In Short:
– Sendle’s closure highlights challenges for Australian startups and small businesses, reducing competition and raising prices.
– Small businesses struggle with Australia Post’s dominance, lacking volume for bargaining and support.

The recent closure of Sendle has cast a spotlight on the increasing pressures facing startups and small businesses in Australia’s logistics sector. As competition shrinks, delivery costs are rising and service levels are declining, leaving businesses to navigate a more challenging landscape.

For many small enterprises, reliable logistics is critical—not just for day-to-day operations, but for the growth of their ecommerce operations.

Jimmy Wu from Zappy Australia joins Ticker to explain how these changes are impacting small businesses differently from larger players. Startups often face tighter margins and fewer alternatives, meaning that even small increases in shipping costs or delays in service can have outsized effects. “For smaller businesses, every delay or extra cost compounds quickly,” Wu explains. “This can influence customer satisfaction, cash flow, and ultimately the ability to scale.”

Potential solutions

The current situation echoes earlier exits in the industry, such as Temando in 2019, which also left gaps in logistics services for smaller enterprises. Wu suggests that the future of ecommerce growth in Australia will depend heavily on innovation in logistics, from more flexible delivery options to technology-driven efficiency improvements. Potential solutions may include collaboration between smaller logistics providers, increased use of digital platforms, and alternative shipping models tailored for startups.

As the sector evolves, small businesses must remain nimble and proactive in adapting to these challenges. Understanding the shifting logistics landscape and exploring innovative solutions will be key for companies looking to thrive in Australia’s increasingly competitive market.

For more information, visit Zappy.

#SmallBusinessAustralia #SendleClosure #LogisticsChallenges #EcommerceGrowth #StartupStruggles #DeliveryCosts #FreightFiasco #TickerInsights

In Short:
– AI is rapidly changing tech careers, creating new roles like AI business analyst and AI engineer.
– ICT professionals need to develop skills in AI, data literacy, and cybersecurity to stay competitive.

Promise Akwaowo, CBAP®, is a business analyst and product owner working across enterprise automation, data governance, and large-scale digital transformation.

In this discussion, Promise highlights how AI and automation are rapidly reshaping tech careers, creating entirely new roles across the global ICT landscape. According to him, AI has become a core requirement in tech hiring, with around 78% of job listings now referencing artificial intelligence.

Roles such as AI business analysts and AI engineers are growing quickly, with seven of the ten fastest-growing tech jobs linked to AI. At the same time, rising concerns around data use, privacy, and trust are driving demand for governance specialists and analysts focused on AI ethics.

Data literacy

To remain competitive, ICT professionals are expected to expand their skill sets, with data literacy, cloud fluency, cybersecurity, and automation projected to be essential by 2026. For businesses, investing in AI-ready talent is key to improving efficiency and supporting long-term growth.

Promise has also worked across sectors, including logistics, higher education, and investor relations technology, focusing on turning complex concepts into scalable digital products. His projects often apply human-centred design principles while emphasising clearly defined performance outcomes.

In Short:
– Jabin Hallihan advises diversifying portfolios and buying shares during fluctuating markets, emphasising long-term strategies.
– He highlights AI and copper as promising sectors, predicting strong earnings for BHP in 2026.

Jabin Hallihan from Family Financial Solutions shares expert advice on investing in shares as markets fluctuate. He highlights the difficulty of timing the market and echoes Warren Buffett’s philosophy: the best time to buy shares was yesterday. For investors, understanding market timing is crucial.

The ASX 200 is currently valued at around 8,500, slightly below its October peak of 9,000. With a price-to-earnings ratio near 17, above the long-term average of 14, expected earnings for the coming year look promising at 10–11%. Hallihan emphasises the importance of a diversified portfolio and identifies AI as a continuing investment theme, while high-quality stocks like BHP and Rio Tinto offer resilience during downturns.

For funding acquisitions, consider taking profits from outperforming US tech stocks and reallocating into leading Australian resource companies. Looking into 2026, AI investment by major firms is set to accelerate, and the Australian mining sector—particularly copper—could provide significant upside. Jabin Hallihan can be contacted through Family Financial Solutions in Heatherton, Victoria.