Dealt turns retailers into service providers and proves that returns sometimes work

Dealt, the French startup formerly known as Mon Super Voisin, raised a funding round of €6 million ($6.5 million at today’s exchange rates) a few months ago.

More importantly, the startup has undergone an vital turnaround. This round of financing proves that this strategy was the right one. This is an captivating lesson for early-stage founders who are thinking about changing their company but aren’t ready for it yet.

As the name suggests for our French-speaking readers, Mon Super Voisin was a typical marketplace for homework freelancers. You can employ the platform to find a “neighbor” who will hang your TV on the wall, lend a hand you assemble furniture or organize a thorough cleaning of your house.

The company realized that some of them were one-off tasks that did not attract repeat customers. Even if customers find a gardener or cleaner through the platform, they often bypass the platform altogether and pay the person directly.

At the same time, many of these tasks can be considered after-sales services. When purchasing a washing machine, you may need lend a hand moving it to the appropriate room and setting it up.

“After analyzing our business, we realized that over two-thirds of our users’ requests at Mon Super Voisin were actually for retail customers who needed lend a hand after making a purchase,” Dealt co-founder and CEO Mickael Braconnier told TechCrunch.

This is why Considered is currently building a service platform for retailers rather than end customers. The company started cooperation with Mr. Bricolage, a popular seller of construction products in France. Dealt operates a white-label platform for Mr. Bricolage so that he can offer services to his clients.

“We helped them develop their home delivery and assembly offering. We have developed our offer around the installation of products including: lighting fixtures, curtain rods, faucets, toilets, shower cabins, etc. Braconnier said.

Before working with Dealt, some Mr. stores Bricolage had business cards of nearby artisans and simply shared them with the customer. However, there was no way to know the price in advance, the store would not get any discount on the transaction, and customers sometimes went to another store that offered the appropriate assembly service.

This fresh Dealt distribution strategy is more effective because the company now operates as a software-as-a-service startup and everyone’s interests are aligned. After an initial installation fee, Dealt customers pay a monthly subscription fee to access the platform. The subscription fee depends on the number of stores using Dealt’s tools and marketplace.

Retailers like Mr. Bricolage will then be able to provide services and generate fresh lines of revenue by lowering the price of each transaction. As for service providers, this is another marketplace that can lend a hand them find customers.

For example, Jardiland, Truffaut and Botanic collaborate with Dealt to offer gardening services. Some gardeners may already have their own customer base, but it can be a little tranquil in the winter. Partnering with Dealt could be a way to supplement their revenue.

Other Dealt clients include Fnac-Darty, Orange, E.Leclerc, Conforama, Boulanger, 3Suisses and Rue du Commerce. Some of these retailers partner with Dealt to provide services that are not necessarily related to the fresh purchase. Customers may want to repair something, transfer data from an ancient smartphone to a fresh one, or resell ancient devices.

La Poste Ventures (powered by XAnge) is leading a €6 million funding round. GO Capital, One Green, Holnest, Neo Founders and a group of business angels also participate in it.

Dealt currently works with 10,000 service providers, 500 retail stores and 40 e-commerce clients. The startup plans to expand to other European countries next year, starting with Belgium, Switzerland and Spain.