About Rob Caskey

For more than 15 years I’ve been fortunate enough to be at the forefront of the e-commerce revolution. Along the way, I’ve gotten to work with some amazing people and do some pretty exciting things.

In the mid ’90s, I was one of the founding members of PBS Online, the Web site of the Public Broadcasting Service. At a time when most television networks were producing little more than brochureware for their programs, we launched more than 400 comprehensive, standalone Web sites for PBS programs and series, continually pushing the boundaries of interactivity and user interaction. Among other innovations, we pioneered the use of the “Web bug,” the persistent logo/URL lockup that appears on screen during TV shows to drive crossover traffic. You can read an old article about it here. We also won several Webby Awards during my tenure.

After PBS, I moved agency-side, joining an interactive marketing startup called eBrains. There, I led marketing efforts for a range of clients that included Vitamins.com, Time Inc. Home Entertainment and the Republican National Committee. Through expansive customer acquisition efforts that included permission marketing and paid search, I helped grow the Vitamins.com customer base to 300,000, which led to their successful acquisition by HealthCentral.

In 2000, I co-founded SimplyWireless.com, which grew to become one of the nation’s largest online wireless retailers. In five years at SimplyWireless.com I held a number of leadership roles, including vice president of marketing and chief operating officer. As COO, I led a division of more than 70, posting sales of $20 million annually.

From 2005-2007 I led marketing for buySAFE, Inc., an online trust and safety company that has raised more than $21 million in venture capital. In growing the company into a major player in the e-commerce ecosystem, I successfully launched buySAFE Shopping — the world’s only all-bonded comparison shopping site, as well as the Smart Buyers Club, a loyalty program for shoppers buying from buySAFE merchants.

Presently, I am the vice president of marketing for an e-commerce marketplace where professional buyers can source commercial surplus inventory and government surplus assets.

In my personal life, I have two great kids and a wonderful, understanding wife, all of whom I don’t see nearly enough.

Disclaimer:
The contents of this blog are my personal opinions and not those of my current or former employers.