Welcome to another special Christmas episode of Retail Therapy  Christmas is right around the corner, marking the peak season for the retail industry. This upcoming festive trading period holds immense significance for retailers, especially those in the discretionary sector, as they typically generate up to two-thirds of their annual profits during this period.  Joining us for some Retail Therapy is Prof Gary Mortimer. Gary Mortimer is a Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour at the QUT Business School. Prior to joining QUT, Professor Mortimer spent over 25 years working with some of Australia’s largest general merchandise and food retailers.   This episode covers:  Understanding value and how consumers will be shopping this year How to stand out amongst your competitors How retailers can tap into the mindset of budget-conscious shoppers and create a compelling shopping experience Consumer psychological insights that retailers should keep in mind this Christmas When Gary expects most consumers will do their Christmas shopping Which products will be in hot demand this holiday season  ABOUT THE ARA: The Australian Retailers Association is the oldest, largest and most diverse national retail body. We represent a $420 billion sector that employs more than 1.4 million Australians and is the largest private sector employer in the country. As Australia’s peak retail body, representing more than 120,000 retail shop fronts and online stores, the ARA informs, advocates, educates, protects and unifies our independent, national and international retail community. Keen to learn more? With the end-of-year shopping season fast approaching, the recently launched ARA Christmas & Holiday Resource Hub offers a specially curated collection of reports, consumer spending insights, podcasts, and media releases, all designed to enhance your strategic holiday planning. Access here: https://www.retail.org.au/christmas-holiday-resource-hub