Shopify has revealed the next era of commerce and unveiled a major set of products for Australia at the company’s new twice-yearly global product release, Summer ‘22 Edition.

Against a backdrop of global inflation, supply chain issues, and advertising regulations, Shopify is deepening its commitment to Australia with a set of new products to help merchants shift from the direct-to-consumer (D2C) era to a critical new phase: Connect to Consumer (C2C).

“At Shopify, we believe in the infinite game. That means we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for entrepreneurs,” said Tobi Lütke, Founder & CEO of Shopify.

“We work hard to solve the complex challenges merchants face today while constantly imagining entirely new ways for them to grow their businesses. With Shopify Editions, we’re sharing our big bets and latest innovations in commerce so that those ambitious enough to try their hand at entrepreneurship can start and scale faster than ever before.”

The global commerce platform powering millions of merchants said the relationship between brand and customer is more than just the transaction as customers want to feel connected, considered, and appreciated by the brands they support. C2C is an entirely new phase of commerce where opportunities to connect exist everywhere. If D2C gave merchants a direct line to consumers, C2C gives merchants endless pathways and puts authenticity, loyalty, and trust at the heart of every interaction between merchants and consumers.

“We’re strengthening our investment in innovation and product development to help Aussie merchants build a future that moves beyond transactional relationships to cultivate the power of connection,” said Shaun Broughton, Shopify’s Managing Director (APAC).

Shopify’s latest set of updates is focused on personalisation and giving independent businesses full control to create novel experiences across every potential touchpoint with consumers in ways that keep them coming back.

Here’s a snapshot of what Shopify launched at Summer ‘22 Edition:

Shopify unlocks NFT-powered opportunity for brands to reward loyalty with tokengated commerce

In this new era of commerce, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) represent a unique opportunity to build even deeper connections through brand loyalty. This is increasingly important in a world where customer acquisition costs are on the rise and fostering a loyal brand community is key to business growth.

Shopify research found that more than one quarter (27%) of Australian consumers said they’re likely to purchase an NFT in 2022. Tokengated commerce on Shopify offers a fundamentally new way to deepen connection between brands and consumers, and reward true fans and VIPs, by giving NFT holders exclusive access to products, perks, and experiences. For these consumers-turned-fans, all they need to do is connect their crypto wallets to a Shopify online store, and they can use their NFTs to unlock exciting experiences. Shopify is making it possible everywhere — from online to mobile to physical retail through POS.

“Tokengated commerce on Shopify allows Australian merchants to offer a fundamentally new way for loyal customers to expand the utility of their NFTs and access personalised experiences from their favourite brands,” saidBroughton.

Tokengated commerce on Shopify will also be multiplayer and collaborative. One brand’s NFT can unlock another brand’s store, making it easier than ever for brands to partner and collaborate.

Shopify expands into B2B to unlock massive market opportunity for Australian merchants

For independent merchants, connecting to consumers isn’t just something that happens one-to-one. There is a whole world of opportunity that exists in merchants connecting with other businesses — billions of untapped revenue and several times that of D2C (source)   — which is why Shopify is introducing B2B.

Directly integrated into Shopify, B2B makes it even easier for Shopify merchants to sell to other businesses using the same platform they use for their D2C storefront. B2B on Shopify offers a similar online store experience that merchants use to sell to consumers, but with customised tools that make it easier to sell wholesale or in bulk directly to large businesses.

“We are now at the point where it should be just as simple for a business looking to sell B2B to manage their products, prices and sales through an e-commerce platform, as it would be for any business selling individual products to consumers. With B2B, Shopify’s helping Aussie merchants expand into an entirely new market category on the same platform they already use to reach consumers.” said Broughton.

With B2B on Shopify, merchants can set customer-specific prices at fixed rates or discounted retail prices, easily modify currencies and exchange rates for international buyers, and add automated payment terms while integrating with ERP solutions like Acumatica and Netsuite.

Shopify teams up with Google to help Australian brands turn browsers into local buyers

Australian consumers make billions of local searches every month, and nearly 60 per cent of Australians (source) use search engines to find a business online.

With local inventory sync on Google, Shopify merchants can automatically let nearby customers know when a product is available in-store, making it easier than ever to shop and support local brands. Google local inventory sync is available globally to merchants using Shopify’s point-of-sale app.

Shopify Functions is a radical step forward for C2C commerce on Shopify

Shopify is allowing developers to extend or replace Shopify’s backend layer with custom code so they can create out-of-the-box Shopify features to tailor commerce experiences like never before.

Functions creates the flexibility of an open source platform without needing to deal with any of the hosting, security, or code versioning challenges. The custom code runs on Shopify’s global infrastructure, allowing merchants to handle high volume traffic spikes from flash sales while still providing a checkout experience in under five milliseconds.

Starting with Discounts, Functions will let developers build powerful custom offers like volume discounts (e.g., spend $100 get $20 off) or free gift with purchase. Merchants can use these alongside existing Shopify discounts, such as free shipping, without ever needing to touch a line of code.

Functions can be developed for a single merchant or shared with millions of merchants today through the Shopify App Store, meaning developers will have even more ways to generate income with Shopify.

Shopify takes Australian merchants and developers into the C2C era

The Summer ‘22 Edition features more than 100 products, including some recent updates Shopify launched to help merchants find new customers, turn conversations into conversions and make commerce simple:

• Shopify Markets, a cross-border commerce hub that makes global selling the default for our merchants.
• Dovetale, which makes it easy for merchants to grow their business using influencer and affiliate marketing. And Linkpop, our new link-in-bio tool.
• Hydrogen and Oxygen, Hydrogen provides tools to accelerate headless storefront builds, and Oxygen is Shopify’s globally distributed hosting solution for Hydrogen storefronts.
• New developer tools, inviting even more innovation on Shopify

DataMesh group, the Sydney-based payment services software company and Ingenico, a Worldline brand today announces a strategic partnership to support DataMesh’s growth strategy within the Australian payment ecosystem. As a part of the partnership, Ingenico has rolled out its latest Axium range of Ingenico’s DX8000 Android Smart Point Of Sale (POS) terminals to DataMesh’s merchant and retailer network across Australia.  

In combination with Ingenico’s DX8000 Android-based terminals and DataMesh’s payment solution software, merchants are offered a state-of-the-art frictionless payment solution, focusing on real-time transactions while maintaining the highest security levels, enabling acquirers to focus on the relationship with the merchants.

For Ingenico, this partnership furthers its strategy to enable seamless payments and to continue to support the highly dynamic Australian market further cementing its position as an ecosystem enabler empowering commerce and retailers across all channels, simplifying payments and delivering innovative customer journeys.

Commenting on the successful pilot between DataMesh and Ingenico, Anushka Weeratunga, Managing Director for Ingenico Pacific said: “We are delighted to form this long-term strategic partnership with DataMesh into the highly dynamic Australian market as well as support Datamesh with the full set of Ingenico’s market leading capabilities. This is one of many milestones we look forward to delivering into the region in partnership with Datamesh.”

The partnership with Ingenico is bolstering DataMesh’s ability to offer new capabilities to merchants as well as take away the burden put on acquiring banks processing transactions.

DataMesh founder and CEO, Mark Nagy says of the partnership: “Ingenico is trusted amongst merchants and acquirers globally, so naturally this partnership  helps us expand our offering and confidently seed our payments technology into new markets. At DataMesh, we are determined to make elegant and seamless solutions for all parties involved in financial payments, and we believe Ingenico shares this belief. We look forward to working with them over the course of this partnership.”

The Uniden XTRAK 50 is a UHF handheld radio with industry-leading features. It is now possible to turn the handheld UHF radio into a fully functional in-vehicle radio, which ensures users are never out of contact and are always able to communicate while on the road or in remote locations.

Ideal for work vehicles, fleet cars and 4WD situations, the waterproof XTRAK 50 transitions easily from portable use to an in-vehicle hands-free device when accompanied by the Uniden ACCX50 car kit, including a charger, magnetic mount bracket, and magnetic antenna that sits on top of the vehicle. This flexibility also enables the radio to be used between vehicles, handy for both professionals and recreational drivers.

The accessory instantly enhances the accessibility and stability of the smart UHF radio, which includes an Australian-first one-touch instant replay button on a handheld UHF radio. This feature can record and replay up to four minutes of recent messages and avoids missing important transmissions in noisy environments, with the ability to listen to communications received up to six minutes prior. Away from the vehicle, the XTRAK 50 is a compact companion to keep users in touch in the outdoors, thanks to a range of up to 17km.

The UHF accessory car kit also secures and mounts the XTRAK 50 for easy visibility of the large anti-glare OLED display. The radio provides 5-Watt power, 80 UHF channels, and a Smart Key to toggle between instant channel, monitor, call tone or equaliser. The long-life battery achieves exceptional performance with a standby time of 30 hours, making it the perfect unit for rugged conditions and heavy-duty use.

Uniden XTRAK 50 5-Watt Waterproof Smart UHF Handheld Radio with Large OLED Display and One Touch Instant Replay Function RRP: $329.95

Uniden ACCX50 UHF Accessory Car Kit – Charger, Magnetic Bracket & Antenna for XTRAK 50 Series RRP: $129.95

The Salvation Army’s annual Red Shield Appeal is now in its final week, aiming to reach the $36 million goal by 30 June. The Salvos are asking Australians to consider a different kind of End of Financial Year deal – using their tax-break donations to make a difference in someone’s life. 

“While Australians prepare for this year’s tax return and decide on their End of Financial Year spending and saving, we ask them to consider making a tax-deductible gift to the Red Shield Appeal,” says Major Bruce Harmer, The Salvation Army’s National Public Relations Secretary. 

“A gift of $50 can help someone experiencing financial hardship pay for essential groceries, while $75 can provide hearty meals for a week for someone doing it tough. These gifts are particularly important at this time, given the mounting pressure on families and individuals across the nation, because of the rising cost of living,” says Major Harmer. 

Recent research from The Salvation Army revealed that nine in ten respondents (93%) were living below the poverty line, while 48% went without meals because they couldn’t afford it.

Over half (56%) could not afford medical or dental treatment when needed, and over a third (36%) could not afford medicines when prescribed by a doctor. 

Unsurprisingly, 32% could not afford to pay their rent or mortgage on time– a trend that will worsen with rising interest rates and growing housing stress. 

“This research paints a picture of just how tough it is for individuals and families. Australians have felt the pinch the last few years, but for some the situation is so dire that they find themselves living below the poverty line – in a country that’s as ‘lucky’ as ours.” 

“That’s why we ask, if you are able to please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our Red Shield Appeal. Your donation will make a difference in someone’s life – and what better deal could you possibly ask for this End of Financial Year?” says Major Harmer.

Around one person is assisted every 17 seconds through The Salvation Army’s nationwide network of services.* That’s approximately three people each minute, and over a million Aussie’s each year.

“On behalf of The Salvation Army, thank you for helping us leave no one in need,” says Major Harmer. “We couldn’t do it without you.”

To donate to The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal, or if you need support from The Salvos, visit salvationarmy.org.au or call 13 SALVOS. You can also donate at any Salvos Store.

Supply chain shortages on heavy machinery and transport equipment have driven demand for end of financial year auctions through the roof as businesses struggle to get their hands on assets to complete projects.

Supply chain shortages are hindering global vehicle and equipment production and is expected to persist through 2022 and into early 2023 until supply can catch up with demand.

Lloyds Auctions are seeing a rise for demand in their auctions which is driving up prices on equipment in the civil and transport industries.

“Over recent months we have seen a massive demand from our bidders who are constantly actively looking to secure ready to work equipment in order to complete major projects and keep hard-working Australians in jobs,” said Mr. Lee Hames, Chief Operations Officer for Lloyds Auctions.

“As we come towards end of financial year the demand for this equipment is skyrocketing as businesses are looking to claim tax benefits before June 30, so we have actually enlisted 5 heavy equipment and transport auctions across the country online right now,” continued Mr. Hames.

“Many businesses are unable to wait until early next year for equipment to come in, they need it now, and we hope through these auctions we can help the community get the equipment they need,” said Mr. Hames.

Lloyds are holding online auctions in locations across the nation including Western Australia, Darwin, Southeast Queensland, Mackay and Northern New South Wales from the 27th – 29th June.

The auctions feature equipment including dump trucks, wheel loaders, tipper trucks, prime movers, excavators, utility vehicles and more.

“Bidders can expect to get their hands on some ready to work machinery and transport equipment that they normally wouldn’t be able to get until next year due to the currently supply chain shortage around the world,” continued Mr. Hames.

The auctions run from the 27th-29th June and you can view all of the auctions here

Australia Post has today announced its 2022 Local Business Heroes, celebrating and supporting dozens of local Australian businesses, including many in regional areas.

A total of 57 Local Business Heroes were chosen from nearly one thousand entries, with each recipient now set to receive a ‘Heroes Package’ worth up to $5,000 thanks to their unique and valued connection to their local community.

Australia Post’s Heroes will each feature in a marketing campaign in their local Post Office for a month, receive personalised sending offers and gain access to business coaching through Small Business Australia.

Research conducted by Deloitte Access Economics last year showed that two out of three businesses visited the Post Office at least once a week with 82 per cent of businesses stating that Post Office services positively impacted their business.

Australia Post Executive General Manager Retail, Catriona Noble said the organisation was delighted to be supporting these deserving Local Business Heroes, with the help of local Post Offices.

“This program is a great reflection of the important and essential role Post Offices play in connecting communities and supporting local business,” Ms Noble said.

“Many of the small business heroes were nominated thanks to an established and strong relationship with their local Post Office team, so it’s wonderful to see these connections strengthened even further.”

Executive General Manager Customer and Commercial, Gary Starr said the program, now in its second year, played an important role in supporting local businesses to grow.

“We know small and medium businesses are the backbone of Australian communities and we’re committed to helping them succeed,” Mr Starr said.

“I look forward to seeing each of the Local Business Heroes feature across our network and connecting them with even more customers.”

The full list of Australian Local Business Heroes is available now at auspost.com.au/localbusinessheroes

Australian outdoor and adventure brand, Tactica, is set to launch its first equity crowdfunding campaign following years of success internationally. After increasing revenue by 100% between 2021 and 2022, the multi-award-winning NSW North Coast based product designer is launching its crowdfunding campaign via Birchal on June 28, with expressions of interest opening on June 7. 

What started with an experimental and innovative multitool on Kickstarter (raising more than $950K) has rapidly evolved into a trustworthy range of everyday carry tools that combine function and style. Utilising a unique and high-tech composite material, Tactica’s products are also incredibly versatile and strong. The rarely-in-retail material is 70% glass, making it incredibly lightweight without sacrificing strength, functionality or quality. It’s also tech-friendly and non-scratch – it won’t scratch phone, laptop or camera surfaces – making it adaptive enough to work effortlessly alongside the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts.

Born out of a passion for adventure and exploring the great outdoors, product designer and material scientist Mike Chijoff launched Tactica to meet the need for more diverse products in the outdoor range that matches today’s modern lifestyle. Growing up using everyday carry products like Leatherman, Victorinox and Swiss Army Knives, he watched the vast range of options become too similar, too expensive and weighed down by traditional methods. Tactica’s range now includes 22 different products that have been designed for today’s lifestyle needs. And they don’t break the bank  ( each tool costs under AU$65).

Since launching on Kickstarter in 2016, Tactica has shipped more than 100,000 units to 100 countries and brought in close to  $4M in revenue. And despite most of the world being locked inside due to the pandemic, Tactica has continued to increase revenue growth as each new product launches; between the end of 2021 and 2022, the brand increased revenue by more than 100%. 

Led by the crowdfunding and outdoor communities since day one, this is Tactica’s first equity raise and gives new and experienced investors an opportunity to become part of the company’s rapid growth. The business’s planned expansion will allow Tactica to capitalise on increasing demand, expand on existing markets and enter new ones and develop new products to match the needs of outdoor, sporting and adventure enthusiasts globally 

“Since the beginning, our community has been our biggest asset in providing feedback and direction on our offering,” Mike said. “Previously our crowdfunding campaigns have been about developing new products; now we’re self-sufficient enough to push ourselves further and keep innovating, but it’s an essential mantra of our operations that we maintain that connection with our supporters. They are the core of who we are, why we exist and why we keep continuing to grow, adapt and create new products.”

Alongside the new campaign, Tactica is launching a new range of adventure knives made with the same sleek glass composite that has made them so popular amongst outdoor enthusiasts around the world. 

The K.100 Pocket Knife and K.150 Micro-knife are both sleek folding knives that feature superb ergonomics, blade quality and customised carry through integrated lanyard/pocket clip carry. These are the first knives from Tactica and, like all of their products, have been developed and released off the back of customer demand. 

For more information  tacticagear.com.au

Also read Small Business Answers guide to Equity funding.