In this episode of Add To Cart, we checkout Brenden Hartmann, General Manager at Budgy Smuggler swimwear.  Who needs a great swathe of material billowing around your legs when a carefully positioned, streamlining triangle of lycra will do?!  The brand started out as a bit of a laugh in an Aussie backyard when some mates decided to write ‘Budgy Smuggler’ on the back of some speedo-style swimmers.  Growing from selling 1,000 pairs of smugglers a year to over 100,000 pairs internationally, Budgy Smuggler now has a kids and women’s rangeLinks from the episode:Bloke In A BarDyl and FriendsShoe Dog by Phil KnightHomegrown and Heartfelt: The Budgy Smuggler Story | #136Questions answered in the podcast:What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever bought online? Who is your favourite retailer? Which retail fad do you wish was history?Can you recommend a book or podcast that our listeners should immediately get into? Finish this sentence.  The future of retail is… This episode was brought to you by…eSuiteRegistrations for eSuite’s eCommerce Accelerator are now open! If you are looking to get into eCommerce, upskill in eCommerce or just want a refresher, we’ve got you covered. I’ve taken the lessons from my eCommerce career and insights from all the eCommerce leaders I’ve been lucky enough to speak with and distilled it into 10 weeks of eCommerce learning. We cover all the foundations of eCommerce including strategy, marketing, technology, finance, analytics and supply chain. You’ll even leave with an official Shopify certification. Each week I will host a two-hour live lesson which will be supported by templates, case studies and resources to accelerate your eCommerce career. And because you guys lend me your ears, I'll lend you a discount code. Use the code ADDTOCART - all one word, how original, to get $200 off your sign up. That’s ADDTOCART as the code. So don’t wait. Class commences on the 14th March. Registration is now open - head to learn.esuitetalent.com.au, that’s learn.esuitetalent.com.au to secure your place today. See you in class!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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CHECKOUT Brenden Hartmann from Budgy Smuggler | #161

In this episode of Add To Cart, we are joined by Bill and Ed Ovenden, brothers who have established the bedroom brand, The Lad Collective. Founded in 2020, Ed and Bill have developed bed sheets that even bloody useless Australian males can use. Corner tags, magnetic clips, zip in pillow slips - it’s totally idiot proof. But jokes aside, there is a serious side - they’ve developed a version of the product which is registered with the NDIS - National Disability insurance scheme which even includes braille sewn in. In this very entertaining conversation, Ed and Bill share the launch prank they did in the Brisbane river which got the PR machine pumping and their business started. We also discuss cease and desist letters, how they screwed up their first pre-orders and why Ed has his mobile number in the website footer. There are some gems in there too I promise. Links from the episode:The Lad CollectiveHi-Vis on Mental Health: The TradeMutt Story | #035Trade MuttFelonsJay WrightLSKDTrue ProteinGerrard GosensShopify Plus and Muscle Nation (sponsored)Signet and Hoppy Days (sponsored)Questions answered:What makes The Lad Collective sheets different? You’ve had some brilliant PR so far? What’s your secret to getting mainstream attention? What’s the best and worst thing about running a business with your brother?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Get Your Sheet Together: The Lad Collective Story | #160

In this episode of Add To Cart, we checkout Susan Martin from Smart In Planning.  Have you ever wondered what the hell Merchandise Planners do? They are like the air filters of the retail world - everyone knows they are important but most don’t know what they actually do. Susan Martin is not just a Merchandise Planner, but one of the best in the country with her experience at Cotton On, Best & Less and The Warehouse Group. Today, Susan is the CEO of Smart In Planning who consults leading retailers on how to optimise their inventory, and ultimately, their profitability. Links from the episode:Cotton OnThe Psychology of Winning by Denis WaitleyHigh Trust Selling by Todd DuncanMastering Your Merchandise Plan with Susan Martin | #138Questions answered in the podcast:What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever bought online? Who is your favourite retailer? Which retail fad do you wish was history?Can you recommend a book or podcast that our listeners should immediately get into? Finish this sentence.  The future of retail is…  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

CHECKOUT Susan Martin from Smart In Planning | #159

In this episode of Add To Cart, we are joined by the James Bond of marketing - Mark Baartse.  You call him in when you’ve got a problem to solve and you need the best in the business. Mark is, in his own words, the outsourced Chief Marketing Officer. Before consulting, Mark led the growth for leading fashion brand Showpo and has worked with clients including Catch, Menulog and Officeworks. He has been awarded the Top 50 CMP, Top 50 people in eCommerce and is a regular contributor to publications like Ragtrader and Inside Retail. We wanted to get Mark on Add to Cart, so we could pick his brains on behalf of you - for free. We wanted to focus in on performance marketing because, while it’s not Mark’s only focus, he’s a well rounded CMO and it can be a point of agitation and confusion for many. Hopefully there’s a few nuggets in here which either alleviate your fears or help you make changes. We also touch on customer lifetime value, how to use performance channels for branding and getting yourself into the shoes of the customer. Links from the episode:Signet and Adorn Cosmetics (sponsored)Shopify Plus and Crate and Barrel Singapore (sponsored)Questions answered:What are the most common problems you solve for eCommerce brands as a fly-in CMO?What are the key metrics you are looking at to ensure ROI numbers are accurate? Is performance marketing still a viable channel for eCommerce brands? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Playing the Marketing Slot Machines. How to Win Performance Marketing in 2022 with Mark Baartse | #158

In this episode of Add To Cart, we checkout Leigh Williams, Founder and Managing Director of eStore Logistics - a third party logistics fulfilment and warehousing solution for small, medium and large retailers. In Leigh’s own words, they are aiming to democratise access to enterprise-level logistics for all retailers.  eStore Logistics runs fulfilment and warehousing for some of Australia’s biggest eCommerce brands including Kogan, Temple & Webster and MyDeal. They are fulfilling 20 million orders per year and in the last fourteen months alone have tripled their warehousing capacity to 120,000 square metres. Links from the episode:MaapThe Everything Store, Jeff Bezos and the Age of AmazonRobots in the Engine Room: The eStore Logistics Story | #134Questions answered in the podcast:What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever bought online? Who is your favourite retailer? Which retail fad do you wish was history?Can you recommend a book or podcast that our listeners should immediately get into? Finish this sentence.  The future of retail is…  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

CHECKOUT Leigh Williams from eStore Logistics

In this episode of Add To Cart, we are joined by Nick Pearce, the CEO and Co-Founder of HoMie - a social enterprise that aims to break down the stigma associated with homelessness and those experiencing it rough on the streets. They do this through their ultra cool fashion label, HoMie, their upcycled ReBorn range and their Pathway Alliance Program that helps disadvantaged youth kick start their retail career.  In this episode we go on a journey with Nick on how he went from studying Journalism and being a Manny (yes, a real life Manny) to creating a business with purpose that is today known as HoMie. We also dive into the unique size guides that HoMie uses, the tools they use for online accessibility and why saying no to opportunities has opened up better doors than saying yes. Links from the episode:HoMieRebornDisneyUserwayLaunch HousingChampionGeneral PantsBondsNikeToms Shopify Plus and Rollie Nation (sponsored)Signet and Free to Feed (sponsored)Questions answered:How does the HoMie trainee program work?How do you approach the process of partnering with brands?How can retailers create opportunities for young people? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From The Streets To The Catwalk: The HoMie Story | #156

In this episode of Add To Cart, we checkout Briony Kennedy from Adorn Cosmetics.  Briony started the pureplay brand in 2009, to create a luxury beauty range with ethics at its core and their products are organic, vegan, low impact and sustainably packaged.  With their eco refill programme, colour matching and unique sample kits, they have grown a huge and devoted following of united Adorners of all ages. Links from the episode:DecjubaSienna Byron BayThe Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie JakuPatricia Cornwell Beauty, Business and BabiesMore Chips in the Packet: The Adorn Cosmetics Story | #132eSuiteQuestions answered in the podcast:What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever bought online? Who is your favourite retailer? Which retail fad do you wish was history?Can you recommend a book or podcast that our listeners should immediately get into? Finish this sentence.  The future of retail is… This episode was brought to you by…eSuiteIt’s finally happening! eSuite’s eCommerce Accelerator program is kicking off on the 14th March. Over 10 weeks I am going to take you through the foundations of eCommerce including strategy, marketing, technology, finance, analytics and supply chain. You’ll even leave with an official Shopify certification. Each week I will host a two hour live lesson which will be supported by templates, case studies and resources to accelerate your eCommerce career. Whether you are looking to get into eCommerce, want to upskill in eCommerce or just want a refresher, we’d love to see you in there. The waitlist is now open. If you join the waitlist you will be the first to know when the Accelerator is open for registration and even get a coupon for $500 off the registration price. No commitment required. To read more and join the waitlist, head on over to esuitetalent.com.au/accelerator See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

CHECKOUT Briony Kennedy from Adorn Cosmetics | #155

In this episode of Add To Cart, we are joined by James Taylor, the Founder and CEO of Particular Audience - an Australian technology platform helping eCommerce retailers create a more intuitive and personalized shopping experience through merchandise, search and advertising. And this is all done dynamically and without using any personally identifiable information or third party cookies. James’ theory is that product data and intention is more important than customer groupings and it is a fascinating one to explore. Particular Audience was founded here in Sydney, boasts clients including The Good Guys, Singapore Airlines and Calvin Klein across Australia, US, UK and Canada. Since 2019 they’ve raised $13.5m in investment, are set to continue this growth. Today, James and I follow this journey, dive into plans for their B2C product Similar and look at what the future of data privacy means for retailers. Links from the episode:Particular AudienceYieldifySingapore AirlinesCalvin KlineThe Good GuysMining Massive Data Sets by Anand RajaramanSimilarincSignet and Team Unico (sponsored)Shopify Plus and Desky (sponsored)Questions answered:What role does AI play for Particular Audience?What does the Similar plug in do?What’s the future of eCommerce personalisation? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Products Are More Important Than Customers: The Particular Audience Story | #154

In this episode of Add To Cart, we checkout Daniel Flynn from Thankyou.  They burst onto the scene with bottled water that was doing good and now 12 years later Thankyou has raised over $17 million to impact the lives of people across 22 countries… and no longer do bottled water. Many of you will be familiar with Thankyou and its mission to redistribute wealth from consumer spending. We are living in a time where extreme poverty and extreme consumerism live side by side - Daniel and his team are looking to rebalance that equation.  Thankyou is stocked in major retailers including Coles, Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse, and a whole bunch of eCommerce stores including Amazon, Catch, Nourished Life and BaoBag. On their own site - they only sell one product - Chapter One, the first part of the Thankyou story. And it’s not a bad product - so far raising more than $2.6m to supercharge their impact. Links from the episode:The Infinite Game by Simon SinekDo Purpose: Why Brands With a Purpose Do Good and Matter More by David HieattChapter OneDon’t Apologise for Profit: The Thankyou Story | #130Questions answered in the podcast:What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever bought online? Who is your favourite retailer? Which retail fad do you wish was history?Can you recommend a book or podcast that our listeners should immediately get into? Finish this sentence.  The future of retail is…  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

CHECKOUT Daniel Flynn from Thankyou | #153

In this episode of Add To Cart, we are joined by Brad Karney, Co-founder and CEO of Refundid.  Brad describes himself as a retail enthusiast who combined this energy with his finance background to create a solution for a common pain point - refunds!  Refundid provide instant refunds to customers on behalf of brands, when they want to make a return.  Instead of customers having to wait until the item has made it’s often long journey back to the retailer, they get the cash in their pocket straight away.  Refundid are backed by the venture arm of Afterpay and now have over 30 stores on board, including Culture Kings, Sass & Bide and General Pants.  In this chat, Brad shares how Refundid take a load off customer service teams, what it felt like when he onboarded the brand that gave him the idea for the company and what he’s learned about cultivating powerful business connections.Links from the episode:NRF 2022Culture KingsSonosSass & BideTuchuzyLionessWorkwear HubPrincess PollyGeneral PantsUniversal StoreRebel SportShopify Plus and Tropeaka (sponsored)Signet and Ekoroo (sponsored)Questions answered:How did the idea for Refundid come about? What are the biggest pain points you’re solving for retailers?You've got retail-centric investors but you don't have a retail background. How do you strike up those relationships?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Return to Better: The Refundid Story | #152

In this episode of Add To Cart, we checkout Tennealle O’Shannessy, CEO of Adore Beauty. From starting out in Kate Morris’ garage with a $12,000 loan from her boyfriend's parents to listing on the ASX in 2021 at a valuation of over $650m - it has been a wild ride so far.  Adore now partner with over 150 cosmetics brands and stock 10,000-plus beauty care products. Today, they sell over $180m of product every year to over 800 thousand active customers. Links from the episode:Adore Beauty GlossierNet A PorterBite Sized BeautyYour Beauty BFF: The Adore Beauty Story | #126 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

CHECKOUT Tennealle O'Shannessy

In this episode of Add To Cart, we are joined by Rosa-Clare Willis and Andrew Ford, Co-founders of DIY pottery kits, Crockd. They are on a mission to help friends and family have real connections through the power of creativity. Both from a start up and UX background, they only launched Crockd two years ago and are now selling across Australia, Europe and the US. Even more impressive, what started as a physical set up with a warehouse is now a fully remote team scattered across the world. In this episode, Rosa and Andrew share their UX tips for how to create a website that converts. They also share their insights from their recent New York citizenship and best of all, reveal their unpopular opinions about the world at large - including buy now pay later and discounting. Links from the episode:CrockdLittle SuccersStart Up Reality - BTS at CrockdSignet and Cheers Sweetie (sponsored)Shopify Plus and LSKD (sponsored)Questions answered:How did you formulate such a strong brand identity?What advice would you give to other Australian brands looking to expand into the Americas? What’s your most unpopular opinion? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Getting Clayed: The Crockd Story | #150

In this episode of Add To Cart, we checkout self confessed crazy ideas guy, Nati Harpaz. Many of you who have been in eCommerce for a while will know Nati from his time as Managing Director of Catch and the Director, CEO and Chairman of Octomedia which publishes Inside Retail. Today, Nati is the Co Founder and Executive Director of TradeSquare - Australia’s wholesale one-stop shop for business - with over 150,000 products all in one place and 8,000+ buyers. Recently TradeSquare announced TradeSquare Connect which allows retailers to turn into wholesalers.  Links from the episode:CatchGoogle LensAmazonLifespan with Dr David SinclairThe Peter Attia Drive podcastNati’s No Bullshit Guide to Retail | #128Questions answered in the podcast:What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever bought online? Who is your favourite retailer? Which retail fad do you wish was history?Can you recommend a book or podcast that our listeners should immediately get into? Finish this sentence.  The future of retail is… This episode was brought to you by…eSuiteThis Checkout episode is brought to you by eSuite. Whether you are a retailer looking to grow your team or you are an eCommerce gun looking for your next role, eSuite are here to help. At eSuite we connect fast-growing retailers with the best Australian eCommerce talent. We’re working with some of the best in the business including Accent Group, Incu, Oz Hair & Beauty and Black Milk. So, if you are in the market or interested in where the eCommerce market is at - reach out. Visit esuitetalent.com.au for all the latest job listings or contact me directly on nathan@esuitetalent.com.au.About your co-host: Nati Harpaz from TradeSquare A business leader with a high level of focus on people and talent as the main driver for business excellence. Nati is highly focused on achieving results by not compromising on one thing: PEOPLE!  The ability to recruit and retain high-quality human resources who possess the right traits and attitudes towards achieving results and working in a constructive environment is at the heart of every successful organisation.  Defining a clear strategy is important for an organisation to be able to focus all of its resources, attention and value proposition, which is why Nati is also focused on defining the strategy and constantly asking whether each decision and action taken by an organisation is in line with the business strategy.You can contact Nati at LinkedIn See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

CHECKOUT Nati Harpaz from Tradesquare | #149

In this episode of Add To Cart, we are joined by Erin Holt, Gumtree’s Head of Partnerships. Gumtree now goes beyond household items and includes cars, jobs, real estate and services. There are now over 7.8m Australians using Gumtree - or gummies, as they affectionately known and Add to Cart wanted to get an update on Gumtree, understand more about Gummies and explore how eCommerce brands might be able to access this huge audience.  In this conversation we learn more about the primary Gumtree customer - promisingly named the super intender. We also dive into how Gumtree created a book with kids star and viral video sensation, Jimmy Rees. And stay until the end to hear how Erin’s own Gumtree pick up experience ended up with her whole family being invited into a stranger’s first birthday party. Links from the episode:Planet ArkJimmy ReesOllie and the Spectral SpectaclesThe Changing Face of Consumerism reportGumtree Media UpNextShopify Plus and Pet Culture (sponsored)Signet and Sienna Byron Bay (sponsored)Questions answered:How does the Gumtree advertising process work? You recently released an extensive research project, what did that report reveal?How would you recommend that retailers harness the power of local? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Continued Rise of Gumtree & The Super-Intenders | #148

In this episode of Add To Cart, we checkout Nathan Bush, the guy who usually asks the questions around here!   Nathan is an eCommerce Strategist, Co founder and Director of eCommerce talent agency eSuite and of course, host of the Add to Cart podcast.  Before all that, he was Group Digital Manager at Super Retail Group and was placed in the Top 50 People in e-commerce four years in a row. Links from the episode:TeslaAmazonDan MurphysBondsHappiest Man on Earth by Eddie JacuAn Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris HadfieldCreativity Inc by Ed CatmullConversations with Richard FidlerJerry McGuire Does Digital: The Nathan Bush Story | #121 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

CHECKOUT Nathan Bush from eSuite | #147

Welcome to Add to Cart!the podcast that express delivers all you need to know in the fast-moving world of eCommerce.Every month, Nathan Bush from 12HIGH and an eCommerce industry expert will share the news, research and insights that you need to know to keep you at the top of your game. And of course, keep your customers adding to cart!

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