ZipShop

ZipShop's mega-disruptive, geo-sensitive mobile app returns product search results to consumers across all retail verticals. 

Our B2B2C proprietary search technology can aid an array of retail platforms from POS systems driving physical retail traffic, to mall owners, to last-mile delivery processes.  By bringing "Near Me" search to consumers across all verticals from grocery to beauty, apparel to home, health to pets, shoppers can now access in-store inventory as efficiently as online. 

THE BEST REASONS TO INVEST IN ZIPSHOP:

-  ZipShop's model acts as another front door to individual brand retailers, destination Mall operators, POS systems and other breakthrough platforms.  When consumers search for Adidas Sneakers, Dog Food or Mascara, they want to see as many available "Nearby" options as possible, and choose  in-store pick up or delivery.   
-  KEY METRICS FOR YEAR 1:  100k - 500k total products across 20 US Markets, and 200 Retail Merchants.  Business model includes monthly subscription options for SaaS, Content, Advertising or Analytics  Add-Ons.  Revenue estimate:  $1,000,000.
-  Total Addressable Market (TAM) in 2021 for on and offline retail spending in US is $4 - $7trillion
-  User growth from 10,000 per mkt/month to 10X MOM.  Market spread from 1 - 20 markets with 200 expected by year 2.   
-  Experienced tech team with dozens of apps built in Shopify, geo-based search + digital integration
-  Raised $500k from Angel Investors in previous rounds
-  ZipShop Featured in Austin CultureMap, Houston Chronicle, Dallas Innovates, Nashville Tech News

ABOUT OUR TEAM:

Susan Bruch -  Founder & CEO:   Serial entrepreneur, with a successful exit.  3rd generation retailer, obsessed with brick and mortar, champion of next gen AI and AR retail solutions and video shopping.
HeaderLabs:  Sandeep Chauhan - Contract Engineer :Over 15 years app development of next gen retail and consumer engagement/interaction processes. Shopify, AI, UX, UI, Geo Data.  Seeking Full-Time Tech Co-Founder
 

WHERE WILL ZIPSHOP BE IN 5 YEARS?

Within 5 years, ZipShop will dominate as a product search channel for cross retail verticals.  From automobiles to luxury goods, grocery to health and home, bringing nearby in-store inventory direct to consumers for multi platform use.

5 Year Goal:  10MM users per day
1000 Retailers/10,000 global stores
150 US & Global Markets.
$160M Revenue

WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS IDEA AND WHY DO I CARE?

Me PRE-COVID:  "Why Can't I Search + Buy From Available In-Store Inventory The Way I Can Online? Why Don't I Have A Choice" 
Answer: Because Nearby Searches On Google Or Amazon Don't Provide Real-Time Availability Of Inventory.  They're Not Connected To Retail Point Of Sale Systems.
Solution:  ZipShop Connects To Both Optimized Online Data From POS Systems, AND Proximity Based In-Store Data To Provide Users  With Digital  Search + Shopping Options. 

WHAT IS ZIPSHOP'S SOCIAL MISSION?

Local communities need help when economic or natural disasters disrupt their lives.  Retailers have overstock or goods they can't sell.   ZipShop's aims to create local Retail Banks (like Food Banks) using actual merchandise, or gift cards  for residents seeking immediate and long term relief after life-altering incidents.

WHY OUR TEAM?

Susan is passionate about solving complex search issues especially on and offline integration.  Her nearly decade long obsession with retail channel marketing + product location technology along with media, content and sponsorship backgrounds, lends substantial experience to creating and building this successful platform.

Sandeep Chauhan, CTO is a retail technology expert with product management vision.  He has 15 years of experience building next gen consumer and retail platforms that include AI, VR, GPS, voice activated processes that integrate retail point of sale systems like NCR, Shopify, etc.  He's the genius behind ZipShop's success

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEARCH NEARBY STORES ON GOOGLE AND PRODUCTS ON AMAZON?

Google is an optimized search.  This means retailers must pay $$$$ to become searchable every month buying words that describe products and brands they sell. The largest retailers in each category (Target, Walmart,  Home Depot, etc) and Amazon, spend sometimes 100’s of millions each month to come up first in your search. Single boutiques and small chains don’t have budgets to compete so they won’t come up in searches at all, or very far back.

ZipShop is a proximity based search.  This means it connects consumer searches to products available nearest to where they’re standing.  This levels the playing field because single boutiques, small and large chains all have the same opportunity to come up in the search, and the user chooses where they ultimately want to shop.   

Use Case:
You're looking for Clorox Wipes. 

A Google Search offers you dozens of options near you.  However you go to your nearest Target, and they don't have any Clorox products in stock.  Neither does your Kroger or Whole Foods.  You've now made 3 stops and still have no wipes.  Where are they, you wonder out loud.  Download ZipShop and find out.   
 
WHY WILL RETAILERS PAY TO BE VISIBLE AND SEARCHABLE ON ZIPSHOP?

Having a single platform that integrates search data for both on and offline processes will be industry changing.  This means that retailers who can't afford to integrate their own systems, let alone compile consumer buying data by zip codes, will pay handsomely for this information and to be consumer searchable. 

The cost to subscribe to ZipShop's proximity search is minuscule for retailers compared with Google's complex optimized algorithms.   

Our premise is simple.  Offer retailers targeted consumer marketing and local content by zip code to drive new and existing customers in stores.

Most importantly, retailers who don't subscribe will be at a disadvantage as we grow, because they won't be searchable.  This will lead to the herd mentality that all retailers will eventually have to be listed.  Think Yellow Pages.

HOW DOES ZIPSHOP MAKE MONEY?

ZipShop has three revenue streams.

1).  Monthly subscription fees.  Based upon the number of store locations per market

2).  Marketing/Content/Sponsorship. 
      Custom Programs:  Meant for larger retailers with 3 or more locations in a single market who can maintain a $5k/month marketing budget. Range from $5k - $20k month.
      Self Serve:  Meant for single store or boutiques who want to spend from $100 - $1,000 per month on ads with direct targeted messaging.

3).  Data/Analytics.  Basic basic data and analytics with their subscription.  Consumer based KPI's. 
       Custom data for preferences, geo fencing, competitive analysis, same store sales, MOM and marketing metrics. 

HOW WILL ZIPSHOP USE OUR FUNDING?

50% funds will be designated for hiring. 
Immediately:  2 Executive positions - COO, CMO (Sales and Marketing), 1 Senior Customer Acquisition, 1 Senior User Acquisition, 1 Content/Media.  Expanded hiring in sales, media and Account Service across regions as we grow. 

25% funds will be used for paid advertising and customer acquisition, public relations and media production of content.

25% funds will be used for app development, data and analytics and the addition of AI and voice activation technologies.   


OUR STORY IN PHOTOS...
ZipShop was a spin-off from my previous company, Your Style Unzipped, an online fashion search + shopping website which launched in 2014.

That website was wildly successful with consumers, and delivered KPI's within 18 months that grew 1000%  as a fashion content + online search platform.  We knew however, we had to keep growing, address the mobile shopping market and test a physical retail search component.




GROWING INTO PHYSICAL RETAIL GEO-SEARCH...

In 2018, we officially began building a mobile channel, and the app emerged later that year with a name change to ZipShop.  Along with a new name, we tested functionalities for physical store search (geo product location) and the App looked like this -- High level branded content + store location search.




By Summer 2018, we were fully committed to solving the consumer problem:  "Why Can't We Search In-Store Like We Can Online?"

After raising $100,000 from Angel investors, a second iteration of ZipShop featured voice search, online and offline system integration, and geo targeted marketing to entice retailers to sign up.   



THE EXCITEMENT OF LAUNCHING...

Having a proximity-based retail solution designed to drive in-store traffic at the local level was exciting for consumers and retailers.   A partnership with high-end shopping center Highland Park Village in Dallas opened the door to all of their tenants, and we began aggressively onboarding in Q4 2019 preparing for a Spring 2020 live launch.




AND THEN COVID HIT.


Two things happened that would change our trajectory forever.  

1).  By February, we were forced to delay our launch indefinitely.

2).  And by March 15th essential store shelves looked like this. 

We spent our quarantine time, nose to the grindstone, making a huge shift from non-essential goods to essentials within the Grocery, Health, Home, Personal & Pet verticals.  

Now ZipShop is positioned perfectly to bring in-store search to consumers seeking safe ways to shop asap.  Staying true to our brand, we'll offer need-to-know content from  Lifestyle to News with direct to store links for purchase

We're a team of innovators, big thinkers and problem solvers.    Thanks for choosing us!