NATIONAL REPORT — Loyalty programs. Online ordering. Mobile apps. Convenience store operators are always looking for the next big technology initiative to drive customer engagement. Now, the new frontier may very well be retail media networks (RMNs). Retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies across all channels have always found ways to connect with their loyal shoppers — and just as importantly, build connections with new customers — via billboards, television, radio and, of late, digitally as everyday screen times increase. But their reach doesn’t need to end there as seen with the growth of RMNs. A retail media network is like an asset, according to Susie Opare-Abetia, founder and CEO of Wovenmedia, an in-store retail media solutions provider based in San Francisco. A RMN could take the form of a retailer’s website, mobile app or email channel, or it could be the store itself. With a retail media network,…

7-Eleven Australia has named Fiona Hayes as CEO and Managing Director following Angus McKay’s departure to Bapcor. Hayes joined 7-Eleven in 2022 as General Manager – Channel before being appointed CEO and Managing Director in July 2024. Prior to joining 7-Eleven, Hayes served on the Executive Team at Telstra for more than a decade. “It is an honour to lead 7-Eleven Australia and I’m excited about what we will collectively achieve in the years ahead. “Our ambition is to expand our network and push the boundaries of how consumers experience convenience in the local neighbourhoods we serve. I’m looking forward to working with our stores, our partners, and our support office to bring this to life,” said Hayes. The appointment comes at an exciting time for the 7-Eleven Australia business, which was recently acquired by 7-Eleven International (7IN) for $1.71 billion. The company has identified opportunities to transform 7-Eleven Australia’s merchandise…

Three tonnes of illicit tobacco worth more than $6 million has been seized in a joint investigation between Victoria Police and the tax office. Police carried out five search warrants at large rural properties in western Victoria – three in Landsborough and two in Barkly. Investigators alleged each property showed evidence of a recent tobacco harvest, though no tobacco was seized. At a Johnsons Gully Road address in Barkly, police seized 20,000 illicit cigarettes and some cash. A 40-year-old man was interviewed but released pending further inquiries. Police also carried out another five searches in Sydenham, Delahey, and Melton South in north-west Melbourne. At a Rose Court property in Sydenham, police seized 200kg of illicit tobacco, five guns which were allegedly improperly stored, shotgun rounds, documentation allegedly relating to the manufacture of illicit tobacco, and keys which are believed to be for illicit tobacco farms. A 30-year-old man at the…

“Myself and our Retail Members representing more than 7300 Petrol & Convenience stores nationally respectfully disagree with SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens comments over recent days that the industry could ‘fix fuel theft overnight’, by simply getting drivers to prepay. “The fuel and convenience retail industry has changed dramatically over the past decade and a high number of motorists come into the retail store to purchase their food, drinks, top up grocery items or a snack. “30 per cent of all customers purchase items from inside the store when they buy fuel, delivering over $3 billion in retail sales nationally. “Forcing consumers to pre-pay puts this $3 billion of sales – in an industry that employees over 80,000 frontline staff – at huge risk of being lost. ”Adopting a mandatory prepayment model for fuel would be like asking all supermarket shoppers to authorise payment for milk or bread before entering…

There’s a fine line between attracting customers and alienating them. We don’t always know where that line is until we’ve crossed it. Based on our research at Female Factor, there are seven classic mistakes to avoid when engaging women consumers. While they are not hard-and-fast rules – because so much of marketing depends on the kinds of products and services you sell – they are a helpful guideline for connecting with this powerful consumer market. See if you recognize any of them: 1. Acting like customer experience and marketing are two different things. Women place a premium on service. Try contacting your customer service number or online chat to see if your company’s mission, vision and values come alive through these channels. In a world of busy women, customer service can be your most powerful differentiator. It’s shocking that outstanding service is still considered a novelty in almost every industry. 2.…