Mirja Viinanen

We have released our Q2, 2024 market overview for the retail sector in Australia. Retail turnover growth (year-on-year) continues to trend downwards from a peak growth rate of 11.5%, reaching 1.6% in May 2024. While the cash rate outlook remains volatile, the current restrictive policy stance is slowing the pace of discretionary spending. Nevertheless, vacancy rates remain low and the supply outlook is very muted. Options for tenants are becoming more limited, driving rental growth. Investors are returning to the retail sector given the improving value proposition. Click to download the retail report and read more: https://lnkd.in/gfCzDe9e #jllaus #jllretail #jllresearch Lee McLaughlin Alyssa Lenehan Dion Baker Vanessa Di Mauro Kelli Shoesmith Faye Hedayatian Nicholas Watterson Iona Carter Nithya Sundarraman

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What retailers would like to see from the Federal Budget:    + Tackle inflationary pressures head-on. By addressing the escalating costs in labour, supply chain, leasing, energy, and banking, we can prevent rapidly rising business overheads from trickling down to consumers, keeping retail accessible and affordable.  + Maintaining the Work Bonus for pensioners and extending the Skills Checkpoint program are vital steps to harness the potential of our most seasoned workers.  + Creating employment pathways for refugees and standardising the minimum working age can resolve labour shortages and enrich with diverse perspectives and skills.  + Sustainability is not just an environmental imperative but a business one. Establishing a national taskforce to tackle single-use plastics and incentivising recycling are critical measures – but the onus can’t be on retailers alone.  + Investment in recycling infrastructure is urgently needed – so that the hard work of the industry and everyday Australians doesn’t go to waste. For instance, compostable packaging is a fantastic initiative, but only if large-scale facilities are in place to process it and prevent it from going to landfill.  + The rising tide of retail crime and violence also demands immediate action. Funding to deliver retail-industry-specific programs and campaigns to address retail crime, customer aggression, and violence against retail workers.  + Boosting Supply chain resilience through strategic infrastructure investments and appointing a National Supply Chain Commissioner will ensure that our sector can withstand disruptions and continue to serve the Australian public effectively.  + Developing a Retail Disaster Response and Recovery Framework is also crucial in preparing for unforeseen events, ensuring continuity and support for communities in times of crisis.  + Expanding the small business tax rate to include businesses with revenue up to $100 million will inject much-needed cash flow, enabling retailers to innovate and grow. Small business is the lifeblood of the economy, and its success has flow-on effects for the rest of the economy.  + Small businesses should be equipped to compete in the digital age, necessitating targeted support to enhance their digital capabilities and cybersecurity defences. Australian Retailers Association (ARA) #federalbudget

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JLL Research has just released the latest market research commentaries on Australia's Retail Market for Q1 2024. This report is packed with valuable insights and trends that will help you navigate the ever evolving retail landscape. In Sydney, business confidence has risen and rents have remained steady due in part to the stabilisation of the cash rate leading to a rise in leasing enquiries. Interested in delving deeper into the details? Please fee free to explore the full JLL research report via the link below. It's a must read for anyone involved in the Australian Retail sector. https://lnkd.in/gmG59Xfn Cathryn Sykes Kelli Shoesmith Faye Hedayatian Vanessa Di Mauro Lee McLaughlin Dion Baker Iona Carter Nicholas Watterson Alyssa Lenehan Nithya Sundarraman #jll #jllresearch #jllretail #jllretailleasing #sydney #retail

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Made to Measure - Some Key Steps to a Great Looking Garment A Professional Clothing Adviser will follow these key practices to ensure your garment is, GREAT LOOKING! Try On Model - When a base try on garment is used it shows the measuring person clearly which areas of the garment fit and most importantly where it doesn’t fit. It is the areas where it doesn’t fit that gives the measuring person a clear guideline on what to adjust. Your Actual Measurements - All the key measurements done by a trained professional. Body Stance / Posture - Determining your correct Body Stance is the KEY to determining the changes required and taking your garment from good to GREAT! Final Assessment by a Trained Professional - Prior to submitting your order, the trained professional will study your measurements ensuring the information will result in a symmetrically pleasing garment.

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Join me in Melbourne on Sunday for my keynote - Maximising Profits Through Effective Stock Control Strategies! I’ll be focusing in on essentials for retailers looking to optimise their Merchandise Planning to drive profitability. - Learn the AIM principle (Always In Motion) and why it's crucial to treat your stock like cash, constantly turning it over for maximum returns. - Explore the Sales, Margin, and Stock trifecta and understand how they work together to inform decision-making. - Discover the dynamic between the three types of margin —First Margin, Final Margin, and Stock Margin— and how to leverage them for success. - Gain valuable insights into using a variety of stock measures, such as sell-through, stock turn, weeks of cover, and freshness, to predict profitability more accurately. - Learn effective markdown management strategies to achieve efficient sell-through and margin optimisation. And there's more ... check out our panel discussion on Monday covering How to Capitalise on Consumer Trends for Positive Business Impact. Lots of practical insights to unpack. Link in comments, with more info on the SMART IN PLANNING ® and Reed Gift Fairs websites. See you there! #MerchandisePlanning #InventoryManagement #Retail #Profit #Merchandising #Inventory

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The future of retail is circular. A circular economy is the way forward. The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) recognizes that the retail industry requires eliminating waste and pollution, regenerating nature, and keeping products and materials circulating through the economy at their highest and best use. The circular economy means reusing, repairing, repurposing and reselling products multiple times and recycling them into their component parts when they are no longer useful. It means redesigning products to be more durable and made from recycled and other environmentally preferable materials that are easily recycled or composted when they are no longer useful. Let's work together towards a sustainable future! #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #FutureOfRetail

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Australian luxury fashion retailer Harrolds has collapsed, the latest luxury casualty taken out by the industry slowdown. FULL ARTICLE: https://lnkd.in/g5sBYT-G #retailinasia #retailnews #retailtrends #Harrolds #Australia #industrytalk

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Great deep-dive into long-term retail startegies of global retail leader from one of the most reputable retail analyst houses - IDG. Some of the lessons learned for me after reading it: - Convergence of the formats: discounters are adapting many of the tricks formally attributed to supermarkets, starting to play far beyound the home turf of low-price proposition - Enhanced focus on differentiation: very large part of it due to raising exclusive communities of their own small suppliers, very much like online ecosystems do it with theirs sellers - Accelerated online growth: working in parallel on their own delivery and cooperating with marketplaces and aggregators Reading through the article I was glad to find many interesting parallels with our ongoing initiatives at X5, but also things worth further analysis and perhaps adaptation in our home markets.

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I recently shared my #generalelection wish list with Retail Week, outlining some of the things I'd like to see from the next government, whichever party that may be, as a retailer. The role of government, in theory anyway, is to set the conditions for businesses to thrive and to encourage investment and growth. Unfortunately, the reality is that hare-brained and destructive government policies pose the most significant challenges for the high street. At the very least, the next government can start by reforming these policies, so that retail can thrive ! https://lnkd.in/dgUQk7dX

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Great article below on shifting consumer from department stores to discount. According to analyst, Jane Hali, “As consumers remain pressured by inflation and accrued debt, discretionary items are taking a back seat when it comes to spending. . . when they do shop discretionary items, consumers are seeking value." Read on below for more from Daphne Howland at Retail Dive: https://lnkd.in/geutYxyD

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For my US colleagues and clients - whilst I say it is difficult to forecast how big the Grocery eCom market will be, and how fast it will grow, it is useful to look at the performance of Grocers around world. See below recent results from Woolworths and Coles in Australia & New Zealand. And…..in terms of a comparison from the UK; Asda (UKs 3rd largest Grocer) shared last week that their eCom pen is now running at 18%. TPG takeaway - Grocery sales will continue to shift online, if you aren’t maximising the opportunity, whilst simultaneously optimizing for profit then you will start to lose market share to your competitors.

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There is no surprise that Coles Group is excelling in winning the value consumer market. Over the past 24 months, they have strategically expanded their private label program with great success through the multi-tier approach - Coles Simply, Coles, & Coles Finest. These products are not only well-positioned and stocked in-store but also maintain a high standard of quality. With the recent opening of the second automated distribution centre (ADC), Coles Group is poised for further growth in market share, enhancing productivity, and service levels for both stores and consumers. Despite being a smaller business in terms of revenue and store numbers, Coles Group's focused approach on its core supermarket business sets it in a strong position, allowing undivided attention to address any issues and drive performance. Moreover, Coles Group benefits from a significant CODB advantage and currently delivers an enhanced in-store experience. The rebranding of Vintage Cellars & First Choice liquor stores to Liquorland reflects strategic simplification and clarity for both consumers and the organization, leading to cost savings in the future. #focused #foodretail #qualityexecution #smartmoves

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To better understand industrywide circularity opportunities, the National Retail Federation collaborated with Australian Retailers Association (ARA) strategic partner, Deloitte to create "Retail Circularity: An Action Guide for Retailers." This new report explores an industrywide perspective on emerging circular business models, identifying activities retailers can directly control and those they can only influence and zooming in on retail resale, repair and recycling business models. #circularity #sustainability #retail #retailtrends

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Case Study: How We Helped Incu 🛍️ @Incu_clothing, a leading Australian fashion and lifestyle retailer with 13 stores nationwide, partnered with 6R Retail to implement a new ERP system that aligned their operations with best practices and future growth. Working closely with CEO Doug Low and the senior team, we focused on five key areas: 1️⃣ Setting and assessing business KPIs 2️⃣ Defining SOPs and system processes 3️⃣ Refining reporting with 'one source of truth' 4️⃣ Connecting systems for seamless operations 5️⃣ Providing system training and ongoing support What did Incu gain? ✅ Confidence in scalability with a system built on best practices, not workarounds. ✅Improved collaboration across divisions, with teams understanding how their actions impact others. ✅Operational continuity despite team changes, thanks to well-defined processes. Key Results: 🚀 SKU Width: 10x increase 🚀 Stocktake Accuracy: From ~80% to 95% 🚀 Online Growth: 300% by accessing full inventory 🚀 Fulfillment Times: From 10 days to 24 hours 🚀 Customer Service Response: From 7 days to 24 hours 🎥 Watch the full video to see how 6R helped Incu turn challenges into success 👉 https://bit.ly/40eDpp7 🚀 Ready to transform your retail business? Book an introductory call today: https://bit.ly/4eAz03X . . . . . #CaseStudy #RetailSuccess #6Rretail #ERPImplementation #FashionRetail #BusinessGrowth #incu #incuclothing #RetailConsulting #RetailGrowth #InventoryManagement #RetailSuccess #BusinessScalability

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🎉 Today, members of my retail team are kicking off our quarterly 'new manager immersion' alongside one of our incredible training shop managers! 🌟 At LUSH, we believe in immersive learning experiences that go beyond just reading policies and theories. Our approach is all about blending various styles to ensure our managers hit the ground running with a true understand of their role! 💼 For the next three days, our newly appointed shop managers will dive headfirst into their roles. From interactive activities to thought-provoking discussions, they'll leave with new tools, approaches, and a whole host of tips and tricks to lead them to success in their roles. Here's a sneak peek at what's in store: 🛍️Retail Lesson: Drawing inspiration from other retailers, our managers will spend a good chunk of their time reflecting on the art of service within retail and why it's integral to their role at Lush. 💆‍♀️Experiential Recruitment: Forget the traditional approach! Managers will learn why we believe a more experiential recruitment approach is needed in retail. 🥳Lush Party: Get ready to party! Our managers will experience firsthand what it takes to deliver exceptional party bookings, hosting, and aftercare. But that's not all! The event isn't confined to a training room. Where appropriate, the team will be hosting as much content as possible on the shop floor, where our managers will learn alongside our experienced retailers, training shop managers and each other! Peer-to-peer learning and networking will be at the heart of it all. Our managers will have the chance to connect with fellow peers on similar journeys, forming invaluable connections. 🤝 A huge shoutout to Bethan Watts, Mike Collier, Natalie, and Lorna Bottomley for spearheading this immersive experience and inspiring our new managers! 🙌 Retail leaders, take note! Learning isn't one-size-fits-all. Are you incorporating a variety of formats, environments, and approaches into your training programs? Share your most memorable experiential learning moments with me! 💡 #retaillearning #retailleadership #learninganddevelopment

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Location, location, location 💛

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