Combining the convenience of online purchases with the convenience of classic shops. Plus the speed of same-day deliveries and attention to environmental sustainability. Wora is the startup that aims to revolutionize the world of shopping, exploiting the concept of omnichannel to the nth degree, to improve customer service. Born in Milan, at the end of 2020, from two former bocconcini, Gaetano Sanfilippo, 35 years old, and Jacopo Mazzola, 36 years old, it is already present in eight Italian cities (Milan, Rome, Turin, Bologna, Florence, Verona, Monza and Cagliari) and plans to reach ten soon, including Naples, Bergamo and Brescia. To which must also be added the new opening in Paris last month.
How does it work
The customer who makes a purchase on the website of a normal chain store sees the Wora electric van arrive at his home with his bags already the same day. The startup’s delivery drivers, in fact, collect the order in the store and not from the warehouses, as often happens when shopping online. After that, they contact the customer via WhatsApp to arrange the delivery appointment. But there’s more. If the customer physically goes to the store and does not find what he wanted to buy, the store clerk, via the Wora platform, can request the product from other stores in the same chain and, if present, have it delivered directly to his home with the van.
The service is currently used by some big brands such as Zara, Nespresso, Decathlon, Victoria’s Secret, Foot Locker and Rinascente. More than 150 thousand deliveries have already been made, for a turnover which, at the end of the year, should reach 600 thousand euros. “The delivery of a product has now become an integral part of the purchasing process – explain the founders – and for brands the method with which delivery is carried out today represents a strategic element. Customers who are using us have increased the number of successful first-time deliveries by 7%.
The algorithm
The secret lies in the algorithm, developed by the two startuppers, which allows the routes to be optimized, preventing the vans from traveling empty and reducing consequently also the environmental impact. The technological platform they have developed integrates with the main e-commerce sites and in addition to being able to manage the delivery appointment, it provides WhatsApp notifications, tracking and customer assistance in real time. Gaetano and Jacopo founded Wora at the end of two complementary professional paths in the world of logistics and retail.
The challenge now is to continue to grow, also looking to Europe. After the injection of 600 thousand euros of capital, closed in January, with a round in which Italian Angels for Growth also participated, the startup recently opened in Paris and is looking with interest to other European capitals. To finance the expansion it is aiming for a new 3 million tranche, involving institutional investors. “After having verified the effectiveness of the model in Italy, we also aim to grow internationally – conclude the founders -. The arrival in France and the technological innovations introduced are part of this strategy, with the aim of replicating the success achieved in these first three years of activity and offering the technology that we develop entirely in house to other operators operating in the same sector”.