The future of retail shopping in Australia: Will department stores survive?

Australians have slowly returned to ‘normal’ shopping patterns post COVID, but the rise of online shopping has caused more competition for department stores and shopping centres.

Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University, Dr Matthew Bailey detailed his concerns for department stores like Myer and David Jones, which are no longer “one-stop shops.”

“When I was younger, department stores were four to five stories high, now those stores have shrunk in size and shifted to other retailers like Rebel Sport and Toys ‘R’ Us,” he told Tom Elliott.

Bailey claims there appears to be a “convenience factor” for online shopping over shopping at a department store, but still believes department stores can survive in the modern era.

“It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road but they’re much more specialised than they used to be and there’s a lot more competition,” he said.

Press PLAY to hear the lecturer’s concerns on the future of department stores