You have your accounting software. You have a HR system. You have stock control processes in place. You have...
You have your accounting software. You have a HR system. You have stock control processes in place. You have the huge beast that is ‘marketing’, and the monster workload and management needed to support it. There is literally a bottomless pit of software you could implementing across all the aspects...
It’s 10.24pm and I’ve messaged a retail chat bot. I get a response within 20 seconds. After a few...
It’s 10.24pm and I’ve messaged a retail chat bot. I get a response within 20 seconds. After a few exchanges, I had everything I needed organised. None of us would have imagined this even a few years ago, that conversational commerce with all the money and resources needed to implement,...
Politicking over penalty rates again; plastic bag bans attracting the ire of ill-prepared supermarket shoppers across the nation; and...
Politicking over penalty rates again; plastic bag bans attracting the ire of ill-prepared supermarket shoppers across the nation; and Godfrey’s co-founder re-taking the reins at a sprightly 100 years old – it’s certainly been an interesting week in the retail sector! The Opposition Leader Bill Shorten this week made a...
After more than 15 months’ worth of emotive-charged campaigns and attempts by unions and the ALP to block the...
After more than 15 months’ worth of emotive-charged campaigns and attempts by unions and the ALP to block the reduction in Sunday penalty rates, the full changes will finally come into effect this coming Sunday. Or will they? The ALP’s latest move in the ongoing battle against retail business owners is...
It’s hard to believe that we’re now less than a fortnight until the end of the financial year, with...
It’s hard to believe that we’re now less than a fortnight until the end of the financial year, with winter having well and truly arrived! Last week saw the release of the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours. Many prominent Australians – including Olympic champion Dawn Fraser, Businesswoman Jennifer Westacott and para-athlete...
How many great ideas can you think of that ended up having disastrously unforeseen consequences? Given this week’s plastic...
How many great ideas can you think of that ended up having disastrously unforeseen consequences? Given this week’s plastic bag ban campaign launch in Queensland with the NRA’s campaign ambassador, Origin great Mal Meninga, the introduction of cane toads to gobble cane beetles munching on sugar cane crops seems...
Hard to believe that we’ve already reached Boxing Day in what has been a bumper Christmas for the Australian...
Hard to believe that we’ve already reached Boxing Day in what has been a bumper Christmas for the Australian retail sector. We’re forecasting this Christmas trade period to be the biggest ever and I’m pleased to say that we’re predicting today’s Boxing Day sales to also be a record-breaker! In...
As we enter the final week before Christmas, I will keep it nice and brief for this week’s CEO...
As we enter the final week before Christmas, I will keep it nice and brief for this week’s CEO column. The Australian retail sector is again on track to record the highest level of sales for the Christmas trade period. We have forecast $48 billion to be spent nationally in...
There has been more in the media this week about retail stores doing it tough and some having to...
There has been more in the media this week about retail stores doing it tough and some having to close up shop. While we love to celebrate the retail success stories in this industry, we know that behind every one, there are countless others that don’t turn out so...
After what seems like an eternity, the penalty rates issue flared again this week, after the Senate passed measures...
After what seems like an eternity, the penalty rates issue flared again this week, after the Senate passed measures to reverse the decision of the independent umpire, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to reduce Sunday and public holiday rates. Labor teamed up with the Greens and some crossbenchers to pass...
Why we won’t be taking money from Amazon to advocate its agenda over yours After months of speculation, Amazon’s soft...
Why we won’t be taking money from Amazon to advocate its agenda over yours After months of speculation, Amazon’s soft launch on Friday came and went without much ado, however we would be foolish to underestimate how aggressive the behemoth’s market entry will become over the coming months, and years. Amazon...
Today we can share with you an exciting development for the association, that will open up entirely new avenues...
Today we can share with you an exciting development for the association, that will open up entirely new avenues for retailers all across the nation. After almost a century representing retailers of all sizes across the nation, we have today announced a national-first partnership with the National Online Retail Association...
That time has arrived once again - we are officially in ‘pre-Christmas trade’! As we all know, that can mean...
That time has arrived once again - we are officially in ‘pre-Christmas trade’! As we all know, that can mean frantic attempts keep clothes on hangers rather than change room floors; clearing tried-on footwear again and again and again; helping indecisive gift-buyers find that special something; and the never-ending carols...
Two weeks ago I wrote to you about the New South Wales Government’s reforms to gift cards, extending the...
Two weeks ago I wrote to you about the New South Wales Government’s reforms to gift cards, extending the minimum validity period to three years. As I said at the time, the NRA was not supportive of the changes, but we understood the government’s motivation in terms of protecting...
The SMH this week reported that consultancy firm McKinsey has forecast the volume of freight passing through Australian cities...
The SMH this week reported that consultancy firm McKinsey has forecast the volume of freight passing through Australian cities is projected to increase 40 per cent by 2050, driven in part by ecommerce. With the added weight of Urban Futurist Stephen Yarwood’s predictions online retail could fast-tract autonomous transport, it’s...
This week we saw the NSW Government pass its laws extending the minimum lifespan of gift cards from one...
This week we saw the NSW Government pass its laws extending the minimum lifespan of gift cards from one year to three years. I know from speaking to many members that this will cause headaches in a range of areas – from accounting for unused cards on your balance...