Adding yet another plume in Latvia’s dropshipping hub cap, Riga-based Sell.xyz has raised €1.5 million as it gears up to go full tilt on its one-stop shop for all things customised and on-demand product fulfillment.
The launch of the platform sees cosmetics on tap in both EU and US markets, while supplements are currently only available in the US. In the coming months, the platform plans to have both lines available globally as well as adding the coveted apparel category to the lineup.
With industry champions Printful and Printify both hailing from Latvia, supplements on-demand platform Supliful, packaging on-demand platform Print on Pack, and cosmetics on-demand platform Self Named have followed in their wake.
Now with Sell.xyz, the country with a mere 1.9 million inhabitants now tosses another contender in the ring.
“I believe that on-demand is the future of retail. As sustainability continues to play an increasingly large factor in our changing landscape, on-demand retail is one of the primary approaches we can use to limit overproduction – one of the key culprits behind what is filling our landfills at record rates,” commented serial entrepreneur and Sell.xyz founder and CEO Reinis Vaivars. “With Sell.xyz we're unlocking stagnated product categories, like cosmetics, to not only become more sustainably manufactured, but also remove barriers to entry to anyone who wants to launch their own cosmetics line, without the investment, minimum order quantities, stock management, and shipping challenges.”
As you might expect, Sell.xyz comes with all the pre-requisite integrations, Shopify, WooCommerce and Wix, with BigCommerce, Instagram, and Etsy just over the horizon.
According to Sell.xyz the platform is targeting existing e-commerce outlets that are already using print-on-demand services and looking to expand their product range, as well as influencers and creators looking to monetize their audiences.
As they mentioned creators, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out Sell.xyz’s approach to the usage of copyrighted materials. E.g., usage of someone else’s intellectual property, and slapping your name or logo atop, left, right, or centre of it and solely reaping the profits.
The platform’s FAQ states, “All designs will be submitted for copyright check and you will be informed in case if there are any problems with the chosen design. Nevertheless, please take into account that this is your own responsibility to make sure that your product is not breaching any laws or copyright infringements.”
So that platform skirts the responsibility of any wrongdoing, placing the responsibility on the "creator"? I'm hard pressed to rely heavily on Sell.xyz's internal team, as one view of the current status of their own website finds a blatant usage of footage from a Marvel film, as well as usage of Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” artwork to demonstrate how the process works.
So, as far as that copyright issue is concerned, it would appear that Sell.xyz could care less. I do hope, for their sake, they will be guiding “creators” and “influencers” through the process of trademarks and copyright laws beginning with USPTO’s Trademark ID Manual.
Sell.xyz's 1.5 million round was led by Aigars Kesenfelds, founding investor of various successful fintech ventures including Eleving Group, Mintos, and Sunfinance.
Lead Image: Tim Mossholder
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