WHY DATA OWNERSHIP IS THE NEW COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

By tapestry® founder and CEO Christopher Bartlett

Retailers across Australia and globally are now waking up to a powerful new reality: when you own your data, you control the value chain.

Today’s economy is a digital economy. Data is no longer just a byproduct of operations. It’s also an asset class. But here’s the catch: most of the value it creates has historically been captured not by the retailers generating it, but by the platforms collecting it. That’s changing. Fast.

The ability to act on that data in real-time, to trade it directly with suppliers, and to convert it into measurable value is fast becoming a defining advantage in modern retail. This isn’t just about better insights. It’s also about creating new income streams, adding real value to your balance sheet, and building a more ethical, transparent, and competitive business.

“The ability to act on data in real-time, to trade it directly with suppliers, and to convert it into measurable value is fast becoming a defining advantage in modern retail.”

The economics of data ownership

• It creates new revenue. Retailers that own their transactional and inventory data can monetise it through real-time marketplaces. This data helps suppliers optimise promotions, stock levels, fulfilment, and strategy. With the right infrastructure, it becomes a scalable, high-margin income stream.
• It increases enterprise value. By turning data into a monetisable asset, retailers can add a new line item to their balance sheet. Forward-thinking businesses are already quantifying the value of their data flows, strengthening financial positions and boosting valuations.
• It builds trust and transparency. Transparent data exchange between retailers, suppliers and shoppers drives long-term trust. Consumers want to know how their data is being used. Retailers that lead on transparency will win loyalty – and gain valuable first-party data in return.
• It enables safer, smarter personalisation. When ownership sits with the retailer and shopper, personalisation becomes a strength, not a risk. Customers opt in, data is used respectfully, and the result is better targeting, less waste, and more relevant experiences.

Why is this shift happening now?

The shift towards data ownership in retail isn’t just about technology. It’s a strategic response to a new competitive landscape. For the first time, retailers have both the infrastructure and incentives to turn their data into a growth engine.

The infrastructure has finally caught up. Modern architecture has arrived. Technologies such as data fabric and data mesh have moved from theory to deployment.

• Data fabric creates a unified view across fragmented systems – POS, inventory, loyalty, e-commerce – while maintaining governance and control.
• Data mesh decentralises ownership, empowering teams (merchandising, ops, marketing) to treat data as a product and act on it faster.

These frameworks support data marketplaces such as tapestry®, where retailers can trade their data directly with brands in real-time – without platform dependence.

Economic pressure is forcing retailers to find new margins. With rising supply chain costs and tighter consumer wallets, retailers must do more with less. Monetising operational data unlocks new revenue while reducing reliance on delayed third-party reports.

Shopper expectations have evolved. Today’s shopper expects real-time personalisation, inventory accuracy, and seamless omnichannel experiences. This requires immediate access to contextual, owned data. Retailers that can't deliver risk losing share of wallet.

Brands are ready to pay for it. Suppliers are hungry for live, store-level insights. Historically reliant on lagging third-party data, they now want verified, real-time visibility. Retailers can now deliver this directly and get paid for it.

It’s a competitive moat. Retailers that control their data are building moats. They’re no longer just competing on product or price. They’re also competing on intelligence.

What it all means for retailers

Retailers that take ownership of their data – and build the infrastructure to activate and trade it ethically – aren’t just keeping pace. They’re leading the transformation.

This is structural advantage, not just operational improvement. By shifting from data dependency to ownership, retailers are:

• Creating new revenue streams. Real-time monetisation of data turns a passive byproduct into a high-margin asset.
• Improving margins in a high-cost environment. Owned data enables smarter decisions and leaner operations.
• Increasing enterprise value. Proprietary, tradeable data positions retailers as intelligence businesses, not just merchants.

And they’re laying the foundation to:

• Personalise inventory and promotions at a local level using real-time, predictive data.
• Collaborate transparently with suppliers to drive mutual growth.
• Reduce costs through automation and smart planning.
• Unlock value across the supply chain via closed-loop intelligence.
• Future-proof their operations in an AI-driven world.

In short: retailers that own their data own their future. The future belongs to those who take ownership of their data.