New Toronto-based Web startup ShopLocket is launching an open beta of its product today that is designed to allow anyone to sell an item online with just a few minutes of setup and a PayPal account.
After doing a soft launch earlier this month, the firm says it has signed up more than 1,200 users. The service allows customers to create a product page and embed it in any Web site, Facebook page, or blog post to take orders. ShopLocket also has an app in the Google Chrome store.
Co-founder and CEO Katherine Hague was inspired when she wanted to sell T-shirts she’d designed online, but couldn’t find a service that did the job. She considered Shopify, but didn’t want a full online store or the $29 per month bill. Shopify offers several payment plans, with $29 being the entry-level basic plan.
An example of setting up a product page on ShopLocket.
Hague previously worked as a Shopify theme developer, and ShopLocket emphasizes their design strengths in press materials for launch. Users are able to work with templates to create their product pages, guided by a wizard tool.
Product pages prominently feature pictures of the item for sale, the price of the item, a buy button, the seller’s profile information, and a short product description.
Customers of ShopLocket pay a $2 listing fee once they sell their first item, and a transaction fee of 2.5 per cent after that. The product is free to use until a sale is made.
The firm will be competing against e-commerce giants such as eBay. The site known for online auctions has offered fix-priced sales for years using its “Buy It Now” option. Products can be listed in multiple quantities, and an insertion fee is charged to the seller based on the product’s price.
