When you walk past a Platypus store, chances are you’ll feel it before you step inside. The music is pumping, the energy is high, and the vibe is unmistakably urban. Behind that carefully curated atmosphere is Rhiannon Carabott, Store Experience Manager at Platypus, part of Accent Group. Her mission is simple: make every store feel consistent, exciting, and memorable, for both customers and the team.
Rhiannon has been with Accent Group for over a decade, building her career from the shop floor up. She started as a store floor manager at Skechers before becoming an area manager, then state manager, and later moving across both Platypus and Hype brands.
When COVID hit, her role evolved, and she was offered a new position, one that didn’t yet exist. She built the case for it, writing the job description herself and presenting a clear vision of how it could transform the business. That proactive approach paid off, and today, five years later, she is the Store Experience Manager at Platypus, overseeing experience across 208 stores in Australia and New Zealand.
“It’s more than just merchandise,” she explains. “It’s about how customers feel in store.”
Craigieburn, one of 208 Platypus stores across Australia & NZ
For Rhiannon, success comes down to people. Not just the customers who shop at Platypus, but also the teams who run the stores. She sees the store teams as her true customers, building every directive, training guide, and rollout with them in mind.
“If they don’t buy into it, it won’t land,” she says. “You have to win the team first.”
That philosophy extends to the way she stays connected. Rhiannon frees up her Thursdays and Fridays to visit stores, keeping track of which locations she’s been to and making a point of staying close to the teams on the ground. “I don’t ever want to lose touch,” she says.
Retail has changed dramatically since Rhiannon began her career. Today’s customers are faster, more informed, and driven by trends that explode overnight on TikTok. Even older shoppers now walk in asking for specific styles on behalf of their children or grandchildren.
The expectation is instant gratification. If the shoe isn’t available then and there, customers expect solutions. Platypus has responded with initiatives like endless aisle ordering, ensuring customers get what they want quickly, no matter where the stock is.
Consistency across channels has also become critical. The campaigns customers see on Instagram are mirrored in-store. Promotions online match the signage at the point of sale. “That consistency makes customers feel more comfortable,” Rhiannon explains.
Music is at the heart of the Platypus experience.
As Rhiannon puts it: “You hear Platypus before you see it.”
That soundscape is carefully designed. High-energy beats on weekends, urban tracks that reflect the brand’s DNA, and constant variety to keep the teams engaged. “Customers might only be in store for 15 minutes, but our teams are there for 38 hours a week,” she says. “If the music gets stale, they feel it.”
Storeplay helps Platypus get it right. The platform delivers curated, compliant playlists with built-in variety through randomisers that ensure no two stores sound the same. Rhiannon says team members no longer consider plugging in their own devices, proof of how embedded Storeplay has become in store culture.
For her, the partnership goes beyond the tech. “It’s the people. The Storeplay team care, they listen, and they get excited with us. That makes me more excited, and makes the program better.”
Rolling out the Kicks Club 360 loyalty program campaign
The future of retail excites Rhiannon. She sees AI and robotics playing a bigger role in reporting, store design, and even stock retrieval. But it all comes back to experience: creating environments where customers feel immersed, team members feel empowered, and every detail is intentional.
At Accent Group, the mantra is “Make It Happen,” and Rhiannon has built her approach around it. She works closely with the marketing team to bring activations to life, supporting their plans with creative execution and an eye for impact. Whether it’s trialling new merchandising strategies, launching innovative store concepts, or driving activations that make noise, her focus is always on elevating the customer experience year after year.
“I love retail,” she says. “I get paid to socialise. It’s about people, experiences, and making sure every store feels like Platypus. The music, the service, the vibe. When customers hear us before they see us, that’s when I know we’ve done it right.”