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Back To School, University, or College?

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +1100

It's back to school time, and technology is becoming more and more important in the education of students in Australia and around the world.

Teachers and students around Australia are using technology in clever ways in their classrooms for a better learning experience. Both hardware and software are improving in leaps and bounds, and being used in innovative ways to streamline and empower education.

We think technology can make the world a better place, and we're doing our bit to make technology for education more affordable - we're offering great deals on:

Apple, HP and Toshiba Laptops from just $569
Android Tablets from only $199
Apple iPads from $489

Apple also recently announced iBooks 2, bringing textbooks to the Apple ecosystem.

Do you think textbooks on tablets will kick off this year? What technology do you think is good for learning?

How do you think technology and education will intersect in 2012?

Technology in 2012

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +1100

The annual Consumer Electronics Show just wrapped up in the US, with the tech trends and changes that will define 2012 being shown off.

At Kogan we believe technology can make the world a better place, so we ensure we always have our finger on the pulse of the latest advancements.

Here's a look at some of the trends that were big at CES:

Web-based digital cameras, allowing users to easily upload images and videos direct to Facebook and Twitter
New ways of controlling technology, especially voice and hand controls for TVs were shown off
Increased Internet connectivity across more and more gadgets and home theatre devices
Ultrabooks packing powerful processors in thin and light laptop designs
Whacky gadgets and accessories for phones and tablets were all over the show this year. From a product that makes your iPhone waterproof to funky docks that let you bang a set of large drums using your iPad
More cheesy celebrity endorsements than you can poke a stick at :)

What technological advancements are you most looking forward to in 2012? What new technology do you want to see from Kogan this year?

Our Promise to You.

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +1100

On behalf of our entire team, I'd like to thank you for being a member of the Kogan community, one of the largest online shopping communities in Australia.

In the December period last month, some of our customers did not receive first class customer service, and I would like to personally apologise and explain. We set a very high standard for ourselves and through the busy Christmas period, we did not meet this standard. I’m sorry for this.

During December, some of our customers experienced delays in having their items dispatched and enquiries responded to. This is embarrassing for us. Selling the best value products is one thing, but it means nothing if you can’t back it up with exceptional service.

I never make excuses but I would like to explain what caused this and what we are doing to resolve it. The Kogan business has been growing at an extraordinary rate. To put this in perspective, our business in the last quarter of 2011 was 408% of what it was in the last quarter of 2010. This sort of growth is unheard of for a business that is nearly 6 years old. We simply were not geared up to service all these customers at a level acceptable to us. While pre-Christmas orders did arrive by Christmas, all orders were ultimately dispatched as promised, and all customer service enquiries were ultimately responded to, we were not able to achieve the response times we expect of ourselves. The Kogan team was working 16-hour days through December and this still wasn’t enough.

So what are we doing about this? We have taken immediate action. We have gone on an aggressive recruitment drive to grow our team even further. We doubled our headcount through 2011 and we are again doubling the team in the immediate future. We are also upgrading our warehousing and logistics capabilities as well as launching a new website that provides live tracking of orders.

Our mission is now to ensure that, from February 2012, Kogan customers can count on experiencing:

maximum of 1 business hour response time for Sales enquiries
maximum of 1 business hour response time for Support/Helpdesk enquiries
maximum of 2 minutes hold time on phone enquiries
100% online live chat uptime during business hours

While it was only a very small percentage of people who were affected by delays, I am sincerely sorry to those who were affected. Thank you for your understanding.

Kindest Regards,

Ruslan Kogan
Founder & CEO
www.kogan.com.au
www.kogan.co.uk

The Year in Review - Happy New Year from Kogan

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +1100

As we head into the New Year celebrations, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on the tremendous year 2011 has been for the Kogan community of smart shoppers.

We’ve spent the year telling more and more Australians where they can get the best prices from the comfort of their own home, all the while maintaining our high level of customer service.

This year we:

Celebrated our 5th birthday with a huge giveaway. We were the first in Australia to manufacture, sell and deliver the latest technology with a business model that cut out the middlemen and saved you more money. Since day one we led the online shopping revolution

Began selling the world’s most popular consumer electronics brands at unbeatable low prices. Products from brands like Apple, Canon, Nikon, Samsung, Motorola and more became available direct to you at Kogan.com.au and instantly became more affordable

Launched our patent-pending LivePrice system in Australia, becoming the only company to make the production cycle transparent, allowing you to save even more

Took on the big bricks and mortar retailers such as JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman with our efficient business model and low prices

Significantly grew our international operation in the UK. This increased our buying power and meant we were able to secure better prices for you, and all while basing the entire Kogan team in Australia

Revealed the world’s first laptop featuring Google’s Chromium OS, to international acclaim

Created and delivered the lowest priced Android tablet Australia (and the world) has ever seen

Exposed the cable con by the big retailers, and offered everyone in Australia a way to avoid the overpriced digital cables from bricks and mortar stores

Offered a real solution to the Australian Government for their overspending with the Set Top Box Scheme

Were named by BRW as one of the fastest growing companies in Australia.

We’re not done yet! We have many more products to launch, world firsts and exciting announcements planned for next year and beyond.

Thank you for your part in helping spread the word about the Kogan business! It's a real pleasure to have you in the Kogan community as we look forward to another huge year in 2012!

Happy New Year!

Ruslan Kogan
Founder & CEO
www.kogan.com.au

Merry Christmas from Kogan

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +1100

On behalf of the entire Kogan team, I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous festive season.

If you are having a well-earned break, I hope you get the chance to put your feet up and relax. While you do, the Kogan Team will still be working hard every single day throughout the holidays to ensure everyone receives the first class service we pride ourselves on.

Have a safe and happy holidays!!

Best Wishes,

Ruslan Kogan
Founder & CEO
www.kogan.com.au

When is a small Kogan TV the perfect Christmas gift?

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +1100

Small and versatile TVs are becoming a hot gift item for Christmas. A few years ago, you couldn't buy a High Definition TV for under $500 - today, we have them starting at $129.

We've all grown up with one TV per household. These days, with the prices of TVs so low and technology allowing them to take up less space, more and more households now have a TV in every room.

Here are some of our small TV Christmas deals:

Kitchen
Cook along with your favourite shows. You can now have the latest thin panel wall mounted in any kitchen or just sitting on the
bench:
16" HD LED* TV with PVR & SRS Audio - $129
19" HD LED* TV with PVR & SRS Audio - $159

Bedroom
TVs with built in DVD players are great for any bedroom. Get rid of all the cable mess with an easy to install solution.
19" HD LCD TV with DVD player & PVR - PRO Series - $164
24" Full HD LED* TV with DVD player, PVR & SRS Audio - Pro Series - $279

Kid's Room
Our TVs have lots of inputs which make them perfect for the kids room. You can plug in all your devices and gaming consoles like the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360
32" Full HD LCD TV with PVR & SRS Audio - $339
32" Full HD LED* TV with PVR & SRS Audio - $397

Caravan / Boat
If you're fortunate enough to enjoy your holiday season with a Caravan or Boat, we are the one stop shop for you. Our TVs have been very popular with avid Caravan / Boat owners because they can run from a 12V power supply - all you need is the cheap adapter available on our site. Plug it in and you're ready to go.
19" HD LCD TV with DVD player & PVR - PRO Series - $164
24" Full HD LED* TV with PVR & SRS Audio - $219

Do you have one of these versatile TVs in your home?

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift?

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +1100

Struggling for a Christmas gift idea for your parents or grandparents?

We can help.

We all know that our parents and grandparents love seeing photos and sharing memories with their loved ones. This could explain why digital photo frames are a hot seller every Christmas.

With a digital photo frame, you can load all of your favourite family photos onto it before you give it to your loved ones. All they have to do when they receive it is plug it in and it will start rotating through the photos (some of our models also handle videos). You don't need to be a tech wiz to use one - it's very simple - and our expert team is always here to help if you have any questions.

We have digital photo frames starting from $39 and some great value packs as well, so you can save even more if you want to buy two or three gifts at the same time.

Have you ever given a digital photo frame as a gift? What was the reaction?

What Do You Want To See From Kogan?

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:30:00 +1100

Since expanding the Kogan offering to include products from some of the World's leading brands just over a month ago, we've had a tremendous amount of positive feedback from shoppers all around Australia.

We believe technology can make the world a better place, and we're doing our part to make it more accessible for everyone by giving you the World's lowest prices. We're keeping the big retailers honest and shaking up the industry, while saving you hundreds of dollars!

The range started off relatively small, but we're constantly adding more and more products based on <i>your</i> feedback. We've been listening to your Facebook posts, Tweets, and blog comments. So far your suggestions have directly led to increase the ranges to include:

But we want to make this even bigger! We want to know what you'd like to see in the range. Let us know in the comments below and we'll do our best to bring the most popular suggestions to Kogan.com.au at an unbeatable price!

The Kogan Team

JB Hi-Fi admits breaking its ‘Always Cheapest Prices’ promise

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +1100

Open Letter to JB Hi-Fi

JB Hi-Fi’s slogan promises Australians “Always Cheapest Prices.” You have admitted to breaking this promise.

At your Annual General Meeting of shareholders last week, one of JB’s shareholders claimed that Australian consumers were “being screwed” by the likes of JB Hi-Fi, when compared to prices available at online stores. In response, your Chairman and CEO both acknowledged the “challenging conditions” faced by JB due to the cheaper prices available online. The Chairman promised that JB would step-up the pressure on its suppliers to lower their prices, and even threatened to “import directly and bypass suppliers.”

At Kogan, we applaud JB for acknowledging your position. Acknowledging the facts of your situation is one thing, but you then need to act in accordance with those facts. If you choose to ignore the facts, you will have achieved nothing.

Given the acknowledgements by your Chairman and CEO that prices are cheaper online, we call on JB Hi-Fi to remove your slogan, “Always Cheapest Prices” from all advertising material, and to replace it with something honest. How can JB Hi-Fi, in good faith, claim to always offer the cheapest prices, when your Chairman and CEO both acknowledge that cheaper prices are available elsewhere right now?

At Kogan.com.au, we are proud to have played a role in lowering the prices of consumer electronics, and putting an end to the Australian public being ripped off.

As a result of our hard work, Australians can now avoid the globally uncompetitive prices offered by the likes of JB. Aussies can enjoy the World’s leading prices at the click of a button. The savings available at kogan.com.au are massive when compared to JB’s prices on products like Canon and Nikon cameras, Apple iPads, iPhones, and Samsung smartphones. But, don’t take it from us - compare for yourself. When we say we have the cheapest prices, we mean it.

Unlike our competitors, at Kogan we have been thinking globally since day one. We are constantly analysing the dynamics of the global consumer electronics market and investing in a global infrastructure designed to ensure we can sell products for the lowest prices in the World.

Millions of Australians are moving to stores like kogan.com.au. But, there are a lot of Aussies still shopping at stores like JB, in good faith believing that a company like JB Hi-Fi would be honouring its promises.

So, given that we now know JB Hi-Fi are aware of the price savings available online, and given that JB has made the positive step of acknowledging the problem in their pricing, we now call on your CEO to Smarten up. Stop pretending to offer ‘Always Cheapest Prices’ be more honest in your branding, and be more honest with the Australian people.

Australians have had enough broken promises.

Ruslan Kogan
Founder & CEO
www.kogan.com.au

Steve Jobs: Your Achievements Will Be Celebrated For Many Years To Come

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:31:00 +1100

The Kogan team and I are deeply saddened by the loss of one of the World's greatest ever entrepreneurs, and the man that has changed the world of technology forever. I think Apple said it perfectly: "Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."

The fact that he resigned as CEO of the world's largest technology company only weeks ago shows how dedicated to the cause he was. The consumer electronics industry is the toughest industry in the world, and he remained at the forefront of it throughout his entire life. Steve Jobs will be sadly missed.

Steve Jobs made technology more accessible for everyone. The first time my mum was ever able to send an SMS was when I gave her an iPhone, and I'm sure there are millions of stories like this around the world.

Steve's achievements will be celebrated for many years to come.

Here's to the crazy ones...

Goodbye Steve Jobs,

Ruslan Kogan
Founder & CEO
Kogan