Is an interactive mirror in a fitting room truly going to engage with your target audience, creating sales and margin increase or is it simply a gadget to capture the digital buzz?

We asked this question when we recently visited fashion retailer, Mimco’s, flagship boutique on Pitt Street, Sydney. Upon entering the...

We asked this question when we recently visited fashion retailer, Mimco’s, flagship boutique on Pitt Street, Sydney. Upon entering the store, you are greeted by a 360 degree projection ring with seamless inspirational content running above the merchandise throughout. The focal point of the digital activities instore is the interactive...

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Message from the CEO: 18 March 2016

Much has been made of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ figures showing the nation’s unemployment rate fell from 6...

Much has been made of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ figures showing the nation’s unemployment rate fell from 6 to 5.8 per cent in February (released Thursday), but the unemployment rate doesn’t specifically tend to affect retailers, the number of job vacancies is far more significant, because labour demand...

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Gadget or engagement? Integrating technology into your retail offer

Is digital technology in our shops more about the sizzle than the substance? Is investment in digital technology really...

Is digital technology in our shops more about the sizzle than the substance? Is investment in digital technology really about the brand statement than the actual facilitation of the higher sales and margin improvement?Retailers up and down our high streets are investing more than ever before in their digital...

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Limited discount tickets released for Dancing CEO’s 2016

Dancing CEOs is shaping up to be the most highly anticipated event on the 2016 Fundraising Calendar. To help raise...

Dancing CEOs is shaping up to be the most highly anticipated event on the 2016 Fundraising Calendar. To help raise money for the prevention of domestic violence, 12 brave CEOs will swap their suits for sequins on April 15 in a hotly contested dance-off at Brisbane City Hall. All 640 seats...

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South Australia Retail and Commercial Leasing Guide

The Retail and Commercial Leasing Guide was recently released by the South Australian Office of the Small Business Commissioner. The...

The Retail and Commercial Leasing Guide was recently released by the South Australian Office of the Small Business Commissioner. The Guide has been prepared to assist current and prospective tenant deal with some main elements of the Retail and Commercial Leases Act, namely: Lease terms Rent Lease assignment Condition of...

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Message from the CEO: 11 March 2016

This week, we’ve seen suggestions in the media that recent high-profile collapses like Dick Smith, Masters and Laura Ashley...

This week, we’ve seen suggestions in the media that recent high-profile collapses like Dick Smith, Masters and Laura Ashley signal that the retail industry is entering a period of ‘doom and gloom’. Negative commentary never helps consumer confidence and retail spending. The National Retail Association has been working hard to...

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Customer based sexual harassment prevalent in the Australian service sector

A recent study, published in Gender, Work and Organization, suggests that customer-perpetrated sexual harassment is prevalent across the Australian...

A recent study, published in Gender, Work and Organization, suggests that customer-perpetrated sexual harassment is prevalent across the Australian service sector, including the retail industry. The study, titled “‘But it’s your job to be friendly’: Employees coping with and contesting sexual harassment from customers in the service industry,” suggests that...

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Product safety and compliance challenges

The National Retail Technical Standards Committee will be meeting in Sydney later this month to discuss the current challenges...

The National Retail Technical Standards Committee will be meeting in Sydney later this month to discuss the current challenges of product safety and compliance. The committee is an important forum for the development of the retail industry policy. It communicates regularly with government decision-makers and agencies, including Standards Australia, the...

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IoT as an upselling tool: Adding some sauce with digital technology

Following early trials of beacon technology at Westfield Hornsby in NSW, the Internet of Things revolution for retail is...

Following early trials of beacon technology at Westfield Hornsby in NSW, the Internet of Things revolution for retail is a reality. Zebra Technologies’ senior technical director for Asia Pacific Wayne Harper imagines a scenario in the near future: one where in-store IoT systems power dynamic cross- or up-sell opportunities. You pick...

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Hardware set for solid growth in 2015/16

The hardware, building and garden supplies category of retail is expected to generate in excess of $18.2 billion in...

The hardware, building and garden supplies category of retail is expected to generate in excess of $18.2 billion in turnover this financial year, representing growth of 6.9 per cent. Following a busy holiday trading period for the retail industry in general, the Australian economy, and retail in particular, is beginning...

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NRA launches Foundation Skills for Retail web portal

The National Retail Association (NRA) has launched the Foundation Skills for Retail Web Portal, providing free training and professional...

The National Retail Association (NRA) has launched the Foundation Skills for Retail Web Portal, providing free training and professional development resources for language, literacy and numeracy practitioners operating across the Australian retail industry. The portal has been produced by the NRA with the assistance of funding provided by the Australian...

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Message from the CEO: 4 March 2016

The retail trade figures for January, released today, showed a steady start to the year with an increase in...

The retail trade figures for January, released today, showed a steady start to the year with an increase in turnover 0.3 per cent for the month, seasonally adjusted, and a 4.0 increase compared with January last year. This steady, if not spectacular, growth is welcome as we see consumer sentiment...

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Introducing Visa Developer

Merchants are increasingly serving connected consumers who want to shop anytime, anywhere and with any device.  With Visa Developer,...

Merchants are increasingly serving connected consumers who want to shop anytime, anywhere and with any device.  With Visa Developer, merchants can create innovative retail experiences and offer a more secure and seamless shopping experience. The recent launch of Visa Developer offers access to some of the most popular Visa products...

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Investing in the Next Generation of Retail CEO’S

In September 2015, Gemma Kariotoglou, 24, Store Manager of Fossil Group, Macquarie NSW was named the National Retail Association’s...

In September 2015, Gemma Kariotoglou, 24, Store Manager of Fossil Group, Macquarie NSW was named the National Retail Association’s (NRA) Young Retailer of the Year Scholarship Award Winner. Courtesy of Retail Doctor Group, Gemma’s prize included one-on-one mentoring from Retail Doctor Group’s CEO Brian Walker, one of Australia’s leading retail...

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IR Update: Employee prevented from serving notice period wins unfair dismissal case

A woman, who worked as an advertising sales representative, has won her unfair dismissal case due to her employer’s...

A woman, who worked as an advertising sales representative, has won her unfair dismissal case due to her employer’s misunderstanding of the employee’s intentions to work out her notice period. In July 2015, the employee was under significant stress from being overworked by her employer. According to her evidence, the...

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The total event for retail and payments sectors

FINALLY… there is an event that manages to bring all three events together to form Australia’s BIGGEST combined expo...

FINALLY… there is an event that manages to bring all three events together to form Australia’s BIGGEST combined expo for retail, ecommerce, payments and engagement. Clients have been crying out for ONE (total) event. Now we’ve got the recipe right! Total Retail & Payments EXPO 2016 11 & 12 May 2016 MCEC, Melbourne The...

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