Regional NSW e-commerce star Birdsnest named Online Retailer of the Year

“Retail is in the detail”, says the founder of a thriving e-commerce business based in regional New South Wales that took home three gongs at the Australia Post Online Retail Industry Awards (ORIAs) last week, including being crowned Online Retailer of the Year. 

Jane Cay founded Birdsnest in 2008, transforming an existing women’s fashion boutique in the small country town of Cooma in the Snowy Mountains region of NSW into what is now a multimillion-dollar online retail operation that employs more than 140 people. 

On Thursday, her business was among those celebrated at the 14th annual ORIAS, held on the final night of the Online Retailer Conference & Expo, winning the awards for Best End-to-End Customer Experience, Best Multichannel Retailer, and Online Retailer of the Year.

Speaking to SmartCompany, Cay says the Birdsnest team was thrilled to receive the awards. 

“We feel lucky to be able to provide industry best customer experiences from the bush, it just goes to show what is possible from a regional location with an incredible group of people and partners,” she says. 

“Retail is in the detail and you need a team obsessed about getting it right for the customer. 

“We’re so thrilled that this award recognises the thoughtfulness and generosity that goes into our team’s everyday decisions and actions to make connecting with us an uplifting experience for our customers. 

Celebrating women in e-commerce

Women make up 95% of the Birdsnest leadership team, and 85% of the Birdsnest workforce overall. The business has previously been named among the best places to work in Australia and Cay says the team is “lucky enough to live in the slow lane, and work in the fast lane”. 

There were so many female-founded and led e-commerce businesses across Australia that “demonstrate innovation and excellence”, says Cay.

“We think of the big ones, however, much of the industry is made up of micro and small businesses, often in rural locations and being led by women,” she added. 

“Buy from the Bush, founded by Grace Brennan, champions such businesses, with 97% of their merchants female-founded and all out having a positive impact in their regional community.

“Hopefully through celebrating the achievements of these businesses, it, in turn, inspires other women to invest in themselves and their ideas, as well as cheer on and lift each other up.”

Ready to evolve

While Birdsnest has earned a spot among Australia’s leading online retailers, Cay says the business is looking to expand its offerings to customers beyond the digital realm. 

“Our vision for the future sees us extending our physical touch points for customers across Australia,” she says. 

“We have recently launched ‘nest stays’, a luxury accommodation offering, along with a private lounge and styling suite experience in Cooma to rave customer reviews. So look out for a Birdsnest experience coming to a location near you!

“We subscribe to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, that it is not the strongest or most intelligent that survives, it is the one most adaptable to change,” she adds. 

Birdsnest has also recently added a lifetime returns policy to its offering and launched ‘Birdsnest Rehatched’, which allows customers to buy and sell preloved Birdsnest styles.

Both launches show Birdsnest is “thinking about the wardrobes of the future”, says Cay. 

“We are currently thinking about how AI can help us be the best possible wardrobe wingbirds for our customers,” she adds. 

The Australia Post ORIAS 2023 winners are:

Australia Post Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award: Kmart

Australia Post Small Business Innovation Award: Stymie Pty Ltd

Australia Post Sustainability Impact Award: i=Change

Best End to End Customer Experience: Birdsnest

Best Multichannel Retailer: Birdsnest

Best Online Fashion Retailer: Cue

Best Online Food & Beverage Retailer: Penfolds

Best Online Retail Marketing: Miss Amara

Best Phygital Initiative: Penfolds

Best Pureplay Retailer: Carma

Best Small Independent Retailer: UNE PIECE

Best Social Commerce Initiative: Esther & Co.

Customer Service Excellence: Appliances Online

International Conqueror: Babyboo

Technology Champion: Carma

Industry Recognition: Kirsten Kore

Hall of Fame: Cue

Online Retailer of the Year: Birdsnest