Reliving.nl, a Netherlands-based marketplace for secondhand furniture, has met nearly half of its €1.5 million ($1.6 million U.S.) funding target through crowdfunding, according to an announcement from the company.
Reliving raised a total of €684,500 ($734,126) from 469 investors on the platform OnePlanetCrowd. Prospective investors can still request to be added to a reserve list, according to the site.
Additional investment to take the company’s total funding up to €1.25 million is expected to come from professional investors, MTSprout reports.
Reliving said that “This funding round will consist of the participation of existing investors, informals and this crowdfunding. The funding will be used to expand the team in web development, marketing and customer service. In addition, it will be invested in the continuous improvement of the online platform for buyers and sellers.”
Founded by CEO Ananda van Doorn and COO Jody Klaassen in 2019, Reliving is a marketplace for used furniture and home accessories that is active in the Netherlands and Belgium.
While it does not charge listing fees, Reliving charges buyers 19% of the sale price as a commission, in addition to a €2 transaction fee per item, according to its website. This compares favorably with competitor Whoppah.com, which charges 12% of the sale price to individuals and 15% to businesses.
“The secondhand market is currently growing fast, at 35% per year. In this fast-growing market, Reliving has the ambition to break even in 2025 and to grow to a turnover of approximately €70 million in the Netherlands and Belgium in 2028, with a net profit margin of 10%,” according to the company.