With the 2018 eftpos Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Australian Retail Awards just around the corner, the ARA have announced the finalists of this year’s prestigious Awards breakfast.
This year’s Awards themed, The Retail Realm: Thinking outside the shop, encompasses every element of the retail sphere, including customer experience, technology, payments, sustainability, supply chain, growth, employee development and corporate social responsibility.
With 13 awards up for grabs, the ARA have revitalised the awards process, working with a panel of expert judges and industry leaders to determine what constitutes the ‘best in retail’ across three categories in the Retail Realm.
Reimagining the Awards evaluation process, the ARA’s panel of esteemed judges conducted the first awards analysis, reviewing all nominations over a two-week period and scoring each submission out of five. Each retailer was then ranked alongside their award category counterparts, with the highest-ranking retailers making the finals.
The two most sought-after retail awards, the 2018 National Retailer of the Year Award and the Excellence in Customer Experience Award, will undertake further analysis by The Realise Group, a customer experience measurement agency, to determine the winner amongst the top three finalists.
Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the ARA, said this revised methodology, coupled with mystery shopping initiatives and field agency surveys, ensures the highest-standard of credibility and integrity in presenting these prestigious awards.
“The Australian retail industry continues to evolve, and with new technologies entering the retail realm and changing customer expectations, we need to recognise the proactive retailers pushing the industry forward,” Mr Zimmerman said.
“As online and global markets continue to challenge the retail industry, the variety of small, medium and large retailers making it to the finals showcases the diverse and extraordinary talent we have in Australian retail,” Mr Zimmerman said.
While a record number of entries were received by the ARA this year, the 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards finalists shone the brightest in the Retail Realm.
The 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards breakfast will be held Thursday 18 October at the Myer Mural Hall in Melbourne. To secure your seat for the 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards head to The Retail Realm to purchase your tickets today.
About the eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards:
First held in the 1970’s, the eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards are the nation’s longest running and most prestigious retail event, recognising and rewarding outstanding retail businesses, innovations, and individuals across all sectors of retail. Relaunched in 2008, the annual 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards breakfast will commence on Thursday 18 October at the Myer Mural Hall in Melbourne.
About the Australian Retailers Association:
Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the retail industry’s peak representative body representing Australia’s $310 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. The ARA works to ensure retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 7,500 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.
