A Note from the Editor

I have gained more knowledge and respect for the e-commerce industry than I thought possible.

I began working at Power Retail in early 2019, and I was blown away by the amount of energy and vivacity that the e-commerce industry has to offer. Over the next three and a half years, I met incredible people, attended countless events and loved every second of it.

I am so proud to walk away with three E-Commerce Leaders’ Playbooks, attending three All Star Bash events, hosting and moderating countless webinars, MCing three Outlook lunches and writing about the industry every day. But these are not done alone; they are achievements I could not have made without the incredible team at Power Retail.

They say it takes a village, and boy, what a village!

The entire team at Power Retail are incredible in every possible way. Their endless hard work and dedication to the industry amazes me; it’s almost hard to believe. I am forever grateful to have worked with this business for three-plus years. I know it’s cliche, but they’re more than just colleagues – they genuinely feel like a family.

So thank you to Grant Arnott, Nathan Brown, Mark Salzmann, Natasha Sholl and everyone in the Power Retail and Global Marketplace team – you know who you are!

I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who I have met, interviewed, written about and networked with over the last three and a half years. I am forever grateful and honoured to have taken a peek into this industry. With so many innovative brains and incredible dedication in this industry, I can’t wait to see all of the achievements you will all make in the future.

But that’s all from me – I would love to introduce everyone to the new Editor of Power Retail, James Cutler.

Welcoming James Cutler

With years of experience in the media industry under his belt, James is entering the world of e-commerce at an exciting time. James earned his BA in Journalism before getting a Master’s Degree in International Relations. “I love research and writing, so I really enjoyed the work I got to do at that postgraduate level,” he says.

Before starting the role as Editor, James has ‘bounced around’ the media industry for some time. He has previously worked as an Associate Producer at The Project on Channel 10 and has previous experience with The Age and other newsrooms. “I’ve spent a bit of time in recent years working in broadcast media, which has involved a bit of writing but not as much as I would like, so I’m very excited to get back to working with my bread and butter in the written word.”

In the tradition of Power Retail, I asked James five questions to get to know him a bit better.

1. What was your first job?

I was a casual Grocery team member at a local coles in rural Victoria, what might better be referred to as a ‘stock boy’. Feel free to ask me what ‘facing’ means, I’ll have a few war stories to tell you.

2. What was the last thing you bought online? (Did you add express shipping?)

I ordered a trendy jacket that was on sale, I didn’t order express shipping, but I did order it to be delivered to a collection point – I’m a big fan of this more convenient, more sustainable way of getting parcels. Easier for me, easier for the couriers, what’s not to like?

3. What are you excited to achieve in this role?

I think, like a lot of people starting new roles, I’m just excited to grow and develop as a person and a professional, as well as meet new people. I’ve spent a bit of time in recent years working in broadcast media, which has involved a bit of writing but not as much as I would like so I’m very excited to get back to working with my bread and butter in the written word.

4. Do you have a favourite retailer?

Not really, I’ve grown up all my life in a very working-class background, so for me, it’s more about going where the sales are or the prices are competitive. When you don’t necessarily have a lot of cash to splash, you can feel like you don’t have the luxury of having a favourite retailer – but that can be a blessing too!

5. When you’re not writing, what would we find you doing?

Gaming or watching films, enjoying time with my girlfriend and my dog, who take great care of me.

I wish James the best of luck in his new role as Editor, and I want to thank everyone once again for the support, encouragement and inspiring lessons I’ve had over the last three-plus years. See you all soon!

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