FriendsWith
About the Company
FriendsWith is a social commerce platform developed by Paige and Daniel during the COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand. It combines the engaging features of social media, such as photo sharing, with an e-commerce model that allows users to earn commissions for promoting fashion and lifestyle products. Unlike traditional online marketplaces, FriendsWith focuses on user-generated content to boost product visibility and drive sales. It syncs with major e-commerce platforms, giving vendors control over their inventory and fulfillment while offering a new sales channel.
The platform allows users to create profiles and promote products through personal posts. These posts can be linked to specific products, and if other users purchase through those links, the poster earns a commission. FriendsWith is designed to appeal to fashion-forward, creative users, and encourages them to share valuable content, such as styling tips or product reviews, to build trust with their audience. Vendors pay a commission of 10% to 14% per transaction, which includes all fees.
Idea Behind Company
The idea for FriendsWith originated during New Zealand’s first lockdown in 2020. Both Paige and Daniel were feeling unfulfilled in their careers and wanted to create something meaningful together. Their previous entrepreneurial experiences and desire to merge their skills led to the idea of FriendsWith, a platform that integrates social commerce with user-generated content and rewards. The concept emerged from their shared vision to build a business that could thrive in a digital, consumer-driven market.
Daniel, with a background in construction and self-taught coding skills, had previously worked on an app that never launched. This experience proved crucial for developing FriendsWith. Paige’s expertise in retail, sales, and creativity helped shape the branding, design, and marketing aspects of the company. The couple believed that the evolving nature of online shopping and the rise of social commerce offered the perfect opportunity for their platform to thrive.
Creating the Company
Developing FriendsWith was an intense process that started with wireframing the app on paper during lockdown. Paige and Daniel spent countless hours refining the concept, working with a mentor, and seeking feedback from friends and family. Dan, who handled the coding, worked tirelessly to ensure the app’s functionality was seamless and user-friendly. As they developed the platform, new ideas frequently surfaced, often during late-night brainstorming sessions.
They were committed to building a platform that not only worked well but also looked appealing, opting for a clean, minimalistic design that allowed the user-generated content to shine. With an initial budget of NZD 20,000, they soon realized the complexities of app development and went significantly over budget, but they felt the investment was worth it. FriendsWith became a labor of love, driven by their passion for creating something unique in the social commerce space.
Launching the Business
FriendsWith officially launched in August 2020 after months of hard work. The launch was initially planned to be a large event with vendors and family, but due to COVID restrictions, they opted for a smaller, at-home gathering. Despite the low-key launch, FriendsWith reached the top 50 apps on the New Zealand App Store on its first day, a significant achievement for the duo. They had self-funded the entire venture, sacrificing their home deposit to get the platform off the ground.
Since launching, FriendsWith has steadily grown, although gaining users has been a gradual process. The platform currently has a perfect 5.0 rating on the App Store and has been well-received by its user base. Paige and Daniel have learned that launching a business is only the beginning; once the app was live, their focus shifted to maintaining and improving the user experience, marketing, and scaling the platform.
Earnings
FriendsWith generates around $14.5K per month, and Paige and Daniel expect to bring in $200,000 in revenue for the next financial year. Their platform has attracted a growing number of users and vendors, and they continue to explore new ways to expand their reach. One of their key strategies has been leveraging TikTok, where they have gained significant traction with organic content, reaching over 16,000 followers in a short period.
Their main revenue streams come from vendor commissions and affiliate marketing. The company has also partnered with SEO specialists to improve their organic traffic and continues to explore ways to streamline the customer journey. Paige and Daniel are focused on growing their user base and enhancing the platform’s features, with plans to expand the business into physical retail by offering kiosk setups for brick-and-mortar stores.
