Retail

SMBs have received some positive news in the lead up to Christmas with a new study showing sharp rebounds in consumer spending.

There are many aspects to consider when a business approaches multichannel retailing. Although a one-size-fits-all structure doesn’t always apply, but there are four key steps every business must follow when preparing to become a multichannel operation.

Topshop’s Sydney store opened this week, to the kind of hysteria local retailers can only dream of. We spoke to COO David Shepherd yesterday, who delivered some lessons for small businesses about how delivering the best product is the key to success.

Positive reviews and feedback scores can be vital to the wellbeing of a fledgling business. Negativity will clip your feathers, but positive responses could give your business wings.

A new CHOICE survey has uncovered which of the country’s largest retailers are delivering the best and worst customer service, and the results don’t bode well for Harvey Norman.

Educating SMBs about online credit card fraud is the focus of a new program, entitled ‘Get Smart About Card Fraud Online.’

For a business to have a successful relationship with consumers online, a certain level of trust must be established, especially if payments are involved. Here’s how to make your customers feel comfortable enough to hand over their credit card details.

All improvements in spending recorded during May and June have been reversed, according to a leading index, as consumer sentiment proves it’s far from recovered.

When it comes to selling online, small businesses are far more inclined to target consumers in their local area rather than look abroad for new business, according to a new report. Some 66 percent of businesses selling online said the bulk of their online sales came from local customers.

To deliver quality customer service, businesses must work to understand the customers’ needs, how they like to buy – in-store, online or a combination of the both – and how to accommodate these requirements. Here are some simple ways to do this effectively.

Over half of all businesses don’t know what it costs them to accept credit cards, according to research, an issue being addressed by newly launched Visa program that aims to make SMBs aware of how they can cut costs by reviewing their credit card acceptance practices.

Australians are well and truly embracing technology as a new way to shop, with nearly 40 percent having used a smartphone or tablet to compare prices and find a better deal, new research has found. There are a few simple ways businesses can capture these savvy comparison shoppers, both in-store and online.

Think you’re too young to start a business? Take a lesson out of Mark Teperson’s book, who gave the boot to his old job to launch the successful Shoe Superstore chain.

Cloud-based solutions are being used by a growing number of retailers to support important business functions. While some concerns remain about data security and application uptime, there’s significant movement within the industry toward cloud-based, on-demand solutions – and it’s not hard to see why.

Clothing retailers are being urged to perk up their customer service or continue to experience gloom and doom when it comes to sales. One retail expert has three pieces of service advice every store owner should live by if they want to stay in business.

A large proportion of SME’s are doubly invested in today’s interest rate decision with many using their home loan to finance their businesses.

Despite multiple months of positive retail trade figures this year, a key retail body is tipping that retail growth is likely to slow after the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported turnover fell by 0.2 percent in April.

The founder of a Melbourne-based online electronics retailer shares his tips for eCommerce success, whether on its own or as a value-add to your bricks and mortar store.

Despite warnings of subdued confidence, consumers are continuing to purchase digital devices from local retail outlets as technology products continue to decline in price, new research has found.

In retail, it’s not uncommon to be left with surplus stock which can end up putting a strain on your profit margin. If you find yourself in this situation there’s no need to worry – there are several different ways to connect with prospective surplus stock buyers and get cash back from your excess inventory.