A letter from the president

Dear fellow traders and professionals,

I hope the year has been going well for you so far and that you’re ready for the winter trading season.

While cost-of-living pressures continue, March retail sales did show a modest increase of 0.8 per cent compared to the same time last year. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that other retailing – including cosmetics, sports and recreational goods – saw the strongest growth (up 2.4 per cent), followed by food (up 2.1 per cent), and cafes, restaurants and takeaway (up 1.2 per cent). The good news is that most states across the country experienced sales growth year-on-year, including Victoria (up 0.8 per cent).

We continue to operate in a challenging environment, so it’s important to think about ways you can attract customers to your stores. Studies are showing that consumers unaffected by inflation are spending more, while those feeling the pinch are looking for affordable and high-value options. This might prompt you to offer products or services at different price points to cater to different customers.

In this newsletter you’ll find details about our planned promotions for the year. In the coming months we’ll have our winter food campaign, Camberwell Culinary Awards. The awards were popular last year. Customers vote for their favourite eateries in the precinct and to participate they need to spend money at food businesses. This not only increases sales, it encourages people to discover our great food and dining offering and visit the precinct more often.

Winter fashion and homewares will also be promoted, as well as school holiday entertainment. Our regular marketing includes monthly trader profiles, SEO articles so people can find us when searching for shops and services online, updating our website to include new businesses and trader events, posting on social media, and producing The Camberwell Citizen newspaper.

Be sure to check the Trader Portal at camberwellshopping.com.au to find details about government updates, business support and council updates. Also send your offers and promotions to our manager Kerry Daly so we can share them: info@camberwellca.com.au

Regards,

Henk Kelly-Kobes

President, Camberwell Centre Association