Inside Retail Australia
Asia-Pacific retail news and insights.
Where Did My Website Traffic Go (and How Can I Get It Back?)
Website traffic has been slipping as AI chatbots and Google’s AI overviews replace traditional search clicks. A Pew Research study shows only 1% of users click the cited link when an AI overview appears, and organic click‑through drops from 15% to 8%. Marketers are urged to look beyond raw visits, focusing on conversion‑centric metrics and new acquisition channels. The article outlines practical steps—social media reinforcement, paid media balance, post‑conversion surveys, and brand‑centric SEO—to reclaim valuable visitors.
From Discovery to Conversion: Retailers Prepare for AI Shopping
Retailers are confronting a new era of "agentic commerce" as AI assistants shift from search tools to direct shopping partners. Shopify reports AI‑referred orders grew nearly 13‑fold YoY in Q1 2026, with conversion rates about 50% higher and average order values...
Why Vogue Now Believes Second-Hand Fashion Is Very Much on Trend
Vogue launched its first Vintage Market at Australian Fashion Week, showcasing editor‑curated second‑hand designer pieces and partnering with eBay for live‑streamed auctions. The event highlighted a broader cultural shift toward resale, driven by sustainability, nostalgia and TikTok‑fueled discovery. eBay reported...
The Lead Summit: How Primark Mastered Emotional Brand Building
The Lead Summit in New York highlighted how Primark has turned emotional brand building into a competitive advantage by listening deeply to diverse consumer voices. Panels also examined the shift toward playful storytelling, the pitfalls of chasing every viral trend,...
Super Retail Group, Rebel Targeted by Underpayment Class Action
Super Retail Group’s Rebel division is facing a class‑action lawsuit filed by Adero Law alleging that full‑time managers were underpaid between April 2020 and April 2026. The complaint cites forced work during meal and rest breaks, unpaid overtime, and failure to pay...
Federal Court Intensifies Probe Into Sunken Mosaic Brands
The Federal Court of Australia has granted special permission for liquidators to broaden their document search into the collapsed Mosaic Brands group. The court also upheld a $25 million AUD fine (approximately $16.5 million USD) for breaches of Australian Consumer Law. Investigators...
Snaffle Slapped with $33.5 Million Fine After Overcharging Probe
Australian online retailer Snaffle, operating as Walker Stores Pty Ltd, was hit with a AUD33.5 million fine (about US$22 million) after a Federal Court ruling found it overcharged tens of thousands of customers on installment credit contracts. The court determined the company...
What the Audemars Piguet X Swatch Riots Tell Us About Luxury
Swatch and independent watchmaker Audemars Piguet launched the $400 Bioceramic Royal Pop pocket watch, prompting chaotic scenes at boutiques in New York, London and Paris. The collaboration deliberately avoided a cheap replica of the iconic Royal Oak, opting for a pocket‑watch...
Otra’s Linda Hammond on the Eyewear Brand’s Bloomingdale’s Launch
Linda Hammond, co‑founder of Quay, relaunched in eyewear with Otra in 2022 after selling Quay in 2017. In the last year the brand posted a 742% year‑over‑year sales surge and secured a high‑profile partnership with Bloomingdale’s, rolling out in the...
Will the Exit of Rent the Runway’s Co-Founder Help or Hurt the Business?
Rent the Runway reported a strong fiscal‑year‑2025 fourth‑quarter, with revenue climbing 20% to $91.7 million and active subscribers rising 16% to 146,356. The rebound coincides with founder Jennifer Hyman’s unexpected resignation after 18 years, which sent the stock down 11%. Board member...
From Search to Selection: How Australian Retail Is Being Reshaped
Australian retailers are entering an AI‑driven era where machines, not humans, surface products for shoppers. Shopify data shows AI‑generated traffic to its stores is nine times higher and orders fifteen times higher than before, shifting the battle from capturing attention...
‘No Fat in the System’: Why Dairy Is Under Strain
Australia’s dairy sector, responsible for 8.8 bn L of milk and about $4 bn USD in farm‑gate value, is under severe strain. Input costs—fuel, fertiliser, water, labour and interest—have pushed producers to near break‑even margins, while deregulation has eroded price stability. Production has fallen...
How Coach Rebuilt Its Cool and Why the Numbers Prove It’s Working
Coach, the American leather‑goods label owned by Tapestry, posted a 31% year‑on‑year revenue jump to $1.7 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2026. The surge stems from a deliberate price architecture that keeps flagship bags between $225 and $450, appealing...
Inside the ‘Thai Helps Thai’ Back-to-School Campaign
The Thai government launched the “Thai Helps Thai Back to School 2026” campaign, issuing 500,000 coupons worth about $3 each and partnering with 17 major retailers and e‑commerce platforms to slash prices on school essentials through May. The program creates...
Can Marc Jacobs Beauty Turn Cult Cool Into Mainstream Success?
Marc Jacobs Beauty, dormant since 2021, is set to relaunch under Coty after a fresh licensing deal. The brand, once a cult favorite with products like Velvet Noir mascara, generated roughly $20 million in 2017 but never achieved mass‑market scale. Coty...