Startups

Leading ecommerce platform Shopify has acquired Dovetale, an influencer marketing startup from New York. It is part of Shopify's move into the influencer market. Creator marketing is on the rise in Europe, one of the software platform's biggest growth markets.

Direct-to-consumer platform Productpine has raised 2,5 million euros in seed capital. The startup wants to use the money to scale up and work with more international partners. Currently, they offer over 90 brands.

Ecommerce feed manager Channable has raised 55 million euros. The Dutch scale up will use the funds for product development and further global expansion, eyeing markets in North-America and Europe.

Shavatar is the name of a 3D avatar tool that should lead to fewer returns in the online fashion industry. With Shavatar, consumers can create their own avatars based on a few parameters. The tool then suggests the right size and fit of any given fashion item.

Letsell, an ecommerce startup from Turin, has overtaken eBay Italia when it comes to the number of unique users and registered sellers. The startup, founded in September 2017, currently has as an online network of over 40,000 Italian retailers.

It's a well-known 'statistic' that 90 percent of startups fail within the first 120 days. But what could be the reason for an ecommerce company that just started to be unsuccessful so soon? Let's have a look at the top 10 reasons why ecommerce startups fail.

Beerwulf, a Heineken-owned startup that sells beer online, will expand to more countries in Europe. The company will expand to the same countries where home tap retailer The Sub is already active. Last month, Heineken consolidated The Sub and Beerwulf.

Emma, a German retailer that sells mattresses online, is the fastest-growing startup in Europe. Or at least in the countries The Next Web describes as the continent's six hottest startup ecosystems: the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain and Sweden.

Startupbootcamp Commerce, an accelerator program which focuses on ecommerce, has selected ten international startups to participate in the international accelerator. Among these companies are eight startups from Europe that will go through the three-month program.

During the third edition of Lengow Ecommerce Day, which will take place in Paris on June 2 this year, there will be also a competition for startups active in the ecommerce industry. The five finalists of this competition will get an exhibitor stand at the Lengow Ecommerce Day, where 700 merchants and industry experts are expected.

In the coming financial year 2015/2016, the Otto Group plans a high double-digit million investment in the venture capital business. With this move, the international retail and services group will build on its position as one of the largest venture capital providers in Germany.

E-Commerce Park has officially opened its doors. This new initiative will provide online merchants with the opportunity to benefit from the economies of scale that takes place when warehousing, logistics, knowledge and skills get shared.

Email marketing service provider Soundest launched out of private beta in January, but now has crossed the 1000-user milestone. User growth is more than 50% month-on-month, while online stores from more than sixty countries are using the software that’s built solely for ecommerce sites.

PierreRiu.com launched only two weeks ago and the luxury fashion online store has already launched in Poland, Italy and Germany. And it's not like inhabitants from other European countries have to suffer as PierreRiu.com operates in all European Union countries. The buy & sell platform enables users to buy and sell luxury clothes and accessories online.

The Otto Group finally revealed its longtime secret project Collins. Using an open platform for third-party developers and contributors, the startups wants to attract young buyers. According to chief Benjamin Otto its claim is to make shopping for the younger generation as unique and inspiring as their digital world already is. "Ecommerce is still at the beginning of a new digital era."