Apple Opens in Oz

Thanks to a recent interview with Apple's Ron Johnson, The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that Apple will open its first store in Australia late next week. This flagship store - one of the biggest so far for Apple - is opening in Sydney's CBD [Central Business District], but later in the year it is understood that two smaller stores will open, one in the North Sydney suburb of Chatswood, and the other in Melbourne.

Wal-Mart Redesign

Earlier in the month, Wal-Mart announced that it had completed a redesign of its consumer electronics department. In the computer area, this includes a new display centre, showcasing the right equipment for the right application - in Wal-Mart's case, that means home, school or entertainment. Good to see a mass merchandiser acknowledge differences in consumers' needs beyond just the price point.

That Was Easy

So, Staples has finally, and predictably, won its battle to buy Corporate Express. Today, Staples increased its offer from €9.15 per share to €9.25 per share. It's first offer back in February was €7.25 per share. Peter Ventress and his team at CXP have clearly done a good job of extracting a good offer for their shareholders. At the same time, he has helped create an office products monster, with a combined turnover of some $27bn, bigger than Office Depot and OfficeMax combined. Lyreco, meanwhile, has received a 'break-up fee' of some €30mn as a reward for trying, and failing, to merge with Corporate Express.