Category Archives: Consumer & Retail

Creating success for tomorrow

AI Probing: From promise to practice 

In August, we introduced you to AI probing and its potential to transform open-ended survey questions from shallow one-liners into rich, layered responses. We outlined how AI-driven follow-up questions could…

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SMEs maintain growth focus despite weak September

Updates to this research are published monthly. After showing signs of improvement in August, SME sentiment softened in September as economic caution returned. Falling consumer confidence following the RBA’s decision…

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Australia’s shifting travel patterns: winners, losers, and emerging trends

When it comes to overseas travel, it’s no secret that Australia is a case of mutual exchange. As Australians travel overseas and more visitors come here, the evolving travel patterns…

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SME growth expectations surge as rates fall

Updates to this research are published monthly. Stronger consumer spending and interest rate cuts drive SME sentiment SME sentiment improved in August, supported by stronger consumer spending in July and…

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The say–do gap in weight loss

Nearly 6 in 10 Australians want weight loss, yet only 1 in 9 use calorie tracking apps. The science says calorie balance drives weight change, but biology doesn’t always play…

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Health Over Hangovers: How Zero Alcohol Drinks Are Reshaping Australia’s Drinking Culture

Australians are increasingly choosing to wake up fresh, energised, and ready for the day, and zero alcohol drinks are making it easier than ever. Once Australia’s favourite beverage, IBISWorld data…

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Scaling the why: Bringing qual depth to quant surveys

AI Probing The rise of qual at scale Ask any insight professional and they’ll tell you: open-ended survey questions can be a missed opportunity. Often limited to shallow answers like…

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Weak revenues and soft hiring intentions set the tone for SMEs in FY26

Updates to this research are published monthly. Labour market conditions remain weak Hiring intent remains in very negative territory for the next three months. This reflects the broader softness in…

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Independent breweries defy Australia’s hospitality slump

Australia’s hospitality sector is doing it tough. In the June wave of Fifth Quadrant’s SME Sentiment Tracker, 57% of hospitality businesses reported a decline in revenue over the last 12…

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Predictive NPS: a think piece on the future of customer loyalty

At the recent X4 Qualtrics Summit, our team at Fifth Quadrant attended a compelling session by Bain & Company exploring the rise of predictive NPS (Net Promoter Score) and what…

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