Erayo.com launches as global source for independent retailers

Erayo.com, a b2b global marketplace for retailers and merchandise suppliers, launched recently with more than 3,500 buyers and more than 110 designer-vendors of jewelry, home furnishings and children’s apparel and accessories, the company says.

“Erayo levels the playing field for smaller retailers, so they can compete with big retail chains while maintaining a unique sense of independence and individuality,” says CEO Raffi Topaz. Erayo’s product designers-vendors come from more than 55 countries, the company says.

Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, with a U.S. office in Wilmington, DE, Erayo was co-founded by Topaz, a former vice president of Gilat Satellite Networks; chief operating officer Yoni Zelinger, a former executive of communications technology provider Comverse Inc.; and Eli Campo, who is the executive vice president and general manager of the Israel market for live chat provider Liveperson Inc., and a former senior vice president of engineering and operations for eBay Inc.’s Shopping.com e-marketplace.

Erayo lets buyers and sellers negotiate prices online. Once the buyer completes an online checkout process, Erayo holds the payment until the buyer has received her order, then forwards the payment to the seller. Erayo computes international taxes and duties and charges sellers a commission on each transaction ranging from 15% to 25%. Sellers handle their own inventory and shipping. In a “My Erayo” section of Erayo.com available to each buyer and seller, Erayo users can track deliveries and payment status.

Erayo provides buyers with a “best price” guarantee that beats any lower prices buyers find in other markets. It also lets buyers and sellers post comments about each other regarding their reliability and the value of a seller’s products, and it provides sellers with statistics on product sales in their markets.

“One of the biggest challenges we have is finding new and unusual pieces that customers won’t find in any big department store,” says Laura Macris, co-owner of the Crush Boutique in Boston. “My business partner and I attend U.S. accessories trade shows a few times a year, but until Erayo, we didn’t have the manpower or resources to source internationally.”

Source by internetretailer.com