Wrapp has now launched in the UK, allowing users to send and receive gift cards, download the Wrapp app, as well as send gift cards to users in the UK and Sweden. The app has seen a fairly decent amount of traction in Sweden, becoming visible to 1/3 of all Swedish Facebook users during their beta trail. The company has also received over $10 million in two investments from respected investors such as Atomico, Greylock Partners, and Creandum. From here, Wrapp tells us they are beefing up to target the U.S. market.
Wrapp has a fairly simple premise behind it. It allows you to send gift cards online to your friends on special occasions, such as their birthdays. The service not only allows you to buy giftcards, but you can also choose from the free giftcards available from well known retailers. When a gift card is sent to a person, they will receive a notification on Facebook, and if they have the Wrapp app installed on their iOS or Android device, they will also be able to show a barcode to be scanned by retailers to receive their discount.
Gift cards in the U.K. are now a £4.5 billion industry, which has grown 2 percent to 12 percent over the last nine years, and is expected to continue its upward trend into 2012 and beyond, according to the Bracknell-based UK Gift Card & Voucher Association.
“The interest we’ve been getting from retailers has been flattering.” Says Carl Fritjofsson, COO at Wrapp. “The most difficult part isn’t selling Wrapp [to retailers], but mobilizing the retailers and being sure they can process the gift cards.”
Wrapp has partnered with a few leading brands in the UK, including the following:
- ASOS – U.K.’s largest independent online fashion and beauty retailer
- Aurora Fashions – the group behind the respected women’s fashion brands Coast, Oasis and Warehouse; Karen Millen
- Caratime – the world’s premier online luxury jewels and watches e-shop
- Clas Ohlson – home improvement chain with stores in Sweden, Norway, Finland and the UK
- Fitness First – the world’s largest gym and health club group
- iSUBSCRiBE – magazine and newspaper subscription service featuring 2,000 titles
- Pizza Express – the nation’s favorite high street restaurant
- Rosetta Stone – the world’s #1 language-learning software
- Theater Tokens – a network of more than 240 venues nationwide.
On the launch, Fritjofsson tells us, “We’re very excited about the UK market and it’s an important step we will celebrate extensively at the Wrapp Office. But on of the major tasks that lies ahead is our US expansion of course.”
If you’re interested in more about Wrapp, listen to our interview with Fritjofsson.
