A segment on the ABC’s 7:30 Report this week reported on
some of the difficulties facing smaller Australian fashion retailers.
The report identified the influx of large overseas fashion
chains as a major factor in the struggle facing smaller competitors. The larger
overseas groups see Australia as a growth market, certainly compared with their
home bases in Europe or US where economies are slowly recovering from long
periods of stagnation. Throwing everything at the Australian market might seem
good for them but for established local traders it is a nightmare of poor
business, low consumer confidence, and a difficult future.
Add in the pressure of online competition and we can see
that only the brave and innovative are likely to survive the drastic changes in
retailing.
Traders interested in the full report from the ABC can see
it on ABC iview by going to the replay of the 7:30 Report program of 10th
September.