Soldsie

== History ==

== History ==

based in San Francisco, CA. Co-founders Chris Bennett (CEO) and Arrel Gray (CTO) met through the startup community of Silicon Valley in 2011. They officially launched Soldsie in May 2012 at a time when the viability of

Soldsie is based in San Francisco, CA. Co-founders Chris Bennett (CEO) and Arrel Gray (CTO) met through the startup community of Silicon Valley in 2011. They officially launched Soldsie in May 2012 at a time when the viability of eCommerce was still being questioned by the industry. The founders of Soldsie were able to show that Facebook commerce is a viable form of social commerce when it wasn’t just another tab on a retailer's Facebook page for users to click onto.{{cite web|author=Sarah Perez|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/15/soldsie-the-service-that-lets-you-shop-via-facebook-and-instagram-comments-raises-4-million/ |title=Soldsie, The Service That Lets You Shop Via Facebook And Instagram Comments, Raises $4 Million |publisher=TechCrunch |date=2014-05-15 |accessdate=2014-06-15}}

f-Commerce was still being questioned by the industry. The founders of Soldsie were able to show that Facebook commerce is a viable form of social commerce when it wasn’t just another tab on a retailer's Facebook page for users to click onto.{{cite web|author=Sarah Perez|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/15/soldsie-the-service-that-lets-you-shop-via-facebook-and-instagram-comments-raises-4-million/ |title=Soldsie, The Service That Lets You Shop Via Facebook And Instagram Comments, Raises $4 Million |publisher=TechCrunch |date=2014-05-15 |accessdate=2014-06-15}}

Their [[social shopping]] platform allows businesses to monetize their social media pages through the use of comments,{{cite web|author=Sarah Perez|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/20/a-new-take-on-f-commerce-soldsie-lets-retailers-sell-through-facebook-comments |title=A New Take On F-Commerce: Soldsie Lets Retailers Sell Through Facebook Comments |publisher=TechCrunch |date=2012-09-20 |accessdate=2014-06-15}} allowing brands to directly sell on [[Facebook]] and [[Instagram]]. Retailers looking at selling on Facebook or Instagram upload products according to a template that includes price and item description. They can then schedule campaigns, or sales of multiple items, that post at the designated time. Fans register through email and comment 'Sold' to trigger the purchasing process.{{Cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2012/09/20/soldsie-helps-businesses-turn-their-facebook-pages-into-virtual-storefronts/|title=Soldsie Helps Businesses Turn Their Facebook Pages Into Virtual Storefronts|last=Fiegerman|first=Seth|website=Mashable|date=20 September 2012 |access-date=2017-08-31}} The process is managed through a backend dashboard that compiles all the comments and then allows retailers to send invoices to buyers.{{cite web|author=Dylan Love|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/soldsie-facebook-comments-commerce-2012-10#!IiYyP |title=Soldsie Sells Your Stuff On Facebook |publisher=Business Insider |date=2012-10-03 |accessdate=2014-06-15}} Retailers can also turn on automatic invoices, track customers, and put buyers on a waitlist for out-of-stock items.{{cite web|author=Social Media Influence |url=http://socialmediainfluence.com/2012/09/21/social-commerce-spotlight-soldsie-allows-retailers-to-make-instant-sales-within-facebook-comments |title=Soldsie allows retailers to make instant sales within Facebook comments |publisher=Socialmediainfluence.com |date=2012-09-21 |accessdate=2014-07-02}} This process allows businesses to turn their Facebook and Instagram pages into points of sale.{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2012/09/20/soldsie-helps-businesses-turn-their-facebook-pages-into-virtual-storefronts|title=Soldsie Helps Businesses Turn Their Facebook Pages Into Virtual Storefronts|author=Seth Fiegerman|date=2012-09-20|publisher=Mashable|accessdate=2014-06-15}}

Their [[social shopping]] platform allows businesses to monetize their social media pages through the use of comments,{{cite web|author=Sarah Perez|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/20/a-new-take-on-f-commerce-soldsie-lets-retailers-sell-through-facebook-comments |title=A New Take On F-Commerce: Soldsie Lets Retailers Sell Through Facebook Comments |publisher=TechCrunch |date=2012-09-20 |accessdate=2014-06-15}} allowing brands to directly sell on Facebook and Instagram. Retailers looking at selling on Facebook or Instagram upload products according to a template that includes price and item description. They can then schedule campaigns, or sales of multiple items, that post at the designated time. Fans register through email and comment 'Sold' to trigger the purchasing process.{{Cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2012/09/20/soldsie-helps-businesses-turn-their-facebook-pages-into-virtual-storefronts/|title=Soldsie Helps Businesses Turn Their Facebook Pages Into Virtual Storefronts|last=Fiegerman|first=Seth|website=Mashable|date=20 September 2012 |access-date=2017-08-31}} The process is managed through a backend dashboard that compiles all the comments and then allows retailers to send invoices to buyers.{{cite web|author=Dylan Love|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/soldsie-facebook-comments-commerce-2012-10#!IiYyP |title=Soldsie Sells Your Stuff On Facebook |publisher=Business Insider |date=2012-10-03 |accessdate=2014-06-15}} Retailers can also turn on automatic invoices, track customers, and put buyers on a waitlist for out-of-stock items.{{cite web|author=Social Media Influence |url=http://socialmediainfluence.com/2012/09/21/social-commerce-spotlight-soldsie-allows-retailers-to-make-instant-sales-within-facebook-comments |title=Soldsie allows retailers to make instant sales within Facebook comments |publisher=Socialmediainfluence.com |date=2012-09-21 |accessdate=2014-07-02}} This process allows businesses to turn their Facebook and Instagram pages into points of sale.{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2012/09/20/soldsie-helps-businesses-turn-their-facebook-pages-into-virtual-storefronts|title=Soldsie Helps Businesses Turn Their Facebook Pages Into Virtual Storefronts|author=Seth Fiegerman|date=2012-09-20|publisher=Mashable|accessdate=2014-06-15}}

Soldsie raised $1 million for its full seed round. In addition to raising $425,000 from 72 investors through FundersClub, Soldsie also received funding from [[500 Startups]] and [[e.ventures]] to close out its seed round.{{cite web|author=Sarah Perez|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/03/06/f-commerce-startup-soldsie-raises-1-million-for-its-facebook-comments-based-shopping-platform |title=F-Commerce Startup Soldsie Raises $1 Million For Its Facebook Comments-Based Shopping Platform |publisher=TechCrunch |date=2013-03-06 |accessdate=2014-06-15}} On May 15, 2014 it was announced that Soldsie had raised 4 million for their [[Series A round|Series A funding]].{{cite web|author=Kia Kokalitcheva|url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/05/15/helping-you-sell-stuff-through-instagram-facebook-is-worth-4m-to-these-investors/ |title=Helping you sell stuff through Instagram & Facebook is worth $4M to these investors | VentureBeat | Deals ||publisher=VentureBeat |date=2014-05-15 |accessdate=2014-06-15}}

Soldsie raised $1 million for its full seed round. In addition to raising $425,000 from 72 investors through FundersClub, Soldsie also received funding from [[500 Startups]] and [[e.ventures]] to close out its seed round.{{cite web|author=Sarah Perez|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/03/06/f-commerce-startup-soldsie-raises-1-million-for-its-facebook-comments-based-shopping-platform |title=F-Commerce Startup Soldsie Raises $1 Million For Its Facebook Comments-Based Shopping Platform |publisher=TechCrunch |date=2013-03-06 |accessdate=2014-06-15}} On May 15, 2014 it was announced that Soldsie had raised 4 million for their [[Series A round|Series A funding]].{{cite web|author=Kia Kokalitcheva|url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/05/15/helping-you-sell-stuff-through-instagram-facebook-is-worth-4m-to-these-investors/ |title=Helping you sell stuff through Instagram & Facebook is worth $4M to these investors | VentureBeat | Deals ||publisher=VentureBeat |date=2014-05-15 |accessdate=2014-06-15}}