Aa Case Study

ISSN 1834–4720

retailer

issue

JAN 2012:FEB 2012

30

THE ARA

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COVER STORY: Move over diamonds, Lorna Jane is a girl’s best friend An interview with Lorna Jane Clarkson

INSIDE:
Top retail trends for 2012 ARA asks the experts How to make your business succeed when times are tough

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ARA Production team Editor – Kath Christie Editorial team – Andie McMaster, Yariv Field External contributors – Sonia Gibson (RMG Partners), Steve OgdenBarnes (Deakin Graduate School of Business), Pieter van Wessem and David Ginsberg Graphic design – Shaun Bajada Photos/Images supplied by – Lorna Jane, Field Agent, Ebay, Some
Space For all advertising enquiries contact: Kath Christie on 1300 368 041 or email [e-mail] Australian Retailers Association Phone (toll free) – 1300 368 041 NSW Office Suite 102 Level 1, 64 - 76 Kippax Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Fax [phone] VIC Office Level 10, 136 Exhibition Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Fax [phone]
Copyright Contents may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the Association and then only with suitable acknowledgments.

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contents
REGULARS
2 27 27 28 Welcome From the Executive Director ARA staff profiles Federal news update ARA supplier directory RESEARCH & STATISTICS 22 Cautious consumers bring little joy to retailers for Christmas PROFILE 4 Move over diamonds... Lorna Jane is a girl’s best friend An interview with Lorna Jane Clarkson POLICY 26 Call to arms against tax hikes and charges 8 11 12 13 14 16 18 19 FEATURE Top retail trends for 2012? National Packaging Covenant Leading Aussie retailers capitalise from online advantage Small retailers embrace online Five things to improve your chances of business success eBay partners with top fashion brands The iPhone app that pays shoppers SOMEtimes the most interesting retail spaces are found in unexpected places EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS How to maximise efficiencies and help your business succeed when times are tough

THE ARA

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EVENTS 23 L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2012 Business Seminar EDUCATION & TRAINING 10 Paint and colour franchise inspired to keep workers safe after free ARA webinar 20 ARA teams with Victorian Government to deliver retail excellence workshops

The ARA Retailer is printed on FSC paper stock using vegetable based inks by a printer with ISO14001 Environmental Management System Accreditation.

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rExecutive director welcome welcome - Russell Zimmerman
Russell Zimmerman

The new year is upon us, and as we pack away the tinsel for another 12 months, it’s business as usual for retailers- or is it? There’s no denying retailers have had a shaky start to 2012. December trade figures released by the ABS showed negative month on month growth (yes, negative) and as predicted by the ARA, year on year growth was marginal and well below inflation levels.

November and December’s rate cuts weren’t enough for consumers to loosen their purse strings and indulge in some festive season spending.
A second blow came for the retail sector with the Reserve Bank’s decision to leave interest rates on hold for February. As we head towards the toughest month of the year, Christmas credit card bills will roll in and back to school costs will tighten household budgets even further. There is one certainty, and that is consumers are conservative, and remained conservative over the festive season. The fact that even food sales were down confirms this- even though some of it could be due to continued supermarket price wars and declining fruit and vegetable prices. We also saw some serious declines across the fashion and department store categories. A month on month boost was reported however this was probably due to heavy discounting and at any rate the growth figure was below CPI levels. Year on year, the trend is still towards declines in these key areas which rely on both discretionary spend and periods such as the festive season to get them through. Retailers will be disappointed at the setbacks and will be looking seriously at their business plans to ensure their business can be run sustainably. Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the retail trade figures is the consistent ‘boom’ in the other retailing category. There are many types of retailing lumped into the ‘other’ category, and we have said recently it could do with some drilling down into given it consistently posts year on year growth of between five and eight percent. One of the elements in the ‘other’ category is pure play online, which is worth a closer look given PayPal recently declared December 2011 as the biggest month yet for online shopping. What’s more, 70 percent of online shopping done by Australian consumers during this period was with purchases from Australian
websites.

Many Australian retailers reaped the rewards of setting up ecommerce capabilities and offering their customers an online shopping experience. With more and more Australians owning smart phones, engaging with social media and looking for the convenience of ecommerce (as well as product range and high levels of customer service), we are hearing more and more success stories from Aussie retailers as they go online. Whether it’s setting up a website with full ecommerce capabilities, creating a social networking presence, compiling and reaching an email database or a combination of online initiatives which engage customers with your brand and entice them to come into the store, there are retailers out there who are offering online services to their customers and reaping the rewards. Despite the decreased retail trade figures and low consumer confidence we are seeing, there are also retailers bucking the trend and remaining innovative and successful during tough times. Those retailers who are experiencing success have some common qualities. They know who their customers are and how to reach them. They’re also offering a multi- channel shopping experience to their customers, both for those who would have to travel too far to get to a physical store and those who are looking for a multi channel shopping experience. What’s more, they’re not just reaching their existing customers; they’re growing their customer base. Happy New Year to all members, and hopefully you will find some inspiring stories of retail success in this issue.

Russell Zimmerman Executive Director, Australian Retailers Association

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ceo profile Move over diamonds... Lorna Jane is a girl’s

By ARA Retailer Editor Kath Christie

When I first started university, some of my girlfriends and I joined the local gym. We would often buddy up and squeeze in a workout together in between classes donned in our boyfriend’s oversized t-shirts and a pair of old running shorts.
For a group of 19 year old girls, the ensemble was so embarrassing, we’d rush into the bathrooms as soon as the workout was over and change. That was until we met our new friend ... Lorna Jane.

It’s official ... old t-shirts and footy shorts are so 90’s. And thank goodness for that. It’s Lorna Jane Clarkson’s innovative spirit that is the driving force behind her role as founder and creative director of her multi-million dollar fitness-inspired clothing label and namesake brand, Lorna Jane – which now boasts more than 126 stores throughout Australia and overseas, with a further 20 stores planned for 2012. Lorna’s creativity and passion for design was apparent at an early age when the then fashion rookie found herself making bikinis for her friends whilst they enjoyed the surf. Lorna began making gym clothes because she was frustrated with the limited range of fashionable exercise clothing available on the market.

Once we discovered the Customer feedback has always been the Lorna Jane store in our She quickly realised she had local shopping centre basis of the Lorna Jane business, and the stumbled on a niche market (strategically located as people started to notice her opposite the gym’s reason why we opened our concept stores designs and demand grew rapidly entrance), we realised the while she was working as an joy of active wear that aerobics instructor and sharing her in the first place. was not only breathable, functional yet fashionable active comfortable and long wear range. lasting, it was also stylish enough to wear home on the bus. Since then, the fitness inspired brand has grown to include Twenty-two years after the doors to its first store opened in gym and sportswear, yoga and lifestyle clothing, intimates the heart of Brisbane’s CBD, it seems Lorna Jane has made and accessories. quite a few new fans. In fact, I can’t take a trip to my local supermarket without spying an active woman fresh from a In the fashion retail climate that has seen the likes of workout and still dressed head to toe in Lorna while picking Belinda, Bettina Liano and Satch Clothing close their doors out the ingredients for that night’s meal. or hand over to administrators, Lorna Jane has thrived with average company growth sitting at 60 percent for the past four years and an estimated 100 million dollar yearly turnover.

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best friend
One obvious advantage Clarkson has when trying to truly understand the needs of her customer (which is of course the consistent theme in any successful retail story) is that she is her customer. Lorna is an active woman, so she understands other active women. She understands why looking good means feeling good and why feeling good gives women energy and motivation to live a healthier lifestyle. More than a place to make transactions, the Lorna Jane brand really mirrors the values of its customers by acting as an advocate for women’s health and wellbeing. This the kind of support we expect from our mothers, sisters, husbands and girlfriends. But a shop? Surely not. But this intimate relationship with its customers is exactly what underpins Lorna Jane’s success. Move over diamonds, in the age of healthy living, Lorna Jane is a girl’s best friend As Lorna Jane prepares to expand overseas, with the first store opening in California in March 2012 and a further five stores set to open in the United States this year, I chatted to founder Lorna Jane Clarkson about the success of her namesake retail brand and how she has adapted to retail challenges over the past 22 years. After 20 years in retail, I imagine you’ve not only seen your share of changes in fitness fashion, but you would have also experienced major shifts and challenges in the retail industry. What would you say has been the biggest challenge that the Australian retail Industry has faced since you’ve been involved with it? The impact of social media has definitely altered the way we communicate with our customers. When I started Lorna Jane over 21 years ago, our only concern was engaging with our customers at the bricks and mortar level but now it is a must to also integrate social media into our business plan. We pride ourselves on staying ahead of technology trends, and we’ve found that this has significantly influenced how we connect and gain feedback from our consumers. Although online has cemented itself as an integral component of our business, we’ve never lost sight of creating a personalised instore experience to continuously generate an involved and active community at the bricks and mortar level. Customer feedback has always been the basis of the Lorna Jane business, and the reason why we opened our concept stores in the first place. My husband and CEO of Lorna Jane, Bill Clarkson, and I used to work instore and this gave us immense insight into what our customer wanted, allowing us to receive firsthand feedback to develop and improve our products. Today, social media is providing us with the same ability to share the thoughts of our consumers. Most importantly, and the secret behind our success, is that we recognise that without our customers and their engagement with Lorna Jane we don’t have a business.

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ceo profile collections of 70 to 100 pieces. This means women can visit us as often as every week and be welcomed with new styles to update their workout wardrobes. We also produce monthly campaigns to engage our customers, inviting them instore and online with motivational campaign imagery, offers and flash sales to encourage them to “Act Now’. We also send bi-weekly EDMs to our extensive database, and are at the helm of social media with our Facebook page of over 280,000 fans. We are also very proud to produce garments made from the highest quality technical fabrics, incorporating innovative techniques to improve performance and support you while you workout. Most importantly, we care about our customers and we know what they want because we listen. They are our greatest inspiration and the reason we do what we do. Although there are many examples of Australian retailers embracing the online space, there are many others who are still a bit cautious about its worth, believing customers prefer to touch, feel (and in the case of clothing) try before they buy. How does Lorna Jane’s experience with online sales measure up against this notion? Our philosophy is that you need both bricks and mortar and online to have a successful business in today’s retail climate. We are dedicated to offering instore experiences that provide customers with a personalised and friendly service every time. This is complemented by the fast paced, need-it-now speed of our online business. When women want assistance, we are there, and when they want the convenience of shopping 24/7, we are also there for them. At the end of the day, the numbers speak for themselves and our online store is growing faster than any other area within the Lorna business. The key for retailers is not abandoning their bricks and mortar presence and shifting their entire focus online, but seeing the online store as another component of their existing offering. If you can turn even a small percentage of your existing customers who only shop with you instore into a customer who shops with you across multiple channels, your revenues will move significantly upwards.

Lorna Jane is certainly bucking the trend at the moment with projected profits and new store openings throughout 2012. By all accounts fashion retailers are struggling with many in decline on last years’ sales. What do you think you have done differently? At Lorna Jane, we are not just selling activewear; we are selling a way of life and our customers are engaged at a much higher level that just wearing our clothing. Women understand the importance of looking after their health, so when a customer purchases a product from Lorna Jane, they’re not buying a throw-away fashion piece but a tool to improve their entire sense of wellbeing. We don’t act like a retailer, as we are a brand that speaks to our customers beyond the retail stores. We enter into their lives and become their fit and active girlfriend that shares their love of active living. Our brand’s philosophy, and my personal mantra, of ‘Move, Nourish, Believe’ has also become a critical component of Lorna Jane, championed by everyone throughout our business, and separating us from your mainstream retailers. We concentrate on getting to know our customers and they reward us with their loyalty. Active wear is such a personal purchase that I imagine it’s incredibly important for you to stay in tune with the Lorna Jane customer. I am an active woman and so are the women who work for me. We’re not athletes, but we move our bodies everyday and care about our health and wellbeing. This allows us to understand our customers and what they want from their activewear. We test our products personally to ensure they not only meet but exceed our customers’ expectations. Our focus is on our customers and this is particularly evident when you read through the pages of my recently published book, Move, Nourish, Believe: The Fit Woman’s Secret Revealed. I had always wanted to write a book but wasn’t sure that I had enough to say yet, but early in 2011 we were getting numerous requests from our staff and customers so I reached out to my Facebook fans and asked them, if I was to write a book what would they want to read about. The response was overwhelming to say the least, and my first book represents what my customers wanted to know about me, my active life, what I eat and how I stay motivated, as well as features about Lorna Jane customers and their personal stories. Not surprisingly, the book has been a huge success. Why? Because I listened to my customers and gave them what they asked for. My experience is that you can never be too informed about your customer and social media gives you the ability to appreciate and understand who they are, what interests them and better understand how to stay relevant to their lives. There is one message coming loud and clear from Australian consumers at the moment, and that is, ‘We want more variety and quality product or we’ll look elsewhere’. How do you keep things fresh for the Lorna Jane consumer? At Lorna Jane, our ranges are designed by women for women, and we provide our consumers with monthly

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ceo profile
Lorna Jane has embraced social media as a way to engage with customers and create a real community following. Can you explain how you did this and how you simulate the Lorna Jane experience across all of your touch points (online and offline). The key word here is engagement. Social media really is as simple as that; inviting your customers to be part of a conversation and engaging them in a two way exchange. Don’t hard sell, but provide value and relevant information that encourages organic participation from your community. Pique their interest and from there let the power of word of mouth take over and the amplification of social networking sites go to work for you. Your community will grow and flourish. This social philosophy is the same one we encourage across all touch points, online and instore. Our store team members are there to engage customers in conversation, provide value, and build lasting relationships. Execute this successfully and sales and success will come naturally. With such a focus on e-commerce as Aussie retailers, what reason are you giving customers to come into bricks and mortar Lorna Jane outlets across the country? E-commerce has definitely made its mark across Australian retail, and our company has most definitely experienced the demand for that convenient, quick and easy online shopping experience. We embrace the online opportunity but also consistently strive to provide the absolute best
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experience for our customers when they visit us instore. Our team members connect with their customers, and not only provide assistance when they purchase their activewear but are there to share and talk about their fitness goals, recipes and other points of interest. The instore experience is an opportunity for customers to touch, feel and try on our active wear as well as gain a sense of purpose, energy and inspiration for active living. Our retail stores give our customers the chance to experience Lorna Jane and what we represent at a physical level and I believe there will always be a place for that as long as we stay relevant to our market. One secret to success you’re willing to share with other Australian retailers? “Do what you love and success will come.” The secret to my success is that I have an authentic business and I wake up everyday passionate about my life, my product, and my business. This passion resonates throughout Lorna Jane, and when you enter our business instore or online you can’t help but feel that positive energy and passion for what our brand represents. I am so fortunate to work with an amazing team of people that share my ‘Move, Nourish, Believe’ philosophy, and help me propel Lorna Jane forward to bigger and better things everyday. So if I can have another secret it would be to surround yourself with positive people who share your dream. It is because of my amazing Lorna Jane family that I can believe anything is truly possible if you genuinely love what you do and are willing to put in a little hard work.

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Top retail trends for 2012? ARA asks the experts
Chicago based research company The E-tailing Group, did more specific work on this trend. The group found in 2010, 21percent of consumers spent 75 percent or more of their potential shopping time undertaking online product research; in 2011 this figure had leapt to 50 percent of consumers spending 75 percent of their time undertaking online product research. Apple has facilitated this move towards greater online prepurchase research by delivering exciting portable research tools to the mainstream customer. The risk to retailers is that they will be left out, if poor customer service is delivered in store and their search engine ranking is not in the top five or so search results. iPhones and iPads are now not just the domain of the young and hip trend leaders. Smartphone users in the age group 45 plus, moved from 36 percent of users in 2010 to 38 percent 2011. Interestingly, the uptake for the 45 plus age group was in tablets, the preferred product being the apple iPad; tablets overall for this group jumped from 23 percent of market coverage 2010 to 37 percent in 2011. Foot traffic might be down in the High street, but the customer is still looking in the electronic shop window. Pieter van Wessem, Retail Consultant and ARA Retail Institute trainer Store sense: a holistic approach to four walls engagement Many retailers had a fairly plain time of it in 2011, with the usual suspects of online selling, the GFC, increased pressures on discretionary spending and general consumer apathy and indifference to price-based promotion creating zzz’s rather than a wow factor in retail land. I think 2012 will be a make-or-break year Steve Ogden-Barnes for bricks and mortar retailing in the online age - it’s time to raise the game or get off the pitch. The combined disciplines of shopper marketing, in-store sensory engagement, store design and professional selling need to be intelligently leveraged to create places and experiences that are attractive, engaging, productive and profitable. Too much of what goes on in-store often seems to rely on the discount-driven, transactionally-focused shopper locating, buying and leaving. Focusing on (and learning about) the science of the shop, not the average value of the transaction is where the smart thinkers should be in 2012. Steve Ogden-Barnes, Retail Industry Fellow Deakin Graduate School of Business

Those with strength in transformational leadership will outshine in a market ready for polish Many businesses will not be challenged to just keep pace with change, but by their ability to develop a pool of high caliber future leaders capable of aggressive innovation Sue Anderson while demonstrating strong commercial acumen. The required skill sets of our leaders have changed over the last decade with shift in the retail dynamic that has been driven largely by customer demand. A key issue facing our industry in 2012 is that our skill sets need refreshing to realign with the new modes of doing business and the opportunities it presents. Transformational leadership has never been more important to support this change – the customer has never been more informed or more demanding, the competitive landscape has never been more fierce and the digital landscape is unleashing innovation on a daily basis. All of this is playing out in a transparent global arena. This year will truly test the talents of our leaders and the connectivity of their teams to one vision. Quite simply it will be a year to get ‘people working for people’ and not people working for brands. Great retail leaders and visionaries such as Mickey Drexler can clearly provide inspiration from the transformation of Gap, J Crew and Apple. The key learning from his journey would be to get the teams connected with a big single vision and a human touch. By getting ordinary people to connect, extraordinary things can happen. Our industry is begging for the extraordinary in 2012 and it is the words of Charles Darwin that sums it up best “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Sue Anderson, ARA Retail Institute Director of Programs Like those Apples The internet has forever changed our shopping experience and Apple has revolutionised the way customers research the products they want to buy. While teaching in 2011, I surveyed my students Pieter van Wessem regarding their shopping research habits. Most reported they spent time looking online for the right product at the right price before they made their buying decision.

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ARA MEMBERSHIP PUTS research
Multichannel Footprint Retailers trading today are not restricted by the bricks and mortar of the walls encasing their stores. As consumers embrace the convenience of online shopping and smart phones provide an ever increasing array of user David Ginsberg friendly solutions to shop from anywhere then retailers must and will expand their multichannel options to trade. Research by the ACRS concluded that 58 percent of Australian consumers consulted another channel before making a purchase in a physical store. Those who did make a purchase went on the spend three times more than those customers that just used the traditional store. With an estimated 45 percent of all retail sales being influenced by the internet and cross channel behaviour in 2012 it is no surprise that multichannel retailing and the technology that supports it will continue to gather pace. ARA Retail Institute Retail Consultant David Ginsberg

MORE M NEY IN YOUR TILL

Retail resources for 2012
20 Sales and Marketing Tips To help businesses get the best start to the year, the online publication StartupSmart.com.au has put together a free eBook publication compiling the “ 20 best Taskmaster tips on sales and marketing” . Available free to readers of the ARA Retailers, go to http://bit.ly/freeTMeBook to sign up to the free StartupSmart newsletter and get your copy now. Improve your google rank in 30 days ARA supplier Web 123 has developed a step-by-step guide to SEO for beginners. RRP $49 but free for Web 123 clients www.web123.com.au/ara

The ARA has partnered with Commonwealth Bank to provide banking products and services to members.
As an ARA member you could receive money back on a range of Commonwealth Bank Business Banking products. Here’s how it works: Step 1 – You contact us and let us know what products you’re interested in. Step 2 – We arrange for a Business Banker from Commonwealth Bank to call you and discuss your needs. Step 3 – Commonwealth Bank pay us a referral fee each time one of our referred members* takes out an eligible product. Step 4 – We pass on 100% of the referral fee to you. We can arrange for a Commonwealth Bank Business Banker to talk to you about Business Banking products designed to help you manage your cash ow, risk or to help you expand your business. These include:  Day-to-day banking including business accounts and EFTPOS terminals.  Funding options including Business Credit Cards, Asset Finance and Commercial Loans.  Investment products  Financial Planning Special rates on Merchant Services for ARA members ARA members can also get special rates and reduced terminal rental for Merchant Services (including EFTPOS terminals). Ask us today for more details.

10 Hot tips for Australian retailers Another gem from ARA Supplier Web 123 valued at $39 but free for ARA members to download. www.web123.com.au/ara

*If applicable, conditions apply.
For more information or to arrange a FREE Business Financial Health Check contact : feb 2012: 9 team retailer.jan the membership at the ARA on 1300 368 041 or visit www.retail.org.au

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education & training

Paint and colour franchise inspired to keep workers safe after free ARA webinar

From 1 January, regulations under the new Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act, formally known as Occupational Health and Safety OH&S), came into force in NSW.
Failure to exercise due diligence may result in personal liability and penalties up to $3 million for corporations and $600,000 or imprisonment for individuals. It is imperative businesses educate themselves on the regulations under the new WHS Act. Tony Velkovski from franchise Inspirations Paint and Colour participated in the ARA Retail Institute’s free WHS webinars from the comfort of his home office. “I had never previously been involved in a webinar, so I was a little apprehensive about the technology, but everything went very smoothly. I’d encourage others to consider this as a hassle free option. “We operate in a franchise environment and it is critical that we provide our franchise owners with up to date information about changes to WHS laws, how this applies to them and us as the franchisor. This also enables us to review our own compliance framework, tools and resources to assist us and the franchise owners meet their obligations in respect of the changes to the laws,” Velkovski said. Velkovski said the main learning he took away from the webinar was, “the introduction of the term PCBU and what their responsibilities are for the health and safety of employees, contractors, employees of contractors, visitors, customers or members of the public.”

Formerly, employers or principal contractors had the primary responsibility to ensure the safety of workers. Now, the responsibility is on “a person conducting a business or undertaking” (a PCBU) to ensure so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers. This means those who have influence over the way work is performed, including franchisees or franchisors, have a duty to ensure the safety of workers “Obviously nobody wants to see a customer or employee injured as a result of a workplace incident. The WHS laws basically requires a PCBU ( Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking ) to act in a reasonable practical way to ensure that any risks involved in the work environment are mitigated, and that employees, customers or visitors also have a duty of reasonable care to for their own health and safety “We have discussed the impact of these changes with our franchisees at regional meetings. Workplace Health and Safety is one of these critical areas in the business that you need to have sound policies, procedures, training and ongoing communication in place to ensure that workplace safety is a top priority,” Velkovski said. The ARA Retail Institute has received funding under the WorkCover Assist Grants Program to deliver FREE information seminars on the model Work Health and Safety Legislation including 70 workshops and 50 webinars, assisting business with the transition to the new legislation. To register your interest in attending one of the free seminars contact Triana Hernandez 03 8660 3336 or [e-mail]

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National Packaging Covenant
More than 85 percent of APC signatories come from the retail sector. As a retailer you may be a brand owner, a franchisee, reseller or importer, who uses packaging to contain products you sell. You may also provide a paper or plastic bag to carry the goods away. So ensuring all your packaging is sustainable is a positive step. Signing the Australian Packaging Covenant brings benefits for you but it also requires a commitment from you. As a society, we need packaging – try taking an unwrapped sandwich to work in your pocket. Try sending perfume, paint or peas out of your store without external packaging. These products need to survive the journey from farm or factory, to reach your customers – undamaged, unspoilt and fit-for-purpose. If a retailer has an annual turnover of more than 5 million dollars and they sell packaged goodsthey are likely to be subject to regulations. However, becoming a signatory to the National Packaging Covenant (a much less onerous process) excempts retailers from mandatory regulations. The Sustainable Packaging Guidelines (SPG) provide a framework for signatories to the Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) to review their packaging; they offer flexibility for Australian businesses, large and small – after all, they are GUIDE-lines. Signatories agree to demonstrate their commitment by working together with their supply chain, customers, other signatories and the APC, to implement and promote the principle of product stewardship. As an APC signatory, you must also play a part in minimising packaging waste and contributing to better recycling outcomes. In developing an action plan, a signatory outlines their intended activities in support of the APC’s strategic goals (review existing packaging, design new sustainable packaging, collect used packaging for recycling, buyrecycled) and how they will measure those activities for their annual report. Put simply they must ask, ‘Did I do what I said I’d do’? For more information about the APC, visit www.packagingcovenant.org.au

Are you missing out on the online retail revolution?
GrateBuy.com.au delivers REAL BUYERS to your store. GrateBuy.com.au gives Australian retailers access to the growing online sales world even if you don’t have a website! GrateBuy.com.au has over 50,000 + products listed on its website ready for retailers to sell. GrateBuy.com.au enables Australian retailers to fairly compete in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. It costs nothing to join or use GrateBuy.com.au and involves no cost until a sale is made. Go to www.GrateBuy.com.au and register your store to be part of the online revolution. If you’d like to find out more about GrateBuy.com.au, please contact our team at [e-mail] or phone [phone].

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Leading Aussie retailers capitalise from online advantage

Could it be that Christmas 2011 truly marked the end of the battle between online and offline retail?
According to PayPal, Australia experienced its busiest ever online shopping period last December with with many of Australia’s largest brands capitalising from their investment in online over the last year. PayPal Australia Acting Managing Director Elena Wise said, “Retailers have come back fighting hard against international competition over the last year, and PayPal saw the majority of its merchants experience their biggest ever online trading period this Christmas.” “With the continued strength of the Australian dollar, international competition is set to intensify into 2012. Australians prefer to shop domestically providing an ongoing opportunity for retailers to capitalise on their competitive advantage by combining their offline footprints with their online presence. Emerging retail models being offered by Aussie retailers, such as ‘buy online, collect instore’, provide a customer-centric approach that engenders brand loyalty and is hard matched by overseas competition.” Two retailers already driving significant volumes of sales through their online channels are Dan Murphy’s and Toys”R”Us, both of which experienced their largest ever online sales during the Christmas trading period. Toys”R”Us experienced healthy growth in online traffic and sales compared to 2010 with significant peaks seen in mid-November and mid-December. Perhaps surprisingly some of the most popular items purchased online were big ticket outdoor products such as trampolines, pools and swing-sets. Popular items purchased online also included a mix of trend toys such as Monster High dolls, LEGO and collectibles.

Beth Glancey, Marketing Manager Online and eCommerce, Toys”R”Us said, “Our customers love the convenience of shopping online, with the added bonus of not needing to worry about getting a 16 ft trampoline in the back of their car. “ “Toys”R”Us shoppers use the online store to research their purchases with our ‘Top 10 Toy List’ particularly popular with mums and dads wanting to know what the hottest toys were for Christmas.,” Glancey said. Martin Smith, General Manager Dan Murphy’s said with demand for liquor experiencing a seasonal peak over Christmas period, Dan Murphy’s was proud to be able to offer customers an extended range of options to buy their Christmas supplies. “During the holidays, we saw a spike in alcohol being bought via our online channel, with additional offers adding to the convenience of buying online. Whilst online orders spiked, many of our customers still chose to pop into local stores for their purchases. “Over the Christmas period we saw an uptake in customers using our ‘Find in Store’ option to search for products online before they bought in store, highlighting the value of our online channel to not only drive sales online, but also offline,” Smith said. Wise added, “Australian consumers are nimble and are increasingly switching between various retail channels to research, locate and buy goods and services. Consumers first and foremost demand convenient ways to purchase, be it online, via a mobile device, or in-store. Retailers that deliver great products and customer service across multiple channels are ultimately those that will reap the rewards of the new retail environment.”

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Small retailers embrace online
“My husband, who was working full time in another industry, and I had absolutely no IT or photography experience so we really had to start from scratch. Today we ship over 400 parcels a week out of our warehouse which we moved into within 18 months after our launch. We send out e-newsletters weekly showcasing our new stock plus advertising our sales etc. We have nearly 5000 fans on our Facebook page and find it a valuable tool to interact with our customers. I’m so glad we got in early with our online store as I really feel we’ve secured our future in the industry.“ Lisa Allen, Proprietor Freez Clothing. www.freez.com.au “Within two or three days of going live people had bought wine and joined the membership club. This was without any promotion on our part. Now people are buying online regularly and joining our member club almost every day. It’s an enormous time and energy saver for us that the website is now self-managed. In five minutes I am able to add a new wine to the site, upload a new photo or make any changes to content we need.” - Damian Cofield, Cofield Wines and client of ARA preferred supplier, Web 123. www.cofieldwines.com.au About five years after moving online, we started experiencing larger growth online than in store. It originally started off as one or two orders a week, after about five years it moved it around 100 orders a month and now we are taking in around 1000 orders per month. It’s the backbone for us, basically the whole expansion of our company has been based around the internet. Dean Salakas, The Party People www.thepartypeople.com.au “Some 85 percent of our business is now solely internet orders. We have found that having a website shop gives our business the option to attract customers from around the globe. We now recieve many orders from Europe and the UK, purely through our great SEO, (Search Engine Optimisation) which we work hard to retain. Glitter and Dance, 2011 eftpos Queenland Independent Retailer of the Year. www.glitteranddance.com.au

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feature

Five things you can do to improve your chances of business success simple – if spending time on a task or an opportunity is going to advance you closer to your goals then you do it and if not you ditch it! 3. Be consistent Everything within your business should be consistent with the vision you have for it. By this I mean everything from your store fitout to your letterhead, brochures, business cards and website should have the same look and feel. This extends to the customer service experience. For example a high quality visual presence means that the customer service experience should also be of high quality, from the way phones are answered to the way customers are greeted and transactions are completed, it needs to be reflective of the brand you are creating. The way to achieve this is by having well documented branding protocols, systems & processes and job descriptions.
Sonia Gibson

By Sonia Gibson, Principal RMG Partners

4. Find the right people To execute your vision you need to have the right people working on your team both internally and externally. Employees Key in making sure you have the right people working in your business is clarity in what you need from them and the attributes they should possess. You not only need people who are capable of following your documented job descriptions and systems and processes (as mentioned above) but also people who share similar values to your own. Defining those values which are important to you and identifying those values in others can significantly reduce workplace tension, making it easier for you to stay focused on your vision. It is also very powerful to share your vision with your team, celebrating the milestones and your successes with them along the way. External advisors In my experience small and medium sized retailers are tempted to think they need do everything, from sales and marketing, to bookkeeper and IT expert as well as human resources manager. To be a specialist in any one of these areas requires years of training and experience, so it is not unreasonable to expect that one person cannot possibly do all of these things. When you decide to outsource some these functions to trusted advisors you are getting the best advice, which should lead to greater financial reward and more time for you to do the things you enjoy! 5. Have a plan It has been said all too often: “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” All of the tips above should be incorporated as part of your business plan. If you would like further details of what can be included in a business plan please visit our website at www.rmgpartners.com.au, click on the ARA logo and follow the links.

Developing a successful retail business can be one of the most rewarding things you will do in your lifetime. However owning and developing a business can also have its challenges, so I have put together my top five things you can to do to improve your chances of business success.
1.Enjoy what you are doing One of the most quoted reasons for going into business is to have more flexibility around the number of hours worked, generally that’s fewer hours not more hours. While spending more time with family and friends sounds like a fabulous reason to go into business, often the reality is that business owners spend more time at work than employees. There is always something to do, be it opening up for an employee who has called in sick, sourcing new products to keep ahead of market trends, developing new ways of reaching the market or boring paperwork. It all has to be done and it’s you who has to do it. When you are feeling completely overwhelmed it will be the passion for doing what you are doing that will carry you through. 2.Be clear on your vision Do you ever waste time on pursuing opportunities that go nowhere and/or cost you money? Your time is valuable and you don’t have time to spend doing things that will not result in your goals being met. Getting clear on your business and your personal vision is essential in helping you to determine what you are and aren’t going to do. It’s

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Strategy and innovation for world-class retail brands
20 – 21 March 2012 Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre
Retail is in the midst of a technology driven revolution. Retail Show 2012 will address the key challenges and opportunities for retailers as they look to thrive in the exhilarating world of bricks and clicks. This exciting event will bring together international experts and local leaders to network, learn and share the latest strategies for retail success.
The biggest names in retail can’t wait to meet you:

John McCarvel CEO & President Crocs Inc.

Kajsa Dahlberg Digital Marketing Manager McDonald’s Sweden

Simon McDowell Director of Marketing Coles

Register now to secure your place. Enter promotion code: FDQN to receive a special offer price for ARA Retailer readers and ARA members.
Register now and get the offer price on your phone Scan this QR pattern with the camera on your smartphone. Don’t have a smartphone? You can also register and get the offer on our website: www.terrapinn.com/retail Quote voucher code: FPQN
2012

www.terrapinn.com/retail co-located with:

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eBay partners with top fashion brands to launch a new dedicated home for online fashion

Late last year, eBay launched the new Fashion Gallery. The Fashion Gallery gives consumers access to new in-season and sale clothing, shoes and accessories direct from the most recognisable and sought after Australian and international fashion brands.

With online fashion sales expected to reach $3.4 billion by 2015, the launch of the Fashion Gallery on eBay addresses Australia’s growing appetite to browse and buy a broad range of fashion items online. Brands within the dedicatedFashion Gallery site on eBay. com.au will offer a selection of brand new products for both men and women with many items at a significant discount to retail, all available at a fixed price. Accessible 24/7, the 28 brands at launch include the likes of Alanah Hill, Bras N Things, Bardot, Charlie Brown, Mimco, Seafolly, David Lawrence and Witchery.

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The Fashion Gallery gives Australian retailers another selling platform backed by the eBay brand, no less. With more than half (58%) of Australians saying they intend to do more online shopping for clothes in the next six months compared to activity in the previous six months, eBay presents an exciting opportunity for traditional bricks and mortar retailers. Jo-Ann Hicks, eBay fashion spokesperson said, “As the largest category on the site, fashion sales on eBay.com.au have grown 24 percent with a fashion item sold every 3.5 seconds. Australian consumers have long demanded easier access online to the fashion brands they know and love so it’s incredibly exciting to offer those brands direct through the new Fashion Gallery on eBay.” “Seafolly’s presence on the eBay Fashion Gallery is part of our broader multi-channel strategy, which brings the brand to Australian consumers whether they choose to shop online from home or in their local shopping centre,” Halas said. lcomes

The ARA welcomes eBay as our newest partner.
Retailers interested in e-commerce opportunities on eBay should contact [e-mail]

“Seafolly’s presence on the eBay Fashion Gallery is part of our broader multichannel strategy, which brings the brand to Australian consumers whether they choose to shop online from home or in their local shopping centre,” Halas said.
“Clever consumers can now easily mix and match new local and international fashion finds while still getting the great deals they expect from eBay businesses. We look forward to welcoming even more retailers online and on to the Fashion Gallery in the near future.” Iain Nairn, CEO Witchery Holdings Group said the Witchery Group is committed to staying at the forefront of the online retail revolution. “Being part of this revolution is recognising that customers want to shop for fashion through multiple online channels. Launching the Witchery and Mimco stores in eBay’s Fashion Gallery will allow us to reach more customers through Australia’s largest online shopping community as well as provide our existing customers with a new channel to shop their favourite Australian fashion brands,” Nairn said. Seafolly CEO Anthony Halas said the iconic Australian brand was excited to be able to offer our range of swimwear and beachwear directly to eBay customers.

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The iPhone app that pays shoppers
New app uses makes retail data collection faster and cheaper
In an Australian first, customer experience and research organisation The Realise Group has revolutionised traditional field marketing and mystery shopping with the launch of Field Agent, the iPhone App that pays everyday shoppers to collect data and information for retail clients. order, no contract and clients only pay for accurately completed jobs. Australian Managing Director, The Realise Group, Katie Miles said, “Collecting data, whatever your needs, is now easier, faster and more affordable with the launch of Field Agent across every state in Australia. The possibilities for this app are endless – from market research in Goondiwindi, data audits and collection in Perth, instore photos in Cairns and opinion polls and surveys in every Australian location you do business. Every person, company and agency from every industry can benefit from this revolutionary app. The launch of Field Agent Australia, with roll out in New Zealand over the next six months, has created a dynamic where information is now user-determined and user supplied. This affordable service providing cash to the individual is the way of the future for data collection and a powerful business tool. Australian Managing Director of The Realise Group, Katie Miles said, “...put simply, The Field Agent App connects people who need Field Agent Australia embraces the concept of ‘crowdsourcing’ where instead of clients deploying a dedicated team, information is gathered by everyday Australian shoppers (know as ‘agents’) who have an iPhone and are already in the area and have been given a time limit to complete a task. For the retailer, this means receiving accurate data from across Australia faster and more cost effectively than ever before, all while driving shoppers into the store. Field Agent Australia has a simple website interface www. fieldagent.net.au for clients to add ‘jobs’. Clients can ask seven types of questions; yes/no, free form, price check, count, multiple choice, five-point scale and photo request, and there is no maximum limit. Globally, Field Agent is already used by brands including Coca-Cola, 7-Eleven, Walmart, Philips and Heinz. And what’s in it for the ‘agents’? Cold hard cash. Anyone with an iPhone can download the App for free, carry out a task or answer survey questions then ‘cash out’ via PayPal as soon as the job is accurately completed. Agents receive nearby job information based on their location via the app which is downloaded for free from the Apple App Store. Job pricing, timescales and detailed task information are provided and the Agents get paid via PayPal on accurate completion of the job. There is no minimum

information with people who want to be paid for providing that information. Information can be as simple as answering questions on a survey or more complicated like taking a photo or reporting the facts of a product at a local store” With over 10,000 Agents already ‘signed up’ and shopping Field Agent Australia is already seeing shoppers take advantage of this NEW revolutionary way to collect fast and easy cash out and about on their daily routines. For more information visit www.fieldagent.net.au

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SOMEtimes, the most interesting retail spaces are found in unexpected places

A new retail concept has been born in the heart of the South Melbourne Market, Melbourne. Architecturally designed SO:ME Space (it’s moniker a nod to South Melbourne) adds a new dynamic to Australian retail, bringing together the best established and emerging Australian designers in an innovative, design-focused and high foottraffic environment.
Built to engage the younger clientele in the area and expand upon the market’s appeal, SO:ME Space is a unique melting pot of Australian creativity. Tailored to the evolving Port Philip and South Melbourne Market community, the sustainable structure - constructed from raw timber, crude lighting, draping greenery, hessian sacking and rough concrete floors – comprises seven compact stores and four pop-up spaces. It builds upon the traditional ‘market’ aesthetic, but adds a contemporary and somewhat ‘gritty’ vibe – unlike a typical retail destination. SO:ME Space concept was conceived by BAM Brands, a Melbourne-based marketing and communications company, and is focused on supporting Australian design, providing well-priced product and retaining community involvement. The area boasts a robust mix of men’s and women’s apparel, with custom stores by Asuza, Mr Simple and Jane - a multibrand women’s boutique selling LIFE with BIRD, An Ode to No One, Jesen and Skinny Nelson.

A well-designed bookstore with a folding wall and shelf scheme retails not-so-typical food and wine books, and a vintage bike store sells high-quality reproduction classics. SO:ME Gallery, which features a new resident artist each month and is curated by the talented Andrew Chew of No Vacancy Gallery, rounds out the mix. The transformational nature of SO:ME Space means the four pop-up spaces will be rotated every four weeks with the best emerging designers - allowing up-and-coming labels like Maidenlove swimwear to sit alongside Wet & Wendy’s weatherwear.

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education & training

ARA teams with Victorian Government to deliver retail excellence workshops
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Retail Institute has partnered with the Victorian Government to offer free Retail Excellence Workshops, which will help retailers achieve business excellence amid a changing and tumultuous retail environment. A series of four workshops held from February to April 2012 in the Whitehorse, Bayside and Warrnambool areas will be delivered by the ARA Retail Institute and supported by the Victorian Government. ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said the workshops were designed to keep retailers competitive and relevant to the local community in the face of major structural changes in the retail industry. “The ARA Retail Institute Retail Excellence Workshops will cover four topics: Entertain with visual merchandising, engage with superior customer service, maintain with financial control and connect with strategic marketing. “The joint initiative is one which acknowledges the vital role retail plays in Victoria’s small business sector and the importance of remaining viable and innovative as the industry evolves and changes occur in response to the global economy and consumer demand. “There will be a series of four workshops in the Whitehorse, Bayside and Warnambool areas which will give retailers practical skills for responding to changes in areas such as visual merchandising, customer service, retailing online, financial control, consumer trends and performance solutions. “The world of retail is changing and retailers are finding they have to respond to these changes through innovations in products, service and ensuring they have a multi-channel presence as Australians operate and conduct business in both online and physical environments. “At the end of the day, a small business is successful if it can respond effectively to its markets, compete and at remain viable as an operation. Retailers will benefit from workshops which address key business areas and show government backing and support to the retail sector and its future,” Zimmerman said. To book or for more information go to www.retail.org.au, email [e-mail] or call 1300 368 041. Entertain with visual merchandising Wednesday 14 March, 8:30am to12:30pm (Milano’s Brighton Beach Hotel) Tuesday 6 March, 6pm to 9pm (South West TAFE) Tuesday 28 February, 6pm to 9pm (Nunawading Civic Centre) Engage with superior customer service Wednesday 28 March, 8:30am to 12:30pm (Milano’s Brighton Beach Hotel) Tuesday 13 March, 6pm to 9pm (South West TAFE) Tuesday 13 March, 6pm to 9pm (Nunawading Civic Centre) Maintain with financial control Wednesday 11 April, 8:30am to 12:30pm (Milano’s Brighton Beach Hotel) Tuesday 20 March, 6pm to 9pm (South West TAFE) Tuesday 20 March, 6pm to 9pm (Nunawading Civic Centre) Connect with strategic marketing Tuesday 24 April, 8:30am to 12:30pm (Milano’s Brighton Beach Hotel) Tuesday 27 March, 6pm to 9pm (South West TAFE) Tuesday 27 March, 6pm to 9pm (Nunawading Civic Centre)

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FREE Online Course Preventing Loss and Financial Risk
Do you and your team know the level of loss that is experience in your store?
The Australian Retailers Association Retail Institute in collaboration with the New South Wales Department of Attorney General and Justice are offering a FREE Online Course for Retailers.

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You will be guided through the course by a series of key subject topics, allowing you to recap and review your understanding with a series of multiple choice questions. The course will take up to 30 minutes to complete.

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By the end of the course, you will be able to: 3 3 3 Work to prevent theft from your store Understand the benefits of investigation to deter theft Determine how loss impacts upon financial performance

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research

Conservative consumers bring retailers little Christmas joy

The first signs of how consumers embraced the silly season came when November retail trade figures were released and month on month retail trade was unchanged, despite it traditionally being a month for early Christmas shopping and the fact that interest rates were cut.
November 2011 posted a 3.1 percent boost compared to November 2010, which was below inflation at the time, but still gave retailers some hope for festive season spending given most people leave Christmas shopping until the last minute. Department stores and clothing and footwear retailers missed out for November and shoppers instead looked for recreational goods, hardware and gardening supplies, furniture, cosmetics and groceries for the festive season. When results came out for December 2011, there was a decline of 0.1 percent compared to November, which showed consumers remained conservative even throughout the Christmas period and despite a further rate cut. The ARA was ready for a soft Christmas, predicting a 2.2 percent rise in spending compared to the same period in 2011, and this prediction was confirmed when actual Christmas spend came in only slightly above expectations at a growth of 2.8 percent increase compared to Christmas 2010 with consumers spending around $39.7 billion over the six week from mid November until Christmas eve. In December, fashion retailers saw a slight monthly boost but were discounting heavily in order to buy the business of once loyal customers.

ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said it was clear consumers were being ultra conservative on their Christmas spend as sales for cafes and restaurants and food retailing which have been consistently growing up until now showed a monthly decline in December. “Perhaps the most surprising figures were around reduced spending on food in December (-0.7%) and cafes and restaurants (-1.8%) compared to November, which could be due to grocery discounting from the big supermarket chains but was also in line with reports of low consumer sentiment and ensuring debt levels were kept manageable. However, when compared to December 2010, food retailing (groceries) were still buoying up the sector with 4.4 percent year on year growth. “Month on month growth across department stores (1.1%) was well below expected levels for the festive season. The December monthly boost in clothing and footwear (3.5%) was welcomed from businesses who have been suffering all year but mainly due to retailers discounting heavily to get shoppers through the door both before and after Christmas. Continuing the trend, fashion and department store categories were in decline from December 2010. This could possibly have been attributed to cooler weather in some capital cities. For 2012, retailers will have to brace themselves and wait and see. However the evidence suggests retailers will be continuing to innovate in tough conditions, and the key growth areas will be multi channel retailing and knowing your customer inside and out as retailers try and capture a niche and quality dollar rather than risk taking stabs in the dark.

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L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2012 Business Seminar
The 2012 LMFF Business Events Program addresses how todays digitally equipped consumers are changing the way businesses need to respond to the market.
“The business of fashion has been turned on its head by technology empowered consumers who are fast becoming their own fashion authorities,” said LMFF Chief Executive Officer Graeme Lewsey. Alan Treadgold is Head of Retail Strategy for the Leo Burnett Group in London and Chicago will present some of Leo Burnett’s most recent research looking at the changing role of the retail store the need to not only sell product but create experiential spaces. “... one of the most important questions facing retail globally is what the future of the physical store will look like in a multi-channel world. We’ve asked shoppers across the globe to share their opinions”, Alan said. Other speakers include: ƒ Mike Shearwood, Aurora Fashions (UK) – The omnichannel retail revolution

events

ƒ Timothy J Coghlan, The Maosuit & Savills Property

Services (China) -The current state of the Chinese Fashion Industry ƒ Geoff Watts & Julia Fowler, EDITD (UK) – The future of fashion analytics The 2012 LMFF Business Seminar is presented by the State Government of Victoria, Westfield and WISH magazine. Doors open at 8:30am, Thursday 15 March 2012 at the Grand Ballroom, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. Tickets from $450.00 per person and discounts are available for groups of ten or more. Other LMFF business events include the Herald Sun Marketing Breakfast ($130), Fashion Industry Forums presented by Colonial First State Global Asset Management ($25) Tickets are available through Ticketek or online at www.lmff.com.au.

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employment relations

How to maximise efficiencies and help your business succeed when times are tough
Engagement and Rostering One of the more practical ways to maximise efficiency in your business is to consider how you roster and engage your staff with a view to controlling overall labour costs. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of your current labour force structure, including the mix of permanent and casual staff, age groups of employees and the times each group works is one way to do this. The General Retail Industry Award 2010 (GRIA) provides for varying rates of pay between different types of employees, overall at different times of the week, and for different ages of employees. There are also discounted rates of pay for trainees. Reviewing your current mix of employees and the way they are rostered can lead to substantial, and vitally important, labour cost savings.
Nick Tindley

When faced with an economic downturn and a struggling retail industry, retailers need to take a step back and evaluate how they can maximise efficiencies and lower costs whilst still getting the most out of their employees. People Management Incentives
It is difficult in the current award regulated environment to achieve clearly identifiable productivity gains. Establishing, or extending, incentive schemes, such as bonuses and commissions, can be one option for achieving productivity gains. There is an understandable reluctance to implement extensive incentive schemes on top of the high cost base set by the modern awards. Retailers should, however, consider options to implement such schemes in a way that strongly promote increased sales without leading to unsustainable labour cost increases. A non-financial incentive which can help improve employee and business performance is to present training and development opportunities within the business. A number of Australian studies have shown that career development ranks highly among job seekers and employees. If employees are producing a higher standard of work, one of the knock-on effects will be efficiency.

A clear example of this is the 25% casual loading under GRIA, which makes casual employees, at certain times of the week, more expensive than permanent part time employees. The retail industry historically has employed a high percentage of casual employment, and there are widespread concerns about the inflexibility of part time employment under the GRIA. This inflexibility can make it difficult to alter a part time employee’s pattern of work once it is established. Retailers should consider balancing this inflexibility against the potential labour cost savings, particularly where there is a high level of predictability about the minimum base hours required in stores. Enterprise specific conditions Enterprise specific terms and conditions have been widely used in the retail industry to improve efficiency. Since the commencement of the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) there has been a reluctance among retailers to dip their toe in the water and consider implementing an enterprise agreement. This reluctance has been based on concerns about the application of the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) and concerns about losing control over the workplace. Retailers should conduct a comprehensive examination of the benefits and risks associated with enterprise level bargaining prior to taking the plunge. Failing to even consider this as a mechanism for improving efficiency cuts off a common means of achieving better outcomes for the business. Regardless of the business size, location and employee mix. Enterprise Agreements can assist retailers to: ƒ Flatten weekend penalty rates through an increased base rate; ƒ Achieve more flexible rostering arrangements, including with part time employees;

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employment relations
ƒ Structure ordinary hours of work around the operation needs of the business; ƒ Increase the use of incentives without substantially raising overall labour costs; and ƒ Provide for classification structures that reflect the operations of the business; one. Once you have consulted with your workforce, set a ‘go live’ date. 3. Execute Once you have announced your final decision, it is time to implement the changes you feel are best for your business. If you are reducing or abolishing old jobs, carefully consider your selection criteria. Don’t just go with ‘last in, first out’.

Structural Management

Many businesses are fearful of the term ‘restructure’, but done well, restructuring a business can lead to an increase in profits and reduce costs, thereby resulting in the long term survival of the business. What do I look at?

When someone hears the words “business restructure”, they inevitably think of reduce the effect redundancies have in redundancies. This is If it is a new job you have created not necessarily the case. your workplace and promote goodwill to replace a number of old ones, Ed Cohen, Global Talent consider internal promotions Management leader, stresses before externally advertising. If and a career path within the business. the need to be hard on you can redeploy a qualified or costs and soft on people. skilled employee to cover this Those who take care of their people will be rewarded new role, you can reduce the effect redundancies have in when the economy improves. Those who don’t will suffer your workplace and promote goodwill and a career path from significant turnover in addition to a shortage of within the business. qualified applicants. Some of the key areas to look at with a restructure that do not involve reducing a head count Remember to always consult your workplace instrument to include: see what it permits in terms of redeployment. Always keep in mind that this new job needs to be effectively performed, ƒ Re-aligning workflow and/or duties to be performed by so if no one within the organisation can do the job, external staff advertising might be necessary. ƒ Changing the management, leadership or hierarchical structures already in place If redundancies are going to be a feature of your restructure ƒ Altering the geographical location of some aspects of the you must meet the requirements of a genuine redundancy business to avoid employees claiming they have been unfairly dismissed. You also need to be aware of the redundancy ƒ Outsourcing payments larger businesses are required to pay employees. Steps to restructure 1.Desktop exercise This is the process of identifying the old structures you have in place as well as new structures that will replace them. You must consider how these old structures continue in the new structure, or if they should be reduced or abolished. To do this, consider what functions need to be performed in the business and compare them to the job that actually exists. For example, if one person can comfortably do the job that two are doing, it is worth considering reducing that function to one job instead of two. 2. Timeline Once you have a proposed decision, you must consult with your employees before making any final decisions. This is especially important when there are proposed redundancies. The General Retail Industry Award has a consultation clause regarding major workplace changes. Also check your relevant enterprise agreement if you have It should be noted that making redundancies in a small business (less than 15 employees) is one of the most effective ways to maximise efficiency, especially in a sluggish economy. This is because the standard redundancy payments required by the National Employment Standards don’t apply to small businesses. The current retail environment is presenting some enormous challenges to retailers. Any avenues to achieve cost savings and promote greater efficiency need to be explored in order to ensure your business is maximising its performance. If you would like more information about how you can optimise efficiencies and maximise the contribution your people make to the business, the ARA Employment Relations team is able to assist members with identifying efficiency gains and implementing strategies to achieve them. Members can contact ARA Employment Relations on 1300 368 041 to discuss this.

The whole point of the restructure is to maximise the contribution your current team can make. You want this to be a long term solution so consider things like productivity and opportunity for growth. Alternatively minimising your If you can redeploy a qualified or skilled redundancy payouts may be the desired effect. Seniority employee to cover this new role, you can then becomes a good selection criterion.

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Call to arms against tax hikes and charges
By ARA Policy Director Heath Michael hasn’t a nation right next door to the global financial meltdown been hit? Just like Australia, Germany is running a large trade surplus. However, unlike Germany we haven’t run a restrained budgetary fiscal position. Unlike Germany we haven’t been cutting taxes. In fact, at the height of the European meltdown Germany was the only European country not only to hold taxes but to cut income tax by some 6 billion euro in the 2012/13 Federal Budget. Meanwhile Australia has set a sad standard in tax relief over recent years, despite small announced company tax cuts these came at the same time as a carbon tax, a flood levy, an increase in superannuation (effectively another tax for business with no legislated offset against wage increases), the usual round of excise increases, private health rebate cuts (another tax increase), additional alcohol taxes, a luxury car tax…I could go on. Even the personal income tax cuts we had seen at the start of this government were all legislated for under the previous government during a period of massive surplus. We would all like to see the Reserve Bank (RBA) cut interest rates further and stimulate the economy through monetary policy. The RBA is one lever for economic stimulation with a responsibility to also balance inflationary pressure and money supply. The other measure is for the Government to leave as much money in the pockets of those who create wealth as possible - businesses and consumers. Recently, ARA began calling on government not to take measures, such as indexed excise price increases for granted. We’re asking the Government to do what has been done in the past and suspend excise indexed increases to reduce pressure on consumer spending. This isn’t a pie in the sky call without precedent. In 2001 when petrol prices first commenced their now long term increase they were indexed, excise indexation was suspended that year and they haven’t been automatically increased since. It doesn’t take much to imagine how the measure steadied fuel price increases, or what a temporary suspension could do to other indexed items. Ultimately excise indexation is one of many examples tax policy needing to be considered in the context of economic growth and stimulus. We can’t forget utility charges, tolls, stamp duty, land and payroll tax are all forms of taxation. With the retail sector vulnerable to any price fluctuations, now is not the time for governments to undertake tax grabs or impose sneaky revenue hikes through changes or excise increases above the inflation rate. Now is the time for government to consider how it can play an active role in supporting consumer confidence and the economy.

policy update

Heath Michael

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been calling for federal and state governments to carefully consider the impacts of taxes and charges as they commence deliberations for budgets due in the next few months.
The reasons are simple, there are sections of the Australian economy under significant pressure and retail is one of them. Government can relieve that pressure by not just holding off on taxation, charges and excise increases outside inflation but also by cutting the burden on consumers thus increasing their spend with retailers. Consumer confidence can only be maintained if consumers have cash in their pockets, which means ARA is urging the Government to do its bit not to increase the cost of living through additional taxes and charges as federal and state budget considerations commence. At the end of the day a business needs to make money before it pays income tax. And for retailers to make money it is vital firstly for consumers to have cash in their pockets to spend and secondly that businesses are not taxed and charged out of existence before they can make an income. The ARA is seeing the retail sector undergoing significant structural change and at the same time is being hit by declining consumer confidence. While much of the drop in consumer confidence can be blamed on the shaky global situation, the question to be asked is why does Germany, at the heart of Europe, have a booming economy, strong economic growth and strong consumer confidence? If it’s all about the global crisis hitting confidence, why

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r

federal news update

ARA warns Staff profiles against tax hikes
Amy Buckley Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has called for federal and state governments to carefully consider the impacts of taxes and charges as they commence deliberations for budgets due in the next few months. See policy update on page 26 for more.

Amy joined the ARA Employment Relations team in 2008 with over ten years experience in retail sales and customer service.

Pay confusion highlights need for retailspecific education program
ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said findings that Fair Work Australia (FWO) had made 40 changes to fix errors in its online pay calculator, which may have led to pay errors, made it easy to understand why small retailers are confused about their employer obligations particularly when they were receiving incorrect information from the very same body applying the penalties.

Since that time Amy has moved across to FCB – Workplace Lawyers and Consultants, who deliver the ARA Employment Relations service, where she completed her Bachelor of Law with a focus on workplace relations and was admitted as a lawyer in 2011.

During her time at FCB, Amy has gained valuable experience in her capacity both as a consultant and lawyer across the “The ARA is calling on government support for ongoing field of employment law and workplace and industrial education provided by retail industry associations as relations. Amy’s key competencies include managing retailers make efforts to ensure they proactively comply with terminations, legislative and award compliance, enterprise their obligations under the Modern Award,” Zimmerman bargaining, OHS compliance, award interpretation, said. representing members at unfair/unlawful conciliations as well as workplace training in various aspects of employment Retailers support proposal to relieve law and HR practice. Qualifications: LLB

business from parental leave paymaster burden
Peak industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) supported the Coalition’s announcement it would use the first parliamentary sitting week of the year to seek to remove the burden small businesses face in acting as paymasters of the government’s Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme. ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said it was time the administrative burden on retailers of acting as paymasters for the scheme was relieved as the red tape tainted retailers’ support of the parental leave scheme put into place by the Government.

Yuliana Wu

Yuliana joined ARA Retail Institute in 2011 and is responsible for maintaining accuracy and data integrity in the student management systems to ensure smooth analysis, reporting and operations.

Retailers reeling after RBA kicks them while they’re down

Peak industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said retailers were reeling after the Reserve Bank’s (RBA) decision to leave the cash rate unchanged created the perfect storm for job losses amid declining retail trade and increased cost of living including mortgage stress. ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said the RBA’s decision was a shocking blow for retailers at a time when there was a desperate need to stimulate consumer spending.

Prior to joining ARA, Yuliana has built upon her IT skills by working in the Real Estate industry. In addition to her IT experience, Yuliana possesses strong business acumen having been involved in business process improvement and change management activities. Yuliana holds a Bachelor of Information Systems, along with Masters in Finance and Commerce.

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Banking and Finance
Are you making the most of your ARA membership? ARA members now have access to a full range of business banking solutions, including a free Business Financial Health Check and access to a business banking specialist. ARA may receive a fee from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for each successful referral and refund [a portion of ] that fee back to you. Save with discounted merchant rates for ARA members ARA members can enjoy special discounted rates on merchant services from the Commonwealth Bank. You’ll also benefit from a dedicated team to get you up and running, plus merchant support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To register your interest or to arrange a FREE Business Financial Health Check contact the ARA Membership team during business hours. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.retail.org.au RMG Partners multi-disciplinary approach provides an excellent opportunity to develop a deep understanding of your business so no matter where in your business lifecycle, RMG will be able to help. Services include: Accounting, Taxation, Insolvency, Recovery, Business Growth Program, Cashflow Management, Management Reporting, Business Valuations, Finance Structuring and Capital Raising. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.rmgpartners.com.au

Business Directory
IT’S TIME TO GET Uglii ! Register your business FREE on the world’s most unique Global Online Directory System. Uglii will simplify the way customers find your business products and services online plus provide your business with a range of online services to enhance your sales and profitability. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.miiyretailer.com.au The ARA has partnered with software company eHound to provide Members with a FREE tool for upgrading your web store locator using the latest technology, including real time reports on your customers’ search activity. eHound also provides locators for the Mobile Web and 1300 channels, as well as iPhone application development. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.ehoundplatform.com

E-commerce and digital services
Shoptown.com.au is Australia's Online Shopping Centre for Real Shops. Open your very own online shop and enjoy the freedom of selling your goods online nationally. Make the internet work for your business at a fraction of the cost of building and maintaining an individual website and attract a national audience to your shop. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.shoptown.com.au Ecommerce Websites Australians spent $26.8 BILLION online last year! Growth in online shopping exploded in 2010 and recent research indicates online sales heading for $36 billion by 2013! Will you get your piece of the pie this year? ARA members get 10% off all custom design packages. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.ecommercewebsites.com.au

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Spruiks is an innovative new deals website for Australian retailers and businesses to promote daily super deals, specials, vouchers and coupons in Spruiks Deal Stores. Spruiks is not a group buying website, but is an exciting opportunity for Australian businesses to compete with online deals websites. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.spruiks.com.au Loves Data are Google Certified Partners providing training and consulting for Google Analytics, AdWords and Website Optimizer. We offer high quality Google approved training to help you improve your website and online marketing results. • Increase leads, conversions and ROI • Understand visitor behaviour, improve your website • Optimise keywords and AdWords Campaigns • Allocate budgets effectively for best results Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.lovesdata.com/AdWords Boost Sales through the internet with little additional investment and effort! Become a merchant with the latest one-stop online-shop. ARA exclusive pre-live offer for first 50 merchants: 2 years FREE plus… valued over $500.00. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.direct-choice.com.au Apps-House is a dynamic Australian company that works with retailers to rapidly deploy consumer focused apps on the Apple platform. From concept to execution we help retailers meet their mobile strategy objectives. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.apps-house.com.au Empowering retail businesses to take on Selling Online! We’re about equipping you with a well-designed, great looking, high performance website, that’s extremely affordable! Get $853 dollars off an eCommerce Website! Now only $1990! Call us now for details and quote Promo Code: 2FZ3MK Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.web123.com.au

Don’t be tossed into that trolley! At Internet Marketing Engine (IME), our clients are experiencing record sales, while cutting costs and increasing profits, in a flat market. How can this be? Because we’re not just a Web INTERNET MARKETING ENGINE development company – we’re business consultants that know what it takes to achieve success online, through: • Cutting PPC and eCommerce Promotion Costs • Slashing Abandoned Baskets tossed into that trolley! • Reducing Administration Hassles and Costs • Ramping Up Sales Marketing Engine (IME), our clients are and Profitability record sales, • Outshining the Competition while cutting costs g profits, in aSo whether your this be? store needs improving or your building a new one, IME will make your investment, pay off. But flat market. How can existing not just a Web development company – for it - ask us to introduce you to some of our very happy clients. don’t take our word

e s

consultants, that know what it takes to s online, through: Phone: [phone] C and eCommerce Promotion Costs Email: [e-mail] bandoned Baskets Website: www.internetmarketingengine.com Administration Hassles and Costs p Sales and Profitability the Competition

retailer.jan: feb 2012 : 29

GrateBuy.com.au provides retailers with easy access to internet shoppers and lets retailers compete without undermining advertised pricing or having pricing used as leverage elsewhere. GrateBuy. com.au customers are eager to purchase and involves no cost until purchase is complete. GrateBuy. com.au provides retailers with market pricing & competitor purchase information in real-time. Website: www.GrateBuy.com.au Put it on lay-buy is the most comprehensive online lay-buy payment platform in Australia. Designed to adhere and align with the ARA “Lay- By” Guideline booklet, this platform comes pre-built with lay-buy contract agreements, terms & conditions and all within a seamless banking environment. Being an ARA member ourselves, we are pleased to offer all fellow ARA members exclusive, discounted rates on the integration of lay-buys into your website’s shopping carts. Or if you currently do not sell online, via our Virtual Terminal. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.lay-buys.com

IT & Web Security
Fulcrum Management provides automated security vulnerability scanning (AVS) and remediation services for your computer networks and websites. AVS identifies security ‘holes’ in your systems that can be exploited to victimise your business. We conduct PCI certified compliance scans and merchant certification. We are leaders in digital investigation and security. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.fulcrum.net.au AVG (AU/NZ) offers ARA member’s savings on its award-winning range of Anti-Virus and Internet Security solutions. Ideal for retailers with server and non-server environments, AVG offers the peace of mind that your online activities are safe from cyber threats. Easy to install, manage, and backed by local technical support, let AVG protect your business today. Phone: 1300 AVG 000 Email: [e-mail] Website: www.avg.com.au/retailers IT solutions to keep up with your customers. Technology solutions to enhance the customer experience, increase productivity and grow revenue. HP offers you a range of IT solutions to meet the everyday needs of your business, from the front of the store with our Retail POS Systems and Digital Signage Displays, to our Business Notebooks & Desktops for business management. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.hp.com.au/retailsolutions

Health Insurance
ARA Corporate Health Plan MBF is offering ARA members great savings on healthcare benefits, like up to 90% of the charge back on general dental and selected optical, physiotherapy and chiropractic services at MBF MemberCare Providers. IN2LIFE - MBF’S HEALTH & WELLNESS PROGRAM, Learn your ‘real health age’ with MBFs Health Risk Assessment. To join or get a quote visit your local MBF Centre. Phone: [phone] (and mention ARA) Email: [e-mail] (with ARA in the subject box) Website: www.mbf.com.au/corporate (Username: ara, Password: healthplan)

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Insurance
Insurance products designed with the retailer specifically in mind. Retail specific business insurance; General property insurance (ie. laptops and other portable equipment); Fidelity insurance or employee theft; Trade credit; Corporate travel; Tax audit; Marine transit insurance (ie. transfer of stock, import or export); Directors and Officers Insurance; Management Liability Insurance. Whether you’re looking for general insurance or worker’s compensation cover, we have a premium for you that won’t send your overheads soaring. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.retail.org.au

leasing
LIS® is Australia’s largest independent online retail leasing database. Our vast network and online data tools put a massive amount of data, millions of dollars of research and years of experience at your fingertips. You can quickly compare rents/m2, demographics, revenue/m2, competitor rentals, expiry profiles, key tenants, floor plans, maps and much more. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.leaseinfo.com.au or www.ipsconsultants.com.au Lease1 are the industry specialists providing specific expertise to Retailers (only) in the area of Retail Tenancy Leasing, the services encompass the following areas: Lease Expiring / Renewals; Lease Options Exercising / Overdue; Lessee / Lessor Disputes; Rental Payment Difficulties; Lease Assignments (Business Sales); Relocations / Redevelopments; Strategic Lease Management; Market Rental Negotiations / submissions; and Day to day operational matters. Lease1 provides these services to Retailers based on performance outcomes at 10% of business savings achieved after an initial scoping fee. (Lease Disputes by negotiation) Further, ARA members will be afforded value added services and assistance to honour their continuing membership; - FREE Call 1300 Advice and Assistance (FREE) - FREE lease review, benchmarking and report (valued at $495 + GST) - All advice, reports and recommendations are provided to ARA Members with no obligation. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.lease1.com.au

legal
Kreisson Legal is a boutique commercial law firm, specialising in retail. Kreisson Legal services include: • Lease renewals, new leases, options and lease disputes • Competition permits, advertising sign off, terms & conditions, labelling, packaging and standards compliance advice • Commercial litigation, product liability and recalls, assistance with breach notifications issued by regulatory bodies • Franchise agreements, franchise disputes, recoveries from franchisees, insolvency • Distribution, supply, software agreements, tender preparation (including building/fit out tenders) Our Legal Retail Expert is Ilona Teremi. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.kreissonlegal.com.au From leasing and franchising, to how to deal with your employees, the day-to-day running of a retail business can be overwhelming. Watkins Tapsell has a broad range of expertise in all areas of retail law and is well placed to help you with all the legal aspects of your business. With a Law Society Accredited Specialist in Business and Property Law, and an experienced team of commercial solicitors, Watkins Tapsell has an understanding of what issues affect you in this complex area. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.watkinstapsell.com.au

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Salvos Legal is a not-for-profit law firm owned and run by The Salvation Army. Specialising in property and transactional commercial law to assist businesses by providing professional legal advice and assistance with a difference. The costs paid by clients for their legal services, fund the operation of another firm, Salvos Legal Humanitarian, which provides free legal advice and assistance to those in need without any fee. • Business Law • Commercial and retail leasing • Residential and commercial conveyancing • Contract drafting and advice • Aged Care & Retirement Villages law • Wills & estates Contact us for expert advice and assistance, with the full knowledge that every cent of profits from your legal fees goes to helping those most in need. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.salvoslegal.org.au

Marketing/Advertising phdcreative - a retail marketing agency phdcreative is a dynamic retail communications agency with a passion for people, creativity and innovative retail practices. It is Australia’s only retail communications agency that offers seamless strategy to storeTM capabilities including strategic planning; creative design for point of sale, in-store environment graphics and retail digital content; promotional marketing; print management and in-house logistics and fulfilment. Contact Nigel Roberts, Brand & Strategy Director Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Website: www.phdcreative.com.au Convenience & Impulse Retailing Berg Bennett publishes Convenience & Impulse Retailing, Australia’s largest retail trade magazine, reaching 27,000 supermarkets, convenience stores, service stations, community & corner stores and newsagents. It also runs a trade expo. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Address: 6/340 Darling St, Balmain NSW 2041 Email: [e-mail] Website: www.c-store.com.au

printing
Want to save up to 30% on your previous print costs? Increasing pressure on margins, on-line competition, changes in consumer spending: the last thing on your mind may be your printers and copiers. But with estimates of printing as high as 5% of revenue – they should be. Join the growing list of smart retailers working with Upstream. Phone: [phone] Website: www.go.upstream.com.au/ara.html ARA Members get $ 235-00 FREE artwork when they Order at www.candopaperbagco. com.au Can Do paper Bag Co. Printed paper bags in full colour with your branding/Logo . Online ordering delivered in 15 days Australia wide for the same low price. As few as 250 to 5000 14 different sizes. Matt or Gloss lamination, Rope Handles. Phone: [phone] (ask for Richard to get your Free artwork) Email: [e-mail] Website: www.candopaperbagco.com.au

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POS System
Toshiba TEC is a recognized worldwide leader in providing point of sale solutions to the retail industry. We build effective POS solutions with retail hardened POS hardware and offer scalable softwares. Toshiba TEC also provide nationwide support and maintenance services designed to help you operate effectively in your retail business. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.toshibatec.com.au Through our unwavering focus on retail, Pronto provides end-to-end ERP systems to run your unique retail business efficiently and profitably. With hundreds of retailers trusting PRONTO-Xi to run their business including Kathmandu, Snooze and Bolle. We have the right solution to enhance and grow your business. Phone: 1300 PRONTO Email: [e-mail] Website: www.pronto.com.au

recruitment
Trak Recruiting
Trak Recruiting is a boutique specialist retail recruiter covering all roles in the FMCG, retail, fashion and retail supplier sectors. Trak has a record of success in connecting the best people with the right companies. Phone: [phone] Address: Level 6, 92 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000 Email: [e-mail] Website: www.trakrecruiting.com CareerOne, a joint venture between News Limited and Monster Worldwide, offers national reach through its website and across 130 metropolitan, regional and local News Limited papers. Whether you’re looking for a single new employee or an entire team, CareerOne.com. au makes it easy to advertise online. With an audience of over 1.7 million searching for jobs on CareerOne.com.au every month, shouldn’t one of Australia’s leading online job boards be part

of your recruitment strategy?

Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.careerone.com.au
1. Source: Nielsen Online, Market Intelligence, Domestic Unique Browsers, November 2010

Sinclair Consulting has been recruiting for the Australian retail industry for over 15 years. Visit our website for current retail jobs, or contact us to discuss recruitment for your business. Website: www.sinclairconsulting.com.au/ divisions/retail

mystery shopping
Would your customers recommend you? Will your customers remain loyal to you? Could they identify the in-store promotion? Are your brands and service standards being met? Market Pulse international design and deliver customised evaluation programs to assist clients measure and improve on their service. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.marketpulseinternational.com

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shop fitting & design
Australia’s largest range of quality, practical solutions in shopfittings and accessories. Products include shelving and racking systems, merchandisers, counters, showcases, hangers, mannequins, signs and ticketing. Our corporate services specify and source unique shopfittings and merchandisers, supported by in-house design and installation teams. Phone: [phone] (Melbourne) Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Phone: [phone] (Perth) Phone: [phone] (Sydney) Fax: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Email: [e-mail]

Product and pricing on our website (National distribution): www.shopforshops.com Formerly Southern Imperial, SI Retail is a national leader in the supply and manufacture of shopfittings, display and signage solutions for retail. We also provide direct shipment options and custom manufacturing abilities. To find out more and shop online visit our website.

Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.sishop.com.au Cara Interior Project Management Cara Interior Project Management is a project management company established to provide complete retail and commercial fitout solutions with the highest level of professional service and management. Our range of services include: • Total Project Management of retail and commercial fitout • Architectural Design Drafting • Construction Management • Cost Planning and Management Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.caraipm.com.au • • • • • • Total Turnkey Solutions Lessor Liaison/ Negotiation Management of authority approvals Management of generic company standards and documentation Franchisee Liaison Fixture & Fittings Procurement both locally and overseas

3Fold Resources are a specialist shopfitting, project management and logistics company. With over 30 years experience in the industry we provide professionalism, reliability, outstanding service, quality and value for money. We focus on you and your needs, and by doing so, offer you peace of mind with a service that brings quality, reliability, honesty and value. Phone: [phone] (Contact: Aldo Yee Chong) Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.3fr.com.au

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retail support
Department of Business and Innovation Get the business help you need online. ARA has partnered with Business Victoria to give you more support for your retail business. Receive a fortnightly update with useful business news, events and tips. Keep your business organised with plans and checklists. Find expert advice and connect to mentoring, how-to articles and networking. Phone: 13 22 15 Email: [e-mail] Website: www.business.vic.gov.au/retail

security management
Sun Security Our mission is to provide clients with a cost effective, flexible and logistic solution to meet their security requirements. We act collectively on their behalf whilst maintaining discrete operational and service functions for each client. We aim to work alongside our clients to develop ongoing, mutually beneficial partnerships. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.sunsecurity.com.au Sargent Security has the appropriate resources to secure any project with our dedicated management team that caters specifically for retail security. Our experienced officers are trained in loss prevention techniques that can drastically reduce shrinkage. We offer cost competitive loss prevention solutions for all retail sites of any size. Phone: [phone] or 1300 GUARDS (1300 482 737) Mobile: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.sargentsecurity.com.au A leading provider of security services for the retail sector nationally; Group 1 is your one stop shop for all your Loss Prevention needs, from manpower through to site specific risk assessments/audits. With a management team comprising of former State & National Loss Prevention/Risk Managers we speak your language.

Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.g1s.com.au Respected national security and risk management company Charter Security provides a customised, comprehensive and cost-effective range of loss prevention and security solutions for blue-chip commercial organisations, government agencies and retail organisations around Australia. Products services include; technical & electronic solutions, guarding services (manpower), loss prevention, IT security solutions, risk management, employee training and trauma counselling. Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.chartersecurity.com.au

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sound
For more than 60 years, the name Sennheiser has been synonymous for Sound. We create the greatest and most exciting sound experience for people – whether at home or out and about. We offer award winning consumer products for retailers, including but not limited to Ear-phones, Headphones, Cordless RF and Bluetooth headsets for Music, PC, VoIP & Gaming. Contact us today to discuss fantastic retail opportunities for your business. Phone: Free Call 1800 648 628 Address: Unit 3, 31 Gibbes Street, Chatswood NSW 2067 Email: [e-mail] Website: www.sennheiser.com.au

superannuation
REST is one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds with around $16 billion in funds under management and 1.9 million members, representing around one in six working Australians. As a profit-to-member super fund REST’s fees are amongst the lowest of any superannuation funds. Website: www.rest.com.au

telecommunications
People Telecom People Telecom, major wholesale partner of Telstra and Optus is offering a 1 hour total data, voice and mobile unbiased review of your current situation at your premises with one of their senior corporate solutions specialists. People Telecom is a leading national full service telecommunications company, part of the M2 Group of companies. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.peopletelecom.com.au

training
From Tom O’Toole, founder of the famous Beechworth Bakery comes a very dynamic and powerful new DVD training package called BREAD—Business Secrets of the Beechworth Bakery. Tom O’Toole has a front door and is willing to share his 35 years in business with you. He has been featured extensively in the media highlighting his incredible business success story. His regional bakeries serve well over 1 million customers a year. Find out how he does it! Carson White ICMI Speakers & Entertainers Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.icmi.com.au

fuel
Special Fuel Card Offer – 7-Eleven Every 7-Eleven Fuel Card customer receives a discount! ARA members save 3 cents per litre on every litre of fuel (excluding LPG). For more information on this offer and to apply contact your ARA membership team. Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.retail.org.au

visual merchandising
Chas Clarkson supplies effective solutions for the retail industry, from seasonal display products, to gift packaging. Proudly, Australia’s leading Christmas decorator, we specialize in supplying a premium range of Christmas decorative solutions. ARA Members receive a 20% discount. Phone: [phone] or call Toll Free 1300 300 195 Fax: [phone] Address: 1028 Botany Rd, Mascot NSW 2020 (HEAD OFFICE - SHOWROOM & SALES) Email: [e-mail] Website: www.chasclarkson.com.au

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ARA PARTNERS SAVE YOU MONEY

ARA’s partnerships with leading service providers deliver members a real business advantage. For free or heavily discounted advice, service and support email [e-mail]

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