Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct International plc has acquired a 4.8% stake in Australian online retailer MySale.
But the purchase was pretty much by accident.
Ashley, who owns Newcastle United made the purchase after MySale shares were accidentally listed at two pounds, 26 pence, instead of 226p – which some trading floors interpreted as 2.26p – triggering a flash sale.
MySale only started trading on AIM at the beginning of the week.
In a statement to Sports Direct shareholders, the firm said: “Sports Direct looks forward to developing its relationship with MySale, including the potential to co-operate on significant collaboration and joint venture opportunities in Australasia and Asia.
MySale is a members online e-commerce platform that runs limited-time sales of designer goods exclusively to its members.
The firm is 25% owned by billionaire Topshop entrepreneur Sir Philip Green.
WooCommerce has announced a new partnership with social commerce platform Social Rebate.
WooCommerce users will now have access to Social Rebate‘s unique social commerce plug-in, which allows brands to reward customers with instant cash rebates for promoting them on social networks.
Australia is the second best place in the world to be a female entrepreneur, according to the Gender-Global Entrepreneur and Development Index, which was released at the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network conference in the US recently.
Australia placed just behind the US as countries which encourage and foster female entrepreneurship, ahead of Germany, France, Mexico and the UK.
Emma Isaacs, chief executive of Business Chicks, said the rankings don’t surprise her at all.
“The corporate landscape in Australia is forcing women out in droves [and] this is creating a really strong community of women who are starting their own businesses, simply because they want to create work that works for their situation,” says Isaacs.
Federal communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, wants Australian small businesses to adopt cloud computing, and the federal government plans to help them by releasing a series of guides this week aimed at helping small businesses adopt and employ cloud services.
The guides have been launched following the findings of the Department of Communication’s Cloud Computing Government Stock Take report (PDF), which was released recently and reviews the existing regulation that applies to cloud services in Australia.
legal tips for small business using cloud services.
“The guides … will assist Australian small businesses to be part of this revolution. They cover a range of topics from questions to ask your cloud provider, to legal issues to consider in the cloud,” said Turnbull in a statement posted on his office’s website.
Facebook is bringing its Premium Video Ads and Video Metrics to Australia, one of seven markets outside of the US where Facebook is rolling out the new services.
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) chief executive Alice Manners said recent estimates showed video advertising was growing at 55.7 per cent, representing 14.3 per cent of digital display dollars, for the quarter.
Facebook Australia and New Zealand managing director Will Easton said that Facebook Premium Video offers brands new ways to engage and connect with over 10 million Australians who access Facebook daily.
“In the coming months, we’ll be working closely with advertisers to deliver high-quality video campaigns that create the best possible advertising experience,” Mr Easton said.
The 15-second video ads appear in users’ newsfeeds and play automatically with the sound muted until they are clicked on.
Facebook began selling ads in the United States in March.
Procurement professionals now have a place to collaborate online thanks to the launch of Procurious in Australia.
Procurious is an online hub aimed at procurement professionals looking to advance their careers, develop their skills and expand their professional networks.
The network will include groups and lively discussion forums, news tips and advice, access to online and offline events, plus a range of mobile and desktop accessible e-learning modules — all compatible with a full range of devices, from PCs to mobile.
“Procurement has a new face. It’s now younger, more ambitious and more global than ever before. There’s a huge opportunity for bright and ambitious procurers to begin changing the face of the profession from the inside out,” Founder Tania Seary said.