Online retail is the way of the future
Australians should embrace the benefits of shopping on the web.THE federal government should not do anything that threatens the growth of online retailing.Online sales represent the future of Australian retailing and offer considerable benefits to sellers and consumers. Australian retailers should be fully embracing online retailing rather than being critical of its growth or solely targeting the GST issue.
Offshore sites may cost local retailers | Perth Now
RETAILERS risk prosecution if they shift e-commerce sites offshore to avoid import duties and GST, tax lawyers have warned.Myer plans to start selling tax-free merchandise through a Hong Kong-based website next month, to compete against foreign retailers who can mail goods worth less than $1000 to Australian customers tax-free.But the Taxation Institute of Australia warned yesterday that the Australian Taxation Office could intervene if it suspected any retailers were avoiding tax."There are powerful general anti-avoidance provisions (in the tax act) that need to be complied with," the institute's senior tax counsel, Robert Jeremenko, said yesterday, without commenting specifically on the Myer case.
Expert doubts GST could be imposed | Perth Now
A TAX expert doubts whether the federal government will be able to find a cost-effective way to collect GST on goods purchased online from overseas websites.A group of big retailers, including Myer, David Jones and Harvey Norman, wants an end to the GST exemption for imported goods worth less than $1000.The government is not moved by their argument saying a tax on consumers is not the best way of competing with overseas online retailers.
Twitter bitter on Harvey's GST plea | Courier Mail
THE backlash against retailing magnate Gerry Harvey continues to grow, with his push to have the GST applied to online purchases from overseas retailers now the number one trending topic on social networking site Twitter.Mr Harvey, who is the public face of a group of major retailers which have mounted a $200,000 media campaign arguing for a ’’level playing field’’ on the GST, has also become the target of almost unprecedented consumer vitriol.‘’Dear Gerry Harvey, I'm so sorry to hear of your hardship. I'd slip you a few bucks, but I'm still paying off my son's OVERPRICED LAPTOP. Soz,’’ went one Twitter post.
Why good retailers will survive the internet | Article | The Punch
Why good retailers will survive the internet 06 Jan 05:50am
Change and innovation are always feared, and therefore always resisted. When the first ATMs were introduced, the banking unions fought against them because they feared it would mean the end of tellers (who can forget the lines we used to endure at banks in the bad old days). Instead, we saw the rise of electronic banking with the banks now involved in almost every transaction. When the video player was first introduced, film industry experts predicted the end of cinemas, but today we are seeing a resurgence in cinema attendance numbers because the industry was forced to become more innovative, and now delivers a significantly enhanced customer experience via new developments such as 3D.
Daily deals, and they're done dirt cheap
Daily deals, and they're done dirt cheap December 29, 2010 - Focusing on a single discount may trigger the next internet gold rush, writes Julian Lee.When Colin Fabig posted an offer of a half-price colonic irrigation session on the daily deals website he runs he never expected it to be such a hit.''But there were a lot of people out there who thought to themselves, 'I've heard of it and it is usually quite expensive, so I'm going to give it a go.''' And they did, in droves. Five hours after the deal was posted on Jumponit, 530 vouchers for the $49 session at the North Bondi clinic had been sold.
Groupon to enter Australia as daily deals sites explode
Groupon to enter Australia as daily deals sites explodeJulian LeeDecember 29, 2010 * Why daily deals is the next internet gold rushTHE world's largest daily deals website, Groupon, which Google tried to buy this month for $US6 billion, has confirmed it is entering the Australian market.The company is recruiting people to sign up to its email database before a launch next month into a market that is becoming crowded. The No. 2 player, Living Social, abandoned plans to start from scratch in Australia, opting instead for a joint venture with an existing company, Jumponit.
Online Sales Rose 15% This Holiday Season, Report Says - NYTimes.com
Online Sales Rose 15% This Holiday, Beating In-Store Growth, Report SaysBy TIMOTHY WILLIAMSPublished: December 23, 2010 * Recommend * Twitter * Sign In to E-Mail * Print * Reprints * ShareClose o Linkedin o Digg o Mixx o MySpace o Yahoo! Buzz o PermalinkoOnline sales increased more than 15 percent this holiday season, according to data released Thursday, the latest confirmation of the growing importance of Internet commerce during retail’s most lucrative time of the year.
Michael Pascoe | Myer's half-idea on the internet and GST | Bernie Brookes
Myer's half-idea on the internet and GST December 7, 2010 Saw the story about Myer CEO Bernie Brookes saying the department store chain is opening an online shop, shipping stuff out of a warehouse in China to avoid GST. Checked the date. Think it was April 1. I don't think Bernie was quite serious.
