ShopWindoz brings etsy-like site to UK

ShopWindoz is a new startup enabling independent design labels to build a business online with a few clicks. It’s an Etsy-esque site aimed at ‘micro-brands’ with niche design products. The site originally went live in November of last year in Germany but this week was launched in English, aiming at the UK market. Initially, products are mostly from Berlin based designers but the aim is to hook in UK designers who tend to face high costs and competition.

ShopWindoz is not the only new European site aiming at this long tail of niches, another is the recently launched Moli, a US-owned site with $30m in backing. Interestingly ShopWindoz founder Darryl Feldman is an Englishman in Berlin who was most recently head of Yahoo!’s product development efforts across Europe. The jury is out on whether the more ‘social shop’ based approach of ShopWindoz or the ‘social networking, plus a shop’ idea of Moli will prevail. Horses for courses, perhaps, but history shows that startups which are more focused tend to win out.