Consumer Spending
Trading Hours
Media
Training
Further Resources
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ARA Christmas & Holiday Resource Hub
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Christmas & Holiday Spending Forecasts
Christmas & Holidays Trading Hours Summary
2023 - 2024
Presenting the Christmas & Holidays Trading Hours Summary for 2023-2024, a practical resource designed to guide retailers through this busy period.
This document outlines the projected trading hours for the upcoming Summer shopping season, providing a straightforward and organised overview of when businesses should expected to open and close their doors during the festive holiday period depending on their location and exhemption status.
Media
Stay up to date with the ARA’s latest media release updates this holiday season
Black Friday weekend to make up more than a quarter of holiday purchases – hitting $6.36bn
Black Friday weekend to make up more than a quarter of holiday purchases – hitting $6.36bn This weekend’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday extravaganza is set to account for more
Value on Christmas list, with average Christmas gifting spend projections down
This year’s holiday season will usher in the value-driven, bargain-savvy consumer, with new research revealing shoppers will be spending less per head but shopping purposefully, amid the cost-of-living crunch. According
Black Friday sales tipped to buck Christmas slowdown trend
Despite an expected softening in the broader pre-Christmas spending period, the popularity of Black Friday is set to continue, giving retailers a much-needed boost to the holiday shopping season.
New research: 91% of Australian & New Zealand retailers investing in generative AI
Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the global leader in CRM, has released its latest Connected Shoppers Report, with the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), revealing how Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ) retailers and shoppers
Pre-Christmas spending forecast to tread water as uncertainty looms for discretionary retailers
Pre-Christmas spending in 2023 is tipped to edge in line with last year’s results as shoppers increasingly tighten their budgets in wake of the cost-of-living crisis. Provisional forecasts by the
Training Opportunties
Featured Course
Understanding and Addressing Workplace Sexual Harassment for Retail and Hospitality Managers
Self-paced online micro-course: Manage Customer Aggression
Prepare your team for a seamless and stress-free holiday shopping season by enrolling in our Manage Customer Aggression micro-course! As the shopping frenzy intensifies, equip your team with invaluable skills to de-escalate tense situations, create positive customer experiences, and ultimately boost sales and customer loyalty. Our online, on-demand course offers industry-recognised certification and practical insights, ensuring your team is holiday-ready and capable of delivering exceptional service.
Explore our full library of self-paced micro-courses
Prepare for the holiday shopping frenzy with the Retail Institute’s online courses! Elevate your team’s skills and knowledge to conquer the peak Christmas shopping period. Our comprehensive programs are designed to help teams upskill and excel in the world of retail. Our courses cover everything from inventory management to customer service strategies, ensuring retail teams are ready to meet the demands of the busiest shopping season.
Further Resources
Retail Therapy Podcast Christmas Bonus Episodes 2023
Looking for more insights? Dive into the ARA’s highly acclaimed Retail Therapy podcast! Discover our special Christmas episodes below, and stay tuned for more exciting releases coming your way.
Christmas & Holiday Special: Spending insights and consumer trends with Fleur Brown
‘Tis the season to be shopping, and the retail world will soon be buzzing with festive delight. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the
Christmas & Holiday Special: Economic expectations with Craig Woolford
The holidays are fast approaching, and retailers are in preparation mode for the Christmas shopping rush. There’s a bit more uncertainty for the industry this
Christmas & Holiday Special: Making magic with Kate Box
The holidays are upon us and retailers are in deep preparation for the Christmas shopping rush. It’s going to be an unpredictable festive trading season
Christmas & Holiday Special: Understanding your customer with Prof Gary Mortimer
Welcome to another special Christmas episode of Retail Therapy. Christmas is right around the corner, marking the peak season for the retail industry. This upcoming
Christmas & Holiday Special: Behind the Barbie boom with Stephen Younane
Welcome to the fifth and final special Christmas bonus episode of Retail Therapy for the year. As the holiday season rapidly approaches, retailers are gearing
Christmas Specials 2022
Christmas Special: Spending predictions and retail trends
The holidays are fast approaching and retailers are in preparation mode for the Christmas shopping rush. There’s lots of challenges facing our industry in terms of supply chain and staff shortages, but plenty to be optimistic about from a sales point of view.
Christmas Special: ‘Tis the season to shop early
Australia Post plays an integral role in supporting retailers through this busy trading period and in this bonus episode, Gary gives us an overview of the state-of-play for the postal service this Christmas.
Christmas Special: Seasonal trends and consumer spend
Introducing the insightful Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour at QUT Business School and Chair of the ARA Consumer Research Committee.
Australia Post's 2023 Christmas Sending Dates
Recommended business lodgement dates for domestic parcels
Australia Post’s recommended last lodgement dates are based on where you’re sending from and sending to.
Send your parcels as early as possible and by the below dates, so they have the best chance of arriving
in time for Christmas.
Christmas Season Insights: Experts deliver forecast for 2023
Unwrap These Christmas Insights and Reports:
'Tis the Season to Get the Full Picture!
The 2023 Holiday Guide for Retailers
What’s at the top of retailers’ holiday wish lists this year?
Loyal shoppers. In an era when 20% of customers deliver an astonishing 150% of profits, improving customer retention and growing share of wallet has never been more important. The problem? Retailers are walking a tightrope as waning demand and higher costs pressure margins.
2023 Retail Holiday Report
Deloitte’s new Retail Holiday Report: Navigating the retail challenges in a shifting economy has arrived! 2023 unearthed five major emerging trends and challenges that have significant implications for the year ahead. This annual report presents data-driven insights to help retail businesses understand and navigate these fast-changing times.
Australia Post's Peak Playbook
Inside this toolkit you’ll find resources to support you every step of the way, from preparing labels and parcel lodgement, to offering tracking, notifications and estimated delivery dates with greater accuracy than ever before. You’ll also find a calendar of key eCommerce events and new and improved forecasting and industry insights.
Afterpay's Festive Forecast Report
Sleigh your sales targets with Afterpay this holiday season, with a little help from these exclusive insights into how Aussies will shop and save.
Get real-time Cyber Week results with Salesforce’s Shopping Insights HQ
The Black Friday and Cyber Monday extravaganza is set to account for more than a quarter of all holiday purchases in 2023, with price-conscious shoppers doing their due diligence to find the best deals.
Findings from Salesforce, released by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), found online shopping traffic is up 5% year-on-year but hasn’t driven a significant change in sales – suggesting consumers are doing their research, making their own price comparisons and shopping thoughtfully and cautiously.
12 Ways to Christmas
2022 Resources
