Retail Industry and New Zealand

Strategic Retail Management
                                Assignment No. 3
                    “The Retail Industry & New Zealand”

                                                    Submitted By:
                                                  Avinash Yadav
                                            Student I.D: 12000690      
                                                    22 June 2014

The retail industry is one of the biggest employers in New Zealand, and represents a significant portion of the New Zealand economy. In the year to July 2010, the value of the retail industry in New Zealand was approximately $44 billion (Euromonitor International, 2011), thus making up roughly 7.5% of New Zealand GDP.
The Department of Labor estimates that up to 12% of workers in New Zealand are employed in the retail industry. Currently the retail sector is growing at a faster rate than the New Zealand economy as a whole.
The key sectors of this industry are supermarkets, department stores, hospitality related, clothing, and appliance retailing. Whilst the dominant companies in the retail industry are Progressive enterprise, Foodstuff Ltd, Warehouse Group Ltd, Fletcher Building Ltd, Harvey Norman Holdings and Farmers Trading Co Ltd.
Some of the oldest retailers in New Zealand are discussed here. The firm of S.F. Aburn Ltd dates from 1903 when it was founded by Samuel Felix Aburn, a glass retailer and glazier. It became a limited liability company in 1927 and the Hocken holds an archive of the company comprising various accounting books. Another major 20th century retailer was Brown, Ewing & Co. Ltd, established in 1902 to take over the business of Thomas Brown who sold drapery and furnishings. This business had been established by Thomas Brown, Ralph Ewing and John Glendining in 1866.
Motor vehicle retailer Cooke Howlison & Co. was originally established by F.A. Cooke and Edward Howlison in 1895 as a cycle manufacturer and importer. The...