Shop Like You Give a Damn is the world’s largest vegan marketplace that verifies and aggregates fair and sustainable brands in fashion, cosmetics, and homeware. The platform is now seeking investment in a Pre-series A funding round as it plans expansion of their presence in the EU, UK and builds a local seller base in the USA.
Launched in April of 2019, Shop Like You Give a Damn is an impact business at its core. By exclusively onboarding sellers aligned with their 5 main values: vegan, fair, sustainable, inclusive and social, they make it easy to sell, find and buy ethical products that prove to have a positive impact on our fellow earthlings and drastically less negative impact on our planet.
Verifying the ethics
Shop Like You Give a Damn has built an ethical framework around these five values, consisting of 32 criteria used to verify the claims of brands they consider onboarding as a seller. This means they only onboard sellers who at least meet the minimum criteria, and prioritise those who work hard in meeting most. They’ve created a marketplace where their customers can trust to find items for which no people, animals or environment have been unnecessarily harmed.
As they like to say, “We have an ethical compass and sail a commercial course.”
A short history
The idea started in the beginning of April in 2017. They first launched as an affiliate platform on the 31st of July 2018, but they quickly discovered that the marketplace business model would better facilitate their goals. They pivoted and relaunched Shop Like You Give a Damn on the 17th of April 2019. They have been online as a marketplace for a little over two years.
Current situation
They now offer over 13.000 products by 350+ brands and help thousands of customers find what they are looking for. They have created a strong team of mission-aligned powerhouses that strive to make it easier for everyone to make a better choice. And now, Shop Like You Give a Damn is ready to take their European adventure global.
As they strive to become and stay the number one global marketplace, they hope to see Shop Like You Give a Damn everywhere in the world. At the moment their 3 biggest markets are The Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom, although they sell in the rest of the European countries and the USA too.
About this investment opportunity
Over the course of three small rounds, Shop Like You Give a Damn found nine mission-aligned investors (organised in a StAK, which means they form one line on the cap table) who have helped them grow into the company they are now. Their current investors come from all walks of life. Some are friends and family, some made their money with crypto, others built a big BI consultancy firm and some have serious marketing backgrounds. Most sold or still run their own business.
Co-founder & CEO Stephan: “We are looking for mission-aligned investors. As we believe that one can’t change the world alone, but that the world can be changed by many, we prefer investors who like to help out in any way they can. Together we’ll create the change we wish to see in this world. That’s why we love to work with investors who want to join the ride and help Shop Like You Give a Damn become a global marketplace phenomenon.”
The ideal investor match
Shop Like You Give a Damn has 28% left in this current round. They are looking for one or two investors who can help them grow their business internationally. Stephan: “We would consider ourselves lucky if we could join forces with an investor who, for example, has experience with marketplaces, levering network effects, financially managing a business with growing transaction numbers, the fashion industry or successfully crafting a brand that sticks and stands out.”
About Shop Like You Give a Damn
Shop Like You Give a Damn is Europe’s largest online department store for vegan, fair & sustainable fashion, cosmetics and homeware. Founders Alex, Kim and Stephan give a damn about the world and encourage you to do the same.
Use their 14 ethical & sustainability criteria to filter on the values that matter to you most. Shop compassionately, they say. And as little as possible. But when you do buy something, make it a vegan, fair and sustainable purchase.
www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com l Instagram I Facebook
