Australian Retailers Association (ARA)

Retailers hope to sleigh 'em! ARA CEO Paul Zahra discusses the shifts in consumer shopping habits as Australians navigate the festive season amid cost-of-living pressures, in this recent article published in the Herald Sun. With 55% of Aussies already starting their Christmas shopping, retail sales are expected to reach $69.7 billion in the six-week peak period leading up to Christmas - a 2.7% increase on last year. The Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend alone is forecast to be record-high, with $6.7 billion in spending anticipated. In a season focused on value for money, Australians are prioritising shared experiences and smaller luxury items. Food remains a significant category, with spending expected to hit $28 billion. Read the full article below to learn more about the trends shaping this year’s peak season, and why retailers are still hoping for a cash-rate cut to boost consumer confidence. #Christmas2024 #RetailInsights #HolidayShopping #PeakSeason

Wishing our community a Spooktacular Halloween! 🎃👻🦇 Halloween is on the rise, with 1 in 5 Aussies embracing the spooky spirit this year. ARA - Roy Morgan insights reveal that Halloween spending is expected to give retailers a $450 million boost, with families and friends getting into the spirit by trick-or-treating, donning costumes, and decorating their homes. From pumpkin sales spiking by 25% to thousands of costumes flying off department store shelves, Halloween is becoming one of the most anticipated events on the retail calendar. Check out more Halloween insights here - https://lnkd.in/gnZ9Gjkh #Halloween2024 #SpookySeason #ARAHalloween #RetailInsights

Peak retail industry bodies, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and National Retail Association (NRA), have congratulated Queensland Premier David Crisafulli MP on his election victory highlighting the importance of working with the incoming government on key issues including retail crime and support for small business.  The NRA and ARA welcome the opportunity to work with the LNP on issues that are critical to the success of retailers who employ one in ten Queenslanders and contribute an enormous amount to our Queensland economy. Media release: https://lnkd.in/gsufWPUB

We were thrilled to support the Australian Hair & Fashion Awards (AHFA) last night at The Star in Sydney! The event was a true celebration of the incredible talent within the hairdressing community, an important part of our ARA membership. ARA CEO Paul Zahra had the honour of presenting the Apprentice of the Year award – congratulations to the talented Ashanti Kayias and all the finalists on this well-deserved recognition! As Australia’s largest and longest-running independent hairdressing awards program, the AHFA continues to showcase the best of the Hair Fashion industry across Australia and New Zealand. It was an inspiring evening celebrating creativity, skill and passion. #AustralianHairFashionAwards #AHFA2024 #RetailCommunity David Mannah M Division

In this special episode of Retail Therapy, we're bringing you the highlights from the recent ARA Peak Season Insights Breakfast, where retail’s top leaders shared their expert perspectives on this year's holiday season! Listen in as our panel of retail thought leaders share their expertise, featuring: - Laura Demasi, Head of Retail Research at Roy Morgan - Craig Woolford, Senior Analyst at MST Marquee - Jo Jericho, Strategy Director at Monitor Deloitte - Kevin Azzopardi, Director of Partner Marketing ANZ at Afterpay Hosted by ARA CEO Paul Zahra, the discussion covered exclusive insights into retail trends, consumer behavior, and predictions for the 2024 peak season. Tune in now to get ahead of the game this holiday season - https://lnkd.in/gVCS2DKh

The Christmas rush is coming!🎄📦     Australia Post has announced their last lodgement dates earlier than usual this year, to help your business plan for the busiest time of the year. Encourage your customers to shop early so their gifts and orders arrive in time for Christmas.     🎁✨ Last lodgement dates for domestic and international deliveries are now live - head to the Australia Post website here for all the details - https://lnkd.in/g3HFy2fn 🌏✉️     #AustraliaPost #HolidayShipping #ChristmasDeliveries

Speaker Announcement: ARA Leaders Forum 25 📢 We’re excited to reveal the next wave of speakers for the ARA Leaders Forum 25! Joining our line-up are:   - Agnieszka Pfeiffer-Smith, Managing Director of Dan Murphy's (Endeavour) - Matthew Benham, Director & Country Leader – Retail of Amazon Australia - Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan - Kate Russell, CEO of Supply Nation These industry leaders will provide exclusive insights into the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the future of retail. Don’t miss your chance to hear from 60+ experts and connect with 400+ retail leaders attending! The ARA Leaders Forum 25 will be held on Wednesday 26 February – Thursday 27 February, 2025 at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney). Check out the full speaker line-up and secure your EARLY BIRD tickets today - https://lnkd.in/ggDBCWiU #ARALeadersForum25 #RetailLeadership #FutureOfRetail #RetailInsights #RetailInnovation

One in five Australians are getting ghoulish this Halloween, with ever-growing popularity of the October 31 event reflected in boosted retail sales across the nation. Many popular retailers are seeing increased sales of up to 20 per cent on Halloween merchandise, with department stores selling hundreds of thousands of costumes and tens of thousands of decorations so far. Australians can’t resist carving up a Jack O’ Lantern, with supermarkets reporting a 25 per cent increase in pumpkin sales in the lead up to Halloween. ARA CEO Paul Zahra says the Halloween tradition has a rich history that Australians enjoy celebrating. “Halloween originated as a Celtic Festival from the United Kingdom where people lit fires and wore costumes to ward off ghosts,” Mr Zahra says. “Over time, it’s evolved into a day of trick or treating, festive gatherings and donning costumes. It’s now a global phenomenon and a significant retail event.  Australian retailers will be enjoying a $450 million sugar hit from Halloween spending in 2024, with 38 per cent of Australians stocking up on candy for trick or treaters. 37 per cent will also be buying Halloween costumes, and 32 per cent will be buying chill-inducing home décor. View media release - https://lnkd.in/gnZ9Gjkh

The recent ANROWS research shone a light on the prevalence of sexual harassment across our industry. 48% of women and 25% of men reported experiencing sexual harassment in retail. Customer- or client-perpetrated sexual harassment accounted for 36% of incidents. The research also found organisational policies and processes lack consistency and many retail workers find it hard to locate, access and understand them. The ARA Gender Equality Playbook is a step by step guide, that brings together resources, activities and research to one place that retailers can use when developing a gender equality action plans to address barriers women face in the workplace. You can find the ARA Gender Equality Playbook here - https://lnkd.in/gxxrnvkU

Holiday Shopping Now Starts Earlier for Most Aussies New research from Shopify shows that 53% of Australians finalise their holiday shopping lists by October, and 58% will have done most of their holiday shopping by the end of November. On top of this, Australians shopping online tend to do so earlier than those who do the majority in store, marking a shift towards earlier festive shopping overall.   Retailers must adapt to this trend, preparing deals and promotions well in advance to capture these eager customers, thinking about both online and in-store shopping patterns. As shoppers increasingly plan ahead, communicating value early can help retailers stay competitive during the busy festive season. Learn more about how retailers are preparing for the holidays - https://lnkd.in/g4Cwk3Kz