The announcement came today, with Responsys set to work across each of the online retailer’s digital marketing programs including web, social and display. A core focus of this will be transforming collected data into actionable intelligence to effectively boost OO’s customer retention strategy.

Underpinned by cross-channel marketing platform Responsys Interact Suite, OO.com.au will unveil an integrated CRM program across its multiple channels to efficiently capture customer data. This will not only prove more time and resource efficient, but will aim to bolster customer relations and effectively target users based on behaviours and preferences.

“Our goal is to make online shopping an absolute joy. We are confident that with Responsys’ expertise we have the right strategies in place to foster long term relationships with our customers, maximise growth opportunities and consolidate our position at the forefront of online retail in Australia,” shared Alfredo Caballero, Online Marketing Manager at OO.

“The Responsys automation platform is a perfect fit for oo.com.au’s huge 24/7 retail business. We can now digest customer information in a more efficient way, gather actionable insights and have a far clearer visibility of the initiatives that will drive results for our business.”

Paul Cross, President of Responsys Asia Pacific, also added, “In today’s competitive retail landscape, companies need to shift their focus from mass acquisition marketing to engaging consumers and building long lasting relationships.”

As Australia’s largest online retailer, the move to enhance their digital marketing strategy demonstrates OO’s desire to continually innovate and stay ahead of the pack. This partnership is hoped to deliver effective results in customer retention and ultimately drive the business forward heading into the second half of the year.

The post Digital Marketing Strategy Overhaul for OO.com.au appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

Katies, Millers, City Chic, Autograph and Crossroads will now enter into a deal that will see their product display advertising being distributed among fashion blogs and other online publishers, who will in turn be able to claim commissions on every new, confirmed customer purchase. The network of publishers will be provided and maintained exclusively by Commission Factory.

The E-Commerce Manager for Specialty Fashion Group, Tom McLaughlin has expressed his enthusiasm for the potential of the initiative.

“We are a growing e-commerce business and embracing affiliates is simply the next step in our online evolution.With experience in the UK market, I know the effectiveness of affiliate marketing; giving fantastic ROI and incremental sales online.”

Various forms of performance-based marketing are becoming more popular for digital marketers and the brands they work with, as they are generally considered low-risk and can create considerable returns. Companies such as Specialty Fashion Group have recognised the potential of the channel not just as a means to get eyes on the page, but also to receive quantifiable results.

“Traffic, sales and ROI will be the ‘everyday measures’ in terms of quantifying effectiveness. But then, looking deeper into the channel brand recognition, increased profitability and, most of all, customer lifetime value will be looked at in-depth as the program matures over the coming years on a monthly or quarterly basis,” said McLaughlin.

Commission Factory Director, Zane McIntyre commented on the potential for affiliate marketing in the Australian online landscape.

“Affiliate marketing has such enormous potential in the Australian marketplace and we’re really glad to have Specialty Fashion Group on board. What it tells us is that it is a company that has come from the traditional bricks and mortar showrooms to the online space and is now looking at how it can increase its reach and brand awareness.”

The exclusive partnership further reveals the growth of the performance marketing industry in Australia, where retailers are not just looking to make the shift online, but also how to effectively market that online presence.

To find out more about Affiliate Marketing and how it can increase your brand’s profitability, download our Special Report on the topic.

The post Specialty Fashion Group Turns to Affiliate Marketing appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

Many community-minded individuals will be well versed in charitable pursuits, however it’s not always that members of competing companies within the same industry get together and combine forces for the good of others. However, that’s exactly what the PeSA Charity Gala aims to do, according to organisers Chris Morley and Phil Leahy.

“Last year the event raised more than $89,000 for the Reach Foundation – a figure that was previously thought unachievable – however I know now that you simply can’t underestimate the power of a community coming together under the spirit of giving,” says Morley. “Helping to enrich the lives of underprivileged youths is a feeling I won’t forget anytime soon.”

The Dinner’s charitable aspect hinges around a silent raffle for small prizes, as well as the auctioning off of major prizes, which the organisers have indicated are well worth splurging on.

“So far we will be auctioning a day to spend with Gabby Leibovich and the Catch team, a dinner with Paul Greenberg and a NORA board member, as well as an eBay store subscription and design templates,” says Leahy.

However, the organisers are still looking for further prizes to be donated to the cause.

“We’re asking any brands that could use a little extra brand exposure to come forward with a unique product or service they might care to donate to the cause,” explains Leahy. “Any donations under $3,000 in value will be part of the evening’s silent raffle, with all proceeds going to the Reach Foundation.”

Ruslan Kogan, Gabby Leibovich and Paul Greenberg at the Charity Gala in 2012.

Even if you can’t afford to donate anything to the prize pool, the PeSA team is encouraging all members of the online retailing community to be a part of the night’s festivities by joining them and 300+ guests at the PeSA Gala Dinner.

“We’ve changed the format this year to ensure the night will be even better than past events,” says Leahy. “We’ll have a delicious, constant grazing selection, with ‘tastes of the world’ from over five different countries and even more great networking opportunities for everyone involved.”

When: 7pm, Thursday May 30.

Where: Gold Coast Exhibition and Convention Centre

For more details regarding how to donate, or even to attend the evening, please contact Phil Leahy at phil@ome.net.au.

The post PeSA Gala Night Aims to Break Records for Reach Foundation appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

According to The Mirror, accounts show that Amazon’s UK arm handed over just £2.4 million in corporation tax, but received in excess of £2.5 million in taxpayer-funded government grants in 2012. The grants are reported to originate specifically from the Scottish Government to help fund a new distribution centre for the company.

Chairwoman for the government spending watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee’s Margaret Hodge described Amazon’s tax contribution as a “joke”.

“Its behaviour is not only unfair, it is anti-competitive – putting British ­businesses that do pay their proper tax at a disadvantage,” Hodge said.

The Luxury of Luxembourg

Amazon has already faced a high level of scrutiny following its decision to transfer ownership of its British arm to the tax haven of Luxembourg, while reclassifying its UK subsidiary as being purely for “order fulfilment” and therefore avoiding certain taxes for supporting the 2,265 staff there.

The global firm has paid just £6 million in corporation taxes over the past 10 years.

Chief of the Taxpayer’s Alliance, Matthew Sinclair calls for significant tax reforms in light of the news.

“Tiny ­corporate tax bills for firms like Amazon at a time of huge ones for hard-pressed families will go down like a lead balloon, but only serious tax reform will fix our broken tax system.”

In response, British Prime Minister David Cameron has stated that the government was ready to take action against the tax havens that have thus far allowed companies to avoid taxes. Amazon, however, remains unfazed.

“Amazon pays all applicable taxes in every ­jurisdiction that it operates within,” a spokesperson for Amazon has said.

Paddy’s Apple

In other news, Apple has also come under fire recently for its European tax status, having not paid any corporate income tax at all for its regional operations over the last five years.

A 40-page memorandum has been submitted to the US Senate, in which a subcommittee detailed its findings regarding Apple’s European taxation manoeuvres. The subcommittee identified three Apple subsidiaries that have no tax residency in Ireland (where they are incorporated) or the US (where they are managed).

According to The International Business Times, the report states that “Ireland has essentially functioned as a tax haven for Apple”.

The Irish Deputy Prime Minster, Eamon Gilmore has responded by insisting Ireland is not to blame for any discrepancies.

“They are issues that arise from the taxation systems in other jurisdictions, and that is an issue that has to be addressed first of all in those jurisdictions,” Gilmore said.

The post Amazon’s Amazing UK Tax Swindle appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

Hellman’s Mayonnaise worked with the supermarket chain to implement the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology on shopping trolleys. It has been estimated the ‘Recipe Cart’ campaign resulted in mayonnaise sales increases close to 70 percent for the company. The touchscreen tablets offered up recipes if a customer placed a Hellman’s product in the trolley. The device used the customer’s exact location to offer relevant recipes and provide location information for the required ingredients. Social media sharing capabilities were also included to increase the interaction levels.

The supermarket sector continues to innovate in the omni-channel world. Locally, Woolworths launched its Tullamarine Airport click-and-collect service that allows customers to pick up their groceries when disembarking a flight. Coles has also been trailing tablets at its Southland store in Victoria.

Watch the below video to see the ‘Recipe Cart’ campaign in action.

The post Brazilian Supermarket Serves up Recipes on Tablet Devices appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

India’s online retail sector is looking at staff retrenchment as a means to bring gross margins out of the negative, with focus shifting from customer acquisition, which is estimated to use 70 percent of revenue.

“The period of land-grabbing is over. Now there is investor pressure to achieve efficiency and positive economics per transaction,” said Pearl Uppal, co-founder of early stage investment firm 5Ideas, in an interview with The Economic Times in India.

Reports indicate nearly 250 employees from Flipkart’s supply chain, logistics and call centre teams received their marching orders, representing approximately one-tenth of the workforce, with a similar number being laid off by Jabong, hitting harder with under 1,000 staff in total. Inkfruit, an apparel portal acquired by web retailer Zovi.com last year, has also had to follow a similar course of action with its employees.

“People are being let off every month,” said former Flipkart employee, who was retrenched last month.

In conflict to the revelations above, The Economic Times article also revealed that Jabong’s co-founder Praveen Sinha has admitted to only laying off 20 employees to date, and that both Jabong and Flipkart continue to hire. This is perhaps further indication of the turmoil within the sector at present.

Regardless of the actual numbers, the push to retrench has been nudged along due to pressure on Indian e-commerce firms to alter their business models to comply with regulations. As it currently stands, online ventures receiving foreign investment are prohibited from selling brands from multiple vendors direct to their customers.

To get around this, many retailers are making changes, adopting a marketplace model allowing them to aggregate multiple brands on their sites. This, however, has added to the push to reduce workforce numbers.

“A marketplace model requires fewer employees, leading to the current spate of lay-offs,” according to an industry executive.

Companies wanting to invest in the online retail sector in India are insisting that companies shift their focus to profitability.

“Companies cannot lose money in terms of high direct costs,” said Rahul Khanna, Managing Director of Canaan Partners, an investor for firms including Naaptol and Instacart.

It’s not all doom and gloom in the Indian e-commerce sector. Despite gross margins in the negative, the retail sector is showing signs of positive growth, with revenue estimated to reach Rs 10,000 crore from Rs 6,500 crore in 2013, according to the Internet and Mobile Association of India.

The post India’s Online Retail Workforce Downsizes appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

She replaces Nick Leeder, who announced his departure earlier this year and is now Country Director for Google France.

The post Google Appoints New ANZ Head – Maile Carnegie from P & G appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

GRANT: What is NORA’s vision ?

PAUL: NORA is an industry association and advocacy body, committed to the well-being and prosperity of Australian retail, by:

• Being committed to the consumer – and allowing true choice across retail channels
• Helping the next generation of Australian retailers blossom
• Enabling the next phase of growth for established online retailers – helping them to achieve scale and market leadership
• Driving industry and regulatory change to enable ecommerce growth
• Supporting the re-skilling of a ‘traditional’ retail workforce so that they can participate in online growth

NORA’s establishment was derived from three simple questions: 1) Does the “ new” Australian retail need a voice? 2) Was that voice being provided by current industry assocations? 3) And could I make the transtion from working in a business ( Paul was the co-founder of DealsDirect), to working on an industry. I ticked the proverbial boxes, have established an outstanding foundation board and the journey began at the beginning of this year.

GRANT: Who else is on the Board at NORA?

PAUL: I report into the most dynamic board I have ever worked with. Six fabulous entrepreneurial retailers, representing the very best of the “ new” retail in Australia. They are:

John Winning: At just 28 years of age John Winning is CEO of Winning Group, a family-owned, Australian retail entity driven by a single-minded focus on the satisfaction of its clients and customers. The retail group incorporates five distinct business entities: century-old traditional bricks and mortar retailer Winning Appliances, online retailers Appliances Online, Big Brown Box, and Powerbuys, national installation company Handy Crew and national online food community Best Home Chef. The Winning Group has cultivated an enviable reputation over a 100-year history and John has played a vital role in successfully integrating innovative business practice with traditional standards of excellence – his strategy and vision for the future will ensure the group continues to hold a dynamic presence in the retail market.

Michael Fox: Michael is the director of operations and Co-founder of Shoes of Prey, a leading innovator in Australian ecommerce and shoe retail. Prior to that Michael held key sales executive roles at Google Australia. He was part of the graduate program with Super Cheap Auto. Michael commenced his legal career with Clayton Utz. He has a Bcomm LLB from the University of Queensland and an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management. Michael was the recipient of the 2012 Online Retail Industry Award -Industry Recognition Award.

Mark Coulter: Mark is the co-founder and principal of ArdenPoint Group, which has Temple and Webster and ParcelPoint in its stable, and other dynamic and growing start-ups. Prior to that, Mark held various executive roles at News Limited, Mckinsey and Co, and started his legal career at Gilbert and Tobin. Mark is a lawyer by profession with a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Sydney.

Carl Jackson: Carl Jackson, is the CEO of ozsale.com.au Australia’s largest online shopping club and part of the APAC SALE Group. The group has over 7 million members and operates in New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. A retailer with more than 20 years of operational, sales and commercial management experience across a number of private equity backed UK businesses. Having witnessed the explosive growth in online retailing in Europe Carl moved to Australia to support his brother and exploit the online opportunity in Australia and SE Asia.

Jane Cay: Jane is the founder of Birdsnest.com.au, a pioneer Australian retail brand, with its headquarters in rural New South Wales. Prior to that she worked at IBM consulting on e- Business strategies. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales in Information Systems.

Sally-Anne Newson: As an eCommerce entrepreneur and manager, Sally-Anne has lent her leadership skills to a range of roles within the retail industry. In her current role as Country Manager for global fashion giant ASOS.com in Australia, she established the first ever in-country team for the retailer. In the 14 years before that, Sally-Anne has worked in management roles for BIG W, eBay and Woolworths.

And my background as CEO and member of the board is I am the  co-founder and a non-executive director of the DealsDirect Group. I am also a strategic advisor to a portfolio of start-up technology brands. I have a Bachelor’s Degree and Honours Degree in Psychology, I am a registered psychologist, and a member of the Australian Psychological Society. I was also honoured and humbled to be the recipient of the inaugural Industry Recognition Award at the Online Retail Industry Awards (2011) for services to the growth and development of online retail in Australia.

GRANT: So my understanding is these are all pureplay online retailers, with the exception of birdsnest who does have a store but the bulk of sales come via online. Does that mean NORA is only open to online retailers?

PAUL: Definitely not. I see NORA as a “ broad church” , an inclusive industry association that recognizes the diversity of Australia’s retail ecosystem. But also recognizes that the future of Australia’s retail renaissance will be a technology led one, with a very strong footprint in the powerful consumer direct model. But I wanted the founding board to represent the edgy and dynamic ‘ new’ retailers. Forward facing entrepreneurs who recognize and embrace change. Who are open and responsive and not trying to protect a patch. To be frank , the term “ online” has got a very limited shelf life and I think NORA will change its name, sooner than later. But we have to start somewhere, and I think so called online retailers have certainly helped the more established retailers move into the 21st century.

GRANT: So will be more established retailers be able to join NORA board?

PAUL: Most certainly. Our constitution ensures board rotation every twelve months. This ensures the thought leadership and direction is dynamic, and we would most certainly welcome nominations from  more established retailers. I am talking with most retailers from the bigger end of town, and they have all been very supportive. Let’s face it, every retailer has a digital strategy now. A customer in your store with a smartphone means you have a digital strategy whether you like it or not!

GRANT: So how are you progressing?

PAUL: Great. We have just had a deep dive NORA design session, led by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), who have done a lot of pro bono work for NORA.  The NORA board was joined by key executives from the key foundation pillars of the new Australian retail. Australia Post – leaders in supply chain and distribution in the new consumer direct retail, eBay – Still the dominant marketplace leaders in Australia, incubating many new Australian retailers as well as building channels to market with existing ones, Oracle – A technology business looking to invest heavily in Australian new retail, Telstra – Hoping to lead the field in mobile commerce, the fastest growing channel in retail history, plus we have had strong interest from many others. We are finalizing foundation support from some these partners. Although NORA is a not for profit association , it is not looking for donation, it looking for participation.  These early foundation partners by getting behind NORA’s early journey are putting their flag in the sand as supporters and beneficiaries of the new retail in Australia.

GRANT: So are you open for membership?

PAUL: Yes indeed, we are now open for membership, and the groundswell of interest has been overwhelming. They key stakeholders include all Australian retailers, big and small, service providers in this vast retail tapestry, educational institutions looking to ensure relevant content in their curriculums, individuals, consumer groups, government and regulators. Interested participants can go to www.nora.org.au or email myself paul@nora.org.au or our head of partnerships and memberhip, Helena, Helena@nora.org.au . Our administrative association management is being handled by Clems, an Australian leader in association management.

GRANT: What are the member benefits?

PAUL:  Like any new industry association, this is broad, dynamic and will be responsive to member needs. But from a high level perspective the value proposition for members is simply this: “Become a more resilient & successful business through access to exclusive knowledge and networks focused on succeeding in the ‘new’ digital world of retail”. Our key focus areas include:

Activities – Presentations at successful online retailer headquarters. Tour their offices and hear from the founders how they’ve built successful online retail businesses Eg. OzSale, Appliances Online, DealsDirect, Birds Nest, ASOS and Shoes of Prey, Temple and Webster, and others.

Education -  “Getting Started Online” education series with sessions covering best practices on:  Is your offer compelling? (Product differentiation), – Building your website, Logistics, Online marketing, Customer Service

Guides to international success. Identify the markets suitable to your business and learn how to launch there

Access to industry-leading expertise across the whole e-commerce spectrum. Insights into the very latest technologies, consumer behaviour and working practices and best practice advice and guidance from our community of e-commerce experts. This would include member forums

Insights, Data & Benchmarking:  access to industry benchmarks and other data (eg average margins; average 3PL costs; freight comparison costs etc)

Insights into the very latest technologies, consumer behaviour and working practices

Compliance, Regulatory guidance: Setting standards and encouraging compliance with Australian Consumer Law across the industry. A Code of Conduct, supported by a seal of approval, ensures that the ‘ tide rises all boats’

Aggregated independent feedback for ACCC re supplier issues (supply restrictions, refusal to supply, resale price maintenance)

White-listing help with email providers. Membership of NORA helps with your whitelist status with the ISP’s

Policy: access to government and other regulators for key policy initiatives

Member advocacy for key issues that have wider industry implications

Other benefits include Invitations to exclusive networking events, supplier directories with member benefits (eg member only packages), bulk aggregate discounts on things like merchant fees,  freight etc, Discounts to Online Retailer, Internet Conference and other conferences, expert advice on compliance, IR or other key regulatory issues that impact the industry.

These member benefits will also likely vary by type of retailer. For example the value proposition for start-ups and early growth companies will be centred around information sharing and networking opportunities (eg incubation resources, access to knowledge and tools). Whereas the value proposition for a larger, more established retailer will be tightly connected to driving growth and positioning Australian retailers for long term success (eg access to market share data; international expansion help; ability to influence commentary and positioning of market insights & policy).

In summary, NORA is a catalyst for collaboration and will be responsive to the dynamic nature of changing retail and that of its members. This will be reflected in dynamic and meaningful membership benefit.

GRANT: What do you see as the key issues for online retail that NORA needs to address?

PAUL: Well, with the current breakneck pace of change, there are more questions than answers in the current retail shift. But our early consultation with retailers, consumers and service providers has produced a varied list of issues. They would include:

-          The conversation around the lower value threshold for imported products is up there. NORA’s quick view is that any actions that are seen to be punitive to the Australian shopper would reflect poorly on Australian retail. the bigger question is how do Australian retailers meet, indeed exceed, the current offshore experience. We don’t think it will be easy, but most certainly doable. Seventy five percent of Australian online shopping is still domestic, a great base to build on. We think broader consultation with the consumer, Australian consumer groups, the collection agencies, retailers and a fresh voice to the debate will ensure broadly congruent outcomes.

-          Talent gap – We think “ new” retail with its technology smarts is perfectly suited to the ‘ clever country’ in the Asian century, but only if we use the advantage. There is a concern from our board and stakeholders that more needs to be done at schools and universities , as well as within the retail skills base, to up skill and grow the talent pool to support the new retail. Engineers, developers, entrepreneurs, innovators, supply chain experts are all crucial players in the new retail.

-          Global expansion – two of our board, Shoes of Prey and Ozsale , both new businesses have expanded quickly and successfully, globally. A more proactive and dynamic response than closing off borders. The world is now Australian retail’s oyster. Do we open it and unlock the pearl?

But these are just a small sample of the conversations currently on the boil. NORA wants to be a catalyst for collaboration and I would personally be very keen to hear from anyone who has constructive commentary on the way to support Australian retail in all its forms. My email again is paul@nora.org.au and my mobile is 0419 979 474. Our offices are in Chatswood,  NSW.

GRANT: So what are the big trends? How do you perceive the state of Australian retail? Is there opportunity amongst the disruption?

PAUL:  We could talk all day about trends, but I think we would have to agree that the four big levers of the new retail  are still mobile, social, personal(ization) , local. I was at Internet Retailer in Chicago in 2010 when Stephanie Tilenius of Google called these big four levers. I think time has proved her correct. I am also of the view that dynamic new retail is less to do with sourcing and more to do with staging, and less to do with content and more to do with context. But again, maybe the subject of another chat some time Grant. As far as disruption and opportunity, I believe they always go hand in hand. Of course we recognize that there will be , and have been, losers in the current retail shift. But I am very bullish about Australian retail in the future, as long as we respond dynamically and proactively to customer’s needs. The risk of inactivity is infinitely greater than the risk of activity. The train has left the station,  Australian retail needs to be in the front carriage. I believe we will be. The NORA board gives me great cause for optimism. They are incredible individuals.

GRANT: Paul, what else are you doing with yourself, besides NORA, since exiting DealsDirect?

PAUL:  Grant, I have never enjoyed my career as much as I am now. I have a portfolio career with NORA front and centre of that, but I also have a handful of board positions and advisories, focussed on dynamic , disruptive and entrepreneurial businesses and their founders. I have also invested in, and am non-executive chairman of, a dynamic mobile commerce play in Africa. I believe these side activities keep me relevant to the new retail and ensure I don’t become a dinosaur. Rather easy to do in these fast moving times!

GRANT: Thanks for the chat Paul. We look forward to seeing your mission evolve.

PAUL:  Grant, keep up the great work at Power Retail. We see Power Retail as the official media partner of NORA and the mouthpiece for the “ new “ Australian retail. I look forward to working with you and your team, now and in the future. I would also like to thank the early supporters of NORA. They are Online Retailer and PESA, the two must attend retail events on the annual calendar, Allen Overy the law firm who incorporated NORA and its constitution, PWC and The Difference for the NORA Design Sessions, Clems Association Management and the founding board for their potent contribution. And to all of those who have lent a hand, an opinion and encouragement so far.  Onwards and upwards!

The post One-on-One with Paul Greenberg, Head of NORA appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

Kate Langford, Head of Online Business Development for Woolworths Supermarkets, said that the brand recognised the consumer need following a holiday away.

“We know that going to the supermarket after a family holiday, business trip or long day of travel can be a chore for many customers,” she said. “This service is a new way that we can help to make our customers’ lives that little bit easier by giving them a very convenient way to shop.”

With the use of the Woolworths app, or the brand’s online store, customers are now able to place an order with the Melbourne Airport location in time for collection after disembarking their inbound flight.

“Our customers are increasingly embracing online and mobile platforms as a convenient and hassle free way to shop. The addition of Melbourne Airport to our already extensive click&collect service means that our customers can collect their groceries as soon as they walk out of the airport saving them time and allowing them to get home sooner.”

The company indicates that they chose Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport as the site of this new service because it’s not only the second busiest airport in the country, but also because the Sydney to Melbourne route is the fourth busiest route in the world.

“With approximately 80,000 passengers travelling through Melbourne Airport every day, we know the Woolworths airport click&collect service will appeal to many busy travellers,” said Chris Woodruff, CEO for Melbourne Airport. ”In addition, the new service will provide a convenient way for the more than 14,000 people who work on the Melbourne Airport precinct to complete their grocery shopping.”

The ‘click&collect’ service has been set up in Melbourne Airport’s terminal forecourt allowing our customers to collect their groceries after they step off the plane. Customers can order their groceries up to seven days in advance and request to pick them up via click&collect at Melbourne Airport when they shop online or via the Woolworths app.

The addition of this new service means Woolworths is now able to provide customers with four convenient methods of collecting groceries, including direct deliveries, collect from store and drive-through options at selected outlets.

The post Woolworths Launches Airport Grocery Collection Service at Tullamarine appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.

The report detailed a spend of 352 billion yuan by Chinese shoppers, a drop of 17.1 percent from the previous quarter. The decline is being attributed to a series of high-profile sales promotions at the end of last year, which has caused shoppers to be ‘spent out’.

Some of the country’s leading e-commerce websites, including Tmall, JD and Suning, tempted customers to spend big in the last two months of 2012, boosting online sales with turnover for the fourth quarter reported at 424.9 billion yuan. iResearch data shows this was a notable increase of more than 100 billion yuan compared to the previous quarter.

“Several large-scale promotional campaigns at the end of 2012 consumed buyer’s purchasing power – that’s the major reason for the decline,” said iResearch analyst Zhang Jing.

Despite the drop in sales, iResearch still predict annual turnover to reach 1.85 trillion yuan, as Chinese shoppers are increasingly purchasing online. The China Internet Network Information Center statistics indicate that 242 million Chinese were shopping online by the end of 2012.

“We estimate the turnover increase of China’s online shopping industry will be around 40 percent year-on-year in coming quarters,” said Jing. “I would not be surprised if turnover breaks 425 million yuan in the second quarter.”

In support of this optimistic outlook, a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers survey reported that 58 percent of Chinese people shop online at least once a week, against a global average of 30 percent, placing them amongst the world’s most frequent online shoppers.

Tmall, owned by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, was the country’s largest B2C portal, generating more than half of the sales in the sector for 2012, followed by JD. The steady growth in the market has turned Alibaba into China’s most profitable online company, with net profits 80 percent higher for the last quarter of 2012.

“Future competition among e-commerce websites will no longer just be about price — players will focus on lifting service quality to attract customers,” Zhang added.

The post New Report Reveals Decline in Online Retail Turnover for China appeared first on Power Retail - Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community.