Healthy revenue is the lifeline of every business. And if you’re looking to grow, or simply trying to adapt to changing market conditions, you might well be looking for ways to generate more of it.

According to the Square 2025 Future of Commerce report, around three-quarters of Australian business leaders either plan to offer new supplemental products or services, or agree that expanded offerings are key to growing their business¹. 

“It’s getting more and more popular as retailers find that their organic growth is becoming quite static, facing impacts from changing consumer demands and also from who else is popping up and trying to take a piece of that pie,” says Josh Strutt, general manager, insights at Retail Doctor Group.

“The market is only going to grow at a certain rate, and new revenue streams are a great way to expand your opportunities using your existing loyal customer base.”

Subscriptions and memberships

Retail subscription models involve customers paying a recurring fee for regular access to products or services. For retailers this means more financial stability; for customers, it’s more convenient.

Australian toilet paper brand Who Gives a Crap has had huge success with its subscription model that sends out regular deliveries of toilet rolls, with customisable size and frequency. However, this model can – and does – work for everything from beauty products to breakfast cereal.

But while subscriptions might seem like an easy way to secure sales for the kinds of products consumers like to set and forget, that’s not the only way to lock in a recurring spend. 

Membership programs are an alternative option - and can be particularly useful for service-based businesses where customers receive unlimited use of a service, such as infrared saunas, for a monthly fee, or where businesses are creating a sense of community.

“We’ve been tracking memberships of some of the big paid subscription service schemes over the past few years,” says Strutt. “The main factors influencing people to pay for membership are fast and free delivery, cost savings and member pricing.”

Third-party marketplaces 

For sellers based in Australia and New Zealand, there are multiple online marketplaces that you can use to expand the reach of your business. Amazon hosted 7.9 million Australian shoppers in 2024² across all retail categories, and there are smaller platforms dedicated to gifting (Hard to Find), homewares (Temple & Webster) and fashion (The ICONIC).

Silk shirt business The Fable was a couple of years into its journey when founder Sophie Doyle decided to explore selling through a third party as an additional revenue stream. Doyle says she’d done a lot of her own fashion shopping on The ICONIC and had always had a great experience.

“Seamless delivery, excellent customer service and a wide range of brands available — it was an easy decision,” she says.

“The ICONIC makes up about 20 per cent of our business now. It’s an important part of our revenue and offers a diversified sales channel approach.

“I’d consider other third-party platforms, but having the right fit is important. Ultimately, you want to list the brand where you feel your customer is. There is a fair amount of work in onboarding a brand to a platform, so you want to make sure it’s worthwhile.”

Retail media networks

The value of Australia’s retail media market is projected to soar to an estimated $3 billion by 2027³. Retail media networks (RMNs) present a significant opportunity for retailers to add a revenue stream by monetising their digital and physical platforms.

“Retail media networks offer an opportunity for brands to pay retailers to advertise their products,” says Strutt. “They are an effective way to get a product in front of customers at the exact moment they’re ready to purchase. It’s a strategy that works well with the big box stores like Woolworths, Coles and Bunnings.”

It’s more challenging for smaller players to leverage their digital audiences in this way simply because the numbers aren’t as large, but many are finding ways to compete by focusing on niche markets and hyper-targeted campaigns.

“There are also offline opportunities for smaller businesses to put retail media at point-of-sale,” adds Strutt. “Rather than static images, retailers in the TikTok age should consider the possibilities of video.”

Branded merch

Branded merchandise is a cost-effective marketing tool, but if you have the right brand, it can also add another revenue stream to your business.

New Zealand’s most trusted brand⁴ in 2025, Whittaker’s, may be known for “the world’s finest chocolate”, but also has a secondary revenue stream in the form of branded aprons and oven mitts. Similarly, the Christchurch-based baking brand Cookie Time has branched out into branded socks, hoodies and bamboo cups.

“The success of branded merchandise comes down to the relationship that the retailer has with its customers,” says Strutt. “We see people flock to buy a Bunnings hat, for example, so much so that it’s become a staple in outdoor wear! But would Coles have the same impact? I don’t believe so. Niche opportunities hyped by limited offers can help test the waters here.”

Repairs

If you’re selling quality products, offering a repair service can be a new revenue stream for your business. Plus, it will keep your customer happy, and offer environmental benefits. The Good Guys has dedicated repair services complete with online booking, while jeweller Michael Hill recently launched a new app to streamline its repair services.

R.M.Williams has been in the business of repairs for almost as long as it’s been selling boots and publishes a comprehensive list of repair costs for new soles, heels, elastics and tugs.

“When you buy a pair of R.M.Williams boots, we like to think that your journey with us is just beginning,” a company statement reads. Innovations include a virtual repair consultation to discuss your needs and get an online quote. 

B2B to B2C and back

Once upon a time, business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) made strange bedfellows. Increasingly these days, businesses once firmly in one camp are branching out into the other as a way of generating additional revenue.

Swanky Socks started life in 2015 as a boutique men's socks brand with distribution throughout Australia and New Zealand.

“When I came on board, Swanky Socks was a small retail (B2C) business turning over around $40,000,” says CEO Dorry Kordahi. “My focus was to reverse engineer the brand, positioning it into the B2B space. Once we established the brand and cash flow through B2B, we were able to aggressively re-enter and scale our B2C channel.”

Swanky Socks leveraged its existing retail chops to open doors in the B2B market, which allowed it to scale quickly, selling corporate-branded socks to clients from Cheer Cheese and KFC to Piper Heidsieck and Sydney Airport.

“The results speak for themselves,” says Kordahi. “Our B2B division has experienced strong growth internationally and given us the resources and brand strength to make a bigger impact in the B2C market. The combination of both channels is now fuelling our next stage of growth.”

Consultations and classes

One way to set your brand apart in a crowded marketplace is to share your niche expertise with consumers via in-store classes, workshops and consultations. In-store events give retailers an opportunity not only to showcase their products and services to a group of front-foot consumers, but also to raise a little extra revenue on the side. 

In 2019, when Spotlight made a push into shopping centres with its smaller-format stores, workshops were introduced as a part of its bid to steal market share from competitor brands such as Kmart and Lincraft. The business now offers sewing and craft classes at around 15 of its ‘creative’ stores, with a focus on seasonal events such as Christmas and Book Week. Classes range in cost from $40 to $50 per session.