How This British Couple Sold More Than 200,000 Pairs of Ugg Boots

After quitting corporate life in the UK to buy the world’s oldest ugg boot shop in 2007, Karen and Paul Hutchings have opened two more stores and clad hundreds of thousands of feet in sheepskin. Using the American Express® Qantas Business Rewards Card has helped them unlock cash flow, get better deals from suppliers and earn thousands of Qantas Points along the way.

The story of how Karen and Paul Hutchings took an historic shop on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula to new heights is something of a fairytale – only with ugg boots instead of a glass slipper. 

The couple abandoned the high-pressure marketing industry in 2007 to buy Downunder Ugg Boots in Carrum Downs and realise their dream of migrating to Australia from the UK. “It’s officially the oldest ugg boot store in the world and it has been in this former Methodist church site since 1968,” says Paul.

“After taking over the brand, we’ve sold 200,000-plus pairs of ugg boots, 58,000 pairs of moccasins and more than 100,000 pairs of slippers. Turnover has gone from $140,000 a year to more than $2 million.”

The couple’s plan for a quieter life in Australia didn’t last long – they opened a second shop in Killarney in south-western Victoria and a third in Gosford, NSW – but these days they’re able to manage the company from their home in Queensland. “As long as you have excellent staff, employ a good accountant, keep your taxes and superannuation up to date and have a great relationship with suppliers who you respect, it’s possible to run the business remotely,” says Paul. “We visit the stores several times a year but at the end of the day, we’ve got a wonderful team we can trust.” 

The American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card has been instrumental in unlocking travel benefits and growth for the business. “We originally got the Card to earn Qantas Points for business trips. Now we use it for everything,” says Paul. 

“The ability to access a line of unsecured funding with the Card helps us pay suppliers on time, even during seasonal dips. The flexible funding allows us to scale up our spending power when we need to. We spend around $750,000 a year on our Card and have up to 51 days to pay for purchases², so we hold onto our cash for longer.”

This outlay has other benefits for the company as the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card allows Downunder Ugg Boots to earn up to 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday business expenses and 2 Qantas Points $1 on Qantas products and services³. All those points help the Hutchings book flights and hotels for themselves and staff for business travel. “Our nearest shop is 2000 kilometres away and those trips can cost us a lot,” says Paul. “By using Qantas Points earned with the Card, we save that money.”

The couple decided to focus on the Australian market – a strategy that has proven to be a winner. “A lot of ugg boot shops target tourists or international visitors,” says Karen. “Locals come into our stores and our high-quality sheepskins, cowhides and car-seat covers take them back to their childhood.”

The boutiques have recently added opals, too, inspired by a trip the Hutchings took around Australia. “We stayed in opal- and gold-mining communities and an old miner showed me how to cut and polish the stones,” says Paul. “At first it was a new hobby and now it’s part of our business growth.”

The combination of hard work, marketing smarts and clever use of the Card has helped Karen and Paul take their historic shop on quite a journey – which will continue even after they put their feet up. “We are thinking about the right time to hand the company over to the next custodians but in the meantime we’re very grateful to be enjoying the perks of the success of the business.”

Unlock the possibilities

Karen and Paul Hutchings share their top five tips for freeing up cash-flow, growing their business and keeping their suppliers happy.

“Get the most out of the Card’s benefits”

Karen admits she and Paul didn't always use their American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card as skillfully as they do now. “We’d use the Card and then pay it off the next day because I didn’t want to be late on repayments,” she says. However, the Card's 51-day payment terms, along with long supplier payment terms, meant they actually had more time to pay for supplies. “We have up to 51 days to pay for purchases², so I make one payment every month a couple of days before the due date,” explains Karen.

“Access to funding is a game-changer”

The Hutchings make the most of the fact that they have no preset spending limit¹ on the Card. “We put around $750,000 through the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card every year,” says Paul. “Having access to this flexible funding doesn’t cost us anything. For a small business, it gives us the ability to crack on and pay suppliers in full – and saves us thousands of dollars compared to what we would have paid to have an overdraft facility with a bank.”

“Manage cash flow across the seasons”

The Card helps Downunder Ugg Boots ride out the warmer months when sales are slower. “Our peak season starts around Easter. Mother’s Day is big and when we hit winter it’s happy days,” says Paul. “For a seasonal business, the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card is marvellous. Previously we had to dip into our savings when the weather heated up and sales in shops would drop off a cliff. Then, after Christmas, we’d need to start ordering stock for Mother’s Day and the coming cooler months. Now we’re able to buy stock with the Card at least six weeks earlier than we did before – it gives us a head start and we’re not holding our breath so much.”

“Pay early and make suppliers happy”

Being able to pay promptly and in full with the Card has given Karen and Paul new confidence when making deals. “I feel we’ve got more control than we had before,” says Paul. “I’m confident about negotiating better terms because we don’t owe anybody any money. If cash flow is tight and you ask suppliers for a payment extension, they can deny you discounts on bulk orders. When you’re up to date with your accounts, you’re in the driver’s seat. That’s another benefit of having our American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card.”

“Take the next bold step”

When they created the opal business two years ago, the Hutchings used their American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card to set it up. “The creation of our Opal Nation website was 100 per cent thanks to the Card,” says Paul. “We used the Card to pay the web designer and to purchase opals and jewellery. Again, we used it to maximise cash flow, with up to 51 days to pay.² We planned carefully and aimed to sell most of the stock during that period.” In 2026, the Hutchings plan to take opals to a major gem show in Arizona. They scoped out this year’s trade show in preparation. “We booked the flights with a mixture of Qantas Points and cash and booked our hotels and the rental car through Qantas Business Rewards. We earn Triple Points on Qantas flights⁴, plus we get complimentary travel insurance (terms, conditions and exclusions apply, such as maximum age limits, pre-existing medical conditions and cover limits),⁵ when we book with our Card,” says Karen. “Now that we have opals in our shops, it’s opening up a new customer base. They'll help us grow the business to the next level.”

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