Catch logo

Catch

Docklands, Australia540 employees, since 2007

Quick Intro

Catch.com.au is a major Australian e-commerce platform offering a wide range of products at competitive prices. It operates as a curated marketplace where approved third-party sellers can list their products alongside Catch's own offerings. Catch is owned by Wesfarmers and is known for its daily deals and discounts, attracting over 3 million active customers and hosting over 2.5 million products from various sellers[1][2][3].

online retail retail ecommerce marketplace

Business Model

Catch.com.au's primary revenue streams are:

  1. In-stock revenue: Sales of products bought, warehoused, and sold by Catch.
  2. Marketplace commission income: Commissions charged to sellers on the platform, ranging from 10-25% depending on the item category[1][2].

These streams provide a diversified revenue base, with in-stock sales offering a traditional retail model and marketplace commissions leveraging third-party sellers. However, the marketplace commission income is still developing, indicating potential for further diversification[1][2].

Financials

Revenue Streams and Growth

  • Revenue Decline: Catch's revenue dropped 25.9% to $227 million in FY24, down from $364 million in FY20.
  • Gross Transaction Value (GTV): Saw a decline of 28.5% to $524 million due to various factors including inventory adjustments and reduced marketing efforts.
  • Cost Management: Implemented cost management strategies, including a significant reduction in in-stock inventory, leading to improved contribution per order by 54%.
  • Competitor Pressure: Intense competition from major players like Amazon, Shein, and Temu significantly impacted traffic and sales.

Profitability Metrics

  • Earnings Loss: Recorded an earnings loss of $96 million in FY24, worsening from a loss of $163 million in FY23.
  • Restructuring Costs: Included $23 million in restructuring costs and non-cash impairments in the reported loss.
  • Performance Improvement: Excluding certain costs, losses improved by approximately $50 million compared to the previous year.
  • Negative Impact from Competition: The influx of global competitors coupled with its inability to scale effectively led to persistent operational losses.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Operational Reset: Focused on remediating operational issues by significantly cutting down stock ranges and prioritizing efficiency initiatives.
  • Resource Reallocation: Transferring fulfillment capabilities to Kmart to leverage unused capacity and enhance logistical efficiency.
  • Digital Integration: Catch's digital capabilities contributing to the OneDigital initiative within Wesfarmers to enhance omnichannel growth.
  • Value Creation Focus: Wesfarmers continues to prioritize strengthening existing brands instead of sustaining Catch as a standalone entity.

Biggest Challenges

  • Intensified Market Competition: Increasing competitive intensity from international giants hindered Catch's ability to attain profitability.
  • Sustained Losses: Accumulated losses exceeding $350 million raised concerns about long-term viability and shareholder value.
  • Closure Announcement: Planned shutdown of Catch.com.au affecting approximately 190 jobs and necessitating a one-off cost of $50-60 million for Wesfarmers.
  • Market Dynamics: Challenges in adapting to changing consumer preferences and industry trends further complicated recovery efforts.

Target Customers

Catch.com.au is an Australian e-commerce platform that targets a broad audience, particularly focusing on families. Here's an overview of its target market and customer base:

Target Market

  • Geographical Focus: Catch.com.au primarily operates in Australia and New Zealand, with a global reach[1].
  • Demographics: The audience is predominantly Australian, with a slight female bias (50.93% female vs. 49.07% male). The largest age group of visitors is 25-34 years old[3].
  • Interests: The platform attracts users interested in lifestyle, fashion, and apparel, as well as electronics and technology[3].

Targeted Customer

  • Family-Oriented: Catch aims to be Australia's most loved online shopping destination for families, focusing on saving time and money for its customers[4].
  • Value Seekers: The platform is popular among customers seeking competitive pricing and discounts, offering a wide range of products across multiple categories[2][5].
  • Active Users: Catch has over 3 million active customers, with 30,000 new customers joining each week. The platform also has over 1 million app users[5].

Overall, Catch.com.au targets a diverse customer base with a focus on families and value-conscious consumers in Australia and New Zealand.

Main Competitors

The primary competitors of catch.com.au include Kogan, Target, Big W, Amazon Australia, eBay Australia, and JB Hi-Fi. These competitors differentiate themselves through various strategies:

  • Kogan focuses on competitive pricing and frequent promotions.
  • Target and Big W offer a wide range of products with strong brick-and-mortar presence.
  • Amazon Australia provides global reach and diverse product categories.
  • eBay Australia is known for its marketplace model with competitive pricing through auctions.
  • JB Hi-Fi offers a strong price matching policy, attracting price-conscious consumers[1][3][5].

Office Locations

Catch.com.au's workforce is primarily based in Australia, with no indication of a global workforce. The company's main offices are located in Melbourne, Victoria, with a head office in Bentleigh East and a major distribution center in Truganina, Victoria[1][2][4]. There are no physical stores; the business operates entirely online[2].

Tech Stack

Catch.com.au's foundational technologies include:

  • Blue Yonder's Cloud-Based Warehouse Management System (WMS) and labor management solutions to enhance warehouse operations and efficiency[1][3].
  • Körber Supply Chain Software for automation in its fulfillment centers, featuring autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated packaging machines[4].
  • Marketplace Integration Tools like MyIntegrator for automating catalog updates, order management, and inventory syncing[2].
Salesforce Route 53 Sendgrid Outlook Microsoft Office 365 Amazon AWS Taboola Newsroom TripleLift Workable Atlassian Cloud Datadog Afterpay React Redux Salesforce Live Agent Amazon SES Salesforce Service Cloud Emarsys Facebook Widget Criteo Publisher Marketplace Mobile Friendly Wistia Walkme Hotjar Google Analytics Facebook Login (Connect) Google AdWords Conversion reCAPTCHA Gravity Forms Google Play Google Dynamic Remarketing Vimeo Bootstrap Framework Facebook Custom Audiences Adobe Media Optimizer Google AdSense Criteo DoubleClick WordPress.org YouTube Stripe Bing Ads Google Font API DoubleClick Floodlight Google Tag Manager Paypal HasOffers Cedexis Radar DoubleClick Conversion AI Render Magento 8x8 Android Route 53 Outlook Microsoft Office 365 Amazon AWS Sendgrid Salesforce Emarsys Taboola Newsroom TripleLift Workable Atlassian Cloud Datadog Afterpay React Redux Salesforce Live Agent Amazon SES Salesforce Service Cloud Google AdWords Conversion Google Dynamic Remarketing DoubleClick Floodlight Google Font API Facebook Widget DoubleClick Conversion Facebook Custom Audiences Cedexis Radar Bootstrap Framework YouTube Paypal Walkme HasOffers Bing Ads Google Tag Manager Wistia Stripe Facebook Login (Connect) reCAPTCHA Adobe Media Optimizer Mobile Friendly WordPress.org Criteo Google Play DoubleClick Google Analytics Google AdSense Vimeo Hotjar Gravity Forms Criteo Publisher Marketplace Render Magento 8x8 AI Android

Products and Services

Main Products/Services of Catch.com.au:

  • Diverse Product Range: Catch offers a wide variety of products including fashion, beauty, homewares, tech, toys, sporting goods, and groceries.
  • Daily Deals Model: New deals are introduced daily at competitive prices, making it a one-stop shop for budget-conscious shoppers.

Problems Solved:

  • Affordability: Provides products at significantly lower prices than retail, solving affordability issues for consumers.
  • Convenience: Offers a convenient shopping experience with fast shipping and a user-friendly app, addressing the need for easy online shopping.
  • Product Variety: Solves the problem of having to visit multiple stores by offering a diverse range of products in one place.