Our latest insights

As Australia moves away from legacy business payment systems like batch payments and cheques, the shift to real-time, account-to-account payments is transforming the way businesses interact – not just with their banks, but with each other.

A strong festive season, driven by Black Friday and year-end sales, has set a positive tone for retail in 2025. However, shifting consumer behaviours, economic uncertainty, and global trade dynamics present challenges that retailers must navigate. Success in 2025 will require agility, innovation, and a strong focus on consumer engagement and strategic pricing.

Black Friday results so far point to a strong festive season ahead for retailers. Consumers are balancing growing confidence with a focus on value and quality, while mobile commerce and strategies like personalisation are driving growth. Retailers must adapt to maintain this momentum, prioritising new product launches and standout experiences in December.

Australia's financial landscape is evolving with the phase-out of cheques and BECS payment systems. This mean your business will need to navigate changes to payment processes and manage evolving compliance requirements, as we transition to real-time, instant payments in Australia.

In today's shifting global landscape, businesses face ongoing supply chain challenges such as port congestion, soaring freight costs, and material shortages. Domestically, labor shortages and increasing costs add to the strain. To stay competitive, companies must do more with less. Refurbishing existing supply chains can lead to immediate cost savings and service improvements.

Despite a decrease in M&A deal volumes and IPO activity in the face of economic uncertainty, Australia’s retail sector remains appealing to investors. Through our analysis of Australian retail M&A and equity markets in the 18 months to 31 December 2023, we saw the retail sector face a mix of challenges and opportunities.

GenAI is not just a buzz word – it’s a game-changer that has started to revolutionise every business and every aspect of our lives. ChatGPT had 100 million active users in just two months, and has changed the way we research, develop, test and deploy capital, technology, products, services and communications.

Customer expectations are quickly evolving. Unless your business can create a unique value proposition and strong connections with its customers, your relationship with your most important stakeholders is at risk. With demands for personalisation at its core, retailers are no longer encouraged but expected to build a connected consumer experience to support the customer journey and drive loyalty. How can retailers manage this demand for accessibility of products, information, and customer services via their platform of choice, as well as drive brand loyalty in a highly competitive marketplace?

In light of the new penalties and expansion of the unfair contract terms laws, now is the perfect time to review your Gift Card* terms and conditions and ensure they meet all the regulation requirements.