The growth of e-commerce and its impact on the delivery industry is indisputable. In the face of COVID-19, and now shifting consumer behaviour, online retailers and couriers worldwide have had to adjust to rapidly evolving times. Although this offers an excellent opportunity for retailers, it also indicates that problems in the e-commerce experience will be greatly increased, which could drive down sales.
$40 million Series C
Headquartered in Manchester, Sorted wants to help retailers fix these issues and wants to become a global delivery pioneer. The company has just announced closing a $40 million Series C funding round.
The financing round was led by Arete Capital Partners and Chrysalis Investments Limited, and with this, the UK-based delivery software startup will spread its wings to the US market. Meanwhile, it will continue to serve the SMB market.
In March 2021, Sorted picked up a $15 million investment from the same investor – Chrysalis Investments. And with the latest investment, the overall funding raised by Sorted accounts for almost $98 million.
Acquisition of Clicksit
Besides the financing round, Sorted has also acquired an automated returns company from London – Clicksit. While the acquisition amount has not been disclosed, but the deal will let all retailers from large enterprises to SMBs access the next-gen post-purchase experiences.
Thomas Hill, CEO at Clicksit, adds: “Sorted’s acquisition of Clicksit has come at a pivotal moment for the retail industry. Customers are now expecting – and demanding – faultless delivery and returns experiences as standard, regardless of whether they order from a large multinational brand or a small business. Sorted’s acquisition of Clicksit will empower retailers and brands to provide industry-leading customer experiences at a time when the trading environment is more competitive than ever.”
Shaz Sulaman, Founder at Solid Bond Capital, and Chairman and main investor in Clicksit, commented: “News of the investment and the partnership between Sorted and Clicksit is a great fit for both businesses, and I am proud of Thomas’ journey so far. As new shareholders in Sorted Group, we very much look forward to seeing Carmen and the team grow the business and serve the new growing global customer base.”
With Clicksit, Sorted aims to transform into an all-in-one, unique Delivery Experience Platform. It will bridge the gap that exists between post-purchase and return in an e-commerce platform. Furthermore, this acquisition will also help Sorted establish its presence in the global markets, especially with Clicksit’s growing number of returns management customers in the US.
Fixing broken delivery
Founded by David Grimes in 2010, Sorted has worked with enterprises including Asda, ASOS, Farfetch and Lush. It will take the same to the SMBs for the first time. Its delivery experience platform resolves issues such as broken customer promises, poor delivery choices, and disjointed post-purchase communication. Apparently, it will increase customer happiness, support retail growth and drive loyalty.
Since the debut of this scaleup, Grimes has driven its delivery experience vision. As a retail expert with connections with some of the largest global retailers, he is involved in transforming the delivery experience for the industry and driving innovation.
Growth amidst pandemic
During the pandemic in 2020, Sorted witnessed a drastic growth of nearly 100% in shipment volume compared to that of 2019. The company grew its portfolio of global retail brands by over 50%.
In January this year, the delivery experience platform witnessed a 243% growth via its SaaS platform compared to the same period last year. With the adoption of agile technology, Sorted has helped some major global e-commerce brands change their operations as per the transforming retail landscape.
It has grown dramatically and competes against similar delivery companies such as Consignor, ParcelHero, Scurri, LogiNext Mile and ShipStation.
Recently, Carmen Carey was appointed as the CEO of Sorted. She has over two decades of tech expertise and has served executive roles at ControlCircle, MessageLabs and BroadVision.
Carmen Carey, CEO at Sorted, commented: “Our acquisition of Clicksit marks an important milestone in the company’s rapid expansion journey. Returns is, now more than ever, a crucial step in the ecommerce customer journey, and we are excited to power returns innovation as part of our full Delivery Experience Platform.”
Besides Carmen, the company had a slew of appointees during the pandemic in 2020. Some notable key hires include Chief Technology Officer – Tim Cox, Marketing Director – Dan Greenall, Finance Director – David Latham, Head of Sales Operations – Oyin Bamgbose, and Head of Solutions Architecture – Shaun Kelly.
