CBD
The jet-skis never came through, but Gerry Harvey's least favourite online retailer, Ruslan Kogan, still reckons his crystal ball is in working order when it comes to Apple products.
In addition to annoying Harvey (pictured), who has described Kogan's offerings as "unbranded shit", and suing telco supplier ispOne, Kogan has also been baiting JB Hi-Fi boss Terry Smart.
Back in 2011, Kogan predicted Apple products would be out of JB by March next year, and even tried to bet Smart $1 million that it would happen. (Perhaps wisely, Smart didn't bite.)
So with less than a year to go, and Apple products still all over JB showrooms, how does Kogan think his prediction is faring? "Over a year after I made my assertions, some of it had started coming into fruition and Apple had culled a huge portion of their retailers," Kogan said. "It's inevitable this will happen to JB Hi-Fi."
There's still time for Kogan's prediction that Apple will shift entirely online to come to fruition ... unlike his November 2010 hopes to start selling boats and jet-skis, which have been abandoned.
Kogan had reckoned he could sell boats that fetch $60,000 for $15,000 and wanted to be delivering watercraft by February the following year. Three years on, no boats or jet-skis are on the Kogan online store. Kogan said he decided not to go ahead with jet- skis "because of the shipping constraints, as further exploration indicated logistically it was going to be near impossible to deliver such a large item Australia-wide".
Bosses in swing
With turmoil the new normal in the media industry, it's little wonder executives chose to escape for a round of golf over the weekend of March 22-24. What's more surprising is that despite all the sector's doom and gloom, the golf weekend, held at Cypress Lakes Resort in the Hunter Valley, raised a record-breaking $1.78 million for Cerebral Palsy Australia.
Of course, media types weren't the only bosses digging deep during the annual CBD Golf Escape - but they were in abundance. Those in attendance at the event, organised by Starcom chairman John Sintras, included Bauer Media CEO Matt Stanton, Saatchi & Saatchi boss Michael Rebelo and the outgoing head of Fairfax Media's metropolitan division, Jack Matthews.
Actors let off
As summer turned to autumn, police were out in force at music festivals, and so were their friendly drug-sniffing dogs.
Just a week ago, a crackdown at the baby boomer-oriented Byron Bay Blues Festival resulted in 200 people being busted with drugs, mostly pot, and police rounded up 200-odd pill-heads at last month's Sydney and Melbourne editions of the Future Music Festival.
Given the blitz, would dogs be on the red carpet for the TV industry's night of nights, the Logies, on Sunday?
In 2005, Melbourne's Sunday Herald Sun took swabs from the Logies toilets, finding traces of cocaine and speed. And on Sunday, Fairfax Media published a tale about an actor who wouldn't accept her award because she was doing coke in the throne room.
No doubt all TV people are all clean-living types, but wouldn't police be keen to make sure? No. Victoria Police have confirmed no sniffer dogs were deployed.
CBD is concerned the police are sending a message that if you want to get on the hard stuff in this country, you'll be fine as long as you're wearing a tux or fancy frock.
Mackenzie coup
Still in Melbourne, the Melbourne Mining Club has pulled off a major coup, hosting the first big speech by new BHP boss Andrew Mackenzie - although attendees will need to trek to London to hear him. Mackenzie will be speaking at an MMC function at the home of cricket, Lord's, on June 6. The MMC will no doubt be hoping his speech hits punters for six.
Got a tip?
bbutler@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The article says Ruslan Kogan predicted Apple would shift more sales online and that Apple products would be pulled from many retailers, eventually affecting JB Hi‑Fi. For everyday investors, that’s a reminder that changes in supplier relationships and manufacturer retail strategy (like Apple choosing fewer third‑party sellers or selling more directly) can materially affect electronics retailers’ sales mix and margins.
No — the article notes Kogan never started selling the boats and jet‑skis he once promoted. He said the idea was dropped because shipping and logistics made it nearly impossible to deliver such large items across Australia, highlighting how supply‑chain and delivery costs can derail retail expansion plans.
The piece highlights public friction — Gerry Harvey criticized Kogan’s products, Kogan sued a telco supplier (ispOne) and publicly baited JB Hi‑Fi’s boss Terry Smart. For investors this matters because public disputes can affect brand perception, partnership opportunities and may signal aggressive competitive posture from online retailers that can pressure incumbents’ sales and margins.
The article cites Kogan’s observation that Apple had reduced the number of authorised retail partners. For retail stocks, fewer authorised channels can mean loss of premium product sales for some stores, while other retailers or direct Apple channels could gain — so investors should watch product availability, supplier agreements and how retailers diversify their offerings.
The CBD Golf Escape, attended by many media executives, raised a record $1.78 million for Cerebral Palsy Australia. For investors, the event underscores how media and advertising leaders network outside the office, raise significant corporate‑sector funds and maintain relationships that can influence partnerships, M&A conversations and sector resilience.
The article reports heavy policing and many drug busts at festivals, but Victoria Police confirmed no sniffer dogs were used at the Logies. This divergence highlights regulatory and reputational risks event organisers face: enforcement can be strict at public festivals, and decisions about security or enforcement at high‑profile events can affect public perception and liability for organisers and media partners.
Andrew Mackenzie is the new BHP chief and the article notes the Melbourne Mining Club secured his first major speech, to be held at Lord’s in London on June 6. For investors, early speeches by a new CEO are worth watching for strategic direction, management priorities and signals about future capital allocation or operations at BHP.
The article includes an editorial tip line: bbutler@fairfaxmedia.com.au. If you have relevant information or a tip related to the topics covered, that email address was provided as the contact in the piece.
Call 1300 880 160
Start a chat
Schedule a call
