Best website (under 20 staff)
Winner: RedBubble
A strong community, impeccable design and a simple user interface are essentials to any eCommerce site. But RedBubble founder Martin Hosking says there's even a more pressing need digital entrepreneurs often forget – making money.
"A lot of people think they can launch a site and then find out where the money is going to come from later on. You might be able to do that in the US, where you can be funded by venture capitalists, but you can't do that in Australia – it's not viable."
With that in mind, Hosking and his team embarked on creating a site to showcase high-quality artwork, with users about to create profiles and sell their own work on t-shirts and other apparel. Four years after launching, the site counts over 1.5 million unique visitors per month.
When users first visit the site, they are met with a simple design with some basic tabs of where they can go – "T-Shirts", "Writing" and "Community" to name a few. But Hosking says the emphasis here is on the large pictures of high quality artistry, giving users an immediate feel of what the site is all about.
"For this particular product, getting the design right is crucial. We wanted to set up an environment that was distinctive, and really showcases the art in a way that you can't get with just an "off the shelf" website. The design changes slightly depending on browser, that sort of thing."
The other major emphasis is on community. Hosking says a number of users have made a significant amount of money by promoting their artwork and merchandise, and can make the experience as intense or casual as they would like.
"The important thing to keep in mind is that we need a main focus on the site, otherwise it's spread and not as effective. Facebook is a social network, YouTube deals in videos, and RedBubble is art. That is the critical component and something that provides a focus."
The site acts as a social network – users can create individual profiles and comment on other pieces of art. Basically everything is up for sale. But Hosking says the ongoing success of the site will be driven by what the community needs are, because with that, it has nothing.
"A lot of sites talk about knowing their customer, but I don't think they do. You might just say "our customers are artists", but that's not deep enough. We need to know who they are, so we're getting into that and really finding who it is that makes up the usage on our site."
SmartCompany editor and award judge James Thomson says the site's impeccable attention to design and its solid revenue model makes it a clear winner.
"The way RedBubble has been able to build and then monetise a community it among the best entrants in this year's awards."
"The showcasing of high quality art gives RedBubble immediate credibility among its target audience. It is managed well, gives users plenty of opportunities to buy and is unique."
