Products & Services

Millions on hold to answer iPhone's call

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 70 : 11 July 2008
Original article by Sinead Carew

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Apple's latest 3G iPhone is due to go on sale in more than 20 countries on 11 July 2008. The company expects to sell around 10 million of the devices by the end of 2008, and analysts believe that up to one million could be sold in the first weekend alone. The new iPhone features faster web links than its predecessor and is expected to be heavily subsidised by a number of Australian mobile telephone carriers. Deutsche Bank analyst, Chris Whitmore, says demand could also be strong in new markets, including Japan, Hong Kong and New Zealand

Sustainable index funds target super

Investor Weekly
Page: 8 : July 2008
Original article by James Dunn

LexisNexis Summary: Products & Services

Index fund manager Vanguard has launched two sustainable funds aimed at Australian superannuation funds. Both the Vanguard Sustainability Leaders Australian Shares Fund and the Vanguard Sustainability Leaders International Shares Fund feature stocks that have been chosen by Swiss-based research house Sustainable Asset Management (SAM). SAM screens over 1,100 firms each year, including the top 200 companies on the Australian stock exchange, selecting only those firms that it considers to be the leaders in their industry sectors in terms of corporate sustainability

E-Business

Seek increases Chinese interest

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 61 : 11 July 2008
Original article by Neil Shoebridge

LexisNexis Summary: E-Business

Australian-listed online job advertising company, Seek, has increased its investment in a similar Chinese business. Seek and Australian investment bank, Macquarie Group, have paid $US105 million ($A109 million) for a large stake in struggling Chinese online employment advertising company, Zhaopin. Seek paid $US45 million to increased its holding from 30 per cent to 42.9 per cent. Macquarie paid an estimated $US60 million for a 29.1 per cent stake

Marketing Strategy

Meal deals ice RFG's earnings cake

The Age
Page: B3 : 11 July 2008
Original article by Vanda Carson

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Australian-listed Retail Food Group has upgraded its forecast of earnings per share for 2007-08. The business owns Brumby's Bakeries and Donut King. It announced that its acquisition of the Michel's Patisserie chain would increase earnings per share by 17 per cent to about $A0.184. CEO Tony Alford said that customer numbers are flat but the company is promoting marketing deals to increase the size of purchases, so that average weekly sales have increased

BoQ franchisees query NSW push

The Australian Financial Review
Page: 66 : 11 July 2008
Original article by Brendan Swift

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Some Bank of Queensland franchisees are critical of the bank's expansion in New South Wales in difficult conditions. The expansion is based on an "owner-managed branch" strategy. However, the decline in new lending has made it difficult for franchisees to meet targets. There are about 55 owner-managed branches in New South Wales, and franchisees estimate that two-thirds are in financial distress

All abroad

BRW
Page: 38-39/41 : 10 July 2008
Original article by Tony Blackie

LexisNexis Summary: Marketing Strategy

Australian franchise operators wanting to expand overseas should be prepared to spend a lot of money and do a lot of research. Franchise consultant Rod Young suggests an outlay of $A500,000 is the minimum needed, while he says that over 85 per cent of Australian franchises who grant a master franchises for an overseas market unfortunately will see the master franchise fail. Cheryl Scott from Austrade says that India and China are the markets being most actively targeted by Australian franchise operators, with Mexico and Vietnam among other popular markets

Consumer Behaviour

Are you being servoed? Complaints hit the air

The Age
Page: A5 : 11 July 2008
Original article by Tony Wright

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Australian consumers took to the air on 11 July 2008, revealing a nationwide tactic to "deny cheap fuel". Callers alerted radio stations across the nation that petrol stations are often observed displaying "not in use" tags on petrol pumps on "cheap Tuesdays", despite the pumps working perfectly. Having fewer pumps in operation causes a line-up at service stations, which then encourages drivers to return the next day, when prices are high again. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission recently cleared a Sydney petrol station of denying consumers access to cheap fuel and believes there is "not a widespread problem", but dozens of callers disagree

AHG tips good year despite share price slump

The West Australian
Page: 67 : 10 July 2008
Original article by Kate Emery

LexisNexis Summary: Consumer Behaviour

Listed car dealership company Automotive Holdings Group (AHG) remains confident of a good profit result. There had been some concern about a slump in consumer spending affecting the retail sector in mid-2008, but AHG CEO Bronte Howson notes that the car segment appears to be insulated from that trend. The rising fuel costs are changing only what type of vehicle buyers are seeking, but not the overall demand for cars. AHG's stock has been declining recently, and closed a further $A0.045 lower at $A1.95 on 9 July 2008