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Retailers demand for interest rate cuts
Retailers are pleading for another interest rate cut to 2.5 per cent when the Reserve Bank of Australia meets in May.
ARA calls for Retail Award nominations
It’s that time of the year again the Australian Retailers Association is getting ready to award retail's finest.
Retailers urge govt to follow in U.S footsteps
The Australian Retailers Association is urging the Australian government to follow the US Senate's step on collecting tax on internet purchases.
Australian retailers call for political support
The Australian Traders Group has called on all side of politics to support Australian retailers.
ARA addresses skill shortage in govt submission
The ARA has made a submission to the federal government that addresses the skill shortages which have been identified in the Australian retail sector.
More reason for RBA to cut rates
The ARA continues to urge for the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut rates when they meet in February.
Retailers feel the effects of the carbon tax
Eighty per cent of retailers believe they have been negatively impacted since the carbon tax was introduced in July 2012.
Prepare from being victim to theft
Retailers should remain vigilant to theft as it's costing the industry more than $7.5 billion.
More interest cuts needed
The retail industry continues to call for the Reserve Bank to lower interest rates.
Govt progresses to cut GST
Retailers have welcomed the Gillard Government's decision to implement recommendations made by the LVT Processing Taskforce to reduce the $1000 GST threshold.
New law gives power to Small Business Commissioner
The NSW government has established the first Small Business Commissioner as a statutory officer.
Predictions of a big Christmas
Shoppers are expected to spend $41.2 billion on goods this Christmas.
Retailers welcome GST plans
Plans for the state government to lower the GST has been welcomed by the ARA.
Retailers, ACCC to lunch together
ARA is providing an opportunity for the retail sector and the ACCC to have an open discussion at the ARA Retail Leaders Lunch with ACCC chairman Rod Sims.
Hit and miss: Fair Work Act review
The independent review of the Fair Work Australia Act has produced a mixed bag of feelings from retailers.
More members join Retail Council
In the lead up to the first Retail Council of Australia meeting later this week, Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury has announced additional members.
No changes needed to gift card regulations
Gift card policies are expected to remain unchanged, according to a report released by the Consumer Affairs Advisory Council.
FWA increases minimum wage
The Fair Work Australia's decision to increase the minimum wage by 2.9 per cent has left many retailers heart broken as it ignores strong signals that the sector is struggling.
ARA join forces with PayPal, eBay
The Australian Retailers Association, PayPal and eBay have signed a partnership to reflect retail landscape’s shift towards digital retailing.
Minimum wage increase put jobs at risk
Union advocates are attempting to secure an increase in minimum wages, however the Australian Retailers Association has said this move is ignoring the bigger picture and is in fact putting the jobs of casual and part time retail sector employees on the li
ARA partners with Roy Morgan to industry insight
Australian Retailers Association has partnered with Roy Morgan Research to gain better knowledge and insight to retailers operating the sector.
ABS retail trade figures up 0.2%
The largest contributor to the rise was other retailing (1.8 per cent), which includes online retailers, followed by food retailing (0.3 per cent) and department stores (0.7 per cent).
ARA offers retail workshops in VIC
The ARA Retail Institute in partnership with the Victorian Government will be offering free Retail Excellence Workshops, a series of four workshops held from February to April 2012.
Parental leave is a burden for retailers, ARA says
ARA as announced it support for the Coalitions’ announcement that it will seek to remove the burden small businesses face in acting as paymasters of the government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme.
Retailers left out in the cold
Retailers’ hopes were left shattered when the Reserve Bank announced it was keeping the cash rate at 4.25 per cent but now there are expectations that the RBA will provide an interest rate cut next month.
Retail trade back down 0.1%
Following a 0.1 per cent rise in November 2011, the ABS has reported that retail trade figures for December, the most crucial month of trading, fell 0.1 per cent.
More interest rate cuts needed, ARA says
ARA has called on the RBA to reduce interest rates in February after the Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped from 3.5 per cent down to 3.1 per cent.
Retail trade figures "disappointing"
While the two interest rates cuts were welcomed with open arms by retailers at the end of last year it didn’t change the attitudes of consumers as the latest ABS retail trade figures show that retail turnover in November 2011 was flat.
Steady sales during Christmas
Nerves and tension were felt while breaths were held by retailers during the Christmas period but it appears that retailers are remaining steady in this sales period.
Retailers brace for the Christmas rush
For the first time in six years, Christmas Day will fall on a Sunday, which will give consumers a full week to do their shopping.
Cutting down cost on printing
Print solutions company Upstream has partnered with the Australian Retailers Association to help retailers reduce costs associated with printing.
Household spending on the rise
Retailers aren’t expecting Christmas sales to turn around the flat market according to the ARA, with Christmas sales predicted to increase a moderate 2.2 per cent on last year to $39.5 billion.
7-Eleven takes out top ARA award
The retailer was awarded the ARA's Visa Australian Retailer of the Year award, overtaking from last year’s winner Smiggle.
Getting serious about mCommerce, social media
Bricks and mortar retailers gathered for the final Engage in E-tail, jointly hosted by ARA and ASGA in partnership with PayPal to learn about mCommerce and social media.
Retailers worried about carbon tax
The federal government successfully passed the carbon tax through the lower house on Wednesday but this has left many retailers heavy-hearted.
Retail sales on the rise
The ABS showsthat retail turnover is heading slowly towards an upward direction as retail trade figures has grown 0.6 per cent in August.
Call for cut to cash rate dismissed
The cries of retailers to cut interest rates have been left unheard as the RBA has decided to leave it unchanged at 4.75 per cent.
Carbon tax adds insult to retailers
An industry survey has revealed that 83 per cent of retailers expect consumers will be spending less as a result of the carbon tax.
Reforms needed, Productivity Commission says
The draft report - Economic Structure and Performance of the Australian Retail Industry - examines the implications of globalisation for the retail industry and the appropriateness of current policy settings.
RBA holds rate at 4.75%
Both the NRA and the ARA have described the news as an extra break the sector needs to continue the recovery after a soft couple of years and a disastrous few months.
Strong dollar, smartphones drive online purchases
Simon Smith, Quantium director and former managing director of eBay, said retailers need to have an online presence and adopt a multi-channel operation.
Retailers lose in carbon tax introduction
The carbon pricing package will see retailers face increasing operaton costs throughout the supply chain and fewer goods being bought my consumers.
Fair Work Australia says yes to short shifts for high school students
Secondary school student employees will now be able to work 1.5 hour long shifts after school following a decision by Fair Work Australia to alter the General Retail Industry Award 2010.
Easter period helped retail trade
Retail trade figures are up 1.1 per cent in April, seasonally adjusted, following a fall of 0.3 per cent the previous month, according to the ABS.
Budget 2011: Some light for retailers
Small businesses will be allowed to claim up to $5,000 as an immediate deduction for any car purchased during the 2012-13 financial year.
Cash rate held for the fifth time
his news has been welcomed by both the ARA and the NRA that have suggested keeping the cash rate stable for retailers as to continue their recovery.
Retailers say no to plain packaging
The federal government plans for the legislation to commence on 1 January 2012, with all products on sale required to comply with the new laws within six months.
February flood boosts retail trade
Both the ARA and the ANRA saidQueenslander's need for new household goods following the natural disasters of late December and January drove the 0.5 per cent growth in retail trade.
Now or never: retailers to adopt mobile strategy
A Nielsen survey commissioned by PayPal has found that the growth of smart phones is fuelling mobile commerce, which saw the total amount of mobile transactions reach $155 million in 2010.
Retailers slam EPAL for eftpos fees
The ARA said smaller retailers cannot afford the increased merchant rates and has called on the big banks to absorb costs.
More education funding needed
The Fair Imports Alliance is calling on the federal government to provide specific funding for specialist e-tailing and online education for retailers.
A gloomy year ahead
More evidence has been released by the ARA showing it will be another tough year of retail trading with over 50 per cent of Australians planning to spend less.
Dymocks is here to stay
With REDgroup Retail announcing it entered into voluntary administration last week, RetailBiz caught up with book chain Dymocks' CEO Don Grover to see whether they were feeling the pressure of online shopping.
Rejuvenating Sydney's nightlife
Retail outlets, museums and art galleries are being asked to stay open till late as part of this initiative. The policy will also cover issues from better transport options to safer pubs and clubs.
Retailers concern about future trading
The latest retail trade figures from the ABS have confirmed that consumers continued to remain cautious during the crucial December period.
Flood levy is bad news for retailers
The ARA said retailers, including those businesses that have been affected by the floods, will be hit hard by the new levy as consumers tighten their purses.
Lending a helping hand
The ARA is offering a complimentary three month membershipo flood affected retailers to help deal with their employer obligations and other decisions during this time.
Retail trade limped into Christmas
The ARA's week-by-week tracking of retail trading during the Christmas period has found that the final week leading into Christmas Eve over 45 per cent of retailers were trading worse than the same time last year.
Aussie retailers demand a fair go
Myer, David Jones, Harvey Norman, Borders and Target are among those forming a coalition and declaring war against international online retailers.
So far so good
Days before Christmas, the ARA predicted shoppers will spend $6.97 billion during the two weeks of post-Christmas sales and Boxing Day through to early January.
Post-Christmas sales to be up by 3%
ARA has predicted that shoppers will spend $6.97 billion during the two weeks of post-Christmas sales from Boxing Day through to early January.
ARA wants equal level playing field
The ARA has welcomed the Productivity Commission’s Future of Australian Retail Inquiry and the government’s approach to evidence based policy.
Slow sales this Christmas
With Christmas just days away, ARA has confirmed that based on early December retail trade, it will be a slow one for retailers this festive season.
Uneasy outlook for Christmas
The RBA has decided to raise the cash rate by 0.25 per cent to 4.75 per cent just before the Christmas trading period begins.
ARA urges for GST threshold review
Based on a Frost & Sullivan report, it is estimated that Australian consumers will spend in excess of $12 billion dollars online this year and almost half of that will be spent offshore.
Retailers angry over Fair Work decision
Fair Work Australia has upheld its decision to refuse to amend retail award’s minimum three hour shift requirement.
ARA state finalists announced
The state finalists categories are Australian Young Retailer of the Year, Australian Independent Retailer of the Year and ARA Retail Institute Australian Retail Graduate of the Year.
ARA announces category winners
The ARA has announced the category winners for the ORACLE Australian Retailer of the Year 2010 as part of the ARA Australian Retail Awards.
Greater support needed for small retailers
The ARA has suggested that once the new government steps up changes are needed to benefit smaller, independent retailers.
Small businesses not ready for new workplace laws
The Australian Retailers Association said it was critical retail employers understood their industrial relations obligations, after new research revealed four out of five small businesses were not ready for the introduction of the new workplace laws.
Negative growth in February nothing new, says ARA
Retail spending fell two per cent in February compared to a month earlier as support from last year's Federal Government cash handouts diminished.
