This Startup Is Powering Hundreds Of Female-Owned Businesses Flyp is a mobile app that allows its members to cash in on their used stuff by partnering up with vetted professional resellers
By Entrepreneur Staff •
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With lockdowns keeping everyone inside and many out of their jobs, a new startup has been pushing through the pandemic and supporting hundreds of female-owned small businesses. Flyp is a mobile app that allows its members to cash in on their used stuff by partnering up with vetted professional resellers who will photograph, list, promote and sell the used goods on marketplaces like eBay and Poshmark. Members get to de-clutter and earn without doing any of the work, while independent resellers can grow sustainable businesses from home.
Earlier this month, Flyp reported that thousands of clients and professional resellers are already using the app, with resellers making more than $250,000 in secondhand sales during the pandemic.
"Most people have so much stuff, but little time to declutter, let alone sell their stuff. This is where independent resellers can totally change the game for everyone. With Flyp, we're trying to help resellers grow their business and help people lead a less cluttered life while saving the environment" said James Kawas, co-founder and CEO of Flyp.
With momentum striking the online resale market, Flyp announced a $1.1 million round of funding that saw the participation of venture capitalists like Peter Thiel backed 1517 Fund, 2048 Fund, and GroundUp Ventures.
Traditionally, most people would either opt to donate their clothes or sell them on their own. Flyp's solution creates a novel option that brings the best of both worlds, allowing people to sell their clothes with the ease of donating while creating economic opportunities on the other side of the table for resellers.
"I have been hired as a professional seller 26 times in less than 2 months. I have built up a great returning clientele whom several turned into friendships," notes Tolly Wagner, a pro seller on Flyp. Another reseller, Rachael Arndt, tells the impact of the service on her resale business: "I have been a pro seller on Flyp since April and it has completely changed my business! I have access to helping people sell their high-end luxury items and it is so rewarding! I am passionate about reselling, and Flyp gives me an avenue to grow my business and further my expertise."
Flyp was co-founded by Kawas and Dani Arnaout, both Forbes 30 Under 30 honorees, who have led a career-focused secondhand economy. The founders believe that the secondhand economy is still in its early beginning and that hundreds of thousands of jobs will be born out of it. Kawas passionately affirms the company's mission saying "Resellers are highly underrated, and we all need them. There just hasn't been an easy way for resellers to offer their services and for clients to find them. Flyp changes that."
