DISCOUNT HOUSES (RETAIL TRADE) – AUSTRALIA

Online retailers are leading Australia’s low-price perception shift, with cheap becoming even cheaper

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Nov-25

Research from Roy Morgan shows that global online retailers are reshaping Australians’ perceptions of value, with "cheap" becoming even cheaper as most traditional discount stores lose their hold on price perception. Kmart and Big W continue to lead on low-price perception, with 58% and 45% of Australians respectively associating these brands with the statement "has low prices". However, over the past five years most traditional discount retailers have seen declines in this measure, while Amazon, Temu and Shein have recorded notable gains. Temu’s "low price" association has risen from 34% to 41% (+7% points) since October 2024, surpassing The Reject Shop. Shein has risen from 23% to 27% (+4% points) during the same period, and is now sitting on par with Bunnings and Target. The Reject Shop’s recent acquisition by Canadian retailer Dollarama is set to inject new competition into this segment. However, Dollarama will be entering a far more competitive environment than The Reject Shop has competed in, with online players now firmly reshaping what Australians perceive as "cheap".

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, TEMU, SHEIN, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, DOLLARAMA

‘Let us see the audits’: Kmart faces legal battle over alleged links to Uyghur forced labour

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jessica Yun
The Age – Page: Online : 6-Aug-25

Discount department store chain Kmart Australia is under scrutiny amid concerns that two of its clothing suppliers may used forced labour in the Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang. The Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association recently filed a Federal Court application requesting information from Kmart as to whether the suppliers in question are compliant with the company’s ethical sourcing program. A Kmart spokesperson has indicated that the retailer regularly monitors its suppliers via audits, site visits and other actions,

CORPORATES
KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN UYGHUR TANGRITAGH WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Harris Scarfe tops discount department store customer satisfaction

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-Oct-19

New research from Roy Morgan shows that Harris Scarfe has Australia’s most satisfied discount department store customers, with a satisfaction rating of 91% in September, putting it ahead of rivals Kmart and Best & Less (both on 89%). Big W and Costco are in equal fourth on 88%. The biggest improvement over the past year came from Harris Scarfe, which rose 5% points and Best & Less, which is up 3% points. Just outside the top five in September was Target Country, which increased 4% points to 87%, while Big W improved 1% point to 88%. Kmart and Costco are unchanged on a year ago. The latest victory for Harris Scarfe continues a run of monthly wins that puts the retailer in prime position to claim the year’s overall award for the first time since 2015. These are the latest results from Roy Morgan’s Discount Department Stores Satisfaction Report which is based on in-depth personal interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 Australians each year in their own homes, including more than 8,500 who shop at a discount department store in an average four weeks.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, HARRIS SCARFE HOLDINGS LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TARGET COUNTRY

Woolworths bites the bullet on Big W

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 2-Apr-19

Woolworths has advised that it will close 30 of its Big W department stores, which will reduce the number of outlets by about 16 per cent. Two of Big W’s distribution centres will also be closed as part of the restructuring program, which will result in a one-off impairment charge of $370m. Woolworths has forecast that Big W will post a loss of least $80m in fiscal 2019, but CEO Brad Banducci says the retail giant is committed to restoring the chain to profitability. The store closures could result in the loss of up to 1,000 jobs, but Woolworths hopes to redeploy many employees.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, EG GROUP, PLATO INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Costco tops for discount department store satisfaction

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Sep-18

New research from Roy Morgan shows Costco as Australia’s leading discount department store with a customer satisfaction of 88.6% in July, just ahead of rivals Target on 88.5% and Kmart on 88.4%. The impressive ratings for the industry underlie that 87.5% of customers of discount department stores are satisfied, an increase of 1.1% points over the year. All five leading discount department stores increased their customer satisfaction, with the biggest improvement over the past year coming from Best & Less, which rose 1.8% year on year for a customer satisfaction rating of 86.4. These are the latest results from Roy Morgan’s Discount Department Store Satisfaction Report which is based on in-depth personal interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 Australians per annum in their own homes.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, COUNTRY ROAD LIMITED, HARRIS SCARFE HOLDINGS LIMITED

Satisfaction up for discount department stores

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Jul-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey shows that 87.3% of customers of Australian discount department stores were satisfied in the year to May 2018, an increase of 0.6% over the previous 12 months. Kmart and Target had the highest customer satisfaction rating (both on 88.2%). Kmart improved by 0.7% over the last 12 months and Target was up by 0.6%. They were followed by Costco (87.0%), Big W (86.6%), Best & Less (86.0%), Target Country (84.8%) and Harris Scarfe (83.3%). The only stores to decline in satisfaction over the last 12 months were Harris Scarfe (down 5.2% points) and Costco (down 2.1% points). Roy Morgan’s "Discount Department Store Satisfaction Report" is based on in-depth interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 Australians per annum in their own homes.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, TARGET COUNTRY, HARRIS SCARFE HOLDINGS LIMITED

Costco & Kmart battle for 2017 customer satisfaction award

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Feb-18

Roy Morgan’s Single Source survey shows that Costco (88.9%) had the highest customer satisfaction rating among Australian discount department stores in November 2017, ahead of Kmart on 88.3%. Costco (with five monthly victories) and Kmart (four victories) are locked in a tight battle for the 2017 Roy Morgan Discount Department Store Customer Satisfaction Award. Target, the defending Discount Department Store of the year, has lost ground over the past year and been unable to build on an early monthly victory in March. Target’s customer satisfaction rating of 87.5% in November is down 0.4% points on a year ago. Also losing ground in the year to November 2017 are Steinhoff Asia-Pacific’s two discount department stores – Harris Scarfe on a customer satisfaction rating of 85.9%, down 1.6% points on a year ago, and Best & Less on 85.2%, down 2.2% points.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HARRIS SCARFE HOLDINGS LIMITED, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, STEINHOFF ASIA-PACIFIC

Kmart leads discount department store satisfaction

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Oct-17

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that Kmart had a customer satisfaction rating of 87.6% in August 2017, which places it ahead of its major Australian discount department store competitors. Kmart is followed by Costco (87.1%), Target (86.5%), Harris Scarfe (85.9%), Big W (85.3%), Best&Less (84.7%) and Target Country (81.2%). Kmart was ranked fifth a year ago, behind Target, Best&Less, Harris Scarfe and Costco. Kmart has improved its customer satisfaction rating by 1.0% points over the last 12 months, while its major competitors all showed declines, except for Big W which remained unchanged. The biggest declines were for Best&Less (down 2.8% points), Target and Target Country (both down 2.2% points).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HARRIS SCARFE HOLDINGS LIMITED, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, TARGET COUNTRY

Costco to float online and watch pennies fly

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 23-Aug-17

Costco will boast nine stores in Australia when its third store in Sydney opens in late August. The discount retailer intends to compete directly with Amazon.com in the local market, with plans to expand into online retailing within the next 18 months. Costco Australia MD Patrick Noone says the online store will enable the company to target consumers in regional and rural areas who do not have ready access to its warehouse-style outlets. Online sales now comprises 5-6 per cent of Costco’s overall sales in the US.

CORPORATES
COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, DAVID JONES LIMITED, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, OFFICEWORKS SUPERSTORES PTY LTD, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, SUPER RETAIL GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUL, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Quality over quantity: another customer satisfaction win for Harris Scarfe

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Oct-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that Harris Scarfe has a customer satisfaction rating of 90 per cent among Australians aged 14+ who visited a discount department store in the year to August 2015. Harris Scarfe has now taken out top spot in the Discount Department Store category of the Roy Morgan Research Customer Satisfaction Awards for six consecutive months. Target and Target Country have customer satisfaction ratings of 88 per cent and 87 per cent respectively.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, HARRIS SCARFE HOLDINGS LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TARGET COUNTRY, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, BEST AND LESS PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD