Taking part in the roundtable, which was facilitated by business columnist Scott Murdoch, Partner Jeremy Leibler said the divide between well-performing retailers and struggling chains was similar to the situation that unfolded during the mining boom.
“We were talking about a two-speed economy, and I think it’s the same in the retail space,” he said.
“There is a sort of two-speed retailing sector where you’ve got the really high-performing ones and the ones that are struggling.
“The retailers who are doing well are constantly in tune with the trends overseas and what’s happening. They know what the consumer wants basically before the consumer does.”
“The retailers who are doing well are constantly in tune with the trends overseas and what’s happening. They know what the consumer wants basically before the consumer does.”
Deloitte Partner Victoria Brilliant told the roundtable that well-performing stores tend to have “a very clear, distinct offering, they know who they’re targeting and they make sure they continue to innovate and evolve with their key demographic.”
Other participants in the roundtable were: Duncan Hogg, Managing Director of Bank of America Merrill Lynch; David Raftis, Executive Director of UBS; Kate Stone, Director of Credit Suisse and Katrina Efthim, Managing Director of Citigroup.
Photographer credit: Jenny Evans.
