A Cardiff technology entrepreneur has ambitions to take on the big boys of the e-commerce world and also give thousands of small, independent retailers a major post-pandemic boost.
Tej Randeva has developed and launched Add to Cart, which he says is the 海角视频’s first online marketplace that focuses on supporting small scale businesses without taking away any of the autonomy that makes these ventures unique.
Mr Randeva says his e-commerce website will enable online sellers to benefit from expert marketing methods without the expense associated with a professional campaign, getting their products noticed by more new customers and giving them a much-needed lifeline after the difficulties of Covid-19.
“The last 18 months have been extremely difficult for small businesses, with Covid-19 restrictions causing chaos and restricting traditional footfall,” explained Mr Randeva.
“Most of the major marketplaces like Amazon and eBay are not geared towards small sellers and make it difficult for them to succeed without spending lots on listings and ads. With Add to Cart, we have developed a platform that is easy to use, has no subscription fees and, most importantly, leverages all of our back-end marketing expertise and support to get sellers’ products to the top of the online rankings.”
He adds users can sign up to Add to Cart completely free of charge, importing all their product details directly from their existing e-commerce platform through a simple, single-step online interface.
“This will give independent retailers a major boost following the pandemic, providing them with access to thousands of new customers they would not normally get in front of,” Mr Randeva said.
“The trial period has exceeded our expectations and the feedback from users has made us even more confident that we’ve created a vibrant and much-needed e-commerce marketplace.”
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While many of the big online marketplaces do not release customer details to their sellers, Mr Randeva say his platform will make all data available, allowing users to remarket and build lasting relationships with their client base.
The team will also soon be launching a new feature that will allow shoppers to search by locality, encouraging them to support businesses within their communities.
Mr Randeva added: “Add to Cart has the potential to scale-up extremely quickly and we’ve got exciting plans to cement our position in the 海角视频 and then move overseas, potentially starting with Canada and then moving on to the US, Australia and Europe.
“So far, I have self-funded the entire venture, but to accelerate the growth, we’ll be going to market for private investment, initially looking to raise between £500,000 and £1m.
“This will help us ramp up activity and expand the team, creating up to 15 jobs at our HQ in Cardiff over the next 12 months.
“Covid-19 has taught us a lot of things and one of those is the importance of community, both in life and in business. We’re backing the small independent retailers and giving them their own platform to sell and grow.”