Are you ready for Black Friday?

Since arriving in the Australia and New Zealand markets around a decade ago, Black Friday has become one of the biggest occasions on the retail calendar.

As well as being a major event in its own right, Black Friday, along with Cyber Monday, marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. And it seems to get bigger every year, with deals being advertised earlier and the sale period getting longer.

In 2024, Black Friday and Cyber Monday set a new record in Australia of $2.2 billion spent online, despite a tight cost-of-living environment. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, they saw $94.6 million spent online and $734 million spent instore. Overall Q4 retail spending came in at $16.1 billion, with mid-to-late November showing the biggest increase in spend.

Clearly, the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period is an opportunity for retailers to build momentum heading into Christmas, but the returns won’t come without thought and strategic planning.

Here we look at how you can make sure you’re ready to take advantage of the Black Friday splurge so that it sets you up for end-of-year success.

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Is your inventory ready?

Perhaps the most important question you need to answer is: what are you hoping to sell? Are you showcasing a new product line, promoting tried-and-true items that you know will sell or are you trying to move excess stock?

With this question answered, you need to be sure that you’ve planned for demand and contingencies.  Use reports and analytics to gauge the volume of stock you will need on hand, and make sure your inventory management system alerts you to when minimum stock levels have been reached.

Getting stock to the right places is vital. Have you maximised shelf use, so that you’ve filled shelves with product you want shoppers to buy? Do you need to transfer slower movers into the storeroom for the duration of the sale?

And if you’re running a multi-store operation, have you planned for variation in demand across stores, and are you able to move stock across your network to meet that demand during the sale period?  

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Are your suppliers on board?

Once you know how much stock you’ll need and where you’ll need it, make sure you’ve either got what you need on hand or that your suppliers can provide it.

Have you got agreements in place with suppliers that allow you to meet demand? If you aren’t able to physically store all the stock you’re planning to sell, are suppliers able to hold more stock for you in case it’s needed?

And if you run out of stock during the sale, are you able to place customer orders with the supplier so that demand can be met in the coming days or weeks? Alternatively, are suppliers able to dropship to your customers to speed up fulfilment?

You’ll also want suppliers to help you out if you find yourself with product left over at the end of the sale, so have you come to an agreement to return unsold stock?

Finally, are your suppliers on board with your pricing strategy? Can they offer you tiered pricing that you can pass on to shoppers?

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Does your pricing strategy align with inventory?

When you’ve decided what to discount you need to get the pricing right so that you’re selling stock at required levels without compromising revenue or brand value.

Use reports to identify the price points at which discounts should be offered that maintain profitability while also attracting customers.  

Experience from the US indicates that discounts in the 10–15% and 20–25% ranges performed better than steep price cuts, suggesting consumers were more interested in getting the right product from their chosen brand rather than merely prioritising the lowest price.

If you’re opting for pricing bundles and tiered discounts, does your POS allow for a seamless pricing experience for customers so that they know they’re getting the best price?

And when it comes to those shoppers who belong to your loyalty scheme, consider whether you’ve put enough emphasis on nurturing them through exclusive offers, bonus points and early access to deals.

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How are you going to manage queues?

There’s no point having inventory and pricing in place if people walk out because the queue isn’t being managed.  

Look at last year’s analytics and work out when the peak times were and then make sure that you have enough people on deck to handle those busy periods.

If you offer a click-and-collect service, consider suspending pick-ups at busy times so that shoppers aren’t waiting around to collect orders, preventing your staff from serving bargain hunters and compromising overall service.

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Is your POS up to the task?

Once you’ve decided how many of your people need to be available, are you sure you have enough POS lanes, or do you need to scale up the number of lanes?

Are you also sure that your POS can handle high transaction volumes? Once again, slow service at the POS will flow on to queue length, which could result in lost sales.

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How will you keep customers coming back?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday can see record numbers of shoppers engaging with you across all touchpoints, from instore to web store. Are you ready to reward them for their business and retain them as loyal customers?

Limited-time promotions can result in a huge spike in customers coming through the door or visiting you online never to be seen again. But giving them a reason to come back means that a single purchase on Black Friday can be the start of a long-lasting relationship that bolsters your loyal customer base and fortifies revenue streams. 

Have you thought about how you keep in touch with new shoppers through email or txt exchanges so you can offer them complementary products or services? Do you have a retention strategy in place to bring new shoppers back again and again?

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Are you ready for next year?

Getting everything in place so you can take best advantage of Black Friday can be daunting, but having the right tools at hand takes some of the pressure off.  

If you don’t have the data you need to make informed decisions about which products will perform best and how to price them, then it might be time to upgrade your systems so that you’re ready for next year.

Infinity allows you to report on inventory sales so you can see what performs well and when, while other reports give you a clear understanding of profit and loss. You can even see how well each of your employees is doing over a given period so you make sure your top performers are on the floor.

You can easily move stock around stores so that stock gaps are filled, and if items do run out you can create customer orders to be fulfilled from the warehouse, the supplier or from another store.

You also get to make complex pricing simple, so that tiered pricing becomes a breeze. And Infinity’s proven ability to perform complete transactions at speeds of less that 20 seconds on a single POS means you get the throughput and accuracy you need.

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Need help to get ready for busy sale periods?

If you’re looking to get on a solid footing for the sale season, get in touch. We’d love to show you how Infinity can help you deliver the bargains customers expect while maximising revenue.

Keeping ahead of the c-store transformation

The fuel and convenience sector is undergoing a dramatic transformation as consumer buying patterns shift. Retailers on both sides of the Tasman have faced faltering foot traffic, lower fuel sales, increased price consciousness among shoppers focused on the cost of living and a drop in income from traditional core items in the wake of health concerns and government regulation.

Basket sizes have shrunk, operational costs have increased and margins have tightened in an increasingly competitive landscape. At the same time, consumer expectations have risen — they demand speed, convenience, variety and seamless experiences across both physical and digital channels.

But change also brings opportunity. Retailers who understand their customers and can quickly adapt to changing preferences are gaining a competitive edge.

Here we look at some of the fundamental shifts taking place in fuel and convenience and at how retailers can create the differentiated, data-driven experiences that build loyalty and drive profitability.

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Drainers and gainers

Convenience stores in Australia and New Zealand are seeing similar changes in consumers’ buying habits, and these changes are impacting products that have traditionally underpinned c-stores’ profits.

According to a 2024 study of the state of the convenience industry in New Zealand, tobacco experienced the largest drop in value of any category, while growth in vaping did not offset the declines for cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco. Meanwhile, AACS’s State of the Industry 2025* report found that in Australia tobacco’s share of total store sales has fallen below 20%, down from 25.4% at the end of 2024.

C-stores have also seen a drop in sales from staples such as bread and milk, as well as from telecommunications products and printed materials such as magazines. In Australia, for example, the value of milk sales dropped 6.6% in value from 2024 to 2025.

On the other hand, some categories are showing the way with growth. In Australia, packaged beverages, and especially energy drinks, represented almost 70% of the value growth excluding tobacco from 2024 to 2025. A comparable situation exists in New Zealand, where sales from sport and energy drinks, along with fresh coffee, increased in value last year.

Foodservice also performed well in Australia during the first half of 2025, with prepared food leading the way, up 8.9% in value from 2024, while in New Zealand grab-and-go items such as cereal and biscuits remained essential parts of the c-store offering.

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The trends driving customer behaviour

While a range of factors, including health concerns, are driving customers’ purchasing decisions, value for money is crucial, with price-conscious shoppers looking for deals.

Cost of living considerations are clearly evident in the fuel and convenience space. Thirty-two percent of New Zealand consumer are shopping less often instore at fuel stations, with 49% citing pressures on the household budget as a reason.

Changes in how fuel stations operate are also having an impact, especially the advent of pay-at-the-pump. While 38% of customers shop instore when they stop for fuel, being able to pay at the pump means fewer shoppers are going into the store to make impulsive purchases of snack items. Those who do go inside the store are more likely to make planned purchases of hot food and coffee.

At the same time, shoppers with more disposable income and those who prioritise value over price are open to loyalty card offerings.

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Reshaping the c-store offering

The authors of the New Zealand study offer fuel and convenience retailers five tips to increase foot traffic instore and drive profitability:

• Offer on-pump promotions to drive customers into the store, so that they get discounts on products even if they pay for their fuel at the pump.

• Offer cross-promotions between planned and impulse categories.

• Become a preferred supplier of on-the-go meal and snacking options.

• Allow shoppers to make in-app purchases for instore pick-up across a range of products.

• Leverage loyalty cards to offer instore deals.

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How can Infinity help?

Delivering on these recommendations means having the right inventory and customer data at your fingertips. You’ll need a solution that lets you understand customer preferences, plan effective promotions and effectively manage inventory.

Infinity empowers you to transform your operations and customer engagement strategies, giving you a future-ready retail solution.

• Customer-centric engagement: Leverage real-time data to personalise offers, promotions and communications, allowing you to build loyalty programs that delight customers and build connection.

• Optimised inventory management: Respond quickly to category shifts with real-time performance insights so that high-demand items like food and beverages are always available.

• Data-driven decision-making: Use advanced analytics to predict trends, optimise pricing and enhance store layouts, empowering you to make faster, smarter decisions that align with evolving consumer behaviour.

• Unified cross-channel retailing: Deliver frictionless, consistent experiences across instore, mobile and online channels through click and collect, self-checkout and mobile ordering.

• Operational efficiency: Streamline processes across locations with centralised control and automation.

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*AACS State of the Industry Mid-year Report 2025, Commissioned by the Australian Association of Convenience Stores Limited and prepared by Convenience Measures Australia (CMA).

Want help to deliver compelling c-store experiences?

If you’re looking to build a winning c-store offering, get in touch. We’d love to show you how Infinity can help you offer seamless, unified, profitable customer experiences.

Integrating Infinity and Xero for the best of both financial worlds

Keeping a watchful eye on profit and loss and cashflow data is key to running any successful retail business, but that information won’t do your operation much good unless it’s current, accurate and reliable.  

For years, many retailers have relied on Xero accounting software to give them the up-to-date view of their business they need, while some have also used the power of Infinity to manage inventory and point of sale transactions.

Now, you can get the best of both worlds through an integration between these two leading platforms.

The Infinity Xero Integration sends POS sales and other transactional data from Infinity to Xero, which then handles business accounting activities, seamlessly updating the financial information that’s the cornerstone of your business.

The result? An accurate daily picture of profit and loss plus tax in Xero based on selling activity within Infinity that lets you spend less time buried in spreadsheets and more time building relationships with your customers.

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Key Benefits

• Real-time financial insights with up-to-date reporting and tax position.
  
• Improved cashflow and cost management through reconciliation and payment tracking.
  
• Greater operational efficiency by syncing stock adjustments, transfers and receipts directly into Xero.
  
• Enhanced accuracy and compliance with consistent data across POS and accounting.
  
• Time savings that allow teams to focus on customer relationships and strategic growth.

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How it works

A wide range of everyday transactions are handled, including cash sales, debtor sales and refunds, stock adjustments, stock transfers, stock receipts, supplier invoices, stock takes, till adjustments and bank reconciliations.

When it comes to debtor transactions, you can choose between two options, depending on which suits your business best. You can manage all debtor activity in Infinity and use Xero as a sub-ledger, so that transactions are sent as journals. Alternatively, you can opt to maintain debtor activity in Xero, so debtor sales and credits are sent from Infinity to Xero for processing. In this mode, Xero debtor payments that have been matched to an invoice are sent to Infinity. That way, debtors’ credit position in Infinity is kept accurate and reflects payments that have been received directly via Xero.

Updated transaction data is sent from Infinity to Xero, and vice versa, either automatically at a specified interval or manually whenever is convenient, giving you total control over the update process.

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Granular view of complex transactions

The integration offers a granular level of posting for complex transactions, so you get fine-grained cost management that enables accurate profit and loss reporting.

So, for example, if you import inventory from offshore suppliers, you can pay them in their local currency. Any freight costs that have been added to supplier invoices and disbursed across the items can be posted as GRNI, to give you a more accurate view of the cost of goods sold.  

You also get granular control over how bank fees are posted, including card fees, making bank reconciliations faster and more accurate.

And when it comes to tracking revenue, you can make use of multiple revenue categories, including cash sales and trade sales. You can even track revenue based on payment type.

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Suited to all environments

Its easy-to-use interface means the integration suits every type of retail business, from multi-branch chains to standalone stores.

It’s also straightforward to deploy and support, with enhanced logging and troubleshooting that lets you track errors and quickly address any issues.

What’s more, by integrating Infinity with Xero you get to leverage Xero’s ecosystem of business tools, allowing you to manage everything from payroll to sales and marketing contacts.

There’s never been a better time to integrate Infinity and Xero so you get the timely, granular, automatically updated accounting information you need.

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Interested in using the Infinity Xero Integration to streamline and simplify your accounting processes? Get in touch. 

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AI and the future of retail: A CTO’s view

Mike Baxter is Triquestra’s CTO.  Here he talks about how he sees the future of AI unfolding for retailers.

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The surge in interest in AI, especially in the past year, has retailers asking how they can incorporate it into their businesses for maximum effect. And at a time when 65% of Asia Pacific CEOs anticipate that AI will significantly enhance their organisation’s efficiency, it makes sense to think clearly about how to implement AI tools in a way that enhances productivity, streamlines processes and adds to revenue growth.

AI has the potential to revolutionise the retail sector, including when it comes to customer-facing aspects such as personalisation, as well as the ‘under the bonnet’ tasks involved in inventory management, the bedrock of any retail business.

Global retailers like Zara and Amazon are already using AI to monitor inventory in real time, dynamically allocate stock based on local trends and predict demand for millions of its products in just seconds.

As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about technology and how to integrate it into the ways Triquestra and our customers do business, I’ve got some thoughts on how the future of AI might play out and how retailers can get ready to make the most of it.

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The next next big thing

Ten years ago the term on everyone’s lips was ‘cloud’, and we were all asking how we could incorporate cloud technology into our business for best effect. Now that AI is the next next big thing, it’s worth pointing out a few important differences between these two leaps forward.

For one thing, AI is a simpler proposition. Whereas cloud implementation required significant IT infrastructure investment and configuration, AI is already integrated into many existing tools, and most people are familiar with the best-known ones, like ChatGPT. That alone makes AI more accessible and easier to understand compared to the initial stages of cloud adoption.

That doesn’t mean it’s all plain sailing, though. It’s important to recognise that AI comes with its own challenges and pitfalls that you need to keep in mind when integrating it into your business.

Start with being clear about what you’re trying to achieve. Learn from the mistake that some businesses made during cloud implementation when they were carried away by the hype instead of clearly defining their goals. Start with something small, solve it, learn from it and then repeat it.

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Get the inputs right

When people talk about AI, they’re really talking about a few different things all working together. If we think about demand forecasting, there’s a layer of machine learning that trains models on inputs like algorithms and data and then produces predictions of future customer behaviour. AI enhances this process by automating the analysis and selection of the best algorithms and data.

But AI’s effectiveness relies on the quality of the data and the instructions it’s given. In other words, it can only offer quality analysis if it has quality information to work with. Proper data management and preparation are essential for achieving accurate and useful AI outputs.

As Triquestra’s CEO Greg Cantlon said recently, ‘The retailers who will win the AI race aren’t necessarily those jumping on every new AI trend — they’re the ones building strong foundations with systems that make their data easily accessible and actionable.’

It’s also vital to ask the right questions. High-quality, tailored prompts that give precise context will return more helpful, accurate results than vague queries that take a shot in the dark. Without quality prompts, language models will give different results even with the same data.   

Let’s say you’re a furniture retailer who wants to know about upcoming demand for outdoor furniture over summer. You’ve opened more urban stores in the past 12 months and warmer than expected temperatures and lower rainfall are expected. By using this data and targeting your prompts to querying sun umbrellas instead of all categories of outdoor furniture, you learn that increased sales in the range of 10% are likely and can plan accordingly.

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Be willing to pay

Poor-quality prompts and data don’t just return variable results, they can also waste time and cost money, especially if you are paying to use an AI tool.

AI pricing models are based on tokens, where each token represents a chunk of data and the cost depends on the volume of data processed and the complexity of the prompts. Therefore, targeted prompting is a good way to optimise cost efficiency, whereas generic questions and bloated data sets can incur unwanted expense.

Still, it’s worth investing in paid tools, given that they offer better efficiency, especially when using targeted prompts. They also provide the benefit of enhanced data security and retention, whereas free tools can scoop up your data to train models for other users.

When it comes to choosing an AI tool, be willing to pay.

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Prepare for rapid change

One of the standout aspects of AI technology is how rapidly it’s developing and changing. So, for example, language models are starting to specialise in different areas, such as writing software code, analysing customer sentiment, and personalisation. This specialisation could lead to more accurate and relevant outputs.

The key, though, will remain quality inputs. As AI advances, the need to interact with it in an intelligent, informed way will increase rather than decrease. That means developing people who understand your business and can interact with AI in a way that gets the best, most useful results.

Even at a time of rapid technological change, the human factor will be crucial to your success.

So will data quality and integrity. And that’s where Infinity comes in. As Greg said, ‘The question isn’t if your business will need to adapt, but how quickly you can do so when the time comes. The key is to choose systems built on robust APIs and data accessibility. Your point-of-sale system shouldn’t just handle today’s transactions — it should be your launchpad for tomorrow’s AI innovations.’

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Want help to manage your data for best results?

If you’re looking for help to build a solid foundation for data accessibility, get in touch. We’d love to help you prepare for the future of retail.  

How drop shipping can drive down cost and grow revenue

Think of drop shipping and you might imagine a small, start-up online entrepreneur selling a relatively small range of products sourced from suppliers who handle the shipping and delivery.

But drop shipping can also be a powerful tool for larger, established retailers looking for ways to maxmise revenue, drive down cost and enhance fulfilment options.

Here we look at some of the advantages to be gained from drop shipping, and at how to seamlessly integrate it into your existing business model.

The rise and rise of drop shipping

Consumers’ love for the convenience of online shopping has seen drop shipping grow exponentially. This year, the global drop shipping market is estimated at a whopping US$434.98 billion, with the Asia Pacific region accounting for US$156.59 billion of that value, while annual growth is predicted in the range of 22% until 2034.

Over the next decade, growing middle-class wealth is expected to see Asia Pacific dominate the global drop shipping market as consumers look for ways to spend their disposable incomes, with overall market value expected to rise to US$939.50 billion.

Understanding the benefits

Given these numbers, it makes sense for established retailers to consider ways to get a slice of the drop shipping market pie. And, as well as revenue growth, drop shipping can offer a range of benefits to recognised brands.

For a start, by sourcing and shipping products directly from the supplier as and when customers want them, you avoid the overheads that come with warehousing and the costs of potential spoilage. This is especially true for retailers, such as furniture and homeware vendors, that sell large items requiring ample storage.

Not having to warehouse stock also allows you to offer a wider range of products, and you get to trial new product lines without having to buy large volumes up-front, thereby lowering the risk of being left with unsold stock.

Using drop shipping also gives you an added fulfilment option when it comes to meeting your customers’ desire for fast, efficient delivery.

What’s more, established brands with an existing online offering and customer base can avoid some of the pitfalls that come with setting up a drop shipping business by leveraging existing suppliers, sales channels and customer support.

Managing the risks

Like all aspects of retail, drop shipping is not without risks that need to be managed for brand protection. Suppliers need to be carefully vetted to ensure shipping costs and estimates are reliable and accurate, legal obligations are met and product quality is maintained.

At the other end of the supply chain, customers need to receive the same level of care and support as if they had bought from your warehoused stock, so that the buying experience is seamless. That means giving your people up-to-date information about drop ship orders and empowering them to quickly address any issues.

Choosing the right partner

Making the move to drop shipping as seamlessly as possible, for both you and your customers, means choosing a technology partner who can help you integrate it into your existing business model in a way that lets you easily track drop shipped orders and inventory.

That’s where Infinity comes in.

With Infinity, you can easily create a new stock item that is added to your inventory but flagged as a drop ship product for order fulfilment.   

You can then search for and retrieve drop ship orders and monitor their progress to delivery just as you would with a conventional order.

And if the customer changes their mind and wants to return or refund the item, Infinity can bring the product into your inventory so it can be receipted, counted and returned to the supplier.

When it comes to drop shipping, Infinity gives you the flexibility to expand your offering and manage orders without the cost of end-to-end inventory management. You get to choose what’s best for customers and most profitable for you.

Drop shipping in practice

When one of Australasia’s best-known furniture retailers was looking for a way to expand the range of items on offer from existing suppliers without increasing warehouse capacity, they turned to Infinity to handle drop shipped inventory and orders.

The process is streamlined and easy.

When a customer goes to the online store and identifies a drop ship product they want to buy, a new stock item is instantly created on the fly via an Infinity API that connects the web store to the supplier’s system.

The item becomes part of an order that is tracked through to completion, as well as being assigned to a physical store based on the customer’s delivery address and post code.

If any issues arise, the customer can go instore and know that their query will be handled, up to and including order cancellation, while store staff can retrieve and view the order just like any other.

The result? An expanded product offering and seamless customer experience.

Want help to get the most out of drop shipping?

If you’re looking for help to meet the demands of today’s and tomorrow's delivery conscious shoppers, get in touch. We’d love to help you deliver the shopping experiences customers expect.  

Making sustainability sustainable

Sustainability has been a hot topic in recent years, with businesses across all sectors recognising a need to demonstrate their commitment to the environment. And retail is no different.

Real-world evidence suggests that sustainability isn’t just a buzzword or a nice-to-have anymore but something that businesses need to build into their future plans if they are going to meet demands from customers, investors and regulators.

Here we look at some of the drivers behind the move to sustainable retail and at how, when done well, taking action can help to lower costs and increase market share. We also look at how not getting things right can pose significant risks to your brand.

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What is sustainable retail?

Becoming a sustainable retailer isn’t a single action point or strategy. Instead, it can take a variety of forms, from investing in eco-friendly packaging to sourcing inventory locally or stocking only natural, chemical-free products, as well as reducing energy use and other forms of waste.

It also means taking on climate change. At a time when retail supply chains contribute to 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is no surprise that decarbonising supply chains is top of the list when it comes to sustainability priorities, even as it remains one of the more challenging ambitions.

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Meeting customers’ sustainability expectations

One of the biggest drivers behind the shift to sustainable retail is consumer pressure. Globally, customers are choosing to shop with retailers who measure up to their sustainability expectations. 

In Australia, a study found that 93% of Gen Z shoppers would prefer to buy from brands that aligned with their sustainable values, while a significant number of baby boomers felt the same way, at 63%. Meanwhile, 85% of New Zealanders say they are willing to change their shopping habits to be more sustainable, and many Kiwis expect their employers to operate more sustainably.

A Deloitte study found that consumers’ decisions are influenced by a range of sustainability considerations, from the use of recycled materials to the impact of climate change. It found that 30% of customers check whether a product is recycled or biodegradable before buying, while 53% of people who had experienced an extreme climate-related event in the past year went on to buy sustainably, compared to 38% of those who had not.

Investors as well as customers are placing increased demands on retailers to demonstrate their sustainable credentials, including through adherence to environmental frameworks and regulations.

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Taking action for a sustainable world

So, how are businesses incorporating these demands into their business models?  

In 2024 Deloitte found that 51% of surveyed companies globally were using more sustainable materials, 49% were increasing energy efficiency and 48% were developing new climate-friendly products or services.

One business putting its sustainable goals into action is furniture manufacturer and retailer, Koskela. At the recent Australian Retail Association Leaders Forum 25 in Sydney, co-founder and CEO Sasha Titchkosky said all of Koskela's furniture is manufactured in Australia, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transportation. What’s more, they plan to be fully circular by 2027, so that all products will be repairable, reusable or recyclable, while an estimated 90% of their furniture will be made from recycled or repurposed materials by 2026.

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Reaping the rewards

For businesses that commit to the path of sustainability, the rewards can be plentiful.

Offering the types of sustainable products discerning customers demand can attract new buyers and build satisfaction and loyalty among existing ones. This is particularly the case for ‘recommerce’ retailers who give buyers a one-stop-shop where they can buy items new and sell them back second hand to the same store, thereby providing multiple touchpoints in a circular business model.

Tapping into the market for sustainable goods can also grow revenue by allowing retailers to charge price premiums for items that truly meet the sustainable standard.

Meanwhile, retailers can boost the bottom line by reducing costs through energy savings and other forms of waste reduction, and they can improve supply chain resilience by sourcing products locally, thereby minimising the risk of disruption and price volatility.   

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Avoiding the traps

While adopting sustainable practices can be good for business, it can also pose a risk when those practices aren’t well-implemented or when reality doesn’t meet the hype.

In one study, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission found 57% of businesses reviewed were making potentially inaccurate claims, a practice known as ‘greenwashing’. This behaviour ranged from making vague or unqualified claims about products being ‘eco-friendly’ that weren’t backed up by information that allows customers to make an informed choice, through to falsely claiming that products were ‘100% recyclable’ or ‘100% carbon positive’.  

Making these sorts of unsubstantiated claims, whether intentionally or not, can lead to loss of trust, reputational damage or even expensive litigation.

On the other hand, being transparent and specific about sustainability goals can build consumer confidence and boost return business.

When it comes to sustainability, the old saying that honesty is the best policy holds true.

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Tracking the financial impact

Being a successful sustainable retailer means understanding the financial implications of any changes you might make. While moving to sustainable practices can save money in the long run, some changes, like switching suppliers, can bring short-term costs.

Keeping an eye on your cash flow and margins is an essential part of making the shift to a sustainable business model. You’ll also need to track your inventory’s sustainable credentials to make sure you’re keeping pace with customer demand.

Infinity allows you to do all this and more, supporting you on your journey to being a sustainable retailer. Using Infinity, you can enhance and configure your stock data to capture relevant information about products’ sustainability, such as whether they qualify for a sustainability accreditation scheme.

It then arms you with a wide range of reports that offer a comprehensive understanding of your stock levels and how stock is performing, so you can see how sustainability translates to turnover.

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Want help to get the most out of sustainability?

If you’re looking for help to meet the demands of today’s and tomorrow's environmentally conscious shoppers, get in touch. We’d love to help you deliver the shopping experiences customers expect.