Dick Smith: 189 of 386 stores set to close

[Don McKenzie]

Off with Dick’s head: 189 stores set to close

Woolworths’ strategic review of Dick Smith is drawing to an end, and CLSA analysts predict 189 of the retailers’ 386
stores could close as a result.

Parent company Woolworths is reviewing the electronics retailer due to underperforming sales, and CLSA analysts believe
the best option is to reduce store numbers.

"We believe that Woolworths will close up to 189 stores (out of 386) that are deemed unviable and invest significant
effort in pursuing an online strategy to support the 'bricks and mortar' presence," analysts David Thomas and Richard
Barwick wrote in a report entitled "Off With Dick's Head".

"While some may see this as a band-aid measure, we believe it will give Woolworths an ability to improve profitability,
continue to be a relevant player in consumer electronics and allow it to minimise the initial liability-writedown,” the
report read.

Full Story:
http://www.connectedaustralia.com/N...with-Dick-s-head-189-stores-set-to-close.aspx

Cheers Don...

====================

--
Don McKenzie

Dontronics: http://www.dontronics-shop.com/

DuinoMite the PIC32 $35 Basic Computer-MicroController
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/the-maximite-computer.html
Just add a VGA monitor or TV, and PS2 Keyboard.
Arduino Shield, Programmed in Basic, or C.

 

[[email protected]]

Off with Dick’s head: 189 stores set to close

Techxperts -- FAIL!

 

[felix_unger]

Off with Dick’s head: 189 stores set to close

Woolworths’ strategic review of Dick Smith is drawing to an end, and
CLSA analysts predict 189 of the retailers’ 386 stores could close as
a result.

Parent company Woolworths is reviewing the electronics retailer due to
underperforming sales, and CLSA analysts believe the best option is to
reduce store numbers.

"We believe that Woolworths will close up to 189 stores (out of 386)
that are deemed unviable and invest significant effort in pursuing an
online strategy to support the 'bricks and mortar' presence," analysts
David Thomas and Richard Barwick wrote in a report entitled "Off With
Dick's Head".

"While some may see this as a band-aid measure, we believe it will
give Woolworths an ability to improve profitability, continue to be a
relevant player in consumer electronics and allow it to minimise the
initial liability-writedown,” the report read.

Full Story:
http://www.connectedaustralia.com/N...with-Dick-s-head-189-stores-set-to-close.aspx


Cheers Don...

====================

They've also abandoned their 'refund within 14 days, no questions asked'
policy. I thought it was too good to last.

--
rgds,

Pete
-------
“If Julia is the answer, then what was the stupid question?!”

"Julia finally got something right. Older people don't vote Labor, because they have seen too many incompetent, mismanaging, money-wasting Labor governments"

"I regard the prime minister to be in breach of the written agreement she signed, leaving me no option but to honour my word and end my current relationship with her government. We should be able to trust our politicians to keep their word. Frankly a deal is a deal" - Andrew Wilkie, Federal Member for Denison

“All that's needed now is a small miracle to rid us of the worst prime minister and the worst government in Australia's history”

"If the WORLD as a whole cut ALL emissions tomorrow, the average temperature of the planet's not going to drop for several hundred years, perhaps over on thousand years" - Tim Flannery, Climate Commissioner

 

[atec77]

Off with Dick’s head: 189 stores set to close

No surprise as discussed when you let idiot bean counters take over

dropping the parts line lost a huge group pf customers as the shite
microwaves can be had cheaper elsewhere

 

[Parko]

Woolworths’ strategic review of Dick Smith is drawing to an end, and
CLSA analysts predict 189 of the retailers’ 386 stores could close as a
result.

So what?
http://www.wiltronics.com.au/

 

[swanny]

Off with Dick’s head: 189 stores set to close

Woolworths’ strategic review of Dick Smith is drawing to an end, and
CLSA analysts predict 189 of the retailers’ 386 stores could close as a
result.

Parent company Woolworths is reviewing the electronics retailer due to
underperforming sales, and CLSA analysts believe the best option is to
reduce store numbers.

"We believe that Woolworths will close up to 189 stores (out of 386)
that are deemed unviable and invest significant effort in pursuing an
online strategy to support the 'bricks and mortar' presence," analysts
David Thomas and Richard Barwick wrote in a report entitled "Off With
Dick's Head".

"While some may see this as a band-aid measure, we believe it will give
Woolworths an ability to improve profitability, continue to be a
relevant player in consumer electronics and allow it to minimise the
initial liability-writedown,” the report read.

Full Story:
http://www.connectedaustralia.com/N...with-Dick-s-head-189-stores-set-to-close.aspx


Cheers Don...

====================

They probably had too many stores anyway after acquiring Tandy. Several
duplicate stores were closed just after the acquisition, however many
remained open, with dubious viability. What exactly does DSE do now that
makes it any different from HN, JB etc?

 

[Petzl]

They probably had too many stores anyway after acquiring Tandy. Several
duplicate stores were closed just after the acquisition, however many
remained open, with dubious viability. What exactly does DSE do now that
makes it any different from HN, JB etc?

And that's the real problem with retail shopping over the years there
are now to many of them doing much the same next door to each other.

 

[keithr]

They probably had too many stores anyway after acquiring Tandy. Several
duplicate stores were closed just after the acquisition, however many
remained open, with dubious viability. What exactly does DSE do now that
makes it any different from HN, JB etc?

They charge more and employ less knowledgeable staff

 

[Jeßus]

Off with Dick’s head: 189 stores set to close

No great loss there. Except possibly to their shareholders. Good
riddance to (post 1985) DSE I say.

 

[SG1]

They probably had too many stores anyway after acquiring Tandy. Several
duplicate stores were closed just after the acquisition, however many
remained open, with dubious viability. What exactly does DSE do now that
makes it any different from HN, JB etc?

They don't have enuf stock/variety as the above mentioned.

 

[Yaputya Leftlegin]

No great loss there. Except possibly to their shareholders. Good
riddance to (post 1985) DSE I say.

My first amplifier was a Dick Smith kit - the EA Playmaster 136 from around
1972/73.
There was only one Dick Smith store at the time, at Gore Hill in Sydney.
I used the mail order service and the kit arrived promptly with all bits
included - and it
worked first time. DSE has long since lost the plot.

 

[Clocky]

dropping the parts line lost a huge group pf customers

No it didn't.

I worked for DSE and parts sales were almost insignifcant largely due to
pressure from cheap sources online and places like Jaycar that have a better
inventory of components.

Even Jaycar is having to diversify as component sales are ever declining.

 

[felix_unger]

(snip)

Since they stopped carrying most of the stuff I would have bought
there in the past, from my pov they might as well shut the whole 386
of them.

what did they ever sell that was any good

--
rgds,

Pete
-------
“If Julia is the answer, then what was the stupid question?!”

"Julia finally got something right. Older people don't vote Labor, because they have seen too many incompetent, mismanaging, money-wasting Labor governments"

"I regard the prime minister to be in breach of the written agreement she signed, leaving me no option but to honour my word and end my current relationship with her government. We should be able to trust our politicians to keep their word. Frankly a deal is a deal" - Andrew Wilkie, Federal Member for Denison

“All that's needed now is a small miracle to rid us of the worst prime minister and the worst government in Australia's history”

"If the WORLD as a whole cut ALL emissions tomorrow, the average temperature of the planet's not going to drop for several hundred years, perhaps over on thousand years" - Tim Flannery, Climate Commissioner

 

[Clocky]

(snip)

Since they stopped carrying most of the stuff I would have bought
there in the past, from my pov they might as well shut the whole 386
of them.

Likewise, but I know that component and tool sales were declining for years
(I worked there for some time as a casual when I was semi-retired (gimme a
break, I was only 35 and I was one of the few people who knew my P section
stuff OK) and that wasn't going to sustain all those stores.

The problem they have is that they are often still thought of as the
electronics enthusiasts store (so the average Joe still thinks it's not for
them, at least that's the vibe I get) and at the same time they have killed
off the enthusiast lines and have gone with products that people think are
synonymous with the larger, better known retailers.

They're fucked IOW and may as well close all the stores as I think that will
be the inevitable outcome anyway

 

[Sylvia Else]

Off with Dick’s head: 189 stores set to close

Woolworths’ strategic review of Dick Smith is drawing to an end, and
CLSA analysts predict 189 of the retailers’ 386 stores could close as a
result.

Parent company Woolworths is reviewing the electronics retailer due to
underperforming sales, and CLSA analysts believe the best option is to
reduce store numbers.

"We believe that Woolworths will close up to 189 stores (out of 386)
that are deemed unviable and invest significant effort in pursuing an
online strategy to support the 'bricks and mortar' presence," analysts
David Thomas and Richard Barwick wrote in a report entitled "Off With
Dick's Head".

"While some may see this as a band-aid measure, we believe it will give
Woolworths an ability to improve profitability, continue to be a
relevant player in consumer electronics and allow it to minimise the
initial liability-writedown,” the report read.

Full Story:
http://www.connectedaustralia.com/N...with-Dick-s-head-189-stores-set-to-close.aspx


Cheers Don...

====================

Since they've long become just another consumer electronics retail
store, I doubt they'll be missed by many readers of these groups.

From my perspective, they died a while back, they just didn't stop moving.

Sylvia.

 

[Clocky]

what did they ever sell that was any good

They were at one time handy for electronics, like components and stuff and
had a decent range of tools for electronics work...
If you weren't into that, then they had little to offer I guess.

 

[Clocky]

Since they've long become just another consumer electronics retail
store, I doubt they'll be missed by many readers of these groups.

From my perspective, they died a while back, they just didn't stop
moving.

When I was working there about 8 years ago the rot had already well and
truly set in.

Staff generally avoided anyone approaching the "P" section like they had the
plague already then, because there was no money in it and it required some
expertise to help people. High GP items meant a bigger paycheck and
upselling extended warranties on high value items was all the rage.

It was clearl already then that the "P" section was a relic that nobody
really wanted anymore. As service got worse, fewer customers would come in
to ask for advice and buy components, so lines got deleted etc, until they
finally dumped the whole lot last year.

But really it's hard to see how DSE has any relevance at all today as others
are doing what they are trying to do, but they already do it much better.

 

[felix_unger]

They probably had too many stores anyway after acquiring Tandy. Several
duplicate stores were closed just after the acquisition, however many
remained open, with dubious viability. What exactly does DSE do now that
makes it any different from HN, JB etc?

sell crappy DSE products..

--
rgds,

Pete
-------
“If Julia is the answer, then what was the stupid question?!”

"Julia finally got something right. Older people don't vote Labor, because they have seen too many incompetent, mismanaging, money-wasting Labor governments"

"I regard the prime minister to be in breach of the written agreement she signed, leaving me no option but to honour my word and end my current relationship with her government. We should be able to trust our politicians to keep their word. Frankly a deal is a deal" - Andrew Wilkie, Federal Member for Denison

“All that's needed now is a small miracle to rid us of the worst prime minister and the worst government in Australia's history”

"If the WORLD as a whole cut ALL emissions tomorrow, the average temperature of the planet's not going to drop for several hundred years, perhaps over on thousand years" - Tim Flannery, Climate Commissioner

 

[felix_unger]

They were at one time handy for electronics, like components and stuff and
had a decent range of tools for electronics work...
If you weren't into that, then they had little to offer I guess.

yes, I know. Dicky had kits for just about everything. but the
electronic parts and components were pretty cheap and nasty and
overpriced. He made his money by importing cheap junk and selling it at
inflated prices, and from his kits. in those days he had little
competition, but you could always get better electronic parts from
electronic parts stores like Radio Parts, until they started selling the
cheap stuff to compete. I recall when Radio Parts used to sell mostly
German plugs, sockets, etc. then when they started selling the imported
shit you couldn't even solder half their stuff without it falling apart.
Dicky was also one of the first retailers to get into computers, with
the Sinclair, etc., He had little competition with the PC's.

--
rgds,

Pete
-------
“If Julia is the answer, then what was the stupid question?!”

"Julia finally got something right. Older people don't vote Labor, because they have seen too many incompetent, mismanaging, money-wasting Labor governments"

"I regard the prime minister to be in breach of the written agreement she signed, leaving me no option but to honour my word and end my current relationship with her government. We should be able to trust our politicians to keep their word. Frankly a deal is a deal" - Andrew Wilkie, Federal Member for Denison

“All that's needed now is a small miracle to rid us of the worst prime minister and the worst government in Australia's history”

"If the WORLD as a whole cut ALL emissions tomorrow, the average temperature of the planet's not going to drop for several hundred years, perhaps over on thousand years" - Tim Flannery, Climate Commissioner

 

[felix_unger]

No it didn't.

I worked for DSE and parts sales were almost insignifcant largely due to
pressure from cheap sources online and places like Jaycar that have a better
inventory of components.

Even Jaycar is having to diversify as component sales are ever declining.

because it's a throwaway situation now with electronic items. you wont
find many TV repair shops these days.

--
rgds,

Pete
-------
“If Julia is the answer, then what was the stupid question?!”

"Julia finally got something right. Older people don't vote Labor, because they have seen too many incompetent, mismanaging, money-wasting Labor governments"

"I regard the prime minister to be in breach of the written agreement she signed, leaving me no option but to honour my word and end my current relationship with her government. We should be able to trust our politicians to keep their word. Frankly a deal is a deal" - Andrew Wilkie, Federal Member for Denison

“All that's needed now is a small miracle to rid us of the worst prime minister and the worst government in Australia's history”

"If the WORLD as a whole cut ALL emissions tomorrow, the average temperature of the planet's not going to drop for several hundred years, perhaps over on thousand years" - Tim Flannery, Climate Commissioner