This Month
VC-backed video start-up 90 Seconds fields interest, hires advisers
90 Seconds’ owners have hired Singapore-based boutique investment bank Sansa Advisors to field inbound inquiries and oversee the diligence process.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Small retailers give a ‘hard no’ to Black Friday and the big sales
Dr Dough Donuts boss Kristy Bannister says discount blitzes like Black Friday do more harm than good for smaller retailers by creating “unsustainable” expectations.
- Gus McCubbing
Milkrun founder Milham returns to his roots at Koala
Koala co-founder Dany Milham will return to the chief executive role at the online furniture retailer he created in 2015, as it booked an annual profit.
- Paul Smith
October
Cettire blown way off course as fall in luxury spending dents profits
The ASX-listed online retailer told investors it was weathering a challenging environment, but brokers say it is on track to miss expectations by almost half.
- Jonathan Shapiro
September
Athlete star power drives 600pc rise in undies company’s share price
Step One, a bamboo underwear producer for “bigger blokes”, had a difficult start on the ASX, but a new women’s fitness range has reversed the slump.
- Simon Evans
Is Cettire having a lend?
Even its most loyal of backers must by now agree this is a very kooky business.
- Myriam Robin
July
- Exclusive
- Venture capital
Frazis unveils venture capital fund, makes first investments
The Gen Y tech investor has nabbed stakes in a dozen start-ups in tech, health and e-commerce, thanks to $10 million raised from wealthy investors.
- Tom Richardson
June
Online shopping has become a giant fake-product machine
TikTok is better than any other digital platform for turning cult favourites into global bestsellers – and making counterfeiters money.
- Amanda Mull
Cettire quietly enters China’s rocky luxury goods market
The ASX-listed retail platform had flagged the move this year. But it comes as rivals including Yoox Net-a-Porter focus on “more profitable geographies”.
- Carrie LaFrenz
Sleeping Duck wins court battle with biggest investor
Venture capitalist Adir Shiffman had alleged the mattress retailer had sidelined him from the business. The Supreme Court of Victoria threw out the case.
- Tess Bennett
May
Zip’s Larry Diamond returning to Sydney, says US mission accomplished
Diamond says he heeded warnings from James Gorman, setting Zip onto a profitable path in the US, where he expects BNPL to keep winning share off credit cards.
- James Eyers
Why Kogan stops interviews with marathon runners to hire them
BOSS sat down with Kogan.com founder Ruslan Kogan just as his share price collapsed by 30 per cent.
- Patrick Durkin
April
How supermarket shoppers became part of a $3.8b gold rush
As supermarkets hunt for new sources of revenues in an age of rising costs and narrowing margins, they have stumbled on one of their most valuable assets: data.
- James Warrington
March
- Exclusive
- Retail
David Jones pens new tech deal to power $35m fresh revenue
The Anchorage Capital-owned department store has signed up US advertising firm Criteo to help it boost revenue and profitability.
- Carrie LaFrenz and Sam Buckingham-Jones
Booktopia vows to do anything to stay afloat
The boss of the book retailer says all options are on the table in a strategic review hastened by a disastrous share price performance.
- Paul Smith
- Exclusive
- Retail
From nothing to $1b: Inside Temu and Shein’s flying start in Australia
The fast fashion group and Temu, an ultra-cheap marketplace, are rewriting the rules of retailing as shoppers flock to their low-cost platforms.
- Nick Bonyhady and Carrie LaFrenz
Customers may hate supermarket anti-theft tech, but investors don’t
Coles share price rise is partly due to its ability to take advantage of tech like artificial intelligence to stop thieves and appeal to more shoppers.
- Paul Smith
February
Alibaba approves another $38b in buybacks after sales slump
The Hangzhou-based group is trying to stage a comeback from years of brutal government punishment and strategic missteps.
- Jane Zhang
- Opinion
- Mergers & acquisitions
The online beauty stock that will be a takeover target this year
Doubts remain on whether Adore Beauty is really a scalable business, but a failed PE takeover bid late last year will not be the last we hear of a profitable buyout.
- Updated
- Adir Shiffman
December 2023
- Opinion
- Retail
RIP to fast and free shipping
The urgency around overhauling retail businesses to offer speedy delivery at no extra cost turned out to be an expensive reaction to a momentary trend.
- Leticia Miranda