The National Online Retailers Association (NORA) has hosted its 5th annual Australian Retail Solution Partners Awards at The Grounds of Alexandria in Sydney. The Awards gather the solutions ecosystem to celebrate and recognise partnership achievements across retail. Nominations were voted on by retailers and reviewed by the NORA advisory council. The judging panel including chair of the panel, Peter Knock, Adore Beauty chief marketing officer, Dan Ferguson, Go-To Skincare chief marketing officer, Leonie Faddy, Barbeques Galore commercial sales manager, David Campbell, The Iconic ex-CEO, Erica ..read more

Australian fintech Zeller has unveiled Zeller Corporate Cards, marking a significant leap forward in business expense management, addressing pain points in existing offerings while acknowledging the evolving use cases of corporate cards. According to recent American Express research, businesses and finance teams waste an average of 11 hours every month — equivalent to more than three working weeks per year — managing expenses. Zeller Corporate Cards offer versatility, extending beyond individual use for day-to-day expenses, to encompass standalone projects to consolidate expenditure, within d ..read more

New research shows customers are planning their festive season purchases ahead and taking advantage of sales events. Australians estimate they’ll spend $427 on Christmas presents for their immediate family (up 13% from 2022), compared with $246 for extended family (up 30% from 2022), and $149 for friends (up 12% from 2022). Mirvac Retail Centres are bringing Christmas to life with opportunities to celebrate from Santa photos with pets, twilight markets, breakfast with Santa, The Nutcracker ballet, free workshops and Santa’s Express – all part of A Wonder Full Christmas. “A Wonder Full Christm ..read more

Consumers expect to receive products quicker than ever before, as same day or next-day shipping becomes one of the biggest drivers of sales online, according to new research by ChannelAdvisor, a CommerceHub company. Almost three-quarters (73%) of consumers prioritise delivery in fewer than two days when making a purchase online.  Although willing to spend more for speedy delivery, most consumers are not willing to pay for returns. Over half (54%) of those surveyed felt it was ‘unfair’ if they were to be charged for returning an online purchase. Taking this one step further, nearly two-th ..read more

One in two (52%) Australians are concerned about managing their Christmas budget this year, according to research commissioned by business management platform, MYOB. Price is the highest ranked factor in gift purchase decision making for 68% of respondents, followed by quality at 51%. Two in five (40%) say they will pay for Christmas shopping with a credit card and 35% will dip into savings.  Four in 10 are feeling pressure to make personal sacrifices to afford gifts, with 67% of this cohort cutting back on non-essential spending, including dining out and alcohol, and 50% cutting back on ..read more

The Minister for Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek has unveiled an industry-led initiative, FutureProof, aimed at transforming the way Australians receive and manage receipts, following the launch of new world-first research. The Life Journey of an Average Receipt report, commissioned by Slyp and undertaken by the University Technology Sydney (UTS), revealed that Australia prints more than 10.6 billion paper receipts every year, many of which are printed on non-recyclable paper and contain toxic chemicals including Bisphenol A (BPA) and substitutes. The research also explored the supply ..read more

The volume of customers giving feedback directly to brands after a bad customer experience in Australia declined in 2023, according to new research released by Qualtrics. However, a drop in feedback has not resulted in happier customers, with findings also showing consumer trust, advocacy and intent to rebuy all fell over the same period. Findings in the 2024 Consumer Experience Trends Report show almost three-quarters of consumers (72%) do not share feedback directly with a brand after a bad experience, up six points from 2021. In contrast, half of consumers say they will tell their friends ..read more

In recent years Black Friday has evolved from a supplementary to a dominant event for Australian retailers and POS and commerce platform, Lightspeed saw that during Cyber Weekend. “Many retailers using Lightspeed experienced a jump in customers and transactions over the Cyber Weekend, which provided both a welcome boost in revenue and an opportunity to refine their approach for the rest of peak season,” Lightspeed managing director for Asia Pacific, Andrew Fraser said. According to Lightspeed research, just over three quarters (76%) of consumers shop in physical stores at least once a month ..read more

The conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) usually splits into two main strands. Will it take my job? And is it going to take over the world? Hollywood often portrays the latter, with robots taking over the world, but in the retail sector, what impact will AI have?  AI is already making waves across industries, and when utilised properly, can bring substantial efficiency advantages. Recent research from Microsoft reveals that 77% of retail decision-makers believe adopting AI in the next three years is critical for competitiveness. With capabilities to optimise operations and en ..read more

Retailers may not be alone in feeling as though yet another December has crept up on them. As the country rushes to the finish line of 2023, many retailers’ Christmas marketing plans are likely well underway. But what if you’ve left the planning a little too late? Or what if you are keen to bulk up your marketing approach in the last few weeks before Christmas, to maximise sales? The Australian Retailers Association (ARA), in conjunction with Roy Morgan, predict $66.8 billion will be spent in the November to December 24 period. Typically, the majority of this spend occurs at the very tail end ..read more