easyShop.com officially opens in Ireland, as a challenger to Amazon
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou took on the airlines with easyJet. Now he’s taking on the online shopping giants
The marketplace holds no stock, sells no own-label products and never competes with its retailers
Retailers can sell into 21 markets through one account, with VAT calculated automatically
Hundreds of retailers are already trading, and more are being welcomed ahead of Black Friday and the Christmas peak
Thirty years ago, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou launched easyJet to challenge the established airlines. Now, the founder of the easy family of brands is taking the same challenger philosophy into online shopping with easyShop.com, a new multi-category marketplace set to rival Amazon, officially open in Ireland and across 20 other European countries.
The launch takes the easy brand into one of the world’s largest consumer markets with a proposition built around value, simplicity and rewards for shoppers, together with a marketplace model designed to give retailers a fairer environment in which to grow.
Unlike retail-led marketplaces, easyShop does not hold stock, sell own-label products or compete with the businesses using its platform. Every product belongs to a retailer, and every customer order generates a sale for a retailer.
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of the easy family of brands, said: “Competition is good for consumers and it’s good for businesses. No market benefits when everyone feels they have only one place to go.
“easyShop brings together the values the easy brand has always stood for, simplicity, value and choice, with a marketplace model that’s designed to help retailers grow rather than compete against them. I believe there is plenty of room for a fresh approach to online shopping.”
Retailers can reach shoppers in their choice of 21 markets through one account, with VAT calculated automatically. They do not need to establish a company in every country, which opens international expansion to businesses that may previously have found the cost and complexity of local operations a barrier.
Hundreds of retailers are already trading on easyShop following a phased rollout of its local sites. With Black Friday and Christmas approaching, the marketplace is now inviting more UK, European and international sellers to join, expand their reach and capitalise on the busiest trading period of the year.
easyShop is powered and operated by OnCommerce, the marketplace technology business behind OnBuy and the soon-to-launch Comet marketplace.
Cas Paton, Founder & CEO of OnCommerce, commented: “Too many retailers are building their business on a platform that’s also their biggest competitor. We think that’s wrong. easyShop will never sell against the businesses that sell with it.
“The easy brand has spent 30 years taking on the establishment and winning. Now we’re taking on the giants of online shopping, and we’re doing it on the side of sellers, to give them the fair deal they’ve been missing for too long.”
For shoppers, easyShop brings millions of products from trusted retailers into one destination, with competitive prices, free delivery on millions of products, rewards on every purchase, flexible payment options and verified reviews.
Retailers can register to sell on easyShop.
Shoppers can visit easyShop.
