E-Briefs
NEW LOOK SURFSTITCH
GOLD COAST: Surfstitch.com has undergone a makeover in the wake of Billabong's investment in the e-business. The online surf store has an expanded range of product categories and brands, with watches, sunglasses and kids’ apparel joining categories such as menswear, womenswear, wetsuits, snow and surf. The site also features services such as international shipping, gift wrapping and an e-newsletter. The site boasts it is Australia's number one online surf store, with over 12,000 products and 150 brands on offer including Elwood, Tigerlily, Rip Curl and Nixon.
BATTLE OF THE BRIEFS
SYDNEY: Men’s underwear label MensFit has launched an online store in an attempt to go "head-to-head" with rival brand, Aussiebum. The Australian site (www.mensfit.com.au) is selling briefs, trunks, g-strings and swimwear and will soon be complemented by a MensFit e-store for the US. Mensfit founder Bruno Schiavi created the brand in 2003 with retail price points of $21.95 for briefs and $23.99 for trunks. Other brands produced by Schiavi’s Jupi Corp include Peter Morrissey Man + Woman and Acestar.
YOUTH APPEAL
NATIONAL: Research by the Australian Retailers Association has revealed only 25 per cent of surveyed consumers shop online whenever possible. Of those surveyed, 18 to 34-year-olds were more likely to shop online when possible, while mature singles and those over 55 years of age were the least likely to shop online. The research was part of the ARA's annual online Consumer Spending Confidence survey, which captured the opinions of a total of 1006 consumers during August.
TEMPORARY TREASURE
SYDNEY: Online rental boutique Can I Borrow That? (www.caniborrowthat.com.au) has "reviewed its hiring prices to ensure affordability". The site, which leases designer dresses from the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Just Cavalli, is now renting dresses from $79 per week, down from $99 per week. The site's owner, Michelle Auraha, has also introduced a "packages" service, offering combinations of dresses and bags for hire. Labels recently added to the site include Alexander McQueen and Moschino, with a total of 50 new garments added for the spring racing and formal season.