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Retail
Retailers are operating in an environment of ongoing disruption, with changing customer expectations, rising operating costs and increasingly complex channels. Businesses must respond to more price-conscious consumers while also delivering convenience, consistency and experience across physical and digital touchpoints.
In New Zealand, these pressures are shaped by a relatively small market, supply chain distance, margin pressure and growing expectations around value, availability and service. Retailers are also navigating changing shopping behaviours, increased competition and the need to improve resilience in a volatile environment.
There is a clear need for organisations to strengthen performance, improve agility and build retail businesses that can grow sustainably.
The team
Solving your complex challenges
- Consumer Insight
- Sustainable Growth
- Supply Resilience
CHALLENGE
Driving growth and protecting margins in a constrained market
Retailers are under pressure to improve profitability while continuing to invest in growth. This includes managing promotional intensity, pricing pressure and rising costs, while maintaining relevance with customers and differentiating in a competitive market.
In New Zealand, this often means balancing growth ambitions with market scale, cost discipline and changing consumer spending patterns.
HOW EY CAN HELP
EY teams support retailers to strengthen commercial performance, improve cost management and identify new growth opportunities. We help align strategy, operations and financial performance to support sustainable results.
- Pricing and commercial performance
- Growth strategy and transformation
- Cost optimisation and margin improvement
CHALLENGE
Responding to changing customer expectations across channels
Retailers must meet rising expectations for convenience, value and consistency across stores, online and fulfilment channels. Customers are more informed, more selective and more willing to switch based on price, availability and experience.
In New Zealand, this includes balancing physical and digital channels, improving service consistency and responding to more cost-conscious and convenience-driven purchasing behaviour.
HOW EY CAN HELP
EY teams support retailers to better understand customers, improve channel strategy and strengthen customer experience. We help organisations respond to changing demand with practical, commercially focused improvements.
- Customer and channel strategy
- Omnichannel experience design
- Data and insight to support customer decisions
CHALLENGE
Improving store performance and integrated channel delivery
Retail models are continuing to evolve, with increasing pressure to deliver seamless experiences across physical and digital channels. Stores remain critical, but their role is changing, with greater emphasis on fulfilment, experience and integration with digital platforms.
In New Zealand, retailers are balancing investment in store networks with digital capability, while working to improve consistency, efficiency and customer experience across channels.
HOW EY CAN HELP
EY teams work with retailers to improve store performance, improve channel strategy and integrate digital and physical operations. We help organisations align customer experience with operational delivery to improve performance and consistency.
- Store performance and operating model review
- Omnichannel strategy and execution
- Digital and in-store integration
Explore our offerings
Customer experience and engagement
We help retailers enhance customer experience across channels, improving engagement, loyalty and conversion in an increasingly competitive market.
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Retail strategy and growth
We support retailers to define strategy, respond to market change and identify opportunities for sustainable growth.
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Future consumer index
We provide insights into changing shopper behaviour, helping retailers respond to shifting demand, refine product and pricing decisions, and make more informed strategic choices.
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Omnichannel and digital retail
We help retailers integrate physical and digital channels, enabling more seamless and consistent customer experiences.
Commercial performance and pricing
We help retailers improve margins through pricing, merchandising and commercial optimisation in a cost‑constrained environment.
Transactions and transformation
We support retailers through transformation, restructuring and transactions, helping organisations adapt and grow in a changing market.
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