LUXURY retailers may be anxious about an impending economic downturn, but online department stores and discount shopping sites expect to hit a sweet spot in tough times.

GERRY HARVEY, chairman of Harvey Norman, has warned that his retail group would not invest heavily in an e-commerce sales channel for many years, citing concerns about online profitability and "cultural" differences in shopping between Australian consumers and the e-retailing boom under way in North America and Europe.

IN THE age of reality TV, anybody can be a celebrity. And in the age of modern electronics, anybody can film one - never mind the manners. Just ask Kim Nguyen, who sat prayerfully through a funeral service that was foreign to her while ordinary people she had never met..read more

Electronics companies are now hawking

Anticipating problems and planning are the keys to staying online while travelling, writes Helen Bradley.