Kogan buys Dick Smith's online business..... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2016, 11:54:37 pm
content: Seems we won't be completely losing the Dick Smith brand....Dick Smith collapse: Kogan buys struggling online businesshttp://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-15/kogan-buys-dick-smith-online-business/7247136Online-only retailer Kogan has purchased Dick Smith's online retail business for an undisclosed sum, three weeks after Dick Smith announced the closure of its stores.Kogan is paying an undisclosed sum for Dick Smith's online store. The new owner will take over the business on June 1, 2016. Dick Smith customers have until March 22 to stop their details being passed on to Kogan. Kogan will operate the online business from June 1 after a transition period.In February, Dick Smith said it would shut 363 stores across Australia and New Zealand after its receivers Ferrier Hodgson were unable to find a suitable buyer for the company."I remember as a kid always visiting Dick Smith to look for parts to upgrade my computer," said founder and chief executive Ruslan Kogan in a statement.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 12:26:02 am
content: It's not every day you can say you were outbid on buying Dick Smith Electronics, but today it that day.Yes, I really did put in a serious bid for it.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 12:41:45 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on March 14, 2016, 11:54:37 pmI know the minimum they paid, more than my bid obviously

author: DrGeoff
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 01:15:25 am
content: They bought it purely for the customer database. The Dick Smith brand itself will probably be mothballed for a year or two to allow the bad publicity to subside, and re-emerge down the track. In the meantime, Kogan will make use of the DSE customer database within the current operation.

author: MarvinTheMartian
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 01:26:35 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 15, 2016, 12:26:02 amReally?Obviously you thought it would be a good business acquisition - not sure myself, but then I've never been in business, so what would I know?What were you planning to do with it?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 01:37:19 am
content: Quote from: MarvinTheMartian on March 15, 2016, 01:26:35 amYep, really.I put in a serious bid on behalf of myself and a couple of others.The plan was to to resurrect the old Dick Head logo and sell parts and stuff again on the website.Interestingly, in a move of staggering stupidity, they let the trademark on the Dick Logo log lapse in 1997.It was still available in the combined old style yellow logo though.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 01:54:29 am
content: Kogan sold me a phone, took my money online, issued a receipt and then refused to send me the phone, saying "he sold it too cheap". It took me a month to get my money back. He violated the sales contract. Kogan also sold me a "new" phone down the track that was full of crapware from a foreign telephone company. He would not give me my money back. The only to bypass it was to root the phone.I will never walk into a Dick Smith store if Ruslan Kogan has anything to do with it.

author: MarvinTheMartian
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 02:05:26 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 15, 2016, 01:37:19 amThat would have been awesome!Brings back old memories of Dick Smith stores where you could actually go in and buy whatever components that you wanted (mostly) - before they started just selling electronics consumables - ugh.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 03:06:24 am
content: I knew Dick Smith had abandoned the enthusiast when I went into a Powerhouse one day to get some solder.......

author: MarvinTheMartian
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 03:27:38 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on March 15, 2016, 03:06:24 amSame here, every time I went into the Powerhouse, the electronics section had shrunk, till one day it wasn't there at all!

author: kwass
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 03:32:07 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 15, 2016, 01:37:19 amI think that there's good money to be made in on-line electronics by selling modules and parts. For example, take a look of Sparkfun and Adafriut in the USA. They are both doing very well. I'm less sure that you'd want an association with an old-time place like Dick Smith, Radio Shack, Heathkit or any such place.Dave, you've already got a name and a following. Just start selling parts and modules instead of promoting other people's (via Mailbag mostly).

author: MarvinTheMartian
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 03:44:09 am
content: Quote from: kwass on March 15, 2016, 03:32:07 amI'd buy stuff from Dave for sure.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 04:02:13 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on March 15, 2016, 03:54:27 amIt would not have been me actually doing it.There was a plan with other established players involved.

author: wagon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 06:19:38 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 15, 2016, 04:02:13 amIs it worth the effort with established players (in hobby stuff) like Jaycar and Altronics expanding? Or?

author: nowlan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 06:47:52 am
content: Need to bring back the Funway books.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 06:51:46 am
content: What's wrong with DJE (Dave Jones Electronics) with a drawn "Dave Head"? Can someone here draw?

author: wagon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 07:00:01 am
content: Quote from: nowlan on March 15, 2016, 06:47:52 amHow many got a start with this? I did.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 07:19:00 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on March 15, 2016, 06:51:46 amDefeats the purpose of rebooting the Dick Head.Cartoon me:

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 07:32:10 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on March 15, 2016, 03:33:38 amNot at all unfair, IMHO.I believe it was an inevitable result from owners (Woolworths) whose focus was more aligned with high volume or high margin products with (comparatively) high value transactions. The electronics components market would have been an uncomfortable experience and the consumer product side more familiar and more appealing. Shrink the hobbyist section and the hobbyist will go elsewhere.Dick Smith was just another Big W.

author: Dave Atom
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 07:56:09 am
content: Quote from: kwass on March 15, 2016, 03:32:07 amThis : And a warehouse in the UK please for fast deliveries

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2016, 10:12:25 am
content: https://www.dicksmith.com.auis now saying 'back and better than ever' and is selling Kogan branded products. All the old catalogue numbers have gone.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 04, 2016, 10:29:56 am
content: Quote from: kwass on March 15, 2016, 03:32:07 amSelling parts is a mugs game unless you go BIG and super efficient, and even then net profit ain't great. I was going to partner with an established player.I'll stick to high margin niche products that you can't get, or aren't easy to get elsewhere.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 04, 2016, 10:33:03 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on March 15, 2016, 07:32:10 amPeople don't understand how bad the electronics hobbyist market got in Australia in the 90's and into the 2000's before this whole maker movement boomed. It was practically dead. Now it's still tough because of free China shipping on ebay etc.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2016, 11:51:31 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on May 04, 2016, 10:58:04 amI did a similar survey when I visited former radio/electronic shops in the Melbourne CBD. Those still standing were almost all either restaurants or massage places.I believe one WA Dick Smith has already become an Altronics. Will be interesting to see if any become Jaycar given the cheeky ads Jaycar ran addressed to Dick Smith landlords.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2016, 08:50:32 pm
content: Apparently Kogan paid $2.6m.http://www.crn.com.au/news/what-kogan-paid-for-dick-smith-420762

author: uncle_bob
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 16, 2016, 10:19:12 pm
content: Quote from: vk3yedotcom on May 04, 2016, 10:12:25 amHiSo at least for now, just a "buy the customer list" deal. Since there were other bidders, they apparently *really* wanted that list.Bob