UK marketplace Onbuy set sights on £2bn following Series A funding

CEO Cas Paton says marketplace provides a platform for IT resellers

UK marketplace OnBuy is set to launch internationally this summer after securing £5m in Series A funding.

The firm bills itself as an alternative to Amazon, claiming to give more favourable terms to sellers than its competitors.

Onbuy CEO Cas Paton said the firm is now on course to hit £2bn in annual sales by 2024.

The marketplace was previously backed by Centerprise, before Paton took control via an MBO.

"The injection of this additional funding not only allows us to substantially grow the operational side of the business, but it gives the OnBuy team backing from phenomenal investors who can bring an array of eCommerce experience and expertise to the table, bolstering an already strong globalisation strategy," he said.

"We're gearing up for an enormous expansion into over 140 new countries, which will allow OnBuy to become the first global marketplace and further set ourselves apart from the competition."

Paton has previously told CRN that the majority of its sales are to consumers, but the firm has taken steps to encourage more IT resellers onto the platform - urging distributors to recommend the marketplace to their customers.

The Series A funding was raised by London-based VC firm Fuel Ventures.

Managing partner Mark Pearson said: "In recent years the VC world has largely turned its back on marketplaces. They are notoriously hard to build and even harder to grow, given that the market is dominated by some of the largest companies in the world.

"However, it's clear from seeing OnBuy's unique model, their achievements to date and the impressive year-on-year growth that they have found the right formula for long-term success."

Onbuy claims to have amassed over eight million partners since relaunching in 2016, with more than 25 million products listed.