Christmas & Holiday Special: Economic expectations with Craig Woolford

The holidays are fast approaching, and retailers are in preparation mode for the Christmas shopping rush. There’s a bit more uncertainty for the industry this year as Australians continue to feel the crunch of the cost-of-living crisis whilst retailers feel the crunch of the cost-of-doing business crisis. In this episode of Retail Therapy, we’ll be discussing what’s in store for retailers and consumers, as well as how spending may shape up. Joining us for some Retail Therapy is Craig Woolford, Senior Retail Analyst in the Consumer Sector at MST Marquee and one of the most knowledgeable voices in Australian retail. Craig shares with us the latest consumer trends and his insights into what retailers can expect during this all-important time. This episode covers: Craig's take on the retail industry's performance throughout the year and expectations for this upcoming shopping season Connecting with and winning over the cost-conscious consumer The key consumer behaviour changes or shifts from recent years Which metrics retailers should monitor closely during the holiday season to gauge success Expectations about which categories will fare better or worse this Christmas The role that loyalty programs and customer retention strategies play for retailers during the holiday season Black Friday and Cyber Monday expectations ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body. We represent a $420 billion sector that employs more than 1.4 million Australians and is the largest private sector employer in the country. As Australia’s peak retail body, representing more than 120,000 retail shop fronts and online stores, the ARA informs, advocates, educates, protects and unifies our independent, national and international retail community. Keen to learn more? With the end-of-year shopping season fast approaching, the recently launched ARA Christmas & Holiday Resource Hub offers a specially curated collection of reports, consumer spending insights, podcasts, and media releases, all designed to enhance your strategic holiday planning. Access here: https://www.retail.org.au/christmas-holiday-resource-hub