Bing Lee
Encyclopedia
Bing Lee is an Australian retailing
company, a chain of superstores specializing in consumer electronics
, computer and telecommunication goods. Bing Lee is the largest privately-held electrical retail business in New South Wales
with 41 stores (13 franchised) and a turnover of about $490 million. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25948320-5018019,00.html
: bìng lì diàn qì) purchased an electrical repair business in Fairfield, New South Wales
in 1957. Bing turned the repair business into an electrical product retail and repair/installation business, with his Chinese-born son Ken. Initial growth came from the surge in demand for televisions, as well as a host of other household items like washing machines, cooking equipment, heaters and audio equipment. Bing Lee was a member of Retravision NSW for a number of years before leaving and joining the Narta Group. Bing Lee opened new stores in other Sydney
suburbs and across New South Wales
.
Around the turn of the century, the franchisee concept was introduced to the business. Today 16 of the 40 Bing Lee retail outlets are run by franchisees.
Bing Lee also has the management rights to the "Sony Centre" concept in NSW and the ACT and currently has stores located in Chatswood,Drummoyne and World Square in Sydneys' CBD
Bing Lee (Chinese: 李冰, Pinyin
: lǐ bīng ), the founder, died in 1987 (aged 79) and his eldest son Ken Lee took control of the business. Ken Lee
(Chinese: 李光裕, Pinyin: lǐ guāng yù) died on 21 December 2007 of cancer, aged 75. His eldest son, Lionel Lee, took over as chief executive of the company.
Bing Lee signed a 2-year sponsorship deal with A-League
club Sydney FC
in February 2007. On Sydney's Home strip the front is taken up with Bing Lee, and on the away jersey it is on the front and back of the right leg of the shorts.
In July 2009 they re-signed for another year along with Japanese electrical company Sony
as Sydney FC's major sponsors.
They are also one of the major sponsors of the Sydney Swans
AFL
team.
They also sponsored channel 7's The Amazing Race Australia
tune of I Like Chinese
.
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
company, a chain of superstores specializing in consumer electronics
Consumer electronics
Consumer electronics are electronic equipment intended for everyday use, most often in entertainment, communications and office productivity. Radio broadcasting in the early 20th century brought the first major consumer product, the broadcast receiver...
, computer and telecommunication goods. Bing Lee is the largest privately-held electrical retail business in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
with 41 stores (13 franchised) and a turnover of about $490 million. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25948320-5018019,00.html
History
The business began when Bing Lee (Chinese: 并力电器 , PinyinPinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: bìng lì diàn qì) purchased an electrical repair business in Fairfield, New South Wales
Fairfield, New South Wales
Fairfield is a western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Fairfield is located 29 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Fairfield and is also partly in the local government...
in 1957. Bing turned the repair business into an electrical product retail and repair/installation business, with his Chinese-born son Ken. Initial growth came from the surge in demand for televisions, as well as a host of other household items like washing machines, cooking equipment, heaters and audio equipment. Bing Lee was a member of Retravision NSW for a number of years before leaving and joining the Narta Group. Bing Lee opened new stores in other Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburbs and across New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Around the turn of the century, the franchisee concept was introduced to the business. Today 16 of the 40 Bing Lee retail outlets are run by franchisees.
Bing Lee also has the management rights to the "Sony Centre" concept in NSW and the ACT and currently has stores located in Chatswood,Drummoyne and World Square in Sydneys' CBD
Bing Lee (Chinese: 李冰, Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: lǐ bīng ), the founder, died in 1987 (aged 79) and his eldest son Ken Lee took control of the business. Ken Lee
Ken Lee (businessman)
Ken Lee was a Chinese-Australian businessman who co-founded the Bing Lee chain of electronic stores with his father, Bing Lee. He also served as the company's chairman from 1987 until 2007.-Early life:Ken Lee grew up in a poor rural region of Shandong province in China...
(Chinese: 李光裕, Pinyin: lǐ guāng yù) died on 21 December 2007 of cancer, aged 75. His eldest son, Lionel Lee, took over as chief executive of the company.
Sponsorships
Bing Lee sponsored the Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club until allegations that players were allegedly involved in a gang rape in Coffs Harbour.Bing Lee signed a 2-year sponsorship deal with A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
club Sydney FC
Sydney FC
Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League...
in February 2007. On Sydney's Home strip the front is taken up with Bing Lee, and on the away jersey it is on the front and back of the right leg of the shorts.
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
as Sydney FC's major sponsors.
They are also one of the major sponsors of the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
team.
They also sponsored channel 7's The Amazing Race Australia
The Amazing Race Australia
The Amazing Race Australia is an Australian reality television game show based on the American reality television series, The Amazing Race that is broadcast on the Seven Network. The series features eleven teams of two who are in a pre-existing personal relationship, and follow the various...
Themes
The theme music used by the company is the Monty PythonMonty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
tune of I Like Chinese
I Like Chinese
"I Like Chinese" is a song written and performed by Eric Idle of Monty Python. It was originally on Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album from 1980 and later included on the CD Monty Python Sings....
.