Wal-Mart.  Hatched and despatched have been joined by matched.

A couple have wed at Wal-Mart.  Right there in the Garden department between the Dynamic Lifter and the Whipper Snippers.  The lucky couple were among seven who won an essay writing competition.

The feedback to the news included “Do you think Wal-Mart will give the bride a refund on the groom if she's not satisfied?” and “Wonder where they went on their honeymoon? The sporting goods department perhaps.  They probably picked up a tent there and honeymooned outside near automotive.”

It is only a matter of time before Wal-Mart lands on Australian shores.  Former Wal-Mart Executive and acclaimed author Michael Bergdahl, says Australian retailers need to be ready for when they do.  The AIM is conducting a half day seminar on how to live in a Wal-Mart world.

Book on 03 9534 8181or see more details here.

kikki.K to become carbon neutral

The UK Retail Bulletin reports that The Carbon Trust, a private company set up by the government to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy, is launching a new campaign asking businesses to take action by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The retail sector is a leading target.

"According to our figures, the retail sector accounts for 7 per cent of all UK business and public sector emissions and has the ability to save 11 per cent of this through no or low cost activity,” said a spokesperson for the Trust.

In Australia, Melbourne based business kikki.K Swedish Home/Office Style has announced plans to become one of Australia’s first carbon neutral retailers.  The Scandinavian fashion stationery specialist will overhaul its Australian and New Zealand operations to become carbon neutral by 30th November 2007.

kikki.K founder Kristina Karlsson says the plan is ambitious but nonnegotiable and urgent.  “I believe it’s time we all took significant action, so we’ll be doing our bit and hope to set an example for others to follow. Taking responsibility for our impact on the environment and future generations is not negotiable for us,” she says.  “We’ve been educating ourselves on the subject of climate change and have decided we need to act now, and do what we can to influence others.”

To calculate its direct carbon footprint kikki.K underwent an environmental audit by firm Macutex Pty Ltd, quantifying greenhouse gas emissions across its existing Australian and New Zealand operations. The business is now implementing a list of recommendations and will be carbon neutral by 30th November this year.

According to Macutex director Nathan Edwards, “kikki.K currently conducts its direct business activities in quite an environmentally responsible manner however the property audits and emission analysis identified aspects where environmental performance can be improved.”

Karlsson adds the audit found 78 per cent of kikki.K’s annual greenhouse gas emissions were from the business using coal generated electricity.  “We plan to reduce our overall energy use and we’re also converting to 100 per cent renewable energy across the business, in all of our 17 stores and in our head office,” she says.  “This will in effect neutralise greenhouse gas emissions associated with our electricity usage. The increased expense is significant but we’re not going to sit around and wait for the government to tell us to do it.  On a personal level I have measured my own household carbon emissions and paid to offset them,” she says. “The cost was around six hundred dollars for 12 months and I'm now doing what I can at home to use less energy and reduce my household carbon emissions, including changing to 100 per cent renewable electricity.”

kikki.K’s audit identified air travel for research & development as the second biggest greenhouse gas contributor.  Travel will now be kept to a minimum and flights will be offset with the purchase of carbon credits.  “Our primary focus will be to reduce our consumption of anything that produces greenhouse gases, but we’ll offset any emissions that can’t be eliminated by investing in offsetting projects run by environmental firms Easy Being Green, Greening Australia and Climate Positive,” says Karlsson.

Environmental firm Easy Being Green’s Carbon Neutral Manager Ilja Jutte says emissions are offset by running accredited energy efficient programs that install energy-saving technologies, such as CFL globes, into homes and businesses and by educating people at the same time.  “These projects not only have environmental benefits, but also positive social and commercial outcomes,” she says.

kikki.K is a multi-award winning business that has built a reputation for innovation in design and retail, but Karlsson hopes this new venture will inspire others in a new more meaningful way.  “If everyone takes part, we can make an impact in the time frame needed. I couldn’t think of a more meaningful thing for us all to put our energy into right now.”

Recently in Brandish

• WES gets CGJ
• First fix the culture
• A glimpse inside a future Coles
• Individuated consumption

When blog becomes flog

Posting a favourable review of your business under the disguise of a fake identity can have nasty consequences.  John Mackey, co-founder and chief executive of Whole Foods, posted anonymously about his company and the acquisition target Wild Oats Markets on the Yahoo stock market boards beginning in 1999 until last year. Using the pseudonym "Rahodeb" - an anagram of his wife's name, Deborah - he routinely bashed Wild Oats, posting nuggets such as "OATS has no value and no future."   

Not too bad?  If two thirds of Americans consider a company’s business practices when deciding what to buy, blotting the copybook may have far reaching consequences.

Retailwire is running a discussion about the postings.

Retail briefs

• Shoppers enjoy buying groceries 
• JC Penney expanding - but not in centres
• In 1900 the largest single industry in New York, by far, was clothing manufacturing.  It was three times larger than the second largest – sugar refining.  Nothing is constant
• Biofuels driving up spaghetti prices
• iPhone oops   
• Market share down to 12%? - not likely says Retravision
• David Jones ups profit guidance on accelerating sales
• Harvey Norman sales up 16.5% 
• Country Road posts a 15.9% rise in full year sales
• How magazines use photoshop
• It is a legal requirement for employers in the federal system to supply the Workplace Relations Fact Sheet to their employees. This legal obligation takes effect from the 20 July 2007.  For new employees, they must receive it within 7 days of commencing work.  For current employees, the fact sheet must be provided by 20 October 2007.  Copies of the sheet can be obtained here