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Big W
Type	Subsidiary
Founded	1970s
Headquarters	Bella Vista, New South Wales,  Australia
Key people	Greg Foran, General Manager
Industry	Retail
Products	Leisure, apparel, consumables, homewares
Employees	25,000
Parent	Woolworths Limited
Slogan	Live Big For Less
Website	www.bigw.com.au

Big W is the second-largest discount department store in Australia, with over 140 stores located nationwide. It is a division of Woolworths Limited, the largest retailer in Australia. Its main competitors are Kmart and Target, both owned by Wesfarmers.

Contents 1 History 2 Business 3 Stores 4 Services 5 Sales 6 References 7 External links

Woolworths Limited's original Woolworths variety stores carried a range of general merchandise. Later, the scope of these stores grew to include groceries, which then became their focus.

In the 1970s the company created two chains to separate these lines: Big W and Woolworths supermarkets. This process was largely completed in 1989, however a few Woolworths Variety stores existed into the 1990s (such as the one in Rundle Mall, Adelaide).^{[citation needed]}

Now Big W has over 140 stores with 25,000 employees and is growing rapidly. Their future plans are to revamp more than half their stores and build/develop new stores. Forthcoming stores include Geelong, Victoria, Hervey Bay, Queensland, Doncaster,Victoria, Joondalup, Western Australia, Armadale, Western Australia and Rouse Hill in New South Wales. In 2006, Woolworths along with Big W rolled out new Retalix point of sale systems with LCD touchscreens throughout all its stores. ^[1]

In October 2007, Woolworths announced a $1 billion makeover of Big W, including a new store format, logo and slogan. Woolworths planned to implement the new format first at a store in Rouse Hill, due to open in March 2008. ^[2] The new logo started appearing in advertisements, store dockets, and a redesigned Big W website on October 24, 2007.

Being a discount department store, Big W sells a wide range of merchandise. Big W's main competitor is Kmart, owned by rival retailer Wesfarmers.

One of its key strategies is "everyday low prices". The aim of this is to create a feeling amongst the public that they may walk into a Big W store and buy a product at a low price anytime, without having to wait for a sale. ^[3] Thus, Big W never has storewide percentage-off days as Kmart does. Nevertheless, Big W still has a weekly catalogue with specials, which generally runs from Thursday to Wednesday (coinciding with the period of Kmart's weekly catalogue).

Many of the techniques used by Big W in promotions are nearly identical to the US chain Wal-Mart, such as the in store "smiley face" and the "price rollback".^{[citation needed]} Indeed, former Woolworths Chief Executive Officer and former Big W Managing Director, Roger Corbett, has a mentor relationship with a former President of Wal-Mart, and has been appointed to the board of the American retailer.

Another technique that is used by Big W to consistently deliver lower prices is the use of 'Manager's Specials'. These specials are not advertised in the media and can only be found by entering a Big W store. The specials change on a monthly basis and offer savings in departments across the store. They are highlighted at the shelf level with yellow shelftalkers with Manager's Special written on them. '

Today, Big W has stores throughout Australia in every state and territory. Traditionally, Big W stores have been located in suburban and regional locations. However, in recent years three stores have been opened in central business districts, at Macarthur Central in Brisbane, QV in Melbourne, and the Canberra Centre in City Centre, Canberra.

Services available at a typical store may include:

• Lay-by ($2 service fee plus 10% Deposit)
• Parcel pick-up
• Home delivery (fee applies)
• Paint tinting
• Woolworth's Ezy-Banking Services
• Photo processing
• Price Checkpoints
• Self-Serve Price Checkpoints (Selected Stores)

In South Australia, Big W trialled the provision of optometry services at Elizabeth, Cumberland Park and Colonnades and has since added these services in Queensland stores at Chermside, Carindale, Strathpine and Capalaba.

Over the course of a year Big W has several major sales, most coinciding with sales held by its rivals Kmart and Target. The largest is the July Toy Sale, which is held to coincide with competitors such as Kmart (in 2007 held simultaneously) and Target's annual toy sale (held immediately after Big W and Kmart). A further toy sale is held in late September/early October.

Big W has two annual "stocktake sales", variously marketed as the Big W Big Sale and Sale Now On. These coincide with other retailers' post Christmas and mid-year sales. Big W also has special events to bring in seasonal fashion ranges and new homewares. The launch of Christmas trading in early to mid-November also sees special offers, staff dressing up and competitions.

Month-long sales in Home Entertainment have been supported by major advertising campaigns in 2007. In response, competitors Kmart and Target have released catalogues specific to Home Entertainment.

• Big W

v • d • e Woolworths Limited
Supermarkets	Woolworths · Safeway · Food For Less · Flemings
Liquor and hospitality	BWS · Dan Murphy's · Australian Leisure and Hospitality
Petrol	Caltex Woolworths/Safeway
General merchandise	Big W
Consumer electronics	Dick Smith Electronics/PowerHouse · Tandy
New Zealand (Progressive Enterprises)	Woolworths · Foodtown · Countdown · Woolworths @ Gull