I’d like to take you back in time, imagine yourself exactly one year ago today. The date is 28 November 2017. It is a most troubling time, for within the next day, or days, no-one really knows, retailing as we know it is going to end.

One by one, the shops in town and in the suburbs will close down, empty storefronts will litter our high streets, shopping strips and central business districts. All that will remain will be charity stores, some betting outlets and a couple of tattoo parlours, if we’re lucky! If you’ll pardon the pun, Australian retail will shut up shop.

How do we know this dystopian reality awaits us in the coming hours and days?