SURFSTITCH CLOSES MONA VALE STORE 19.08.10
SurfStitch Australia’s number one and arguably largest online surf store has closed its Mona Vale brick and mortar store located on Barrenjoey Road. According to Managing Director Lex Pederson “We’re shutting the store as our focus is purely online and we couldn’t give it the attention it deserved. It’s very hard to participate in both channels successfully so we will continue to focus on ours,“ said Pederson. The closure of the Barrenjoey store follows the relaunch of the SurfStich website and it’s nearest rival brick and mortar cum online retailer City Beach winning the ‘Best Use of Technology’ award at the recent Online Retail Industry Awards (ORIAs) held in July. The new SurfStitch site boasts exclusive product launches, exclusive US and European fashion lines, enhanced imagery, a wish list and gift list and product reviews.
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ONLINE TRAINING PLATFORM LAUNCHES WITH HURLEY. 16.08.10
A revolutionary online brand and product retail staff training platform actionsportsready.com launched today with leading industry apparel brand Hurley. Action Sports Ready is designed to significantly improve the brand and product knowledge of retail staff and increase sales throughout the entire Action Sports industry. From September Quiksilver, Global Surf Industries, Electric Visual, Sanuk footwear, Aerial7 headphones, Skull Candy and DC Shoes will join the ASR. ASR aims is to have one site containing all Action Sports industry brand and product training, presented as focused and entertaining modules which maximise the knowledge and confidence of retail staff.
On completing each training module retail staff are provided with brand endorsements in the form of qualifying certificates. The training results will also help suppliers better understand the needs of retail staff and assist in future training requirements.
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PHILIPS AND O'NEILL BUDDY UP WITH HEADPHONES COLLABORATION 14.08.10
O'Neill and Philips electronics have come together to create a new line of headphones. The Philips-O'Neill headphones collection will feature four high performance styles - two headband style headphones, and two ear buds.Official details, product imagery, and microsite will launch on September 2, 2010.The collection debuted at the O'Neill booth at ASR tradeshow in San Diego, August 13-15. The good news for local retailers is that O’Neill will be launching their audio range in Australia for Summer 2010 and they’ll be out selling in August for November delivery.
Philips is credited with pioneering portable audio devices, and developed the very first audiocassette / player and later collaborated with Sony to develop CD technology. Today, Phillips has diversified into health care and other markets. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 116,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 23 billion in 2009, the company is a market leader in lifestyle products and maintains a strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare.
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STUDY SHEDS MORE LIGHT ON SURFING PARTICIPATION 13.08.10
The Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey (ERASS) 2009 collects information on physical activities that are participated in for exercise, recreation or sport by Australians aged 15 years and over. According to the study, surf sports came in ninth place in the 'Top Ten' participation non-organised physical activities at 417.2 ('000) participants. Surf sports also came in at seventh place in 'Top Ten' regular non-organised physical activities ahead of bushwalking, yoga and horse riding. ERASS has been collecting this information since 2001 and was conducted quarterly in 2009 with an annual total of 21,031 respondents across Australia. Surf sports includes sail boarding, surfing and wind surfing. The ERASS differs from other studies because it excludes surf lifesaving from its sample and was produced by the Standing Committee on Recreation And Sport for the Australian Sports Commission on behalf of the Australian government. ERASS survey respondents said they participated in surf sports at least once per week on average. Total participation in top ten non-organised physical activities showed surf sports had a 21% increase between 2001 and 2009, which increased between 2002 and 2004, decreased between 2004 and 2007, then increased again between 2007 and 2009. Surf sports jumped from 344.1(‘000) in 2001 to 417.2 (‘000) in 2009. The demographic breakdown of surf sports participants in 2009 included 365.0 (‘000) males (4.3%) versus 73.0 (‘000) females (0.8 %). The total participation in surf sports was 437.9 (‘000) or 2.5%. The total participation in specific activities (organised and non-organised) for surfing’s target demographic of 15 to 24 year olds was 127.8 (’000). The total for 25 to 34 years was 105.6 (’000), 35 to 44 years 78.0 (’000), 45 to 54 years 92.7 (’000), 55 to 64 years (’000), 25.3 (’000), 65 years and over *8.5 (’000). Total participation in Surf sports peaked in NSW at 3.5% with 193.4 (‘000) followed by QLD at 3.2% with 110.5 (‘000). For more Information contact ASB.
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MAMBO TO BE SOLD IN BIG W DEPARTMENT STORES 11.08.10
According to a report in ‘The Australian’ Woolworths' discount department store chain Big W has added Mambo to its clothing range. Big W is seeking to differentiate itself from competitors who are increasingly focused on bargain-priced private labels. Donna Palmer, general manager of buying for Big W, said brands assured customers of product quality, a strategy also pursued at the other end of the retail market by David Jones.
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BILLABONG ACQUIRE TWO SURFECTION STORES [2.15PM] 11.08.10
Billabong International Ltd announced today it had signed a joint venture with Chris Athas’s Surfection retail business. Billabong will take an interest in Surfection’s Manly Corso and Westfield Bondi Junction stores. Surfection has also recently opened a Tigerlily-branded store at Warringah Mall and that is now also included in the joint venture with Billabong. Chris Athas has a long history in the retail business and at one time headed Quiksilver’s retail division. He sold several Surfection stores including Mona Vale and Westfield Bondi to Quiksilver, before leaving the company in 2009. Athas will be running the JV with Billabong from his office in Brookvale along with all of his existing staff. Surfection’s original store located in Military Rd, Mosman is not part of the deal. Billabong also operates a flagship store in Manly Corso in partnership with Australian Surfer HQ retailer Mark Eymes.
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