May, 2024

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Shopify’s Double-Edged Sword: Tackling Accounting Complexities with Automation

Retail TouchPoints

In an era when ecommerce is reshaping retail, platforms like Shopify have emerged as indispensable allies for businesses large and small. Shopify, originally a beacon for small and medium-sized enterprises, is now expanding its reach to larger corporations. However, this expansion brings to light a critical issue for CFOs and finance teams: the intricate and often underestimated task of recognizing and booking revenue in the ecommerce domain.

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Miniso Australia business collapses – again

Inside Retail

Miniso ‘s business in Australia collapsed into administration for the second time, with the Chinese variety retailer appointing Melissa Lau, Andrew Spring and Peter Moore from insolvency firm Jirsch Sutherland as administrators earlier this month. This is the second time the local master franchisee of the Chinese discount variety products retailer has entered administration, having previously undergone a restructuring in 2020.

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BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, and Volkswagen Used Banned Chinese Parts

Retail Wire

BMW, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), and Volkswagen (VW) have been found to have utilized components from a banned Chinese firm, implicating potential ties to forced labor practices.

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Asda unveils £50m upgrade programme for larger stores

Retail Gazette

Asda is launching a £50m store upgrade programme designed to improve the shopping experience for customers in its larger supermarkets and superstores. The grocer’s programme, which starts at its Long Eaton store in Nottingham before running across 170 stores in total, is expected to complete by the end of November. Asda said 50 of its larger stores “will receive major upgrades”, including the introduction of new in-store services and features.

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Modernizing the Frontend Experience on Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Unlock agility, boost performance, and gain control over your Salesforce frontend with the latest masterclass from Composable.com : Modernizing the Frontend Experience on Salesforce Commerce Cloud Featuring experts from Algolia, Ember, Netlify, and Stripe, this masterclass focuses on practical strategies for optimizing your Salesforce Commerce Cloud storefronts using modern composable commerce integrations.

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Queensland retailers face strict new laws on display, sale of knives

Inside Retail

A new set of laws taking effect in Queensland this September will bring about several restrictions on the sale of knives and similar products. As the laws prohibit the sale of knives to minors under 18 years, retailers will have to perform age checks, provide instructions to their staff, display in-store signage, and restrict advertising of such products.

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Retail Experience: Insights into the Future of Shopping

Tokinomo

Empower Your Employees with Data-Driven Decision Making: Delivering an exceptional retail experience is paramount. It's not just about offering great products; it's about crafting an environment where customers feel valued and engaged. From personalized service to strategic inventory management, every aspect of the retail experience plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining customers.

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How Amazon, Poshmark and Rolling Stone Use Livestreaming to Break out from the Ecommerce Grid

Retail TouchPoints

Today’s consumers, especially Gen Z ( 73% ) and millennials ( 62% ), prefer to buy from a brand that offers interactive experiences that go beyond the standard ecommerce grid. And there’s no denying that video, whether live or recorded, is proving a powerful medium to create those experiences in digital environments. In fact, a study commissioned by real-time engagement platform Agora found that 61% of respondents under the age of 55 are interested in livestream shopping experiences, with

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Grocery Prices Have Finally Fallen for the First Time in a Year

Retail Wire

Some grocery staples are seeing a decline in price.

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Move Past Hype to Focus on Value with AI Implementations in the POS Space

Retail TouchPoints

Businesses and organizations across virtually all markets and niches are exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) could benefit their operations. Although the technology has been steadily advancing for decades, recent availability of large language models (LLMs) that make AI platforms easy to use have convinced business leaders that AI insights for their employees can just be a question-and-answer interaction away.

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Accessible Retail: The Benefits of Making a Welcoming Website for Everyone

Retail TouchPoints

What do Beyoncé, Harvard University and Target have in common? Each has faced legal action over claims they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with inaccessible websites. They’re hardly alone. In 2017, website and app lawsuits totaled just over 800, yet by the close of 2023, the volume had climbed to more than 8,200. And retail is the industry leading the way with the most ADA website lawsuits.

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Website Security Essentials: Protect Your Site and Strengthen Cybersecurity

In a digital-first world, website security is non-negotiable. This comprehensive guide explores the critical importance of securing your site against hackers and vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, and malware. Discover tools like SiteLock for threat monitoring and CodeGuard for seamless backups, ensuring robust protection for your data and operations.

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ARA predicts $1 billion cash splash for Mother’s Day

Inside Retail

Australian retailers are set to benefit from a surge in spending on Mother’s Day despite the current cost-of-living crunch, according to research conducted by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) in collaboration with market research company Roy Morgan. The study predicts that Australians will spend $995 million on Mother’s Day this year, which is $70 million or 7.5 per cent more than last year.

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Retail Food Group settles class action filed by former franchisees

Inside Retail

Food and beverage company Retail Food Group (RFG) has entered into a binding deed to settle the class action filed by some of its former franchisees. The settlement, subject to court approval, involves a dismissal of the proceeding by the applicant without RFG making any admission or payment, the company said. However, as part of the agreement, RFG will release applicable members of the class action from historical debts alleged in the proceeding.

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Pizza Hut Australia fined $2.5 million over 10 million spam messages

Inside Retail

Pizza Pan Group, trading as Pizza Hut Australia, has been fined $2.5 million for sending more than 10 million spam messages within four months. The company sent more than 5.9 million texts and emails to customers who either had not consented or had withdrawn their consent to receive marketing from January to May last year, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

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How UrbanStems Leverages AI to Manage Peak-Season Customer Service

Retail TouchPoints

What would happen if you smushed an entire holiday season, with all its intensity and high stakes, into a period lasting less than two weeks? And just to make things even more complicated, what if your (perishable) product was a gift laden with significance because of the emotional ties between the giver and the recipient? Laura McDonald, UrbanStems Those questions aren’t theoretical for UrbanStems , a DTC florist that must deal with two of these ultra-compressed holiday seasons — Valentine’s Da

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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How Technology and Science Create Unforgettable, Immersive In-Store Experiences

Retail TouchPoints

Retail is in the midst of a significant transformation. With ecommerce reshaping the landscape, physical stores have a unique opportunity to borrow a few strategies from tourist destinations and become experiences beyond the mundanity of walking up and down aisles. Over half of U.S. brands plan to increase investments in immersive technologies — think interactive displays for increased visual impact, carefully curated playlists and thoughtfully crafted scents that tap into nostalgia.

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Almost 900,000 Yogi Tea Bags Recalled Over Pesticides

Retail Wire

East West Tea Company, LLC has initiated a recall affecting almost 900,000 Yogi tea bags in 54,846 boxes sold nationwide.

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Good360 gets $3 million grant: How it will connect retail, charity and community

Inside Retail

Demand for charity aid is rapidly increasing amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis in Australia, but retailers have the power to offer a helping hand and simultaneously solve their costly $2.5 billion annual deadstock dilemma. In the federal budget released yesterday, the Government announced multiple measures to relieve pressures on middle-class Australians, including reducing tax rates and offering $3.5 billion in energy bill relief for 10 million Australians and small businesses and $1.9 bil

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ACCC allows talks among retailers, others over cash transit plight

Inside Retail

The ACCC has authorised – with conditions – that retailers, the Australian Banking Association (ABA), the Customer Owned Banking Association, banks and other industry participants can participate in talks over the distribution of cash in the country. The move came after Armaguard – a major supplier of cash-in-transit services – expressed its concerns about its operational future in the industry, given the declining use of cash.

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NEWS: SML RFID Delivers 98% Inventory Accuracy to Gina Tricot

I’m getting in touch with the news that fashion retailer, Gina Trictot, has achieved 98% inventory accuracy thanks to its partnership with SML RFID. Please see the full press release below, including exclusive quotes.

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The 2024 Brand Experience Award Winners are…

Retail TouchPoints

Retail TouchPoints is announcing winners of the fifth annual Brand Experience Awards , a program designed to spotlight the brands and retailers that are reimagining and elevating customer experiences across all channels. This year, we’ve identified 24 organizations that have successfully differentiated through their loyalty programs, marketing strategies, in-store experiences and even their approach to last mile and fulfillment.

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What to Consider When Incorporating AI into Your Retail Business

Retail TouchPoints

Artificial intelligence has revolutionized the way businesses and individuals operate by using data to power tools that can analyze, respond, predict and create in a manner similar to the human brain. Today, it is hard to imagine any sector where AI has yet to be deployed in some capacity, including, increasingly, retail, which has turned to AI for everything from streamlining the supply chain to personalizing shopping experiences.

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Supermarket inquiry recommends laws against price gouging, land banking

Inside Retail

Supermarkets would be prohibited from price gouging and face stricter rules on land banking, should the government adopt the recommendations of the Senate Select Committee on Supermarket Prices. The committee published 14 recommendations, which include creating divestiture powers specific to the supermarket sector and prohibiting the charging of excess prices, otherwise known as price gouging.

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Beyond Inc. Brings in Slate of Retail Heavyweights for C-Suite

Retail TouchPoints

Following its acquisition of Zulily and the revival of Overstock.com , Beyond, Inc. is shoring up its executive team with a slate of eight high-level appointments across its business. “The most important part of building a long-term, profitable, growing business is putting the right players on the field,” said Marcus Lemonis, newly appointed Executive Chairman of Beyond, Inc. in a statement.

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eCommerce in 2025: How Customer Experience Drives Online Retail Success

Speaker: Jennifer Wright and Nick Barron

2025 is right around the corner, and with it comes a new wave of consumer expectations, competitive pressures, and operational challenges. Success lies in finding the balance between operational flexibility and creating experiences that keep customers coming back. The future of retail belongs to those who can stay ahead of shifting customer preferences and marketing trends. 🔮 In this session, we’ll dive deep into what it takes to keep customers engaged and your operations nimble, no matt

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Cinnabon expands into Western Australia

Inside Retail

Bakery franchise Cinnabon is expanding into Western Australia after Boxx Brands secured the rights for the popular cinnamon roll retailer across the state. “Since Cinnabon landed on Oz shores in 2019, West Australians have been hounding social media asking when it will be their turn, and we are so excited to finally make their wishes come true,” said Boxx Brands MD Brett Higgins.

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The End of a Transaction is Just the Beginning: Fostering Engagement, Loyalty and Return Visits at Checkout

Retail TouchPoints

To compete today, retailers must develop new and innovative ways to engage their customers and generate more loyalty. Fortunately, the shift toward diverse checkout options and digital receipts has fostered new touch points for retailers looking to make a memorable impact. In fact, 53% of shoppers under 45 years old prefer self-checkout options , and 89% of consumers of any age like the idea of a digital receipt.

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Simon to Replace JCPenney with Luxury Apartments at San Diego’s Fashion Valley

Retail TouchPoints

Simon has unveiled plans for the next wave of redevelopment for its Fashion Valley shopping center in San Diego, which will include the addition of 850 multi-family luxury residences by AMLI Residential. Development of the residential component will begin immediately following JCPenney ‘s planned closure at the end of 2025 and is expected to be completed in late 2026.

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Country Road Group investigates handling of sexual harassment complaints

Inside Retail

Country Road Group has launched an independent investigation into its handling of alleged sexual harassment and bullying of its staff, which the fashion retailer said it has zero tolerance for. “The Country Road Group takes any complaint of harassment, including sexual harassment, very seriously and has a zero-tolerance policy for matters of this nature,” said a Country Road Group spokesperson. “Having received feedback from some team members regarding the handling of their com

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How to Maximize Amazon Sales and Crush the Competition

With over 9 million sellers on Amazon, online marketplaces are more crowded than ever. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune prices in real-time or align strategies across channels, this guide provides the tools to understand how to maximize sales and secure a lasting competitive edge. Download now to transform your pricing strategy and drive holiday success.

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#RICE24 Solution Spotlight: iAdvize Copilot’s AI-Powered Chatbots Tackle Ecommerce Abandonment

Retail TouchPoints

To increase ecommerce revenue, brands and retailers need to engage online shoppers and convert them into buyers. But when consumers cannot quickly find the products they’re looking for or easily get answers to their questions, they are more likely to abandon the ecommerce site altogether. With iAdvize Copilot , iAdvize’s generative AI-powered chatbot, more than 100 online retailers and direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are empowering customers to discover, choose and buy more — resulting in a 10X

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Data: From Ecommerce Challenge to Solution

Retail TouchPoints

Does this sound familiar? You have a huge amount of data in different places. Getting and managing the right information for your product catalogs is a time-consuming task, and you aren’t 100% sure your data meets the quality standards necessary to keep each sale from becoming a return: accurate, complete and up-to-date. In 2024, There is a New Way to Manage Data: A Data Management Hub A data management hub, equipped with the appropriate resources, gives companies of all sizes the tools to succe

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Why the ARA and NRA say a merger will give retailers “the best of both worlds”

Inside Retail

There was one key question following Wednesday’s announcement that the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and the National Retail Association (NRA) will finally merge: who will lead the amalgamated body representing a thriving $400 billion industry that employs over 1.3 million Australians? Paul Zahra has led the ARA as CEO since April 2020, while the NRA is jointly led by Lindsay Carroll and Rob Godwin.

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Opinion: An Unvarnished Review of the Smart Cart Shopping Experience

Retail TouchPoints

The Editors’ Perspectives column offers insights and opinions from the Retail TouchPoints editorial team as they dig into the latest trends in retail, marketing and tech. This month Retail TouchPoints has been exploring the state of autonomous checkout experiences in our series From Self-Checkout to Just Walk Out. The long and short of it is this: No one is really a big fan of self-checkout kiosks , but they’re not going anywhere anytime soon; and fully autonomous stores , like Amazon ’s Just Wa

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Is Your Business AI-Ready? Find Out with Orium’s Maturity Model

Generative AI is poised to redefine B2B, but scaling AI success in this space isn’t without obstacles. From fragmented data sources and complex buyer journeys to operational inefficiencies, the road to AI-powered growth can be challenging. To achieve a competitive edge, understanding your organization’s AI-readiness is essential. Orium's Data & AI Maturity Model provides a quick, actionable way to assess your starting point.