Ellie Degraeve – founder & CEO of Go For Zero – heads the list of Inside Retail’s 2023 Top 50 People in E-Commerce, sponsored by CouriersPlease.
Go For Zero is an online retailer that offers toxin- and waste-free products aimed at helping people reduce their environmental impact.
You can download the full report here.
“In just a few short years, Ellie has turned Go For Zero into a trusted platform for sustainable and waste-free products, leveraging her background in international retail strategy and passion for customer service to build a strong base of loyal customers as well as a profitable and growing business,” said Heather McIlvaine, managing editor, premium, at Inside Retail and one of the judges.
“The judges were particularly impressed by Ellie’s innovative use of data and customer feedback to drive product development and marketing decisions, her commitment to stocking Australian- and female-owned brands, and her many partnerships with the likes of Upparel, i=Change, TerraCycle and Green Friday.”
McIlvaine said Degreave has big plans for Go For Zero – “and if the past year is any indication, she will no doubt achieve them in record time”.
“Her number one ranking in this year’s Top 50 People in E-Commerce is well-deserved.”
This year, the Top 50 includes an exciting mix of people working in online retail across many different categories, from fashion and lifestyle to personal care and pets. As in previous years, the scores were incredibly close, which McIlvaine said reflects the calibre of talent in Australia’s e-commerce industry.
“One thing many of the Top 50 have in common is their focus on reducing the environmental impact of their organisation, whether through a more sustainable business model, or carbon offsetting initiatives.
“But there are also some fantastic examples of people adopting new technologies to improve the customer experience, and embracing change to create more supportive, diverse and inclusive workplaces. There are so many inspiring leaders working in e-commerce, and we’re proud to be able to shine a light on them in the Top 50.”
The new report was revealed at a launch party held at Higher Ground on Wednesday evening in Melbourne, attended by more than 100 retailers, including many of the Top 50 as well as VIP guests. The event was hosted by Inside Retail, and sponsored by CouriersPlease, BigCommerce & Forter as well as cocktail partner Klaviyo.
For this year’s list, candidates were asked to describe their achievements during the past year in three areas – commercial success, innovation and broader impact.
The judges this year were Heather McIlvaine, Dean Blake, features & premium editor at Inside Retail, Richard Thame, CEO at CouriersPlease, Shannon Ingrey, VP and GM, Apac at BigCommerce, Mark Baartse, e-commerce and marketing consultant, Rachel Kelly, investor, adviser and non-executive director, Louisa Simpson, e-commerce consultant, Kelly Slessor, e-commerce coach and digital marketing expert, Jason Pallant, co-direct, CXI Research Group, Swinburne University; Director of Knowledge Enablement, The Lumery; and Madeline Kulmar, co-director at Retail Oasis.
