Shopify , a provider of internet infrastructure for commerce, has unveiled the Boring Edition – which focuses less on flashy new releases and more on improvements to existing products. Including 150+ updated features, this release responds to merchant feedback, helping retailers run their businesses even smoother than before. 

Winter ’25 boring edition  is all about honing in on perfecting existing features, and redefining the meaning of “boring”. The upgrades include features that allow customers to manage all aspects of their orders and returns, more automations for marketing, and operational workflows, optimising cart infrastructure to boost load speeds by up to 50% and more. 

This includes features to improve the omnichannel shopping experience – from online to in-person selling – as POS sales made by Shopify merchants in Australia have grown by 29% since Black Friday last year. Updates like bundling through Shopify POS, split-screen search views, and customisable channels offer a more personalised experience for retailers.

“The Winter ’25 Edition is a testament to our ongoing commitment to perfecting our craft and delivering the best features for our retailers,” said Shaun Broughton, Managing Director, APAC at Shopify. “Rather than overcomplicating things, we’ve focused on refining our core features. We’re constantly evaluating our offering and listening to feedback from our merchants to provide the updates they truly need. Ultimately, the success of our retailers is our success, and we’re dedicated to helping them thrive.”

More control for customer account experiences

• Seamless order and return management: Allows customers to manage all aspects of their orders and returns within a unified account via a passwordless login. 
• Better customer relationships: Merchants can gather feedback using apps like Zigpoll, storing it in a single customer record for better engagement.
• Personalise the customer experience: Build personalised experiences directly into customer account pages in minutes with no code. The result: a seamless, branded experience that removes friction and drives sales.
• B2B functionality: While Shopify has a host of out-of-the-box B2B features, a seamless B2B customer account experience was a challenge—until now. With Customer Account Extensions, merchants can easily build a tailored experience for their wholesale customers, with self-serve functionality for quotes, invoicing, bulk ordering, and even B2B storefronts.

Improved workflow to avoid repetitive tasks

Shopify Flow lets merchants set up custom workflows to avoid repetitive tasks for inventory management, loyalty programs, and discounts. Here are a few things that now work better:

• Returns and exchanges: Automate more of the returns workflow with new triggers and actions specifically designed for managing returns, and even canceling returns if products are not sent back.
• Marketing automations: Marketing templates in Shopify Flow are now easily accessible in the Flow library, meaning merchants can quickly set up campaigns like abandoned cart or welcome emails using our templates.
• Segment triggers: Merchants can now automate operational workflows and key marketing moments based on when a customer joins or leaves a segment.

Personalised Shopify Checkout

Optimised cart infrastructure to boost load speeds by up to 50%, Checkout Blocks available to all plans for customised thank you pages, and integrated chat apps into the checkout. We’re also improving draft orders by enhancing features such as:

• Checkout customisations: Merchants who require customisations in their draft order checkouts can now upgrade to Checkout Extensions.
• Bundle options for B2B: When dealing with Bundle orders, merchants can customise product assortments and purchasing options that match buyers’ needs, regardless of how they check out.
• Functions support: Checkout rules and payment and delivery customisations powered by Shopify Functions can now be executed in draft orders. 

Smoother in-person selling with upgrades to Shopify POS

The future of commerce is offline as much as online. Over the most recent Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend, we saw Shopify POS sales grow 29%. Some of our latest POS updates include:

• Shopify POS for Bundles: Merchants can now manage and sell bundles directly through Shopify POS. 
• Split screen selling: POS search results now display via a split screen view so results are always visible alongside the cart.
• Metafields in POS: Retail offers one of the most personalised channels for merchants to capture customer data. Now, metafields are available through POS, leveraging  first-party data to create more relevant and efficient marketing communications. Example: A pet store staff asks customers in the store what sort of pet they have and can create a metafield for “animal type” in that customer’s profile.

More delivery settings for more fulfillments

Fulfillment and delivery settings are now applied across more Shopify order sources, including:  

• Third party channels such as Facebook and Amazon
• Draft order invoices
• Subscription orders
• Order editing 

Previously, the rules and settings that merchants set up to control order routing were only applied to online checkout orders. Now, merchants only need to set their fulfillment logic once, saving time, preventing overselling, and reducing the scope for errors. 

In today’s competitive small business market, is having an active business social media account as essential as it seems?

Reckon surveyed 296 small business owners across 20 industries to find out how they approach marketing their business and what’s most effective – social media marketing isn’t as effective as you may think…

Having an active social media business page is often perceived as enough to market a small business. However, the survey revealed that over a quarter of small business owners don’t use social media to advertise and surprisingly over a third found that no social media platform has been effective for marketing their business.

Of course, it definitely depends on your business, the industry and where your target audience is active. However, over seven in ten small business owners say that ‘word of mouth’ and ‘referrals’ are still the most effective marketing approach in 2024.

Australian small businesses Remmie By Riley and FAYT are perfect examples of how social media can be utilised extremely effectively. These brands both target their audience by staying on top of social media trends and have created a close-knit community of followers and customers. Rather than being seen as a distant brand selling a product, these brands are perceived as fun communities participating in the latest TikTok trends and showing the faces behind the brand.

Although many business owners said they don’t find social media marketing effective, social media is still the second most common strategy among small businesses. This is likely due to budget constraints, time limitations and a lack of marketing experience and expertise. Social media is a free and relatively easy strategy to implement with these considerations.

The other most popular marketing strategies are email marketing (20.9%), direct marketing (20.6%) and content marketing (20.3%). These strategies are great for customer retention and remaining top-of-mind among past, present and future customers. 

The least popular methods for SME’s are outdoor ads (7.8%), display ads on third-party websites (6.4%), event marketing (3.7%), radio advertising (2.7%), and TV advertising (2.4%). This is due to the higher costs associated with each of these strategies which exceeds small business budgets.

Brad Stevens, GM of Marketing at Reckon comments:

“Small businesses will continue to face challenges and difficulties when it comes to marketing to their target audience and staying competitive in the market. However, our study reveals that despite technological advances and increased use of social media, word of mouth remains the top marketing method that brings in new business and increases revenue. 

“It also confirms that minimal effort, budget-friendly marketing methods that small business owners can perform themselves are preferable. Despite this, our advice for new small business owners is to consult a marketing professional where possible, as this will bring in more results and allow for more effective and purposeful marketing.”

View the full study here: https://www.reckon.com/au/small-business-resources/small-business-advertising/  

Business leaders hoping Santa brings cost-of-business relief might be disappointed come the new year. Vantage Performance Executive Director Kevin Higgins warns that another tough year for business may be on the cards. We look at 12 actions for success in 2025.

“As inflationary pressures persist for businesses and tax arrears remain at an all-time high, businesses will continue to face challenging conditions in 2025,” Mr Higgins said.

“We’re heading into the toughest time of year for businesses as the Christmas period interrupts cashflow with holiday leave and lower production.

“Compounding this, by late January, just as business ramps up again, SMEs are faced with stumping up their monthly BAS payment to the ATO with the December quarter BAS due February 28.

“It’s critical businesses use the run into the holiday period to assess what proactive measures they can take now to ensure they don’t just survive the holiday season, but thrive in ‘25.”

Mr Higgins recommends businesses undertake these critical twelve actions to set themselves up for success in 2025.

1. Confirm your debtors before customers switch off – paying the bills is the last thing on everyone’s mind heading into the holiday season, so make sure you’re chasing up payment before the break.
2. Check your balance sheet – do you have the funds to see you through a potentially unproductive period where you’ll be paying employees leave entitlements? If not, you’ll need to get any new or increased funding requests to the banks before mid-December to ensure you get through the silly season.
3. Map out your cashflow – the proof is in the (Christmas) pudding when it comes to the benefits of planning. It takes some effort but putting a 26-week cashflow in place now will highlight any holiday season working capital holes and give you the chance to fill them now.
4. Bite the bullet on cash concerns – if you see cash worries on the horizon of February’s BAS deadline or Superannuation payment due to January 28, pick up the phone now to the tax office. If you’re in arrears, talk to them ahead of the Christmas break rather than leaving tax debt looming for the new year.
5. Negotiate payment plans – if you’re at a flashpoint with your cashflow, communicate with creditors and negotiate payment plans or extended payment terms for key suppliers.
6. Consider invoice finance – this style of funding particularly suits transportation, labour hire/recruitment and manufacturing businesses. Invoice finance will bring forward customer receipts, providing you with additional funding through the holiday season.
7. Don’t pay for excess inventory – with this year shaping up to be a poor Christmas for retail, start actively running down your stock and clearing excess inventory.
8. Silly season shopping – despite the poor forecast, retail will be front of mind for many heading into the holidays. A Christmas sale to deeply discount obsolete stock can be a good option to get slow-moving stock off your books.
9. Review your customers and products – with many businesses looking ahead to the new year, the December period can be a good time to review the gross profit of your customers and products. As customer lists and product lines become bloated over many years, ranking each customer or item by revenue and profitability can be a good way to determine where to direct your focus for 2025. This is also the time to consider a price increase if you haven’t done one in a while.
10. Communication is key – before you pop that “out of office” on and switch off for the holidays, make sure you’re across your supply chain’s shut down dates and let your customers know if you’re operating on a skeleton staff so that expectations match your service ability.
11. Lock in your 2025 planning – before employees head off on leave for the Christmas period, lock in dates for an off-site strategic planning session in 2025. Make sure it’s after Australia Day, once people are back from leave and have their heads back in the business game – late January to the first week of February is ideal. Taking the time to create a one-page strategic plan and roadmap that has buy-in from the entire team will give you the best chance of success in 2025.
12. Don’t forget to celebrate the season – while there’s plenty for business leaders to be thinking about heading into Christmas including cashflow management and business planning, it’s important to remember to take time to celebrate the year that’s been. Be sure to thank your staff with a festive event, reward or activity to boost morale into the new year.
    
    

Australian businesses are being warned to stay on top of Christmas stock this season with experts warning of an increase in missing stock and supply chain delays.

Leading Australian tracking technology manufacturer Digital Matter says this time of the year is notorious for missing assets due to an increase in goods being moved across the country.

“Shipping delays, supply chain issues and seasonal demand can all cause havoc with business owners at this time of the year,” said Digital Matter’s Cameron Everett.

“We’ve seen a big increase in businesses across a range of industries utilising tracking technology to gain better visibility over their assets,” he said.

It’s estimated Australian businesses lose on average 6% of their assets every year, including expensive items like vehicles, lab equipment and IT hardware.

“The main reason businesses lose assets is because employees misplace them, or they aren’t properly brought in and out of stock,” says Mr Everett.

“Digital tracking has become an essential tool for businesses who want to reduce the financial impact that lost assets have on their bottom line.”

“From small items like keys and pallets to large valuables like heavy equipment, machinery, shipping containers and medical equipment – all businesses have something that they don’t want to lose.”

“One of the biggest challenges with improving business operations is a lack of visibility of the issues. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. By automatically tracking the location of assets and Christmas stock, businesses can rectify problems as they occur and before they become too large to fix,” says Mr Everett.

Digital Matter tracking devices also allow businesses to monitor how their assets are performing and what condition they are in. By connecting to various sensors (either hardwired or Bluetooth), businesses can gain visibility to a variety of variables like temperature, excessive vibration, and impact detection – especially important for cold chain monitoring and the transport of fragile goods.

A growing number of Australian businesses are using the technology to monitor items that move along supply chains including bins and containers, trolleys, pallets and machinery, especially during the busy Christmas stock period.

A new report from Localsearch – the marketing solution for small businesses – today reveals 65% of Australian small business owners are experiencing pressures due to skill shortages, with a quarter reporting they still haven’t bounced back from COVID. 

To combat this, Australian small business owners are adopting a variety of tactics to improve business efficiency and employee satisfaction. A quarter (25%) of small businesses are offering higher salaries to in-demand talent, a further quarter (25%) are taking on more junior staff with the intention of training them,  a further third (33%) are shifting their focus to potential over skill and hiring based on personality and work ethic instead of experience and a quarter (21%) are boosting work/life balance incentives like work from home days, flexible working  hours and social activities. 

The news forms the second part of Localsearch’s annual State of Small Business Report, shedding light on the struggles Australian small business owners are up against. 

When compared to the same questions asked of small business owners in 2023, fewer small business owners are reportedly struggling with skilled labour shortages. In 2023, a staggering 7 in 10 (72%) small business owners cited that there weren’t enough workers with relevant industry experience whereas less than half (46%) said so this year. To this end, the skills shortage epidemic is improving but many are still struggling.

Further, in 2023 half (50%) of respondents claimed there was not enough staff to keep up with demand and more than half (56%) said there was a lack of experienced staff to manage the business’s day-to-day operations. This year, those figures are 29% and a third (36%) respectively – again, an improvement on last year.

“While it’s encouraging to see some improvement in the availability of skilled workers compared to last year, small business owners are still navigating significant challenges when it comes to finding and retaining the right talent,” said Wes Graham, Head of People at Localsearch.

“Skill shortages don’t just impact day-to-day operations—it also creates additional pressures, forcing business owners to wear more and more hats. What we’re seeing, though, is a remarkable adaptability among Aussie small business owners. By prioritising potential and work ethic over experience and investing in upskilling junior staff, many are laying the foundation for long-term resilience and retention.”

“At Localsearch, we’re committed to supporting small businesses through these challenges by providing tools and strategies that allow them to work smarter, not harder, so they can focus on what they do best—growing their business and supporting their local communities.”

2024 was a tumultuous year for retailers, with the country experiencing one of the hardest retail recessions experienced in years. As the e-commerce industry moves through its growing pains, staying ahead of the curve is essential for businesses to stay afloat in a competitive marketplace. We look at the top five retail predictions.

As Australia’s leading e-commerce resource, Power Retail, is proud to collaborate with Checkout.com on The Future of Ecommerce Report, created to deliver expert-led insights in the world of retail for 2025.

Packed with exclusive insights from ten leading ecommerce experts and industry professionals, The Future of Ecommerce by Power Retail is a 29-page report highlights top predictions for the year ahead and their implications for retail businesses aiming to thrive in 2025. Here we’ve compiled the top five predictions: 

Experience Driven Consumerism

Reflecting on the “Taylor-mania” phenomenon from earlier this year, when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had a chokehold on Australia, it pointed to how this event epitomized a broader shift in consumer behaviour.

Power Retail Editor Rosalea Catterson says, “The fact that Taylor Swift tickets, themed outfits, and hospitality experiences sold out around the country while the cost-of-living pressures mounted, really proves that people are willing to put their wallets where their interests, values, and things that spark joy are.”

In 2025, we’ll see retailers capitalising on this through interactive pop-up stores, experiential in-store events, and loyalty programs that reward engagement, as consumers increasingly seek out shopping experiences that go beyond transactions.

Loyalty Programs

Expanding on the role of loyalty programs, in 2025, they will continue to play a pivotal role in addressing consumer priorities amid rising cost-of-living pressures.

Sarah Richardson, Chair of the Australian Loyalty Association shares, “Shoppers are increasingly focusing on value and transparency, so will be accessible programs that offer clear value through regular discounts, cashback, and simplified points redemption. Expanding earning opportunities, such as multiplied points or exclusive promotions, are also great opportunities for brands to make a significant impact with their loyalty programs.”

For Gen Z in particular, programs that integrate flexible payment options like BNPL, will further stand out, aligning with the demand for innovative and accessible loyalty solutions.

AI in Retail

AI will have a transformative impact on retail in 2025, as it will continue to reshape customer experiences and aid backend operations. In fact, when Power Retail polled their network of retailers, 100% of respondents said that they are embracing AI as they head into 2025.

Irving Lee, APAC Retail Industry Lead at Microsoft predicts, “On the customer-facing side, 2025 will see conversational commerce take flight, shifting shoppers from traditional “scroll-based” browsing to interactive ‘goal-based commerce.’ For leading ecommerce companies, AI shopping assistants will shift customers away from the basic search bar towards an interactive and highly personalised shopping experience. Similar capabilities will streamline and improve customer service post-purchase.”

Additionally, AI’s ability to analyse data from richer customer interactions will enable retailers to customize content dynamically and even influence product design and development.

Cross-Border Payment Solutions Taking Aussie Retailers Abroad

In 2025, more Australian retailers will look to expand internationally, driven by rising global consumer demand and the digital economy’s borderless opportunities. Optimised cross-border payment solutions—offering streamlined currency conversion, local payment methods, and compliance with international regulations—will play a pivotal role in this growth.

Brian Sze, APAC General Manager at Checkout.com says, “Supporting local acquiring of these methods, intelligent routing, and efficient currency conversion will help to reduce transaction costs for all parties, improve acceptance rates, and create a smoother checkout experience for international customers. Retailers with global-ready payment infrastructures will find themselves well-positioned to attract and retain customers worldwide.”

Increased Data Transparency

In 2025, stricter privacy laws under the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 will push Australian retailers to prioritize data transparency.

Customers will demand clarity on what data is collected, how it’s used, and the ability to opt in or out. Retailers will be forced to address the risks of retaining unnecessary data, and will need to adopt policies to destroy it after reasonable periods.

Alita Harvey-Rodriguez, Managing Director at MI Academy says, “We will all need to be a lot more transparent and responsible with customer data. The amendments confirm the Government’s view that entities have a responsibility to protect Australians’ personal information and not treat it merely as a commercial asset. We saw the Optus and the Medibank debacle, where hackers were able to get critical information like passport and Medicare information. Showing how risky it is to hold onto customer information that isn’t needed over a long period of time.

Retailers are guilty of this too. Keeping information that’s unnecessary for potential commercial use. To avoid getting into hot water, brands should have a point in their policies that says when they’re going to destroy customer information after a reasonable time. It’s going to be a fine balance between what marketers say they need and what legal teams say is the right thing to do!”

Additional trending areas highlighted in the report include social commerce, global commerce, marketplaces, profits, marketplaces and innovation. To read the full report visit https://powerretail.com.au/resources/the-future-of-ecommerce-report/.

Epson has introduced two new stylish mini laser TV projectors—the EF-21 and the EF-22—to the EpiqVision line-up. The new projectors offer an affordable big-screen, immersive lamp-free laser light source that delivers outstanding image quality for small businesses.

Both models are easy to set up, have a screen size of up to 150 inches, come with Google TV^{TM 1} built-in and two 5 W speakers, which can also be used as a stand-alone speaker via Bluetooth connectivity. The EF-22, available in metallic black, has the added convenience of an adjustable fixed stand, while the EF-21 comes in warm white or smoke ice green for a stylish addition to any interior.

The compact mini laser projectors can be projected in any direction – on a wall, ceiling or floor. The adjustable built in stand on the EF-22 can be rotated for even more flexible display options.

The EF-21 and EF-22 deliver a big screen entertainment experience either at home or on the go.  Epson’s 3LCD technology means images are bright and vivid with equally high white and colour light output that brings content to life. Both models have 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio to produce clearly defined shadows and deep blacks.

The EF-21 and EF-22 are easy to set up thanks to technologies including automatic focus, keystone correction, obstacle avoidance and screen fit.

Google TV^TM, which is built into both projector models, brings convenience to the user to stream a range of content, including movies, music videos and much more for any occasion.

With the Google Assistant, entertainment can be accessed quickly and devices can be controlled around the home.

The EpiqVision EF-21 and EF-22 mini smart laser projectors are expected to ship in Australia arriving in December 2024.

EpiqVision Key Features

• 1000 lumen colour and white brightness

• Laser light source projector

• 3LCD, 3 chip technology

• Auto correct function

• Google TV with Netflix

• Built-in twin 5W stereo speakers

To learn more, visit www.epson.com.au/hometheatre.

Australian small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are encountering significant challenges, with business failure rates climbing to 2020 levels. In October 2024, 5.04 per cent of companies failed, edging close to the 2020 peak of 5.08 per cent.  Alon’s research has identified the seven biggest 2025 challenges facing SMB in 2025.

Unfortunately, SMBs will continue to face considerable challenges going into the new year, with Alon Rajic, Founder of Small Business Loans Australia, conducting research to uncover the key challenges for SMBs in 2025.  

Alon says: “Small to medium-sized businesses make up 98 per cent of all businesses in Australia, and they are increasingly doing it tough. As we head into 2025, they will likely continue suffering resource shortages, reduced customer spending and continued inflation, all of which strain limited resources. Other challenges like bank fees on international transfers and cyberattacks can be reduced through preparation, awareness and allocation of resources. It is important that SMBs prepare for these hurdles and know how to receive support from either private financial providers or the Government.” 

Alon’s research identified the following seven biggest 2025 challenges facing SMB:  

1. Tighter employee laws. Recent industrial relations reforms are increasingly stretching small business resources and making it difficult for them to adapt resources to growth and changing markets. Reforms include a 5.2% increase in the national minimum wage; permitting ‘employee-like’ contractors to seek Commission intervention for unfair contract term disputes; not permitting pay secrecy clauses to address the gender pay gap; multi-employer bargaining; giving employees the enforceable right to seek flexible working conditions; and 10 days’ paid family and domestic violence leave annually. A study found that over half of Australian SMBs think that the Industrial Relations Reforms will make payroll procedures more complex, with many completely unprepared for the changes.¹ Forty (40) per cent of SMEs find it difficult to keep up with legislation and compliance obligations.²
2. SMEs will continue to be resource poor – but AI will help to alleviate business pressures. 43 per cent of SMBs consider the cost of hiring talent too much, and a further 47 per cent find the hiring process too lengthy.³ 25 per cent of SMBs indicated that lack of time and capacity was the main reason they were unable to adapt new technology into their business.⁴ Despite this, a study from Small Business Loans Australia found that 60 per cent of all Australian businesses are already using AI, or planning to integrate AI in the next two years. SMBs are adopting AI tools such as AI-powered reporting and chatbots with automated email replies to streamline time-consuming tasks and improve operational efficiency. Find the full report here: https://smallbusinessloansaustralia.com/are-small-to-medium-businesses-harnessing-the-power-of-ai/ 
3. Inadequate government support. Small businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to stay afloat in the current environment of rising wages, reduced customer spending and ongoing inflation. Without further government assistance, many will face increasingly difficult circumstances. In 2023-24, the number of companies forced into external administration grew by 39 per cent from 2022-23.³ In a survey of small-to-medium businesses by Small Business Loans Australia, 94 per cent of say they need more Government support to help them survive, and 41 per cent says they require financial support to pay wage increases. The full survey and results can be found here: https://smallbusinessloansaustralia.com/will-small-businesses-benefit-from-the-new-federal-government-incentives-in-fy2025/.
4. Increased competition. In 2025, small-to-medium businesses will start seeing more competition from an increasing number of Australians starting side hustles. Small Business Loans Australia survey found that 1 in 2 Australians are considering starting a small business in the next five years. A further 38 per cent would run a side hustle in addition to their main job. The survey found that the main motivator is to boost incomes as inflation and interest rates put pressure on household budgets. As consumer spending continues to drop, this will also place pressure on small-to-medium businesses. The full report can be viewed here: https://smallbusinessloansaustralia.com/factors-driving-small-business-start-ups-in-australia/.
5. Late payments impacting cash flow. Small-to-medium businesses will continue struggling with tight cash reserves. A survey found that in 2024, nearly half of businesses forced to reduce their own income and 31 per cent dipped into personal funds to cover business expenses. Alarmingly, one in five has zero cash reserves.⁴ This is exacerbated by late payments, which affect three-quarters of businesses.⁵ To add to the challenge, many small-to-medium businesses prioritise customer and client satisfaction over their own cash flow, leaving them hesitant to chase late payments. 
   
   
6. SMBs are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Data from Accenture’s Cost of Cybercrime Study found that 43 per cent of cyberattacks target small businesses. The number of reported cyberattacks has steadily risen, with 16,000 more cyberattacks in 2022 than in 2019. Limited resources could be a major factor in the increase, with the report finding that 48 per cent of SMBs spend less than $500 a year on cyber security. ⁶
7. Paying too much in financial services fees. Small-to-medium businesses often lack the resources and time to shop around for better rates across financial products, leading to many overpaying when transacting. Research has found that a large proportion pay too much when conducting international trade through a bank. A recent Money Transfer Australia study found that 62 per cent are trading internationally through the big four banks, despite generally higher exchange rate mark-ups and fees in comparison to specialist money providers. Businesses could be paying up to $850 in fees when transferring $20,000 through a bank, whereas a non-bank money transfer provider might charge as little as $100.⁷ Read the full report here: https://moneytransfer.com.au/are-australian-businesses-overpaying-on-transfers-in-2024/. 

Small business complaints to AFCA (the Australian Financial Complaints Authority) reached a record high in 2023-24, with the national financial ombudsman service also monitoring a rise in financial difficulty complaints amid challenging economic conditions.

Small businesses took 4,466 complaints to AFCA in 2023-24, a rise of 17 per cent on the previous financial year.

“This record number of complaints to AFCA reflects the pressure small businesses are under as they struggle to manage challenges with cash flow and financing, along with higher costs and interest rates,” AFCA’s Lead Ombudsman for Small Business, Suanne Russell, said.

“We expect financial difficulty complaints to continue to rise in the coming year,” Ms Russell said. “We encourage small businesses to talk to their financial service providers if they are facing challenges, and we urge financial firms to adequately address requests from customers if they need help to get through temporary difficulty.”

In addition, small businesses lodged 263 complaints in relation to scams in 2023-34, a rise of 48%.

Small businesses were targeted by email compromise scams in particular, where scammers intercept and alter payment details. These scams can result in substantial losses, especially in property settlements and large transactions.

With limited resources to dedicate to fraud prevention, and often larger amounts in accounts, small businesses could be vulnerable to scams, Ms Russell said.

“Scams are a growing threat to small businesses and can have a significant impact on business owners. We believe financial service providers should enhance protections for their small business customers to help prevent these damaging losses.

“We also welcome the introduction of legislation for the government’s Scams Prevention Framework, which aims to enhance scams prevention as well as the response to consumers and small businesses impacted by scams.” 

Business loans were again the most commonly complained about financial product in complaints from small businesses to AFCA, rising 16 per cent. The top five products were rounded out by complaints related to business transaction accounts, commercial property, credit cards and commercial vehicles.

“This year we saw an 84 per cent increase in complaints around interpretation of product terms and conditions – again, we encourage financial firms to make sure they’re communicating clearly and effectively with small business customers,” Ms Russell said.

Last financial year, AFCA closed 4,380 small business complaints, securing $20 million in compensation for small businesses in cases where complaints were upheld.

AFCA provides an independent and impartial financial complaints resolution service that is free for small businesses and individual consumers.

In good news for online shoppers in the lead-up to Christmas, new research shows almost 9 in 10 Australian retailers have made major updates to their shipping services, most of which offer more options for faster deliveries. The changes will continue into 2025, with 82 per cent of retailers planning to offer customers even more shipping options in the new year. 

The findings come from an independent survey of 203 Australian retailers commissioned by CouriersPlease, Australia’s fastest growing franchised courier and parcel delivery service. 

The survey follows earlier CouriersPlease research that showed 88 per cent of online shoppers abandoned shopping carts at checkout, with 63 per cent blaming high shipping costs.¹ Parcel theft has also become a problem in Australia, with 36 per cent of people reporting parcel loss or theft in their lifetime.² 

Sweeping changes have been made this year across 87 per cent of retailers to counteract some of these issues. They include new shipping rates and discounts, more immediate shipping and broader delivery options.  

Retailers level the field on shipping rates  

With shipping costs dependent on delivery location, regional shoppers are often charged higher shipping rates at checkout. This year, 28 per cent of retailers switched to flat shipping rates, levelling the field no matter where the customer lives. More than a quarter (29%) are planning to add flat rates next year. 

An equal 20 per cent of retailers also introduced bulk-rate shipping discounts and free shipping in some areas, though this often requires a minimum spend. The trend will continue into the new year with another 21 per cent of retailers planning to make the changes.  

Medium-sized retailers (with 51-200 employees) had the highest number of changes to shipping rates, with 19 per cent introducing free shipping and 43 per cent adding flat rates.  

More options for faster deliveries

Thirty per cent of Australian retailers introduced same-day or next-day shipping, reflecting high shopper demand for immediate delivery. In Queensland, an overwhelming 41 per cent of retailers introduced same-day shipping – significantly more than in South Australia (at 27%). On the flipside, 47 per cent of South Australian retailers introduced next-day shipping, compared with 24 per cent in Queensland, 32 per cent in NSW and 24 per cent in Victoria.  

As couriers work around the clock in the lead up to Christmas to deliver record parcel volumes, shoppers can help them achieve a first-time delivery by entering complete and correct receiver details – including the business name, unit number and email address, if relevant – on the retailer check out page. 

More options for secure deliveries 

More retailers have also been offering alternative delivery choices, allowing customers to receive parcels after hours when they are home, or redirect goods to secure collection points or a neighbour’s house. Twenty-two per cent of retailers introduced after-hours shipping this year, while 9 per cent added alternative delivery options. 

CouriersPlease offers several alternative delivery methods, including redelivery to a different address, leaving parcels in a safe place nominated by the parcel recipient, and delivering parcels to a neighbour up to three doors away. The company has 3000+ convenient pickup and delivery locations in partnership with technology partner HUBBED Parcelpoints. These free pick-up and drop-off locations enable parcel recipients to collect and return parcels seven days a week, and during extended hours, close to home. 

CouriersPlease CEO Richard Thame said: “With such a high proportion of retailers having expanded their shipping options this year, shoppers can expect more choice than ever for getting their parcels delivered in a way that suits them this Christmas. It’s also encouraging to see that retailer shipping strategies will continue to evolve next year, giving shoppers more flexibility and control over how they receive their orders.” 

The full survey results can be found here.