It’s estimated that WHS incidents cost businesses around $31.4million in compensation payments each year in Queensland alone with an average of 25 days off work. Creating a safe working environment is a responsibility of all businesses, however companies who go above and beyond empower their employees with a feeling of security, helping to retain staff […]
Tonight, we will know the details of the 2016 Federal Budget, as Treasurer Scott Morrison hands down his first budget. Given the current mixed retail environment, we have been urging the Federal Government, in the lead up to the delivery of its third budget, to provide as much certainty and clarity as possible. The Australian […]
Late last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Innovation and Investment Summit, part of the Queensland Government’s Advance Queensland Initiative. Throughout the summit, some of the world’s best visionaries in technology and innovation came together to share their insights and empower delegates to harness innovation. Each of the visionaries I had the pleasure […]
Consumer Affairs Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) are currently undertaking a review of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which is the national law governing fair trading and consumer protection across all jurisdictions of Australia. The National Retail Association (NRA) will be making a submission to CAANZ, on behalf of members and other interested parties, and […]
Information overload is an increasing problem both in the workplace and in our personal lives. We are no longer able to switch off with smart phones, tablets and laptops to keep us connected and up to date on the go. In office spaces, the problem seem to spread. When employees are overloaded there is a […]
Thank you to the NRA members who attended the recent BDO webinar. Inventory is one of the most important parts of any retail business. It is one of the biggest investments and something that most retailers spend a majority of their time managing. Adequate stock controls are needed to reduce inventory costs and increase stock […]
Running a sustainable business means investing time and energy, constantly analysing your operations and measuring performance to manage financial, social and environmental risks, obligations and opportunities. 2015 National Retail Association Rewards for Excellence Sustainability Excellence Award winners LUSH demonstrated a true commitment to maintaining a ‘green’ philosophy throughout their business. We recently caught up with […]
All Australian employees are entitled to parental leave if they have worked for their employer for a least 12 months: before the date or expected date of birth. Parental leave entitlements may include: • Maternity leave• Paternity and partner leave• Adoption leave• Special maternity leave• A safe job and no safe job leave• A right […]
Customer experience is more than a sales assistant smiling and ‘going the extra mile’ now means more than offering your loyal customers $2 off their next order. Consumers are demanding seamless, personable and extraordinary experiences from each interaction with your brand. From the initial search on Google to the unwrapping the parcel, each step requires […]
For a large percentage of consumers world-wide, Uber has become part of our everyday lexicon. As a business you know that if you type your company name into your phone and it doesn’t try to autocorrect it to something completely unrelated, you have succeeded in disrupting day to day activities. Whether you are pro-Uber, anti-Uber […]
With reviews at the click of a button, consumers are no longer taking the word of a sales person as gospel. Online reviews can generate brand awareness, upsell customers, build trust and loyalty, however they can also create headaches for business with a few strokes of the keyboard. As a business are you aware of […]
Internet Retailing has launched the 2016 Top 50 People in E-Commerce publication. Selected by Internet Retailing and a panel of e-commerce experts, the annual Top 50 People in E-Commerce recognises the biggest and brightest talents in the Australian e-commerce industry. To be eligible, individuals must be responsible for driving e-commerce operations within their business, with […]
As the Chairman mentioned in last week’s message, we have farewelled CEO Trevor Evans, who has been preselected to contest a seat at the Federal Election on July 2nd. While the National Retail Association is strictly a non-partisan organisation, we do wish Trevor every success. It is important that we have Federal MPs who understand […]
Shoppers are becoming exhausted by digital ubiquity and are therefore beginning to seek sanctuary in physical retail stores for the human to human experience that bricks and mortar provides. The ‘fittest’ retailers are able to capitalise on this consumer desire, by utilising the power of personalisation within the store experience. From using big data to […]
As a valued member of NRA, I would like to inform you ASAP that TOTAL Retail & Payments EXPO we have launched their visitor ticket. Click here to download the visitor ticket. This visitor ticket contains the FREE seminar theatre sessions, $150 off your conference ticket (discount code in the visitor ticket) and more! TOTAL […]
With customers mingling their purchases between online and in-store, the view they have when dealing with a retailer is one of unity. They do not define their relationship based on where they purchase but rather who they purchase with. The consequences of this run deep into in-store businesses and more importantly the role of staff […]
Many consumers want information about where their food comes from. It is against the law for suppliers to mislead you about the country of origin of products. New country of origin food labelsOn 1 July 2016, a new country of origin food labelling system will commence under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). It will apply […]
The Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Minister for Employment and Public Transport, Jacinta Allan successfully launched the Melbourne Retail and Hospitality Strategy Year 2 Report on 7 April. Mr Doyle noted, “Employment in both our retail and hospitality industries is up; we gained eight per cent more hospitality outlets from 2013 to 2015 and the […]
As part of the Next Generation Banknote Program (NGB), the Reserve Bank of Australia this week released images of the new $5 banknote that will be issued into circulation from 1 September 2016. Mindful of the increasing threat posed by counterfeiters, the NGB project will culminate in new, more secure banknotes being introduced over the […]
The National Retail Association exists to be a strong voice for the retail sector in the media and with government and policy makers. We are not only Australia’s largest peak body for retailers, but also the most representative – with members across all aspects of the retail, fast food and personal services sectors. We support […]