UK-based startup Depop has launched its social mobile shopping app on Android to grow its marketplace reach, TechCrunch reported. In April 2013, the company rolled out its pocket m-commerce offering on iOS which, the company claims, has been downloaded 200,000 times. The company has not yet given figures on the number of its active users as of this time, the report said.
Depop added that it was able to sell around 200,000 items through its mobile flea market since it was rolled out. The items sold had a value of about €5 million. Just like any other companies operating in the space, Depop streamlines the selling process for mobile users, the report said.
According to Depop, their priority market is the UK while the second is Italy. For any app looking to grow its footprint in these two European markets where the Android leads on mobile, launching the app on Android would be the most logical step, the report said.
Depop Chief Executive Officer Runar Reistrup said in a statement, "A key factor in our decision to launch on Android was the demand from potential new users wanting to utilise the app, as well as requests from our existing community, who wanted to extend their customer reach."
TechCrunch reported that with the intense rivalry in the social mobile shopping app space, Depop needs to remain focus and choose only the most robust markets in Europe, for the moment at least. Its competitors include Shpock, Stuffle and Osom which are focused on Europe, Rumgr and Yardsale in the US and Vendly which caters to Chile, the report said.
Red Circle Investments and other investors backed the startup last fall with a $1 million seed financing round. Before that, Balderton Capital and Holtzbrinck Ventures also provided a €1 million investment to the startup, the report said.
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