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Don’t invest unless you're prepared to lose money. This is a high-risk investment.
You may not be able to access your money easily and are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.
Take 2 mins to learn more.
Introducing "Pitch Me in 60 Seconds" – the ultimate series for the busy investor. Each episode is a quick, engaging snapshot that puts a face to the brands you're considering for your portfolio.
Click the video above to watch our latest episode, where we have an insightful conversation with Enda Gerard McShane, Director of Velocity Worldwide Retail. This leading retail marketing and technology agency collaborates with major retail destinations, driving innovation and growth. Get the inside scoop, fast. Read the full interview below.
CROWD2FUND: Enda, can you tell us about the problem your business is solving in the retail sector?
Enda McShane: Absolutely. The core issue we're addressing is personalisation. When shoppers arrive at a retail destination, there's often no system in place to recognise who they are. Online, you create a profile and enter your details before shopping. In contrast, you can walk into any store or shopping centre, make a purchase, and remain completely anonymous to the retailer.
CROWD2FUND: How does your platform address this issue?
Enda McShane: We've developed a technology platform called Darius, a real-time customer engagement system. It allows us to build a profile of a shopper who opts in. Once we have this profile, we can personalise the shopping experience both online and offline. The journey might start with online marketing and continue at a physical location, where Darius integrates with Wi-Fi, digital signage, point of sale, AI cameras, and even ANPR in car parks to detect when a customer is on site. This way, we can deliver targeted content and offers in real time.
CROWD2FUND: That sounds innovative. Can you tell us more about Darius and its capabilities?
Enda McShane: Darius is a mature platform we've implemented in numerous shopping centres and retailers. We faced challenges when infrastructure wasn't up to par, so we developed a lighter version called Shopper Perks, the UK's first chameleon app. Shopper Perks adapts its branding and content based on geofencing. When a shopper enters a location like Bluewater, the app changes to display relevant content and offers for that location. This ensures a seamless and personalised experience across multiple locations.
CROWD2FUND: How do you plan to scale this solution?
Enda McShane: We aim to roll out Shopper Perks across the UK. After successful tests, we're launching a major pilot with a regional visitor board in Southern England. The app provides a single application that changes content based on location, offering personalised information and deals. Additionally, we emphasise environmental responsibility, allowing users to offset their carbon footprint by planting trees or reducing plastic waste through the app.
CROWD2FUND: That's impressive. How does your business generate revenue?
Enda McShane: We have multiple revenue streams. Darius operates on a licensing model with three-year contracts for shopping centres, alongside a managed service where our team runs the software for clients. Shopper Perks, targeting town centres and business improvement districts, involves a small license fee from the customer and an annual fee from merchants. Though the fee might seem modest, the potential volume of merchants can generate significant revenue.
CROWD2FUND: Why should investors trust your business with their money?
Enda McShane: We've been in business for 24 years, with a strong track record of innovation and a solid ethical foundation. Our revenue model is robust, featuring recurring income from long-term contracts. This provides a stable financial base, which is attractive to investors. Additionally, our diversified revenue from our agency business and one-off events adds to our financial strength.
CROWD2FUND: Thank you, Enda. That was very informative.
Enda McShane: Thank you. It was great speaking with you. Take care.
We hope you found this glimpse into Velocity Worldwide Retail insightful and enjoyable. What questions would you like to ask entrepreneurs? Email us your suggestions: info@crowd2fund.com.
And don't miss out on the opportunity to invest in Enda. Click here to invest today.
Capital at Risk. Tax Treatment may vary.
Related Posts
Investor’s Guide to Buying on the Secondary Market
Posted:
1st December 2023
The game changer for investors that allows you to diversify your portfolio or exit investments early...
Past performance and forecasts are not reliable indicators of future results.
Your capital invested is not covered for compensation in the event of a loss by the FSCS.
Tax treatment will depend on the individual circumstances and may be subject to change. Please see our Risk section before making an investment decision.
Risk summary for P2P agreements or P2P portfolios
Estimated reading time: 2 min
Due to potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this
investment to be high risk.
What are the key risks?
You could lose the money you invest
Many peer-to-peer (P2P) loans are made to borrowers who can't borrow money from traditional
lenders such as banks. These borrowers have a higher risk of not paying you back.
Advertised rates of return aren't guaranteed. If a borrower doesn't pay you back as agreed, you
could earn less money than expected. A higher advertised rate of return means a higher risk of
losing your money.
These investments can be held in an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA). An IFISA does not reduce
the risk of the investment or protect you from losses, so you can still lose all your money. It
only means that any potential gains from your investment will be tax free.
You are unlikely to get your money back quickly
Some P2P loans last for several years. You should be prepared to wait for your money to be
returned even if the borrower repays on time.
Some platforms may give you the opportunity to sell your investment early through a 'secondary
market', but there is no guarantee you will be able to find someone willing to buy.
Even if your agreement is advertised as affording early access to your money, you will only get
your money early if someone else wants to buy your loan(s). If no one wants to buy, it could take
longer to get your money back.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Putting all your money into a single business or type of investment for example, is risky.
Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do
well.
A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk-investments.
The P2P platform could fail
If the platform fails, it may be impossible for you to collect money on your loan. It could
take years to get your money back, or you may not get it back at all. Even if the platform has
plans in place to prevent this, they may not work in a disorderly failure.
You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), in relation to claims against failed
regulated firms, does not cover investments in P2P loans. You may be able to claim if you
received regulated advice to invest in P2P, and the adviser has since failed. Try the FSCS
investment protection checker here.
Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance.
If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated platform, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn
more about FOS protection here.
If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA's website here.
For further information about peer-to-peer lending (loan-based crowdfunding), visit the FCA's website here.
