Back in 1982 New Zealand was a market with high import tariffs and a protected economy, meaning the cost of many goods was out of reach of many New Zealanders.
1982: First The Warehouse store opens in Wairau Road, Auckland.
1990: First nationally distributed advertising mailer.
1991: Sales exceed $100 million.
1991: First Warehouse Stationery store opens
1992: Opening of first store of 25,000 square feet (2,322m2)
1992: Launching of The Warehouse card
1992: Opening of first store of 50,000 square feet (4,645m2)
1994: Public float and listing on the New Zealand Stock Exchange
1995: The Warehouse added to NZSE40 Index
1995: Introduction of green gardening department
1996: Opening of North Island Distribution Centre
1996: Introduction of the major AEG brand
1997: Introduction of the first store of 75,000 square feet (6,967m2)
1998: Introduction of apparel as a major department
1998: First shipment of parallel imported goods
2000: The Warehouse added to the NZX 10 index
2000: Sales exceed $1 billion
2000: Opening of the first store of 100,000 square feet (9,290m2)
2001: The Warehouse Financial Services launched
2001: First Community and Environment Report produced
2004: The Warehouse introduces its Ethical Sourcing Policy
2009: The Warehouse online shopping launched
2012: The Warehouse completes full range online and celebrates its 30th birthday
2013: The Warehouse Group acquires Noel Leeming Group (NLG) and Torpedo 7, No 1 Fitness, Shotgun Supplements, Shop HQ and Insight Traders
2014: The Warehouse Group purchases R&R Sport and Schooltex
2015: Massey University launches its Bachelor of Business and Retail Management and appoints Jonathan Elms as the first Sir Stephen Tindall Chair of Retail Management
2015: Acquisition of Diners Club NZ and launch of Warehouse Money, a new generation of financial services products
Back in 2013 The Warehouse Group told us that they were going to pay the Living Wage, which is currently $19.25 an hour. The reality is rather different. Instead, the claimed living wage is what The Warehouse call a “career retailer wage” of at least $18.50 an hour. The catch is that to qualify you have to have been employed for 5 years or have clocked up 5,000 hours; a tall order given staff turnover and the number of part-time jobs in retail. Only 15% of The Warehouse workers get the boasted “career retailer wage”.
They are trying not to lost money put more things on the website so they can get more money.
They had not that much toys and clothes and then they were losing their money
How the company started.
Back in 1982 New Zealand was a market with high import tariffs and a protected economy, meaning the cost of many goods was out of reach of many New Zealanders. The opportunity at the time was for an enterprising, no frills retailer who could find a way to bring New Zealanders bargains.
Sir Stephen Tindall took on the challenge and opened his first The Warehouse store on Auckland’s North Shore in 1982. Its plain warehouse style, piled high with a wide range of products at bargain prices, challenged established retailers and distribution models, and quickly became popular with customers. Despite its ‘bargain basement’ appearance, The Warehouse developed a sophisticated business model, and was an early adopter of new technology and modern retailing systems.