Digitisation in retail today is less about table stakes capabilities such as ecommerce and omnichannel efficiency and more about how brands innovate their customer experience, particularly in-store, SAP’s retail chief claims.

Kmart turnaround chief and retail industry icon, Guy Russo, has become the new chairman of QSR, Guzman y Gomez.

Using the personality and online reach of in-store staff online could be a vital differentiator for retail brands looking to compete against digital upstarts and better meet consumer demand for experience-led shopping, Magento global CEO, Mark Lavelle, believes.

With customer experience (CX) driving success even more moving into 2019, sensory experiences drive nine out of 10 shoppers back to stores, according to a Global Mood Media Study focusing on neuroscience, behavioural psychology and economics.

Becoming a more customer-focused organisation has been one of the best things to ever happen to The Iconic, said COO of the online fashion retailer, Anna Lee.

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.

​David Jones’ drive for its Elizabeth Street store to be a global premier retail destination has been boosted by a new partnership with Disney, and exclusive partnerships with iconic, luxury global brands, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci.

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.

A/NZ online wine seller, Just Wines Australia, has seen email-driven revenue lift by 17 per cent and unsubscribe rates fall by 43 per cent after investing in a fresh digital marketing platform and segmentation approach.

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.

In a move that looks set to be the beginning of a brand revitalisation of Country Road, former Supre and Sportsgirl head, Elle Roseby, has been appointed as managing director of the retailer.

​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.

STM Brands is using integrated augmented reality (AR), including interactive 3D graphics, animation and video, in a bid to deliver a new shopping experience that boosts customer engagement and brand awareness.

Shoppers are becoming more digitally savvy as ecommerce disrupts the retail game, but while some Aussie bricks and mortar retailers are facing a meltdown, others who are embracing tech are fast-tracking their competitive reign.

Sunglasses retailer, Sunglass Hut, says the decision to implement new technology to localise merchandise recommendations in-store is about improving the bricks-and-mortar experience through digital capability.

Nearly 400 Dick Smith bricks-and-mortar stores across Australia and New Zealand are set to close by 30 April, the retailer’s receivers have confirmed.

Behavioural research firm, Gateway Research, claims to have completed the world’s largest single store eye tracking study across 300 Australian shoppers in partnership with Nestle and Woolworths.

Wearables are reducing interest in Swiss watches, with those highly regarded timepieces losing some of their luster as technology is incorporated into what people wear on their wrists.

With the continued growth of ecommerce and in-store comparison-shopping via mobile devices, it's become harder for many bricks-and-mortar retailers to get customers to make on-the-spot purchases. However, instead of seeing mobile and ecommerce as a threat, some savvy retailers have embraced the adage "if you can't beat them, join them."