Dazzler
07-12-11, 11:21 AM
For a few years now Gerry Harvey has been anti online selling - “it is a dead end” I believe he said amongst other things. Recently HN opened their online store – surprise, surprise.
This post is not about Gerry H or HN but they do figure as major proponents of anti-online buying campaigns and Gerry deserves a mention as he has been the recipient of accolades and admiration in the retailing world for a long time so now he needs to get some “wake up Jeff” comments.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to express it, and indeed to change their thinking on any subject – HOWEVER, what irks me, and no doubt other owners of online stores, is the mis-information, the misguided propaganda imparted on Australian Consumers about that buying online is bad for Australian retail.
I own a few online stores including a successful jewellery online store – we sell not only to Australian consumers but also globally. Again like many others we are an SME that has taken risks, invested a lot of money, time , resources, effort and passion to go into business. We have made sacrifices not the least of which is missing out on time with family (the old saying rings true, “you don’t know the meaning of work until you work for yourself”!). And we PAY TAXES!!
So how does that differ from a brick and mortar retailer I ask? !! Not to mention many online store owners also have brick and mortar premises. Sure, less rent (an online business can be run from home if small or if larger then from a warehouse so still paying rent) but aside from that a retail business is a retail business and the costs of running a business are similar, bricks and mortar or not!
So why are these anti buying online campaigns not explaining that buying from “overseas” based online stores has an effect (it is arguable as to whether that effect is indeed negative) on Australian retailers and that buying from Australian online stores is no different to walking into a brick and mortar premises? The campaigns depict all online stores as being part of a conspiracy to undermine retailers in this country. Retailers are battling in these economically uncertain times – well here is a newsflash – so are online retailers !!!
The media is just as much to blame for not elaborating on the fact that offshore online purchases are the cause of the retailers woes (purportedly) and NOT the local Australian based online businesses.
….. and, don’t get me started on the “main reason” for buying online by consumers according to the big retailers who have chosen to ignore the “real” reasons, is that items are cheaper online. Yes in most cases they are but not always. Most people I have spoken to are buying online for reasons of convenience – most people are working longer hours and have less leisure time these days which they would rather spend engaging in family or other social activities than walking the corridors of shopping complexes.
The subject of buying online is somewhat complex and too big a subject for one post – so to summarize – buying online doesn’t mean consumers are sending their money offshore, we need to get that message across as best we can.
Cheers,
Mike
a proud Australian Online SME trying to make a living
This post is not about Gerry H or HN but they do figure as major proponents of anti-online buying campaigns and Gerry deserves a mention as he has been the recipient of accolades and admiration in the retailing world for a long time so now he needs to get some “wake up Jeff” comments.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to express it, and indeed to change their thinking on any subject – HOWEVER, what irks me, and no doubt other owners of online stores, is the mis-information, the misguided propaganda imparted on Australian Consumers about that buying online is bad for Australian retail.
I own a few online stores including a successful jewellery online store – we sell not only to Australian consumers but also globally. Again like many others we are an SME that has taken risks, invested a lot of money, time , resources, effort and passion to go into business. We have made sacrifices not the least of which is missing out on time with family (the old saying rings true, “you don’t know the meaning of work until you work for yourself”!). And we PAY TAXES!!
So how does that differ from a brick and mortar retailer I ask? !! Not to mention many online store owners also have brick and mortar premises. Sure, less rent (an online business can be run from home if small or if larger then from a warehouse so still paying rent) but aside from that a retail business is a retail business and the costs of running a business are similar, bricks and mortar or not!
So why are these anti buying online campaigns not explaining that buying from “overseas” based online stores has an effect (it is arguable as to whether that effect is indeed negative) on Australian retailers and that buying from Australian online stores is no different to walking into a brick and mortar premises? The campaigns depict all online stores as being part of a conspiracy to undermine retailers in this country. Retailers are battling in these economically uncertain times – well here is a newsflash – so are online retailers !!!
The media is just as much to blame for not elaborating on the fact that offshore online purchases are the cause of the retailers woes (purportedly) and NOT the local Australian based online businesses.
….. and, don’t get me started on the “main reason” for buying online by consumers according to the big retailers who have chosen to ignore the “real” reasons, is that items are cheaper online. Yes in most cases they are but not always. Most people I have spoken to are buying online for reasons of convenience – most people are working longer hours and have less leisure time these days which they would rather spend engaging in family or other social activities than walking the corridors of shopping complexes.
The subject of buying online is somewhat complex and too big a subject for one post – so to summarize – buying online doesn’t mean consumers are sending their money offshore, we need to get that message across as best we can.
Cheers,
Mike
a proud Australian Online SME trying to make a living