Harris Scarfe has gone broke

[ghs]

The CBD retail thread was getting filled up with Harris scarfe discussion so I've started another thread.

Some people have said they went broke in 2001 and then kept on operating so this could happen again. What rubbish, in 2001
there was no such thing as online shopping. The market was completely different back then.

[The Scooter Guy]

Some people have said they went broke in 2001 and then kept on operating so this could happen again. What rubbish, in 2001
there was no such thing as online shopping. The market was completely different back then.

As a Wise Man once told us; "Once Upon A Time, our Daily Newspapers did genuinely care about Small Local Businesses."

[Aidan]

ghs, there was such a thing as online shopping in 2001. Nowhere near as big as it was now, of course, but Amazon and ebay both existed (and both had competitors) and the mail order companies all had an online presence by then.

______________________________________________________________

The Scooter Guy,
What have our daily newspapers got to do with it?

[rev]

ghs, there was such a thing as online shopping in 2001. Nowhere near as big as it was now, of course, but Amazon and ebay both existed (and both had competitors) and the mail order companies all had an online presence by then.

eBay & Amazon have existed since the 1990's. You can actually find quite a few retailers with eBay shops and Amazon now has small physical store fronts.

It's been a fact that online commerce/shopping is the future for the better part of a decade now at least.
Why haven't Australian retailers made the shift to predominantly an online model? Sure you can buy things online from their websites, but they are still predominantly large brick & mortar stores where they are bleeding money.

Look at Australian online retailers, like TheIconic. Hugely successful and growing.

Downsize to smaller boutique stores with select product range's, and focus predominantly on an online marketplace model, such a model could even target the Asian market.

[dsriggs]

The Scooter Guy,
What have our daily newspapers got to do with it?

Daily newspapers aren't as big of a problem as news.com.au is. Search "news.com.au +kmart" and see all the free kicks that website gives KMart. Just a sample of headlines:

"Inside the life of a Kmart influencer"
"Why do we love Kmart so much?"
"Inside Kmart’s gifting suite: The $20 jeans everyone went nuts for"
"People are going crazy for $12 Kmart bikini with secret feature"
"Budget Kmart bikini goes viral alongside an important message" (a different story from a month later)
"Kmart Anko fan beats expensive Dyson Cool Tower says CHOICE"
"Kmart releases stunning new affordable summer fashion collection"
etc.

Harris Scarfe can't get a look in when there's obvious collusion between larger chains & the "news" media.

[bits]

News should be forced to make it more clear what is a paid for advert and what is actually an organic story. But their entire business model since forever is based on selling adverts not news to customers.

Facebook is even worse. All the posts about people visiting, sharing or liking companies are mostly driven by advertising dollars.
It is not an organic overview of what your friends and family are interacting with, it is an overview of adverts.

[I Follow PAFC]

Harris Scarfe Rundle Mall to close in 4 weeks.

[OlympusAnt]

A pity to see them downsize, they are my favorite department store.

There's always good things for sale, such as manchester, jumpers and homewares. Kmart and Big W is all synthetic stuff. At Harris you can get wool quilts, feather pillows and wool jumpers.

[SouthAussie94]

Did they own the site prior to the redevelopment?

[Eurostar]

Maybe its time to bring in The Undercover Boss

[Brucetiki]

Went to have a pick at the Rundle Mall carcass on Sunday.

In true Harris Scarfe form, their closing down clearance sale is essentially the same discounts they normally offer being passed off as closing down discounts.

[Eurostar]

Maybe Myer, David Jones and Harris Scarfe should merge as one. By all means have sales but focus on giving the customer the best service and the best quality. Also focus on selling Australian Made lines.

[ml69]

Maybe Myer, David Jones and Harris Scarfe should merge as one. By all means have sales but focus on giving the customer the best service and the best quality. Also focus on selling Australian Made lines.

Sadly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either David Jones or Myer close down as well in the next 10 years. Department stores worldwide have been a dying breed over the past 10-20 years anyway. This fact, compounded by the impact of online retailing and the current Australian retail landscape will make it difficult for both of them to survive going forwards.

[Eurostar]

From 5AA/9 News

Spotlight Group, who currently own and operate Spotlight, Anaconda and Mountain Designs retail stores, has been granted exclusivity to buy DS OpCo Pty Ltd, who trade as Harris Scarfe.

The future of the retailer's 44 stores and approximately 1300 staff is still unclear as the final details of the transaction are worked through with Spotlight Group.

Administrators from Deloitte remain upbeat that Harris Scarfe's new owners will retain most if not all of its current locations.

[Jaymz]

Maybe Myer, David Jones and Harris Scarfe should merge as one. By all means have sales but focus on giving the customer the best service and the best quality. Also focus on selling Australian Made lines.

Sadly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either David Jones or Myer close down as well in the next 10 years. Department stores worldwide have been a dying breed over the past 10-20 years anyway. This fact, compounded by the impact of online retailing and the current Australian retail landscape will make it difficult for both of them to survive going forwards.

I would even think it will be sooner than that, in the next 5 years max. I think it's inevitable the two of them will merge in some form, and then only operate 10 or a dozen flagship stores around the country. It's the only way I can see them surviving.

Don't get me wrong, I buy nearly all my clothes in Myer..... but to be honest maybe only a couple times a year and only if heavily discounted.