The Global Wholesale Marketplace Powered by People Raises $5 Million

Furniture World News Desk on 2/3/2022

Powered by People (PBP)  is helping the home decor industry sustainably and transparently connect with artisan makers from around the world with its new business-to-business digital wholesale platform. Since launching Summer ‘21, PBP has secured $5 Million to continue growing the platform that currently connects over 55,000 retailers in the home decor and gift industries to 200+ independent brands and makers - with new brands being added daily - representing 45,000 artisan makers from all over the globe, including Ghana, Mexico, Guatemala, Swaziland, India, and more.

The platform enables both independent and specialty retailers the ability to source diverse, exclusive, sustainably-sourced products that come with origin transparency. While 66 percent of global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable goods, a full 73 percent of millennials are, and 91 percent of consumers say they would switch brands that align with their values, while 70 percent of consumers say they are more interested in a product’s origins than the company who produced it. (Neilson Global/Futtera)

The PBP platform, which is free to use for retailers, provides a solution to years of sourcing shortcomings for both retailers and global brands by providing access to digital tools that support omnichannel sales and access to financing. Retailers have a trusted platform to source freely — with vetted brands and transparent “all-in” pricing. In addition, PBP is launching a dropship marketplace for select products to help streamline international trade for both the brands and retailers alike.

In addition to securing $5 million to boost its technical hires, including for its fintech product, PBP has supported more than $4 million in purchase-order advances that have been instrumental in supporting the growth of independent brands and makers that otherwise would have struggled to get financing or meet orders.  Of the global independent brands surveyed, women make up 76 percent of business leaders, while youth represent 64 percent, and 62 percent overall live in rural communities. (Mastercard Foundation).

PBP has already garnered interest from independent and specialty retailers such as West Elm, The Citizenry, and  thousands of small boutiques and concept brands, and aims to continue improving the market conditions for independent brands and artisan makers worldwide by connecting them to the $25 trillion global retail market.

Ella Peinovich, CEO of PBP said: “The digital retail transformation over the last 2 years has opened up a world of possibilities for brands and retailers alike. We believe that given the tools, passionate creatives will fuel a more equitable and sustainable future. We curate the most creative brands from across the world while giving independent retailers the tools to source differently, to find and buy products developed exclusively for their store and aligned to their values – each able to compete and win at digital retail.”

Akosua Afriyie-kumi, Founder, AAKS, and a PBP maker from Ghana said: “Working with PBP has been great as my brand has been exposed to so many new clients around the world. I was hesitant about wholesale platforms, but PBP made the experience seamless and valued my inputs from the very start.”

Chelsea Brown, CEO and Founder, Millie Canada, and a PBP buyer said: “Powered by People is exactly what we needed to launch our business - a curated and handpicked selection of diverse and thoughtful items from all over the world. The buying process has been straightforward, allowing us to browse hundreds of brands and makers online and make customizations in the moment. The PBP team is lovely and quick with communications, offering lots of guidance when needed. We have been able to use PBP product imagery for our URL, which means we can offer sales right away. This and reliable shipping (from India, Senegal and more) has made our experience very efficient. We absolutely recommend partnering with Powered by People and their artisan brands.”

About Powered by People

Powered by People is a B2B wholesale platform that seamlessly connects independent brands in over 40 countries with retailers in North America.

PBP solves communications and digital shortcomings by providing a curated digital marketplace for retailers and brands to conduct business. Retailers are able to customize and purchase products from a highly functional platform on business-friendly payment terms, leaving the international communication, payment and logistics to us. Brands—from Ghana to India to Guatemala—are able to massively expand their customer base simply by uploading their products to the Powered by People site. And both brands and retailers can virtually track the manufacturing process every step of the way through our innovative PBP Produce tool.

With team members in America, Canada, Kenya, India and Mexico, PBP connects all the dots, providing financing for the brands and makers, facilitating orders and identifying the emerging trends that retailers want on their shelves. And it is the makers, perhaps, who stand to gain the most. When their emerging businesses thrive, they provide not just for themselves, but their employees, families and communities.