By Aimee Chanthadavong
Having previously made threats to launch a China-based retail website Myer has gone live with an experimental offshore online shopping site.
Myer spokesperson Jo Lynch said the myfind.com website, which is being supported by an office in Hong Kong and China, will offer one-off special buys for online shoppers from apparel to homeware.
“This is an exciting new business for Myer targeting a different, growing consumer segment. Myfind.com is a value-focused online business that is quite different to the existing Myer department store offering,” she said.
“Myfind.com also presents Myer with the opportunity to test new merchandise and the potential for product and range extensions of our existing department store offering at a lower cost of doing business and working capital investment.”
The launch of the website follows the department store’s national battle with the federal government to impose GST on internationally bought goods that are purchased on online shopping sites.
This campaign, which was joined by likes of Harvey Norman, David Jones and Target, was a push by the local retailers to level out the playing field for local bricks and mortar stores and international online retailers.
Designed to not carry the Myer logo, the myfind.com website will be offered to consumers at the advertised price and does not include GST because the goods will be coming from an offshore site and as long as it will be below $1000, it will be GST-free.
Lynch said over coming weeks the myfind.com site will be fine-tuned before there will be a formal launch, which will be supported by marketing activity to drive traffic to the site.