Louis Giraud – Founder & CEO @WYZauto
Last week, WYZauto, a Thai online tyre marketplace for vehicle maintenance businesses, announced a pre-Series A investment of US$2.25 million from Vynn Capital (lead), Vincent Lee (an early investor in Carsome), Oak Drive Ventures, and Kaya Founders. The company, which is three years old, plans to use the funds to expand its team and venture into other vehicle parts.
In this interview, Louis Giraud, Founder & CEO of WYZauto, discusses the business, marketing, USP, and more.
Edited excerpts:
How does WYZauto plan to utilize the US$2.25 million raised in the pre-Series A funding round led by Vynn Capital?
Team building is the priority. We have made significant progress since our inception and now aim to strengthen our team with talented individuals to expand into new markets, product categories, and customer segments.
Can you elaborate on how WYZauto connects vehicle maintenance businesses with top tyre brands and wholesalers?
WYZauto integrates the stock, delivery options, and operational processes of tyre professionals into its platform. With close to 100 wholesalers, over 200,000 tyres in stock, and more than 70 different brands available in both countries, WYZauto offers nationwide delivery.
Also Read: WYZauto nets US$2.25M to connect vehicle maintenance businesses with tyre brands in Thailand
What strategies does WYZauto employ to attract vehicle service centers to use its platform, and what benefits do these centers gain from using the WYZauto app?
Attracting sellers and service centers is a gradual process. We work on convincing sellers to join us to provide the best offers for service centers. Additionally, we visit service centers to present our solution and encourage them to join. We provide a unique source of information on the products they require daily, making it beneficial for them to use our platform.
How does WYZauto differentiate itself from competitors in the market, particularly in terms of its value proposition and offerings?
WYZauto stands out as there are few platforms like us in this region. We focus on fast delivery, service quality, and streamlining the ordering process, combining automotive and tech expertise to offer a new service level to the market.
How does WYZauto plan to streamline its maintenance supply chain, especially with its expansion into other vehicle parts?
Efficiency is key in our industry. By digitizing the network of stock and delivery options, we help retailers find solutions for customer needs. This will be crucial as we expand into spare parts, which have a higher level of complexity due to the numerous references available.
Could you share more details about the expansion into Malaysia and the significance of partnering with Vynn Capital for this expansion?
WYZauto launched in Malaysia a year ago to demonstrate our ability to expand into new markets and provide added value. Partnering with Vynn Capital, which specializes in mobility and supply, is strategic. We believe they are the right partner to help us synergize with their ecosystem and grow our solution.
Can you discuss the impact of WYZauto’s platform on increasing the e-commerce presence of wholesalers and brands in the automotive industry?
WYZauto invests time, expertise, and resources to digitize offers for players who lack the means to do so themselves. By providing access to large-scale networks and integration solutions, we help wholesalers and brands enhance their e-commerce presence in the industry.
What is your business model? How do you earn revenue?
We earn revenue from each transaction on our platform. As we establish ourselves in the aftermarket automotive space, we anticipate generating insights through data and traffic on our platform.
Also Read: No time to have your car serviced? MisterTyre comes to your aid at the tap of a button
With nearly 3,000 vehicle service centers already using the WYZauto app, what are the company’s plans to scale its user base further?
We are just getting started. With around 2,500 service centers in Thailand and close to 300 users in Malaysia, we aim to triple and increase tenfold our user base in each country, respectively. The automotive aftermarket is vast, and we see immense potential to add value to service centers in the countries we target.
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