The Retail Benchmarks data shows independent retailers in Adelaide are bucking the national retail downturn to ring in 24 per cent growth in average transaction value over a 12-month period.

Average transaction values increased from AU$46.32 in 2018 to $57.70 in 2019, equating to more than double the national average increase of 11.18 per cent during the same period.

Independent retailers in Adelaide are outperforming merchants in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne – Australia’s shopping destinations – as shoppers look for beautifully curated product ranges in their neighbourhood stores, locally made and crafted from quality materials.

Vend Managing Director APAC Dave Scheine said strong technology adoption and government policies had helped drive the Adelaide retail renaissance.

“Adelaide is fast becoming a retail hotspot for the nation thanks to strong adoption by retailers of technology to reinvent and grow their business, alongside significant government support for SMBs and industry initiatives, like Renew Adelaide,” he said.

“All of this creates a positive business climate to innovate and thrive.”

The Conservatory Garden and Home has seen sweeping changes to the retail sector in Adelaide over the last 45 years of trading on Unley Rd.

The homeware and garden centre’s manager Greg Hart said the business focused on staying relevant to shoppers by offering a unique customer experience and a selection of beautifully curated products with signature lines that change and evolve.

“Most of our customers have travelled overseas, and they have high expectations,” he said.

“They want an in-store experience and to see unique ranges of beautifully curated products. They’re coming home to Adelaide and they expect a fast, modern offering from local retailers, whether they shop online or in store.”

The Conservatory Garden and Home switched from paper and pen and manual processes to Vend’s cloud-based point of sale software 18 months ago.

“When I selected a point of sale system I wanted something intuitive, simple to use, something we could plug in and play,” Hart said.

“I wanted the staff who don’t have any idea about tech to be able to embrace the solution and use it as I would use it. Also, our founder can now log into Vend from home, look at what’s selling well and have a connection to the business without having to be on site all the time.”

The Conservatory Garden and Home has just launched its online store and has integrated Vend with Xero for accounting and Facebook and Instagram for social selling and promotion.

“The biggest challenge is managing our broad range of stock,” Hart said.”

“We have over 5000 different items, so it’s an ever-changing retail proposition. Only 40 per cent of our lines are constant and it changes as fashion dictates, so I’m much more reliant on Vend to give me the intel, rather than relying on gut feel.”

Scheine said Vend had helped fuel a growing retail scene in Adelaide and across South Australia.

“Our retail experts are in town between 2-5 July and can show you how cloud-based point of sale technology can transform your business,” he said.

Vend +61-3-8595-3783 to book a demo or to find out more visit vendhq.com/adelaide