The crème of South Africa's social scene, including VIP guests, celebrities and local media joined in the über-stylish, exclusive cocktail party celebration of the launch of the Hugo menswear store at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on 15 October 2008. This new store is the first in South Africa. 17 Oct 2008
This article relates to the UK, but there are parallels with South Africa and the message is clear. Beware! 17 Oct 2008
How easy is it to do business in South Africa and Africa - or with the rest of the world, for that matter. These rankings provide some insight. 17 Oct 2008
After Tuesday's launch of the new MacBooks, Steve Jobs, Tim Cook and Phil Schiller sat on high stools on stage to answer questions. Asked about Blu-ray, Jobs said, "You know, Blu-ray is a bag of hurt." That's probably more of a positioning statement for Apple products and strategy than a real indictment of the Blu-ray technology, and therein lies a problem. 17 Oct 2008
Among dreamy startups and salty e-commerce veterans alike, Zappos.com appears to be the golden grail - certainly one blessed, at least, with heavenly rewards. "Zappos is the Amazon of the shoe business, and its model is extremely difficult to mimic," Gene Alvarez, vice president of research at Gartner (and former employee of shoe-biz powerhouse, Nine West Group), told the E-Commerce Times. 17 Oct 2008
Food retailer Pick n Pay is expected to see faster growth by 2010 after completing its substantial restructuring programme, which includes converting Score stores into its franchises. 16 Oct 2008
The Consumer Protection Bill 2008, which will introduce principles of consumer protection and serve as a governing statement on consumer protection matters in South Africa, will go before a selected Parliamentary committee today, Thursday 16 October. 16 Oct 2008
Consumers have become far more cautious when it comes to spending their cash, and that's bad news for local retailers. 16 Oct 2008
Often, people use their headphones to block out the noise of an airplane or chatty neighbor, but simply increasing the volume can increase the danger of hearing damage. Many headphones now offer noise isolation or noise cancellation, which audiologists recommend over everyday earphones for protecting hearing. 16 Oct 2008
The Golden Kaan wine brand has won gold at Veritas, one of South Africa's premier wine awards, announced last Saturday night in Cape Town. 16 Oct 2008
Consumers should continue to be cautious with their spending despite global markets stabilising and Wall Street registering its highest gains in a single day since the darkest days of the Great Depression. 16 Oct 2008
The current economic crunch calls for a shift in thinking on the part of financial services providers in terms of how they respond to consumer debt, says Terry Kier, Managing Director, OriginEight Financial Services. South Africans, he says, are on average spending 80% of their disposable income on debt, with the average consumer owing to eight credit providers at any one time. 16 Oct 2008
With the proper analysis and planning, two CPG companies create packaging that is ECO-friendly and EYE-catching. 16 Oct 2008
A pre-listing statement for Reinet Investments, the separately-listed investment vehicle being spawned by the restructuring of Swiss based luxury goods group Richemont, was issued on Wednesday, 15 October. 15 Oct 2008
Foodcorp is adding to Cape Town's cultural diversity and reputation for innovation and creativity with the launch of the food manufacturer's new innovation centre, the 7th Floor. 15 Oct 2008
Grocer retailer Pick n Pay expects diluted headline earnings per share from continuing operations for the six months ended August to be between 15% and 25% higher than the same period last year, it said on Tuesday. 15 Oct 2008
The Department of Trade and Industry will on Thursday, 16 October, table the Companies Bill 2008, in Parliament before the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs for ratification and adoption. 15 Oct 2008
Verizon and Motorola launched another touchscreen wireless phone into the market Tuesday. However, unlike other touch screen handsets, the Krave ZN4 is a flip phone with a new spin - a transparent plastic cover. 15 Oct 2008
Many clients expect an advertising or marketing campaign to show instant results, and while new campaigns may result in short-term peaks in sales that keep the client happy, the real value is in the long-term. 15 Oct 2008
Here's something for whisky lovers who might like to share the gentle taste of Islay this festive season. The elegant and distinctive Bunnahabhain 25-year old is the perfect gift for those who appreciate the finer things in life. 15 Oct 2008