Over $1 billion: that’s the kind of sales volume Click Frenzy has helped drive for Australian retailers since its launch. And behind that headline-grabbing stat is Grant Arnott, Executive Director at Global Marketplace and the ringleader at Click Frenzy, Power Retail and GrabOne.
With more than a decade of leading major ecommerce platforms and helping brands like Woolworths, Big W and Adore Beauty turn key shopping moments into traffic-driving wins, Grant knows what it takes to succeed in this space. He’s part showman, part strategist and always ready to challenge the industry’s comfort zone. In this Checkout chat, Grant shares his go-to tech tools, the brand that continues to impress him, and the backstory behind those now-iconic gold statues at the All Star Bash.
The Brand That’s Not Trying to Be Everything to Everyone
When it comes to brands that impress, Grant points to retailers like Birdsnest, who manage to inject personality into every touchpoint. Their content, tone of voice, and customer-centric design stand out because it feels human, something most templated, automated websites can’t replicate.
Even though he admits he’s “not a yummy mummy,” it’s clear how much he values a brand that knows exactly who it’s speaking to. “Everything they do is true to themselves,” he said. “It’s very much Jane [Cay]’s personality instilled in the culture.”
For Grant, Birdsnest isn’t just a standout because of clever CX or site speed, it’s because they’ve stayed human. “Everyone talks about being customer centric, but they go to another level,” he added. “It’s fun, it’s consistent, it’s joyful. That’s what makes it memorable.” In a sea of lookalike templates and optimised checkouts, that kind of clarity and care stands out. It’s not about being for everyone. It’s about being unforgettable to the right people.
Xero, Excel and the Art of Making Things Real
While many ecommerce operators chase their next tool or integration, Grant’s ride-or-die tech is far less trendy, but far more powerful. His go-to tools? Xero and Excel. Together, they serve as a launchpad for new initiatives, from warehouse sales to media partnerships. “I love pretending to be an accountant, even though our actual accountants hate me interfering,” he laughed. He sees these tools as the “starting canvas for everything.
For Grant, financial modelling isn’t just a backend task. It’s a creative validation step. He uses spreadsheets to test demand, pressure-check assumptions, and avoid costly detours before the marketing machine gets rolling. “As soon as any idea forms, I start drilling down in Excel or Xero to figure out how to actually implement it…If you can’t prove it on paper, you’ve got no business scaling it,” he said.
In an industry where shiny tools often distract from solid execution, Grant’s reminder is clear: start simple, stress test everything, and then build.
Read This Before You Go All-In
When it comes to inspiration, Grant doesn’t gravitate to fluff or hustle culture. His bookshelf features practical frameworks and sharp observations from people who’ve been through real storms. His first pick? Zero to One by Peter Thiel. “It’s about creating something new rather than just iterating on what already exists,” he says. “That kind of innovation, zero to one, is exponentially harder and more valuable.”
His second recommendation is Jim Collins’ Great by Choice, a deep dive into what separates long-term survivors from short-lived winners. One of the most powerful lessons? “The best leaders didn’t go all-in during boom times,” Grant explains. “They kept to a disciplined, sustainable pace.” That idea, known as the 20-mile march, has stuck with him. It’s about resisting the temptation to overinvest or scale too fast, even when the market’s hot.
Another key principle is productive paranoia, a leadership mindset where you prepare obsessively for downturns, not just dream about upswings. “I come to work every day thinking this could be the week the doors close—without driving everyone crazy,” he says. “That’s what keeps us sharp.”
One Leader, Three Business Models
When Grant talks about challenges, he doesn’t sugarcoat it. Managing capital and resourcing is tough, but context switching across business units might be tougher. “I’m in charge of three quite different businesses,” he said. “Click Frenzy, Power Retail, and the NZ marketplace, each one has its own model, its own market, its own team.”
From campaign coordination to customer service, each brand requires different thinking, timelines, and partner conversations. The real challenge isn’t the work, it’s shifting gears without losing momentum. “You finish one call thinking about affiliate traffic in New Zealand, and jump straight into content strategy for Power Retail,” he said. “Then it’s event logistics for Click Frenzy.”
And with lean teams, it’s not a matter of passing the baton. “We run hard with a fairly small team,” Grant says. “There’s only so much you can get done, but the ambition’s always bigger than the bandwidth.”
Think Sharp, Act Disciplined
Grant approaches retail as a system. One that needs clarity, customer connection and commercial realism to work. Whether it’s calling out bland templates, stressing the value of financial modelling, or spotlighting brands that actually live their values, Grant makes one thing clear: smart ecommerce isn’t loud. It’s intentional.In an industry that often confuses growth with chaos, Grant reminds us that the best retail leaders don’t just chase what’s new, they double down on what works.
Want to hear more from Grant? Listen to the full checkout episode here:
The Checkout is a short snippet of our conversations.
