The big e-commerce companies like Airbnb, Fab, Hailo, Uber are making the headlines. These giants were once small garage startups trying hard to make a place for themselves in the world. One thing is quite clear that e-commerce startups are focusing on Customization as their USP. So, let’s see the Top Upcoming Startups which may rock the market in the next 12 months.
1. Boxed
They put Costco in your pocket. The New York based company offers free delivery on bulk goods. Boxed lets its customers order bulk item off their mobile devices with 1-2 day of free shipping. Boxed are winning hearts and wallets of young urban professionals by the point that they don’t have to become a member to place an order.
2. WillCall
WillCall brings concert tickets to you. This app not only lets it’s user to buy concert tickets but also see which of their friends have shown interest in going but haven’t bought it yet. What makes WillCall stand out is that when you are in the venue it lets you choose to tip the artist or even buy merchandise right from the app.
3. Hired
When you get placed, they send you a cheque and a bottle of Dom Perignon. With the demand of engineers and designers in top notch, Hired is finding employees for 720 companies like Twitter & Pinterest, becoming one of the biggest professional matchmakers in Sillicon Valley. With special curation of talents, Hired vets thousands of applicants before deciding the best 5% to work with.
4. Thrillist
A free daily newsletter gets transformed into a $100 million dollar e-commerce business. Thrillist recommends its subscribers everything, from where to buy a pizza to where you can get the best deal for a t-shirt. Thrillist is an example of a simple media getting transformed into a big money making e-commerce mammoth. With its wide spread networks of blogs and email newsletter it recommends you the things you want and then sends you to an e-commerce operation where you can buy it. Thrillist gave a personal touch by featuring city editions, these editions offer city specific information.
5. Atelier
If you want an eyewear that is only made for you, then Atelier is the place to be. Yes you heard it right, frames are hand-crafted using Mazzucchelli zyl-acetate, ion coated titanium and surgical-grade stainless steel, designed to fit perfectly for the customers. Atelier is another example that e-commerce is shifting towards CUSTOMIZATION. Customers can customize their own frames and place an order, the measurements takes less than 3 minutes right at their home. Atelier has 180 processes and inspections for a time span of over 4 weeks before they ship the eyewear to their customers. Frames are numbered individually and add a personal touch by engraving the name or initials of the customer inside the right hand temple.
6. Spring
How about an app that aligns you directly with your favorite brands? What will happen if you can be up-dated about these brand’s new releases and discount offers? That is what specifically Spring is doing, it is connecting its customers directly with their favorite brands, bypassing the retailers. Spring app is simplifying the mobile shopping experiences. As retailers take the biggest portions of the profit, this app is cutting the middle-man out which is why Spring is becoming famous. The Spring app users doesn’t have to reveal their credit card information more than one time as on the first transaction the information gets stored into the app, not in the server.
7. Awl & Sundry
The CEO of Awl & Sundry, Nikunj Marvania plans to combine ready-to-wear and made-to-wear footwear. The customer can design their own shoes and see the real time view of the personalized pair. Awl & Sundry offers custom designed shoes, which are high on quality and comfort in a low cost. Customers can chose from style, shapes, design features, shades, leather, laces, stitching etc. Although the shoes are custom made, the company allows an exchange in 20 days and even re-soles the shoes for free.
8. Scripted.com
For any business, content is a vital part of its marketing. And finding a proper content writer is very tough. Scripted.com made it easy for the companies who are searching for quality content. They are the leading provider of quality written content on demand. Scripted takes up projects and hands them to expert writers who knows the business well. Scripted.com provides contents for Blog Post, White Paper, Website Pages, Tweets, Facebook Post and Email newsletters.
9. BeerGram
Imagine you are returning from a hard day at work and you get a beer gifted from your friend? Texas resident Andrea Sanchez runs a one-woman show, BeerGram, which allows its users to gift or be gifted a beer in long distance. BeerGram’s tag line is “Because being ‘liked’ by your ‘friends’ is nice, but getting real beer from real friends is better”.
10. Zola
Zola came up with an innovative idea in the wedding industry. They are a wedding registry platform. A newlywed couple can build a registry and guests can find one. A couple can get themselves a trip or a specific course sponsored by the guests. Zola has already 17000 couple registered and 3000 featured items. Their main goal is to provide meaningful gift that are not found in stores. Here a product can be added from any store but becomes a part of single wedding registry. Zola also allows guests to give group gifts in a wedding.
You can also refer our more interesting blogs related to eCommerce trends:
- 15 Examples of Flat Designs in Ecommerce
- Will Shipping by Drones Change Ecommerce Industry?
- 5 Useful Marketing Tools for eCommerce Merchants
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