OnBuy on track to hit three-month targets

New online marketplace, whose major backer is Centerprise, will be fully operational by early next year, founder pledges

Centerprise-backed online marketplace OnBuy is expecting to be fully up and running within three months.

The UK-based site launched officially on 1 November with bullish claims that it will soon become a credible rival to Amazon and eBay, but has many complex stages to complete before all aspects of the site are operational.

Established player Centerprise became a major backer of the company in May, with chief executive Garry Stevens predicting the site will become "part of the way people buy online".

Cas Paton, managing director of OnBuy, explained: “This is a very large undertaking. It will require several stages to be completed before the site is ‘launched’ in its entirety. Firstly, we have to comb through and integrate all the product data we have received.

"Then we’ll open the checkout and begin trading. After this point we’ll start to develop; bringing fourth all the new marketplace features. We’ve been working closely with every single seller to help them create the best possible product data for customers, and achieve a high level of SEO.”

OnBuy’s first aim is to hit the full integration of the traders that have already signed up to OnBuy – primarily traders that fall into the electronics and technology category – those trading consoles and games, and also those that have smartphones and tablets to offer.

Next, the firm is aiming to launch the checkout, to make the site available to the public.

Paton added: “Toys and games are a close second to the electronics and technology category, so we will probably see the most part of consumer interest in this area first.”

Once the checkout process is completed, OnBuy is planning to switch its attention to OnBuy Outlets, which will have their own community of brand sellers, and it is planning a TV advertising campaign to raise awareness next year.