Kmart Unveils 'Plan C+' Store Overhaul Aiming for Enhanced Shopping Experience

Kmart is significantly revamping its store experience with the accelerated rollout of its 'Plan C+' format across Australia. The retailer aims to make shopping easier, more convenient, and enjoyable, with more than 40 fully refreshed stores slated to be operational by mid-2027. Currently, the transformation is underway at 20 of Kmart's approximately 300 national stores.

The 'Plan C+' format introduces revitalized store layouts, improved product presentation, enhanced service offerings, and integrated technology. Key areas such as Womenswear, Beauty, and Home have been reorganized into larger, more clearly defined departments. In Womenswear, the merchandising strategy now focuses on coordinated outfits and curated groupings to help customers assemble complete looks more easily.

Navigation within stores has been improved, with better product adjacencies. Convenience is a central theme, featuring expanded services like 'Select & Collect' for same-day online order pickups and increased self-service checkout options to reduce wait times. The design also streamlines entry and exit points. Notably, the central store checkout, which was relocated between 2012 and 2015 and generated customer debate, will be removed.

Behind the scenes, enhanced technology and new operational methods are boosting efficiency, ensuring strong stock availability, and allowing Kmart team members to dedicate more time to assisting customers on the shop floor. Ben Smith, Kmart Group General Manager Property, stated that the rollout underscores Kmart's commitment to improving the in-store experience in line with customer expectations.

"Our customers continue to tell us they want shopping experiences that are simple, convenient and enjoyable, and Plan C+ is helping us deliver on that," Smith said. "What we've learned from the stores already operating in the format has been incredibly valuable. We're continuing to refine the experience and apply those learnings as we expand Plan C+ across more communities around Australia." He added that these investments help Kmart continue delivering the value and quality customers expect.

By the end of the 2027 financial year, insights from the 'Plan C+' rollout will inform further customer experience enhancements across Kmart's network in Australia and New Zealand. This initiative coincides with the retailer's trial of its new 'K Home' concept store in Box Hill, Melbourne. This standalone destination showcases the breadth of the Anko home and furniture range in a more immersive format than traditional Kmart outlets.

Kmart Group managing director Aleksandra Spaseska noted that the 'K Home' store is designed to test the potential of a larger home goods market through a more immersive format. The store features curated displays and room-by-room inspiration, including products not typically available in full-line stores due to space constraints. The insights from this trial will be used to refine the model and assess its long-term viability.

In parallel, Kmart's 10-hectare automated customer fulfillment center in Moorebank, Western Sydney, is on schedule to open in 2027/28. This facility is expected to enhance the resilience, efficiency, and scalability of the group's supply chain. The retailer also launched an online marketplace in May, now offering over 130,000 products from 90 sellers.

Spaseska acknowledged the current economic climate, stating that households are highly focused on cost of living and value. "We can see from all of our customer data, households are very much focused on cost of living," she said. "It is the number one issue on their mind, and thinking about how they make household budgets work and how they find more value is really critical."

Through these comprehensive changes and ongoing innovations, Kmart is positioning itself to enhance customer value and convenience, aiming to maintain its competitive edge in a dynamic retail landscape.