IvanM

People find Hardly Normal over priced and the service is non existant. Talk about an exec falling asleep at the wheel.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/gerry...831-255ax.html

GarryP

Now, a less intelligent man than Gerry might have put two and two together at this point - but not Gerry, he knows that online is not the way to make money.

furbacchione

Wasn't he bitching a few months back about how the ability to buy overseas, VIA THE INTERNET, was killing his business... But now he says it only accounts for 1% of his business. Sounds like he's telling more than the porky pies in that article...

renth

So true, how can such a moron still be in business? He HAS to go bust soon, surely?

moneypenny20

Whilst it would be tough for the employees, some of whom must be good at their job presumably, is it wrong to

GarryP

He personally holds 30% of the company, nobody is going to kick him out.

IIRC the stores are franchise operations, they can individually fail but the central holding company can carry serenely on.

Frankly, to die, you'd have to take out the mothership - cut it off and starve it of income. Otherwise eventually he would have an 'epiphany' and switch to being an online retailer only, and survive. He's laid the ground work, in a way that doesn't adversely affect the retail business, but that gains the basic structure needed.

I'd suggest it looks like his talk is for the benefit of the franchisees. Mr Harvey is playing both ends against the middle.

Zen10

Gerry Harvey needs to be on the same raft as Gina Rinehart when it is pushed out into shark-infested waters and left there for a few weeks.

moneypenny20

They'd probably smell of something sharks don't like and get left alone. Then they may get 'together' and that's not a pleasant thought and I really wish I hadn't thought it.

Zen10

Oh good lord imagine the progeny. Little Ginagerries running around everywhere stealing all the other kids' toys and selling them back to them.

Beoz

Ha ha. I read this today and my heart sank again for poor old old old old old G-Man

Zen10

If he put his net worth in one account at 5.75% interest he would make $140,725 a day. Less of the poor....

I suppose that is poor compared to Gina "Lower the Minimum Wage" Rinehart who if she did the same would make $4,718,333 million a day.

ozzieeagle

Someone should ask him, "Explain how Ebay managed to get to the size it is" ?

I've got to admit, I'd be loath to buy anything larger than a Camera without seeing it in action first.

Largest thing Ive bought of the net unseen would be a Kogan internet radio.

So whats the largest thing people that are interested in this thread have bought online ?

Broad Shoulders

I agree that in some ways it is wrong, as there are families that rely on them to survive. However, my experience of some of these retailers from a professional stand-point has left me with such a bitter taste.

There are two retailers who I have dealt with over the years both at HQ level and store level and both had the same arrogant and greedy setup, unlike many of the others. One has already gone tits up (WOW) and the other is HN. HN are by far the worst. If you are a manufacturer or vendor they will only sell your product if they have a better deal to offer than any other retailer (the same deal is not acceptable). They will also insist on exhorbitant margins that the manufacturer has to wear. Their instore people will only sell your product if there is a particular promotion on for them, whereby they get a better kick back or you bring in freebies for them. So remember that next time you are in their store and they are recommending a particular brand over another. Generally it is not because it is the better product, it is generally because that is what makes the sales man more.

Unfortunately, HN still are by far the biggest retailer in this country and so wield so much power over the manufacturers. But I can tell you that secretly every single one of those vendors would love to see the back of them.

chris1386

Ozzie eagle, the Largest thing i bought on line was when i was in the uk, off ebay motors (US) and was a dodge ram srt10- 8.3 litre v10 pickup truck brand new for $50000.
And yes, it was buy it now, paid by bank transfer.That got my heart pumping!
I actually did this 3 times with no dramas at all.
Have been into Harvey Norman once since arriving here. Cant see me going back, taking the piss does not begin to cover it.........

ozzieeagle

WoW @ the Dodge. Re HN I used to hate them with a vengence, however recently since all this online stuff came to the fore, I've been able to get them to price match any advertised price either on the net or at another competitors store..... Plus quite often you dont have to pay a cent for 15 months, which has been a very useful benefit for me during our renovations.... I did buy 12K worth of stuff from them in one hit though.... which gave me loads of leverage. Twas slightly tedious going from the Good Guys and E@S Trading and back to HN a few times... eventually I couldnt find better price. Took about a month to finalise my price.