We interviewed our members to hear their insights and adventures in the retail world. Meet Chris Marks, Head of HR of Swarovski. How long have you been in retail?/How did your retail career begin? I had worked in customer service roles throughout my school and university years. It was only as my HR career developed […]
Another week has come and gone in the retail world, and with it we are one week closer to Christmas 2018. In last week’s NRR we outlined five key areas that retailers of all shapes and sizes should pay close attention to in order to maximise Christmas sales. In the past we have also discussed […]
We interviewed our winners from the 2018 National Retail Awards. Meet Mary Booth Owner of Wine Glass Gallery and winner of our Lifetime Achievement (30+ years of service) award. Where did your retail journey begin? When I was 15 years old my family moved from Country NSW to the Hills District north west of Sydney […]
As the approaching Christmas season brings 2018 inexorably to a close, the NRA’s Legal Practice Director and Deputy CEO, Lindsay Carroll reflects on a year that has been a challenging time for retailers and business in general. Never before has compliance with industrial laws been so far at the forefront of the national consciousness, with […]
How do I find and keep great staff is a question as old as time, but the times are changing. As more and more millennials move into the workforce, we are increasingly seeing retailers invest in dedicated leadership training to inspire and retain their staff. Earlier this month, we brought together a diverse panel of retail […]
Written by Dionne Alaveras, News Xtend Attention all business owners looking to increase online sales. You ready for another week of tips and hints? Previously we deep dived into the Facebook platform and looked at how Facebook could be utilised to drive online sales. This week, we are looking at another digital advertising platform to […]
Every Thursday, our CEO Dominique Lamb and a panel of retail experts discuss retail’s hottest topics on ABC Radio. Below are some insights from last Thursday’s discussion. Food delivery service Foodora has announced it is pulling out of Australia. Foodora is a food delivery service that launched in Australia in 2015. While food delivery services […]
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, would now be a normal […]
By Amy Roche – Retail Rockstars There is no doubt that online shopping has changed the face of retail forever. However, customers still want retail experience, and they crave personalisation, education, entertainment and enlightenment. At its core, online shopping offers 24-hour service with competitive and comparative pricing – something our stores cannot always deliver on. However, there is […]
Searching is one of the most popular activities on the internet, and an integral part of the modern consumer journey. With online advertising becoming increasingly competitive, businesses looking to grow are encouraged to leverage the frequent use of search engines in the consumer’s decision making process. Recent figures show that only 18% of small businesses […]
The National Retail Association has today warned all businesses large and small of the need to be alert and proactive when dealing with their employees’ pay and entitlements, in the wake of the LUSH Cosmetics Australia issue. NRA Chief Executive Officer Dominique Lamb commended LUSH for the way they had responded after discovering long-standing compliance […]
By Alex Millman and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal On 28 June 2018, the Commonwealth introduced the Modern Slavery Bill, which, if passed, will target the supply chains of large businesses in a bid to quash modern slavery in Australia. A week prior, on 21 June 2018, the New South Wales Government passed the Modern Slavery […]
As you would be aware with an imminent election, we are always on the lookout for a friendly face in the corridors of Canberra. This enables us to cut through when we are advocating on your behalf about the challenges facing Australian retailers. But no amount of understanding can ever replace the actual experience of […]
Sunday marked the launch of two new bag bans in QLD and WA. A total of 6 Australian states and territories now have plastic bag bans in place. Several supermarkets and national chains also took the initiative to ban lightweight plastic bags in NSW and VIC where bag bans are yet to be implemented. As […]
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 call that would have sent […]
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 to introduce legislation in […]
The National Retail Association (NRA) has today welcomed the appointment of Sandra Parker PSM as the new Fair Work Ombudsman. The highly distinguished Ms Parker will commence her five-year term on 15 July 2018, following the conclusion of current Ombudsman’s Natalie James’s tenure. NRA CEO Dominique Lamb congratulated Ms Parker on her appointment and said […]
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 Kurt Fearnly – were among […]
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 like an appropriate example! But single-use […]
As you’re all aware, last Friday the Fair Work Commission (FWC) raised the national minimum wage by 3.5 per cent effective from July 1 2018. The FWC, the ACTU and other supporters of this decision seem to think that retail owners are swimming in cash at the moment. They must be living under a rock. […]