--- title: Richard Kelsey | Ecommerce and AI Growth Consultant description: Ecommerce growth and AI strategy for Australian retailers. Richard Kelsey built Beer Cartel into a 7-figure business, exited it, and is a 3x Top 50 AU Ecommerce name. url: https://ecommerceteardown.com/ --- # I Built Australia's #1 Craft Beer Store From _a Storage Shed._ 16 years. 7-figure revenue. Successful exit. I’m Richard Kelsey. I built Beer Cartel from a storage shed into Australia’s #1 online craft beer retailer, and now I help other Australian online retailers grow their stores and put AI to work where it pays. Start with a coffee and a talk about your store. [Book a Coffee](https://8coffees.ecommerceteardown.com/) [See Consulting](https://ecommerceteardown.com/consulting) ![Richard Kelsey, Beer Cartel](https://ecommerceteardown.com/images/richard-hero.webp) 7-Fig Revenue Built from $0 150K+ Customer Database 1M+ Beers Sold Online 3× Top 50 AU Ecommerce Available for Consulting ## How I Help Online Retailers I work with Australian online retailers who want experienced eyes on their store. Sometimes that is a fixed-price audit. Sometimes it is a two-week AI sprint or a couple of days a month of ongoing advice. I’m available for consulting, or a full or part time engagement where the fit is right. - [Ecommerce growth audits](https://ecommerceteardown.com/consulting): one store, one report, a clear list of what to fix first - [AI strategy](https://ecommerceteardown.com/ai-strategy): where AI saves time or makes money in a retailer, and where it does not - [AI search readiness](https://ecommerceteardown.com/ai-search-readiness): how ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI answers see your store - Platform, email and paid media reviews from someone who has run all three - Platform migration planning from someone who has done five - Fractional Head of Ecommerce support, two days a month [See consulting options →](https://ecommerceteardown.com/consulting) ☕ ### Let's Have a Coffee The best work usually starts with a conversation. 30 minutes, in person or virtual, to talk through your store and what you are trying to do. Sydney CBD North Shore Video call [Book a Time](https://8coffees.ecommerceteardown.com/) No commitment. No pitch. Just a good conversation. ![Richard Kelsey](https://ecommerceteardown.com/images/richard-headshot-360.webp) Richard Kelsey BCom, PGDipBA · Sydney, AU ## About Richard In 2009, I co-founded Beer Cartel out of a Kennards Storage Shed with a goal to build Australia's best online craft beer store. It became **Australia's #1 online craft beer retailer**, with 7-figure revenue, 150,000+ customers and a 4.8 Google rating. We sold in 2024 and I stayed on through the transition until September 2025. At Beer Cartel I owned the full commercial operation: **P&L, platform strategy, paid media, email, CRO, team leadership, and board reporting.** Four direct reports (Marketing, Procurement, Operations, Finance), with monthly presentations to the board. ![Inside Retail, Top 50 People in Australian Ecommerce](https://ecommerceteardown.com/images/inside-retail.png) Top 50 People in Australian Ecommerce (3×) ![Beer & Brewer, Online Retailer of the Year](https://ecommerceteardown.com/images/beer-brewer-white.png) Online Retailer of the Year, Beer & Brewer (5×) ![ORIAS, Best Online Retail Marketing](https://ecommerceteardown.com/images/orias-logo.png) Best Online Retail Marketing (ORIAS) ![ARA, Retail Innovator of the Year](https://ecommerceteardown.com/images/ara-logo.png) Retail Innovator of the Year (ARA) ![BigCommerce Make It Big Innovation](https://ecommerceteardown.com/images/bigcommerce-white.png) BigCommerce Make It Big Innovation (2×) ![Retail Drinks Australia](https://ecommerceteardown.com/images/retail-drinks-logo.png) Retail Drinks Australia Board Member (2019 to 2025) What I Do ## Areas I work across 16 years of hands-on commercial leadership. Not theory, actual work done at scale. ### Strategy & Leadership - Full P&L ownership & commercial leadership - Growth roadmap development - Team coaching and direction - Board-level reporting and stakeholder management ### Marketing & Conversion - Conversion rate optimisation - Email/SMS lifecycle marketing - Paid media (Meta & Google) - Being found in Google and AI answers - Customer acquisition and retention ### Platform & Technology - Shopify & BigCommerce migrations - Marketing tech stack review - Automation and integration strategy - Vendor evaluation and selection ### Data & Reporting - GA4 and tracking health checks - Trading dashboards and weekly reporting - Product and customer data clean-up - Getting your data ready to use with AI - Reporting that explains why sales moved ### AI Strategy & Adoption - Picking the two or three AI uses worth building - AI search readiness: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google’s AI answers - Customer service and email workflows with AI - Team training and adoption - Measuring what AI saves or earns ### Ongoing Support - Monthly fractional retainer - Slack/email between sessions - Team access and coaching - Priority scheduling Full Skillset ## What I bring to the table Across 16 years, I've run every commercial lever in ecommerce: revenue, conversion, platform, marketing, and team. ### Growth & Marketing - Ecommerce roadmap development - Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) - Google Ads & Shopping - Email marketing: retention & growth - Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) - Customer acquisition strategy - Customer retention & loyalty programs - Marketing automation platforms - Content marketing & authority building - Seasonal campaign planning - Partnership & influencer marketing ### Technology & Platforms - Shopify, BigCommerce - Platform migrations & replatforming - Email/SMS platforms (dotdigital, Klaviyo, Attentive, Mailchimp) - AI tools applied to ecommerce operations - Workflow automation - Analytics & reporting (GA4) - Customer support systems (Gorgias, Reamaze) - Shipping/fulfilment integrations - Payment gateway optimisation ### Website & Merchandising - Website/CRO optimisation - Subscriptions & recurring orders - Merchandising & product display strategy - UX optimisation - Mobile optimisation - Checkout flow optimisation - Product page optimisation - Category page strategy - A/B testing & experimentation Consulting ## Available for Consulting Engagements I take on a small number of clients at a time: fixed-price audits, a two-week AI Strategy Sprint, or ongoing monthly support. [See the options](https://ecommerceteardown.com/consulting). Work With Me ## How I Can Help Your Business Whether you want a one-off audit or embedded consulting support, here's what's available. Flexible ### Ad Hoc Work From $500 AUD · Fixed scope · Day rate $2,000 - Strategy sessions & workshops - Fixed-price audits: AI search readiness $1,200, ecommerce and AI growth $1,500 - Platform migration planning - Paid media or email reviews - Team training & coaching - Written output & next steps - AI Strategy Sprint, $4,500 over two weeks [Discuss a Project →](https://ecommerceteardown.com/consulting) Ongoing ### Monthly Consulting From $3,500 AUD · 2 days/month · 1-month minimum - Fractional Head of Ecommerce support - Ongoing strategic guidance - Slack/email between sessions - Monthly strategy reviews - Team access and coaching - Priority scheduling [View Consulting Options →](https://ecommerceteardown.com/consulting) ## Get Ecommerce Insights Teardowns, tactics, and honest takes on what's working in Australian ecommerce. No fluff. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.