Be ready to make hay in Rugby World Cup sunshine

Kiwis following the All Blacks are a target for retailers. Photo / Natalie Slade

The Rugby World Cup is the only bright light on the horizon for the domestic economy, and businesses need to be ready to embrace it, the Auckland Chamber of Commerce says.

"The big issue is to have a plan. Anybody that doesn't already have a plan should be thinking they're a bit late. We are less than three months out," chief executive Michael Barnett said.

About 85,000 credit cards will be coming into the country and "we need to take advantage of that".

"How we take advantage of that is offering excellent customer service, really-welcoming attitudes. It is going to be about attitude and making a more compelling proposition for people to come into your shop than going to someone else's. People love good service, they love to be welcomed.

"This is the only ray of sunshine in the economy right now. Yes, we do well in our commodity markets, and yes we do well in our exports, in dairy, forestry and fishing.

"But here in the domestic market there isn't a huge amount of bright lights, and the RWC is one of them."

Barnett said some visitors would be looking for business opportunities, and retailers needed to be "open to that and not only focus on sales".

Rod Duke, a majority owner of Rebel Sport, said it wasn't only international customers retailers would be targeting but also "travelling New Zealanders" who will be touring with the All Blacks.

"For us the RWC is not just an opportunity to put our goods forward for tourists. It's going to be more about the travelling New Zealanders, because there are going to be a lot of New Zealanders travelling around watching their favourite team. We don't have a specific promotion targeted at just the tourists.

"If the All Blacks get knocked out in the semi [finals] that puts very, very different implication on what you can sell in those last two weeks."

Duke said rugby jerseys would be the core item Rebel Sport sold in the lead up and during the RWC.

Retailers Association Auckland manager Russell Sinclair said retailers needed to stockpile goods to cover that period and make sure the store and staff were well presented.

"Generally it's about raising standards to the expectations of international visitors.

"We've got 85,000 visitors who are obviously going to spend money on accommodation and hospitality, but those people are going to be in the country for a reasonable amount of time, and shopping is the number one tourist activity worldwide."

Auckland City Council RWC spokesperson Joanne Perry said a site called "Match Ready" had been created to help businesses prepare.

It features business profiles, checklists for businesses, interviews and links to other sites that may help increase their slice of the RWC pie.

ON THE WEB

www.auckland2011.com/matchready