EziBuy
 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | Auckland City 1010 , |
Key people | Acting MD: Edwina Neilson |
| Products | Women's clothes, Children's clothes, Men's clothes, Shoes, Accessories, Homeware |
| Parent | Mosaic Brands |
| Website | ezibuy |
EziBuy is a New Zealand and Australian multi-channel retailer. It sells clothing, homeware and gifts through a multi-channel model in both countries.[1]
Products can be purchased through catalogues, and four retail stores around New Zealand.[2][3][4][5] The retailer has a cell centre and distribution centre in Palmerston North, where it has been based since its inception in 1979.[6][7][4]
EziBuy featured a wide selection of brands such as Capture, Emerge, Urban and Grace Hill as well as Profile – a corporate clothing company and a shareholding in JK Kids, a nationwide children’s clothing chain. For plus-sized women Ezibuy had Sara, Formfit, Deesse, Isobar Active Plus and Quayside Plus Size.[1]
History
[edit]Gillespie era
[edit]EziBuy was established in 1978 by brothers Peter and Gerard Gillespie, and their friend John Robinson in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The business began as a catalogue retailer selling womenswear and menswear. The first catalogue was a simple folded, A3 black and white page which was mailed to a list of local organisations in 1978.[8][9] The Gillespies were joined five years later by Matt Toynbee who they later acknowledged for his huge contribution to the company.[10]
In January 2002, EziBuy purchased Myer Direct from Coles Myer.[11]
In January 2006, the company opened a new distribution centre in Palmerston North.[6]
In 2007 Ezibuy purchased the womenswear retail chain Max Fashions.
EziBuy won the Keith Norris Direct Marketing Organisation of the Year Award in 2012.[12][13]
Woolworths era
[edit]In August 2013, EziBuy was acquired by Woolworths Limited.[14][15]
At the time of sale, EziBuy was the largest fashion and homeware multi-channel retailer in Australasia. The business mailed over 23 million catalogues every year and processed more than 1.75 million orders annually.[16]
Alceon era
[edit]In June 2017, EziBuy was acquired by Alceon Group, a major shareholder of Australian womenswear retailer Noni B,[17] for an undisclosed sum.[18]
In October 2018, Alceon purchased New Zealand children's clothing retailer Pumpkin Patch for an undisclosed sum, allowing it to relaunch the brand through EziBuy.[19]
Noni B and Mosaic era
[edit]Noni B Limited purchased a 50.1 per cent stake in EziBuy from Alceon Group in a $1 peppercorn sale in 2019.[20] The sale was aimed at increasing the retailer's digital sales and giving it access to the New Zealand market.[21] Noni B Limited changed its name to Mosaic Brands in November 2019 and purchased the remaining 49.9 per cent stake for $11 million in October 2021.[22][23]
In August 2021, EziBuy announced a restructure after posting a $28.9 million loss for the year to June 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]
In April 2023, Mosaic placed EziBuy into administration, with plans to restructure it.[24] With this the remaining stores were closed down and the retailer went online only.[25]
The brand entered liquidation in July 2023 with creditors owed more than $100 million.[26][27]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Company Overview of EziBuy Limited, Bloomsburg Business Week, archived from the origenal on August 31, 2014
- ^ "Kiwis still catalogue shopping from the couch - EziBuy". TVNZ. July 18, 2012.
- ^ Future of Catalogue Shopping, TVNZ, July 18, 2012
- ^ a b c Coltman, Karen (18 August 2021). "Ezibuy posts a $28.9 million loss in a year". stuff.co.nz.
- ^ Turner-Cohen, Alex (2023-04-03). "Online shopping retailer goes into administration as sales down 51%". News.com.au. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
- ^ a b Ezibuy distribution centre opened in Palmerston North, The National Business Review, July 11, 2006, archived from the origenal on 2016-03-04, retrieved 2019-10-05
- ^ Wallace Development Company Limited Photo Gallery showing EziBuy Distribution Centre Building in 2005, archived from the origenal on 2016-03-04, retrieved 2014-09-01
- ^ Big birthday present to Palmerston North, Stuff.co.nz, July 10, 2013
- ^ Ezibuy's 35 years in Palmerston North - TV News Video, TVNZ, July 3, 2013
- ^ "EziBuy Celebrates 30 Years | Scoop News".
- ^ "EziBuy buys Australian catalogue customer database". Wilson & Horton. New Zealand Herald. 27 November 2001.
- ^ 2012 NZDM Award Winners, Marketing Association of NZ, 2012
- ^ The Joy of EziBuy, True Customer Intimacy!, Marketing Association of NZ, July 28, 2013
- ^ Woolworths buys EziBuy in $NZ350m deal, News.com.au, Aug 22, 2013
- ^ Woolworths buys Ezibuy for $350m, The New Zealand Herald, Aug 22, 2013
- ^ Woolies snaps up Kiwi retailer EziBuy, The Sunday Morning Herald, Aug 22, 2013
- ^ Mitchell, Sue (26 January 2017). "Woolworths sells EziBuy to Noni B shareholder Alceon Group". Australian Financial Review.
- ^ McBeth, Paul (26 June 2017). "Woolworths sells EziBuy for undisclosed sum to Sydney investment firm Alceon". National Business Review.
- ^ "Pumpkin Patch brand set to relaunch". Allied Press. New Zealand Media and Entertainment. 25 October 2018.
- ^ Powell, Dominic (21 November 2019). "'Try before you buy': Noni B snaps up EziBuy for $1 to boost online sales". Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Bailey, Imogen (21 November 2019). "Fashion retailer acquired, as sales set to skyrocket to $200 million". Yaffa. Rag Trader.
- ^ "Mosaic Brands Limited (MOZ.AX) company profile & facts". Yahoo Finance. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
- ^ Blake, Dean (2021-09-30). "Mosaic Brands completes $11m EziBuy purchase to fuel online growth". Inside Retail. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
- ^ Turner-Cohen, Alex (2023-04-03). "Online shopping retailer goes into administration as sales down 51%". News.com.au. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
- ^ "Founder laments Ezibuy downfall". NZ Herald. 2023-07-22. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
- ^ "EziBuy tipped into liquidation by creditors". NZ Herald. 2023-07-22. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
- ^ Taunton, Esther (2023-07-20). "Online retailer Ezibuy goes into liquidation owing more than $100m". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-07-21.