Retailers this week may feel a little like drought-stricken farmers following a drenching, after the Australia Bureau of Statistics...
Retailers this week may feel a little like drought-stricken farmers following a drenching, after the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its retail trade report for November. The nation enjoyed a rather robust jump of 1.2 per cent in total sales to $26.4 billion – three times the market forecast...
Retailers naturally love a bustling store environment, but following 2017’s frenetic pre-Christmas rush and Boxing Day madness, on the...
Retailers naturally love a bustling store environment, but following 2017’s frenetic pre-Christmas rush and Boxing Day madness, on the back of what seemed like an entire year of uncertainty, it may be time for a little rest and reboot! 2017 certainly threw us a few curveballs - from the absurd...
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...
Brisbane retailers are teaming up with the Brisbane City Council and Crime Stoppers in a high-tech bid to stamp...
Brisbane retailers are teaming up with the Brisbane City Council and Crime Stoppers in a high-tech bid to stamp out crime in the CBD and Fortitude Valley. The National Retail Association’s SafeCity Network will be switched on in March next year, thanks to backing from the Federal Government’s Safer Streets...
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...
As buy now, pay later options sweep the retail industry, the National Retail Association has partnered with Openpay to...
As buy now, pay later options sweep the retail industry, the National Retail Association has partnered with Openpay to ensure members remain at the forefront of modern payment systems. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is quickly moving from a trend to an expectation for consumers that want, or need, to...
Today the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its retail figures for October which show an increase in retail...
Today the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its retail figures for October which show an increase in retail turnover of 0.5 per cent, seasonally adjusted. NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said that the figures show that retail is awakening from its slumber following sluggish results in previous months. “Australian retail had...
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...
Australia’s two leading retail industry groups have joined forces to help retailers move in response to the rapidly changing...
Australia’s two leading retail industry groups have joined forces to help retailers move in response to the rapidly changing business environment. Australia’s largest and most representative retail industry group, the National Retail Association, and the established business network connecting and supporting online retailers, NORA, have today announced a national-first partnership. The...
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...
The reporting over the past week on the penalty rates case has been fascinating to say the least. In...
The reporting over the past week on the penalty rates case has been fascinating to say the least. In many ways, it has illustrated how deeply Australian’s misconceptions have been about the issue, but more importantly, how easy it has been for those with a vested interest to heighten...