Dealt, a French startup formerly known as Mon Super Voisin, recently announced that they have raised a significant round of funding – €6 million (approximately $6.5 million) at today’s exchange rate. This is an important milestone for the company, as they have also undergone a major pivot in their business strategy.
In the startup world, pivoting – or drastically changing the direction of a business – is often seen as a risky move. However, Dealt’s success and the support of this recent funding round serves as an interesting lesson for other early-stage founders who may be considering a pivot.
Initially, Mon Super Voisin was a freelancer marketplace for home tasks. But the company soon realized that many of these tasks were one-off services that did not lead to repeat customers. As co-founder and CEO Mickael Braconnier explained to TechCrunch, “Even if clients found a service provider through the platform, they would often bypass the platform entirely and pay the person directly.”
This realization led to a shift in focus for Dealt. Rather than targeting end customers, they have now shifted to building a service platform for retailers. They first started working with Mr. Bricolage, a popular DIY retailer in France, to create a white-label platform that allows them to upsell services to their own clients.
Braconnier noted that “over two-thirds of our users’ requests at the time of Mon Super Voisin were actually retail customers who needed help after purchasing something.” This insight led to Dealt’s new distribution strategy of partnering with retailers to provide post-purchase services.
Through their partnership with Mr. Bricolage, Dealt has helped the retailer develop their home delivery and installation services. This includes tasks such as setting up light fixtures, curtain rods, and even toilets and shower cubicles. Other retailers, such as Jardiland, Truffaut, and Botanic, have also partnered with Dealt to offer gardening services.
This new strategy has proven to be more efficient for all parties involved. Dealt now operates as a software-as-a-service startup, with clients paying a monthly subscription fee for access to the platform. This allows retailers to generate new revenue streams by taking a cut on each transaction, while also providing service providers with a marketplace to find new clients.
Dealt currently works with 10,000 service providers, 500 retail stores, and 40 e-commerce clients. With their recent funding round led by La Poste Ventures, the company plans to expand to other European countries next year, starting with Belgium, Switzerland, and Spain.
As Dealt continues to grow and evolve, their success serves as a lesson for other startups that pivoting can lead to success and growth. With a focus on providing services for retailers and their customers, Dealt has found a unique niche in the market and is poised for further expansion in the future.
