In today’s top retail news, TryNow has raised $12 million in a Series A funding round, while Chipotle Mexican Grill plans to keep its growth going in Canada. Plus, a last-mile frenzy has merchants and eateries competing for delivery partners.
eCommerce Startup TryNow Notches $12 Million In Series A
TryNow landed $12 million in a Series A funding round from Third Kind, Shine Capital, Craft Ventures, SciFi VC and Plaid Co-Founders William Hockey and Zachary Perret. Shopify Plus brands like Western Rise, Universal Standard, Solid & Striped and Roolee use TryNow for “Try Now Buy Later” services. TryNow also announced it has brought two new executives on board.
Chipotle To Grow Footprint In Canada With New Locations
Chipotle Mexican Grill intends to maintain its growth in Canada with new stores poised to open in the nation in 2021. The quick-service restaurant (QSR) company plans to open a new location in Surrey, British Columbia, on March 30, while it intends to debut its inaugural Chipotlane in Canada at a new store opening in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, during the summer.
Final-Mile Frenzy Has Retailers, Restaurants Vying For Same Delivery Providers
At the time that DoorDash announced it was collaborating with two partners to deliver COVID-19 test kits to the residences of consumers, it showed the newest example of a delivery service evolving from its food-based roots. However, it also showed the increasing strain that is developing inside of the delivery industry as seemingly each company and product is providing same-day — or quicker — delivery to garner business, while outsourcing the last-mile details.
Online Home-Building Startup Pushes D2C Limit For Big-Ticket Items
An upstart looking to expediently and simply put migrating millennials into new residences has garnered a 1,400-person waiting list of clients seeking to partake in the first completely digital building, customization and buying experience. With very high consumer demand for new construction homes and not much supply available in the Greater New York City region, the concept of making a million-dollar purchase online is not as crazy as it appears, according to Welcome Homes Co-Founder and CEO Alec Hartman.