Tighter card security programs underway
Tight new cardholder identity authorisation programs by Visa and
Mastercard are planned in Australia which do not hold the retailer
liable for fraudulent transactions.
Under Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode programs to be
launched in April, customers register their cards with their issuing
banks, then choose a password to input when checking out at an online
retail outlet.
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Credit card hacking exposed
The FBI has been called in to investigate the hacking in the
United States of an online merchant’s computer database
containing some 8 million Visa, MasterCard and American Express
credit card numbers.
According to a Visa spokesman, few Australian cardholders are
affected, and in any event would not be liable for any fraudulent
misuse of their card.
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Shell signs on with Quatro
Shell’s Multi-Site Franchisees (MSFs) have entered into an
exclusive arrangement with Quatro Four Retail enabling 550 Shell
retail sites throughout Australia to electronically order store stock
through the Quatro website.
The Shell arrangement follows the successful two-month trial
program of the Quatro service by Shell MSFs in the eastern states
that confirmed an improvement in ordering efficiency and MSF-supplier
relations for the 260 Shell stores that took part.
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Store cost plus $1 campaign ‘misleading’
The Federal Court, Brisbane has found that a furniture retail
company trading as Furniture Direct and its director Monty Khoury,
engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct over a “Store
Cost Plus $1” advertising campaign in and around Brisbane.
The ACCC had alleged that Redmond Holdings Pty Ltd, formerly known
as Furniture Direct Pty Ltd., conducted an advertising campaign
between February and April 2001 which promoted the sale of furniture
at its stores as “Store Cost Plus $1”.
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Wal-Mart’s Asda in big expansion drive
US retail giant Wal-Mart’s British supermarket group Asda,
has announced a £360 million expansion plan involving the
creation of 3,900 jobs throughout the UK.
Asda has received planning permission for seven new branches and
the relocation of a further four existing stores, as well as the
extension of five sites already in operation.
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Woolies: 18% profit rise, $600m buyback
In line with an 18% profit rise in the 28 weeks ended January 12,
Woolworths plans a hefty $600 million buyback involving 6% of the
group’s shares.
Net operating profit after tax and servicing income notes totalled
$349.6 million, $59 million higher than for the same period last
year.
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Woolies wins ‘bulky goods’ case
Woolworths Ltd has just established an important precedent by
winning a case in the NSW Land and Environment against The Warehouse
Group (Australia) Pty Ltd.
The latter had been given development consent in a special
industrial zone at Villawood, Sydney, but Justice Lloyd found this
was a prohibited use in the area concerned.
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C’wealth launches new Eftpos benefits
The Commonwealth Bank is to launch a business solutions package
claimed to provide “revolutionary” benefits to both
merchants and customers.
Together with Intellect, Commonwealth Bank has developed a
comprehensive business system that will enable its 100,000 merchants
to undertake transactions, other than just debit and credit purchases
at their store, says executive general manager, working capital
services, Bruce Munro.
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Retail IT conferences on the move
MoonWatch Media Inc., formerly known as Retail Systems Alert
Corp., has established full ownership of the Global Retail Technology
Forum, scheduled for April 8-10 in Paris, with the buy-out from its
partner RMDP Ltd.’s interest in the event.
The transaction between the longtime partners also includes
acquisition of RMDP’s Automation Conference, a prestigious
executive event held each autumn in London.
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Are you being served by Grace Bros?
What’s in a name? Coles Myer should find out in six months
time when it completes research on whether it would suffer a loss of
goodwill by renaming its NSW Grace Bros department store Myer.
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Westfield closes in on U.S. deal
Westfield America, U.S. subsidiary of Westfield America Trust, and
Simon Property Group (SPG), have announced that about 85% of the
outstanding common shares of Taubman Centers have been tendered into
the $US20 a share all-cash offer by SPG and Westfield.
The offer has been extended until midnight, New York City time, on
March 28, 2003, unless further extended. The offer was previously
scheduled to expire on February 14.
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Close
This bulletin is edited and compiled by retail commentator John Kingsley-Jones.
John has worked as an Editor, Chief Sub-Editor
and journalist in magazines and newspapers both
in Australia and overseas.
In the past 15 years, he has consulted to a
range of companies and brands such as Unilever,
Mars Confectionery, TipTop, Tooheys, McWilliam's
Wines, Goodyear and BMW.
That's it for this issue of the Retail One-Stop. If you
have any questions or comments please give us a call on 02 9419 8356 or email us
on info@eps.net.au.
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