eziPOD’s smart laundry locker doubles as your courier delivery point and personal storage
Malaysia-based eziPOD has launched a campaign to working raise
US$300K in crowdfunding on pitchIN over the next two weeks
About four years ago, serial entrepreneur Venon Tian and angel
investor Tan Swee Yeong beta-launched an on-demand laundry
platform, called Laundryhero, in Malaysia.
However, they soon realised the unit economics didn’t make any
sense. Worse, the timing was wrong, too.
The duo then thought of introducing facilities in shopping malls
and public places that would allow users to drop off and pick up
their laundry. This led them to work on a smart pick-up point,
which eliminates human interaction and intervention.
“This is when we met the guys behind Box24, a multi-purpose
smart-locker system based in Thailand. We decided to collaborate
with them to launch a similar concept here in Malaysia. eziPOD is the end result,” Tian told
Tech News.
Launched in November 2017, eziPOD is a 24×7 laundry locker
service. In addition to dry cleaning and laundry services, the
startup also offers ironing service, wash & fold service, and
household items cleaning. The startup has partnered with a leading
laundry facility, which is currently catering to 5-star hotels, to
process laundry.
Prior to starting eziPOD, Yeong founded a mobile content
business UnrealMind Interactive, which was later sold to Monster
Mob UK. His notable investments as an angel investor include
Ocision (acquired by The Star), Hermo (acquired by iStyle Japan),
and DeliverEat. Tian, along with Yeong, co-founded Hermiso, which is now a venture
builder. The duo have also been running a chain of franchised coin
laundromats for five years now.
How eziPOD works
Download the eziPAY app (available only in Malaysia) on your
smartphone and sign up, scan the QR code on the smart locker with
the app, and then drop your laundry in the facility. You can pick
up the laundry from the locker later (after it is processed) by
paying online.
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“With your first order, we’ll provide you with our branded
bags. All you have to do is collect your clothes that you want
cleaned. We’ll handle the rest. If needed, you can have your
clean clothes ready in lesser than 48 hours,” Tian explained.
Currently, the eziPOD facility is available in 25 locations
(malls, condominiums and office towers) across Klang Valley. The
startup aims to achieve 200 lockers target in Klang Valley by 2021,
and hit 1,000-mark in the near future across Malaysia.
“We are also expanding in terms of the services we provide–
both first and last mile — allowing users to pick up their
parcels from our lockers and also send their parcels using our
lockers, turn these into storage lockers, and introduce
advertisements on our lockers itself,” he said.
According to Tian, Klang Valley itself has more than 1,000
traditional dry cleaners/laundry (this does not include coin
laundromats).
Since launch, claims the startup, eziPOD has processed more than
6,000 garments and more than 1,000 orders. Its month-on-month
revenue has increased around 25 per cent. “We have also signed up
two licensees over the past two months to help us grow our
presence. Two of our sites have experienced more than 50 per cent
utilisation on weekends in October,” said Tian.
eziPOD’s vision of building the largest locker network is
inspired by the works of countries like Japan and Singapore. Adds
Tian: “In Japan, logistic companies are installing lockers for
customers to pick up their parcels at their convenience, which
reduces the redelivery rate from 49 per cent to 8 per cent, whilst
in Singapore, the government sees that the locker network will
benefit the country by forming the federated locker network. This
has got to be something.”
eziPOD Co-founder Venon Tian
The company recently raised RM500,000 (US$120,000) via equity
crowdfunding platform pitchIN and
is now working towards reaching RM1.25 million (US$300,000)
maximum target over the next two weeks. The campaign is already
live and will end on 15 December 2018.
“It is exciting for us at eziPOD to raise the minimum target
of RM500,000 within few days of going live on pitchIN. After
working very hard to meet as many investors as possible, this is a
validation from the investors who believe in our business model.
The funds raised will help fuel our growth plans to be the largest
laundry and multipurpose smart locker in Malaysia,” said
Tian.
Tian says that with the rapid growth of e-commerce in Malaysia
and over one million parcels delivered daily, eziPOD is poised to
improve delivery time and reduce cost substantially for last-mile
fulfilment logistics, as consumers can pick up their parcels on
time from the lockers and avoid missed deliveries.
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