[Voiceover]: Welcome to the checkout. We catch up with previous add to cart guests and ask them five quick questions to get to know them better and leave you with a little extra inspiration to get you through your Friday.
[Voiceover]: Today's checkout features Dean Salakis, CEO and chief party dude at the party people going online way back in 1999. Dean and his brother are leaders in the party space with a physical store and over 30 team members.
Nathan Bush: Dean, thank you so much for joining us on the checkout. We've heard about your story with the party people and the exciting things that you're up to. We're here to learn a little bit more about you. So I've got five quick questions for you. Number one, what's the weirdest thing that you've ever bought online?
Dean Salakas: I think one of the weird things that people buy from us that's probably.
Nathan Bush: Yeah, that's actually. That's really good.
Dean Salakas: People buy blow up dolls and all that sort of stuff from us. You know, we sell. We saw a lot of stuff in Hens night that, let's just say body part related. And yeah, we saw some fun stuff. And people always telling me, oh, I saw this the other day or funny story, let's go into it if you like, if you got time. But I was out one night, I'm at a nightclub and these girls are there, you know, they're drinking from their penis straws. And I asked them, I said, where did you get that from? And they said, the party people. I couldn't believe it. I was like, oh, what are the odds, you know, why are you asking that kind of question? Like all the queens to ask me why that question? And I'm like, oh, no.
Nathan Bush: You're like. They're like, get your own penis straw somewhere else.
Dean Salakas: I actually said, I work there. I didn't say own the business. I said, I work there. They said, oh, okay.
Nathan Bush: That's amazing. I could imagine People are constantly shocked and surprised at what you can find at the party people.
Dean Salakas: They are, they are.
Nathan Bush: I had a lot of fun looking through it.
Dean Salakas: You were in the hint section, weren't you? You were in.
Nathan Bush: Yeah, I was in the hint section. It's really weird. They're all sitting on my desk now. All right, number two, who is your favorite retailer?
Dean Salakas: That's a tough question. I'm gonna make some enemies here, aren't I? What's going on?
Nathan Bush: Yeah, you can't sit on the fence on this one.
Dean Salakas: Look, I'm a big fan of Julie Mathers and the stuff that she's Doing. She had flora and fauna, now she's doing. She's got her own baby business. So, yeah, I'm a big fan of just following her story and we're friends too. But, you know, I mean, just, I love when she's getting wins and love
Nathan Bush: seeing her continue to go, no, absolutely. You're not going to make any enemies with that answer. We all love Julie, so. Yeah, absolutely. All right, number three, which E commerce practice do you wish was history?
Dean Salakas: Oh, I mean, you would have read my story on pitching. I mean, I hate the way half these guys pitch that. Please, if you're a service provider, check my LinkedIn out. Read the story I did up with Nora about how to pitch to retailers, please. You know that story blew up, right? And it's just 40,000 views and all this sort of stuff. And yeah, I mean, I think I just hit a nerve. But to be honest, I just had a rant one day and I was like, I'm writing about this sick of this shit. And. And I just wrote about how sick of the types of pictures I was getting and obviously a lot of retailers related because I was like, yeah, we're sick of this shit too. And so I was like, oh, really? You don't want to go for coffee? You know, and I think there's a nerve there.
Nathan Bush: So we'll put a link in the show notes to that article. But the short version of it, if I can summarize, was basically, don't ask me about my business, don't offer to take me out for coffee. Get to your point. What are you offering that's different in market? That will help my business and get to it really quick. Did you see the pictures to you change after you did that article?
Dean Salakas: Did you see the sequel? I did, yes. Yeah, well, see, I mean, that was all legit. I wasn't making that up. Like, people were like, oh, do you want to go for macaroons? Do you want. I was like, well, the fringe benefits of writing that article were mad. Like, I was getting offered like exotic lunches and people, like went to extra effort when they were pitching. And the pitches were good, you know, some of them just. Some of them were so good. I was like, your pitch is amazing. It just. I just don't to buy what you're selling. But the pictures are great, you know, I'm sure you'll land some coins with that one. So look, yeah, I got. I got really good quality pictures from it. I mean, I still get offered the dodgy ones every now and then that haven't read the article, but yeah, the guys that have make pretty good effort.
Nathan Bush: Love it. All right, number four, can you recommend a book or a podcast that our listeners should immediately get into?
Dean Salakas: Gabby's book from Catch hasn't been promoted enough, so I think someone should.
Nathan Bush: I wish Gabby had learned how to promote things because he's kept this one so quiet and hasn't like shouted from the rooftops about it.
Dean Salakas: It is a great probably no one knows about it, but check it out. We're being sarcastic for those that don't get it, but I'm sure most people
Nathan Bush: yes, if you want to hear from Gabby, he's an earlier episode. Just have a look and he'll tell you more about the book. But if you don't have the book, absolutely go out and buy. It's a great insight to one of the great Australian e commerce businesses. Number five, Last one, finish this sentence. The future of retail is of retail
Dean Salakas: is bricks and mortar.
Nathan Bush: Very nice and we talked a lot about that in the main episode. So if you are interested in Dean's view on how e commerce and bricks and mortar works together, especially why bricks and mortar is more profitable in the party sector, go back and check that out. Dean, thank you so much for joining us on the checkout.
Dean Salakas: Thanks for having me, Nathan. Always fun
[Voiceover]: to hear more from Dean. Jump back into episode 216 where Dean shares why he thinks marketplaces are the today opportunity for many retailers. He also shares his approach to acquiring customers via search and how that's changed over the years. And we go behind the scenes to hear what really happened when he pitched the party people on Shark tank back in 2015. Thanks for listening and until next time,
Nathan Bush: keep adding to Carl.
