Digital, Marketing & eComm in Focus
An Australian Study | 2024
About Your Organisation
What industry do you work in?
*
Please Select
Accountancy
Advertising & PR
Agriculture
Automotive
Building & Construction
Business Services & Consultancies
Education
Engineering
FMCG
Financial Services
Healthcare
Human Resources & Personnel
Industrial/Manufacturing
IT
Media
Medical & Nursing
Membership & Associations
Not for Profit & Charity
Online
Pharmaceuticals
Property & Real Estate
Public Sector & Government
Retail
Saas
Sales
Sport/Entertainment
Transport & Rail
Telecommunications
Travel & Tourism
Utilities
Other
What is your job title?
*
CEO / Managing Director
CMO / Marketing Director
CXO / Digital Leader
Head / Divisional Marketing Leader (eg head of a brand or CRM, etc)
eCommerce Director / Head of eCommerce / Sales Director
Marketing / Digital Manager
eCommerce Manager / Sales Manager
Head of Digital Product
Individual Contributor - Marketing / Digital or eCommerce
What is the size of your organisation (in Australia)?
*
0 – 10 employees
11- 50 employees
51 – 200 employees
201 – 500 employees
501 – 1000 employees
1001 – 5000 employees
5000+ employees
What is the revenue of the organisation (Australian operations)?
*
$0 - $1m
$1,000,001 - $10m
$10,000,001 - $50m
$50,000,001 - $100m
$100,000,001 - $1bn
>$1b
Which market/s is your organisation serving?
*
B2B
B2C
Both B2B & B2C
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Marketing & Digital Themes
What are the key strategic priorities that you and your Marketing and/or Digital team are focused on tackling over the next 12 months? (Select up to 5)
*
Driving the growth agenda for the organisation
Brand development & brand purpose
Digital transformation
Enhancing the employee experience
Successfully implementing MarTech
Building our customer data strategy and better utilising our 1st party data
Building our eCommerce presence
Building our sustainability credentials and \ or our ESG strategy
Building team capability in existing and new areas
Driving new customer acquisition
Loyalty strategy evolution / development
Customer experience strategy and experience evolution
New proposition & product development
Driving experimentation and innovation
Revisiting existing strategy / roadmap to adapt to market changes
Building and delivering greater value with our offering to meet changing consumer needs
Other (please specify)
What are the biggest challenges you and your Marketing and/or Digital team are facing? (Select up to 5)
*
Balancing short & long term priorities
Buy-in to invest in brand
Demonstrating the value of the function
Digital transformation
Embedding customer-centricity
Finding time to innovate
Inter-agency collaboration
Marketing transformation
Resource constraints
Shifting the perception of marketing or digital within the organisation
Successfully implementing MarTech
Stakeholder management/engagement
Additional investment in budget and resources
Building our eCommerce presence
Building our customer data strategy and better utilising our 1st party data
Finding and attracting talent
Measuring performance & return from investment of our activities
Budget cuts which are limiting our ability to deliver on strategic initiatives
Other (please specify)
How strategically important are the following strategies to your overall marketing / digital strategy over the next 12 - 24 months?
*
Not important
Somewhat important
Important
Very important
N/A
Personalisation
Customer experience management
Online sales and lead generation
MarTech utilisation
How mature is your digital and / or marketing team's capability in these areas?
*
Lagging the market
Meeting the market
Exceeding the market
N/A
Personalisation
Customer experience management
Online sales and lead generation
MarTech
What strategies (if any) are you adopting to improve performance and drive efficiency? (Select up to 3)
*
Auditing media effectiveness
Better measurement to identify opportunities to improve performance
Consolidating agencies
Cutting programs that don’t add value/provide a good return
In-housing resources
Re-tendering agency retainers/negotiating retainers
Automation of processes and manual tasks
Greater focus on test, learn and optimisation
We are not focused on any of the above
Other (please specify)
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Digital Transformation
Is your organisation currently undertaking digital transformation?
*
Yes
No
How would you describe where your organisation is at on its digital transformation journey?
*
We are just starting out
It's still early days for our organisation (12 - 18 months in)
We have been undergoing transformation for a few years now (18 months - 3 years)
Our organisation has been transforming for a long time (3+ years) and we continue to do so
We have just completed our transformation
Which aspects of digital transformation are you finding most difficult? (Select up to 3)
*
A lack of knowledge and/or support at the executive leadership table
A lack of willingness to adapt within the team and across the organisation
Our team lacks the capability and skills to drive the change and implement the strategy
Securing investment to support the transformation
There is a lack of alignment internally
We are not sure where to start and how to sequence the change
We have no clear direction or strategy
We are not tackling digital transformation
Ability to demonstrate and measure return and value from our efforts in implementation and embedding technology
Direction keeps changing, we can't demonstrate value and return
The business expects short term results from our investment
N/A
Other (please specify)
How much do you agree with the following statements?
*
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
N/A
Our executive team all understand and reinforce the importance of digital for our business
Our executive team are aligned and pulling in the same direction on strategic priorities for digital transformation
The organisation is investing at the right level to deliver on our digital transformation ambition (resources and budget)
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Delving Deeper into Key Industry Changes and Trends
As Google has begun deprecating the cookie, has your organisation/department begun to plan and implement changes to evolve in the face of depreciation of 3rd party cookies?
*
No, we are yet to start
Yes, but we are in the early stages of planning
Yes, we have a clear plan and path that we are now implementing
We have implemented our plan in full and are now monitoring the impact
Unsure
In light of the Privacy Act changes, how much attention and focus is your organisation/team giving to evolving and adapting to changes in privacy and consent?
*
We are yet to start
We have begun some exploratory work but it is still early days
We began evolving a while ago and privacy/consent is a core consideration in everything we do
We have a clear plan which we are about to start implementing
Unsure
N/A
How much do you agree with the following statements as it pertains to privacy?
*
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
The privacy act changes are well understood by the marketing and/or digital team
We as an organisation have a very clear path to evolve, in line with the proposed privacy act changes
Our executive group understands the importance of adapting and sees it as a key strategic priority to address how we manage privacy
Have you begun experimenting with GenAI?
*
Yes
No
Unsure
If yes, for what purpose? (Tick all those that apply)
To drive/enable personalisation
Content generation
Product innovation
Insights generation and optimisation
Unsure
Other (please specify)
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Marketing and Digital Budgets
How has your marketing and/or digital budget changed over the past 12 months?
*
Reduced by more than 20%
Reduced by less than 20%
Remained the same
Increased by less than 20%
Increased more than 20%
What portion of your marketing budget is spent on digital?
*
< 10%
10 – 19%
20 – 29%
30 – 50%
> 50%
Unsure
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Training & development
Does your team have a dedicated training & development budget?
*
Yes
No
Unsure
How much is invested in training & development per staff member, annually?
*
We don’t have a set amount per staff member
0 - $500
$501 - $1000
$1001 - $1500
$1500+
Unsure
Do you have a training and development plan in place to build capability across your department in key areas?
*
Yes we have a plan
We have some ideas but not a formal plan in place
No we don't have a plan
Unsure
Which approaches are you utilising to train and develop your team? (tick all that apply)
*
Mentoring programs
On the job learning
Formalised training
Resources library (podcasts, etc)
Subscriptions to publications and online learning tools
More informal learning (lunch & learns, guest speakers)
Conferences and industry events
Coaching
Tertiary education (degrees, diplomas, etc)
Other (please specify)
What is holding you and your team back when it comes to appropriately upskilling & developing the team? (Select your top 2)
*
The market is changing so rapidly we find it hard to remain abreast of changes
The team lacks curiosity and/or willingness to learn
We don't have time or space to invest in upskilling
We don't have the budget to invest to the level we need to
We don't prioritise it enough as a team
N/A
Other
Other (please specify)
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People & Skills
Have you in-housed services over the past 12 months? If so which ones did you bring in-house? (Select up to 3)
*
Content
Creative
Data & analytics
MarTech
Media planning & buying
Social media
UX & CX
Development (Web)
Development (MarTech)
We did not bring services in-house over the past 12 months
Do you intend to bring services in-house over the next 12 months? If so which ones? (Select up to 3)
*
Content
Creative
Data & analytics
MarTech
Media planning & buying
Social media
UX & CX
Development (Web)
Development (MarTech)
We are not intending to in-house over the next 12 months
Other (please specify)
What are the key drivers for you to in-house over the next 12 months? (Select up to 3)
*
Cost efficiencies from in-housing key services
We can gain greater value and output by in-housing services
Our agency/service providers are not delivering and we can gain better outcomes internally
We believe in-housing will give us better agility in how we work
Our agency/service providers don't understand our organisation enough to add enough value
What are the biggest technical skill & knowledge gaps that exist within your team? (Select up to 5)
*
Brand strategy & management
Strategic planning
Commercial acumen
Content development
CX design
Data & analytics
Digital design & development
Digital marketing channel management
eCommerce
SEO
Integrated through the line marketing
Measuring performance & outcomes
Product development & management (incl. digital)
Marketing technology (MarTech) strategy & implementation
Test & learn and optimisation
Personalisation & targeting
Privacy compliance
Emerging technologies (GenAI, conversational commerce, voice, etc)
Other (please specify)
What are the biggest soft skill gaps that exist within your team? (Select up to 5)
*
Communication
Critical thinking & problem solving
Resilience
Emotional intelligence
Time management & prioritisation
Influencing & negotiation
Managing up & across the organisation
Adaptability & flexibility
Planning & project management
Empathy & interpersonal skills
Collaboration & teamwork
Leadership
Work ethic
Data literacy in my department is strong (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree)
*
Digital marketing literacy in my department is strong (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree)
*
Are you responsible for hiring within your team?
*
Yes
No
What are your intentions in the next 12 months, in relation to team size/resourcing?
*
Increase headcount to meet the changing needs of the business
Maintain current headcount levels
Reduce headcount in line with business needs
What type of hiring are you most likely to be doing in 2024?
*
Fixed Term Contract
Permanent
Temporary/Interim
From a resourcing / talent perspective, what have been your biggest challenges over the past 12 months?
*
Time taken to fill the role with internal talent team / recruiter
Being able to use an external provider to recruit
Finding the right recruitment partner
Finding candidates within our budget constraints / REM limits
Being able to retain our best talent
Other (please specify)
What is the current set up of your organisation with respect to work arrangements?
*
Fully remote
Flexible people can choose how they wish to work (in office / at home)
Hybrid with a minimum of 1 day in the office
Hybrid with a minimum of 2 days in the office
Hybrid with a minimum of 3 -4 days in the office
On-site full time
Unsure
How do you anticipate this to change over the next 12 months?
*
Remain the same
More days in the office required by team members
Fewer days in the office required by team members
Unsure
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MarTech
When it comes to MarTech, which platforms are your priorities for investment in the next 12–18 months? (Select up to 3)
*
Customer data platform (CDP)
Marketing automation
Data warehouse
Data management platform (DMP)
CRM
Digital asset management (DAM)
Content management system (CMS)
Digital analytics
Digital commerce
Customer identity management & resolution
Workflow and resource management
Lead generation & management tools
None of the above
Other (please specify)
How well do you believe your organisation leverages its marTech - on a scale of 1 to 5?
*
1 = very low utilisation of the tech and the core features & functionality it provides.
1
2
3
4
5 = strong utilisation of the tech and the core features & functionality it provides.
5
1 is 1 = very low utilisation of the tech and the core features & functionality it provides., 5 is 5 = strong utilisation of the tech and the core features & functionality it provides.
How much of your budget do you currently invest in MarTech? (licenses / support / resources / spend)
*
< 10%
10–19%
20–30%
>30%
N/A
How will your MarTech budget change in the next 12 months?
*
Significantly increase
Increase slightly
Maintain as it is
Decrease slightly
Decrease substantially
N/A
How much do you agree with the following statements?
*
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
We are facing increased pressure to demonstrate return and value from our MarTech
We are facing increased pressure to cut our MarTech spend
We have found it difficult to quantify the value of our MarTech investment to date
What are the biggest challenges you face with MarTech? (Select up to 3)
*
Finding talent
Demonstrating return on investment
Finding implementation partners that you can trust/effectively support your needs
Securing investment and buy-in (business case)
Having access to the right platforms and technology to meet our needs
Implementing and embedding the platform
Ability to effectively assess vendors & determine which platform/s are right for the organisation
Ability to collaborate with IT
Integration between platforms
Lack of skills within the team to drive utilisation and adoption
N/A
Other (please specify)
Thinking about your current or future technology investments, which of these best aligns with your organisational tech strategy?
*
Leaning towards a single vendor
Leaning towards best-of-breed solutions
No preference
Does your role encompass Data & Analytics?
*
Yes
No
Does your role encompass eCommerce?
*
Yes
No
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Data & Analytics
What are your key priorities in the data and analytics space in the next 12–18 months? (Select up to 3)
*
Invest in AI to mine and model data
Improve data quality
Focus on improving our compliance with data privacy
Embed a data driven approach to marketing and/or digital activities
Look to increase first party data capture
Better leverage the data we have at our disposal for reporting and personalisation
Consolidate data and develop a unified view of the customer
Other (please specify)
What are the biggest challenges your team faces in the data and analytics space? (Select up to 3)
*
Disparate sources of data
A lack of understanding of what data assets we have
An inability to access customer data
Lack of clarity around ownership of customer data within the organisation
The risk adverse nature of the organisation
Lack of capability and expertise to effectively utilise data
Our analytics team and marketers speak different languages
Improving compliance with changing privacy legislation
We don't have a unified customer view of data
We don't know what good looks like when it comes to delivering a data driven approach
The executive team doesn't understand the value of our data asset
Other (please specify)
How much would you agree with the following statements?
*
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
N/A
We are very effective at activating data to deliver great customer experiences
We have developed a true unified view of the customer
Our data is well managed and maintained, providing us with a high quality data
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eCommerce
What are your top priorities when it comes to eCommerce over the next 12 months? (Select up to 5)
*
Channel expansion (e.g marketplaces, quick commerce platforms, social commerce)
Market expansion (new territories or regions)
Building or expanding our DTC model
Improving our delivery proposition & fulfilment
Product portfolio evolution or expansion to better serve customer needs
Improving our end-to-end eCommerce experience
Optimising supply chain or logistics to improve operations and service
Better integration between our physical stores and online experience
Improving profitability
Optimisation of the onsite experience
Sustainability and ethical sourcing (products & packaging)
Re-commerce (strategy and/or execution of re-commerce strategy)
Increase price promotions & activations to drive short term sales
Improving and enhancing our product (or services) content
Unsure
Other (please specify)
Which of the following channels make up part of your eCommerce strategy? (This question seeks to understand which platforms you are actively selling via as opposed to using solely for promotional purposes).
*
Your eCommerce site / DTC site
Specialist e-tail sites
Social commerce
Marketplace platforms
Conversational commerce plays (e.g: messenger apps/ chatbot selling)
Quick commerce platforms (e.g uber, doordash etc)
In-store kiosks
Unsure
Other (please specify)
Where do you plan to focus energy and invest at a channel level over the next 12 - 18 months?
*
Decrease investment & focus
Start to trial / leverage
Maintain investment & focus
Increase investment & focus
Unsure
N/A
Our eCommerce channel (site)
Retailers & e-retailers
Social commerce
Marketplaces & Aggregators
Conversational commerce
Quick commerce
What portion of revenue does eCommerce make up of your overall business?
*
Less than 10%
10-20%
21-30%
31%-40%
41%-50%
51%+
We are a pure-play eCommerce business, so it's all of our revenue
Unsure
Where does eCommerce ownership reside within the organisation?
*
Sales
Marketing
Owned by Sales & Marketing (each playing a role)
Its own division
Unsure
How is eCommerce viewed within your organisation?
*
An integral channel for our organisation to engage customers and distribute our product or service
An increasingly important channel for the organisation and one which is gaining greater focus and attention
An emerging channel which we need to place greater emphasis on
It is not perceived as a channel of importance
None of the above
On a scale of 1 - 5, how would you rate your organisation's maturity in the eCommerce space, vs global leaders?
*
1 = very low, we have a lot of work to do
1
2
3
4
5 =very high, we are on par with global leaders
5
1 is 1 = very low, we have a lot of work to do , 5 is 5 =very high, we are on par with global leaders
How much do you agree with the following statements?
*
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree
N/A
eCommerce metrics are fully aligned with the achievement of business outcomes
Executive KPIs are aligned to achieving eCommerce & omni-channel outcomes
Our business understands the value and importance of delivering an omni-channel experience
Our business understands the value and importance of effective management and continuous optimisation of product (or services) based content to deliver eCommerce outcomes
What are the key metrics your executive team uses to assess effectiveness of eCommerce performance? (Select up to 5)
*
Total revenue
Stock availability
Margin
ROBIS - Research online / buy instore (digitally influenced sales)
Average order value
Contribution of channel to overall sales
Overall customer value
Online market-share/share of category online
Audience
Traffic - web & app
% of returns
Conversion rate
Average selling price
Other (please specify)
What are the biggest barriers to growth in eCommerce within your organisation? (Select up to 3)
*
Adoption of eCommerce within our category by consumers/customers
The level of investment we are making into eCommerce as an organisation
Our ability to move with the market - we are too slow to adapt/evolve
The technology we are utilising limits flexibility and agility
The organisation is too focused on maintaining & protecting the core part of the business, limiting eCommerce growth
The whole organisation is not behind eCommerce as a channel
N/A
Other (please specify)
How much of an impact has the economy had on your eCommerce business over the past 12 months?
*
Unaffected
Small negative impact on budgets, headcount and achieving revenue forecasts
Significant negative impact on budget, headcount and achieving revenue forecasts
Small positive impact - we are seeing growth which is leading to more investment and growth in headcount
Significant positive impact - we are seeing strong growth which is driving significant investment and growth in head count
What level of growth have you seen in eCommerce over the past 12 months?
*
Negative growth
< 10%
10-19%
20-29%
30%-49%
> 50%
Unsure
If you have experienced negative growth, why? (Select up to 2)
We have pulled back on investment/resources in more recent times
Our organisation isn't as focused on eCommerce as a channel post-COVID
Consumer behaviour has swung back to more traditional channels to engage
Stock and availability have been real challenges for our organisation
Other (please specify)
What are some of the key challenges you face when it comes to eCommerce within your business?
*
The whole business is not behind our eCommerce endeavours and direction
We struggle to deliver profitability through eCommerce
We are struggling to scale our eCommerce strategy
We have limited funding available to tap into the true opportunity that eCommerce affords
We can't find/retain the talent needed to be able to deliver on our strategy
We are not resourced appropriately to realise the true potential of eCommerce
Supply chain is not effectively supporting our strategy
We struggle to effectively manage and maintain our product content
Other (please specify)
What are the biggest skill gaps within your eCommerce team?
*
Optimisation & test and learn
UX
Proposition development
Reporting & measurement
Data & analytics
Web development
Online merchandising
Digital marketing & demand generation
Other (please specify)
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