Shopping online, cheaper, quicker and more choice

"Shares in retailer David Jones have slumped by 11 per cent after the company warned of a full year profit drop of up to 40 per cent. David Jones shares were down 30 cents, or 11 per cent, at $2.43 on Wednesday.

DJ's  - The retailer will expand its chain and also improve its online store. And  Kathmandu shares were down 16.1 per cent, or 24 cents, at $1.25."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/-/national/13224053/retailers-shares-plunge-on-lower-profits/

Retailers everywhere are seriously starting to feel the pinch of online shopping for those inclined to wait just a bit longer to receive their goods in the post from an online store that can shave, in some instances, up to 65% off the same goods purchased in a local Australian retail outlet.

And why not.

Why would anyone in their right mind spent up to 65% more for goods in the name of supporting who, the retailer, local jobs or goods manufacturers.

 

Even magazines are feeling the pinch with sales of the likes of FHM dropping from just over 26,000  to 20,000 in a matter of months. It was quoted as saying "FHM is a picture magazine and the type of pictures here can be accessed for free on the internet, so why pay for something that is free. And instead of pictures in a magazine of 80 pages, try 80 million images for nothing. " Very hard to convince advertisers to stick around when the readers are not buying.

So, will there be a time in the future when retail outlets cease to exist; is it a distinct possibility that the legacy of ladies going out shopping together will be a thing of the past, what will they do...have online shopping parties at a friends house!

And it's not just in Australia this is effecting.

The headline reads "Small shops disappearing in Poland: Around 50,000 small retail units have closed down in the last two years, according to a new report."

http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/93046,Small-shops-disappearing-in-Poland

Mary Portas: high streets destined to 'disappear forever'

Britain's high streets have reached a "crisis point" and will "disappear forever" as shopping destinations unless they are urgently regenerated, Mary Portas has warned.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8951411/Mary-Portas-high-streets-destined-to-disappear-forever.html

And as for books, in June 2011, The Minister for Small Business (Australia) Mr Nick Sherry enraged book retailers by forecasting the imminent demise of bookstores stating they will all be closed in five years.

What do you think will happen to the likes of bookstores and general retailers? 

The dumb things people say...

I sometimes wonder and marvel at the ability if technology to move  message so quickly into cyberspace that before you know it, the quick quip or lose statement made has gone into the big wide world of viral!

Take for instance, someone I know made a dumb-arse statement, on Facebook about his mate having more girlfriends that Kony has children.

Friends know he's a twit, but does he realise that this type of statement can bring down the reputation of many a young person, especially has he starts to grow in his career and who knows when this is still around to haunt him in his future life. A drunken update from phone to Facebook at 2:00am is still no excuse.

What are some of the rules then governing the use of updating your world in cyberspace:

1. Don't put anything online that your mother, grandmother or recruitment agency would not approve of (maybe there should be an app that sits on said parental phones for approval and confirmation first)

2. Another app perhaps that 'de-links' any person between the ages of 18-28 and after midnight uploading any messages, harmful statements of the such like into their Facebook and Twitter accounts. This is switched on with a password by your friend and expires at 6:00am the next morning. 

Then if you wish to update post-party pictures then do so with a reasonable clear head.

3. Make sure auto-correct is switched off as soon as you step out the front door on route to the club/party. This has spawned a whole generation of new dumb-arse sites that you don't want to be seen on either.

4. If you think your privacy policy is good, safe and private, think again, ITS NOT. Always have the mindset that somewhere someone can see, hear and find you, especially future recruitment agencies.

and last but not least;

5. Common sense is a trait that perhaps builds with mother time and I am talking here about becoming a mature and respectable citizen of the community. Find a good mentor, and if you trust them, then listen to them and understand why they say the things that you should do and shouldn't be doing, they call this using common sense.

Take care out there...I'm watching you!

I am writing...

I have decided that I will become famous for my ability to write. I don't know why or when or even how, but I believe that unless I try I will never know.

I have the ability to be creative, I daydream often, I have a dynamic imagination and I enjoy writing but, is this enough for being famous or is it coupled with luck, opportunity, right place at the right time with the right story!

Did JK Rowling's planets align at the right moment and she was 'discovered' or was she really a good writer with a turn of phrase that resonated wiht her audience and the fantasy story no other could deliver!

On Jen's blog she pasted several motivational images that show the most amazing quotes, that if followed to the letter and endured would provide the follower of a life that would be worth writing about.

My challenge is to both myself and the people in my circle of those I know, be the best you can be and enjoy the ride.

 Sourced from:http://imbored-really.blogspot.com.au/2010_04_01_archive.html

Politics and PR

This weekend sees one of the biggest and most publicised PR campaigns that will grace the media for some years to come.

The inevitable confrontation between Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard will take over every news station from TV, radio, newspapers and even transcend over to everything social media.

The campaign Kevin is running is based on asking 'the people' to speak with their local MP - members of parliament - in order to get them to push for voting for him in Monday's leadership ballot. Seriously, very clever idea. This as he has not yet fully received all the votes he needs to gain control of the his party.

And...he has openly promised that in the event he wins the leadership role aka Prime Minister, no one who voted for Julia will be moved to another post, or even worse, fired. 

He has also attacked the likes of Tony Abbott, opposition leader and the failings of his party in that the people have a choice of whether to follow Labour or the Liberals, and again in doing so deflecting any open or verbal attack against Julia, which would alienate party members to support her cause.

Wow! quite open and transparent.

Julia's campaign is about...not sure! Well, she stated "I am the current Prime Minister" Hmmm, watch this space.

I am privileged...

I have the privilege so few have the opportunity to experience, that of the growing passion of new people entering the world of public relations and seeing the eyes light up to the possibility of the future.

Word to self "I must not lose my passion and enthusiasm, because if I do...cause and effect"

Today we spoke of many things PR, shared our knowledge and experiences and I believe we came closer together as a group that has the potential for many great things to come. There really are no limits.

Each person has a unique reason and passion for being in the PR class. Some have expressed their inner most thoughts whilst others remain guarded, that is their choosing.

This journey of learning the students embark is complemented by the significant amount of soft skills the students will learn indirectly from self-esteem, presentable, approachable and visibility.

I expect...no, I demand and even challenge my students to be the absolute best they can be.

Resilience ...what is it?

Resilience training is about how quickly you can bounce back from daily pressures of life. That's it. Nothing great, but some need it. Why. Simply because some people have no capability to manage their day, life or circumstances around them. Do I need this, no. I and the group of people I am doing this with are a mature group of people. Some set in their ways, some cynical and others, open to new ideas. There is also a group who couldn't give a toss and are here because their manager/job has expressed this is part of the professional development. The facilitator has now just taken out a Sesame doll, Ernie, and placing it on her shoulder....and it's meant to be a reminder of being aware of what's happening around you, both positive and negative. This ia an interesting workshop for the young and gregarious. We teach this on a daily basis to our students and embed this as part of their learning experiences throughout the semester. This is a key part of everyone learning, age irrelevant. The exhausting aspect of this is it can be quite draining of all emotion, more mental than physical. She's really now preaching to the converted, or should I say the educated... Three hour workshop...2 hours 45 minutes to go.

Writing is an art

I have often been told that unless you write the most creative opening few lines in a book and grab the reader by the throat that they will not read further as you will have failed to capture the readers attention and as importantly, imagination.

There is a great new website I have discovered called http://www.webook.com/911writersblock it follows that if you are stuck for a writing topic, this will give you some ideas and inspiration, here's some examples of opening lines:

• A quiet suburban cul-de-sac. A child's bicycle lies on its side, one wheel slowly turning.
• A wedding chapel in Las Vegas at 8 a.m. on a Sunday. An old man is asleep in the rear pew, a blood-soaked bandage on his left hand.
• A woman stands on the side of the highway, slowly walking, her used-to-be white wedding gown in tatters.

I just love the fact that imagination, creativity and storytelling  are alive and well and that these and many other ideas can capture that imagination from which could stem a compelling new storyline/novel.

However, on asking several avid and prolific readers far great than me on whether they potentially thought they could write a novel, most came back with 'no, I'll leave that to the writers, I just like reading them."

I suppose not everyone is born to write and even to become a successful writer, but then again, unless we try, we'll never know. 

Consider J K Rowlings first Harry Potter novel was taken on by the prestigious Christopher Little agency but still rejected by a dozen publishers, including Penguin, Transworld and HarperCollins. The small London publishers Bloomsbury eventually took it on, apparently on the advice of the CEO’s eight-year-old daughter. She read the book and lent it to her friend who also thought it was fantastic.

And another in Stephen King’s first novel was rejected by Doubleday, prompting him to take a teaching job. He began a short story called Carrie but threw the manuscript in the bin. His wife retrieved it. Doubleday bought the hardback rights for $2,400 (1,200), and New American Library paid $400,000 for the paperback rights.

So I suppose like them and many others before them I am starting my writing career and seeing where it takes me. I have a few ideas and creative stories I want to tell, but my imagination seems to run wild at the most craziest of times when walking the dog, driving or just day-dreaming.

The latter being a school past-time when advised by my teacher on whether I wanted to become a window-cleaner as I spent many hours staring out of the window.