Data-driven intelligence is key to the next-generation organisation, according to Sephora Asia’s head of business intelligence. But in order to get there, employees not only need to have access to data; they also need to be able to interrogate it effectively.

High shipping cost is causing more than half of Australian consumers to ditch their shopping carts before completing an online purchase, according to a new report.

Alibaba has a vision for the future of retail where there is no distinction between online and offline shopping, and the customer experience is enhanced by augmented reality, artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition.

Australia-based value fashion retailer, Cotton On Group, has an ambitious mission: To drive 30 per cent growth next year through digital commerce and engagement improvements.

​What started as a potentially career-ending sea change for Splosh CMO, Sally Boyes, has ended up being the best and most unique opportunity of her profession to date.

No one would doubt it’s been a tough decade for retailers, and many have failed in the face of digital disruption and transformation. But for Salesforce senior VP of retail and consumer goods, Shelley Bransten, the rise of relationship-based engagement is offering up reasons to be increasingly optimistic about the retail market moving forward.

Mirvac Retail’s fresh digital partnerships with foodora and Mall Ops are part of a wider digital marketing and CX strategy aimed at lifting customer connectedness.

Customers don’t look at shopping as an in-store or online phenomenon anymore, they shop with a brand, Fantastic Furniture’s head of digital, Leigh McKnight, says. And thanks to an investment into a cloud-based omni-channel platform and approach, the ability to provide seamless, personalised experience is becoming a reality for the furniture retailer.

Australian café chain, Michel’s, is claiming an Australian first for franchise café brands after launching an online home delivery service for cakes.

Floor cleaning brand retailer and distributor, Godfreys, has brought on a new chief customer officer as one of two fresh executive-level appointments aimed at transforming the business.

​Officeworks launched a new tagline and a wider channel strategy in February in an effort to better connect with its customers. The launch preceded the release of strong first half results to December 2017 for the company.

Myer CEO and managing director, Richard Umbers, has stepped down from his role just days after the embattled retailer issued at half-year finances warning and refused to name a NPAT guidance figure to the stock exchange.

​Specialty Fashion Group (SFG) has rolled out a new campaign management platform, unified its website back-end and restructured ecommerce and customer insights teams as part of efforts to improve its customer and omni-channel approach.

People, culture and data are top priorities for Vision Direct’s newly installed chief marketing officer as she sets out to aggressively dial up brand awareness globally and support the ecommerce eyewear company’s omni-channel retail ambitions.

Myer has promoted its head of digital and data, Mark Cripsey, to chief operating officer as part of a restructure of the business that also sees staff slashed across supporting operations.

The age of customer centricity is here, and as experience increasingly becomes the biggest driver of digital transformation and marketing strategy, 2018 will be about moving the customer relationship to an even deeper and more dynamic level of personalised engagement.

Virtual reality and concept stores that offer immersive, multi-brand experiences are just some of the ways Flight Centre and Suncorp are looking to unite the physical retail experience with their wider customer engagement ambitions.

Airtasker has teamed up with Coles in a bid to help time-poor consumers tap into personalised grocery shopping and delivery services.

Myer has put out a call for suppliers to participate in its new Myer Market after launching a beta of the online marketplace this week.

Officeworks has become the second retailer this week to jump onto the voice interaction bandwagon, announcing an integration with Google Assistant that will allow consumers to engage with its products and brand via voice-activated devices.

EBay has teamed up with Google’s AI-powered virtual assistant to allow Australian consumers to buy directly from their Google Home and Android smartphone in time for Christmas.