New York-based Platter, which helps brands drive up sales on Shopify’s e-commerce platform, raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed round led by Los Angeles firm Animal Capital. Visionary Ventures and ecommerce veterans Ben Jabbawy, Kyle Hency, Aaron Spivak and Pierson Krass also participated.
Founded by Ben Sharf, Kieran Derfus and Michael Keenehan, Platter aims to solve a growing problem on Shopify — it has become too expensive, complicated and time-consuming for brands of all sizes to build a performing website. The company says it builds tools that help brands run their online store more profitably, and not rely on specialized point solutions. Platter plans to use the funding to “further consolidate these disparate tools into a unified product suite, empowering Shopify brands to build more profitable storefronts.”
Cost Effective
Sharf, who serves as co-CEO, co-hosts the Turning Pro podcast and previously co-founded 6FT Closer, a “digital platform facilitating messages of gratitude and recognition between strangers.” Derfus, the other co-CEO, was previously a technology consultant at EY. Keenehan, who is Platter’s chief revenue officer, was a business development manager at e-commerce agency Hinge Global.
“We recognized the need for ecommerce brands to balance profitability with investing in performance,” said Sharf. “By productizing parts of a service-heavy process, we can offer cost-effective solutions without compromising quality. Retaining a premium experience while increasing the bottom line is every brand’s dream.”
Platter promises significant cost savings. Traditionally, it says, building a world-class storefront cost over $100,000 and took more than 10 months, but with Platter, it can now be “completed in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost, while delivering high performance.” Platter charges a flat fee for brands, regardless of the revenue they generate. It serves over 150 ecommerce brands, including Neuro, Every Man Jack, and Ministry of Supply.
Commercial Real Estate
MacKenzie Companies
Advertising / Media / Communications / Public Relations
Nevins & Associates
Financial Services / Investment Firms
Chesapeake Corporate Advisors
Commercial Real Estate
Monday Properties
Venture Capital
Blue Delta Capital Partners
Internet / Technology
Foxtrot Media
New Platter+
“The direct-to-consumer industry is facing challenges as the economic environment shifts. The zero interest rate environment that fueled rapid growth in the last decade has given way to tighter funding and capital constraints,” said Derfus. “Brands that accessed venture funding are now seeing those sources dry up, while software vendors and agencies with high fees are facing increased resistance from brands focused on profitability.”
Platter’s newer optimization tools, dubbed Platter+, allows brands to easily add product upsells, cross-sells, and social proof at checkout and post-purchase pages, optimizing revenue from transactions.
“Ben Sharf and the Platter team have thoughtfully created a holistic product offering for ecommerce businesses that makes it simpler, easier, and more intuitive to manage your storefront and maximize profitability,” said Marshall Sandman, managing partner of Animal Capital.
