Who will take out this year’s Retailer of the Year crown at the 2018 Retail Realm?

WITH THE AUSTRALIAN retail industry having experienced a complete shake up over the past 12 months, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) will be seeking to crown the 2018 National Retailer of the Year at the 2018 ARA Retail Awards this October.

The 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards are the nation’s longest running and most prestigious retail event, showcasing the most influential retail leaders and employees within the Australian retail industry.

This year’s awards,  themed The Retail Realm: thinking outside the shop, will touch on every element in the retail sphere including customer experience, technology, payments, sustainability, supply chain, growth, employee development and corporate social responsibility.

With Naomi Simson, founding director of online experience retailer RedBalloon, addressing this year’s Awards, retailers across the country have been submitting their entries to demonstrate how their small, medium, large or franchise business thinks ‘outside the shop’.

Russell Zimmerman, executive director of the ARA, said thinking beyond the shopfront is a crucial element in today’s retail marketplace with various external factors transforming the traditional course of retail.

“The Australian retail industry has undergone some serious changes over the last 12 months, and as a result, retailers have had to change their thinking to adapt to the new retail realm,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“This year’s Awards will highlight and identify those progressive retailers who have revolutionised their business model and transformed to accommodate the new 24/7 retail landscape."

With 13 awards up for grabs across three retail categories, the Retailer of the Year category will surely be one of hardest to critique, and an impressive amount of extraordinary retailers have already submitted their entries on the ARA’s Awards platform.

“This Award category is huge, containing awards for independent, small, medium, large, online and retail franchisees,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“I’m certainly glad I’m not judging this year’s Awards as the sheer amount of entries we’ve received over the past few weeks will be no mean feat for our exceptional panel of judges."

The 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards judging panel includes Warwick Ponder, head of Corporate Affairs and Communications at eftpos Australia, Bernie Brookes AM, adjunct industry fellow at Swinburne University of Technology, Camille Reed, founder of Australian Circular Fashion (ACF), Rupert Deans, founder of augmented reality platform Plattar, and Radinck van Vollenhoen, country manager of Stocard, Australia’s leading mobile wallet app.

With only two weeks left to enter, the ARA recommend retailers get their submissions in quickly as entries close Friday, August 10.

“After submissions close, the judges will have two weeks to review each submission before finalists are announced on the 20th of September,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“So, if you want to be recognised in the Retail Realm, and acknowledged as a leading retailer in your field, you have to act fast – because just like the retail industry these Awards present endless opportunities.”

The 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards will be held on Thursday 18 October at the Myer Mural Hall in Melbourne. The ARA encourage retailers of all sizes to submit an entry by nominating an influential leader or instrumental employee before Friday 10 August via the 2018 eftpos ARA Retail Awards platform.

To secure your seat for the 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards head to The Retail Realm.

 

About the eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards:

First held in the 1970s, 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. For more information regarding the 2018 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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