A letter from the president

Dear fellow traders and professionals,

I hope you’re well and that you’re ready to welcome the spring/summer trading period. Many of you have mentioned you’re looking forward to an uptick in the coming months.

Retail sales for June were modest, with a 2.3 per cent year-on-year increase. Food, cafes, restaurants and takeaway boosted sales, but some categories showed a downturn including household goods; department stores; and clothing, footwear and accessories.

While cost-of-living pressures are still impacting us, it’s not all bad news. Research from Australian Retailers Association showed that Aussies spent $860 million on Father’s Day gifts this year ($112 per gift, on average). National retail sales also rebounded in July by 0.5 per cent due to the FIFA Women’s World Cup and school holidays. This shows how important it is to make the most of key retail dates and seasonal events so you can maximise sales when customers are willing to spend.

In this newsletter you’ll find details about our planned promotions for the year. Our food campaign, Camberwell Culinary Awards, runs until the end of September. Customers vote for their favourite eateries in the precinct and to participate they need to spend money at food businesses. This drives sales, encourages people to discover our great food and dining offering, and visit the precinct more often. We’ve also got Kylie and Dannii Day planned for late October to celebrate the famous Minogue sisters and their connection to Camberwell. We’ll share more details about this event on the website soon.

Lastly, our precinct manager Kerry Daly shares some insights from the recent Mainstreet Australia Conference, where retailers and industry experts gathered to discuss trends and the way retail is changing.

Make sure you check the Trader Portal at camberwellshopping.com.au to find details about government updates and business support resources. Also send us your offers and promotions via email so we can share them: info@camberwellca.com.au

Regards,

Henk Kelly-Kobes

President, Camberwell Centre Association