Ethics in retail: casualty or cornerstone?

Retail business ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been hot topics on the retail agenda in recent years. As retailers have extended their reach, leveraging production, manufacturing and supply chains resources from a growing list of developed and developing countries, there has been extensive recent media coverage of retail with an increasingly ethical and CSR focus, for example in relation to the detrimental environmental effects of palm oil production, concerns about live animal transportation, the use of illegally logged timbers in furniture production, depleted fishing stocks, overseas working conditions and domestic supplier / retailer relations. Download the full article here!

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Member profile: WELLCOM

As business moves toward greater integration of all messages to its customers there are opportunities for greater efficiencies which may ultimately result in time and resource savings, an improved and more effective communication and potentially costs savings. Wellcom offers its clients a total range of services including design services and cross-media adaptations, 3D and 2D illustration, photography and creative retouching, online and digital services, TVC production, video and animation, Pre-media, image and asset libraries and online workflow processes. The following article makes for interesting reading and you are encouraged to contact WELLCOM to see how they may benefit your business. Read Article

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Does one size Conveniently fit all?

Jeff Rogut July 2012 There was an article recently published in ‘The Australian’ which highlights the diversity of population locations across Australia. The article reported: The suburb with 43pc Poms: it’s our own Little Britain by: Bernard Salt From:The Australian July 19, 201212:00AM DRAWING on figures released last week from the 2011 census, I have identified this nation’s leading ethnicity hotspots. Read More

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AACS Convenience Leaders program

AACS held its first very successful Convenience Leaders Program at the Sebel Heritage, Yarra Valley on the 10th – 12th July. This program was attended by a terrific mix of convenience retailers and suppliers. There was a first class range of speakers and presenters including: Geoff Wright, Joanne Marriott and Cris Popp from Idria / AIM; Mark Johnston from him! Australia, Warren Wilmot CEO of 7-Eleven Australia, Steve Ogden – Barnes of Deakin University, Peter Boyce from TMG, John Roach of PMA, Roy Tavenor of RED Design, and Jeff Rogut of AACS. Topics covered strategy, innovation, the emerging convenience customer, social media, the produce opportunity for convenience stores as well as a Biz-game simulation. A special presenter for the program was Dr Nancy Caldarola, head of education from NACS Café in the USA who presented on the evolving Foodservice opportunity globally and what this means for our for Convenience Retailers…

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Attracting and Retaining Staff in the Convenience Industry – Keys to Success

The retail industry is a large and very important contributor to the Australian economy. Over the last decade, the Australian retail industry has experienced a number of significant changes, evolving to become one of the country’s major economic forces. In 2010, Australian retail sales reached $214 billion, an increase of 1.9% from 2009. Further, the retail trade sector is the highest-employing industry within the Australian economy, employing almost 1.2 million people and accounting for around 10.7 percent of the total Australian workforce. Retail is a dynamic industry, with constant changes to consumer preferences and the competitive landscape. Difficult economic conditions following the global financial crisis (GFC) have placed further strain on Australian retailers, with consumer confidence and discretionary spending decreasing as a result. The challenge for retailers therefore remains a focus on differentiation as a means of achieving long-term competitive advantage in an increasingly globalised landscape. Within retail this advantage…

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AACS Member Profile: ParcelPoint

Working with convenience retailers to ease delivery pain for online shoppers. The demand for services continues and ParcelPoint is delivering such a service for retailers and consumers. As online shopping approaches fever pitch in Australia, ParcelPoint estimates that more than 40 million deliveries will fail this year because no one is home. In response to growing consumer frustration with missed deliveries, ParcelPoint has established an easier way for busy consumers to receive their parcels – at their local convenience store, when it suits them. ParcelPoint is a simple concept – customers deliver to a local store, receive an email or SMS notification when their parcel arrives and then collect when it suits them. ParcelPoint locations include convenience stores, newsagencies and grocery stores. Locations are selected based on accessibility with many open 7 days and after-hours. “We all dread receiving a calling card because it’s generally inconvenient to collect a parcel…

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