Current State of Omni-Channel Retail 2026 | Australia
The Current State of Omni-Channel Retail Report 2026 Australia explores how customer behaviour, pricing pressure, and digital discovery are reshaping retail performance across Australia.
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Loved by This Year’s Attendees — Catch Up On What Made It So Valuable
“How the customers dynamic is changing and how important delivery, particularly around those click and collect services and how important they are and what impact that can have on the overall customer experience.”
“Knowing that promotions are critical and that rewards are really important but which rewards, it’s not only about the loyalty programs but it’s what makes them loyal.”
“Definitely offering affordable alternatives for customers and how important that is in today’s market and implementing loyalty programs that actually provide something useful.”
“Stock availability is really important in converting shoppers who have come in-store and online particularly for our industry.”
“Retail is difficult, it’s dynamic and has a lot of macro impact so it’s always good to see a different perspective and obviously helps us divide and conquer.”
“Previously we think that maybe discount or the price is the most important for the customers but actually it’s fun to find out it’s free delivery who’s the deal maker.”
“I’ve always thought or considered that digital was the channel that people were going to more regularly but actually once a week people are going in-store, so completely shifted my thought process of the consumer journey.”
“Overall changing sentiment of the customer and how they’re becoming a little bit more price sensitive given the sort of macro factors at play at the moment and the tendency to shift towards flexible payment options really relevant for our business.”
This Exclusive Insight Report Will Cover
At a Glance: What’s Shifting in Australian Retail in 2026
More than three in five Australian shoppers have changed how they shop in the last 12 months — driven by cost-of-living pressure, evolving channel preferences, and a sharper focus on value. The opportunity is to convert that volatility into share gain.
64%
28%
56%
46%
37%
56%
Growth-focused CX insights: Key Strategic Opportunities
The opportunity in 2026 is not winning on price alone — it’s reducing friction, sharpening findability, and using loyalty as a frequency lever. Retailers that align store layout, online checkout, fulfilment and rewards to how shoppers actually behave will protect margin while growing basket size, especially among the persuadable middle of the market.
What’s inside: the Australian Retail Industry Insights of 2026
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Survey-based insights with a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of ±5%.
Part 1: The Retail Landscape Today
Australian shoppers are becoming more value-conscious.
64% have changed their shopping habits by reducing non-essential spending, switching to cheaper brands, and managing budgets more carefully.
Figure 1. In-store shopping holds a 16-point lead over online for weekly frequency. Despite the friction of travel and parking, customers continue to visit stores in person — a signal that physical retail is still delivering enough value to maintain repeat behaviour.
Despite digital growth, physical retail remains important:
Figure 2. The 64% who have changed their shopping habits are doing so by cutting non-essentials, tightening household budgets, and switching to cheaper brands. In-store retail benefits when shoppers can compare, test and assess value directly.
Part 2: How Shoppers Discover and Decide
Product discovery is now spread across multiple channels:
Figure 3. Reviews and recommendations are now major discovery drivers. Friends, family and customer reviews influence over a third of product discovery, putting reputation at the centre of acquisition.
Reviews and recommendations now influence over one-third of product discovery, making reputation and social proof increasingly important.
Part 3: Omni-Channel Conversion and Barriers
Price remains the strongest purchase driver:
Other major switch triggers include out-of-stock products and poor product findability.
Figure 4. 56% of shoppers switch retailers because of high prices. If margin cuts are not an option, findability becomes the lever — helping customers locate products and alternatives quickly protects conversion.
Part 4: Value Sensitivity and Purchase Flexibility
Flexible payments accelerate purchase, not basket size. Without them, only 18% of shoppers buy as planned — the rest delay, spend less or go elsewhere. 64% want flexible payments by the $200 mark, not just on high-value items.
Figure 5. Retailers need to reassess where and how flexible payments are offered, as limiting them to high-value items risks missing conversion opportunities across the entire basket.
Part 5: Loyalty, Retention and Switching Risk
Loyalty programs are becoming a strong frequency and retention lever:
Flexible payment options also become increasingly important for higher-value purchases.
Figure 6. Loyalty is no longer about points alone. Customers expect benefits that directly support them through current financial pressures — practical savings, member-only pricing, and recognition that helps them manage costs.
Part 6: Understanding Different Mindsets
Australian shoppers fall into three key segments:
Figure 7. The three mindsets are behavioural segments, meaning shopping patterns and attitudes matter more than income or background alone. Each requires a distinct growth strategy.
Part 7: The Ideal Retail Experience
Shoppers say they would visit stores more often if retailers improved:
Figure 8. Better prices remain the strongest driver, but stock reliability, helpful staff and practical loyalty benefits matter almost as much — and they are more sustainable than discounting as a way to win repeat visits.
Online shoppers prioritise:
Figure 9. Better prices remain the strongest driver, but stock reliability, helpful staff and practical loyalty benefits matter almost as much — and they are more sustainable than discounting as a way to win repeat visits.
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