Pinduoduo-like platform in the Philippines bags $1m in seed round

Resellee, a social commerce platform based in the Philippines, announced that it has secured US$1 million in a seed round from MinTech Enterprises and Hofan Capital.

(From left) Chief commercial officer Jason Dela Rosa, director Glenn Quiro, CEO Carlos Miguel “Marc” Concio, chief operations officer Lorraine Anne C. Macapagal, chief technology officer Aaron Madolora, and chief financial officer Yacine Derradji / Photo credit: Resellee

The social commerce app allows Filipinos to buy from and sell to their network of friends on social media and is especially useful for those who are unemployed or underemployed and are seeking additional income during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the company also helps merchants, small and medium-sized businesses, and farmers sell their products online through resellers and buyers.

Products often on offer include fresh produce, prepaid load, fashion items, electronics, and grocery products, among others.

Chinese social commerce platform Pinduoduo became a major ecommerce player due to its group buying model and its focus on fruits and vegetables as well, noted Resellee founder and CEO Marc Concio.

See also: Explaining Pinduoduo, and whether the model can work in Southeast Asia

The company claims that it provides “the most affordable or lowest-priced” fruits and vegetables – and soon rice – as it sources directly from farmers through its partnerships with the Philippine government.

It also recently tied up with Mercato Centrale, the food and lifestyle market in Metro Manila, to support and train vendors in transitioning to online-based food services.

Moving forward, Resellee said it aims to connect with business owners to create an online business community, as well as enhance its marketing efforts and supply chain innovation to dominate the online agriculture market.

The fresh funds it’s raised will help the company grow its local operations and expand in Southeast Asia in 2021. It will further develop its product with new app features such as group buying, AI, and microfinancing, among others.