Dick Smith in store decline

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A5X

97 posts

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#143546 18-Apr-2014 14:23

Is it me or is Dick Smith in store on the decline?

Seem that their product in store range in becoming smaller, or less or a selection. I get the feeling the focus is moving towards online sales, and moving away from brick and mortar shops.

Good example would be, their sale the starts tomorrow appears to be an online sale. I don't know if that is the case fully, but the way it is promoted, appears to look that way.

If in store is on the decline, starting to wonder how much longer before the stores are reduced or shutdown. There was some speculation about this about a year ago I think it was through the news.

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#1027339 18-Apr-2014 14:34

I've been here 10 years and it never seemed very good, so it must be pretty poor now....!

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eXDee

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#1027340 18-Apr-2014 14:34

Ever since being bought by Anchorage Capital Partners and then in december 2013 listing on the ASX, they have increasingly been cutting costs in all areas.

Try doing a head count of staff at a dick smith store, and compare it to noel leeming for example.

Dunnersfella

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#1027415 18-Apr-2014 16:13

The new owners have certainly cut costs, what were quite nicely appointed stores (Westfield concept store in Chch as an example) are now often run down husks of their former selves.
Listening to questions in their latest financial results Q&A, they talk about success in Aussie, but note that NZ is challenging and are blaming the competition.
Personally, I think they'd been stripped down for sale, then, the new owners have cut costs even further. Hiring part timers for seasonal periods... but ignoring the rest of the year, drastically reducing stock on shelves - well, it all seems to foster a poor public image.
However, the comments in the media seem to indicate expansion and re-investment.
What direction that comes from / how it occurs, I don't know.
But my guesses are for 'stores within stores'. A Sasmung area, staffed by Samsung reps, a Sony area, staffed by Sony reps, an Apple area yadaya.
It has already happened in the US (for better, or for worse) so no doubt it's a model that can be easily copied by DSE.

Geektastic

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#1027419 18-Apr-2014 16:34

I'd say within 2 years they will be toast and a fading memory if they carry on as now.

Kopkiwi

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#1027420 18-Apr-2014 16:35

Have to agree. Their website is a joke. Never works, doesn't have any of the decent instore products listed and their prices and ability to move when compared to competitors is rubbish.

SteveON

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#1027445 18-Apr-2014 17:00

I remember when DSE was all about funway and electronics.

mattwnz

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#1027457 18-Apr-2014 17:26

I had one of those funway kits, they must have been quite a good earner for them, as they weren't cheap to buy back in the 80's. Great learning for kids. Really they are largely just another toaster shop these days. I went into a store on friday to look at their tablet selection, but they only had samsung, so quickly left. Was the only one in the store too, so was quikly confronted if I wanted help, which is always a bit of a turnoff. Feel like having a name tag that says 'only browsing' .

DarthKermit

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#1027475 18-Apr-2014 18:09

Can't say that I've set foot in a DS store in ages. Thanks for the heads up.

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wellygary

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#1027489 18-Apr-2014 18:43

SteveON: I remember when DSE was all about funway and electronics.

They should have never been allowed to buy out David reid's..

old3eyes

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#1027490 18-Apr-2014 18:51

wellygary:
SteveON: I remember when DSE was all about funway and electronics.

They should have never been allowed to buy out David reid's..

I suspect it would have gone the same way..

Regards,

Old3eyes

Dunnersfella

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#1027633 19-Apr-2014 07:30

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9957973/Dick-Smith-online-sales-up-47-per-cent

Online sales are up, NZ is down...

gzt

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#1027654 19-Apr-2014 09:37

old3eyes:
wellygary:
SteveON: I remember when DSE was all about funway and electronics.

They should have never been allowed to buy out David reid's..

I suspect it would have gone the same way..

Actually, Reid tried it many years before DS did. The strategy failed as it was obvious it was going to. Reid cashed in it's remaining chips by selling to DS. Then DS starts out down the same road...

Dunky33

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#1027658 19-Apr-2014 09:59

I think Dick Smith is owned by Progrssive Enterprises

JimmyH

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#1027689 19-Apr-2014 11:55

There is an earlier thread on this. But in summary, yes, it does appear to be in decline. It given away the market niche that made it stand out from the crowd and give people a reason to go there a few years ago, and now doesn't have anything that differentiates it from other consumer appliance stores. In terms of both range of stock carried and pricing, it is typically worse that its competitors (Harveys, Noel Leeming, etc). Unless there is something I am aware of that they have at a competitive special price (which is rare nowadays), there is no longer any reason to go there.

TheMantis

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#1027712 19-Apr-2014 14:07

Dick Smith is utterly useless for physical shopping. This morning my father and I went to the New Plymouth store with the express desire to purchase a couple of iPads. I haven't been to this store for a long time and while it was never flash by any means it's current state is disgraceful. After we finally got someone to assist us with our inquiries we decided to spend close to $2000 on two iPads. The sales creature shuffles off out the back of the store and eventually comes back with the wrong product. At this point I just walked out and my father followed shortly afterwards. From a quick browse I didn't see a single Apple Mac computer product in the store and only one iPad Air and one non retina-iPad mini. The Dick Smith website is promoting sales for Apple Mac products but there only a few, mainly entry level, products available or nothing at all for iPads. I'm getting the impression that Dick Smith are running out their Apple stock. Perhaps they might end up like Harvey Norman and just stick to iOS products. What an utterly unfulfilling experience and it's no wonder that I normally buy almost all my technology products from Amazon.

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