Today we speak to Mike Hart from Rackhams marketplace to discover why you should be selling on this channel. Mike told us that Rackhams are an ‘online department store’ and as such open to brands and retailers from a wide range of verticals and how to get started!
Tell us about Rackhams as a business
Rackhams is not just another marketplace; we are defining a new standard for the online customer journey. Our core focus is to deliver an unparalleled, frictionless experience from initial engagement to post-purchase satisfaction. We believe that true distinction lies in the details, which is why we emphasise exceptional customer service with a personal touch – a critical differentiator in today’s digital landscape.
Our rigorous vetting process for every seller underscores our commitment to value and service excellence, fostering trust and encouraging repeat business. We understand that security in online transactions is paramount, and our emphasis on high standards directly addresses this need.
As an online marketplace, we serve a broad demographic, offering a meticulously curated selection of products that spans from established brands to unique artisan creations. This thoughtful approach ensures a dynamic mix of desirable products and facilitates discovery, whether for gifting or addressing specific needs.
Since our soft launch in November 2024, Rackhams has achieved substantial growth, now boasting over 100,000 products and 500 active partners. We are immensely optimistic about our trajectory as we continue to scale and innovate.
How does Rackhams operate as a marketplace
Our strategic intent for Rackhams was to build a marketplace that transcends the typical, often disjointed, online experience. We aimed to deliver exceptional value, extensive choice, and a seamless shopping journey by proactively addressing common pitfalls. This includes preventing miscategorised products, ensuring high-quality content, maintaining competitive pricing, and crucially, providing robust post-purchase customer support – areas where many other marketplaces fall short.
Our commitment to this ambition drives our involvement at every stage of the process. We meticulously vet all potential partners, inviting only those who meet our stringent standards. Our dedicated product team manually approves every listing, ensuring accuracy and optimal presentation. Furthermore, we provide personalised customer service, offering direct contacts to facilitate a smooth experience, even for returns or replacements, rather than delegating these critical interactions to sellers directly.
We view our sellers as integral partners, and our operational philosophy extends to empowering their success. We’ve developed the most efficient onboarding process in the industry, enabling instant integration for sellers using popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento. This seamless connectivity allows for effortless product import and real-time inventory and pricing management, minimising manual intervention. Our dedicated onboarding team further assists with product mapping and publishing, ensuring that joining Rackhams is a strategic investment of time, not a drain on resources for multi-channel partners.
A cornerstone of our partner relationships is our fair and transparent terms. We are committed to fostering a community where sellers can thrive, reach new customers, and enhance their businesses without compromise. By offering competitive commission rates and foregoing membership or listing fees, we cultivate a sustainable, mutually beneficial growth model. Our platform’s versatility, continuously expanding connection methods to platforms like Linnworks and Marketplacer, further enhances our appeal to partners seeking operational flexibility.
You’ve recently onboarded Hanaco as a new marketplace seller – what do they bring to Rackhams?
Our partnerships are built on shared values and a strong track record, and Hanaco is a prime example of this synergy. With over four decades of excellence in home electronics and a distribution network encompassing industry titans like Smeg, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and LG, Hanaco brings exceptional choice and value to our customers in highly sought-after categories.
Unlike many marketplaces that prioritise sheer volume, our strategy is to cultivate deeper relationships with fewer, highly reputable sellers who can truly own specific brands or categories. This approach builds trust, ensures the consistent delivery of exceptional products and customer service, and fosters robust, long-term relationships that benefit both our partners and our loyal customer base.
How will you market products from your partners when they onboard?
Our marketing strategy is laser-focused on driving high-converting traffic through robust paid advertisement campaigns. By consistently delivering outstanding customer service and expanding our curated product offering through trusted sellers, we cultivate a strong foundation for repeat business. Our increasing repeat customer rate, especially during key gifting periods, is a testament to this approach.
We also leverage a growing network of affiliate partners to broaden our reach and amplify our product and promotional offers. As we continue to enhance our website features and fine-tune our gifting tools, we anticipate a more expansive public launch. This will involve a targeted, impactful campaign designed to disrupt mainstream media and significantly elevate brand awareness.
What type of brands should be interested in selling on Rackhams?
At Rackhams, we seek partners who fundamentally share our unwavering commitment to the end customer. Our ecosystem is diverse, ranging from small businesses crafting exceptional handmade goods to multinational corporations with extensive supply chains. Whether you are a brand or a reseller, as long as you align with our values and offer products that resonate with our customer base, our “online department store” approach allows us to accommodate virtually any product category imaginable. We’re looking for partners who are ready to grow with us and elevate the online shopping experience.
How do they get in touch to kickstart selling on Rackhams?
To begin the journey of selling on Rackhams, prospective partners can simply complete our online “Sell With Us” form available at https://rackhams.com/sell-with-us. Once submitted, a dedicated member of our team will promptly reach out to discuss the subsequent steps.
We prioritise a collaborative approach from the outset. We frequently host preliminary calls designed to foster a mutual understanding: we learn more about your business, and you gain deeper insight into our operational philosophy and strategic vision. Our goal is to forge a strong, mutually beneficial partnership from day one, ensuring an onboarding experience that aligns with both parties’ objectives.
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