Preparing for the 2025 Holiday Season: Why Unified Commerce is the Key to Retail Success

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The 2025 holiday season is shaping up to be one of the most important yet for Australian retailers. According to Deloitte's 2025 Retail Holiday Report, consumer confidence is returning, with Australians planning to spend approximately 14% more this year, averaging $1,140 per person. This renewed optimism is fueled by falling interest rates and easing cost-of-living pressures.

Retailers are feeling the positive shift too. Deloitte found that 84% of retailers expect stronger sales this holiday season, a notable jump from 51% in 2024. But with opportunity comes complexity—today’s consumers are more value-conscious, tech-savvy, and channel-flexible than ever. Retailers must not only meet these expectations but exceed them to secure market share.

Key Trends Retailers Should Be Aware Of

November Sales Are More Critical Than Ever: Deloitte reports that 50% of expected holiday revenue will come from November events, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Shoppers are actively bargain hunting, using both online marketplaces and physical stores to find the best deals. For retailers, this means operational agility is critical: inventory must be accurate, fulfillment must be seamless, and promotions must be coordinated across all channels.

Unified Omnichannel Experiences Drive Customer Loyalty: The modern consumer expects a frictionless experience across online, mobile, and in-store channels. Deloitte highlights that shoppers are increasingly using multiple channels during their purchase journey. A workflow-driven, unified commerce platform ensures that inventory, pricing, customer profiles, and order management are synchronized across every touchpoint, giving retailers the ability to provide a consistent, engaging shopping experience wherever customers interact with the brand.

AI and Personalisation Are Game-Changers: The report emphasises the growing role of artificial intelligence in retail, from chatbots to predictive inventory systems and personalised marketing. Retailers leveraging AI can anticipate customer needs, offer timely recommendations, and streamline operational decisions, creating more meaningful in-store and online interactions.

Inventory Management Remains a Top Challenge: Deloitte found that 78% of retailers are concerned about stock availability during the holiday season. This makes centralized inventory management critical. A workflow-driven platform allows real-time inventory visibility across stores, warehouses, and online channels, ensuring that popular items are in stock and that order fulfillment is accurate and timely.

  • How AdvanceRetail Helps Retailers Succeed

At AdvanceRetail, we understand that today’s retail environment is fast-paced and complex. Our unified, workflow-driven platform is designed to help retailers capitalize on opportunities and overcome challenges highlighted in the Deloitte report:

  • Centralised Operations: Manage inventory, orders, promotions, and customer interactions from a single platform. Reduce errors, streamline workflows, and save time.

  • Seamless Omnichannel Experience: Provide customers with a consistent and frictionless journey, whether they are shopping in-store, online, or via mobile apps.

  • Personalised Engagement: Use integrated customer data and AI-driven insights to deliver relevant offers, loyalty rewards, and tailored communications.

  • Operational Agility: Quickly respond to demand spikes, restock popular items, and coordinate multi-channel promotions effortlessly.

Why Workflow-Driven Unified Commerce is Critical for Holiday Success

The Deloitte report makes one thing clear: the retailers that will thrive are those that can unify their operations, embrace technology, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

With consumer spending on the rise and November sales events playing a pivotal role, retailers need tools that help them:

  • Optimise stock across stores and online channels.

  • Offer fast, reliable fulfilment and flexible delivery options.

  • Capture customer data and insights to inform smarter decisions.

  • Maintain operational efficiency even during peak periods.

AdvanceRetail empowers retailers to do all this and more. By connecting every aspect of retail operations in one platform, we ensure that businesses can focus on what matters most—delivering seamless, engaging, and profitable customer experiences this holiday season.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 holiday season offers huge opportunities for retailers who are prepared. By embracing a workflow-driven, unified commerce platform, retailers can ensure operational efficiency, elevate the in-store and online customer experience, and ultimately capture the growth Deloitte predicts.

In a market where half of holiday revenue is expected to be generated in just one month, being unified, agile, and customer-focused isn’t just a competitive advantage—it’s essential.

AdvanceRetail helps retailers bring their operations together, streamline workflows, and unlock the full potential of unified commerce, making the holiday season a success for both retailers and customers alike.

Ready to future-proof your POS system and elevate your retail experience? Discover how AdvanceRetail’s innovative, workflow-driven platform centralises every aspect of your operations — from sales and stock to customer service — all in one place. Contact us today!

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