Tech-driven B2B retail platform allows indie retailers to reclaim high street: Ankorstore

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Tech-driven B2B retail platform allows indie retailers to reclaim high street: Ankorstore.

The 3rd edition of Lift Days (20th-27th of September) at Ankorstore, an exceptional week for retailers to stock their shelves and prepare for the holiday season, was reportedly a majorsuccess and confirmed a leading position of Ankorstore in Europe and the UK.

Nicolas D’Audiffret, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Ankorstore, comments: “The charm of our towns and villages in Europe and the UK lies in the millions of independent retailers. To keep small businesses at the heart of our cities, Ankorstore has created an ecosystem that allows shops and independent brands to grow on a global scale. Special events like our Lift Days demonstrate the commitment of our brands and stores in Europe and the UK. Orders increased 4.5x between Lift Days 2 and 3: an order was placed every 20 seconds this Lift Days whereas it was every 90 seconds in the 2nd edition. In terms of transactions it is even 2,5 times higher compared to the previous edition, which makes this event a great success.”

Ankorstore: a European success story

Founded in 2019, Ankorstore is present in more than 23 countries across Europe and the UK and has local offices in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Ankorstore is many things: A marketplace to find inventory, a collection of business and sales tools, an ever growing selection of curated brands, and a thriving community which benefits retailers and brands equally. Ankorstore is a partner to more than 100,000 retailers, boutiques, florists, coffee-shops and other concept-stores across Europe and the UK – seeking authentic products and brands that e-commerce giants do not offer. The Ankorstore marketplace offers a product catalogue of over 9,000 European and British brands to retailers who want to offer their customers a differentiated shopping experience and new products.

“Our pace of growth shows that independent brands and retailers want to change the way independent retail does business. Independent stores need financial support and flexible tools to quickly scale up their offering. Ankorstore supports retailers to help them tightly control their cash flow, be more responsive and optimise their inventory management,” says Nicolas Cohen, Co-founder and Co-CEO Ankorstore.

This commercial dynamism is explained by the tools put in place by Ankorstore to support retailers and independent brands.

• 60-day payment terms that facilitate the renewal of stocks when stores reopen at favorable conditions.
• Minimised risk for retailers with a minimum first order of £100 per brand, unlike the minimums usually imposed in a commercial relationship outside the platform.
• Simplification of ordering with the possibility of placing only one grouped order with several brands.

Ankorstore was founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. “What drives me as an entrepreneur is to have an impact on people's lives. It is important for me to do something meaningful for everyone to understand. I am super excited to bring technology to a very old industry that people love: independent retail. We tend to see technology as something disruptive that destroys value. At Ankorstore, we demonstrate that technology is used to preserve what matters for people,” explains Nicoals Cohen, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Ankorstore.