<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Retail Sales

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Our economy has <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/national-accounts/australian-national-accounts-national-income-expenditure-and-product/latest-release">grown</a> in the September quarter (the three months to September) after two quarters of going backwards.
Using the literal meaning of <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/recession">recession</a>, we are no longer in one – economic output (the things we produce and consume) is no longer be going backwards.
But things won’t be like they were. Even a rebound in gross domestic product of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/national-accounts/australian-national-accounts-national-income-expenditure-and-product/sep-2020">3.3%</a> (the biggest in 40 years) doesn’t make up for the 7% we lost in the previous quarter, meaning we’ll remain worse off than we were at the start of the year and much worse off than we would have been had the pandemic not happened.
Here are six things to expect as the economy recovers:
1. Consumer spending will recover first, but might need help
Consumer spending will to return to normal first, as <a href="https://budget.gov.au/2020-21/content/bp1/download/bp1_bs2.pdf">forecast in the budget</a>.
(Don’t be fooled by the forecast decline of 1.5% for 2020-21 compared to 2019-20. From where we stood in the June quarter 2020 – an enormous decline of 12% on the March quarter – this is a massive recovery.)
So far the signs are promising, but in part this might be because the stimulus payments are still flowing, keeping household disposable income above pre-COVID levels.
The coronavirus supplement that tops up JobKeeper and other benefits (originally A$225 per week) winds down to $75 per week after Christmas and <a href="https://theconversation.com/top-economists-want-jobseeker-boosted-by-100-per-week-and-tied-to-wages-150364">expires on March 31</a>.
<a href="https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/jobkeeper/extension">JobKeeper</a>, originally $1,500 per fortnight, became harder to get in October and will wind down to $1,000 per fortnight in January and $650 for part-time workers, before expiring on March 31.
Treasury expects wage growth to be slower than price growth for the next two years, so a household-led recovery is by no means guaranteed.
If the recovery stalls in the household sector, activities such as hospitality, retail and arts and entertainment will suffer a second blow and unemployment will remain high.
After the year we’ve had, the household sector could be forgiven for losing confidence.
The government should consider extending the coronavirus supplement payments, and be ready for further one-off stimulus payments if required.
Unlike the imminent income tax cuts, these measures are temporary and can be discontinued as soon as they are no longer required.
Governments can also stimulate demand directly. Victoria has announced an additional <a href="https://education.vic.gov.au/about/careers/teacher/Pages/tutors.aspx">4000 tutors</a> to assist school students left behind after an interrupted year. Other areas in which governments could usefully create meaningful jobs include the care sector and the arts.
2. Overseas demand won’t assist in the recovery
Exports face headwinds and are unlikely to recover over the next 18 months.
The International Monetary Fund expects the global economy to shrink by <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2020/09/30/world-economic-outlook-october-2020">4.4%</a> in 2020 after growing 2.8% in 2019, a turnaround of more than 7%.
This will be apparent in all of Australia’s major customers including China and will depress demand for exports.
More importantly, travel bans have come close to eliminating “exports” of tourism and education, which together account for almost one fifth of Australian export income.
This income will remain weak until international travel properly restarts.
3. We will lose four years population growth
Before the crisis, the 2019 mid-year budget update predicted Australia’s population would grow from 25.6 million to <a href="https://budget.gov.au/2019-20/content/myefo/download/02_Part_2.pdf">28.4 million</a> by June 2026.
This year’s budget says we won’t get there until June 2030, a full four years later.
Even after travel resumes, net overseas migration is expected to remain lower than before due to economic uncertainty and weak labour market conditions.
Businesses will find it more difficult to get the staff they need through skilled migration, crating a greater role for higher education and vocational education.
By 2024 migration is assumed to return to normal, yet population growth will continue to be slow. This is because the birth rate is <a href="https://population.gov.au/docs/recent_impacts_on_australias_population_quick%20guide.pdf">projected</a> to be lower than usual for the remainder of the decade.
4. Business investment will be weaker, and different
2020 has been a difficult year, but it’s also been the year we’ve learnt to do things differently.
We have learnt about on-line shopping, working from home, telehealth and on-line entertainment, and we will continue to make use of what we have learnt after the pandemic is over.
These changes could drive the next genuine wave of productivity growth.
Bricks-and-mortar retail, commercial office space, roads, bridges and railways are all investments that facilitate the meeting and movement of people.
With new technologies and a smaller population that is learning to keep things local, these old-world investments won’t be as generate the same returns as they once might have.
Where we might see the investment dollars being spent is on home improvements, while government investment dollars could be spent on improving local amenities such as parks and community centres.
5. We’ll need to get more people into paid work
A year ago, 66% of Australia’s adult population was participating in the labour market, either by being employed or looking for work.
During the crisis the participation rate dipped below 63%.
It has since returned to 65.8%, a touch above where the budget expects it will stay. Other countries including <a href="https://data.oecd.org/emp/labour-force-participation-rate.htm">Canada, Britain, New Zealand and Germany</a> do better than us.
There’s room to get more unpaid carers (many of them women) into the paid workforce.
More than <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/barriers-and-incentives-labour-force-participation-australia/latest-release">900,000</a> people who perform significant unpaid caring work say they would like more paid employment.
In my work for the National Foundation for Australian Women, I found the net budgetary cost of increasing caring services was <a href="https://nfaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Appendix-A.pdf">modest</a>, mainly because it brought about a strong increase in the tax-paying workforce.
6. One last dark cloud: the terms of trade
The terms of trade measure what we can buy for each unit of what we sell; how many imports we can buy for each unit we export.
The budget forecasts a fall of almost 11% in 2021-22 as a result of lower prices for iron ore.
Taking a long view, this may be nothing more than a correction, but it is as big a fall in a single year as we experienced in the <a href="https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/dog-days">dog days</a> after the end of mining boom when the terms of trade declined for four consecutive years, and we experienced four years without real growth in income growth per capita.
Population, participation and productivity are the “three P’s” that drive economic growth in the long run, but in the short run a big decline in the terms of trade poses a <a href="https://theconversation.com/myefo-projections-signal-a-deepening-income-recession-35539">real risk</a> to a household-led economic recovery.
Where to from here
In an effort to avoid more economic pain, the government has rightly abandoned fiscal restraint in the most recent budget.
Much of its recovery strategy (perhaps too much) is built around income tax cuts and investment incentives.
I see a need for a greater emphasis on temporary measures aimed at supporting household spending, given the role it will have to play in unwinding the recession.
<hr>
 Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/modelling-finds-investing-in-childcare-and-aged-care-almost-pays-for-itself-148097">Modelling finds investing in childcare and aged care almost pays for itself</a> 
<hr>
In the longer term, there is a case for paring back some of the larger income tax cuts to expand child care, aged care and disability care; measures that would support low-paid workers, boost labour force participation, and improve the standard of living for many Australians.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/148797/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/janine-dixon-11006">Janine Dixon</a>, Economist at Centre of Policy Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/victoria-university-1175">Victoria University</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/6-things-to-watch-for-as-australia-crawls-out-of-recession-148797">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Six things to watch for as Australia crawls out of recession

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Interestingly, Australia’s policymakers say we are in recession. But clearly it is a very interesting recession. Retail spending rose 2.4 per cent in June after a 16.9 per cent rise in May. Overall, Australians spent 8.2 per cent more on retail goods and services than they did in June last year. Recent jobs data shows that a record 210,800 jobs were created in June. And national home prices are 7.8 per cent higher than a year ago.
There is no doubt that Australia – like other nations – is battling the COVID-19 crisis and the impacts on the economy. But today’s data shows that our economy is indeed doing better than most – as the Treasurer and Reserve Bank Governor have noted. Stimulus measures provided by state and territory governments and the Reserve Bank have been significant, helping businesses and consumers navigate these challenging times.
The June retail trade data is 22 days old, but it is almost ancient history. Melbourne is under lockdown and many NSW residents are in isolation due to virus outbreaks. Governments and banks have done a lot so far to support Aussies but more may still be required.
The services sector, including restaurants, pubs &amp; clubs, sporting venues and arts &amp; recreation continue to struggle. But food, alcohol and household goods remain very much in demand, driving the overall retail sector higher.
The road will be bumpy in the re-opening phase, and there will be setbacks, but the Australian economy is on the way back. We just need to rely on all Australians doing the right thing – social distancing, wearing masks when required and maintaining good hand hygiene.
What do the figures show?
Retail trade – June
‘Preliminary’ retail trade rose by 2.4 per cent in June after rising by a record 16.9 per cent in May (highest in 38 years of records). Retail spending is up 8.2 per cent on the year. The final June data will be released on August 4.
The ABS reported, “there were large increases in turnover in Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services, and Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing. While some restrictions on trade remain, many businesses saw a full month of trade in June, having been closed for the first week of May 2020."
Rises in Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services exceeded 20 per cent for the second consecutive month, but will remain 17 per cent below the levels of June 2019, while Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing rose around 19 per cent, remaining 6 per cent below June 2019 levels.
Food retailing rose 0.9 per cent following a 7.2 per cent month-on-month rise in May, and remains elevated in through-the-year terms.
Analysis of supermarket scanner data shows that compared to June 2019, Perishable goods rose 14.4 per cent, Non-perishable goods 12.4 per cent, and All other products 7.8 per cent. The annual growth reflects a continuation of more food being prepared and consumed at home due to social distancing. At the end of the June month there was some evidence of stockpiling of goods such as toilet paper, flour, rice and pasta. At the aggregate level, stockpiling is most evident in Victoria.
Household goods retailing fell in June 2020 although remains 23 per cent above June 2019 levels.
Department stores saw a significant fall after a large rise in May 2020 in seasonally adjusted month-on-month terms.”
In its press release the ABS said: “Rises in June 2020 were led by cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services, and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing. While some restrictions on trade remained in June, many businesses in these industries saw a full month of trade, having been closed for the first week of May 2020. Turnover in these industries remained below the levels of June 2019.
Food retailing saw a minor rise of 0.9 per cent, with a rise in supermarkets and grocery stores offset by a fall in liquor retailing. Levels in supermarkets and grocery stores remained elevated, with evidence of stockpiling occurring at the very end of June, particularly in Victoria.
Household goods retailing fell in June 2020, however this industry continued to trade significantly above the levels of June 2019. Department stores fell 12 per cent following a large rise in May.”
Skilled Job Vacancies – June
In seasonally adjusted terms, the Department of Employment Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) increased by 26.3 per cent (or 24,600 job advertisements) in June 2020 to stand at 118,300. Despite this increase, job advertisements are 31.0 per cent (or 53,100 advertisements) below the level recorded in June 2019.
All states and both territories recorded an increase in job advertisements in June 2020. NSW (up 22.5 per cent); Victoria (up 35.4 per cent); Queensland (up 29.3 per cent); South Australia (up 29.5 per cent); Western Australia (up 32.4 per cent); Tasmania (up 52.3 per cent); Northern Territory (up 35.7 per cent); ACT (up 3 per cent).
“Job advertisements increased in all occupational groups. The strongest gains were recorded for Community and Personal Service Workers (up by 54.5 per cent), followed by Sales Workers (39.2 per cent) and Technicians and Trades Workers (32.1 per cent).
Despite the gains observed during the month, 45 of the 48 detailed occupational groups recorded falls in job advertisement over the year to June 2020.
Education Professionals recorded the largest increase (up by 21.9 per cent or 390 job advertisements) over the year. Construction Trades Workers, and Cleaners and Laundry Workers were the two other occupational groups to record increases, both up by 3.9 per cent (or 80 and 60 job advertisements respectively).
Job advertisements for Education Professionals and Cleaners and Laundry Workers now exceed pre COVID-19 (February 2020) levels.”
What are the implications for investors
The economic environment remains very fluid, driven by daily developments in the virus crisis. Volatility will persist until a vaccine is found or there are fundamental advances in virus treatments.
The Federal Government will release the July Economic and Fiscal Update (JEFU) at 11am on Thursday.
CRAIG JAMES is the Chief Economist at CommSec
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Retail spending up 8% on last year: CommSec's Craig James

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After two solid months of growth in August and September, online retail sales weakened in October, according to the latest NAB Online Retail Sales Index data.
Transactions went back -1.4 per cent over October, however year on year were up over seven percent despite slowing growth.
The largest sales category, homewares and appliances, recorded a significant monthly contraction in sales, and was a key contributor to the headline result. 
There was further improvement in sales growth for the second largest sales category, grocery and liquor.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/Online%20retail%20sales%20mom%20NAB.jpg" alt="">
This category was significantly impacted by the mid-year sales weakness, so much so, that its share of the online index has dropped from around 28% a year ago to about 26% now.
The smallest sales category, takeaway food, has been the most volatile in terms of sales growth; through this volatility, this category’s sales are up 80% when compared to the monthly sales of October 2018, and is almost 50% larger in the 12-months-to October 2019. 
 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/12/4/NAB%20MOM%20retail%20sales.jpg" alt="">
Alan Oster said, Chief Economist, NAB said, "The three most populous states represent just over 80% of all online sales, slightly above their share of the population. Of these large sales states, Victoria leads in year-on-year growth, with ACT and NT leading the smaller sales regions."
"On average, online sales growth in Victoria has been higher than NSW over the past couple of years. Consequently, the gap in spend share between the two is narrowing."
"Representing about two-thirds of all online sales, metropolitan areas recorded a bigger contraction in sales growth in October, relative to regional areas."
"This generally followed across all states except WA, where regional sales growth contraction was larger than metro areas. In addition, regional online retail continued to grow in NSW and SA, indicating that the headline contraction for these states was driven by metro areas."
"By merchant location, international retailers (+1.0%) grew strongly in the month, while domestic (-1.6%) retailers contracted."
"While key domestic categories of grocery and liquor, and personal and recreational continued to grow, it was insufficient to offset weakness in the sales categories of homewares and appliances, media, fashion, and department stores."
"Fashion, games and toys, and small sales category takeaway food contributed to the continued growth for international merchants, he concluded.
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Online retail sales weakens after strong growth: NAB

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The September retail report disappointed in every respect. Monthly sales showed another weak gain, up just 0.2%, and real retail sales contracted 0.1% in the quarter to be down –0.2%yr, the first annual contraction since the early 1990s recession. The consensus forecast was for a 0.4% gain in the month and a 0.3% rise for the quarter.
The monthly profile continues to show little or no response to policy measures – interest rate cuts in June-July and tax relief from July should have added about $3bn to monthly household disposable incomes. With retail sales running at $27bn a month, even a small flow on impact to spending would quickly turn the dial. Monthly sales have instead posted lacklustre gains, flat in July, up 0.4% in August and a 0.2% gain in September. Comparing reactions to fiscal and monetary policy easings historically, the current response is at the lowest end of the range.
Quarterly real retail sales have now declined in three of the last four quarters. Importantly, the slowdown in real terms is due to a combination of moderating nominal sales growth and stronger price gains. In fact, the price side has had the larger effect – over the last year, annual growth in nominal sales has slowed by 0.7ppts but retail price inflation has surged 1.6ppts from 1.1%yr to 2.7%yr. The pick-up reflects a mix of factors including the impact of the drought on food prices and easing disinflation in some AUD-affected segments. There are also some indications that retailers have been shoring up weak margins in recent quarters.
For the September quarter, the storetype breakdown showed a very result for cafes &amp; restaurants (–1%qtr, –0.4%yr); slippage for department stores (–0.1%qtr, +0.5%yr); flat sales for basic food (flat%qtr, –1%yr); but modest gains for clothing (+0.3%qtr, +0.9%yr) and 'other retail' (+0.3%qtr, +0.9%yr); and a surprisingly strong bounce for household goods (0.9%qtr, flat%yr) coming off back to back quarterly declines.
By state, all the eastern states recorded sales declines, WA bucking the trend with a surprisingly strong 0.9%qtr gain but coming off back to back falls. Annual spending growth shows a much clearer pattern with NSW and Vic driving the slowdown over the last year, sales in outright contraction in NSW (–1.7%yr) and contracting in per capita terms across both.
Looking by channel, online sales have posted a solid pick up since June, annual growth back above 15%yr (a double digit pace but subdued for this segment). The performance by firms size remains stark with large retailers recording steady nominal sales growth of around 4.5%yr but small retailers seeing sales falling at around 1.5-2%yr.
Overall the report suggests consumer spending remained very weak through the third quarter, pointing to clear downside risks to the wider consumption measures in the national accounts and near term forecasts for GDP growth. 
Read full article <a href="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/file/Australia/2019/November/er20191104BullRetailQ3.pdf">'Australian retail sales Q3' (PDF 257kb)</a>
MATTHEW HASSAN is a Senior Economist at Westpac
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Australian retail sales running on empty: Matthew Hassan

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A private South Australian investor has paid $12.95 million on a 7.57 per cent yield for Moelis Australia’s Hollywood Plaza Large Format Retail Centre at Salisbury Downs in Adelaide’s outer north.
According to CBRE Director Investments Justin Dowers who brokered the Expressions of Interest deal with Mark Wizel, Kevin Tong, and Michael Fenton, the property attracted significant local and international interest eliciting seven formal offers.
The asset features include, full occupancy, the integrated nature of the six tenancies and space available for future expansion.
It is located opposite the Hollywood Plaza shopping centre.
The fully leased, 8080 sqm centre, returns an annual net income of $980,000 from six separate tenancies including Cheap as Chips, Supercheap Auto, Salvation Army and Anytime Fitness, with a WALE of 5.8 years.
Mr Wizel said the 3.7 hectare site presented investors with significant value-add or expansion opportunities, including mixed-use development, due to the low 22 per cent site coverage.
Mr Dowers said some positive news regarding the South Australian economy was also noted by purchasers.
"South Australia is currently experiencing a period of growth buoyed by significant investment in key sectors including the ship building program and the $5 billion investment in the largest teaching hospital in the Southern Hemisphere, projects which are expected to benefit the state for decades to come," he stated.
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Adelaide's Hollywood Plaza retail centre sold for $13 million

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A ground floor retail investment in Ascot Vale, Victoria has been sold for $935,000 to a local investor. 
The 131 square metre property at 202 Union Road, Ascot Vale has been leased to Flemington Financial Services Ltd T/A Bendigo Bank.
It returns $45,395 per annum plus GST on a four plus four year lease term, equating to a yield of 4.86% and building rate of $7,137 per square metre.
The property features an open plan reception/office layout, two partitioned offices, ducted heating and cooling, staff amenities and kitchenette.
It was sold by Craig McKellar of CVA.
It has 6 metre frontage to Union Road and rear access via The Parade.
Union Road is located under 5 kilometres from Melbourne CBD and is supported by an array of retail shops, cafes, restaurants and offices and is serviced by tram.
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Ascot Vale ground floor retail investment sold for $935,000 

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The April retail update came in weaker than expected, sales dipping 0.1% in the month compared to consensus forecasts of a 0.2% gain.
Annual growth slowed to 2.8% per year, the slowest pace since mid 2018.
The timing of public holidays may have been a factor in April, with Easter falling in the month this year and the ANZAC day public holiday a week later encouraging many to take leave.
While the ABS tries to adjust for these shifting seasonal effects, there may have been more of a dampening effect compared to previous years.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%201.jpg" alt="">
That said, both the sub-category and state detail in April point to wealth effect spillovers from the Sydney and Melbourne led housing market corrections weighing on sales.
In particular, household goods retail sales – a bellwether for discretionary 'durables' spending – fell 0.9% in the month and NSW and Vic both recorded more pronounced 0.4% declines.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%202.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%202.jpg" alt="">
The remaining sub-category detail shows a 0.2% gain in the large basic food retail category and more mixed results elsewhere – clothing down 1.2% month and cafes &amp; restaurants down 0.7% month but both coming off sold gains in March; and department stores up 1.8% month and 'other retailing' up 0.8% month but both coming off declines last month.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%203.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:  <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%203.jpg" alt="">
Needless to say it pays to look through the monthly volatility.
Looking at sales across the major states: NSW –0.4%mth, +1.2%yr; Vic –0.4%mth, +3.7%yr; Qld +0.7%mth, +6.0%yr; SA +0.6%mth, +0.5%yr; and WA +0.1%mth, +2.6%yr.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%204.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%204.jpg" alt="">
Looking by channel, online sales look to have posted a reasonably solid 1.1% gain in the April month, although the annual pace of growth in this segment continues to slow. 
The breakdown by retailer size shows weakness concentrated amongst small retailers, sales in the segment down 0.9%mth. Large non-food retailers saw a flat result while large food retailers recorded a 0.6% gain.
Overall the April retail update is clearly on the soft side, marking a weak start to the June quarter and with some worrying signs that wealth effect drags may be intensifying.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%205.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%205.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%206.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%206.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%207.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%207.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%208.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%208.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%209.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%209.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/4/retail%2010.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/4/retail%2010.jpg" alt="">
MATTHEW HASSAN is a Senior Economist for Westpac
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Australian retail sales soften again: Westpac's Matthew Hassan

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The retail premises of of Lorna Jane on Hastings Street, Noosa Heads has been sold.
The $5.06 million sale was negotiated by CBRE’s Brendan Robins and Ryan Parry on behalf of the vendor, a private NSW based investor.
Mr Robins said, “the offers to purchase campaign attracted over 30 enquiries from qualified investors, with the sale price translating to a yield of 5.25% and a rate of $44,779 per square metre.”
With an NLA of 113sqm, Shop 1 at 55 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads is leased to Lorna Jane Pty until August 2022 with a five-year option and has a net rental income of $265,533 after land tax deductions.
Featuring a 9 metre frontage to Hastings Street, it also has 2 car spaces. 
In 2007, Mr Robins managed the sale of the same property, then tenanted by Hugo Boss, for $4.65 million.
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Lorna Jane retails premises on Hastings Street, Noosa sold for $5.06 million

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Retail sales rose 0.1% in January, a disappointing result compared to consensus expectations of a 0.3% gain. Retail was coming off a 0.4% fall in the final month of 2018, so the muted January rise speaks to continued weakness carrying into early 2019.
Annual sales growth has slowed to 2.7%yr with the trend pace over the last six months closer to 2%yr.
The detail showed gains were confined to food sub-categories – both basic food and cafes &amp; restaurants up 0.3%mth – with non food categories down 0.1%mth on a combined basis. Within the latter: department stores booked another sizeable decline (–2.1%mth following –1.3% in Dec and a muted 0.4% gain in Nov); clothing was down 0.3% coming off a 3% fall in Dec but a strong 4.4% gain over Oct-Nov; and household goods retail was flat, coming off 0.8% gains in Nov and Dec. The 'other retail' category - mainly 'small ticket' discretionary items – posted a 0.7% gain.
The picture by state did have one slight positive with a solid 0.7% rise in NSW. The state had shown a much weaker finish to 2018, raising concerns that wealth effect drags were starting to bite harder. The Jan gain pares that weakness back a bit although trend sales are still weaker, flat lining vs slight 0.2% a month gains in most other states.
Looking by channel, online sales look to have posted a 2-3% gain for the month, with retail ex online down slightly (–0.1%mth).
By retailer size, small retailers reported a 0.6% fall with non food retailers driving the monthly gain amongst larger retailers. Despite this, large food retailers have still seen the best growth over the last year, sales up 4.9%yr on a combined basis, some of which relates to firmer pricing.
Separate data on vehicle sales have been mixed in early 2019. Our estimates suggest monthly seasonally adjusted sales rose in Jan but slipped back a touch in Feb. Seasonal adjustment is more problematic around this time of year so these moves should be treated with caution. Sales are still down about 10%yr. The Q4 national accounts detail showed a 1.5%qtr decline in consumer vehicle purchases, tracking a 6% annual pace of declines over the last three quarters of 2018.
Overall the slight gain in January retail sales indicates that the soft spending conditions over the second half of 2018 have extended into 2019. While sales may not be contracting in nominal terms they are likely to be down in volume terms once price changes are excluded.
MATTHEW HASSAN is a Senior Economist for Westpac
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Australian retail sales tick up, just: Westpac's Matthew Hassan

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Department stores and clothing retailers are drawing on consumer behaviour and psychological research to compete with online shopping. 
Bricks-and-mortar retail stores are under intense pressure from online competition. Feeling the most heat are clothes shops and department stores.
This year David Jones’s profit halved, to A$64 million. Myer declared a “disappointing” <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-12/myer-full-year-results-2018/10236074" target="_blank">A$486 million loss</a>. German giant Esprit, whose global sales have fallen 40% in four years, has shuttered <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-insider/analyst-insights/espirit-the-clothing-retailer-set-to-close-its-australian-stores/" target="_blank">its Australian operations</a>. The US-based Gap closed its <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/gap-closes-final-australian-store-ending-its-disastrous-foray-down-under/news-story/c27860366c3c290e087339aaec3c8503" target="_blank">last Australian store</a> back in February. Other brands to have collapsed include Metalicus, Oroton, Marcs, David Lawrence and Pumpkin Patch.
<hr>
<iframe style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/43k4k/1/" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
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What to do?
One answer is to invest in and enhance those aspects of the shopping experience that online retailers just can’t provide.
To do so department stores and clothing retailers are drawing on consumer behaviour and psychological research to make themselves more appealing – sometimes without shoppers even consciously realising it.
Here are three of the most significant strategies.
<h2>Home is where your heart is</h2>
Shopping from home is comfortable. You can do it in your time. You feel no pressure to hurry up and buy something. You can do it in your pyjamas.
To compete against the home shopping experience, retailers are exploring how to make you feel more at home in their stores. Tactics involve evoking sensory familiarity through furnishings, lighting and even scents.
Men’s clothing retailer Rodd &amp; Gunn is taking the homeliness vibe to its logical extreme, with shop fit-outs that mimic an actual home.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/247179/original/file-20181126-149311-1x3m3l0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> Rodd &amp; Gunn’s ‘experiential’ retail store in Chadstone, Melbourne. Rodd and Gunn blog
The picture above shows Rodd &amp; Gunn’s “<a href="https://www.insideretail.com.au/news/stores-news/rodd-gunn-opens-experiential-chadstone-store-201810" target="_blank">experiential store</a>” in Chadstone, Melbourne. There’s a slanted wood-panelled ceiling to evoke a real house roof. In the centre of the shop floor is a “living room” space with sofa, armchairs and a coffee table. Artworks hang on the walls. It’s all intended to make you feel as relaxed (almost) as you would in your own home.
This approach reflects the research that shows how <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096969891630577X" target="_blank">familiar design elements</a> help make shoppers feel comfortable. Colour and music choices apparently don’t make much difference, but layout and other sensory experiences do.
Familiar scents, for example, can affect your decision to go into a store, how long you stay and ultimately how much you spend. They are particularly effective when they <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698916305483" target="_blank">complement</a> the brand, such as the faint smell of wood in a hardware store or a more herbal scent in a wellness store.
<h2>You want space, but not too much</h2>
What can make or break your experience in a shop is how the staff treat you. As <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282224094_The_Thin_Line_between_Love_and_Hate_of_Attention_The_Customer_Shopping_Experience" target="_blank">Sarah Alhouti and her colleagues</a> have put it, there’s a thin line between love and hate of attention.
An overly attentive salesperson can be perceived as desperate, pushy or aggressive and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296304000372" target="_blank">drive you away</a>. Too little attention, on the other hand, can leave you feeling <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/2786426.pdf" target="_blank">ignored, unwanted and unworthy</a>, with the same result.
With the Goldilocks zone being different for different people, retailers are turning to technology to help get the attention levels right.
For example, Australia’s largest swimwear label, Seafolly, is trying out an <a href="http://www.ragtrader.com.au/news/seafolly-has-launched-a-magic-mirror" target="_blank">interactive mirror</a> in the fitting room of its Bondi Junction store in Sydney.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250180/original/file-20181212-76974-17a4act.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> The interactive mirror in Seafolly’s Bondi Junction store. Seafolly
It allows the customer to message staff directly from the changing room for assistance only if, and when, they decide they need it.
<h2>You’re so special</h2>
Shopping online is highly convenient but it doesn’t necessarily make you feel special.
Some bricks-and-mortar retailers are positioning themselves at the premium end of the shopping market by appealing to the human desire to be pampered. It makes sense to invest in the “VIP experience”, because now every customer they get is very important.
Creating the VIP experience extends from personal greetings to champagne and caviar bars.
Department store <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/department-stores-are-promising-better-service-but-is-it-too-late-20181003-p507i8" target="_blank">David Jones</a> has embraced this trend as part of the A$200 million redevelopment of its Sydney premises.
Its revamped shoe floor – the largest shoe store in Australia – includes “shoe concierges” to greet and guide you and specialist shoe fitters recruited from around the world. And yes, there’s also a champagne bar.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/247180/original/file-20181126-149317-1nzb9wa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> David Jones’ new ‘Level 7’ shoe floor in Sydney. David Jones media release
Such experiences meet the desire for <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/njgoldston/2017/12/29/what-you-need-to-know-about-luxury-consumer-trends-for-2018/#2d19680921eb" target="_blank">a “luxe” experience</a> without the luxury price tag. Research has found that even the simple act of just being welcomed at the entrance of a store can influence how your <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296316304295">perceive service quality</a> as well as <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324159812_The_Social_Servicescape_A_Multidimensional_Operationalization" target="_blank">customer satisfaction and store loyalty</a>.
Whether such strategies can save bricks-and-mortar stores remains to be seen.
In the meantime, champagne anyone?<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/107506/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eloise-zoppos-579650" target="_blank">Eloise Zoppos</a>, Senior Research Consultant, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank">Monash University</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/brick-bait-three-tricks-up-retailers-sleeves-to-lure-you-back-to-physical-shops-107506" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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