Online book retailer, Booktopia, has been named the 2018 Telstra New South Wales Business of the Year. The $115 million business started in 2004 by Tony Nash, Simon Nash and Steve Traurig began as a side project on a $10-per-day budget. Today, it has a staff of 160 and serves four million customers.
CEO and founder, Tony Nash, says that while Amazon markets itself as ‘the everything store’, Booktopia focuses on its strengths by being one thing to one specific group of customers.
“Our vision is to be Australia’s bookstore, and we’re achieving that by focusing on our customers and making them the centre of decisions and our ecosystem,” said Nash.
Today Booktopia ships 30,000 products a day and Nash says the business is continually seeking new ways to invest in automation and innovation.
Booktopia also took home the 2018 Telstra New South Wales Medium & Making Waves Award.
Telstra Business Awards Ambassador, Vicki Brady, said the winners of the 2018 Telstra New South Wales Business Awards demonstrate excellence across six key judging criteria, underpinned by a commitment to innovation and technology.
Brady described the winners as genuine innovators.
“The winners of the 2018 Telstra New South Wales Business Awards are shining examples of businesses doing great things in new and effective ways for their customers. Always on the lookout for ways to leverage technology to connect with customers, unlock new markets and take their business to the next level.
Brady says Booktopias impressive approach to innovation saw them tackling rival Amazon head-on.
“The Judges were impressed by Booktopia’s leadership in warehouse innovation, genuinely caring about the wellbeing of its staff and investing in automation to drive business efficiencies. The business is fearless in taking on Amazon in the online book retail space,” Brady said.
The other category winners of the 2018 Telstra New South Wales Business Awards are:
Manly Spirits Co.: 2018 Telstra New South Wales Emerging & Energised Award winner Based in the Northern Beaches, this distillery produces premium Australian handcrafted gins, vodka and whiskies using artisanal methods.
Flora and Fauna: 2018 Telstra New South Wales Small & Succeeding Award winner
A Certified B Corp online retailer offering a range of 4,500 skin care, make-up, body, home and lifestyle products that are vegan, ethically sourced and cruelty-free.
Foodbank NSW & ACT Limited: 2018 Telstra New South Wales Social Change Maker Award winner
With 3.6 million Australians having experienced food insecurity in the last 12 months, Foodbank captures surplus food and deliver it to the people who need it most.
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