Australia Edition 5

119 / 154

THE MARKET
More than 58 million books were sold inAustralia
last year (2006) with a value of just over $1.1 billion
representing over 320,000 titles. Dymocks has a
large and growing share of this market.
With 74 stores inAustralia, the Dymocks group
represents some 16% of the book retail market.
The Dymocks website attracts some 11,000
visitors every day! It also features the
merchandising and marketing strategies of the
Dymocks stores. The
website is a successful and growing sales channel
and according toHitwise (June 2007) theDymocks
website annually ranks in the top two websites
within the category of Australian book sellers.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Dymocks Booksellers currently have 74 stores
acrossAustralia. TheDymocks storewhich opened
in Hobart, Tasmania in 2000 made Dymocks truly
national with Dymocks in every state and territory.
The past five years have seen Dymocks expand
internationally to a total of 5 book stores in New
Zealand and 11 inHongKong. Overall, there are 90
Dymocks stores. This has been a
significant achievement for
Dymocks, with plans to keep
expanding both within Australia
and overseas.
There are flagship stores in all
State capital CBDs . These stores,
along with expansion into key
metropolitan and regional centres,
are part of an overall brand
strategy to consolidate Dymocks’
market presence.
The merchandising and
marketing strategy provides
focus for Dymocks based on
proven retail principles and it
continues to support Dymocks’
position well into the future.
Dymocks partnership alliances
with credible and well-respected
businesses continue to be
successful for example SBS, with
an SBS display in everyDymocks
store; The Australian Stock
Exchange and ABC Centres in a
number of stores.
HISTORY
ThegrandDymocksGeorgeStreet
store, built in 1930, is Sydney’s
greatest bookstore. Its origins began in 1879 when
youngWilliamDymock commenced business as a
bookseller in nearbyMarket his business
grew, hemoved to larger and grander premises until,
in the1890s, hehadamillionbooks in stock.William
Dymock died in his thirty-ninth year. Unmarried
and childless, he left the business to his sister
Marjory, who was married to John Forsyth. From
that time onwards, the Forsyth family has managed
Dymocks.
In 1981, John Forsyth,WilliamDymock’s great
grand nephew, decided to take over the company,
selling his own successful printing and publishing
business.After investigating book retailing around
the world, he implemented major changes to the
old store. Specially designed gondolas and displays
were built, colour corrected lightingwas introduced
and the most sophisticated computerised customer
enquiry service for books in the English speaking
world was developed and installed.
In 1986, theDymocks Franchise Systemwas set
up, allowing people to have their own piece of this
great bookselling tradition. At the same time,
www.dymocks.com.auwas being developed as the
most successful Australian bookselling site and
consistently one of the most visited sites on the
Internet. It is a reaffirmation of theDymocks history
of applying modern retailing techniques to a proud
century-old tradition.
THE PRODUCT
As a family owned business and the oldest
Australian owned book store, Dymocks prides itself
on meeting the book buying needs for all
38
038-039_dymocks.p65 10/21/2007, 1:50 AM 38