The Reject Shop

{{about|the Australian retail chain|the Malaysian retail|Reject Shop}}

{{Infobox company

|name = The Reject Shop

|image = Reject-Shop-Burnie-20150403-001.jpg

|image_caption = The Reject Shop in Burnie, Tasmania

|type = Public

|traded_as = {{ASX|TRS}}

|foundation = {{Date and age|1979}}

|founder = Ron Hall
John Shuster

|location_city = Kensington, Victoria

|location_country = Australia

|locations = 385

|num_locations_year = 2024

|key_people = Clinton Cahn (CEO)

|area_served = Australia

|industry = Retail

|products = Variety store

|services =

|revenue = $852 million

|revenue_year = 2024

|operating_income =

|income_year =

|net_income = $14 million

|net_income_year = 2024

|num_employees = 5,000

|num_employees_year = 2024

|parent =

|divisions =

|subsid =

|homepage = {{Official URL}}

|footnotes = }}

The Reject Shop is an Australian discount variety store chain selling a range of goods such as food, snacks, gift cards and party, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, storage, kitchenware, homewares and seasonal items in 375 store locations across Australia.

Founded in 1979, The Reject Shop employs over 5,000 staff.{{cite web|url=https://www.ibisworld.com.au/australian-company-research-reports/retail-trade/reject-shop-limited-company.html|title=Reject Shop Limited|website=www.ibisworld.com.au|accessdate=6 October 2018}} The group replaced a number of Chickenfeed stores in Tasmania, and took up the space that was left when Retail Adventures closed down.

History

The first store was opened in South Yarra, Melbourne by founders Ron Hall and John Shuster in 1981.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rejectshop.com.au/about/company-information|title = The Reject Shop}} This shop sold seconds and discontinued lines, hence The Reject Shop name.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rejectshop.com.au/customerservice/faq|title = The Reject Shop}}

In 1994, the chain became majority owned by Macquarie Bank. It was floated on the Australian Securities Exchange in June 2004.[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/18/1082226636142.html Reject Shop prepares to float out of bargain basement] The Age 19 April 2004[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/28/1083103549620.html Reject Shop gears up for June float] The Age 29 April 2004 The float was successful, with the company tripling in size two years after going public.[http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/The-Reject-Shop-goes-has-tripled-in-size/2006/06/12/1149964450817.html The Reject Shop goes has tripled in size] Sydney Morning Herald 12 June 2006

Former Chief Executive Barry Saunders, recruited to the company in 2000 by Macquarie Bank, retired in 2007.Achievements show Saunders is no reject Sydney Morning Herald 16 January 2007. He was replaced in May 2007 by Gerry Masters, a former Coles Group executive, after 33 years with his former employer.[http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/executive-who-started-at-the-bottom-aims-to-develop-a-rejectioncomplex/2007/05/31/1180205426766.html Executive who started at the bottom aims to develop a rejection complex] The Age 31 May 2007

On 11 September 2009, it was announced that Gerry Masters had resigned his position as managing director and would be replaced by Chris Bryce, the chief financial officer, effective 14 September 2009.

Despite the strong growth experienced by the company in the years following 2004, a profit warning in December 2010 resulted in a sharp drop in the share price. The company was also affected by the Queensland Floods of 2010, with the company's Ipswich Distribution Centre being flooded. The warehouse became operational once again on 28 August 2011. A similar profit warning in June 2014 resulted in another share drop of 50%, making them one of the top worst performing shares in 2014.{{cite news|title=Reject Shop shares drop as profits take hit|url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/reject-shop-shares-drop-as-profits-take-hit-20140610-39ttw.html|accessdate=3 July 2014|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=10 June 2014}}{{cite news|title=Worst performing stocks in fiscal 2014|url=http://www.finnewsnetwork.com.au/archives/finance_news_network77171.html|accessdate=3 July 2014|publisher=Finance News Network|date=1 July 2014}}

In 2013, the company commenced an aggressive growth plan, following the closure of a number of Retail Adventures stores. The company passed the 300 store milestone in October 2013.

On 8 July 2014, The Reject Shop announced the appointment of Ross Sudano (formerly of Little World Beverages) as chief executive officer. His appointment followed the departure of Chris Bryce in June 2014, after leading a significant growth phase of the business.{{cite news|title=Reject Shop names Ross Sudano as new chief replacing Chris Bryce|url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/reject-shop-names-ross-sudano-as-new-chief-replacing-chris-bryce-20140708-zszo0.html|accessdate=9 July 2014|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=8 July 2014}}

In January 2020, the company announced Andre Reich as chief executive officer.{{cite web|url=https://www.rejectshop.com.au/medias/Andre-Appointment.pdf?context=bWFzdGVyfHJvb3R8MTQ5MTEzfGFwcGxpY2F0aW9uL3BkZnxoYTgvaDFkLzk1NjAxODUxMTA1NTgucGRmfDRjNzdhZmZlYzZlZTczMTllN2IwNGFjNTI3NmM3ZjFlODEyNWFhZmQ2ZGQwZDVhZDI4M2I0NTc4NzQ3MzJmNjU|title=Chief Executive Officer Appointment|publisher=The Reject Shop|date=9 December 2019|accessdate=25 May 2020}} In September 2020, The Reject Shop announced a partnership with British supermarket chain Tesco.{{cite news|title=The-Reject shop introduces surprising new grocery staples| url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/the-reject-shop-introduces-surprising-new-grocery-staples/news-story/f2a77538931c6b66a9d9aacc314b9920|publisher=News.com.au| date=2 September 2020}} In October they launched a lowest price guarantee {{cite news|title=The Reject Shop Offers Lowest Price Guarantee| url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/reject-shop-offers-lowest-price-guarantee-on-groceries-to-rival-woolworths-coles-aldi/news-story/5c2fe22da47b31414ff65e22f9dde58c}} In November 2020, The Reject Shop launched a partnership with DoorDash.[https://web.archive.org/web/20221004162434/https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/the-reject-shop-suffers-on-cbd-exodus-20210604-p57y0j The Reject Shop stores hit by CBD exodus] Australian Financial Review 3 June 2021

In March 2025, the board accepted a $259 million takeover offer from Dollarama, a Canadian discount retailer. The deal is subject to shareholder approval.{{cite news |last1=Grant |first1=Miriam Steffens, Gemma |title=‘Money from heaven’: The Reject Shop set for $259m sale to Canadian giant |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-reject-shop-set-to-be-sold-in-259-million-deal-with-canadian-giant-20250327-p5lmvz.html |access-date=27 March 2025 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=26 March 2025 |language=en}} The investor presentation says it will deliver a “dollarama shopping experience” with a new store layout, design and merchandising experience.{{cite news |title=Dollarama to acquire Australian discount retailer The Reject Shop |url=https://www.dollarama.com/en-CA/corp/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/DOL-Investor-Presentation-The-Reject-Shop-1.pdf |access-date=27 March 2025 |work=Dollarama}}[https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/canada-s-dollarama-makes-259m-bid-for-the-reject-shop-20250327-p5lmvu Canada's Dollarama makes $259m bid for The Reject Shop discount chain] Australian Financial Review 28 March 2025