Inside Retail Australia
Asia-Pacific retail news and insights.
Why Asia Is H&M’s Testing Ground for a New Model of Physical Retail
H&M has opened a concept store in Seoul’s Seongsu district, turning the space into an experiential retail lab. The three‑level venue showcases curated, locally‑relevant assortments and cultural programming rather than traditional fast‑fashion layouts. By blending fashion with art, community areas and digital studios, H&M aims to drive higher full‑price sales and reduce reliance on heavy markdowns. The model is being rolled out across Asia, with similar flagship concepts such as House of H&M in Shanghai serving as larger‑scale pilots.
Profits Fall at Accent Group Despite Resurgent Store Network
Accent Group’s net profit after tax plunged 40.5% in the first half of FY2024 despite a 5.7% revenue rise to $810.5 million. Like‑for‑like retail sales grew modestly 0.9% while wholesale jumped 9.4%, but higher operating costs and lease negotiations eroded earnings....
What Does Ssense’s Rescue Deal Mean for Its Future?
Ssense, the Montreal‑based luxury e‑commerce platform valued at $4 billion in 2021, filed for bankruptcy in August 2025 after US tariff hikes and operational missteps eroded its margins. In February 2026 the Atallah brothers secured court approval to purchase the company’s...
Alo Heads Down Under with First Store Locations Revealed
Los Angeles‑based athleisure brand Alo Yoga announced its entry into the Australian market with two flagship stores, one at Chatswood Chase and a 700 sqm, two‑level location in Westfield Bondi. The openings are part of Alo’s broader international expansion, adding to...
How Sundae Body Turned ‘Beige’ Body Wash Into a 3 Million–Unit Powerhouse
Australian beauty brand Sundae Body has sold over 3 million units and expanded to 9,000 stores worldwide by treating brand as the operating system rather than a marketing afterthought. The company differentiates its body‑care line with sensory‑first formulas, candy‑colored packaging and...
City Chic Pares Back Losses, but US Downscaling Weighs Down Sales
City Chic Collective posted a modest improvement in profitability for the fiscal first half, with underlying EBITDA jumping 86% to $6.5 million and losses from continuing operations halving to $3.5 million. Global sales slipped 0.4% to $69.2 million, driven by a 31.4% plunge...
Inside Koala Eco’s Disciplined Push Into the US Natural Channel
Koala Eco, an Australian natural‑care brand, has moved beyond its US entry phase to a disciplined scaling strategy focused on profitable growth. Co‑founders Paul Davidson and Jessica Bragdon prioritize performance per door, deepening presence in premium natural retailers like Sprouts...
Westfield Operator Scentre Group Grows Income for Fifth Consecutive Year
Scentre Group, operator of 42 Westfield malls in Australia and New Zealand, reported its fifth year of consecutive growth in 2025. Customer visits rose 2.7% to 540 million, occupancy reached 99.8%, and business partner sales hit $30 billion. Funds from operations increased 4.9%...
Why Tumi Is Doubling Down on Function as Asia Travels Again
Tumi has relaunched its Alpha collection, positioning it as a performance‑driven luxury line built for modern movement. The brand’s global campaign, fronted by Lando Norris and Chinese actor Wei Daxun, stresses purpose‑filled travel. In Asia‑Pacific, Tumi tailors its approach: Hong...
How Freedom Furniture Is Turning Casual Browsers Into Loyal Customers
Freedom Furniture is leveraging AI to unify its omnichannel retail experience, from discovery to post‑sale service. By expanding its catalog from 12,000 to over 70,000 SKUs through a dropship model, the retailer relies on AI‑driven search and recommendation engines that...
Adore Beauty Sales Soar but Black Friday ‘Overperformance’ Hurts Profits
Adore Beauty posted an 8.7% year‑on‑year revenue increase to $111.9 million, delivering a record underlying EBITDA of $4.1 million, up 14.5%. The strong Black Friday‑Cyber Monday sales drove a 120‑basis‑point dip in gross profit margin, falling to 35% as discounting intensified. The...
7-Eleven Bets Australia Can Prove Global Convenience Model
7‑Eleven Australia aims to reach 1,000 stores by 2030 after Seven & I Holdings’ $1.7 billion acquisition. The Japanese parent is using the market as a testbed for its food‑led convenience format, emphasizing fresh meals and private‑label items over traditional fuel...
Retailers Reset Expectations for 2026 – Operations Is Where the Battle Is Won
Australian retailers and e‑commerce firms are entering 2026 with a pragmatic outlook, prioritising operational discipline over aggressive expansion. Productivity has become a frontline commercial issue as labour constraints and cost pressure erode margins. Companies are moving from blunt cost‑cutting to...
Harvey Norman to Defend Class Action over Discredited Latitude Payment Plans
Harvey Norman has been named the second defendant in a newly filed class action alleging that its promotion of Latitude Finance Australia’s interest‑free, 60‑month payment plans misled consumers. The lawsuit seeks restitution, damages, and a declaration that the agreements are...
Inside Sukoshi Mart’s Plan to Launch 40 Stores in the US by the End of 2026
Sukoshi Mart, a Canadian‑born Asian beauty retailer, aims to open 40 U.S. stores by the end of 2026, pushing its annual sales past $100 million. The company has doubled its store count each year since 2023 and now offers over 5,000...
Why Coach Is Going All in on Hospitality
Coach has launched a 56‑seat modern steakhouse, The Coach Restaurant, inside Jewel Changi Airport, leveraging the venue’s iconic Rain Vortex backdrop. The restaurant weaves Coach’s heritage—leather‑trimmed menus, bronze mirrors, a suspended yellow taxi—into a full‑service dining experience that complements its...
Adairs Profit Dives as Store-Driven Reset Continues
Adairs reported a 5.9% rise in first‑half revenue to $329 million, driven by a store‑focused reset strategy. Gross profit improved 3.6% to $153.9 million, but net profit after tax fell 33.8% to $12.8 million. The Mocka brand delivered the strongest sales surge, up...
Berkelouw Books, Harry Hartog Operators Sued by Union over Employee Contracts
The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) has sued the operators of Berkelouw Books and the Harry Hartog chain, alleging a 13‑year‑old enterprise agreement that denies basic wage loading and penalty rates. Over 100 employees across four Berkelouw and fourteen...
Michael Hill Renames ‘Formula-1 Inspired’ Jewellery Before Australian Grand Prix
Michael Hill International launched a limited‑edition collection of race‑car pendants ahead of the Melbourne Grand Prix, originally marketed as “Formula 1‑inspired” jewellery. After reviewing Formula One Group’s trademark guidelines, the retailer rebranded the pieces as “Racing Car pendants” to avoid infringement....
Painting the Path: How Maku Fenaroli Turned Wearable Art Into Maku the Label
Maku Fenaroli, a self‑taught New Zealand artist, painted a Melbourne laneway in 2013 and later leveraged Instagram to showcase her work. After a $200 influencer‑driven T‑shirt sparked demand, she left a corporate superannuation job in 2024 to launch Maku the...
Inside Hermès’ Strategy for Profitable Growth in a Slower China
Hermès reported record revenue of over €16 billion in 2025, a 9 % increase at constant exchange rates, and recurring operating income of €6.6 billion, lifting margins to 41 % of sales. Growth was driven by its leather‑goods division, which expanded 13.1 % and remains...
Winning Group Set to Be Sold to Private Equity Company Ellerston Capital
Why Gucci Should Emulate Burberry to Rediscover Its Touch
Gucci’s Q4 sales slumped 10% year‑on‑year, pulling Kering’s overall revenue down 10% to €14.7 billion in 2025. CEO Luca de Meo, appointed in September, flagged the dip as a low point but promised a disciplined rebound in 2026. The group has already...
Boutique Bubble-Tea Chain Chicha San Chen Plans 30 Stores
Chicha San Chen, a Taiwanese boutique bubble‑tea chain, announced plans to open 30 Australian stores within three years, expanding from its six‑store footprint in New South Wales. The brand entered Australia in January 2023 with a Sydney flagship and launched...
Lando Norris’s Streetwear Brand Quadrant Opens Melbourne Pop-Up Store
Lando Norris’s streetwear label Quadrant is launching its first physical retail space with a three‑day pop‑up in Melbourne from March 5 to 7, timed with the Australian Grand Prix. The temporary store will showcase Melbourne‑exclusive merchandise, a preview of the 2026...
CBD Retail Vacancies Fall to Lowest Rate on Record
Australia’s central business district retail vacancy rate fell to a record low of 10.4% in the second half of 2025, according to CBRE. Sydney led the market with a 4.3% vacancy rate, followed by Melbourne at 6.5%. Adelaide’s vacancy rose...
Why a Merger Could Be the Death of Myer and David Jones
The rise of online shopping—now exceeding 20% of sales for both Myer and David Jones—is forcing Australian department stores to rethink their brick‑and‑mortar models. Myer is pivoting to a vertically integrated, aspirational brand by acquiring Premier Investments’ apparel portfolio and...
Step One Half-Year Loss Prompts Call for ‘Urgency’ in Reset
Step One reported a 24.5% revenue decline to $36.3 million and a 203% drop in net profit after tax, posting a $8.4 million loss for the first half of FY 2026. The company booked a $10.9 million provision for slow‑moving legacy inventory, highlighting challenges...
The Gold Squeeze: Agility, Trust and Craft Keep Small Studios Afloat
Gold prices have surged to just under $5,000 an ounce, squeezing margins for independent jewellery studios. Designers like The Cut Jewellery are leveraging agility, offering lower‑karat options and bespoke services to preserve profitability. Consumers continue to view fine jewellery as...
What’s Driving Malbon Golf’s Vietnam Strategy?
Malbon Golf opened its first standalone store in Ho Chi Minh City, marking the brand’s debut in Vietnam. Rather than chasing rapid scale, the Los Angeles‑based label partnered with The Kho Group to ensure regional continuity and cultural fit. The...
Retail Expansion Drives Record Earnings for Baby Bunting
Baby Bunting posted record half‑year sales of $271.4 million, a 4.9% increase year‑on‑year, driven by a mix of new large‑format stores, small‑format openings, and six "store of the future" refurbishments. Online sales climbed to 24.8% of total revenue, up 18%, reflecting...
Enhancing Customer Experience in Store: Four Strategies From Kaisercraft
Kaisercraft, an Australian gift‑store chain with 110 locations, is using four tactics to sharpen its in‑store customer experience. It standardises promotions across all outlets, leverages real‑time sales and inventory data to react swiftly to shifting demand, deploys an offline‑capable point‑of‑sale...
How Retailers Should Respond to Events Like Ramadan and the Lunar New Year
Retailers face a rare calendar convergence as Ramadan and Lunar New Year begin almost simultaneously in February 2024. Luxury and beauty brands are launching limited‑edition products and pop‑up events, but many consumers criticize superficial zodiac imagery and token gestures. Experts...
Inside the Retail Impact of the Wuthering Heights Revival
Emerald Fennell’s upcoming *Wuthering Heights* film has sparked a retail wave, driving U.S. print sales eight‑fold and UK sales up 469 percent in January. Warner Bros. pre‑emptively signed 35 brand partners, turning the novel into a multi‑category merchandising engine. Fast‑fashion giant...
Blushington Co-Founders Discuss 15 Years of Operating in the Beauty Industry
Blushington’s co‑founders Nicki Maron and Stephi Cohen marked 15 years of operating a hybrid beauty‑service franchise, highlighted by the opening of their first Boca Raton franchise. The brand pioneered an affordable, service‑first makeup lounge when experiential retail was nascent, later...
Hog’s Breath Ex-CEO Returns to RFG in New Role
Tom Elliott, former CEO of casual dining chain Hog’s Breath, has rejoined Retail Food Group (RFG) as the group strategy and performance manager. Elliott, who spent 14 years at RFG in marketing, brand management, and operations roles, left to lead...
What Keeps Singapore’s Retail Growth Resilient?
Singapore’s retail sector has quietly outperformed expectations, delivering a 12.3% inflation‑adjusted sales increase over the past decade while the population grew 10.4%. Excluding automotive sales, non‑auto retail rose 11.8% since 2019, translating to a healthy 0.7% annual per‑capita gain. Mall...
How One Teaspoon Turned Counter‑culture Denim Into a 25‑Year Global Business
One Teaspoon, founded by Liz Roberts in 1999, has evolved from a counter‑culture denim experiment into a globally distributed brand sold in over 40 countries. The label has remained entirely self‑funded, preserving full control over pricing, design, and retail partnerships....
Sushi Sushi Sold to Japan’s Genki Global Dining Concepts
Japanese operator Genki Global Dining Concepts has agreed to purchase Australia’s Sushi Sushi for more than $160 million. The acquisition adds Sushi Sushi’s 100‑plus domestic locations to Genki’s portfolio of over 430 stores across 13 countries. Genki aims to use its global...
Business-Related Personal Insolvencies Surge
Australian Financial Security Authority data shows a sharp rise in business‑related personal insolvencies, with 344 individuals filing in December – a 38% year‑on‑year increase and the fourth consecutive December gain. Over the past four years, the share of personal insolvencies...
Retail Rewired: Why Human-Centred Retail Is the Priority for 2026
Retail leaders in Australia and New Zealand are re‑balancing AI‑driven efficiency with human‑centred strategies, according to iMedia’s Retail Industry Pulse 2025. Eight in ten executives now list personalized customer experience as the top growth lever, while loyalty is being elevated to...
Myer Announces Exclusive D-Store Deal with Mac Cosmetics
Myer has secured an exclusive partnership with MAC Cosmetics, becoming the only department store in Australia to carry the brand from mid‑year onward. The deal follows the arrival of Fenty Beauty in May and adds to more than 22 new...
Retail Spending Cools in December as Consumers Pull Back After Black Friday
Australian retail spending grew 4.8% year‑on‑year to $38.6 billion in December, a slowdown from November’s 7% surge. The deceleration reflects consumers pulling forward purchases to Black Friday and October sales, leaving December weaker. Growth was led by cafes, restaurants and takeaway...
Bondi Sands Bets on Feeling, Not Forecasts, with ‘Summer Never Ends’
Bondi Sands launches the "Summer Never Ends" global platform, shifting its narrative from a seasonal tagline to a year‑round confidence mindset. The campaign relies on authentic, mood‑driven creative and diverse ambassadors, extending across social, OOH, digital and in‑store touchpoints. It...
Coca-Cola, Colgate and the Benefits of Category Captaincy for Retailers
Category captains are experiencing a quiet resurgence as retailers seek smarter, data‑driven ways to grow categories rather than just individual brands. By partnering with leading suppliers like Coca‑Cola and Colgate, retailers delegate range, space and promotional planning while retaining strategic...
Cosette to Close Australian Operations After 11 Years
Cosette, an online luxury multi‑brand retailer, announced it will shut its Australian operations and Sydney warehouse after 11 years in business. The decision cites changing market conditions following a year‑long investigation that cleared the company of allegations it sold counterfeit...
‘A Beautiful Mess’: Best & Less Unveils New Branding Campaign
Best & Less has partnered with Connecting Plots Group to launch a new brand repositioning campaign called “So. Much. Better.” The campaign reframes value as freedom for Australian families, emphasizing authentic, messy moments over curated perfection. Research underpinning the work...
Taste Meets Technology: How Dotshop Is Putting Curation Back Into Luxury
Dotshop, an Australian luxury e‑commerce platform founded by Lisa Ruffle and Steve Jensen, combines human editorial curation with AI to deliver intuitive product discovery. Unlike algorithm‑driven marketplaces that prioritize scale, Dotshop’s AI interprets taste, intent and behavior within a framework...
JB Hi-Fi Launches Retail Media Network, a First for the Electronics Sector
JB Hi-Fi announced the launch of its own retail media network, the first dedicated to the consumer electronics sector. The service is built in partnership with Retail MediaWorks and will allow brands and agencies to run targeted omnichannel campaigns across...
How Brands and Retailers Should Strategically Respond to the GLP-1 Consumer Boom
Coresight Research projects the U.S. GLP‑1 drug market to surge from $42.6 billion in 2024 to $137 billion by 2030, driven by broader insurance coverage and next‑generation oral therapies. The rapid adoption of GLP‑1 medications is reshaping retail demand, with consumers buying...