By Patrick Avenell
SYDNEY, NSW: With the public’s fascination with Kogan vs Harvey still strong, another online pureplayer has emerged to take on the established bricks and mortar retailers. And just like Kogan, this new entrepreneur has some choice words to say about traditional retail.
Called Millennius, and operated out of Melbourne, this online brand currently markets LCD TVs, camcorders, netbooks, mobile phones and tablet computers. The products are sourced, according to CEO and founder Pierre Boutros, from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and sold solely through an online sales portal.
We asked Boutros if he thought selling products at comparatively cheap prices online stripped value out of the entire category.
“We aren’t stripping value [from] our products, we just cut out the middle men and save for the customers,” he replied. “There is always going to be competition and any business will face this, you can’t stop this.”
Boutros said Millennius currently provides phone and web-based assistance to consumers, plus 12-month warranties on its products. There is also a 7-day money back guarantee for unsatisfied customers. Aside from this basic level of after sales service, there is little in common between Millennius and a bricks and mortar retailer. In fact, Boutros is very critical of this retail format.
“We have all shopped at bricks and mortar retailers, but I think it is slowly dying as time moves on: Clive Peeters [and] DFO are really good examples.
“They just can’t compete with online — it is the way of the future. We are cheaper, we have feedback, we have reviews, you can compare prices instantly, open 24/7, [you] don’t have to wait in lines or worry about the weather.”