Seneca21

Could they start one up? Amazon can't have an Amazon.com.au because the Government has rigged the book market. Maybe it's the same for the shops you mention? Are they allowed to? I know Argos stuff can be pretty crap but I think an Argos would go down a storm in Australia. Before Ikea what did people do when they wanted cheap new furniture?

Amazulu

Shorten is a major hard-left socialist so therefore loves taxes.

What about Labor's harping on about the NBN and the digital economy?

MartinLuther

I'm assuming they went to Fantastic. Just like folks in the UK used to go to MFI.

renth

He went to the Hugo Chavez school of economics.

Seneca21

If he really is considering this and he's not just saying it to save Harvey's face, then I think he must have. And we can all see what a rip-roaring success Venezuela is.

Seneca21

I had forgotten about MFI! And what about those cheesy DFS adverts? Thank God for IKEA.

Amazulu

There is nothing stopping them - there are no 'rules' against it. Tesco, Walmart, Bestbuy etc have major internet operations in conjunction with massive bricks and mortar retail space.

Seneca21

In terms of internet shopping Australia is at least five years behind Britain, though, to be fair. So these things will probably come along in time. Like the news - BBC News 24 for example which offers really good reports 24/7. Ten years later the ABC start a rolling news channel but it's more ABC .025/96 than ABC 24 because they just repeat the same stories four times an hour round the clock, and many of these stories are BBC reports.

But Australia is a much smaller economy so these things take time.

Geordie George

I do lots of shopping online and it seems crazy that it's more cost effective to order something from the other side of the world than it is to order from an Aus retailer.

I do try and order from work at home mums (WAHM) kinda stores where I can (for things for my daughter and stuff like cosmetics, mainly) as I prefer to support local business, if I can. But Aus post charges such huge amounts that even doing something like that can be really cost prohibitive. I end up buying from a lot of US and UK based WAHMs instead. Smaller retailers in Aus have a lot against them to compete with.

Seneca21

Well if Harvey and Shorten get this done it won't be any more. In true socialist style they have decided to level the playing field. You or I would try to level it by making domestic Australian prices more competitive and cheaper, but these guys do it by making all overseas products more expensive.

Ya gotta love that jive.

Seneca21

Price-fixing always ends in disaster. The only reason everyone in Australia buys their books online is because they rigged the domestic book market and books unaffordable. Now, rather than learn from this and make billionaires like Harvey get more competitive, they are going to rig the rest of the online market with taxation. This will simply increase criminality as people seek to get their goods by any other means.

Swerv-o

Yes, the government had a great opportunity to inject some much needed competition into the book marketplace the year before last, but instead opted for continuing with the existing protectionist measures.


S

Steve2009

Does anyone connect high retail prices with rents and land costs btw?

Swerv-o

Yes, also with a comparatively high minimum wage.


S

ozzieeagle

Bloody hell Wendy, Just when I was thinking of giving it another go, I put my last experience down to being on my own and having no one to sound off at re any negative annoyances.

I'm almost certainly basing in France next time... then visiting rellies for the Weekend/midweek break (Wife wont go back to the UK owise)

As for GH... I've always slagged off HN and their prices have become much more reasonable lately. The only way anyone should use them is for the 60months or more interest free and because for some reason they cant go with SHand... spouses needs etc.