Is EOFY being overshadowed by Prime Day? And what does a $100 million penalty say about retail culture?

In this week’s episode, Mal Chia and Alex Ross unpack the headlines that are reshaping Australian retail—from Amazon’s 4-day Prime Day blitz to the fallout at Optus and bold acquisition plays closer to home.

🔍 This Week’s Topics

• Amazon Prime Day expands to 4 days

  What Aussie retailers can learn from the US giant’s precision-timed sales machine—and why LeBron is now the face of Prime.

• Optus fined $100 million

  A damning ruling for targeting vulnerable customers. Mal breaks down what this says about leadership, accountability, and the ethics of sales culture.

• DigiDirect buys M-Wave

  Another under-the-radar acquisition from the camera and tech retailer. What’s the strategy here—and how does it differ from Mosaic’s model?

• AMART and Freedom form a $1B furniture empire

  More PE-backed consolidation. But will it work? And what lessons does retail need to learn from Mosaic’s unraveling?

• The risk and reward of founder content

  Inspired by the Shameless podcast, a look at why founder-led storytelling is dominating—and how burnout, brand-building, and visibility intersect.

💬 Quote of the Week

“You’re either a faceless brand or you’re someone people connect with. Founder content builds trust—but it also doubles the stakes.” – Mal Chia