After a decade in business on Auckland’s North Shore, the multi-storey complex that once attracted out-of-town shoppers has finally closed its doors. Its owner, fashion designer Karen Walker, explains why The Department Store had run its course. Opening an upmarket shopping hub is the last thing you’d expect to be doing in the middle of … Read more
All the key details on TheMarket, The Warehouse Group’s $12 million foray into e-commerce. What is TheMarket? TheMarket is a brand new online shopping platform that was launched today by The Warehouse Group (TWG). It’s an online marketplace, similar to e-commerce sites like ASOS and The Iconic, but with an even wider range of products … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Massive bill looms for water overhaul, Five Eyes countries discuss backdoors for encrypted apps, and could Ihumātao lead to Māori politics reorganisation? Central government is set to take significantly more power over the water systems of New Zealand. The measures announced by minister for local government Nanaia … Read more
Lucy Zee recounts the worst job she ever had: working as a sales assistant in video game retail. Every so often, a conversation topic will come up: “What is the worst job you’ve ever had?”. I couldn’t name one, I could name six. When I worked clearing tables in a Chinese restaurant? Or when I … Read more
An online shopping platform that lets you see with one click how healthy and sustainable a product is and whether it’s locally made is on the way, reports Maria Slade. Peanut butter choice is a deeply personal thing and the wrong brand at breakfast is a bad start to anyone’s day. Left to my own … Read more
AliExpo 2019 proved New Zealand’s ‘clean, green’ image remains as strong as ever, reports Jihee Junn. At Alibaba’s e-commerce expo on Friday, ‘brand New Zealand’ was at its sales-pitch best. There were face masks, eye masks, hand creams and serums made from the most natural of ingredients this side of the world had to offer. … Read more
Costco is on its way to New Zealand, parking up in Auckland’s Westgate shopping centre, and offering locals the chance to shop for petrol, groceries, homewares and tyres in one building. New Zealanders love a bargain, and the world’s second-largest retailer promises to deliver better bargains than even the red shed can offer. So what’s … Read more
Refilleries such as GoodFor and Be Free Grocer say their time has come, with consumers from Ponsonby to Palmerston North seeking a zero-waste option. Horror stories such as sea turtles being found with hundred of pieces of plastic in their gut are shocking people into realising the planet will slowly strangle if we don’t stop … Read more
After seeing so many reports over the years of the Swedish flatpack furniture giant coming to New Zealand, business editor Maria Slade is having a crisis of faith. I stopped believing in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy some time ago. Likewise, I do not believe IKEA is coming to New Zealand. My editor points … Read more
Demand for its e-scooters has been rabid since opening its first New Zealand store two weeks ago. But it turns out, Chinese electronics retailer Mi sells a whole lot more than just tiny modes of transport. For just $679, you could own your very own Lime. Well, not a Lime exactly, but an e-scooter of … Read more
After an attempt to recruit her as an Arbonne rep, Holly Bagge delves into the dark art of direct selling and what it takes to earn a white Mercedes. “What would you do with an extra $5,000 per month?” she asks us, scrolling through slides of beaming women and infographics on her iPad. My friend … Read more
Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Jo McColl about Unity Books Auckland’s new offshoot just down the road: children’s bookshop little Unity. ONE: How did little Unity start and what was the inspiration behind it? I’ve been longing … Read more
A Kiwi startup is at the cutting edge of a technology that knows what you put in your shopping basket, eliminating the need for checkouts and queues. Aucklanders are about to get their first taste of a shopping revolution that is gathering pace around the globe. If you thought the demise of single-use plastic bags … Read more
A piece published earlier this month suggested that Trade Me had hit its peak, citing declining website interest, ageing consumers and problems such as duplicate listings. But Trade Me’s Logan Mudge and Rick Davies argue that’s far from the case. It’s easy to forget that when Trade Me launched back in 1999, e-commerce was a bizarre and somewhat … Read more
‘We call ourselves slow-fast fashion’. Ellen Falconer meets the young label working across hemispheres and subverting the traditional Fashion Week model. On a yacht moored in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour last Wednesday, a crowd of 50 fashionistas sipped gin cocktails and slipped their feet into towelling slides with the words ‘oh hej’ stitched across the top. … Read more
Online shopping is great, but sometimes you just can’t beat a good old trip to your favourite local. Why Knot Outlet Shop, Auckland – Duncan Greive There’s an unbelievable amount to love about Why Knot Outlet Shop, an East Tāmaki institution buried near the end of a long string of light industrial buildings alongside Springs … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: It’s Budget Day. Also, the issue of unpaid overtime in retail has exploded, and Tauranga’s council is at odds with local MP Simon Bridges over the fuel tax. It’s Budget Day. After the political trench warfare of the last month, it will be good to see what’s … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ on the news of the moment. Today, are minimum wage workers being exploited and underpaid? Ahh, the minimum wage. It can be seen to be either a floor to ensure employers don’t try to pay us for our labour with only the smell of success … Read more
In today’s Cheat Sheet, we take a look at the so-called ‘Amazon tax’ and what it means for local retailers and consumers. So what’s the government taxing now? The government has announced that low-value goods bought online from overseas will now be subject to a goods and services tax (GST) of 15%. Low-value goods include … Read more
On Auckland’s Vulcan Lane, a small opening with a spiralling staircase leads you to a basement, transporting you into the world of American vintage 10,490km from its original home. Max Tetlow talks to the founder of Magichollow, Laura Wright, about how she took her business from a simple online webstore to Auckland’s premier vintage destination. ‘F*** … Read more
A handful of employers in the retail, hospitality, food manufacturing and events industry have gone above and beyond the minimum wage requirement by paying all their staff at least $20.55 per hour – in line with the official living wage for 2018. Here, they explain why they believe paying staff properly is important and how … Read more
The honesty box our cashless society has been waiting for has arrived in the form of an online app. Jihee Junn talks to the Taranaki-based developer behind My Honesty Box to find out how it works, why it doesn’t take commission, and how it already has interest from vendors in the United States. Honesty boxes … Read more
To mark 4 Days of Fashion in the City, four of downtown Auckland’s fashion personalities are sharing their experiences of the industry. Today, founder of the New Zealand Fashion Museum Doris de Pont celebrates the legacy of Bruce Papas. Fashion is synonymous with change and while the 4 Days of Fashion in the City is providing … Read more
To mark 4 Days of Fashion in the City, four of downtown Auckland’s fashion personalities are sharing their experiences of the industry. Today, Barkers’ managing director Jamie Whiting, discusses the changes technology has brought to bricks and mortar retail. The changes for fashion retailers in the last decade, but particularly the last three to … Read more
‘Tis the season to be jolly – unless you work in retail. Long hours and bustling crowds mean the holiday season can turn into a living hell for those working through the thick of it. So to make life just a little bit easier, a handful of retail workers offer their best tips on how not … Read more
They’re helping Mexican farmers grow sustainable coffee, but The Lucy Foundation’s next step is to give disabled Kiwis employment chances. Maria Slade caught up with founder Robbie Francis to find out how she is building a business model with inclusiveness at its core. Heaven knows how New Zealand would keep functioning if its citizens didn’t … Read more
Shobhana Ranchhodji runs a florist’s shop in one of the most difficult locations in the city: right by the Albert St tunnelling project for the City Rail Link. Simon Wilson went along to meet a retailer who’s determined to keep making her customers happy. There are orchids in a corner, lying in a box, their … Read more
A petition signed by more than 16,000 Kiwis prodded parliament to look into single use plastic bags last year. Now our two major supermarket retailers are going toe-to-toe to clamp down on them – and that’s good news for all of us, writes Rebecca Stevenson. Spare a thought for New World. It was only a … Read more
On a side street in Mt Albert, New World has opened store which attempts to deal with the arrival of both Farro and My Food Bag. But its real opponent is Amazon, which opens its first Australian distribution centre next year, writes Duncan Greive. Last week a new shop opened in Mt Albert. Huge news, … Read more