If you’re looking for cool deals, or if you want to share a deal that you’ve found with other people – and earn money for your effort – then you’ll want to check out this Bristol-based startup, Pedlar.
The Pedlar website enables real people like you and me to share the joy of getting a good deal with others. You simply post a deal that you have found online and earn money if someone buys the deal – it really is that easy. Being a relatively new company, the community is just getting going, but we suspect it’ll grow fast; after all, everyone loves a bargain!
Pedlar is the brainchild of Tom Kelsey: we caught up with him to find out more about the inspiration for Pedlar, how he came to set it up and his journey so far.
TechSPARK: What is Pedlar?
Tom Kelsey: Pedlar is a community for sharing great-value products and services. Everything featured on Pedlar has been found, shared and rated by real people. We don’t share anything ourselves nor do we allow companies to share their own products. By taking this approach we cut out all the marketing guff and help people quickly find genuine deals on the products they want.
“We cut out all the marketing guff and help people quickly find genuine deals on the products they want”
Pedlar takes a unique approach in rewarding people for taking the time to share and recommend a product. Whenever someone buys a deal you’ve shared on Pedlar, you earn a commission.
Let’s say you spot Tesco selling iPads with £50 off. Stick the deal up on Pedlar and you’ll earn money every time someone buys your deal. If it’s a proper bobby-dazzler you could make back the cost of the iPad and then some.
TS: How did you come up with the idea?
TK: I used a similar website that relied on people to find and share deals quite a lot whilst at University. I saw real value in the ‘crowd-sourced’ approach to finding a bargain, but always felt it was a little unfair: The users did all the hard work hunting down, sharing and rating deals, but it was only the website that profited.
“I felt there was space for a different, fairer, approach and that’s when the idea for Pedlar was born”
I felt there was space for a different, fairer, approach and that’s when the idea for Pedlar was born.
I took a scenic route to Pedlar. I have a bit of a geeky background. I studied computer science at Bristol University and paid my way through with a bit of freelance web development.
I then took a detour where I converted, trained and qualified as a solicitor in Bristol-based law firm Osborne Clarke. Whilst a little varied, my past academic and working experiences have been a great help in getting Pedlar up and running.
TS: What have been your biggest successes so far?
TK: I’m most proud of the thriving community we’ve grown on Pedlar. They’re thankfully not only passionate about helping each other, but also are closely involved in the growth and direction of Pedlar going forward. Having such a vocal community is a huge help in creating something that’s not only useful, but (hopefully) fun to use!
Pedlar app: Now you can let others know about
great bargains when you are on the move
TS: You’ve been involved with the business accelerator Entrepreneurial Spark, how has that helped you?
TK: There are a bunch of benefits to being involved in Natwest’s Entrepreneurial Spark programme – from the mentoring, to the free office space and the sessions that cover business basics and beyond. But I think, for me at least, the biggest benefit has been being surrounded by other entrepreneurs. Being able to bounce ideas off people, get their feedback or listen to their stories has saved me from bad decisions and wasted time on countless occasions.
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[You can watch Tom’s pitch to eSpark here:]
TK: It’s really simple and completely free! You can check out our website or download our app. Whether you’re on the lookout for a bargain or fancy earning some extra cash, come give us a try.
If the idea of sharing a deal is still a little confusing, checkout this video on sharing a deal in less than 60 seconds. Please excuse my voiceover – at best it’s a bad and extremely nasal David Attenborough!
TK: The beauty of a tech startup like Pedlar is that it could, I guess, be created anywhere with an internet connection. That said, there are definitely benefits to being based in Bristol, the main one I think is the thriving eco-system. There’s obviously TechSpark and Entrepreneurial Spark, then there’s the Engine Shed that is home to the Webstart Incubator. Not to mention a bunch of active meetup groups.
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TS: Are there any other tech companies, people or meetup groups you admire in the region?
TK: There’s no way to say this without sounding like a suck-up, but TechSPARK and the team behind it are obviously a huge asset to tech companies in the South West. [Yeah, we’re the best! Ed]
Outside of Pedlar I work for a fantastic Bath-based startup, Memberoo, who are bringing digital loyalty to the masses. I’m obviously a little biased, but if you’re a retailer it’s worth checking them out. And if you’re a bit of a geek it’s definitely worth turning up to one of the meetups like Bristol JS.
Thanks to Tom for taking the time to answer these questions. You can get started on your bargain-hunting quest by visiting the Pedlar website and signing up for free. Or you can follow them on Twitter here: PedlarCo
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