The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is among those lobbying the federal government to investigate the fairness of online retailing but that doesn't mean it's ignoring the burgeoning sector.
The industry association yesterday (April 13) hosted the first in a series of 'Engage in E-tail' seminars for retailers. Over 150 retailers attended the Melbourne event, organised in co-operation with the Australian Sporting Goods Association (ASGA).
Keynote speaker Tony Davis, director of consultancy firm Quantium, warned sales to international e-commerce stores would not wane regardless of changes to the value of the Australian dollar.
Davis also said purchasing patterns that retailers should be aware of include the tendency for regional and rural customers to represent a high proportion of specialty online retailers' customers, and that most online sales achieved by international e-stores are for large dollar purchases.
Topics covered by other speakers included 'getting started online', 'building your online capabilities' and 'digital strategy in retail'. Google's head of retail Ross McDonald and chairman of online business Deals Direct Paul Greenberg were among the speakers.
The ARA said a series of Engage in E-tail seminars were due to roll out in the coming months, though no dates were confirmed as yet. ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman said other seminars on the likes of mobile commerce, social media and using video in retail were also on their way.
Earlier this year the ARA along with the ASGA and other retail bodies formed the Fair Imports Alliance. The group is lobbying the federal government to address its concerns surrounding online retailing, including the $1000 tax free threshold for goods purchased offshore.