Survival of the smallest? Retail’s post COVID-19 future

June 2020

Retailers are facing a COVID-19 customer base that is more frugal, cautious and cocooning with a greater propensity to shop online, says QUT Business School consumer behaviour expert Prof. Gary Mortimer. “Australians are now spending almost 10 cents in every shopping dollar online. Once shoppers have set up accounts, logins, credit card details and have gained trust, online shopping will become a habitual activity. It is estimated 80 per cent of us will be shopping online by next year and with ecommerce jumping by 21.8 per cent compared to the same time last year as COVID-19 restrictions took.” Prof. Mortimer said the shift to online presented large retailers and shopping centres with several challenges such as an inability to respond quickly to consumer shifts toward digital channels. In contrast, small and micro retailers are most likely to survive and thrive during and after the COVID-19 shutdowns because many are able to pivot and adapt their business operations more rapidly than larger competitors. Shoppers maybe more inclined to patronise smaller, independent retailers, in order to avoid busy centres and crowds. With small retail businesses estimated to contribute $21.9bn to local economies, Prof. Mortimer is now researching how small retail businesses located in regional and rural areas of Queensland are adapting and responding to COVID-19. Small retail businesses are critical to the survival of regional Queensland communities. “There is an urgent need to understand how regional small businesses are responding to these emergent challenges and put in place interventions that can guide such businesses in their response to external disruptive forces, such as COVID-19” said Prof. Mortimer.

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About the exhibition

The 2012–2018 Art meets Science Exhibitions provided an opportunity for artists from across South East Queensland to join the artists participating in the Artist in Residence Science program in showcasing their recent artworks that demonstrate a strong art-science connection. Find out more about the artists and artworks featured in these exhibitions in the 2015-2018 Art meets Science exhibition catalogues.