[Voiceover]: I get it. Marketing is becoming harder, new privacy features are making it tougher to target individual customers, the cost of paid social is skyrocketing and it feels like you need an editorial team just to create enough content to break through the clutter. That's where Impact's partnership automation technology can help you connect with other brands, affiliates, influencers and content creators on a performance basis to help you grow revenue, delight customers and reach new audiences. And visit impact.comgrowth to learn more. Or jump back over to episode 81 where we hear how Booktopia is driving 219% growth through the power of partnerships with Impact. Welcome to the checkout. We catch up with previous guests of Add to Cart where we ask them five quick questions to understand more about them and leave you with a little extra inspiration to get through your Friday. Today's checkout features Justin Hilbert, who's the Managing Director of Surf Stitch. Surf Stitch were one of Australia's first true online retail businesses and have led the way in developing customer centric retail experiences. Today Surf Stitch continue to lead in the beach lifestyle business and are making some huge moves in product range expansion, customer loyalty and lifestyle content. All right Justin, I have five checkout questions to know a little bit more about you. What? All right, number one, what is the weirdest thing that you have ever bought online?
Justin Hilbert: Oh, good question. I actually bought a vertical herb garden two weeks ago for my balcony that is solar powered, self watering and removable little pots five levels sitting on a stand, Australian made, over, well over engineered
[Voiceover]: for what it was. You sure it's made for herbs?
Justin Hilbert: Yes. Yeah. Yes you are.
[Voiceover]: That's fascinating because we had Michael from Prezi on last week and his weirdest thing was that he bought Greek Herbs online. So we've got two herbs in a row.
Justin Hilbert: Yeah, there you go.
[Voiceover]: There you go. Herbs are a big online market. Number two, who is your favorite retailer?
Justin Hilbert: My favorite retailer at the moment. Good question. I really like what some of the directs are doing. I mean Apple always kind of stands up as kind of the epitome of retail. Everyone would love to be able to do what they've done. I think Nike is doing a pretty good job as well at creating that space. So I think those guys do a good job in the kind of direct to consumer space. I think some of the kind of digital native vertical brands are also doing a pretty good job. I've noticed them pop up a lot in my feed and I find myself spreading my wallet a lot more thinly across multiple different brands that just really talk to Me. So, yeah, I don't know if I've got one specific one. Right now I'm really into my sort of outdoor camping, beach holidays, gardening. So anyone that hits me in that realm. I'm an avid purchaser online, so yeah, take your pick.
[Voiceover]: Beautiful, mate. Do you sometimes look at the direct to consumer startups now and go, God, I wish it was that easy in 2008 when we started.
Justin Hilbert: Absolutely, yeah. All the time. Because we. One area that we've really struggled to gain traction in is our social engagement. Because we're a men's business, a women's business, a kid's business, a surf business, an outdoor business, a footwear business. Tying all that in under one kind of social hanger is really difficult. Like you can't talk to all consumers in one channel like that under surf Stitch. So we, we've just struggled to get traction and we watched some of these upstarts, I call them upstarts, but startups. Yeah, we watched some of those guys that just eclipse us and triple us and quadruple us in a matter of months and years in what took us 10 years to get to that same point. So absolutely wish we could go back in time.
[Voiceover]: Number three, which retail fad do you wish was history?
Justin Hilbert: Oh, Boxing Day. Yeah, I mean, the whole event of Boxing Day is becoming a little obsolete, I feel, but it's still one of those things that drives me crazy how people still feel like they need to line up in front of a store and massive crowds and poorly working air conditioners and really shitty shopping experience and fights and all that kind of stuff. So true, isn't it? It's a really ugly kind of retail experience. So I wish that was retired.
[Voiceover]: Especially with the bringing up of Black Friday and Cyber Monday and Click Frenzy and everything that goes on around that late October, early November period. It is almost like, can we just get rid of Boxing Day and give our retail teams a little bit of a Christmas break?
Justin Hilbert: Sure, yeah. Overdue.
[Voiceover]: Number four, can you recommend a book or a podcast that our listeners should immediately get into?
Justin Hilbert: I guess from a podcast perspective, I think you do a pretty good job. Bushy.
[Voiceover]: Thank you.
Justin Hilbert: Right here. Yep. I've been listening to one that's very US centric, but I think it's got a few relevant takeouts. The Jason and Scott Show, I don't know if you.
[Voiceover]: Yeah, I've listened. They're great.
Justin Hilbert: Yeah, yeah, they're good guys. They really kind of ecom thoroughbreds, so. But they have have a lot of us insights that haven't really made it out into the shores of Aus yet. And they talk about a lot of emerging delivery solutions and different tech solutions that might only exist in the us. So I think some of the trends that they've talked about over there have kind of come out here in. In the preceding months or years afterwards. So that's one that I kind of kick on if I'm going for my walk along the beach.
[Voiceover]: It's a good shout, mate. I like how you just drop in the walk along the beach with your podcast. It's a good shout though, because they're right at the edge of that tech and innovation for retail. We'll put a link in the show notes for that one. And last one I've got for you. Number five, finish this sentence.
Justin Hilbert: The future of retail is really exciting. I think the next three years are going to really accelerate digital retail, which is better for everybody. It's better for retail in general, but it's better for the consumer. So I think there'll be a bit of a cleanup process that won't be easy for everybody, but the emergence of technology and just making things easier for the customers to access product will just be on light speed, I think from here for the next sort of three to five years. So, yeah, I think it's really exciting and it's overdue, particularly in our market.
[Voiceover]: Brilliant, mate. And you are set up. I can't even speak Friday afternoon. You set up brilliantly. Jesus. To take advantage of it. So really looking forward to seeing what you guys do in the coming months and years. Thank you very much for joining us, Justin.
Justin Hilbert: Thanks, Nate. It's been my pleasure
[Voiceover]: to hear more from Justin. Jump back into episode six where Justin shares the story of Surf Stitch's journey from market darlings to involuntary administration and now back to driving innovation in online retail. It's an extremely inspiring and honest account of a wild ride in online retail. Thanks for listening. And until next time, keep adding to cartoon.
