CEO Profile

Andrew Cooper is a businessman with a motive, and that motive is to succeed in whatever he does. That clearly rings true for every business he has been involved with… With a strong background in online retailing and part owner of respected ecommerce company, HotShed, Andrew has been a major player in the Australian retail world for over a decade.

In 2001 an opportunity arose that allowed Andrew to leap into the Australian online retailing scene. dstore.com.au had been the dot-com darling, but had fallen due its inflexible and costly business model. Despite $30 million in capital being raised from a “who’s who” of local investors, dstore fell into the hands of receivers. Andrew and his brother Tim purchased the business and remodelled the software and systems to ensure success. Over the past eight years, the business has risen back to the top of the online retailing tree and looks set to continue to do so in years to come.

Andrew is an entrepreneur with a varied business background. Along with his software and online retailing businesses, he also owns video stores, car washes and dabbles in property. Possessing a wealth of knowledge in entrepreneurship, and as president of the Brisbane branch of Entrepreneur’s Organisation (EO) and guest speaker at many high profile industry events, Andrew Cooper is track record of successfully establishing and building businesses.

In 1987 Andrew graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Business and has since used his education to grow his businesses. With HotShed having been recognised as one of BRW’s Fastest 100 and dstore taking out the Netguide Best Online Shopping Award in March this year, Andrew is continuing to dominate the online retail world. Married with two young children, Andrew enjoys a works life balance and believes that people can do anything if they put their mind to it.

Mr Cooper said the key to successful online retailing comes down to three simple concepts: “convenience, price and availability”.

Under Andrew’s leadership, the online shopping giant has been transformed into the household name that it is today. Mr Cooper believes that surrounding himself with “like-minded people” is an attribute which keeps him thriving and is not one to let the economic climate slow him down. Andrew admits that businesses go through their tough times, but working hard and getting through the adversities is what makes dstore and his other business ventures as successful as they are today.

After saving the business from receivership Mr Cooper said the hardest thing was “making the business model viable, whilst at the same time convincing major retailers and the press that dstore was a legitimate retailing business”.

dstore.com.au allows its customers to shop from the convenience of anywhere in Australia or around the world and Mr Cooper is looking forward to watching the business grow in leaps and bounds. With bricks and mortar plans for the future, Cooper will keep pushing himself and his team to achieving their ultimate goal for consumer shoppers, “to live life and shop smart”.