Collapse Exposes Chink In The Chain

The Age:

Customers who shopped with costume jewellers Kleins were well aware of the saying “all that glitters is not gold”.
The sparkle in the chain’s stores was provided by cheap diamantes, chrome and coloured glass rather than expensive gems.

But while there has never been any misrepresentation about the stock on the shelves, many of those close to the company were stunned when it went into voluntary administration last week.

Indeed, for most of the 150 franchisees across Australia, New Zealand and as far afield as South Africa, the news came like a bolt from the blue.

“We’d never been given any notification that Kleins was in such bad trouble,” said Amanda Melder, 27, who manages the Kleins store in Narre Warren. “I had my suspicions that all wasn’t right over the past few months when we didn’t receive more orders of stock on some lines that were selling well. It made you wonder if they were paying their suppliers, but headquarters would always have an excuse handy.”

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Photo: Ken Irwi.