Australian small business owners can now receive and compare business insurance quotes directly inside ChatGPT, in a move that signals a major shift in how financial services are distributed. BizCover Brings Australia’s First AI-Based Insurance Quotes to ChatGPT.

BizCover has become the first business insurance app globally, and the first insurance app of any kind in Australia, to offer SME insurance quoting functionality within ChatGPT’s new GPT Store. This allows Australian business owners to request Public Liability and Professional Indemnity quotes using natural language without visiting a traditional insurance website.

The Sydney-based comparison site secured approval from OpenAI to launch the app, which enables users to describe their business in plain English, enter their postcode, staff numbers and annual turnover and instantly receive indicative pricing from multiple insurers.

BizCover Co-Founder and CEO Michael Gottlieb said search behaviour is changing rapidly with small business owners increasingly using AI tools to research, plan and make purchasing decisions.

“We’ve seen meaningful migration away from traditional search channels. If customers are beginning their journey inside AI platforms, insurance must be available there too,” Gottlieb said.

“Operating inside ChatGPT means small businesses can access comparative insurance insights at the exact moment they are making decisions.”

The app generates indicative quotes from 10 leading insurance partners currently connected to the BizCover platform. AI-Based Insurance Quotes compare:

• American International Group, Inc. (AIG)
• Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (BHSI)
• Berkley Insurance Australia (Berkley)
• Chubb Insurance Australia Limited (Chubb)
• DUAL Australia Pty Ltd (DUAL)
• QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited (QBE)
• AAI Limited (Vero)
• Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (Zurich)
• HDI Global Specialty SE Australian Branch (HDI)
• The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd (Hollard) 

Transactions and policy purchases occur on BizCover’s secure platform (not within ChatGPT) ensuring compliance with regulatory and data protection requirements..

The launch follows strong global interest after OpenAI approved insurance quoting functionality within ChatGPT, raising questions about the future of more traditional broker and comparison models.

“This is not a chatbot add-on,” Gottlieb said. “It’s a fully embedded quoting pathway operating inside a generative AI ecosystem.”

“We see generative AI as the next interface layer for financial services,” he added.

“Insurance has traditionally relied on websites, comparison portals and intermediaries. AI introduces a new entry point and we intend to lead in that environment.”

“We want business owners to have the ability to transact in the way they want to with the choice they need, whether that’s through traditional search engines, AI,  direct through BizCover or a broker.”

BizCover supports nearly 300,000 Australian small businesses across more than 6,000 occupations and continues to build technology that makes insurance faster, simpler and easier to access.

Oracle NetSuite, the #1 AI Cloud ERP, today announced a series of AI-powered innovations to help organisations in Australia and New Zealand increase efficiency and accelerate growth. The updates will enable customers to take advantage of next-generation capabilities in NetSuite Next, automate and accelerate business processes, improve visibility and decision-making, and achieve faster outcomes.

“NetSuite is committed to delivering a collaborative, insightful, adaptive, AI-first experience that will help our customers in Australia and New Zealand take full advantage of the latest AI innovations,” said Brian Chess, senior vice president of AI, Product, and Technology, Oracle NetSuite. “With embedded AI that respects existing roles, permissions, and business policies, NetSuite helps organisations expand insights, boost productivity, and achieve immediate value from AI.”

A few examples of the latest innovations for customers in Australia and New Zealand include:

• NetSuite Next: Helps organisations transform finance, operations, and customer engagement by embedding conversational intelligence, agentic workflows, and natural language search throughout NetSuite. With Ask Oracle, a natural language assistant that enables users to search, navigate, analyse, and act across the entire suite, NetSuite Next helps customers turn data into action, automate repetitive and complex tasks, and achieve outcomes faster, more intuitively, and with greater confidence. To learn more, please visit: NetSuite Next.
• NetSuite AI Connector Service: Helps organisations select the AI assistant that best fits their business needs, define the data the assistant can access, and govern how the assistant interacts with NetSuite. Built on open standards, including the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the AI Connector Service provides a secure way to connect NetSuite with external AI assistants and agent platforms and includes Standard and Custom MCP tools.
• Project profitability: Helps project-based organisations improve revenue recognition and task management by streamlining project oversight in NetSuite SuiteProjects. In addition, the latest enhancements accelerate issue investigation and resolution by enabling organisations to instantly recalculate revenue plans and providing real-time notifications when project activity impacts revenue.
• AI-powered inventory narratives: Help organisations quickly understand inventory status with concise, contextual AI-generated summaries that pull data from multiple inventory reports. One of 20+ new AI-generated narrative capabilities across the suite, inventory narratives help organisations quickly surface anomalies such as low or excess stock, identify trends that require attention, and get clearer visibility into back-order risks, inventory activity drivers, and inventory valuation concentrations.
• NetSuite Warehouse Management enhancements: Help organisations boost efficiency, improve visibility, increase flexibility, and enhance the user experience across warehouse operations. Organisations can search for kit and non-inventory items, automate landed cost validations and purchase order receipt processing, support reversal for inbound shipments, and receive real-time back-order alerts during work order picking.
• NetSuite Connector for Loop: Helps organisations resolve returns faster and maintain cleaner financial data by automating the flow of returns data from Shopify into NetSuite. For example, organisations can manage refunds and exchanges with greater accuracy and control by automatically creating return authorisations, item receipts, and cash refunds based on Loop workflows and new self-service configuration tools.
• Enhanced NetSuite Connector for Shopify: Helps organisations keep orders accurate across channels with bidirectional order edit synchronisation for Shopify B2B. As a result, organisations can ensure order changes in NetSuite — including pricing updates, quantity modifications, and line-item edits — are reflected accurately in B2B portals. This helps ensure that buyers see up-to-date information and helps operations teams reduce manual corrections and keep fulfilment, invoicing, and reporting aligned.
• Enhanced NetSuite Connector for Amazon Seller Central: Helps organisations improve accounting accuracy and simplify reconciliation by automatically bringing payment and deposit data from Amazon directly into NetSuite. In addition, to help support auditability and revenue recognition alignment, the enhanced connector ensures full, partial, and split payments are mapped to the correct order or invoice.

Availability

NetSuite Next will be available to customers in Australia within the next 12 months. All other updates are now available.

Loyal regular customers are reshaping how small businesses grow in Australia’s suburbs, new data from Square’s 2026 Local Economy Report shows. 

With stubborn inflation and ongoing interest rate pressure weighing on household spending, most Australians expect their local spending to hold steady this year. In that environment, growth will not come from larger sales. It will come from customers returning more often and spending little and often.

This could be good news for local neighbourhood businesses, with Square’s data showing customers who return regularly generate five times more annual revenue than those who visit once and do not come back.

One-off customers often spend more in a single visit, in some cities nearly double the average transaction of a regular. But over the course of a year, repeat visits add up.

On average, a regular visits a business 12 times a year. It is that steady rhythm, not the one-off splurge, that is driving resilience in the suburbs.

The neighbourhood effect

Loyal customers don’t just support one business; they strengthen the entire neighbourhood. 

Square’s analysis shows local businesses increasingly share the same regular customers. Nearly three in four Australians now buy from a local retailer or restaurant within their postcode at least once a week. Most make multiple stops in a single neighbourhood trip. The café regular is often also the wine bar regular. The salon client is shopping at the boutique down the road. When one business builds loyalty, others nearby often benefit too.

“The suburbs operate differently to the CBD,” said David Schnabl, Head of Account Management at Square in Australia. “City centres depend on traffic while neighbourhoods depend on loyalty. When customers are spending most of their time and money close to home, one strong business can lift the others around it.”

That shift towards everyday local trade is something operators are actively planning for when opening new venues.

“When we look for a venue, we generally find the location first and then we tailor our brand to what’s needed in the area,” says Mike Ico, co-founder of Marrickville-based Superfreak, Soulmate & Splash. “We’re lucky because we live in the areas where we open our cafes. We think it’s better to open in a residential area because you get that everyday trade – and you also have that community from all the local neighbours.” 

Building loyalty over chasing bigger sales

With 68 percent of Australians expecting their local shopping and dining habits to remain steady this year, the opportunity lies in deepening relationships with existing customers, not waiting for a surge in new ones.

Square’s data shows tools that help businesses stay connected to regulars materially increase return custom. In 2025, 93 percent of Australian sellers using Square email marketing and loyalty features had regular customers, compared to just 39 percent of Square sellers without those tools. Sellers using marketing products such as loyalty or email saw on average four times more daily transactions and three times more daily spend.

This is reflected in consumer sentiment, with  more than a third saying a digital loyalty program would make them more likely to frequent a local business.

One business that’s been seeing the benefit of implementing a digital loyalty program is Suupaa, a Japanese convenience style restaurant in Melbourne’s Cremorne neighbourhood.

“People really value a loyalty system,” said Stefanie Breschi, co-founder of Suupaa. “When customers feel recognised and rewarded, they come back more often. We’ve seen first-hand how building those relationships turns occasional shoppers into regulars.”

Schnabl said the lesson for small businesses is clear.

“Right now, with businesses feeling the pressure, it’s tempting to chase the bigger sale. But the data shows it’s the regular who really matters: someone who pops in every week is far more valuable than someone who splurges once and doesn’t come back. The smart play in 2026 is simple: give people a reason to return.”

Neighbourhoods are settling into a new rhythm

In a tighter economy, Australians are being more deliberate about where they spend. And their local neighbourhoods are the main beneficiaries.

Spending close to home is becoming routine rather than reactive. Local cafés, retailers and service providers are part of weekly habits, not occasional indulgences. When one business earns a regular, it often strengthens the broader strip around it.

For small businesses, the direction is clear. The opportunity in 2026 isn’t to chase unpredictable foot traffic; it’s to become dependable, familiar and woven into the everyday lives of customers.

Schnabl said that should give operators confidence.

“Despite the economic pressure, Australians haven’t turned away from local businesses. They’re building habits around them,” he said. “If you focus on consistency, fair value and genuine connection, loyalty compounds. The suburbs aren’t slowing down: they’re finding their rhythm. And the businesses that become part of that rhythm will be the ones that thrive.”

You can view the full report here. 

Australian business leaders can share in a global pool of $15 million USD, as Deel, the leading global HR and payroll platform, launches The Pitch, an international competition designed to identify, elevate, and fund the world’s most promising seed-stage startups. 

Leveraging Deel’s global footprint, the program aims to level the playing field for founders by surfacing talent based on merit, rather than geography or connections. 

The Pitch will engage over 20,000 startups across seven global regions, culminating in a total investment pool of up to $15 million. Up to 100 regional winners will receive $50,000 in investment each, while up to ten global champions will receive a $1 million investment each, to scale their visions. 

“What we know is that local networks often constrain traditional venture capital. The Pitch breaks these boundaries by combining a high-stakes tournament with expert review that analyses a broad range of data points to identify “high-signal” startups,” said Deel Country Manager Shannon Karaka. 

“Talent is global, but access to capital isn’t. The Pitch surfaces the best ideas regardless of a founder’s location or connections,” Mr Karaka said. 

“One thing I’ve learnt from local founders is: the hardest part isn’t the idea, it’s believing it’s worth backing when no one else does.” 

“That’s why I’m excited about The Pitch. It’s not about perfect decks or polished storytelling. It’s about giving early-stage founders a genuine opportunity to be heard. If you’re building something and wondering whether it’s ‘too early,’ it probably isn’t.” 

The competition is headline sponsored by JP Morgan, in addition to a16z, dLocal, Google, Mubadala, Orrick, Prodware, Ribbit Ventures, and Stripe. 

For more details and instructions on how to apply visit the Deel Pitch page.  

Thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face being hit by a cash flow crunch as a result of new regulatory compliance measures stemming from the Federal Government’s expansion of Anti-Money Laundering laws and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) laws to a range of Australian businesses. 

From 1 July 2026, a new cohort of SMEs – which include accountants, lawyers, conveyancers, real estate agents and jewellers – must implement risk-based compliance programs, monitor transactions, verify customers and maintain detailed records for up to seven years, as well as appoint dedicated compliance officers under the updated AML/CTF laws. 

Chief Legal Officer at leading non-bank lender Banjo Loans Matt Boglis says the reforms, aimed at closing gaps in Australia’s financial crime framework, carry immediate operational and financial pressure for SMEs. 

“For businesses that have never operated under these rules, compliance is more than a regulatory hurdle. It’s a real cash-flow and staffing challenge,” Mr Boglis said.  

“They need systems, processes, trained people and ongoing oversight. Without planning, it could tie up working capital and distract from growth.”   

He says the timing adds urgency, with existing regulated entities required to implement changes by 31 March 2026 and finalise programs by 30 June. Newly regulated businesses must comply by 1 July 2026, despite enrolment only opening on 31 March. 

Beyond operational strain, Banjo Loans warns that compliance, or lack thereof, will increasingly influence funding. Lenders are expected to treat AML/CTF readiness as a key factor in risk assessment, meaning non-compliant businesses could face difficulty securing loans or investment. 

“Compliance is now part of how lenders evaluate a business’s credibility and growth potential,” Mr Boglis said.  

“Getting it wrong doesn’t just risk fines. It can hit a business where it hurts most – access to capital.”  

He says that despite the short-term burden, the long-term benefits are clear, with early compliance strengthening governance, reducing exposure to financial crime and signalling credibility to lenders, clients and partners. 

“These reforms will reshape risk management for SMEs. Those who act early will emerge stronger, more credible and better positioned for growth,” Mr Boglis said.  

D-Link A/NZ has launched the DWM-314-G 5G Multi-Connect Dual SIM M2M VPN Router which unleashes and uses the power of 5G for superior machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity.

The DWM-314-G 5G Multi-Connect Modem harnesses 5G technology to accelerate ultra-fast speed, reduce latency and ensure reliable connectivity with its automatic failover feature enhancing M2M communication.

Ideal for smart parking poles, kiosks and ATMs, this modem supports real-time data transfer and remote management. A built-in 4-port Gigabit Ethernet switch expands the scope of the unit across a wide variety of use-cases and applications, saving costs and making it perfect for space-constrained environments.

Additionally, secure VPN capabilities safeguard data transmission, ensuring robust security for all connected devices.

Designed for instant setup, the DWM-314-G 5G modem offers real-time remote access and uninterrupted connectivity over long distances. Equipped with dual SIM slots, users simply insert two Micro-SIM cards (3FF) for a reliable connection to a high-speed 5G network with seamless 4G/5G switching and for failover redundancy if one carrier network is down.

Convenient wall and DIN-rail mounting options allow the DWM-314-G to be mounted virtually anywhere. As a result, this plug-and-play modem ensures robust service even in challenging environments.

The industrial-grade casing provides reliable high-speed connectivity in extreme conditions. With a corrosion-resistant zinc-plated steel case with wide operating temperature range and high humidity tolerance means that the DWM-314-G is ready for the most demanding M2M applications in virtually any environment.

The DWM-314-G 5G Multi-Connect Modem offers effortless integration with its 4G/5G Cellular and Ethernet interfaces, providing instant access for Ethernet-enabled devices without any need for pre-configuration or special software and this plug-and-play capability makes it ideal for versatile applications.

It extends wired connectivity to many devices ensuring it can be easily integrated into diverse settings including parking lots, retail shops, surveillance systems and service stations.

It can also be used for Smart Bus Stops providing remote access for real-time bus information and ad updates, enhancing commuter experience.

For tailored configurations, the device’s web interface is user-friendly and readily adjustable through any standard web browser.

Key features of the DWM-314-G 5G Multi-Connect Dual SIM M2M VPN Router

• 5G SA & NSA speeds of up to 3.4 Gbps¹ for Internet access and data transfer​

• 4 GbE LAN ports ensure reliable connectivity and reduces extra hardware costs

• Plug & Play design for quick and easy integration​​

• Durable zinc-plated steel case is corrosion-resistant to ensure device longevity​​

• -30 to 70°C operating temperature to resist harsh environments​​

• Wall or DIN-rail mounting allow for optimal device placement​

The new DWM-314-G 5G Multi-Connect Dual SIM M2M VPN Router is available now from www.dlink.com.au and all authorised D-Link resellers and partners in Australia for the RRP of AU$1249.95

As people increasingly look for ways to stay safe from hackers and avoid horrendous roaming fees, eSIM specialist Simify is witnessing its eSIMs and unlimited roaming data plans on essential pre-flight checklists for travellers heading overseas this summer, more so than ever before.

Taking advantage of school holidays and end-of-year breaks, more Australians travel overseas in December and January than at any other time of year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

When practically every traveller has a smartphone in their pocket alongside their passport, it’s no surprise that summer is also peak season for eSIMs.

eSIM technology is embedded directly in smartphones and tablets, allowing users to easily switch between mobile networks as they travel. This makes it simple for international travellers to access affordable high-speed mobile data, without the need to juggle physical SIM cards or switch phone numbers.

The convenience of eSIMs is perfect for families heading overseas for the summer break, making it easy and affordable to keep everyone online, says Aidan Butler, co-founder of Simify.

Simify offers mobile coverage in more than 150 countries, providing international travellers with peace of mind: unlimited data for up to 90 days, with no need to worry about top-ups or extra roaming fees.

Waiting until you land before organising your eSIM risks getting stung with hefty international roaming fees, warns Butler.

“A few countries prevent tourists from purchasing foreign eSIM services after they arrive in the country,” he says.

“Things can change very quickly, so it’s safer to get your eSIM up and running before you fly, rather than risk getting caught out at the other end.”

Along with avoiding oppressive international roaming fees, Butler says savvy Australians also recognise the importance of eSIMs for staying safe.

“Summer is our busiest time of year as Australians flock overseas, but the smart ones know that eSIMs aren’t just about saving money,” he says.

“People are waking up to the fact that public WiFi isn’t safe anymore, so they’re taking advantage of unlimited eSIM plans to avoid relying on dodgy WiFi when they travel.”

Even connecting to secure hotel WiFi can be risky, as 58 per cent of hotel cybersecurity leaders reported five or more cyberattacks during the 2024 peak travel season, according to Hospitality Net’s 2024 Cybersecurity in Hotels Report.

Today’s unlimited eSIM travel plans mean that travellers can always stay online using secure mobile data. As a bonus, they can keep their Australian mobile number active to receive important messages, such as verification codes from their bank.

“Cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving; you just can’t be sure whether any WiFi network is really legit and secure,” Butler says.

“You’re paying a very high cost for so-called free public WiFi if your bank account gets cleaned out when you’re travelling abroad.” 

For details on all of Simify’s eSIM unlimited roaming data plans, go to: https://simify.com

Jabra has announced that it has teamed up with Zoom to achieve new certifications for its professional headsets, underscoring their shared commitment to empowering both frontline and hybrid workers with communication tools that help them stay connected and productive in any environment.

Jabra Perform 75: Certified for Zoom Workplace for Frontline

Zoom announced its new Workplace for Frontline platform in April 2025 to better serve the 80 percent of the global workforce that operates on the frontline. The Jabra Perform 75 mono headset is now the first audio device to be certified for that program. Designed for employees who spend their workdays on the move, Jabra Perform 75 integrates with Zoom Workplace to keep teams connected, hands-free and more focused during every shift.

Zoom Workplace for Frontline combines on-shift communications and work management, giving frontline teams tools for chat, calling and push-to-talk (PTT), shift scheduling and reporting. Paired with Jabra Perform 75, frontline workers gain easier access to these tools, remaining heads-up, hands-free, and comfortable throughout their shift, while managers benefit from task overviews and attendance insights that keep operations running smoothly.

AI at the Core of Collaboration

Zoom AI Companion is a generative-AI digital assistant, that delivers powerful, real-time capabilities to help users improve productivity and work together more effectively. With this certification news, Jabra plays a key role in ensuring that frontline workers can interact with Zoom’s AI features through clear, accurate voice input and dependable audio performance. This collaboration helps make AI-driven communication practical and effective in busy, real-world environments.

Jabra Evolve2 75: Certified as a Zoom Native Bluetooth Headset

In addition, the Jabra Evolve2 75 professional headset has been certified as a Zoom Native Bluetooth Headset. This headset enables workers to enjoy the full Zoom collaboration experience without the need for a dongle. The result is greater flexibility and consistent performance for teams who depend on straightforward tools to stay connected.

Janne Jakobsen, SVP for Enterprise Headsets at Jabra said: “These certifications mark a special milestone for our collaboration with Zoom. Users can trust that our headsets deliver not only premium sound and comfort but also full compatibility with Zoom, the platform they rely on every day. Together, we are enabling an even better experience for mobile professionals worldwide.”

Key Features of the Jabra + Zoom Collaboration

Jabra Perform 75: Certified for Zoom Workplace for Frontline

• Hands-free Bluetooth headset built for shiftwork, helping associates stay connected and focused
• Noise-cancelling microphone technology that blocks out 99% of background noise for clearer conversations in busy environments
• Modular design with hot-swappable battery and easy pairing for smooth shift handovers and uninterrupted performance
• Lightweight comfort with cushioned earcups and multiple wearing styles, seamlessly integrated with Zoom Chat, push-to-talk, task management and scheduling tools for both associates and managers

Jabra Evolve2 75: Certified as a Zoom Native Bluetooth Headset

• Enables seamless connectivity without a dongle
• Delivers dependable, flexible performance for teams who need effective tools to stay connected

Eric Yu, Head of Hardware Partnerships , at Zoom said: “Our goal is to provide users with the best possible tools for their daily work. By certifying Jabra’s headsets, we make it easier for mobile professionals using these Jabra products to enjoy seamless connectivity,  and the confidence of full Zoom Workspace performance.” For more details on these certifications, visit the Jabra blog: First in the industry. Twice the impact. Jabra innovation gets Zoom certification.

Intuit, the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, today announced a suite of powerful new Intuit Mailchimp features designed to help retailers reach new customers and drive revenue growth during the busiest shopping season of the year. Mailchimp’s recent Holiday Shopping Unwrapped report found that 43% of shoppers made a purchase tied to at least one holiday moment during the Early Lead-Up phase (October 1–31), underscoring how critical it is for marketers to prepare their holiday marketing strategies earlier than ever.  

“For years, holiday marketing has centred around a handful of peak moments. Our research shows shopping is now spread across a longer, more fragmented season, which raises the bar for Australian businesses to be timely and relevant,” said Anthony Capano, Regional Director, APAC, Intuit Mailchimp. “These enhancements and improved integrations give local businesses the tools they need to orchestrate truly omnichannel journeys, capitalise on festive-season demand, and build lasting relationships with their customers.”

To help retailers meet this seasonal moment and reach their sales goals, the latest Mailchimp release includes an improved Shopify integration, smarter segmentation tools, advanced ecommerce analytics, global and multi-audience SMS capabilities, and a refreshed email template library—all powered by the Intuit platform. These innovations can make it easier for ecommerce marketers to get more customers, deliver high-performing omnichannel campaigns, and show the revenue impact of every touchpoint, with the aim of more money, less work, and more confidence. 

“With these improvements, businesses can move faster, personalize with more precision, and measure the tangible business impact of every omnichannel campaign,” said Diana Williams, vice president, product management at Intuit Mailchimp. “The holiday season is an enormous opportunity for retailers, but brands must move beyond traditional major retail moments of Black Friday and Cyber Monday to gain a significant competitive advantage. With these new tools, Mailchimp delivers the confidence and clarity marketers need to turn customer engagement into reliable revenue growth, extending their impact far beyond the peak holiday shopping windows.”

Here’s what’s new:

A Smarter Shopify Integration

Mailchimp’s updated Shopify integration unlocks deeper behavioral insights and new triggers—like product views, checkout started, page views, and search terms—and turns them into revenue-driving triggers.

Additional capabilities include:

• Single-Use Shopify Discount Codes: Minimise code sharing and personalise offers at scale.
• Expanded Segmentation: Improved Shopify data compatibility lets retailers segment audiences by more behaviours, statuses, and browse activity.

“Right now, marketing owned platforms like Mailchimp are more important than ever,” says Intuit customer Connor Swegle, co-founder and CMO of Priority Bicycles. “The very bottom of the funnel—anybody who’s willing to add something to cart, or get four pages into the content on your website—is very important. Having really strategic, Shopify-specific campaigns built in Mailchimp helps us convert with confidence every customer we legitimately can. And since we can easily track the revenue uplift of those initiatives, we only continue to optimize and improve.”

Global SMS with Multi-Audience Control

Meeting customers where they are is critical and integrating SMS into an omnichannel strategy is now easier than ever with Mailchimp. In fact, according to a recent QuickBooks’ study, 65% of consumers say they’ll use their phones to browse, compare prices, and buy gifts this holiday season. Retailers who want to reach customers in the US, UK, Australia, and Europe can now send SMS campaigns across multiple countries from a single Mailchimp account. Plus, with multi-audience capabilities, customers can send personalised messages to different customer segments, without toggling between tools.

Additionally, Mailchimp Transactional (formerly known as Mandrill) builds on its reputation as the go-to engine for reliable, event-triggered communication by expanding into SMS. With Mailchimp Transactional SMS, retailers can strengthen shopper relationships by delivering critical, timely, one-to-one text updates about their purchases at every step, offering choice and convenience to customers as they engage with their favourite brands. Now available in 10+ countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Ireland.

Advanced Reporting & Supercharged Insights

New dashboards surface real-time trends across email, SMS, revenue attribution, and store behavior, helping marketers measure campaign ROI and optimise faster.

Additional capabilities include:

• Audience Analytics: Better identify contact sources and source performance with improved UI and growth tracking.
• Conversion Insights Tool: Customers now have full visibility of their sales funnel with data from user behaviour to help boost conversion. 
• Blotout API Integration: Cookieless tracking helps restore visibility across the funnel.

Holiday-Ready Email Templates and Journeys

Holiday sales are a make-or-break moment for retailers of all sizes. According to Mailchimp’s Holiday Shopping Unwrapped report, the top holiday moments with the highest spending propensity in Australia are Christmas Day (61%), News Year’s Day (37%), Christmas Eve (35%), News Year’s Eve (33%), Halloween (25%), Advent Season Dec. 1-24 (4%), and Epiphany/Three Kings Day (4%). For shoppers in Australia, the post-Christmas period rivals the November sales season in importance, with Boxing Day (32%) ranking as top shopping moments during the “Betwixtmas” period. This underscores the critical need for marketers to prepare their holiday-specific marketing strategies earlier than ever.  

New seasonal templates and automation flow templates can help retailers build beautiful, on-brand campaigns in minutes—just in time for the early shopping window.

With these latest innovations, Mailchimp is delivering enterprise-grade tools to high-growth ecommerce brands.

“When marketers can quickly and accurately turn data into action, they unlock new ways to serve existing customers and acquire new ones,” Williams adds. “Whether it’s through done-for-you workflows, streamlined omnichannel marketing tools, or just smarter reporting, the Intuit platform continues to offer solutions that help every business reach their full potential.”