The tRS Retail Index

A first-of-its-kind index tracking the real health of Australian fashion retail.

Built from weekly retailer data, the tRS Retail Index turns fragmented sales, traffic and margin data into a single, trusted benchmark for the clothing, footwear and accessories industry.

Every Monday evening the Index refreshes with like-for-like sales, transaction values, discounting depth and channel performance — reported nationally, by region, and down to individual postcodes and precincts.

July 2026 · National

Updated weekly

Fashion Retail Index snapshot

+0.2% Like-for-like sales

+2.8% Online sales growth

+3.5pt Discount rate, YoY

−0.4% Sales volumes

Live from participating retailers across AU

What the Index is

One benchmark, built from real store data — not surveys or estimates.

The Retail Score Index is compiled directly from the systems retailers already run — POS, e-commerce and inventory — structured through the same retail data model that powers the tRS platform. It gives the industry a shared, trustworthy read on performance that no single retailer could produce alone.

Weekly

Refreshed every Monday

Participating retailers’ data is processed and published every Monday evening, so the Index always reflects the week just gone — not a quarter-old survey.

Granular

Beyond basic sales data

Like-for-like sales sit alongside transaction volumes, average transaction value, discount depth, channel mix and gross profit — the measures that explain why performance moved.

Located

Down to the postcode

Results can be cut by national, state, region and postcode — including individual fashion precincts and shopping centres — not just a single headline number.

This month’s signal

July 2026: a soft month for fashion, with discounting doing the heavy lifting.

Like-for-like sales across Australia’s fashion, footwear and accessories industry rose just 0.2% in July, as retailers leaned harder on discounting to move winter stock — eroding margin in the process. The figures below are drawn from the tRS Retail Index, reported by Ragtrader .

+0.2%

Like-for-like sales

Volumes down 0.4%, offset by 0.8% growth in average transaction value.

+2.8%

Online sales

The only channel to deliver meaningful growth in July.

−3.6%

Outlet stores

Concessions also fell 1.9%; standalone stores managed +0.2%.

+3.5pt

Discount rate, YoY

Original prices ran 5.2% higher, but discounting erased most of the gain — gross profit fell for the first time in over a year.

Featured insight

In the press: high streets are bolstering fashion store sales.

The tRS Retail Index now powers a regular data partnership with Ragtrader, giving the industry an ongoing, evidence-based read on fashion retail performance across Australia.

Ragtrader · Insights

High streets bolster fashion store sales

4 August 2026 · Powered by The Retail Score Index

Read the full article

Postcode-level insight

This is the latest instalment in an ongoing Ragtrader series built on the tRS Fashion Retail Index. While standalone stores grew just 0.2% nationally in July, Index data cut at postcode level tells a different story in a handful of established fashion precincts.

"Well-curated high streets offer a broader experience — combining distinctive retailers, hospitality and an engaging local environment."

Paddington, Armadale and Fortitude Valley all significantly outperformed their surrounding retail catchments from January to July — evidence that shoppers are still seeking out a compelling in-person experience, even as the wider market stays soft.

+14% Paddington, Sydney

+3.2% Armadale, Melbourne

+10.9% Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

Source: Ragtrader, "High streets bolster fashion store sales," 4 August 2026, reporting on tRS Retail Score Index data.

Who uses the Index

One data set, used differently across the industry

Retailers, landlords and analysts all draw on the same Index — but each uses it to answer a different question about how fashion retail is performing.

Retailers

Benchmark your own like-for-like sales, discounting and channel mix against the wider market — by category, region or precinct.

Landlords & precincts

See how a centre or high street is performing against comparable retail catchments, down to postcode level.

Investors & analysts

Get an independent, data-backed read on fashion retail conditions, without waiting on quarterly reporting cycles.

Media

Reference a consistent, weekly-updated industry benchmark — as used in the ongoing Ragtrader Index series.

How to participate

Open to any fashion, footwear or accessories retailer.

The tRS Retail Index is open for retailers to participate in. Retailers who agree to share data get full benefit of the Index in return — data updated every Monday evening, across a broad range of measures and location segments, including postcode.

Free to participate

Updated weekly

Your data stays yours

Connect your data

Share POS, e-commerce and inventory data through the same secure connection used by the tRS platform — no extra reporting work required.

Get benchmarked automatically

Your performance is structured into the same retail data model as every other participant, so comparisons are consistent and like-for-like.

See where you stand

Receive a weekly read on how your stores and precincts are performing against the national and postcode-level Index.

Next step

Join the tRS Retail Index

Whether you’re a retailer wanting to benchmark performance, a landlord tracking a precinct, or a journalist covering the industry — get in touch to talk through how the Index can work for you.

Our Clients

We focus on delivering a tangible return on investment be it through improved productivity, finding growth or aiding smarter decision-making. Collectively, we have over 50 years of experience in retailing, retail analytics, data management and insights.