Rob Hango-Zada

Gong cha converts all Australian Stores to Redcat's Hospitality Platform in just 8 days! Facing growing pains with their existing POS system, one of the world’s fastest-growing bubble tea brand, Gong cha, needed a scalable solution. Redcat's Hospitality IT platform fit the bill, offering increased efficiency and functionality. The Challenge: Gong cha's current POS system couldn't handle their ambitious expansion plans, hindering both operations and customer engagement. The Solution: Gong cha selected Redcat's platform, impressed by its scalability and functionality. The Result: In a record-breaking feat, Redcat converted all stores (POS terminals & kiosks) to the new platform in just 8 days Key to Success: • Meticulous planning and project management: Redcat ensured a smooth transition with pre-conversion risk identification and excellent coordination. • Efficient rollout methodology: Pre-work, software pre-installation, staff training, and swift store conversions minimized downtime (average of 30 minutes per store). Benefits for Gong Cha: • Increased efficiency and scalability to support continued growth. • New loyalty apps to engage customers and boost sales. • Omnichannel loyalty for a seamless experience online and in-store. • Agility to respond to customer demands and stay ahead of the competition. • Highly functional integrated technology stack for streamlined operations. A Win-Win: Gong cha is poised for further growth with a powerful platform, while Redcat sets a new standard for rapid and painless POS conversions Learn more https://lnkd.in/gt7KBHEa

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🌟 PluginHive: Where exceptional service meets rave-worthy reviews!🌟 Tea Life, an Australian-based Shopify store specializing in quality tea products, has taken their shipping efficiency to new heights by integrating PluginHive's Australia Post Rates & Labels app, with Australia Post as their carrier of choice. Their review praises the breadth of the app's capabilities: "A comprehensive app with a lot of features and good support." This feedback highlights the powerful technology and exceptional support that PluginHive offers to every customer. If you're looking to enhance your shipping experience and streamline your operations, look no further than PluginHive for your solution. Explore more about the Australia Post Rates & Labels: https://shorturl.at/agxDG #PluginHive #ShippingSolutions #CustomerExperience #AustraliaPost

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Our client NZ Post's eCommerce Spotlight report highlights why retailers are urgently investing in unified retail to provide a seamless omnichannel experience – whether the customer is shopping online, on a mobile or within a store. 💡Kiwis still prefer to shop in stores, with online retail just 10.1% of retail spending last year, down slightly from 10.6% in 2022. 💡However, ecommerce sales are much higher in similar countries - like Australia (19%) and Ireland (18%) – so there’s plenty of opportunity to grow online revenue! Check out the full report for more on the key drivers of the online spending decline in 2023 and what retailers are prioritising this year. ⬇️ #omnichannel #ecommerce #unifiedexperience #unifiedcommerce

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Your shoppers don't see channels, they see your brand. Whether they're meandering through Melbourne’s laneways, shopping in a busy centre or visting your website on their mobile.   Your brand has a choice: Do you help customers shop by ensuring that any 'work' done in one channel is available to them in the next - to allow them to pick up where they left off? Or do you treat every experience as a start, middle and end that converts to a sale or doesn't?   Mastering seamless CX hinges on not only a 'single view of customer', but also a 'single view of brand' for every customer. It's not just about having a presence online and off; it's about weaving all channels into a brand experience that customers can't help but admire and be loyal to. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dfk8BAWz #retail #unifiedcommerce #omnichannel

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Hardly earth shattering but still worth monitoring, the latest supermarket price tracking did contain one surprise: basket composition. As consumer researchers, we reduce the complex into simple and talk of 'averages'; conveniently ignoring the variety and nuance of Australia's wonderfully diverse population. However, I still can't get my head around the items used in the price comparison. We've seen the latest Rabobank report that Australian vegetable consumption is declining, but this is ridiculous. The comparison grocery basket at all outlets was filled with 14 items, 12 of which were packaged products, either national brand or comparable supermarket brand/budget brand options (including beef mince and milk), with two fresh fruit and vegetable items (apples and carrots) completing the list: Apples Carrots Weet-Bix Sliced white bread Flour Penne White sugar Tea bags Tinned diced tomatoes Block of tasty cheese Full-cream dairy milk Frozen peas Beef mince Butter. I would love to meet the 'average' family who buys these items every week (and apparently nothing else!). Dr Jason Pallant Jo-Anne Hui-Miller Inside FMCG Professor Gary Mortimer Dr Louise Grimmer Brian Walker Anastasia Lloyd-wallis Professor Jana Bowden Richard Frost Karen Bowie Jon Manning Leanne Tyzzer Jason Blair #consumermarketing #pricing #pricecomparison #supermarkets #duopoloy #monopoly #grocery #packagedgoods #fmcg #shopperresearch #consumerresearch #costofliving #pricematching

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As Canada moves forward with its Grocery Code of Conduct, it's inspiring to see the positive impacts of similar initiatives worldwide. New Zealand's success highlights how a code can create fairer competition, strengthen supplier relationships, and ultimately benefit consumers with more competitive pricing. This example reinforces the importance of getting it right. By ensuring transparency and balance across the supply chain, Canada is on track to create a stronger, more resilient marketplace.

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What happens when you build strong loyalty bonds across your brands? Growth!! 🚀 Fantastic conversation with Nicole Sheffield from the one and only host with most Paula Macaggi. Highly recommend catching the whole episode, some truly great lessons to learn from those who want to think differently about brand cooperation and highly effective use of customer data for growth. Nice to hear an Aussie accent on an episode! 😉

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Join Devon Rick, Managing Partner at IMI International at the Shop! ANZ Online Retail Marketing Conference. Devon will talk about recent trends and changes to PromoTrack 2024 Best Practice: What’s working, what’s not, and how to get it right. • The competing strategies: Promos to build volume, Promos to build trade relationships, Promotions to build brand • Which shopper drives the uplift in sales/volume and ‘why’ • Current trends and how the cost of living is changing the promo landscape • Prizing – themes, tipping points (optimal number of prizes) • Mechanics – the pros and cons to each, and how to make them a driver of repeat purchasing • Retail requirement – how much is too much • Messaging hierarchy and comms best practice - how to best talk about the promo, the role of on vs. off pack Book now: https://lnkd.in/gJU383-f

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Fresh Insights from Our 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆. Our latest 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘶𝘭𝘴𝘦 survey reveals the trends shaping Kiwi shopping habits. This quick-read blog is packed with actionable insights for brands and retailers looking to stay ahead in a shifting grocery landscape. Here’s a sneak peek: 📌 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: Understand how price perception is shaping buying habits and how to meet value-conscious shoppers' expectations. 📌 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗳: Learn why shoppers are gravitating toward new and exciting products—even in cost-conscious times. 📌𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: See how health-conscious choices are influencing categories like fresh produce and seafood. 📌𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Discover how shoppers’ environmental priorities are creating opportunities for brands with a purpose. 📌𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵: Explore emerging shopper behaviours, from adopting AI tools to supporting local farmers. 💡 Ready to dive deeper? Access the full insights here: https://lnkd.in/eVEJDBKh

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In this latest article in Inside Retail Australia I look at the competitive advantage in Ai. The leading brands of the future will be those that understand technology drives efficiency, but emotional experiences drive loyalty. https://lnkd.in/gHGPYxD5 #AI #Retail #Experience

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Another busy period of industry forums is upon us in Australia, and it's increasingly obvious that businesses can't keep kicking the RFID can down the road. With company restructures, administration, layoffs, and reassessment of market viability hitting the headlines with increasing frequency, it's time that retailers and brands realise that inventory accuracy data enabled by RFID empowers them to be faster, smarter, and more profitable. Any CEO looking at the global landscape of high performing companies should draw the same conclusion and mobilise their teams to engage in discovery on how to implement RFID for their unique requirements. Let's stop the talking and start the action. Connect with me, and let's make it happen. #onlyrfid #futureofretail #amazingthingswithrfid

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🚨 LIVE NOW: Watch us decode what customers really think about major brands @ 4PM IST! Join us here: https://lnkd.in/gQtWcgBU Here's what happened in our first session: a fascinating analysis using publicly available customer reviews of Woolworths Australia* We revealed: 👉 Hidden patterns in customer sentiment 👉Common friction points in retail CX 👉What successful brands get right Curious to know what brand we're analyzing? Catch the live session! *Note: This is an independent analysis using public data - we're not affiliated with Woolworths. #RefineExperience #CXWebinars #CXStrategy #CustomerInsights #BusinessGrowth #SurveySparrowWebinars

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To truly thrive, brands must create seamless, interconnected experiences across all channels. Retailers must go beyond merely establishing a presence in one channel; they need to develop an integrated infrastructure that unites every aspect of commerce—whether online, in-store, or in between.   Shopify's latest Australian retail report highlights that a quarter of consumers (26%) enjoy both in-store and online shopping equally. The goal is to achieve a level of consistency and integration that makes the customer’s journey feel fluid and unified, regardless of how or where they choose to engage. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gKuvABEE #UnifiedCommerce #RetailInnovation #OmnichannelExperience #DigitalCommerce  #Globalbrandedcommerce

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The Australian grocery retail sector is an interesting case of market power playing out, across multiple dimensions. Pricing power of retailers is a clear concern, as is misleading or deceptive price discount marketing. Procurement power of retailers, to squeeze suppliers is a clear concern. This has been a frequent complaint with little done over the years. Barriers to entry through exploitation of land use regulations is an area of concern. Indeed, land use regulations have consistently acted as brakes on market competition across multiple sectors. The elephant in the room ultimately is structural concentration. #marketpower #supplychains

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"Not all heroes wear capes." There are some incredible technology solutions coming out of Australia to support retailers at the moment, and I take my hat off to the teams powering some of the biggest Australian brands and solving the ever-increasing challenges in the retail landscape. They are the unsung heroes, the late-night hustlers, and all-round smart humans doing one thing and one thing only: solving retailers' clunky, complex, and archaic ways of working. So, here's to those unsung heroes of retail, the silent weapons, the guys and girls who don't get awards yet exist purely to supercharge your brands growth. And best yet? They are all locally grown. 🎁 Giftnote is simplifying and personalizing the gifting experience for consumers and brands. It's so easy I even gift myself when I order online these days (adds new shoes to cart "Dear Nadia, You deserve these"). 🚩 Flagship had me geeking out from day one when I was lucky enough to beta test their product at Aje. Long gone are the days of VM teams not having visibility or accountability of what's happening on the store floor. I don't know how brands exist without it. 🌀 Fingertip.com "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Superman!" I think that sums up how I felt when I first discovered Fingertip. A little Squarespace, sprinkled with a little Shopify, mixed with some LinkinBio with a dollop of Myspace 10.0. Fingertip is definitely one to get behind if you're a brand with a boring LinkinBio, a small business looking for appointment bookings, or Superman. The end applications are endless. P.S. This is not a paid post. I truly believe in the Australian tech landscape and want to see retailers and solution providers thrive. So do yourself a favor; go find a local unsung hero to include in your tech stack for the next financial year. I guarantee you, you won't regret it. Unsung Heros Adam Sharon-Zipser Nick Kennedy Matthew Ding Simon Molnar Gabby Leibovich Oliver Hoffman

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Did you know that 82% of purchase decisions are made in-store, and 62% are impulse buys? Broadsign and Inside Retail Australia are hosting a webinar to discuss all things in-store media. Join us on November 14 for an insightful session on "unlocking the power of in-store media". As retail media continues to evolve, new opportunities are opening up for brands and retailers to connect with consumers like never before. From in-store digital experiences to hyper-targeted advertising, our panel of experts, Ben Allman, Barry McGhee, Sam Hegg, Zoe Berends, will explore the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in this dynamic landscape. 🎙 What You’ll Learn: How in-store media can drive last-minute purchases by reaching shoppers at key points in their journey Learn how immersive, targeted content can elevate in-store shopping, creating a more engaging and personalised experience. Understand how in-store media provides actionable, real-time data to optimise campaigns and improve performance. Discover how integrating in-store media with an omnichannel strategy boosts intent and measurable sales growth. 📍 Who Should Attend: Brands, retailers, retail strategists, retail media owners, marketers and brand managers, and anyone interested in staying ahead in the retail media space. 🕒 Date: November 14 @12pm AEDT 📍 Location: Online 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g8hG6qZe #RetailMedia #InStoreExperience #DigitalMarketing #RetailTrends #Webinar #Innovation #Whatsnext

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🛒 Comparison of retailers' and suppliers' margins in Australian Grocery Retail. Over the last year, I've been commenting extensively on the government's inquiry into the Australian supermarkets' pricing practices. It's important to note that I have no vested interest in defending either retailers or suppliers. I work with both of them and do my part in helping them to build sustainable business models and establish mutually beneficial partnerships, instead of fighting with each other. As much as possible, I always try to stay unbiased and call things as I see them. And the only way I know how to do it, is to use all the available data while forming my opinion. If I see that retailers might not do the right things by suppliers or Australian consumers, I will call it out. The same applies to suppliers and their business practices. That being said, I finally found some time to prepare one slide comparing retailers' and suppliers' margins and their change versus year ago. The slide is supplemented by my thoughts and the proposed logic. Your interpretation is up to you. Stay unbiased, stay informed! 🤝 #retail #fmcg

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🔥 Hot off the press: Coles & Woolworths Q1'25 sales results. Over the last two days, both major retailers reported their first quarter results. 🟢 Woolworths Group sales grew +4.5% vs YA to $18.0B, underpinned by strong performance of Australian Food (+3.8% vs YA), continuously strong performance of Australian B2B (+6.9% vs YA; PFD is going from strength to strength, amazing acquisition that so far pays big time for Woolworths), and recently acquired Petstock (was not part of the reporting last year, but grew ~5.0% vs YA; now sitting in the newly created "W Living" business pillar). eCommerce continues to be one the main growth drivers, approaching $2B in quarterly sales, growing +23.6% vs YA, and now representing almost 15% of the overall Supermarket sales. Very impressive. 🔴 Coles Group sales grew +2.9% vs YA to $10.55B, underpinned by a decent performance of the Supermarkets division (+3.5% vs YA), while Liquor sales flat YoY, and sales from the partnership with Viva Energy are down -11.2% vs YA. Similar to Woolworths, Coles eCommerce sales continue to drive growth for the retailer, for the first time exceeding $1B in sales per quarter, growing +22.4% vs YA, and approaching 11% share of the overall Supermarket sales. Very impressive, too, but the gap between Coles and Woolworths eCommerce sales and share continues to widen, which is why Coles needs to make its partnership with Ocado work asap if they want to catch the Australian grocery eCommerce leader anytime soon. More insights can be found on the slides. Stay informed! 🤝 #fmcg #retail

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