Latest Retail Insight, News, Information & Articles from all top sources for the Internet.

We’re counting down to Christmas with our ‘12 Ways to Christmas’ tips - and the top of the list is to tell your customers that your business is COVID-safe.  COVID safety remains a big focus for many customers this Christmas - particularly with an expectation of crowded shopping environments. Retailers have put a huge amount of work into their COVID safety plans and it’s important to continue to reassure customers these plans are in place and how they can work with you to stay COVID-safe.  Here are three ways to help spread the news:  Electronic Direct Mail (eDM) As customers plan their Christmas shopping for the coming weeks, sending out an electronic direct mail (eDM) highlighting how your business is enhancing the safe shopping experience is a quick, inexpensive way to not only stay on the radar of your most loyal customers - but also to give them some ideas about different ways they can buy from you during this busy period. If you offer click and collect, or othe...

As the countdown begins, we are proud to share our ‘12 Ways to Christmas 2020’ campaign, all about how our retail community is celebrating Christmas with a Covid difference this year.  With the excitement of the Melbourne Cup behind us, today marks the official start of the Christmas 2020 retail season. We know that this festive season will be significantly different from previous ones, and we have already seen some very innovative and brilliant ideas coming to life to engage customers, drive spending and keep both customers and employees safe.  Each week in our ‘12 Ways to Christmas 2020’ campaign, we'll unveil top tips, research insights, predictions and data. Keep an eye out on our social media accounts, weekly Retail Voice newsletter and Retail News blog for the campaign content - and while we've got you, we wish you a prosperous and safe Christmas season! Here is an overview of our ‘12 Ways to Christmas’ tips:  12. Tell customers you’re COVIDsafe Covid safety i...

We’re just one week away from the traditional Christmas trading kick-off and all the signs are showing we have a reason to feel optimistic about the year ahead…cautiously optimistic. This week we had 'Donut Day’ as Victorians are calling it, with zero infections and a restored right to shop in Melbourne. Christmas has always been our most important retail trading period. But there has never been so much pressure on this last quarter to perform - not only on a sales level, but as an important key to turning our national confidence around. Not to mention, our retail community must extract that Christmas performance from their stores with a number of handicaps…with layers of retail safety protocols in place, less customers allowed in store, wobbly consumer confidence, an injured supply chain and in Victoria the shortest possible windows to get stores ready. I wanted to share some of the key questions our community, investors and the media are asking us - the first one being the ro...

The October updates from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) covering everything from key resources to help manage your business during COVID-19, to informative webinar events. JobKeeper upcoming key dates and actions A reminder that by the 31 October 2020, you need to pay your eligible employees for JobKeeper fortnights 14 and 15. New employers enrolling for JobKeeper will need to enrol and submit their decline in turnover to us by 31 October 2020. Existing employers can complete and submit this when they do their monthly business declaration between 1—14 November 2020. For more information and updates please visit  www.ato.gov.au/jobkeeper Small Business Are you running a home-based business? In November, the ATO is offering webinars to help you improve your skills to be successful in your small business venture. Running a home-based business  If you have been running a small business from home, you may have expenses that you can claim a deduction for at Tax Time. Kn...

As Victorians gathered anxiously around their televisions on the weekend to learn of their new lockdown liberties, for thousands of retailers the stakes were even higher. Retailers have spent at least 80 days in continuous lockdown, on top of the lockdowns earlier this year. Beauty salons which, like hairdressers, are deeply intertwined in the mental wellbeing of their customers, have spent more time closed than open this year. It has been a rollercoaster ride of expectations, delays and disappointment from the Victorian government however, from 2 November, all going to plan, the uncertainty around reopening will end and the years of hard work ahead of us to rebuild Melbourne retail can finally begin.  Small business owners have been the hardest hit. Far from faceless Victorians, these hardworking men and women are the lifeblood of our Melbourne community - from our hairdresser and our corner store operator, to the manager of our favorite fashion store. Retail employs one in te...

It goes without saying that Christmas 2020 is going to be somewhat different to previous ones. The festive season for retail is a busy one, and this year adds some complexity with additional requirements to keep staff and customers safe from COVID-19.  The festive season for retail is a busy one, and this year adds some complexity with additional requirements to keep staff and customers safe from COVID-19. What will not change however, is the responsibility for retailers to ensure the health and safety of their workers from other common workplace hazards. It is a timely reminder for retailers, to not let COVID-19 cloud the identification and management of other hazards the workplace. It is often around this time of year that businesses, including those in retail, are urged by health and safety regulators to look after their staff over the busy Christmas period, as more casual workers are employed to meet customer demands. WorkSafe Victoria states that the holiday season can be ...

We partnered with Facebook Australia on a range of digital education workshops, specifically for the retail community. The recordings are ready to be viewed. We're excited that we can now share the entire  Boost with Facebook program recordings. The workshops are a range of short videos focussed on up-skilling small businesses in key areas of focus with the Facebook and Instagram platforms. We've included links to all the workshop recordings below, plus a special edition from a recent live panel discussion with Paul Zahra, ARA, CEO on retail trends.   #1 WORKSHOP: Managing Your Business on Facebook and Instagram Hear from Facebook Community Trainer Melissa Westcott in this introductory workshop, which covers new consumer insights and explores the opportunity of online marketing for retail businesses. You’ll learn about the tools and tips that can help you manage your digital presence, connect with customers and grow your business. VIEW workshop recording   #2 WO...

There’s no doubt that the various periods of lockdown and requirements around social distancing has had an impact on the retail industry. And yet there have been opportunities as well. Australians have been travelling less and many are home-bound, therefore have had to adjust their spending and lifestyle habits. Thankfully, some sectors of the retail industry have benefitted from this shift significantly. Retailers have also had to adjust their business activities to cater to the current environment, and this has been an opportunity for many retailers to take a new strategic look at their business. For example, there is the opportunity to increase engagement with customers online and refresh those online shopping services. The challenge is, then, making sure that the home office has the right nbn™ connection to drive the online engagement. Understand what kind of nbn™ plan you need Retailers are likely doing a combination of activities online related to their business, including: ...

In this informative article by Amy Towers, Principal Consultant, Risk Collective you will find a snapshot of the current COVID Safe Plan requirements and expectations across jurisdictions. Determining whether your business needs a COVIDSafe Plan is easier said than done, especially if you operate across borders. So, why is it such a maze? The short answer is that each State and Territory have their own public health or emergency management directions and these directions stipulate requirements for businesses to operate safely during COVID. The directions on COVIDSafe Plans are regularly being reviewed and updated.   In addition to the specific jurisdictional requirements, the rules for COVIDSafe Plans can differ across industries and sub-industries. Retail is an example of this. For example, in Queensland, it is not a public health direction for a retail business to operate in compliance with a COVIDSafe Checklist unless the business, activity, undertaking, premises or plac...

A number of key announcements were made over the last 24 hours around Victoria's COVID-19 restrictions and financial relief. Here's a round-up of the latest info. Sunday 13 September Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced an additional financial support package for businesses affected by lockdown restrictions. In summary, this provides the following relief to qualifying retail businesses in Victoria: Around 75,000 eligible businesses with payrolls up to $10 million will receive grants of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 depending on their size. The Government will now defer payroll tax for businesses with payrolls up to $10 million for the full 2020-21 financial year. $20 million will be allocated for small businesses to access off-the-shelf digital programs such as Shopify or Squareonline, training and workshops designed to help businesses adapt to online operations. Click for Vic , a new website and campaign aimed at encouraging Victorians to support local businesses w...

Beyond Blue has given us permission to republish this content rich article titled: 'How business owners, leaders and managers can manage their mental health during the coronavirus'. Small business owners, senior leaders and managers have been left reeling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether your business has closed or is still operating, here are some strategies to help you through the toughest of times.  Business in Australia have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Your business may be facing the immediate financial stress of closing down or a reduced turnover. You may be applying for government assistance (often for the first time) and dealing with the emotional impact of what’s happening to a business you’re invested in. You’re also no doubt concerned about your employees who may be dealing with losing their jobs or a reduction in hours. The general uncertainty about how the coronavirus situation might affect you and your business in the weeks and month...

The Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Jobkeeper Payments) Amendment Bill 2020  passed the   Federal Parliament on Tuesday 1 September, extending the temporary JobKeeper provisions of the Fair Work Act until March. The Act extends the JobKeeper payment scheme and the temporary JobKeeper provisions of the Fair Work Act, until 28 March 2021 , albeit in a revised form.   The Act creates two broad categories of employers who can access particular flexibilities under the Fair Work Act in certain circumstances from 28 September 2020: Employers who are eligible for JobKeeper payments after 28 September 2020 (qualifying employers); and Employers who did receive one or more JobKeeper payments in the period prior to 28 September 2020, but no longer qualify for a payment after 28 September 2020 (legacy employers). Access the ' Fair Work Flexibilities Legacy Employer Guide' here. This guide aims to assist legacy employers with utilising the modified Fair Work Act flexibili...