Australian-owned B2B marketplace startup TradeSquare has secured a new industry alliance and expanded its product range to more than 150,000 items.
The Australian Gift & Homewares Association (AGHA), which operates the Gift Fairs trade shows, has launched a collaboration with TradeSquare to provide its members with an online AGHA marketplace where members can wholesale trade products.
AGHA CEO, Wayne Castle, said his staff have been working hard to develop new platforms and opportunities to help members promote their products and generate sales during the Covid-19 crisis. “Our new e-commerce platform allows us to help retailers to keep engaging with valued AGHA wholesalers at any time and anywhere in Australia, while still allowing them to meet sellers personally and view their products at the next Gift Fair in Melbourne late July, and subsequent fairs,” he said
TradeSquare launched late last year as an exclusively Australian-owned company helping bridge the gap between local wholesalers and retailers and already has more than 4000 registered buyers and 600 vendors from around the country. Only Australian businesses, government organisations and not-for-profit enterprises can shop on the platform and only onshore businesses can register to sell. The marketplace also offers buy now, pay later financing with Zip Business and compatibility with POS and inventory software such as Vend.
The company was founded by former Catch Group MD Nati Harpaz and entrepreneur Einat Sukenik and has already drawn investment from entrepreneurs, including Catch co-founders Hezi and Gabby Leibovich, former Catch chairman Gary Levin, Marley Spoon co-founder, Daniel Jarosch and APG & Co chief, Martin Matthews.
Sukenik said TradeSquare will continue to work to build alliances with Australian industry groups as it works to expand the platform’s reach.
By using TradeSquare, small companies can access the same products as larger ones without having to jump through the hoops of vendor registration, credit checks or committing to minimum monthly purchase volumes to become a customer. Likewise, larger wholesalers can sell their products to a broader range of businesses, without the onboarding process which previously made it uneconomic to supply them. The onboarding process of new buyers is managed by TradeSquare, allowing companies to purchase from any wholesaler on the site.
Products available on TradeSquare include stock for retail stores, stationery, business supplies and services. Orders can be placed with multiple vendors in a single transaction.
