Who Is Your Top Shop?

For Immediate Release
Friday 1 April 2005

WHO IS YOUR TOP SHOP?

Got a favourite retailer that always goes the extra mile?

Here’s your chance to say thank you by nominating them for the Auckland Top Shop 2005 Awards, and at the same time go in the draw to win a shopping spree.

Run by the New Zealand Retailers Association, the annual Auckland Top Shop Awards are aimed at ‘promoting excellence in retailing’.

Open to all retailers in the greater Auckland region, stores of every type are eligible - from cafés, restaurants and produce stores, to womenswear and menswear, to hardware, furnishing and department stores, to pharmacies, hairdressers and fitness centres.

“If you’ve got a favourite shop you think deserves recognition for outstanding retailing, here’s your chance to put them in the running for a Top Shop Award,” says Russell Sinclair, Northern Region Manager of the NZ Retailers Association.

“What’s more, your nomination puts you in the draw to win a $1000 shopping spree at any Westfield Mall in Auckland.”

Retailers are judged on excellence in customer service, product knowledge, selling skills and manner of staff, along with the store’s atmosphere, design and layout.

Categories include best start-up; specialty food and beverage; fashion, apparel and footwear; giftware and homeware; lifestyle, health and fitness; specialty store; general merchandise; and supermarket.

There is also a supreme award of Overall Top Shop and special awards for best service and best Westfield store.

Both the retail industry and the Auckland public who nominate their favourite stores have bought into the importance of Top Shop, says Russell. Last year’s awards saw a record 3,000 nominations received for more than 1,000 different stores.

Nominations are open from 1 April to 30 June. To nominate your top shop, look for a nomination form in the New Zealand Herald or Aucklander newspapers or online at:

http://www.aucklandtopshop.co.nz.

After being nominated, retailers must submit an entry form to confirm their involvement by 1 August. Judging takes place through August and September, with the winners announced at a special awards evening on 18 October.

For more information, visit:

http://www.aucklandtopshop.co.nz

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