The National Retail Association (NRA) has announced that retail employment in December reached 1.3 million for the first time in Australian history.
According to data obtained by the NRA around 13,000 new jobs were created during December with the falling dollar said to be attracting customers to shopping locally.
NRA CEO Trevor Evans believes that although the employment rate is set to drop in January, the spike indicates strength in the retail sector.
“These figures suggest retail has now become one of the strongest performing sectors nation-wide, as other industries like mining continue to contract.
“Coupled with the low Australian dollar and hefty postage fees, it’s also becoming far less appealing to shop from overseas retailers, as the overall cost can end up being markedly higher in the long run.
“While this number of jobs is likely to fall back below the 1.3 million mark in January, we do believe there will be exciting opportunities for retailers to build on this momentum through the first half of 2016.
“We’re seeing major changes in the way the retail industry operates in Australia, and these latest figures show that consumer confidence is strong.”
Evans also said that Australian retailers are starting to source opportunity through ecommerce and online services.
“Ecommerce is bringing a lifeblood of new opportunities for retailers, particularly along social media channels, and we’re seeing increasing numbers of retailers merge their services into one inclusive offering to ensure consistent, easy and satisfying experiences for customers.
“Where there used to be a discussion about bricks vs clicks, we’re seeing Australian retailers successfully merging the two, to create one seamless experience for shoppers.
“This in turn is creating a retail job market that is unlike any we’ve seen before, and will bring even greater opportunity for job-seekers through 2016.”