Bendigo Retailers Confront Rising Costs and Supply Disruptions in 2026

Bendigo retailers have recorded a 12 percent drop in foot traffic on Mitchell Street since March compared with the same period last year, according to figures compiled by the Bendigo Chamber of Commerce.

The decline reflects wider cost pressures that have intensified after the national Telstra outage in early July exposed gaps in point-of-sale systems and online ordering for stores that rely on reliable connectivity.

Local operators detail daily strains

At the Bendigo Marketplace on Hargreaves Street, several clothing and gift outlets say they now wait an average of 18 days for imported stock that previously arrived in 10 days, pushing some owners to cut orders and reduce shelf variety. Nearby on Pall Mall, the owners of three cafes inside the historic Shamrock Hotel building report paying 22 percent more for dairy and flour deliveries this quarter than in January.

These patterns match data released last week by the Victorian Small Business Commission, which showed a statewide 9 percent rise in business operating costs for the first half of 2026.

Practical steps under discussion

Chamber of Commerce executive director Lisa Tran said members are being urged to audit their supplier contracts before the end of August and to test backup internet services ahead of the spring sales period. Several stores on Mitchell Street have already booked trials with two regional providers that promise faster restoration times than the national carrier.

Businesses that complete the audit and install a secondary connection by 30 September will qualify for a $500 rebate through the City of Greater Bendigo’s digital resilience program, which opened applications on 1 July.