Continuing AIIA’s Retail Summit series, the Creating Disruptive Innovation in Retail breakfast forum provides an opportunity for you to hear from companies that have made real inroads in the online retail environment.
This breakfast forum will feature presentations from:
- Karsten Wildberger, General Manager, Consumer, Telstra
- Holly Kramer, CEO, Best & Less
- Mark Cripsey, General Manager, Coles Online
Our guest speakers will also include recommendations and advice for mid-tier and smaller retailers and will discuss the priorities that exist for Australia’s broader retail sector to achieve global competitiveness in a consumer driven digital world.
Additionally, Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Australian Retailers Association will facilitate a panel session, featuring all three guest speakers.
Australian retailers face a challenging environment, with a high cost base relative to overseas markets (including rent and labour costs that are significantly higher than the US, for example). The low population density outside of the capital cities also adds to the Australian retailer’s cost-to-serve.
On the demand side, customers are increasingly armed with detailed information prior to – and often during – their purchasing decision.
This comes not only in the form of price comparison sites, but also product availability, international sourcing options and customer testimonials.
While much is said about the threat of overseas retailers selling direct to the Australian public, there has also been solid growth in Australians buying online across all product categories – from groceries and clothing through to brown goods, white goods and cars.
The disruptors are using all tools at their disposal to meet the challenge of this new environment, including:
- dedicated social media teams
- integrated, multi-channel shopping experiences with multiple customer touch-points
- strategic sourcing
- adaptive pricing
- product and service innovation
- the increasing use of sophisticated loyalty programs
While some of these strategies are relatively easy to envisage, there can be a lot of trial-and-error before the right mix is achieved.
There is also the ‘Innovators Dilemma’ facing existing market leaders as they seek to preserve current cash flows while simultaneously changing their business models.
By attending this event, you will:
- Find out how to innovative companies are successfully disrupting the retail sector to their advantage.
- Learn how to develop a multi-channel approach that works for your line of business.
- Hear from companies that have successfully implemented technology solutions to support their innovations, including cross-platform mobile applications, customer collaboration and in-store customer experiences.
- Develop and extend your personal network so that you can collaborate on your business priorities after this event.
- Receive an invitation to become involved in a network of like-minded individuals who are already successfully disrupting the status quo to create compelling customer experiences in the retail sector.
