Although not yet live, German Diapers.com clone Windeln.de is reportedly about to launch with several million euros in the bank. Semi-publicly operated Hightech Gründerfonds and VC firm DN Capital (Shazam, Mister Spex) have invested a 7 figure sum in the startup. What’s more, Windeln.de has former Holtzbrinck Ventures Managing Director Konstantin Urban as part of its founding team.
As you can imagine the site lets you order anything baby-related online. Targeted towards web-savvy mothers and their spouses, the model clearly works in the U.S. According to Diapers.com CEO Marc Lore, the company sold “half a billion diapers this year”.
Obviously, baby-related goods can also be purchased from the likes of Amazon but, if done right, there is still room for vertical e-commerce sites that target a particular niche. Diapers.com also has plenty of cash in the bank, having recently raised $20m from Pinnacle Ventures.
Having the top-notch top level domain (“windeln.de” literally translates to diapers.com), an ex-Holtzbrinck VC on board and a simple and proven business model, Windeln.de should work out well. The online store will eventually carry around 80 brands and promises Europe-wide shipping entirely free of charge. Yes, it’s attempting to be a pan-European offering off the bat. Perhaps a prerequisite nowadays when competing with e-commerce giant Amazon.
