Group payments are shaking up ecommerce and Cam Richardson is leading the charge. As the founder of PaySquad, he’s helping retailers turn one sale into ten customers, ditch awkward money-chasing, and tap into the power of squad buying. With brands like Baby Village and Rugby Bricks embracing the PaySquad model, and an average order value of over $850, Cam knows how to make payments work smarter.
In this Add To Cart Checkout episode, Cam shares his most bizarre online purchase, the ecommerce brands he’s keeping an eye on, and the tech he swears by to stay ahead—plus, he drops some gold for retailers looking to rethink their checkout experience.
Wasps and Locusts: Some Unusual Online Purchases
When asked about the weirdest thing he’s ever bought online, Cam’s response was immediate—and unexpected. “It was a $35 bee suit, and it wasn’t for beekeeping but to do battle with wasps in my backyard.”
But that’s not even the strangest online shopping experience he’s experienced. Cam recalls an infamous purchase made by his friends—one that took ‘thoughtful gifting’ to another level. “The same friends who once bought me a three-wheel motorbike also once bought online live locusts to release through my bed. So, you know, sort of a give and take friendship there. So we might be seeing locust squads.”
The Retailer That’s Cracked the Social Shopping Code
As someone at the forefront of ecommerce payments, Cam keeps a close eye on brands that are leading the charge in engagement, growth and innovation. One standout? Craft Club, an Australian brand that’s turning traditional hobbies into social experiences.
They have such creative ads, a sweet product range, almost 250,000 followers. They’re Australia’s fastest-growing craft brand.
Craft Club’s unique selling point isn’t just their DIY kits—it’s how they position them as shared experiences. Instead of buying another candle or Netflix subscription, Craft Club customers are encouraged to gather their friends and spend time together making something tangible.
“Rather than having just another movie night with your friends, they can send through kits for embroidery or rug making or moss kits, and you can be nannas for the afternoon,” he explained. For ecommerce brands looking to grow, Craft Club is proof that community and experience-driven products can scale fast, if marketed the right way.
The One Platform Cam Can’t Live Without
Given that PaySquad operates in the fintech and ecommerce space, you might expect Cam’s most essential tool to be something like Stripe, data analytics software or a payment processor. But the reality is far simpler — LinkedIn.
“When it’s not the center of cringe, it is incredible for learning and networking and just finding out who’s moving and shaking at the moment,” Cam admitted. For Cam, LinkedIn is a real-time pulse on industry trends. By curating his feed and engaging with the right people, he stays ahead of emerging conversations in payments, ecommerce and business growth.
“[For] all the people that are just posting vacuous nonsense, you just have to be like, hide, block, unfollow,” he shared. “And all the people that are just pumping out great content… you know, you’re always commenting, liking, helps keep your algorithm pure as well.
“For ecommerce professionals looking to stay in the loop without getting lost in social media clutter, LinkedIn, when used intentionally, can be one of the most valuable tools in your stack.
The Podcast Changing How Cam Works
For Cam, staying ahead of trends is critical. Cam’s top podcast recommendation? This Day in AI, a show that breaks down the latest developments in artificial intelligence in an accessible and actionable way. “You know, there’s just so much out there, but if you go on there and look through the titles on something that you’re like, I did want to know bit more about that and throw it on, that could be pretty powerful.”
But Cam doesn’t just listen and forget—he actively applies AI to streamline his workflow and decision-making. One of his favourite hacks? Using AI to organise his day before he even sits down to work.
At the start of the day, I do a huge voice note recorder just like talking through all the stuff that is on my mind, all the ums and ahs and I need to talk to this person. Then I post it all into an AI and just say, hey, based on all this waffle, can you create a wee plan for my morning?
It’s a great reminder that, if you’re managing a fast-moving business or juggling multiple projects, AI-powered tools are often key to working smarter, not harder.
The Biggest Challenge for PaySquad Right Now
Despite PaySquad’s rapid adoption among merchants, Cam’s biggest challenge isn’t just about scaling. It’s about staying focused on the right opportunities. “Honestly, it’s looking at all of the opportunities and being intentionally brand and customer driven, because we either have to fall on the side of the squads that we serve or these merchants as well.”
With so many industries that could benefit from group payments, from travel, to fundraising to ticketing, it would be easy to spread too thin. But Cam knows that chasing every opportunity isn’t always the smartest move. “It would be really easy to sink half a day into serving the need of that merchant. But we just haven’t seen the buying signals from the squads that have already used PaySquad.”
By staying laser-focused on customer demand and actual buying behaviour, PaySquad is scaling the right way—without getting distracted by every potential market.
The Next Opportunity Is Probably Right in Front of You
Cam’s insights go beyond payments, offering smart strategies for growth, efficiency and staying ahead of consumer trends. Some takeaways? Leverage the power of community-driven retail that taps into shared experiences rather than just selling products. Let AI do the heavy lifting to reduce administrative burden and focus on growth. Finally, go where the demand is, rather than chasing every shiny new market.
Want more insights from Cam? Jump into the full episode of Add To Cart now.
The Checkout is a short snippet of our conversations.
