Video taking off 24x its usual first day

David Jones needs more than Christmas sales, retail expert warns

7NEWS Australia reports supplier-payment struggles, departing luxury brands and emergency funding at Australia's oldest department store.

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7NEWS Australia Story of October 31, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 220,786 views a day, 24 times a normal first day on this channel (9,233).

David Jones faces collapse after 188 years | 7NEWS

A strong Christmas won't fix the underlying problem. That is retail expert Barry Urquhart's warning in a 7NEWS Australia report on the financial crisis facing David Jones.

Consumer Affairs Editor Jackie Quist reports that the department store has struggled to pay suppliers and lost major brands including Christian Dior, Gucci and Chanel. Lenders have injected millions to keep it trading through Black Friday and Christmas, she says.

Urquhart draws a distinction between getting through the shopping season and having enough capital to sustain the business. "David Jones cannot trade out of this situation. The issue is fundamentally capital inadequacy," he says.

The report has drawn about 215,000 views in 23 hours, an unusually large audience for the broadcaster's Shorts. Its comment section is also far busier than usual. Viewers discuss whether department-store prices fit household budgets, while former employees recall lively shop floors and relationships with regular food-hall customers. Those memories sit alongside questions about what place a luxury retailer has in everyday shopping.

RMIT University's Associate Professor Carol Tan argues that heritage alone is insufficient and suggests a smaller store network may be needed. Archival advertisements provide the contrast: a business that endured world wars and the Great Depression now faces a different test.

Quist closes by saying David Jones and its parent company had not responded to requests for comment.

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What viewers say

Worked there 20 years ago, it was lively and vibrant. Seems soulless at the moment.
@andreh202See it on YouTube
I worked in their food department, and at one point it was genuinely impressive. They used quality ingredients and built strong relationships with their regular customers. Unfortunately, that era is long gone.
@buda3d2007See it on YouTube
I was in David Jones today. This is extremely sad. 😢
@Neuro-diverse-citySee it on YouTube

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