A $200,000 advertising campaign urging the government to impose GST on all goods bought over the internet from offshore is just a few days old.
But the backlash has already reached a level the retail giants surely did not foresee. Columnists across financial, consumer and business media have roundly criticised the move. Stores on the issue published by Inside Retailing Online have collectively drawn significant comments – almost entirely negative. One comment suggests some consumers are considering trying to organise a boycott of retailers linked to the ads.
Here’s a sample of some of the commentaries written this week across various media with links to he full text of each.
Big retailers are declaring war on competition
Shane Evans, a former political adviser to the Howard government now working in financial comunications in Sydney, writes on Punch that “rather than go in to bat for Australian consumers, local retailers are supporting a campaign to reduce competition and make us pay more”.
Billionaires take a turn at initiating ‘brand’ damage
Ian McIlwraith of BusinessDay writes ‘retailers have deeply misread the mood of the moment.”
In battle of bricks v clicks, consumers the winners
Another ex Howard Government advisor, Alan R.M. Jones writes in The Australian that Australians will no longer be so easily fooled when they can buy a pair of Levis in the US for $25 but are expected to pay $150 in Sydney.
Retailers GST red herring misses the point
Choice chief Christopher Zinn describes the advertising campaign as an “alarmist red herring”.
“Gerry Harvey only values human life if it passes the credit checks to obtain 48 months interest-free finance.” – On a blog Things Bogans Like, a decidedly tongue-in-cheek rant on Gerry Harvey, described as ‘a bogan’s hero’ fighting the GST battle in the hope of avoiding change…
