Retail News CRM

Tag: Australia

  • Optus Wholesale launches home wireless broadband

    Optus Wholesale launches home wireless broadband

    Australia’s Optus Wholesale has added home wireless broadband to its product suite for MVNOs utilizing the Optus 4G network.

    The Optus subsidiary is providing the service to give wholesale customers the ability to provide home wireless broadband as an alternative to fixed broadband, particularly in areas where the national broadband network (NBN) has not yet been deployed.

    The company will provide a home wireless broadband kit with a Huawei wireless modem and SIM card included.

    Optus Wholesale customer Exetel will be the first company to roll out the new product.

    The company says the service will deliver speeds of 12Mbps down and 1Mbps up in metropolitan areas where there is 2300-MHz coverage, or 5Mbps down 1Mbps up where this coverage is not available.

    Speeds will be capped to 256Mbps once the maximum data allowance included in the plan is reached.

    “We work closely with our partners to deliver a service that will improve customer experience, and we’ve developed this following market demand for a more flexible solution,” Optus Wholesale VP of marketing John Castro said.

    “Home Wireless Broadband is an alternative to fixed broadband, so our wholesale partners are now able to offer a solution for people living in areas where NBN has not yet been rolled out or for people that like a plug and play option for their home internet service.”

    Optus Wholesale already provides fixed broadband services for wholesale customers. Parent company Optus is Australia’s second largest mobile operator, and is itself a wholly-owned Singtel subsidiary.

    Lees ook:

  • 7-Eleven opens 500th fuel store

    7-Eleven opens 500th fuel store

    Convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, has opened its 500th fuel store at Burpengary in Queensland on Thursday, bringing its total network size to more than 670stores across Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.

    Braeden Lord, 7-Eleven’s general manager retail operations, said that the new store was one of 40 new stores the company planned to open before the end of 2017, including 20 in Queensland.

    “We are experiencing solid growth in our network with 40 stores opening this calendar year, about half of those in Queensland,” Lord said.

    “We have another approximately 40 stores planned for 2018. The combination of our customer focused convenience offer, quality Mobil brand fuels, and the wonderful team members in our stores, positions us well to continue to grow our network.”

    Lord said the company continues to innovate to ensure it meets the needs of its customers and giving consumers choice was critical to achieving that.

    “As a business we are investing to develop new products and services, and we also look for opportunities to work with our suppliers to bring new offers and innovations to the channel,” he said. “It’s a real focus for us to not only offer the products and services consumers expect from us today, such as snacks, drinks and quality fuels, but also to be looking to what they might want from us in the future, such as food on the go including healthy options, and in-store services such as parcel lockers and digital products.”

    The new Burpengary store’s offer includes the 7-Eleven Iced Coffee which lets customers make their own drink with freshly ground coffee and fresh cold milk, and the new 7-Eleven sushi range.

    Customers will also be able to take advantage of the company’s fuel app to save when they fill up with Mobil brand fuels. The fully additised fuels include Supreme Plus 98, Extra 95, Special E10, Special Unleaded 91 and Special Diesel.

    Approximately 700,000 consumers have downloaded the 7-Eleven Fuel App and in the 18 months since its launch have saved more than $2 million.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • AirAsia X celebrates a decade of long-haul service at Gold Coast

    AirAsia X celebrates a decade of long-haul service at Gold Coast

    Low-cost carrier AirAsia X celebrated its 10th anniversary on Thursday at its maiden destination – Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

    Since its first flight in Nov. 2, 2007, AirAsia X, the long-distance arm of the region’s biggest budget carrier, has flown over 1.8 million passengers between Kuala Lumpur and Gold Coast.

    From the initial four weekly flights, the airline now flies 11 times a week between the two cities.

    Kuala Lumpur-Gold Coast was AirAsia X’s very first route before Melbourne and Perth were added a year later, followed by Sydney in 2012.

    “We have grown from strength to strength since our inception in 2007, having flown more than 30 million passengers to over 25 destinations in different regions, including more than 12 million guests to and from Australia alone,” AirAsia X Malaysia CEO Benyamin Ismail told a gathering at Skypoint’s private function.

    He said the company’s growth focus would be on tapping underserved markets and high-traffic routes.

    Executive General Manager of Business Development and Marketing at Queensland Airports Paul Donovan said AirAsia X was Gold Coast airport’s first long-haul international carrier to Asia when they started operating 10 years ago.

    “That was a game changing moment and it gave Gold Coasters an affordable and convenient travel option to Asia and, just as importantly, put the growing Asian market within easy reach for us,” he said.

    Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter said that air connectivity remains the most important factor in driving demand out of Asia. AirAsia X has provided a valuable gateway to the Gold Coast, ferrying international passengers from Asia and New Zealand, both important sources of visitors.

    Lees ook:

  • Telstra adds SD-WAN to Programmable Network

    Telstra adds SD-WAN to Programmable Network

    Australian operator Telstra has expanded the capability of its Telstra Programmable Network service with the introduction of a software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) and virtual branch.

    In partnership with VeloCloud, an SD-WAN provider based in the US, Telstra has introduced the ability for businesses to shift their branch network to the cloud. Telstra announced an investment in VeloCloud through its Telstra Ventures subsidiary in March.

    Business customers can achieve the migration by deploying a  single Juniper Networks Universal CPE device on site and using a marketplace of virtual network functions to self-provision bandwidth and required services.

    “Cloud adoption continues to grow and new WAN architectures such as Hybrid and SD-WAN are rapidly evolving. We are unlocking this technology for our customers who depend on having the fastest and most highly available digital experiences possible,” Telstra Global Products executive director Michelle Bendschneider said.

    “Businesses need to constantly adjust in a rapidly evolving technical world, so we really looked at this release from a customer’s perspective with flexibility front of mind. The addition of SD-WAN provides a more intelligent layer to that flexibility, enabling customers to do more with their network as they digitally transform their business and scale and deploy additional applications when and where they need to.”

    She said Telstra plans to offer both VeloCloud SD-WAN as a virtual network function and SD-WAN as a more traditional physical solution in recognition of the fact that there is no one sized fixed all approach to business networks.

    The Telstra Programmable Network is available in over 30 countries in Asia, EMEA and North America.

    Lees ook:

  • Debenhams kicks off at St Collins Lane

    Debenhams kicks off at St Collins Lane

    British retailer Debenhams has kicked off in the Australian market, today launching its first local department store at St Collins Lane in Melbourne.

    The heritage name said it has taken a deliberate shift away from the traditional department store format in Australia and will offer exclusive brands in a small-format layout – across two storeys and 3600sqm – which represents a new concept specifically developed for the Australian market and draws on over two centuries of experience.

    “Debenhams St Collins Lane is not a traditional department store – it is a new destination for the contemporary customer in Australia,” said Graham Dean, managing director of Debenhams Australia.

    “Our research shows that a Debenhams customer wants to not only enjoy the latest seasonal trends, but find the right item at the right time, and always have our store at their fingertips.

    “They are also frustrated by traditional department stores with limited assistance on the floor, confusing layouts and unnecessary waiting times.

    “We will complement world-class service and in-store services such as a style suite, beauty rooms, mobile POS and a café, with a new Debenhams Australia mobile app that will provide a better experience and ensure we are always there, where-ever and whenever our customers need us.”

    Dean told Inside Retail that the UK brand has curated a bespoke merchandising mix to the Melbourne demographic, both in mix and format.

    “We’re not a traditional department store in the way that you would view a David Jones, Myer, or indeed a Debenhams back in the UK. This is a new format, new proposition to market. A curated offer with majority exclusive products.”

    The smaller format is an aspect that the head office in the UK will be monitoring closely, with key executives set to see first-hand how the store is performing while in town attending the upcoming Melbourne Cup.

    “They definitely see this as the way of the future for department stores and super keen to see how it trades.”

    The offering will include an extensive collection of women’s and men’s apparel, sleepwear and intimates, athleisure, accessories and contemporary homewares, along with established beauty and fragrance brands including the likes of MAC, Tom Ford, Bobbi Brown, Gucci, Chloe and Valentino.

    The Designers at Debenhams collection for women and men will offer exclusive brands not available anywhere else in Australia and feature J by Jasper Conran, Star by Julien Macdonald, Nine by Savannah Miller, Butterfly by Matthew Williamson and Kate Middleton favourite, No. 1 Jenny Packham.

    Debenhams St Collins Lane will join a portfolio of 243 Debenhams stores across 28 countries worldwide, and supports the retailer’s Debenhams Redesigned global strategy launched in early 2017 to drive the business forward.

    The store will anchor the new St Collins Lane retail precinct, in a popular area of the Melbourne CBD considered by many to be the city’s traditional home of fashion and beauty.

    “The opening of Debenhams St Collins Lane is an evolution of our success with the Australian market, with online sales to Australia already the largest outside of the United Kingdom,” Mr Dean said.

    “There are more than 840,000 people in the Melbourne CBD every day and more than 2.2 million international visitors to the city each year, many of whom would have already been a customer in one of our Debenhams stores around the world.

    “We have a track record of getting retail right, and we are confident in this new offering for Australia.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Australia’s Retail Food Group to target China

    Australia’s Retail Food Group to target China

    Australian-headquartered food and beverage retailer Retail Food Group says it will focus on greater China for its next phase of growth.

    RFG is Australia’s largest multi-brand retail food franchise owner, developer and manager, with a network of more than 2500 outlets across 12 brands and 81 territories. RFG CEO international, Mike Gilbert, says the company plans to introduce a selection of its coffee-based retail food brands to Chinese consumers.

    “We’re excited to replicate our successful Australian operations in the Chinese market and accelerate the growth of brands like Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Donut King, Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar, Brumby’s Bakery, Michel’s Patisserie, Pizza Capers Gourmet Kitchen, Cafe2U and It’s A Grind in the region,” he said.

    The company also owns the BB’s Cafe, Esquires, The Coffee Guy franchise systems and the premium Di Bella Coffee Co brand.

    Gilbert says RFG’s international expansion model is based on recruiting master franchise partners who purchase a license to develop a certain brand system in a defined territory, and provides the company and local partners with the opportunity to forge sustainable alliances.

    A key strategy driving the group’s global growth is its hub network, which provides a platform for fast-tracking coffee and brand system expansion in international markets, whilst also more efficiently servicing the company’s existing markets.

    RFG is developing a Middle East hub next year which it believes will help it expand quickly through the MENA region, whilst enabling the group to more efficiently service and grow brands  in the Gulf.

    “We currently have hubs in Australia, New Zealand and the US, and plans for the Middle East underway, and will be looking to replicate them in Asia and Europe,” said Gilbert.

  • Sephora to open new Highpoint Shopping Centre store next month

    Sephora to open new Highpoint Shopping Centre store next month

    Global beauty giant ,Sephora, is continuing its expansion in Australia as it opens its new store at Highpoint Shopping Centre on November 2.

    This will be the global retailer’s 13th Australian store and third in Victoria, (Melbourne Central and Chadstone).

    The new store will feature over 100 cosmetic brands including exclusive lines from Marc Jacobs Beauty, Givenchy, Tarte, Anastasia Beverly Hills and the new Fenty Beauty by Rihanna.

    “We can’t wait to bring another Sephora store to Victoria,” said Sephora country manager Libby Amelia.

    “The demand for more Melbourne stores has been considerable and we want to be able to meet the expectations of our local beauty aficionados. Highpoint Shopping Centre is a great fit for us and we’re looking forward to launching there next month.

    Sephora is also expanding its product offering in-store and online, with the recent launch of its new Wellness Category. The all-new Wellness Category features health and wellness brands including; KORA Organics, The Beauty Chef & WellCo.

  • AirAsia flight returns to Perth after mid-air scare

    AirAsia flight returns to Perth after mid-air scare

    An AirAsia Indonesia flight has been forced to turn back to Australia after pilots were alerted to a possible loss of cabin pressure, airport officials say. Flight QZ535, bound for the Indonesian island of Bali, changed course about 25 minutes after take-off on Sunday.

    The Airbus A320, carrying 151 people, landed safely at Perth Airport. AirAsia said the flight experienced a “technical issue”. Australian media said it had appeared to lose altitude.

    “We were all pretty much saying goodbye to each other. It was really upsetting,” one passenger told the local Nine network.

    A video taken on the plane, broadcast by local media, shows oxygen masks hanging from the ceiling and one person shouting “passengers get down, passengers get down”.

    Another passenger, Claire Askew, told that “panic was escalated” by airline staff who were screaming and appeared to be in tears.

    In a statement, AirAsia said it was “fully committed” to the safety of passengers. It did not elaborate on the problem.

    “AirAsia apologises to passengers for any inconvenience caused,” the statement said.

    In June, an AirAsia X flight on its way to Bali was also forced to turn back to Perth after an engine problem left it “shaking like a washing machine”.

    In December 2014, an AirAsia plane crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 162 people on board after the aircraft’s rudder control system malfunctioned during the flight.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Pizza chain’s customers complain of data breach

    Pizza chain’s customers complain of data breach

    Customers of pizza chain Domino’s Australia are complaining their personal data has been leaked, prompting eerie personalised emails from scammers.

    Many took to social media to complain about phishing emails addressing them by their first names and mentioning where they live.

    But Domino’s insists there’s been no “unauthorised access” to its systems, although it is investigating a potential issue with a former supplier.

    “It was a bit eery (sic) getting all these spam emails that somehow knew my name and suburb and initially were making it past the spam filter,” Mitchell Dale posted on Domino’s Facebook page.

    “The decision to try to keep me in the dark and not announce what had happened is why I will not be ordering Dominos again.”

    “Nothing better than waking up finding out your data has been breached,” Dylan James posted on Facebook.

    “Why haven’t you informed anyone yet?”

    In an undated statement on its website, Domino’s Australia said there was no evidence to suggest there had been unauthorised access to its systems.

    “We are investigating a potential issue with a former supplier’s systems that may have led to a number of customer email addresses, names and store suburbs (related to pizza orders) being accessed,” it said.

    “Domino’s acted quickly to contain the information when it became aware of the issue and has commenced a detailed review process.”

    The company did not say when it first became aware of the issue and insists no financial information has been accessed.

    Lees ook:

  • Sussan Retail Group hones in on revitalised hub

    Sussan Retail Group hones in on revitalised hub

    The Sussan Retail Group will open a Sportsgirl outlet at Centre Road, Bentleigh in Melbourne, adding to its retail footprint on the revitalised strip that is attracting national tenants.

    The group, which already has its Sussan and Suzanne Grae stores on the road, has secured a five-year lease at over $80,000 per annum.

    Mark Talbot, Fitzroys division director, who secured the lease said there has been a string of national tenants seeking to lease prime retail spaces in the strip with Suzanne’s store openings representing a counter move to the perceived challenges of the current retail climate.

    “The renewal of the area around the train station and level crossing has seen traffic and pedestrian flows improved, and they see the project underpinning the growth of the strip in the long-term,” Talbot said.

    Talbot added that’s why the Sussan Retail Group chose the precinct for their new store as they see Centre Road as an established, secure, highly sought after location.

    Sportsgirl is expected to open ahead of the crucial Christmas trading period.

    According to Talbot, the growing number of residential projects around the area had further bolstered the immediate catchment of the strip, also creating further demand for food and hospitality services.

    Talbot said he has also just leased a nearby premises to cult burger restaurant and food truck Mr Burger, which has opened as the group’s first concept store with a new menu.

    It is also its first permanent location in Melbourne’s bayside region, which Talbot said again pointed to the security and high regard for the retail road.

    Fitzroys’ Walk the Strip report shows it is the more recent revolution of medium density mixed-use retail and residential developments that has further accentuated the extended trading cycles of centres such as Centre Road, Bentleigh and added to their vibrancy.

    Extended trading hours, social advancement and changes in entertainment trends and lifestyle choices have seen a proliferation of food and beverage outlets in the area, encompassing cafes, restaurants, take-aways or licenced premises.

    The Mr Burger lease was also struck at over $80,000 per annum.

    Lees ook:

  • Optus Satellite to provide NBN satellite services

    Optus Satellite to provide NBN satellite services

    Optus satellite, a subsidiary of major Australian operator Optus, has announced its first foray into providing satellite services over the National Broadband Network (NBN), via a partnership with Southern Phone.

    The partners are now providing Sky Muster satellite broadband services to customers in regional and rural areas.

    NBN plans to use satellite broadband services for the roughly 3% of the of the population – mostly in rural and remote areas – that won’t be covered by fixed line or fixed wireless NBN services.

    Southern Phone is a regional telecommunications service provider based in New South Wales. The company’s managing director David Joss noted that only 80,000 of the expected 240,000 Sky Muster satellite broadband services have been connected to date, leaving a significant potential market.

    “We see this service as a viable and effective alternative to a traditional NBN connection. For some consumers, this will be the first time they’ve been able to connect to a broadband service,” Optus Satellite VP Paul Sheridan added.

    “This new partnership will help us connect with even more regional customers and importantly, make sure that those customers are able to have the same level of support that a customer in a metro area would.”

    Lees ook:

  • Mercedes-Benz Opening ‘Mercedes me’ Store In Melbourne

    Mercedes-Benz Opening ‘Mercedes me’ Store In Melbourne

    The most liveable city in the world is soon to become home of Australia’s first Mercedes me Stores. This will be the seventh Mercedes me location worldwide, joining cities including Hamburg, Munich and Hong Kong.

    Set-up as an inner-city concept, Mercedes me Melbourne will allow you to soak up the atmosphere of Mercedes-Benz in a space synonymous with the foundations of Melbourne lifestyle – Food, Sport, Art, Design, Fashion, Innovation and Coffee.

    Reside in cutting-edge architecture whilst enjoying world-class food and coffee from Melbourne’s famous ST. ALi. Learn more about Mercedes in an open, casual environment with our interactive facilities and welcoming specialists.

    During the evenings, Mercedes me Melbourne’s unique venue will transform, offering an eclectic mix of events and entertainment. Whether it be an exclusive preview of the latest products, bespoke fashion show, movie screening or live music, Mercedes meMelbourne will be the place to be.

    Prepare yourself for a space of versatility. Whether you’re a vehicle enthusiast or an avid coffee drinker, you will fit right in. As this journey progresses, we are becoming increasingly excited to share this new experience with you.

    Stay tuned and ensure you keep up to date by registering your details.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Céline opens in Sydney

    Céline opens in Sydney

    French maison Céline has opened its second Australian store in Sydney.

    Located on level four of Sydney’s Westfield Shopping Centre, the 186-square-metre store is designed with clean lines and pared-back simplicity, hallmarks of the brand’s creative director, Phoebe Philo.

    Raw materials such as onyx, fired terracotta, carved lime wood and industrial chipboard mix in with foliage, and bounce off black metal hanging rails, brought to life by a concrete floor in grey.

    A central sculpture wall divides each room, with bespoke furnishings – designed by Danish artist FOS – splattered throughout. Features include mirrors, a jewellery table, sunglasses and jewellery display casing, and a large seating area in ceramic and wood.
    The new Sydney flagship hosts Céline’s autumn/winter 2017 collection, as well as a range of ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories.

    The Sydney store is the brand’s 141st store globally. The first Australian flagship opened in Melbourne’s Chadstone shopping centre in 2016.

    Founded in 1945 by Céline Vipiana, the Paris house is today owned by global luxury conglomerate LVMH group.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Jaguar Land Rover store opens at Westfield Bondi Junction

    Jaguar Land Rover store opens at Westfield Bondi Junction

    Australia’s first Jaguar Land Rover retail experience store has opened at Westfield Bondi Junction last week.

    The new-look premium retail experience store covers 290sqm over two floors and showcases display vehicles housed in two state-of-the-art digital vehicle configuration spaces.

    Electronic displays allow customers to “build” their cars on-screen, changing and comparing interior and exterior colours, adding options and also try different wheels and trims to create unique vehicles.

    The auto firm said the space offers a different experience to traditional automotive retail outlets, and is staffed by dedicated product experts.

    The location will offer a full range of Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles on-site at the shopping centre for immediate test drives.

    Jaguar Land Rover Australia’s managing director, Matthew Wiesner, said the new retail experience store’s location puts it right in the heart of one of Sydney’s most upbeat areas.

    “We are very excited to see the first Jaguar Land Rover premium retail experience store in Australia and we are extremely pleased to have worked with our partner Inchcape to bring it to fruition, he said.

    “The location at Westfield Bondi Junction illustrates how changing market trends and buyer demands are bringing the premium retail experiences to shopfront locations.”

    Designed by Centric Architects and built by Reitsma Constructions, the store also carries a complete range of quality, branded merchandise from clothing and accessories to luggage and die-cast models, office items, toys, tees and back packs.

    “This fantastic new facility is in line with our own approach to delivering new, customer-centric ways of experiencing the brands, sophisticated environment that is totally focussed on consumer needs and convenience,” said Nick Senior, CEO of automtive supplier, Inchcape.

  • Australia new vehicle sales dip in September, commercial still strong

    Australia new vehicle sales dip in September, commercial still strong

    Australian new vehicle sales took a dip in September after a run of record months, though continued strength in the commercial sector augured well for business spending in the economy.

    The Australian Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries’ VFACTS report out on Wednesday showed 100,200 new vehicles were sold in September, down 2.4 percent on the same month last year. Both months had the same number of selling days.

    Sales for the year to date were still running 0.2 percent ahead of the same period in 2016.

    Sales of passenger cars extended their long decline with a fall of 9.3 percent in September, and even the red-hot sports utilities sector took a breather with a dip of 1.3 percent.

    Yet demand for commercial vehicles showed no signs of waning with the light sector up 8.1 percent and heavy vehicles jumping 15.4 percent on September last year.

    Toyota Motor Corp retained first place on the sales ladder with a reduced share of 17.3 percent of the market, while Mazda Motor Corp made a strong showing by taking an unusually high 10.3 percent.

    Hyundai Motor held third spot with 8.1 percent, followed by Mitsubishi at 7.1 percent. The Holden unit of General Motors trailed with 6.9 percent, ahead of Ford at 6.8 percent.